Xiao Chen and Xuan Chen walked side by side along the forest path outside the town.
Morning light filtered through the trees, casting dappled shadows across their shoulders—
Like remnants of yesterday's battle still lingering in the air.
They said nothing along the way.
Only upon returning to the familiar streets of the town did they begin to relax.
Back in their inn room, Xuan Chen suddenly spoke.
"That punch…
Which technique was it?"
Xiao Chen leaned his Dragon Soul spear against the wall, sat cross-legged, and smirked.
"Brother, be honest—
How were those moves?
Am I finally catching up to you?"
His tone was playful, but his eyes held a quiet seriousness.
Xuan Chen sat across from him, lifting the lid of his teacup with a calm smile.
"Your fist intent draws inward like a dragon diving through starlight.
Your spear sealed the throat without leaving an opening.
Judging by today's fight alone—
You could match most sect-trained disciples.
You rascal…
How much are you still hiding?"
Xiao Chen laughed, hands behind his back, feigning mystery.
"I'm just a humble guy.
Unlike you—
Always holding back, only using thirty percent of your strength.
It drives me crazy."
Xuan Chen took a sip of tea, silent for a while.
Xiao Chen chuckled, eyes gleaming.
He leaned in half a step.
"And you?
You didn't go all out either, right?
Those flying talismans of yours—
They're more than just distractions, aren't they?"
Xuan Chen smiled faintly.
"Same to you.
How many of your moves have I never seen before?"
"Don't play coy, brother.
At this point, what's the point of hiding?
I've got one flaw—
Curiosity.
Come on, are you really going to tell me that sword of yours is just for show?"
Xiao Chen tapped his knee with a mischievous grin.
Xuan Chen replied softly.
"It's not for show.
It's just… not meant to be used lightly."
"Whoa—
Then when do I get to see it in action?"
Xiao Chen slapped his thigh, clearly excited.
They exchanged a smile.
As dusk settled, the room grew quiet.
"If you can truly fuse Dragon Soul with your fist techniques—
I'll accept your challenge."
Xuan Chen's voice was calm,
But within it lay quiet approval.
Xiao Chen lit up.
"Deal!"
—
By midday, the two descended to the inn's dining hall.
The atmosphere was oddly tense.
A young boy burst in, face flushed with excitement, clutching a few torn sheets of paper.
He ran through the hall shouting,
"Those two big brothers from yesterday—
They're gonna be Academy prodigies!
It's in the papers!"
Just as he reached their table,
An elderly woman with a face full of wrinkles snapped at him.
"Stop spouting nonsense!
Children shouldn't run around!"
Startled, the boy quickly gathered his papers and fled.
Xuan Chen shook his head with a faint smile.
Xiao Chen chuckled, eyes following the fluttering pages.
Though the tavern wasn't crowded,
The air felt unusually quiet.
Xuan Chen scanned the room—
Several glances lingered on them, subtle but unmistakable.
The innkeeper personally brought over a pot of wine.
While pouring, he whispered,
"We've heard some things about you two lately.
Can't say what's true—
But if you ever need anything,
Our humble inn will do what it can."
Xuan Chen nodded, offering a polite smile.
Xiao Chen leaned on his elbow, muttering,
"Brother, why does it feel like no one's enjoying their food?"
Xuan Chen replied evenly,
"It's not the food.
It's us.
They're uneasy—
Not because of the dishes, but because of who's at the table."
They ordered as usual—soup, meat, wine—
Eating as if nothing had happened.
But Xuan Chen's peripheral vision remained sharp.
Several cultivators, dressed as travelers or students, sat in the corners.
They spoke in hushed tones—
Yet kept stealing glances.
Those scouts are getting impatient, Xuan Chen sent via thought-message.
But they still don't dare come close.
Xiao Chen nodded with a quiet grin.
To avoid further trouble,
They stayed in their room that afternoon—
Meditating, talking, and watching.
—
Later, Xiao Chen asked softly,
"Brother…
About those black-clad men yesterday—
What do you think?
Who sent them?"
Xuan Chen paused, voice heavy.
"Only one of them used spiritual techniques resembling Starseizing Palace.
The rest didn't feel like formal sect disciples—
Likely hired rogues, sent to probe our strength.
It might be about Dragon Soul…
Or because we rejected Supreme Academy."
Xiao Chen nodded.
"Maybe other academies wanted to approach us—
But got blocked."
Xuan Chen replied softly.
"Their attacks didn't aim to kill.
There was restraint—
Especially when one of them fell.
That flying fan that deflected your strike…
It showed they were trying to control casualties."
Xiao Chen agreed.
"Yeah, that fan was definitely from their own side.
They weren't brainless trial fodder—
They were disciplined.
Purposeful."
Xuan Chen said,
"There are too many ways information could've leaked.
It's possible someone deliberately spread rumors—
To test what's real."
—
By evening, the two strolled along a quiet path near the inn.
Outside the town, children played in the open field—
Mimicking yesterday's battle.
Tiny hands swung sticks, pretending to be Xiao Chen and Xuan Chen.
Xiao Chen laughed.
"Brother, look—
Do they look like us?"
Xuan Chen smiled faintly, saying nothing.
Xiao Chen lowered his voice.
"Honestly…
This isn't so bad.
Sometimes, the impact of a fight goes deeper than we think."
Xuan Chen stood silent, gazing at the darkening sky.
—
Night fell.
Outside the inn, the wind whispered through the courtyard.
Just as the two prepared to rest,
They heard faint footsteps—
Spiritual energy hidden with precision.
A gray figure emerged from the alley.
Xuan Chen and Xiao Chen exchanged a glance—
Then vanished from their room, appearing at the courtyard gate.
An old man stood there, hunched in a gray robe.
He said nothing, simply walked up to them.
With a slight bow,
His face hidden beneath a wide-brimmed hat,
He extended a letter—
And a black-gold token, carved with a single character:
傲 (Ao).
The old man's voice was raspy, calm yet respectful.
"Gentlemen, I am a messenger from Ao Tian Academy.
This is a personal letter from our Headmaster.
I was entrusted to deliver it—along with this token."
Xiao Chen accepted the letter.
Before he could speak, the old man had already turned—
Melting into the night like a shadow,
As if he had never been there.
Xuan Chen's gaze lingered on the token.
He whispered the engraved word aloud:
"Ao Tian."
As his fingertip touched the token,
Spiritual energy stirred.
A faint ripple spread outward—
Some kind of recognition mechanism.
Then it faded, returning to stillness.
The two exchanged a glance,
Watching the old man's silhouette vanish.
Xiao Chen frowned.
"Brother… Ao Tian Academy?
Isn't that the one that… fell from glory?"
Xuan Chen replied,
"Once ranked first.
Now fifth.
But its name still carries weight.
I didn't expect them to reach out."
Xiao Chen opened the letter.
The handwriting was bold and elegant.
Its tone was sincere.
It referenced their confrontation with Starseizing Palace—
And offered full resources, private cultivation halls,
And confidentiality regarding their identities.
But one passage made them pause, eyes meeting in silence:
"We have heard of your deeds.
Were it not for old ties, we would not dare intrude.
Yet fate has its threads, and meeting you now is a blessing.
We know you are not ordinary.
We do not seek to claim you early,
Only to show our sincerity.
Ao Tian may no longer hold its former glory,
But we aim to rise again—
And wish to do so with those who share that vision.
Should you choose to join,
You will be received with highest honor.
No trials. No formal enrollment.
Only a shared path forward.
If you do not mind a meeting,
Three days from now, beneath Tianping Mountain,
At the southern cliff by Nanyan Rock,
A quiet table will await you.
The token enclosed grants passage.
—Ao Tian Academy, Gu Ling"
Xiao Chen folded the letter, brow furrowed.
"They… actually know who we are?"
Xuan Chen's eyes remained calm—
But beneath the surface, waves stirred.
"They didn't spell it out.
But they know more than they admit.
Not saying everything—
That's true sincerity.
They're waiting for us to verify it ourselves.
This game…
Is getting bigger."
Xiao Chen raised an eyebrow.
"So… are we going?"
Xuan Chen gave a faint smile.
"We're going.
This is just the beginning.
This academy rivalry—
Is getting more and more interesting."
Xiao Chen ran his fingers over the token, lips curling.
"Then let's see if they've got chips worth our attention."
The wind stirred over Tianping Mountain.
The game had yet to begin—
But the pieces were already in place.