2789 Imperial Academy
She had dispatched individuals to Sikong Planet for inquiries, which meant it would take some time before they could provide any updates.

Considering the considerable distance between the Divine Province and Sikong Planet, traveling back and forth was far from convenient.

Moreover, it wasn’t as if she hadn’t sent people there previously. Unfortunately, multiple groups had never returned.

Unbeknownst to Shi Yongqian, a protective talisman matrix shielded the skies above the Mo Kingdom capital on Sikong Planet. Attempting to traverse two boundaries through this talisman matrix would only result in those individuals descending into a bewildering space-time reversal.

Regrettably, each group she had dispatched had met this silent and inexplicable demise.

Due to the constraints of Heavenly Law, she couldn’t frequently send a significant number of people to Sikong Planet.

This time, their emissary, Miao Sheng, took a different approach, eschewing the use of a talisman matrix and instead utilizing a discreet, specialized passageway.

Not having received any word from him for such an extended period suggested he might have succeeded. It was a missed opportunity, though, as only one person could traverse that hidden route. Otherwise, she could have brought several more individuals along.

Miao Sheng’s formidable level-12 grand spiritual cultivator prowess would likely be partially suppressed upon descending.

Shi Yongqian’s eyes flickered, betraying a hint of ruthlessness.

She could only hope that this time, Miao Sheng would unearth concrete information and not let her down.

As Shi Yongqian lowered her gaze, she glanced at the tiny characters flickering on the jade messenger talisman.

Prominently, a chilling word caught her eye: “Eliminate.”

Her heart raced as she tightly clutched the jade talisman in her hand. She glanced over at the stoic figure standing at the edge of the plaza, and suddenly, an uncontrollable tempest of wind

and torrential rain erupted, shrouding the surroundings in darkness.

Qiao Mu, sensing something amiss, instinctively looked in the direction Shi Yongqian had vanished, only catching sight of a familiar silhouette. A subtle sneer crossed her lips.

“Come with me, everyone,” Dean Yun beckoned, leading the group towards the Imperial Academy.

The entirety of the inner city of Tempest City was under the jurisdiction of the Imperial Academy. In contrast, the outer city was only half its size and mainly inhabited by commoners who had migrated here from various places for business.

Apart from students, the inner city was primarily occupied by mentors and their families. Currently, there were 13 thousand students enrolled in the Imperial Academy, and when you added in the mentors and their families, the population exceeded 20 thousand. With the inclusion of the Academy’s 8000 guards, the total population reached nearly 30 thousand.

The Imperial Academy welcomed exceptional individuals from the Three Provinces and students with extraordinary abilities from all corners of the world. Beyond the educational facilities, the inner city housed a diverse array of living quarters, occupying roughly half of its area.

These living quarters were arranged in streets with various shops and services. For students immersed in their studies, it was convenient to purchase necessities within the inner city.

However, it was a widely known fact that the inner city’s prices were three times higher than those in the outer city. So, for those students looking to save some coin, buying essentials in the outer city was the more economical choice.

Qiao Mu and her companions followed behind Dean Yun, their eyes filled with curiosity as they examined the academy.

Although it was labeled as an academy, it more closely resembled a mid-sized city, equipped with virtually everything one could need.
“It’s primarily divided into two sections: the educational district and the residential district. Once you’ve settled in, take your time getting acclimated to the surroundings,” Yun Piaomiao explained with a warm smile.

“The mission area is situated to the north of the residential district. For those of you seeking access to abundant resources, you can venture to the heart of the mission area once you’ve familiarized yourselves with the process to undertake missions.”