Heavens' Laughter

A couple of months passed…

During that time, training was relentless and unyielding, demanding complete focus and dedication.

Every day was spent honing the art of swordsmanship, learning to channel and control the flow of Qi, and mastering the essential disciplines that formed the foundation of a cultivator.

However, today was the day of The Grand Opening Tournament!

The instructors, naturally, had already chosen a standout student from each of their classes, carefully selecting those they believed held the greatest potential.

Now, they all traveled together in a grand carriage.

Which soared through the skies, pulled effortlessly by two majestic griffins.@@novelbin@@

These magnificent creatures, their feathers gleaming under the sunlight, were clad in resplendent gold armor.

Inside the carriage…

Hè Jun seemed to be dripping in sweat, her eyes darting nervously toward the window as a desperate urge to leap out surged within her:

'Why did I have to be chosen?'

Hè Jun swallowed hard, her throat tight, when she felt the intensity of a gaze locking onto her.

It came from the woman sitting across from her; her stare as cold as steel.

Hè Jun could practically feel the venom radiating from her, the raw hatred burning through her eyes like a scorching flame.

In a foul mood, Yùn Yì seethed quietly, her displeasure clear as she glared at the Ninth Princess across from her:

'DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!!!'

The sight of the Ninth Princess was enough to set Yùn Yì's teeth on edge. The urge to throw the woman out of the carriage was almost overwhelming.

'Why was this bitch chosen!?'

Yùn Yì couldn't help but glance over at the only female instructor, her eyes narrowing in silent accusation.

She partially blamed her for the choice of the Ninth Princess, the thought gnawing at her like a persistent itch.

The urge to throw the female instructor out of the carriage surged, but reality quickly sank in:

'Damn it…'

It was nothing more than a fantasy.

Yùn Yì wasn't strong enough to act on it.

Her fingers curled tightly into fists, her teeth clenched in frustration. She desperately wanted to bite down on a handkerchief to muffle the rising anger, but even that small comfort was out of reach.

The helplessness churned in Yùn Yì's gut, her own weakness a bitter truth she couldn't ignore:

'I must get stronger…'

Feeling the weight of a gaze on her, Mei Xue, comfortably settled on the plush red cushion, casually tapped the side with her fingers:

"Hmm?"

Mei Xue's eyes flicked over to the source of the attention, and a small, knowing smile tugged at her lips.

With a graceful wave of her hand, she acknowledged the young woman's gaze, and in an instant, the girl quickly turned her face away:

'So cute~! I want one!'

A sudden wave of baby fever washed over Mei Xue, and she found herself captivated by the young woman's innocent charm.

There was something so endearing about her, something that made her heart soften with an unexpected longing.

Mei Xue couldn't help but glance over at a certain young man, her gaze lingering on him for a moment longer than usual.

A flicker of jealousy stirred within Mei Xue, as she wished it were her who had a cute girl by her side!:

'I should've only picked cute girls….'

Feng Shen, who had been dozing off with his head resting against the window, let out a soft sigh, his eyes barely opening.

Sensing a lingering gaze, he turned his head slightly and, without fully shifting his position:

"Do you need something?"

Feng Shen had noticed the female instructor's stare had lingered on him for longer than a few seconds.

Letting out a soft chuckle, Mei Xue shook her head with a playful smirk.

She turned her gaze back to the window, her voice filled with mock wistfulness:

"Oh~ nothing, I was just a bit jealous that you have such a cute girl by your side! I truly am envious!"

'Cute?' Both Cai Xiu and Yùn Yì thought in unison, their eyes shifting toward the female instructor, a shared moment of surprise passing between them.

They exchanged a brief glance before turning inward, a quiet sense of pride blooming in both of them.

Internally, Cai Xiu and Yùn Yì, couldn't help but shrug, a thought lingering in their minds with undeniable certainty:

'Of course, I'm cute!' They both mused.

Feng Shen simply rolled his eyes. "Aren't I so blessed?" he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm as he let out a small, carefree laugh.

Despite this… nobody knew Feng Shen was being sarcastic.

And so, at such a remark, Cai Xiu and Yùn Yì couldn't help but glance at him, their faces instantly turning a deep shade of red.

This made their hearts race.

Embarrassed, Cai Xiu and Yùn Yì quickly covered their cheeks, hoping to hide the flush that had spread across their faces.

Both of them averted their gazes, fingers nervously twirling as they tried to regain some composure. Their thoughts scattered as they desperately avoided looking in his direction again.

Lin Ming, a student who had been chosen, struggled to keep his focus, desperately trying to block out everything happening around him.

His chest tightened with jealousy, the feeling so sharp it was almost painful:

'Can't this bastard die!? Why is he so blessed!? Uhhhhh~ why can't I have my own little harem!?'

Lin Ming's hands clenched into fists at his sides, the tension in his fingers betraying the storm of emotions inside him:

'I want to die… Seeing this… Is too much…'

Lin Ming stared upwards; the world blurring as small, frustrated tears threatened to spill from his eyes.

It took all his willpower to hold them back:

'It's ok… It's ok… One day I'll have my own harem!'

With such hopeful thoughts, Lin Ming closed his eyes to dream of such a future.

"It seems we're almost there..." Yuan Bo said to everyone. He had his arms crossed, his posture relaxed but attentive as he peered out the window.

Below, the Phoenix Empire came into view, its majestic structures and bustling streets a clear sign of the event to come.

"It seems this year it'll be more crowded…" Zhao Rui muttered.

The sky was packed with carriages, mounts, and various other flying transports, all converging toward the Phoenix Empire.

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Everywhere around, the excitement was palpable; after all, this year, the Phoenix Empire was set to host the Grand Opening Tournament.

And the Phoenix Emepeor was known to go all out for Upper Realm events.

"Ah! I forgot to ask… Is this even allowed?" Zhao Rui whispered to his peer beside him, his voice laced with uncertainty:

"Bringing more than four people—will this disqualify our Soaring Academy or give us a penalty?"

Zhao Rui's brows furrowed as the worry began to settle in.

He was curious, yes, but more than that, he was anxious.

The Soaring Academy had reigned at the top of the Upper Realm for as long as he could remember, always considered the best of the best.

The idea of jeopardizing their standing was unthinkable.

Yuan Bo shrugged his shoulders casually. "Who knows... It should be fine. It's not like they're participating."

He wasn't overly concerned, and to be honest, he didn't care much about the Soaring Academy's standings.

Why would he?

The prestige of rankings held little value to Yuan Bo, especially when there were far more pressing matters to focus on.

"Then what about having four chosen students?" Zhao Rui sighed:

"Tian Hao is dead, and the Headmaster still hasn't replaced him yet... Meaning he couldn't pick a student! Cause in case I wasn't clear enough… He's fucking dead!"

Yuan Bo simply replied:

"It's simple... This year, our Soaring Academy will compete with a three-man team. So, stop being so annoying."

Zhao Rui hung his head in frustration, the weight of the rules pressing down on him.

He wasn't happy with how the system worked—only the instructors of each academy were allowed to select a student, and no one else.

It felt unfair, especially considering their current situation with one less chosen student.

The restriction hurt them, but despite his frustration, Zhao Rui wasn't overly worried.

After all… They had a secret weapon this year…

Zhao Rui glanced over at student Feng Shen:

'I guess everything will be fine… With such a heaven shattering genius… This year is as good as ours!'

Nevertheless, in Zhao Rui's opinion, the rules felt like a tight constraint around their potential.

Suddenly, the carriage came to a halt.

"What's happening?" Lin Ming asked, his voice filled with confusion as he slowly opened his eyes.

He looked around, his eyes sweeping over the scene outside the carriage.

Multiple lines of people, all suspended.

"It's quite simple, boy…" Yuan Bo replied, as he took out a bird talisman, letting it rest in his hand.

He turned to student Lin Ming:

"We've officially arrived. Now, we just have to get through customs."