...
Xia Yuanba nodded and said boastfully: "The first course is taught by the Abyss Department"—by the elder himself. The requirements to enter the Level 1 course are the strictest; you either have to have enough talent, or—hehe—enough connections.
Yun Che remembered that six months ago, Xia Yuanba was only at Level 4 of the Elementary Kingdom. At his age, that level could only be considered average, it wouldn't even count as "sufficient talent" by a damn sight. So it could only be the latter. With his face full of doubt, Yun Che asked: "Does our family have some connection with the New Moon Abyss Palace?"
Xia Yuanba laughed awkwardly: "Actually, when my grandfather was young, he often came to visit New Moon City, and made a very good friend here. That friend later became one of the vice‑deans of the New Moon Abyss Palace. So not only did I get in without taking the entrance exam, I even got into the Level 1 course.
