In the Zhao clan, inside the quiet courtyard of Zhao Hai's little mansion, the third elder sat calmly in his room. The chamber was dimly lit, heavy incense curling through the air, and shelves stacked with ancient scrolls and weapons lined the walls. A sharp glint flashed in Zhao Hai's eyes as the door opened and a man in his late thirties stepped in. His footsteps were careful, his shoulders tense, and without hesitation, he immediately knelt down and bowed.
"Greetings, Third Elder."
Zhao Hai narrowed his eyes, his fingers tapping against the carved wooden chair. "So, Zhao Gao, did you find anything about this boy, Lan Zhen?"
Zhao Gao kept his head low. His voice was respectful, almost cautious. "Yes, Third Elder. He is a Class 2 student at the Holy Beast Academy. He is studying forging, and he has five very close friends that he spends nearly all of his time with."
Zhao Hai's gaze sharpened. "What about his bond?" His tone was ice-cold, carrying a weight that made Zhao Gao's breath hitch.
At that, Zhao Gao's expression faltered. He hesitated, his voice shaking slightly as he stammered, "S-sorry, Third Elder. I could not find out his bond."
A wave of violent aura burst out of Zhao Hai's body, filling the room with unbearable heat. The air shimmered as if it would ignite at any moment. Zhao Gao trembled under the crushing pressure, his forehead damp with sweat. His lungs felt heavy, and he struggled to breathe as though the entire room were about to explode into flames. Just as suddenly, Zhao Hai pulled his power back, his aura vanishing like it had never existed. His teeth ground together as he hissed, "You are pathetic."
He leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with scorn. "You are a rank fifty-four Holy Tyrant, and yet you could not find the bond of an eight-year-old spirit-forged bond master? Do you understand how laughable that is?"
Zhao Gao bowed lower, almost pressing his head to the floor. "Forgive me for disappointing you, Third Elder. But… I discovered something else that may be of value. Among Lan Zhen's five close friends, two of them belong to the Lei clan and Bing clan."
At this, Zhao Hai's eyes widened slightly, though his lips curled into a dangerous smile. "Lei clan and Bing clan…" he muttered, his tone low and dark. "Both are on the same level as our Zhao clan. This year, from the Lei clan, a boy named Lei Wei has arrived, and from the Bing clan, a girl named Bing Que'er. So Lan Zhen has already made connections with them, has he?"
Zhao Gao nodded firmly. "Yes, Third Elder."
Zhao Hai tapped his fingers against the armrest, the sound echoing in the tense room. "What about Lan Zhen's parents? Surely you uncovered that much?"
Zhao Gao finally spoke with confidence, raising his head slightly. "Yes. His father's name is Lan Hua, and his mother's name is Lan Xin. They reside in Star City, near the Holy Beast Academy. They live quietly, away from the academy's protection."
For a moment, silence reigned in the room. Zhao Gao looked up slowly, uncertain why the elder had not responded. But then his heart skipped a beat. Zhao Hai's face was twisted into a smile, greedy and cocky, his eyes alight with sinister delight.
"So, his family lives outside the academy's protection…" Zhao Hai chuckled, the sound growing darker with every breath until it turned into booming laughter. "Hahahahahaha! I see now. I'm sorry, Lan Zhen, you little brat, but you won't be able to see your loving parents during your holidays… hahahahahahahahaha!" His laughter shook the room, echoing like the laugh of a predator that had found its prey.
The next morning, inside the boys' dormitory, the sun crept lazily through the windows. Zhen, Lei Wei, and Shi Feng were still sound asleep, sprawled across their beds without a care. Meanwhile, Na'er, Xue'er, and Xiatao made their way toward the boys' dorm, chatting softly as they walked. The dorm master spotted them and raised an eyebrow, already sighing as though he had seen this scene far too many times before.
"You girls always come here to wake those idiots, hmm?" he said in a gruff but not unfriendly tone.
Na'er smiled politely, her voice light. "Sorry, Mr. Dorm Master. Please wake them up again. They'll be late otherwise."
The dorm master grumbled, shaking his head. "Every morning, the same nonsense," he muttered under his breath. Still, he marched toward room 21 and knocked heavily on the door, his knuckles rattling the wood. "Wake up, you idiots! Your friends are here!"
Inside, Zhen stirred awake first, rubbing his eyes before heading to wash up. But the dorm master didn't stop knocking. The sound echoed through the room like a drumbeat. Irritated beyond measure, Lei Wei and Shi Feng buried their heads under their blankets, then finally rolled over and shouted in unison, their voices booming:
"DON'T ALWAYS KNOCK OUR ROOM, YOU STUPID FAAAATSOOOO!"
Zhen, already awake, froze mid-step. His jaw dropped so hard he nearly lost his balance. Did they really just say that?!
The words were so loud that even the girls outside heard them clearly. Na'er's eyes went wide, Xue'er covered her mouth, and Xiatao doubled over, trying not to laugh. Giggles slipped out despite their best efforts.
The dorm master's face turned crimson, his thick brows twitching with fury. He slammed the door open, stomping inside. His voice thundered, shaking the room. "YOU FOOOOLLLLLSSSSS!"
Shi Feng and Lei Wei's bravado vanished instantly. They clutched each other like frightened children, their eyes bulging. "S-sorry, Dorm Ma-sterrrr…" they stammered in unison, trembling.
"WEAR YOUR SCHOOL UNIFORM NOW!" the dorm master roared.
"Yes, sir!" both boys shouted back, voices cracking.
"And don't sleep wearing only underwear! Always sleep wearing pants!"
"Yes, sir!" they repeated again, their faces burning red like ripe tomatoes.
The entire dormitory erupted into chaos as laughter filled the air. Other boys in the dorm snickered, pointing and whispering. Even Zhen slapped his forehead with a groan, completely embarrassed to be associated with them. Outside, Na'er and the others couldn't hold back anymore. They burst into loud laughter, clutching their stomachs.
When the boys finally emerged, their uniforms still a little crooked from rushing, they saw the girls still giggling uncontrollably. Shi Feng and Lei Wei's faces were crimson as they tried desperately to maintain some dignity.
"Don't laugh…" Shi Feng muttered weakly, his voice nearly drowned by their laughter.
Yu Xiatao smirked slyly at Lei Wei, tilting her head. "So, someone sleeps in just their underwear, huh? Pft—hehehehe."
Lei Wei panicked, waving his hands frantically. "No, no! That's not what you think! Erase that from your mind immediately!"
Shi Feng, equally humiliated, covered his face with both hands, groaning. "I can't live anymore…"
The girls only laughed harder, Xue'er even wiping tears from her eyes. Zhen sighed, helpless, though a faint smile tugged at his lips as he watched his friends stumble through the embarrassment.
Together, the group finally began walking toward Class 2, their chatter filling the morning air. The laughter lingered, echoing down the path, a ridiculous but warm start to another day at the academy.