While Bai Ze was busy organizing his world, time passed swiftly in the outside world.
Before long, he was called out by Xia Yinyue, who was sitting beside him.
"Bai Ze, we've arrived."
Hearing this, Bai Ze quickly exited his inner world.
Following Xia Yinyue's gaze, he looked out the window and saw a corner of an enormous building gradually coming into view.
As their aircraft approached, the students inside eagerly crowded around the windows, their eyes widening in astonishment.
Not far ahead stood a towering ten-meter-tall gate in the shape of a frame.
In the center of the gate was an embroidered landscape painting, depicting majestic mountains, dense forests, and misty clouds. The scene was so breathtakingly grand it seemed like a paradise on earth.
This must be the origin of the name Tianzhou Academy.
"We've arrived, students," the reception teacher announced.
"Beyond this gate lies the start of your new journey and a brand-new chapter in your lives!"
"For those whose department teachers are here to receive you, please follow them directly."
"For others, stick with me, and I will guide you to the registration and class assignment areas."
For Bai Ze, the mention of department teachers was particularly relevant.
The aircraft passed through the academy's gate and headed toward a nearby landing pad.
Upon entering the academy grounds, it became clear the view from outside had not done justice to its magnificence.
Each area was meticulously planned landing pads, academic buildings, training arenas.
In the distance, a cluster of residential buildings loomed, surrounded by essential facilities such as hospitals, restaurants, and supermarkets. It was like a self-contained miniature city, dazzling the students.
"Bai Ze, Teacher Zhou is waiting for you below. You should go to her first," Xia Yinyue said.
"Alright, Yinyue. See you later. I'll head over to Teacher Zhou now," Bai Ze replied as he grabbed the handrail and jumped off the aircraft.
The rest of the students followed, many wearing expressions of awe and excitement, much like villagers arriving in a bustling city for the first time.
It couldn't be helped students here were top talents from across the province.
Some came from wealthy families, while others, like Bai Ze, were from humble backgrounds. For those less privileged, seeing the central province was a rare and thrilling experience.
"Tch, a bunch of ignorant commoners. Huang Tian, let's go!"
A disdainful voice emerged from the crowd as two figures broke away from the group.
On the other side, Teacher Zhou had been waiting for Bai Ze near the landing pad for some time.
"Teacher Zhou, I'm here," Bai Ze greeted her with a wave.
Seeing him, Teacher Zhou stepped forward quickly. "Good, you're here. Let's talk about the S-rank card while we walk."
She led Bai Ze on foot toward the academic building.
"Bai Ze, S-rank cards are incredibly rare. The academy doesn't have many of them," Teacher Zhou explained as they walked.
"However, since we promised one to you, you will receive it. Keep in mind, though, that these cards are single-use items, so make the most of it."
As they entered the elevator, Teacher Zhou took out a black card from her pocket.
"Bai Ze, this is a Galactic Federation Black Card with 120 million credits loaded onto it. Take it," she said.
The dazzling black card shimmered before Bai Ze's eyes, making him frown slightly.
"Teacher Zhou, isn't this a bit too much? I don't recall there being any special rewards for winning the provincial championship," Bai Ze remarked.
Teacher Zhou shook her head with a wry smile.
"Rest assured, this money is rightfully yours. Besides, do you think I could personally come up with 120 million credits for a scholarship?"
Saying this, she handed the card to Bai Ze.
She wasn't wrong. If Bai Ze hadn't won, this money wouldn't have existed.
"Consider this a resource for your cultivation. You have many creatures to nurture, and that costs a lot of money," she added.
Indeed, cultivating creatures, developing a planet, and even participating in battles required various resources, including cards, as support.
With very little money on hand, how could Bai Ze compete with those wealthy heirs?
His recent simulated war victory had relied heavily on creation points, which he had used to temporarily manifest a war talent as a tool card. Without it, the results wouldn't have been as stellar.
And creation points were far more valuable than money Bai Ze was unwilling to waste them.
"In that case, thank you, Teacher Zhou," Bai Ze said, accepting the black card and slipping it into his pocket.
With this, his total assets now amounted to 140 million credits.
In a small county, he'd be a veritable tycoon!
"We're here. Up ahead is the academy's S-rank card vault," Teacher Zhou said, pointing toward the end of the hallway.
There, a heavily secured mechanical door stood guard.
Teacher Zhou stepped forward, placing her hand on a scanner beside the door.
With a beep, her fingerprints and other information were verified, and the thick double doors slowly opened with a deep rumble.
Inside, a central pillar shimmered with light, surrounded by floating cards exuding powerful auras.
"Go ahead. All the S-rank cards are here. Feel free to choose one," Teacher Zhou said, gesturing inside.
As Bai Ze stepped in, a mechanical voice rang in his mind:
[Meteor Impact (S-Rank Tool Card)]: A one-time-use card. Upon activation, a 10-kilometer-wide meteor will be summoned from outer space, creating a 150-kilometer impact crater and triggering a mass extinction event.
[Mythic Descent (S-Rank Creature Card)]: A one-time-use card. Summons are a group of mythical creatures from beyond the universe. The creatures' identities are unpredictable and may disrupt the planet's ecosystem.
[Orbital Asteroid (S-Rank Resource Card)]: A one-time-use card. Creates an asteroid in orbit around your home planet, capable of shielding it from cosmic impacts and ensuring planetary safety.
As Bai Ze read through the descriptions, his eyes widened.
"Wow, these cards are seriously overpowered!" he exclaimed.
Take Meteor Impact, for example had he possessed such a card during the freshman trials, a single use would have secured an easy victory.
"Too bad these are consumables, only usable once. I'll have to choose carefully," Bai Ze thought, circling the pillar.
Finally, he stopped in front of an intriguing card:
[Portal (S-Rank Tool Card)]: This card can be used three times. It creates a large portal between two designated locations, allowing creatures to travel freely through it.
[Note]: Portals have a time limit. Once the time expires, they will close. Keep an eye on the remaining duration!
"This one looks promising," Bai Ze muttered.
-support me in Patreon for more chapter, 450+ capters
patreon.com/LordoftheReader