The Old Scholar

It was a sunny and bright day as Leilani was busy instructing a 4th-year undergrad research class held inside one of the major lecture halls in Imperia. She was one of several professors who would handle such a class and in the more senior years, she was part of the panelists who would question and look over theses and group research works that would be presented before they could graduate. This time around, it was Research 1 of Class A45 

"Righto, now that I have told you how to write a proper research paper. I expect by the end of the week that all of you and your groups have topics for me to approve. Those groups who have no approved topic will not be able to start. Understood?" Leilani asked as she looked into the class sat before her 

"Yes Ma'am" The students replied 

"Alright, also. Does everyone have their signed travel slips for the field trip next week?" The Dean asked 

"Yes Ma'am" The students replied again as everyone went through their pouches, bags and inventory to bring out a paper that had their parent or guardian's signature

"Good, pass it to the front I will collect all of them" Leilani told them as she rose from her desk and walked over to the far right of the room and the first set of desks 

As the papers were being passed forward and she began collecting the compiled sets when they reached the front, Leilani sifted through each paper and used her magic to see if any of the signatures were forged, just making sure that none of her students were going to get into trouble and if it was forged, talk to the student before they left. After collecting all of the papers and seeing that none of them had forged signatures, she smiled as she put them away and then turned back to her class as the ending time was near. 

"Right, don't forget to have your things packed for the field trip and I want your topics by the end of the week before we go on the field trip. Dismissed" She stated with a nod 

"Thank you Ma'am" Her students replied as they began filtering out of the lecture hall through the door on the far right side, leaving Leilani who was busy compiling all of the papers on her desk and storing them away in her item box 

While the rest of the class was moving out, a small group of 5 students, one dwarf, a female dragonkin, a female elf, one wolf beastkin, and a young human woman, walked over to her. The dwarf in front of the group was a young man with a fair complexion with his ginger hair slicked back and a small beard forming on his face, behind him were the rest of the group, with the young dragonkin woman having blue scales on her tail and flowing blue hair with a fair complexion. The female elf had a bit of a darker complexion compared to her peers and her silver hair was kept in a loose ponytail behind her. The wolf beastkin had spiky and short black hair with a much more tan complexion and the young human woman with them had jet-black hair that stretched all the way down to her waist, her fair complexion, black eyes and she was taller than the rest of the group by far, nearing Leilani's height. All of these students were wearing the black robe uniforms of the College of Battle as she saw the CB emblazoned on their right breast. 

"Ah, Mr. Roche and company, or should I call you all by your adventuring party name, the "Black Cossacks" hehehe" Leilani joked as she looked at the group before her, with her mentioning their adventuring party name giving them a shock 

"How did you-" 

"I know many things Mr. Roche, anyways. What do you need? I do believe you have a class with Doctor Jacinto for a combat class from 11-12:30 later, so you better make it quick" Leilani interrupted him with a small smile 

"Uhhh, I was hoping to know when the International University Expo will be held" The young dwarf asked 

"Ohh yeah, because your father wants to be part of the security committee this time around right?" 

"Yes Ma'am" 

"Well, I had to move it about 4 months from now, the original idea was for next month but due to several factors, I have moved it to 4 months instead of next month. Tell your father and his company to contact me after the field trip so I can set things up alright?" Leilani asked him with Roche nodding in reply 

"Ok good. Now be on your way young ones, I have stuff to do" Leilani stated as she placed everything in her item box, nodded, and left with a smile for her next class

.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................

A week later, Leilani stood before her class A45 in front of a large class-sized teleporter in Teleportation Town. Her students were all wearing casual outfits, with their weapons packed safely in backpacks or in small bags of holding by their sides. It was about 7:30 in the morning and Leilani had just finished roll call, with all of her students thankfully here already. 

"Right. Now that everyone is here, I will tell you where the field trip for this week will be held. We are going to the continent of Quelecta. Specifically to the nation known as the Jade Empire as decided by the class vote earlier in the month, more will be revealed when we get there, so everyone stay close and don't wander off. Also, we have Professor Nalia, Professor Sobard, and Professor Sinclair with us to act as chaperones" 

Leilani then pointed to the two professors, a beautiful siren in human form with flowing purple hair wearing a flowing purple robe and a built and a buff orc wearing some separate thick armor plates on his limbs and torso, with a backpack on his back, and then to Martha who was wearing her full set of plate armor and had a backpack as well on her back. All three of them smiled and waved at the students. 

 With everyone ready, the teleportation pad came to life, its light blue light and steady hum filling the air as it was primed and ready for them to step on and get moving. 

"Alright, everyone on the pad now" Leilani commanded as she watched and then joined them all on the pad 

"Get ready" She added as she could feel the pad's magical runes and inscriptions come to life 

{!} 

Then, they disappeared in a pillar or blue light. 

A few moments later, the group materialized on a teleportation pad resting in the middle of a massive lake. The group saw that the lake was surrounded by trees that rested near the banks of the lake. Far off in the distance, they could see pagoda towers rising into the sky, and there was the air was filled with life as gusts of wind tried to push and pull the students and teachers to no avail. 

Standing in front of the teleportation pad with a smile on her face was a tall and beautiful woman, her yellow and red dress touched the floor, and her flowing and silky black hair fell down her back and sides. On her beautiful face was a pair of glasses and a smile that struck into the hearts of the students before her. Leilani moved past her students and was the first off the pad, approaching the woman who bowed to her deeply before restoring herself upright. 

"Welcome to the Jade Empire. Professor, it has been quite some time" The lady began, her soothing and deep voice akin to a lovely harmony 

"Indeed it has Tanaka, or should I address you as Crown Princess Tanaka" Leilani replied with a small smile as she gave a small bow in reply 

"Tanaka is fine Professor, my title is meaningless anyway as my brother has already been crowned the new Jade Emperor" Tanaka replied with a wry smile that had a hint of regret 

"Well, I bet you still find life fulfilling?" Leilani asked her with crossed arms and a concerned expression 

"Of course, as the Empire's strongest warrior and brightest mind, I think I have a lot of reasons to find my life fulfilling" Tanaka replied with a smile as she looked past her professor and to the group on the pad 

"Right, let me introduce you. Everyone, this is Crown Princess Tanaka Okuta. The eldest daughter of the former emperor and sibling to the current Jade Emperor Cao. Why don't you tell the class a little bit about yourself eh?" Leilani finished with a smirk 

"Fufufu, gladly. Hello everyone, as stated earlier, I am Crown Princess Tanaka and I am a graduate of Imperia Academy of the Class of 5117. College of Battle, Majoring in War Studies and Minoring in Magical Studies" Tanaka began with a smile

"You're a College of Battle graduate?" A student in the crowd asked  

"Mhmm! CB! FIGHT OR DIE (X3) RAAAGH!" Tanaka shouted as she raised her fist high, the pose being the one commonly used in the College of Battle as a chant before an event, with the College of Battle students in the group cheering as they saw her strike the pose  

"Anyways. Tanaka here will be our tour guide during our time here" Leilani continued as she gestured for them to get off the pad and they began walking down the single cobblestone walkway leading out of the lake 

"Yes, the first five days here, you will be accompanied by me as I take you to certain places of interest. You will be given a day to yourselves to wander around the capital on the 6th day and on the 7th, you will leave in the afternoon. That is the schedule we are going to keep" The beautiful crown princess said as she walked alongside Leilani while the other professors were in the rear watching the college students before them 

The group reached the end of the walkway to a massive convoy of carriages that were all being pulled by massive tri-horned reptiles that had gold and orange scales known as the Draconeers which were believed to be a species of dragons that split off from the main group as draconeers could get as large as a perfectly healthy stallion and breathe fire while also being many more times as dangerous and durable while also somehow easier to tame if done right. 

"These carriages will bring you all to where you will be staying, that is in the Golden Fire Sect, now, just to enlighten you, a sect in this nation refers to a school akin to an academy. The Golden Fire Sect is the best school in the capital but I will warn you that our students are...prideful and you will be challenged to a hand-to-hand fight during your stay here. I know this despite me instructing the students and the teachers there not to. So if you do get challenged, I would advise you to just ignore it but do know that if you accept their challenge and win or lose, they will either leave you be or come back again for round 2. So, win the fight and win hard enough that they won't bother you" Tanaka said to the students as she turned to them, with many of them giving her confused and surprised expressions, even the three chaperons 

"Really? That is still a problem in this empire?" Leilani asked as she looked at her former student in disbelief 

"Despite my best efforts Professor believe me. I honestly am surprised we have not offended anyone from other nations yet. I just hope that this will not be the first incident that does so. Plus I have reason to believe that Imperia's students have a decent chance at deterring them because these people have not seen a bigger fish in their already big pond so to speak" The Crown Princess replied 

"Fine...but if anyone challenges me-"

"I know Professor, you will bury them. I will not stop you. If they are foolish enough to fight you, that is one of them, and I will not do anything to stop that. Hell, I would be happy to just write the letter on why I did not stop it" Takana replied with a wry smile that hid her hopes for that not to go down 

"Right, everyone into the carriages. Professors, Sobard, the carriage in the front, Nalia, the carriage in the back, Martha, the middle carriage" 

"Understood Ma'am" 

"Yes Ma'am" 

"Got it" The three professors replied, with Martha flashing a wink and a smile to her beloved which was returned in kind plus a little subtle air kiss 

Once the students ard professors were all in the carriages, the convoy began to move while Takana and Leilani were busy floating above the convoy acting as eagle-eyed escorts. Takana was flying on a sword while Leilani just glided through the air, her black overcoat seemingly glued to her shoulders as the great gusts of wind didn't even bother her. The way to the Golden Fire Sect was uneventful but provided great scenery for the students and professors as they saw rolling hills covered in green, people flying on swords and brooms in the sky passing them, all of them seemingly avoiding flying over the convoy for some reason unbeknownst to the students. They also saw some beautifully flowing rivers, and even passed by a martial arts school in the middle of practice, with the students practicing out in the open stopping what they were doing and waving towards the convoy of onlookers with smiles. As they neared the Golden Fire Sect, they found that it was built into and around a massive mountain that was on the outskirts of the capital, it had large pagoda towers reaching high into the sky and there were small islands floating around the place that gave it an air of mystery and beauty. 

The convoy rolled into the entrance courtyard as students of the Sect were rushing to see the new arrivals, they crowded the balconies, sat on the railings, hugged the pillars they climbed, sat on the rooftops nearby or just stood by and hovered on a sword, all eyes as the carriages came to a stop and the students of Imperia poured from the carriages. With Takana and Leilani landing in front of the Imperia students shortly after all had assembled before the carriages. 

With everyone accounted for, Leilani turned back to Takana who had brought out a fan and they both turned to see a group of teachers plus the Sect Leader who was akin to a Dean approach them. Takana was about to say something to the Sect Leader but was interrupted as someone from the group threw a dagger that sped forward towards Leilani who caught it easily, with all eyes on the person who threw it. The person in question was someone described as a jade beauty who wore a jade-colored outfit that highlighted her voluptuous, curvaceous, and well-endowed body with large breasts and butt, the lower half of her face was hidden behind a jade-colored veil and she scoffed as she saw Leilani catch the dagger. 

"wHAT-" 

"HMPH! You may have caught that you foreign whore! But let's see how you handle my actual strength! I Moon Xie! Assistant Sect Leader of the Golden Fire Sect, challenge you to a duel!" The woman finished before Takana could say something, with all eyes on Leilani and the Crown Princess 

"Gods dammit!" Takana shouted as she threw her fan onto the ground and then pinched her forehead

'Oh boy...this will be an eventful trip' Leilani thought as she flashed a wry smile 

A/N: New Chapter. Enjoy! Hehehehe