Across the vast cosmos of the Earthly Realm, among the many planets that the mortal races inhabit, there are countless universities and academies devoted to the arts. However, among all of them, only a few stand at the very top. One such institute was the Interplanetary Academy of Cultivation, a place that many talented young elites dreamed of attending.
Its history was the stuff of legend, its campus and facilities at the very peak of innovative genius and modernity. Its grandeur spoke for itself. Housed upon two conjoined super-worlds, the Academy boasted a perfect location for young talents to hone their skills, learn from the best, cultivate and grow together.
It was an extremely top-notch Academy, with not a single bad review to its name.
With a flash of 'teleportational' light, Jin Huang appeared with confusion etched into his features and charred rags for clothes. His body sizzled slightly as chaotic sparks of electricity danced across his body, leaving him somewhat numb as he fell to his knees.
"What the hell?"
Looking around, Jin Huang saw that he was atop a massive white platform that led into an open gateway. On either side, the golden gates were opened wide as if they were expecting him. Looking around a little more, he saw that the platform was resting atop pure white clouds, and further beyond it were distant stars and opaque streams of multicolored light all around.
Through the gateway, he saw a kind of illusory image that was beginning to falter. Evidently, someone was coming through from the other side.
Struggling to get up, Jin Huang found that he was still unable to properly stand, but he managed an awkward stance with his hands resting on his knees for support.
The person who came out of the illusory image, leaving it wobbling frantically behind them, was a woman with large glasses and an even larger 'heart.' She stepped out and looked around, then saw him standing there before she flashed a smile and leapt into the air.
In a graceful glide, the woman flew across to him and landed just a few feet away, greeting him sweetly as the soft landing caused her assets to bounce a bit. "Hello, young lad."
Jin Huang swallowed his saliva, overwhelmed by too many out-of-this-world sights at once.
"Hey," he said dumbly.
"My name is Neya Sinclaire, but you can call me Sister Sin or Ms. Sinclaire, either is just fine. I'm going to be your guide today once the orientation ceremony is complete."
Jin Huang nodded along as though he understood.
"Do you have your credentials? Invitation? Letter of recommendation?" she asked with a bright smile, looking expectantly at his hands.
He stared up at her big beautiful eyes and shook his head, "I'm afraid I don't have any of those. I don't even know how I got here."
Furrowed brows from the woman caused him to gulp loudly.
"You see, there was this flash of lightning and," he gestured to himself with his hands, looking down and only then noticing something in his palm. When he inspected it closer, he saw that it was the same tiny image of the flame that had set the scroll on fire.
Seeing what he was looking at, the woman gasped and grabbed his hand, a bit less gentle than he thought she would.
"This is..." She stared in wide-eyed shock at the tiny flame in the center of his palm. Looking at him again, and closely, she shook her head in exasperation. "Whatever, nothing has made sense about this place since I started."
Jin Huang looked at the tiny flame again and asked, "Excuse me, Miss Immortal, but what exactly is this? Is this what brought me here?"
She chuckled, "Just Ms. Sinclaire is fine; I'm no Immortal. As for that thing in your hand, it's a Stamp of Approval."
He nodded. "Is that special?"
"Not necessarily. There are various grades to them. What's shocking is that yours isn't any grade I know about, which means it must be Celestial-grade or higher. I have no idea where you could have gotten it from, but it's unmistakably a Stamp of Approval. Someone very high up in the chain pulled the strings for you to come here."
After that, Ms. Sinclaire led Jin Huang through the illusion and to the true entrance.
"And... here is?" He asked as he watched space warp around them, before giving way to entirely new scenery.
Now, he saw a vast circular platform floating before the gate. Its surface resembled polished obsidian, reflective like a mirror. Array lines ran beneath the platform like veins, regulating the pressure so mortals from low worlds would not be crushed by the density of spiritual energy. Even so, Jin Huang felt slightly dizzy, breathless and somewhat euphoric.
Above the platform hovered a silent stone tablet, its surface blank. However, when Ms. Sinclaire approached, her name appeared, followed by a pop of green and a soft chime. She motioned to Jin Huang to come stand near her, and he stepped forward with a bit of hesitation.
"Relax. Just stand under the tablet and state your name."
Jin Huang did as he was told, and the tablet chimed again, this time revealing his name. There was a flash of orange light, and then specks of glittery mist floated down to him, morphing into a small card with an image of his face on it.
There were also a bunch of other pieces of information, like his name, the age of his bones, and his current cultivation level.
"That is your Student Identification. Try not to lose it, you'll have to pay fifteen spirit stones for another one, and those aren't easy for beginners to earn."
At the mere mention of having to pay, Jin Huang grabbed the card and stuffed it into his charred pants, securing it as best as he could.
Ms. Sinclaire continued forward along the only pathway that led away from the platform, allowing him to see more of the scenery.
"To answer you earlier question. This... is the Interplanetary Academy of Cultivation, and let me be the first to say: Welcome, Jin Huang."
Jin Huang looked around, taking in the sights with a slack jaw.
On either side of the path, the academy districts drifted, floating on separate clouds that were joined by bridges of multicolored light. There were weapon pavilions, pill towers emitting fragrant clouds, beast gardens where ancient creatures slept within crystal prisons, and lecture halls carved into inverted peaks.
Beneath the pathway, there was a dark and distant pit that seemed to swallow all the surrounding light. Gazing into it, Jin Huang felt as though he was being drawn closer and closer.
"Down there is the academy's own unique sacred realm. Our historians say that it once was the home of an Ancient Sect or Clan, but there are far too many possibilities for us to know anything for sure."
Nodding and trying to close his wide mouth, Jin Huang followed alongside Ms. Sinclaire as she led him to the orientation hall.
"Are there any other students like me? Also, how did you know to come and find me?"
Smiling, Ms. Sinclaire waved her hand and a jade slip appeared. "I get notified of new arrivals with this, and I can choose whether I want to take the responsibility of being their guide, or leave it to someone else."
"As for the others, they're already in the hall. You're actually really late."
Jin Huang nodded, "Shouldn't we hurry?"
Ms. Sinclaire shook her head slowly, looking relaxed and at peace, "Nature never rushes, yet all is accomplished. A legendary senior once said that."
At that, Jin Huang chuckled. "In that case, would you mind showing me where I can get something to eat?"
Ms. Sinclaire looked down at Jin Huang's face, seeing something akin to gluttonous excitement on it. Surely, he expected such a grand and fantastical place to have delectable delights beyond what he had ever tasted.
"Certainly," she grinned, waving her hand and taking him up with her into the air. Now, she most certainly could not disappoint.