Chapter 29: Inside the Venue

The three girls and one boy under Tutor Yun’s guidance were Zhang Min, Huang Ya, Qing Ni, and Tie Mu. Feng Shang was constantly hovering around Zhang Min, Huang Ya, and Qing Ni. Upon hearing Tutor Yun speak, he turned around to face the imposing wall before them and couldn’t help but exclaim, “Wow!”

Following Tutors Song and Yun, everyone proceeded in an orderly fashion toward the entrance.

Just then, a tremendously overweight student, accompanied by three brawny companions, barreled over, shouting, “Out of the way!”

“Stop right there!” A frail-looking tutor, breathless and flustered, hurried after them.

Tutors Song and Yun greeted the gentle, almost nursemaid-like teacher, “Mr. Wen!”

“Hello!” Mr. Wen returned the greeting, then quickly continued after his students.

“They’re so rude!” little Huang Ya remarked with a wide grin.

But Tutor Yun said, “Don’t underestimate them. They’re not as simple as they seem!”

“They’re all so fat, running like a herd of pigs!” Feng Shang mimicked the lumbering gait of the overweight student, scrunching his face into a pig’s snout, which sent Zhang Min, Huang Ya, and Qing Ni into peals of laughter.

Even Han Tianyue couldn’t help but join in.

But when Fang Zhe shot him a stern look, Feng Shang immediately composed himself and walked quietly.

Watching the hefty student disappear into the distance, Tutor Song asked, “Is that Jindi’s younger brother?”

Tutor Yun nodded, “That’s right. He’s Jin Qian, Jindi’s brother. He may be several sizes larger than Jindi, but from what I’ve observed these past few days, his abilities are no less impressive!”

At last, they reached the foot of the stone gate. The massive portal loomed overhead, its lintel carvings obscured from sight, but on either side, dragon-shaped reliefs were clearly visible.

The gate itself was extraordinarily deep. Though its inner walls bore no sculptures, the blade marks etched into its surface told of its ancient origins and the many changes it had witnessed through the ages.

In the center of the inner wall, a particularly deep and clear gash stood out. “To leave such a mark on stone as solid as this—only a truly remarkable warrior could have done it!” Han Tianyue could sense the aura of these scars, as if he could almost see the fierce warriors and their gleaming blades.

Beyond the stone gate lay a vast plaza, devoid of a single tree, yet the sunlight could not reach the ground. The square was perfectly level, stretching all the way to the foot of the distant mountains.

Looking up, countless rings of light floated and drifted through the air.

Students and teachers entering the plaza all gathered toward the center.

There, at the heart of the square, an elliptical lake sent wisps of blue smoke curling skyward. As the smoke dispersed, it transformed into floating rings of light.

The first teachers and students to reach the lake bent down to sip its water. Instantly, blue mist coiled around their feet, lifting them into the air. A ring of light formed beneath each one, and in the blink of an eye, they vanished.

Though he didn’t fully understand what was happening, Han Tianyue followed Tutor Song to the central lake. Mimicking the others, he took a sip of the water, and at once, his body floated upward.

As the blue mist faded, he saw a ring of light form beneath his feet, and realized that all the vanished teachers and students were now floating above the ground, each standing on a similar ring.

“Amazing!” Feng Shang exclaimed, sitting on his own ring. With a sweep of his arms, his ring glided toward Han Tianyue.

Gold medals, favorites, recommendations, clicks, comments, red envelopes, gifts—anything and everything, bring it on!