The night training had finally ended, leaving the cool night air heavy with fatigue and relief. The stars glittered faintly above as the students dispersed one by one. Before leaving, Long Yi, her expression calm but her eyes glinting faintly, stopped Zhen. "Give me the needle you created," she requested quietly. Zhen, still a little dazed from exhaustion, nodded and handed the small, gleaming needle to her. Long Yi accepted it without another word, her gaze lingering on him for a moment longer than usual, before she turned away into the shadows.
Zhen and his friends started heading back toward their dorms. Their footsteps echoed faintly against the stone path. Shi Feng stretched his arms with a grin, clearly energized. "Now that I've reached rank 15, I feel so awesome," he boasted, his tone filled with pride.
Lei Wei laughed lightly, flexing his fists. "Hmm, I also feel more energetic. It's like the fatigue just disappeared."
But Zhen and Naer were far from energetic. Their heads drooped, their feet dragged along the ground, and their shoulders sagged with exhaustion. They looked like they might collapse at any moment. Their friends noticed instantly. Lei Wei and Shi Feng moved quickly to support Zhen, while Bing Xueer and Yu Xiatao rushed to Naer's side. Between the four of them, they kept the two from stumbling over completely.
Wei frowned, worry in his voice. "They didn't even fight in the training battle today."
Xueer glanced at Zhen's pale face and shook her head. "They've done so much more than us today. It's no wonder they're this drained. We should just let them rest."
Shi Feng sighed, though his expression softened. "Alright. Let's get them back to the dorms. We'll regroup in the morning."
Everyone nodded in agreement. Carefully, they carried their tired friends back. Wei and Feng guided Zhen into the boys' dorm, helping him to his bed in room 21, while Xueer and Xiatao escorted Naer to the girls' dorm, settling her down in room 15. Soon, the academy was quiet, the six of them finally asleep.
The first rays of dawn touched the academy buildings, painting them gold. In the girls' dorm, the dorm master moved through the halls, knocking on doors and calling the girls awake. In room 15, Naer, Xiatao, and Xueer rubbed the sleep from their eyes, dressed neatly, and headed out. Their steps were light, their morning routine practiced. As they approached the boys' dorm, expecting to rouse their friends as usual, they froze in surprise.
Feng, Wei, and even Zhen were already stepping out of the dorm, fully dressed and awake.
Xiatao blinked. "How did you guys wake up early?"
Queer raised a brow. "Yeah, every morning we have to come to your dorm and beg your dorm master to wake you."
Wei and Feng exchanged glances, then rubbed the back of their heads sheepishly. "Well…" They both turned toward Zhen. "Zhen woke us up."
The girls' eyes immediately shifted to Zhen. He tilted his head in confusion. "What??? Didn't you guys remember? I already fell asleep on the way back yesterday. You carried me yourselves. That's why i woke up early."
The words hit them like a sudden realization. Everyone except Naer snapped their fingers, recalling vividly how they had supported him all the way. They exchanged embarrassed nods, chuckling softly at their own mistake.
The group continued together toward Class 2, the morning air filled with their chatter. They stepped into the classroom and took their seats. Once again, the five students who had been missing previously were absent today as well. Moments later, Guan Fang entered. Immediately, the class rose to their feet and greeted him in unison. "Greetings, head teacher."
Guan Fang acknowledged them with a nod, though his sharp eyes scanned the room with hidden astonishment. The bond power of Class 2 has risen sharply. Every student has reached rank 12. Even Gu Naer is now rank 12. But Lan Zhen… he's already at rank 14. And astonishingly, Lei Wei, Yu Xiatao, Bing Xueer, and Shi Feng have reached rank 15. Such progress in such a short time!
He concealed his surprise behind a calm expression, smiling faintly. "Let's begin today's lesson."
Far beyond the tranquil academy grounds, past the still lake, there lay a chamber shrouded in oppressive darkness. The air was thick with pure dark dragon aura, dense enough to feel like a crushing weight. Long Yi sat cross-legged in the center, her eyes fixed on the needle Zhen had given her. The small object glowed faintly with a soft, radiant energy. She held it carefully between her fingers, then closed her eyes to sense it more deeply.
Immediately, a shock ran through her. She inhaled sharply, her voice trembling in a whisper. "This light energy… it feels too familiar." Her eyes snapped open, her heart pounding. "It's… pure light."
Before she could steady herself, the needle flared. A radiant projection unfolded around her, illuminating the pitch-dark chamber with dazzling brilliance. Long Yi's pupils shrank in disbelief. The air trembled as if creation itself were unfolding before her eyes. From the light emerged an immense dragon—its scales shimmering like crystallized sunlight, its presence overwhelming. The colossal Light Dragon inhaled deeply, its breath rumbling like thunder, shaking the very foundation of the room.
The sheer pressure pressed down on Long Yi's chest. She stumbled back, her lungs struggling for air. "This… overwhelming dragon aura… I can't even breathe." Her voice broke, fear mingling with awe.
Her gaze locked onto the dragon's heart, where a figure stood enshrined in radiance. A female figure, glowing with impossible light, her face veiled by brightness. The aura she released was not unfamiliar—it stirred something deep within Long Yi's soul, a recognition she could not place.
The figure smiled gently, though her presence radiated divine authority. Her voice resounded, neither loud nor soft, but echoing into Long Yi's very spirit. "Protect Zhen."
Long Yi's eyes widened. "Who are you?" she demanded, her voice breaking under the crushing aura.
The woman raised her hand. The light condensed into another image—faint yet visible. It showed the face of a young woman in her twenties, her features delicate yet firm, bearing a resemblance that Long Yi could not mistake. She looked strikingly similar to Lan Xin, Zhen's mother.
Long Yi's breath caught in her throat. "Lan Xin…? No… it's not exactly her…" She shook her head, overwhelmed by confusion.
The radiant figure did not explain. Instead, she smiled again, her presence radiating warmth even within the suffocating brilliance. Her words echoed like a vow carried by the heavens. "We will meet soon, Long Yi."
The dragon roared once, the chamber shaking violently, and then the vision shattered. The light faded, leaving only the dense darkness of the chamber. Long Yi fell to her knees, her body trembling. Her breath came in ragged gasps as she tried to make sense of what she had witnessed.
Two commands reverberated in her mind, echoing louder than her heartbeat:
Protect Zhen.
And the promise that chilled her spine with destiny:
We will meet soon, Long Yi.