Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 28

After Fu Yao’s troops entered within a quarter of an hour, it didn’t take long for the school’s rescue team to quickly arrive. Leading the team was the current principal of Bikong Academy. The two prominent figures of Bikong’s history appeared at the same time, yet the situation remained dire.

“Just now, the military personnel came,” the team doctor said in a low voice, trying not to alarm the students. “They mentioned unusual energy fluctuations in this area, suspecting the presence of a rare high-risk creature.”

The principal, of course, knew what that meant. As soon as he arrived, he saw a military aircraft with a familiar emblem on it. “Where are the military personnel now?”

“They’ve already gone in.”

“How many of our people haven’t come out yet?”

“About a dozen students and one instructor.”

“I see.” The principal adjusted his cuffs. “Just to be safe, you stay here. Have everyone else evacuate the students. Ensure everyone is safely returned to the academy.”

“What about you, Principal?”

In between the fingers of the principal’s right hand, three objects that looked like crystals appeared. “Of course I’m going in. My students are inside; I can’t possibly leave them behind.”

The team doctor watched with concern as the principal disappeared into the entrance. A collapsed mine was the most dangerous place, especially with unknown wild creatures inside. These rescuers all went in with the mindset that they might not return. Now, all he could do was sincerely pray that the students trapped inside could be rescued unharmed.

The way through the mine was littered with the bodies of Giant-tailed Lizards, a testament to the military’s effectiveness. For these well-trained soldiers, A-grade creatures were just beasts that could be dealt with in one move. But their real enemy was still nowhere to be seen.

Following the trail of bodies, the principal encountered Fu Yao deep in the mine. He was organizing his subordinates to escort two recently rescued students to the entrance. The instructor had just joined them. The three groups finally met.

“Principal, I’m sorry.” The instructor immediately apologized upon seeing him. “I failed to protect them.”

The principal patted him on the shoulder. Doing so seemed a bit out of place given the instructor’s taller stature, even though the principal was much older. “It was an accident. Our priority now is to rescue the students. We’ll discuss the rest later.”

It was then that Fu Yao interjected, “It’s been a while, senior.”

The instructor knew both were graduates of Bikong, but he hadn’t realized they had once studied together. However, Fu Yao’s tone lacked the warmth typically reserved for old classmates.

“I guessed it was you,” the principal replied in the same tone. “Should I address you as Major General now? Congratulations.”

“I didn’t expect our reunion to be under these circumstances. You haven’t grown taller at all.”

“You’ve grown quite a bit since then, but even with that height, you’re still so short.”

The instructor was stunned. Everyone knew about the principal’s short stature, and Fu Yao’s height was a well-known off-limits topic. Was it appropriate for these old classmates to pick on each other’s sensitive topics upon reunion?

The deputy officer, the only person on the scene who knew both of them, helplessly rubbed his forehead. These two had always been at odds, and years later, they still didn’t get along. The principal noticed the gesture and slapped his arm as a friendly greeting, and the deputy nodded in response.

“What’s the situation now?” The principal asked, seeing that this wasn’t the right time to argue with Fu Yao.

The instructor quickly briefed him. “Most of the students have been rescued successfully. Thankfully, only minor injuries. Two students seem to be trapped since their positions haven’t changed. Major General Fu Yao has sent someone to rescue them.”

After sharing the good news, he continued with the concerning part. “Three students are missing. One named Zhu Yue; his last location was here.” The instructor pointed to a dim dot on the tablet. “The other two are Ling Xiao, the first student to lose contact, and Ying Feng. It’s suspected that the danger started from their location.”

Without asking Fu Yao, the principal turned to his deputy. “And you?”

“We detected an unusual energy source nearby, in the same direction as the missing students. However, the signal is unstable. Many passages here have been blocked due to collapses, but we’re trying to approach that area.”

“Do you have any idea what the energy source might be?”

The deputy hesitated for a moment before saying, “The only thing that can alert satellite monitoring is the energy radiation emitted from a soul stone or a rare creature within an SS-grade or above.”

The principal had already prepared for the worst, but upon hearing this, he frowned. “Is there any way to start from the outside?”

“No, forcibly drilling is highly likely to cause a cave collapse, endangering those still inside.”

“As long as there’s a glimmer of hope, we can’t give up,” Fu Yao interrupted their conversation. “Now the only method is to target the last known signal direction and manually forge a path. We need to move quickly but gently, with the priority being the survival of those inside. We absolutely cannot trigger another collapse.”

“Understood!” The soldiers responded in unison, lowering their voices.

……

Ying Feng, with a dagger in hand, charged at the Kui. However, before he could reach the Kui, a shadow sprang from behind him, punching the Kui and sending it flying several meters.

Ying Feng stopped in disbelief. How could anyone possess such immense strength to repel a creature many times his size? Moreover, the speed of this shadow was astonishing, making it impossible for Ying Feng to discern its features.

Under the mysterious figure’s assault, the Kui was continuously forced back until it was kicked hard against the cave wall, creating a loud rumbling sound.

Ying Feng realized with horror that their reckless fighting might cause a more severe cave-in. Frantically, he looked around for Ling Xiao, whom he had pushed aside earlier, but he was nowhere to be seen.

More rocks began to fall, blocking all exits. In the confined space, the shadow continued its fight with the Kui, whose massive arms flailed in anger but failed to land a hit. The enemy moved so fast that afterimages appeared, giving the illusion of multiple attackers targeting the Kui’s head, chest, and back. The Kui roared in anger, the sound echoing throughout the cavern.

The shadow leaped onto Kui’s back, choking him. In this moment, Ying Feng recognized the figure—it was Ling Xiao!

His eyes were bloodshot, filled with a wild murderous intent. Killing his opponent seemed to be his sole focus; Ying Feng was sure that Ling Xiao wouldn’t hesitate to attack him if he intervened. His fighting prowess was extraordinary, overpowering the highest-level creature with ease—a strength that seemed impossible for someone who was still a fledgling.

The Kui mustered all its strength to throw off Ling Xiao, who landed high up on the cave wall. From there, he once again lunged at the Kui. His punches and kicks were so fast they became a blur, hitting the Kui repeatedly. Ling Xiao planted his foot on the Kui’s chest and ripped off its left arm with a single hand.

The Kui roared in pain, blood splattering all over—the ceiling, walls, floor, and all over Ling Xiao. The scene was gruesome, and even Ying Feng was taken aback. But Ling Xiao, unfazed, proceeded to tear off the Kui’s other arm, then somersaulted away, coldly observing his handiwork.

At that moment, Ying Feng didn’t see Ling Xiao; he saw a merciless, cold-blooded killer.

The Kui, now armless and defeated, charged at Ling Xiao, seemingly ready to take him down even if it meant its own demise. Ling Xiao stood still, not even blinking.

“Ling Xiao!” Ying Feng exclaimed. What was he thinking, facing such an attack without dodging?

Ling Xiao stretched out his arm, aiming straight at the charging Kui. His arm punctured the Kui’s chest without deviation.

The Kui gave its final roar, and Ling Xiao, emotionless, twisted his arm, crushing the Kui’s heart. With a bloody arm, he withdrew from the Kui’s body. The Kui staggered for a moment.

In one lethal move, Ling Xiao jumped back to a safe distance, leaving a fist-sized hole in Kui’s chest, from which blood spewed.

Life slowly faded from the Kui, and after stumbling a few steps, the king of beasts, who once dominated these parts, finally fell face-first into the ground, raising a cloud of dust.

Silence engulfed the cramped cave.

Ying Feng couldn’t believe what he saw. Taking two steps forward, he suddenly felt something under his foot. Stepping back, he picked it up and recognized it as a portable injector with a small amount of bright orange liquid remaining inside.

Scouring his memory, Ying Feng remembered where he had seen this object before.

“Is this… Embers II? Did you actually steal this from the base?”

Ling Xiao turned his head. A flash of red appeared in his eyes, which quickly returned to their normal gray. The blood on his face made him look terrifying, but his eyes were filled with confusion.

Ying Feng wasn’t sure what to say. Ling Xiao’s bold action had surprised him, but if Ling Xiao hadn’t stolen the serum from the lab, they would probably be dead by now.

As the drug’s effects wore off, Ling Xiao seemed to be drained of all energy. He fell to his knees. Ying Feng muttered under his breath, dropped the injector, and hurriedly helped Ling Xiao up before he could collapse further. Ling Xiao’s head hung limply, seemingly unconscious.

Holding up a barely conscious person, Ying Feng passed the corpse of the Kui and the two severed arms scattered on the ground. He set Ling Xiao against a wall and began searching for a way out of the enclosed space.

However, he soon found out that the exit paths were blocked by fallen rocks. Trying to forcefully break them led to more rocks falling from above. Fearing that the only available space would collapse and bury them alive, he didn’t dare to proceed.

Checking his terminal, he found its screen had been smashed during their escape, rendering it useless. Ling Xiao’s wrist was empty.

After the Kui’s appearance, they now faced another problem: being trapped in a collapsed mine with no contact with the outside world. At this point, all they could do was wait for rescue. Ying Feng believed that the academy was actively searching for them and hoped help would arrive soon.

Exhausted from the tension and escape, Ying Feng sat opposite Ling Xiao, trying to conserve his energy. As he closed his eyes to rest, a faint moan reached his ears. Opening his eyes, he realized something was wrong with Ling Xiao. He had seen similar symptoms in Yao Tai before.

“Ugh…” The moan this time was louder than before. Under Ying Feng’s gaze, Ling Xiao’s eyelids slowly opened. His unfocused eyes made Ying Feng certain that Ling Xiao’s attention wasn’t fixed on him.

“Ling Xiao, Ling Xiao!” Ying Feng waved his hand in front of him.

“Can you see?”

After a moment, Ling Xiao let out a slow “ah”.

“I feel… unwell.”

Relieved that Ling Xiao was still conscious, Ying Feng said, “Of course you do. Dr. Yao said that Embers II is only a prototype and has strong side effects. I can’t believe you stole it.” But seeing Ling Xiao’s feeble state, Ying Feng’s tone softened. “Well, I guess it was a blessing in disguise.”

Ling Xiao once again closed his eyes in pain and leaned against the wall. His uniform had been torn in several places from the recent fight and was stained all over with blood from the Kui, giving him a terrifying look.

The side effects of “Embers II” were so intense. It felt as if a fire had been lit inside his veins, repeatedly evaporating his blood.

Hallucinations began to appear in his vision, showing forbidden movies and stories he shouldn’t dream about. And the protagonist of those stories seemed to be right next to him.

“Ying… Feng…”

It took Ying Feng several tries to recognize that Ling Xiao was saying his name. Yet, he couldn’t clearly hear what was said next.

“What did you say?”

Ling Xiao moved his lips, but the sound he produced was barely audible.

With no other option, Ying Feng moved closer. “What did you say just now?”

“I feel so hot…”

This time, Ying Feng heard him clearly. “Hot?”

He reached out and touched Ling Xiao’s exposed skin, shocked to find it wasn’t just warm but burning. It felt as if he was going to combust from within, likely the reason behind the name “Embers”.

Realizing that the side effects had gone beyond Ling Xiao’s tolerance, Ying Feng felt helpless. Rescue hadn’t yet arrived. Having narrowly escaped death at the Kui’s hands, would Ling Xiao now succumb to the drug’s side effects?

An unconscious touch from Ying Feng elicited a moan from Ling Xiao, a moan different from his previous pain, revealing a hint of something different in its rising tone.

As an inexperienced fledgling, Ying Feng couldn’t understand the meaning behind that sound. Ling Xiao’s abnormal behavior made him anxious. He didn’t want to see him die after escaping from the Kui’s threat.

Yet, Ling Xiao’s breath grew fainter and fainter, almost ceasing completely. Ying Feng could barely detect his breathing.

“Are you okay?” He shook Ling Xiao vigorously by the arms, trying to rouse him.

“Hey, snap out of it!”

Just as Ying Feng was at a loss for what to do, the dying man in front of him suddenly opened his eyes. With a burst of unexpected strength, Ling Xiao pushed Ying Feng to the ground, his arms firmly on either side of him.

In the darkness, Ling Xiao’s eyes gleamed dangerously.

“What are you doing?” Ying Feng, pinned beneath him, was taken aback and frustrated by the sudden turn of events.

What answered him was an unheard growl. The once-dominant Ling Xiao opened his mouth, revealing two sharp fangs.

Ying Feng’s eyes widened in shock. What is this? A vampire?

---

Kinky Thoughts:

Well, he’ll certainly suck something…

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 27

“I’ve heard quite a few rumors about the principal.” The team doctor waiting outside the cave was chatting with the instructor. “If he’s as strong as you all claim, why did he lose in the coming-of-age ceremony?”

“It’s because…” The instructor was interrupted as the monitoring device in his hand suddenly sounded an alarm. He picked it up, and his face turned pale. “This is bad!”

A light representing the location of a student on the map went out instantly. Nearby, another light, initially pure white, had changed to a blinding orange.

There were only three possible reasons for the light to disappear: First, the person intentionally shut off their communication device; second, the terminal was destroyed; and the worst scenario, the holder of the terminal had lost their life.

The orange indicated that the person’s heart rate had reached its peak. Unless something extremely exciting happened, they were definitely in mortal danger. What could possibly induce such fear in a mine inhabited only by creatures below A-grade?

The instructor quickly responded, “Call for backup immediately! Summon all students to regroup!”

Without waiting for a response, he rushed into the mine. Once inside, he found the area shaking violently, with a large amount of sand and soil spilling from the cracks in the stone walls. Rocks overhead were swaying ominously, threatening to collapse at any moment.

The terrain inside the cave was complex, making it hard to determine which path the two had taken. He could only try to move in their last known direction.

But “two people” was the best-case scenario. What if…

A sharp pain jolted Ling Xiao’s senses. Known for his quick reflexes, he was thrown against a wall without being able to counter. He hadn’t even gotten a clear look at his attacker.

Pain radiated from both his chest and back. With every breath, he felt a sharp sting in his chest, suggesting that his ribs had been broken from the impact. The dust and debris in the air obscured his vision, but as it settled, he managed to squint open his eyes. What he saw left him in shock.

A few meters away from him stood a creature from legends, a Kui—an ultra-rare species said to appear once every century. These creatures preferred the darkness, often hibernating in sunless areas for extended periods. They were not only rare in numbers but also, due to their long hibernation, rarely spotted.

This legendary creature was so rare that even those who wrote biology books had never seen it in person. In the books, there were only a few hand-drawn images and descriptions of its habits, and most of the details were vaguely described.

In terms of danger level, the Kui surpassed the A-grade of the Giant-tailed Lizards and even exceeded the S and SS grades, reaching the epic SSS grade. Only 12 creatures on the entire planet reached this terrifying level, with a total population of less than a hundred. Many people would never get the chance to see one in their lifetime.

Its killing power was such that even the elites of the military might not stand a chance against it, not to mention Ling Xiao and Ying Feng, who were still fledglings.

Encountering a Kui was a stroke of terrible luck, especially for two fledglings who hadn’t yet undergone their coming-of-age ceremony.

The tension in the cave was palpable, every minute detail magnified. Ying Feng’s breathing sounded slow and deliberate, every slight movement of the creature in front of him tightening his nerves.

The massive Kui, too large to stand upright in the confined space of the cave, was on all fours. Its gaze circled Ling Xiao before settling on Ying Feng.

Ying Feng’s back tensed. It was the first time since his awakening that he felt such raw fear. No person or creature had ever posed such a threat to him.

When faced with an overpowering enemy, one’s instinct was often to lose the will to fight. All Ying Feng could think of now was to call for help.

With an almost imperceptible motion, his right hand moved slowly towards the terminal on his left wrist, fearful that any sudden movement might alert the creature.

However, the Kui noticed. Just as Ying Feng was about to activate the alarm, a powerful attack from the Kui aimed directly at Ying Feng’s wrist.

Seeing what happened to Ling Xiao, Ying Feng mobilized all his attention and narrowly dodged the first punch. But immediately, a second punch followed. With the Kui’s strength, it could easily send Ying Feng flying. In this critical moment, Ying Feng could only throw himself to the ground, rolling awkwardly a few times. Taking this opportunity, he quickly pressed the alarm on his terminal. Almost instantly, the tracking point on the tablet changed from orange to red, and a sharp alarm sounded.

The instructor, upon receiving the alert, had countless speculations flash across his mind. Could there really be an S-level creature lurking here?

‘No.’ He quickly dismissed the thought. The two fledglings in danger were those he had previously set high hopes on.

Even if they were up against a threat with an S-level danger rating, such a sudden event wouldn’t occur. Beyond that, he dared not think of the other possibilities.

The students inside the same cave panicked and ran out, crashing right into the incoming instructor.

“Instructor!” They sought his help upon seeing him.

“Have you seen Ling Xiao and the others?” The instructor immediately asked.

The students shook their heads anxiously. “They rushed ahead as soon as we entered; we don’t know where they are now.”

“Instructor, what’s going on? Was there an earthquake?”

“Is the cave going to collapse?”

The students bombarded him with questions, but without any useful information. The instructor’s face tightened. “Evacuate from here immediately. The medical team is outside. You must protect yourselves, understand?”

The students nodded and dashed toward the exit. The instructor quickened his pace, hoping the two talented fledglings could hold on just a bit longer…

Outside the cave, the waiting medics were shocked to see military forces arriving. Seeing a short officer leading the troops disembark from the aircraft, the medic thought he was hallucinating. It was the youngest and most famous Major General of Tianxiu, Fu Yao.

Following him was his tall and mighty deputy, and then an orderly, well-trained team jumped out of the aircraft, quickly setting up some kind of lethal weapon.

“Download the target coordinates,” Fu Yao commanded.

“Report, coordinates downloaded!”

“Good, aim and prepare…”

“Wait!” The medic ran in front of the weapon, arms outstretched. “Can you tell me what happened? Why is the military here?”

Fu Yao only noticed him then. “Who are you? Why are you here?”

“I’m the field medic for Bikong Academy’s field training.”

“Bikong?” Fu Yao’s expression shifted. That name was familiar; it was his alma mater. “You’re saying there are students here for field training?”

The medic’s face paled. “Didn’t you come because of the distress signal?”

“We came because satellite monitoring detected abnormal energy fluctuations in this area, suspecting the presence of rare, high-risk creatures.”

“Rare high-risk creatures? But the instructor said that there hasn’t been any trace of an S-grade creature here in a hundred years.”

“What if it’s a once-in-a-century creature, even more dangerous than S-grade?”

The medic turned white. “Oh God.”

“Where are the students now?”

Before he could answer, students began pouring out from several entrances. Some were responding to the emergency return signal, others escaped from the accident-stricken cave, all looking disheveled.

“What happened inside?” The medic asked impatiently.

“We’re not sure, probably a collapse,” the students replied in a frenzy. “On our way out, we met the instructor, who told us to evacuate, but he went deeper into the cave.”

“Are there more students inside?” Before the medic could ask, Fu Yao was already ahead.

“Yes, many.” The students exchanged glances. “We got separated from many of our classmates after the incident.”

“Approximately how many?”

The medic quickly counted those who had already emerged. “Around ten.”

“Any other useful information?”

The medic, trying to remain calm, reported to Fu Yao, “Before the instructor went in, the tracking signal of one student had already been lost, and another showed an orange warning.”

Upon hearing this, the students looked horrified. Even if they didn’t understand exactly what the orange warning meant, they knew it wasn’t a good sign.

Fu Yao briefly contemplated and then gave a new directive.

“Cancel the bombing mission; everyone follow me into the cave for an emergency rescue.”

“Yes!” The soldiers responded in unison.

“Remember, the primary objective is to ensure the safety of the students. If faced with danger, rather sacrifice yourself than let any of the fledglings be harmed. We absolutely cannot allow any mishaps to befall them.”

“Understood!”

……

With a thunderous noise, the Kui’s massive palm slammed fiercely onto the ground. Ying Feng, who had already stopped, had to forcibly roll several times to avoid this deadly blow.

Ying Feng had never been beaten to this extent before. Even the most basic defense was extremely challenging for him, let alone mounting an effective counterattack. The sheer difference in their abilities rendered him defenseless, making the odds of victory in this one-sided battle practically nonexistent.

At that moment, a dark figure leaped from the ground, soared into the air, and lunged directly at the Kui’s head. Caught off guard, the Kui took the hit and, in a reflexive action, swatted away the audacious Ling Xiao, who landed not far from Ying Feng.

In the darkness, Ying Feng saw clearly that Ling Xiao had thrust a dagger. And he had indeed hit the target, but the Kui seemed unharmed, while the dagger that fell to the ground was broken in two.

This creature wasn’t only immensely powerful but also seemingly invulnerable to weapons. Seizing the moment while it was still reeling, Ying Feng sprung up from the ground, grabbed Ling Xiao, and dashed in the direction from which the Giant-tailed Lizard had been fleeing.

“Run!” Without further explanation, Ying Feng grabbed Ling Xiao’s wrist and dashed out. Dizzy and disoriented, Ling Xiao stumbled along behind him. The two ran at top speed through the narrow corridor, dodging falling rocks and dirt.

Ying Feng couldn’t avoid all the hazards, sustaining injuries, and he knew Ling Xiao’s condition was even worse. However, he couldn’t think about that now. All he wanted was to get out of the Kui’s attack range, hoping for reinforcements from their instructors outside.

Having just been attacked, the Kui was enraged and let out a roar before giving chase. Due to the narrowness of the mine and its massive size, it quickly lagged behind the fleeing duo.

As Ying Feng and Ling Xiao distanced themselves from the beast, just as they started feeling a bit relieved, a massive rock collapsed ahead, blocking their path. Ying Feng managed to stop abruptly, but Ling Xiao, propelled by inertia, was yanked back just in time by Ying Feng and crashed into his embrace.

The heavy footsteps were drawing closer. With a beast ahead and rocks blocking their retreat, they were trapped. Even the heavens seemed to have abandoned them.

The Kui let out a final growl at the two cornered individuals, its deep rumble threatening to shatter Ying Feng’s eardrums.

Who would have thought that my life would end this way, alongside this person…

Ying Feng reached inside his uniform, touching the peach pit over his chest. Regrettably, his unfulfilled wish would never see fruition.

It was over. Using all his strength, Ying Feng threw Ling Xiao as far away as possible, drew his dagger, and charged fearlessly at the unbeatable enemy.

—There are some whose deaths are deemed unsuitable for society, destined to be eliminated by the survival of the fittest.

—Once such individuals perish, their souls scatter, never to exist in this world again.

—That’s you, all the fledglings who have not undergone the coming-of-age ceremony.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 26

Ling Xiao deliberately waited for Ying Feng to go in first, then chose the same entrance, but quickly rushed ahead of him. He was determined to compete with Ying Feng, so there was no way he was going to fall behind here.

In the pitch-black mine, there was not a hint of light. Fortunately, the eyes of the Tianxiu people were specially constructed, allowing them to see clearly even in the dark. Along the way, there were many low-level wild beasts. Unless they were aggressive, Ying Feng didn’t bother with them. Seeing this, Ling Xiao did the same, leaving them for the students behind.

The mine’s internal terrain was complex, with many forks. At every crossroad, Ling Xiao intentionally slowed down, waiting for Ying Feng to choose a path, then quickly followed. In this way, the two kept the same pace and quickly left the others far behind.

“Why do you keep following me?” After the two of them each dealt with an attacking rodent with a punch, Ying Feng finally expressed his annoyance at Ling Xiao.

“Didn’t you hear what the instructor said? Occasionally, there are A-grade creatures here. We need to cooperate as a team to deal with them,” Ling Xiao said, unaware that the baboon they killed the day before was actually an S-grade creature surpassing A-grade. The instructor didn’t reveal this to prevent them from getting cocky.

“I don’t need to team up with anyone,” Ying Feng retorted coldly. “I can handle it by myself.”

“How about a competition then? Whoever gets it first, keeps it.” Ling Xiao challenged. “To be clear, the prey belongs to the one who strikes it first. No one else can interfere.”

Ying Feng said nothing, just kept moving forward, making Ling Xiao wonder if he had even listened.

Ling Xiao didn’t care about Ying Feng’s attitude; he just didn’t want to be outdone in points. He followed closely, seizing any wild beast he could, and quickly amassed a pile of soul stones.

The deeper they went into the mine, the higher the danger level of the residing creatures. Beasts that attacked them grew more frequent and were no longer easily defeated.

Although Ying Feng didn’t verbally agree to Ling Xiao’s proposal, he abided by it. If one of them attacked, the other wouldn’t interfere. In this way, they took turns fighting, and soon, the D- through E-grade creatures disappeared, with the B- through C-grade becoming more frequent, occasionally even appearing in groups.

After defeating a swarm of killer bees, Ling Xiao looked disdainfully at the wing fragments that clung to him. “The last one was attacking you, why did you just dodge and not strike?” In the end, Ling Xiao had to finish it off.

“Because you were the first to hit it,” Ying Feng replied indifferently.

Ling Xiao: “…”

Killer bees always moved in swarms. Ling Xiao’s earlier kick had hit several. He couldn’t even remember which ones he had struck, yet Ying Feng was so meticulous. It was almost frustratingly precise.

“So if I don’t strike, you’ll just let it attack you?”

“If you don’t hit it, I’ll hit you,” Ying Feng said matter-of-factly.

A low growl echoed from a distance, reverberating through the narrow mine. Recognizing the sound, the two immediately stopped their bickering and focused. They had learned about the characteristics of various common species in their biology class, and this deep and slightly prolonged sound belonged to the A-grade reptile known as the Giant-tailed Lizard.

The two exchanged glances, neither willing to back down, and rushed towards the source of the sound. An A-grade soul stone was worth 100 points, and neither wanted to miss out.

“Same rule: whoever hits it first keeps it,” Ling Xiao said, throwing a punch at the creature in front of him.

Almost simultaneously, Ying Feng’s powerful fist connected. From left and right, their blows landed on the unfortunate lizard’s head.

The Giant-tailed Lizard, in pain, let out a fierce roar. It had just woken up from a nap and was immediately attacked. It went berserk.

A creature that was classified as an A-grade in textbooks clearly possessed remarkable strength. Its large and heavy tail had immense destructive power, and its rough skin and thick flesh highlighted its strong defense. Even after taking two solid punches from its adversaries, it was only momentarily dazed.

The Giant-tailed Lizard shook its head and, with a powerful swing of its tail, shattered a stone pillar beside it. Ling Xiao, who was standing behind it, quickly leaped into midair to avoid the impact.

“It’s mine!” Ling Xiao declared his ownership even in such a moment.

“It was me who hit it first,” Ying Feng retorted without yielding.

The two began to argue over who the prey belonged to. Meanwhile, the Giant-tailed Lizard launched a fierce attack on them. Dodging and sidestepping, in a blink of an eye, they moved more than ten meters away.

“Ah ha!” Ling Xiao exclaimed joyfully. “No need to argue. There’s another one here.” He then abandoned the one he was facing, rushing toward the new target. “They must be a pair. That one is yours, I don’t want it. This one is bigger; it must be the Qizhu.”

“Idiot,” Ying Feng muttered, pivoting to counterattack the pursuing Giant-tailed Lizard. Dashing from its head to its tail, he landed with a dagger in his hand. The lizard roared in pain as the dagger slid from its neck to its tailbone. Its tail slapped the ground furiously, sending shards of rock flying everywhere. One shard cut Ling Xiao’s cheek.

Ling Xiao touched his wound. “Control your beast!”

“What’d you say?” Ying Feng leaped, dagger pointing downward, and ruthlessly pierced it into the creature’s tailbone. If not for the dagger’s length, the force of the blow could have pinned the signature tail to the ground.

The Giant-tailed Lizard howled in pain. Biology lessons had taught them that every species hides its most vulnerable area beneath its most potent weapon for protection. For the lizard, it was undoubtedly near its tailbone.

Seeing Ying Feng taking the initiative, Ling Xiao didn’t hold back. With a series of smooth and elegant moves, he forced the lizard to retreat continuously.

“Flashy, but lacks substance,” Ying Feng whispered.

While Ling Xiao was intently battling his opponent, he naturally didn’t hear the comment made about him. He performed a front flip, landing perfectly on the back of the Giant-tailed Lizard. Feeling the pressure, the lizard desperately twisted its body, trying to shake him off, but Ling Xiao sat on it as if he had rooted himself securely.

He reached out and patted the creature’s hindquarters, saying, “Behave.” He then drew his dagger and precisely pierced its vital point. After a piercing shriek, the Giant-tailed Lizard struggled for a moment and gradually fell still.

Both of them each collected a dark green soul stone, within which ripples could be seen.

“So easily gained 100 points?” Ling Xiao shrugged. “Totally unchallenging, not like that baboon from yesterday.”

The sound of falling rocks and the distinct crack of the stone wall refocused their attention. Their fight had cracked a nearby wall.

“I have a feeling it’s going to collapse,” Ling Xiao remarked. To prove him right, the entire wall crumbled, revealing an astonishing scene behind.

“My God…” Ling Xiao was stunned. “I was wrong. They’re not a pair. It’s a concentration camp.”

…..

Zhu Yue was nervously holding his dagger, slowly moving deeper into the mine. He chose the same entrance as Ying Feng but quickly lost sight of him. Unlike others, his vision in the dark was limited. Any slight beastly shriek from the unknown depths sent chills down his spine.

One fork in the path followed another, and he had no clue which direction Ying Feng took. Even his classmates had dashed ahead, leaving him, the “burden”, behind.

The further he went, the more afraid he became. He knew his teammates never expected him to score points from the start. Yet, a force compelled him to keep moving forward, even if just to be a little closer to Ying Feng. On the last day of their three-day internship, what he had spent all his savings on was still safely in his pocket.

Zhu Yue, with an ulterior motive, proceeded cautiously, only to be startled into a cold sweat by a sudden rustling noise. Gathering his courage, he looked in the direction of the sound. To his alarm, two glowing eyes suddenly emerged from the darkness, focusing intently on him, the intruder, nearly causing him to drop his weapon in fright.

The beast lurking in the shadows sensed his fear. With a low growl, it lunged at him. Zhu Yue, without any thought of fighting back, turned and fled, running blindly in the dark without the energy to pay attention to where he was heading.

Fear brought out his hidden potential. After an indeterminate amount of time running, Zhu Yue looked back to find that there was no trace of the beast. He remained on guard for a long while, but there were no further sounds from the surroundings.

Feeling utterly drained, Zhu Yue finally felt overwhelming fatigue. Panting, he slowly sat down against a wall, pondering how he could find his way out after losing his direction.

He rested for a long time, waiting for his heartbeat and breath to return to normal. Just as he was about to stand and find a way back, he was caught off guard and tripped over a stone underfoot.

As he fell, he caught a fleeting glimpse of a purple glow from a crack in the stone. If it had been a regular Tianxiu person with normal vision, they wouldn’t have noticed such a faint light. But Zhu Yue, with his flawed vision, was immediately drawn to the stark contrast.

He peered into the crevice and indeed saw something purple glowing within, but the gap was too small to identify what it was. Zhu Yue tried to wedge it open with his fingers, but to no avail. Fortunately, he hadn’t lost his dagger during his earlier escape. Using its sharp edge, he started chipping at the wall, the sound echoing throughout the cavern.

The stone wall was resilient, but the dagger of the Tianxiu people was both sharp and robust. After what felt like an eternity, Zhu Yue managed to pry out a whole piece of rock. Nearby fragments crumbled away, revealing the hidden object in full.

It was an irregularly shaped, pale purple ore, small enough to be held in one hand. Considering he was in a mine, Zhu Yue wasn’t surprised to find an ore.

The mysterious stone was tightly connected to the surrounding rock. Zhu Yue continued chiseling around it, carefully avoiding the ore itself. Extracting it intact was no easy task. By the time he was done, he was drenched in sweat.

Feeling the ore loosen, he returned his dagger to its sheath and carefully retrieved the glowing stone. Up close, one could see a pulsating glow emanating from the center of the ore, reminiscent of a heartbeat, radiating a purple light.

Should I go back and ask the instructor what this is?

Just as Zhu Yue took a step forward, the entire mine began to shake, intensifying until pebbles started rolling down the walls with a clattering sound.

An earthquake?!

That was Zhu Yue’s first thought. Then a deep, slow growl resonated from an unknown direction—an unsettling sound that made one’s skin crawl.

What’s happening? Zhu Yue had barely started to escape when the tremors knocked him off his feet. A massive rock landed heavily in front of him, scattering shards.

Not only Zhu Yue experienced the disturbances. Every individual in the mine felt varying levels of shaking. The most affected were Ling Xiao and Ying Feng, who had ventured the deepest.

After breaking an entire wall, they unexpectedly found a new world inhabited by dozens of A-grade dangerous creatures called Giant-tailed Lizards, presumably their nest. The disturbed lizards, lying on the ground, slowly waved their massive tails, glaring menacingly at the two unexpected intruders. Some emitted warning growls from deep within their throats, a sight enough to send shivers down anyone’s spine.

“I suspect our instructor gravely deceived us,” Ling Xiao whispered, twirling his dagger, causing it to spin sword flowers.

“Now the fun begins.”

“Hey, if you’re scared, press the alarm. I won’t mock you,” Ling Xiao said, fully focused ahead, teasing Ying Feng. In his eyes, there was no fear, only excitement at facing a powerful adversary.

“It should be you who’s scared,” Ying Feng coldly responded, also assuming a battle stance. “Run now if you wish. I won’t mock you either.”

That was when the unexpected happened. A particularly deep sound echoed, resonating throughout the narrow mine.

“Woo…”

Not just humans, even the Giant-tailed Lizards halted their advances.

“What was that sound?” Ling Xiao’s alertness surged.

A grave expression crossed Ying Feng’s face as he looked around, trying to determine the source. Another deep rumble, and the whole mine shook again. The Giant-tailed Lizards, disturbed, all began running away from the sound’s origin with an agility one wouldn’t expect from their massive size.

“What’s going on? Why is this happening?” Ling Xiao, stupefied by the lizards’ behavior, barely finished his sentence when an immense force hit him head-on, propelling him backward into a wall, smashing his personal terminal.

After the dust settled, the powerful entity revealed itself. Ying Feng, usually calm, was taken aback when he recognized the creature.

“It can’t be!” he exclaimed.

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 25

“Pick one and both will die. The mushrooms here all grow in pairs, which means they can’t survive without each other. So the only way is to pick them both at once.”

“What’s so difficult about that?” Upon hearing this, Ling Xiao immediately changed his strategy. He tried to grab a pair of mushrooms with each hand but quickly let go due to the sharp pain.

“These mushrooms can bite?” he exclaimed in surprise.

Ying Feng noticed something amiss and said, “Your hand.”

“What’s wrong with my hand?” Ling Xiao looked down. “What is this? Why is there red powder?”

On his fingers, there was a faint layer of red luminescent powder, which would glow under the sunlight.

“I have it too.” Ying Feng checked his hand; only his was white.

“It might be related to the mushrooms we just picked?” Ling Xiao speculated.

Ying Feng lightly touched the red mushroom, feeling nothing, but upon touching the white one, a sharp pain shot through his fingertip, probably the “bite” Ling Xiao referred to.

The instructor, watching from the monitoring equipment, noticed that the two hadn’t moved for quite a while. Thinking that it was probably time, he generously sent a timely reminder via the communication device.

“Oh right, I forgot to tell you. These mushrooms have a memory function against their killers. Once you cause the death of a certain colored mushroom, it will leave a mark on you. For the next twelve hours, you cannot touch its kind again. Consider it their species protection mechanism.”

Ling Xiao was incredulous. “Instructor, why didn’t you mention such an important thing earlier?”

“I just forgot,” the instructor replied without any sign of remorse. “But if you two don’t make it back before the other students reach the top, I’ll regrettably have to cancel your scores for today.”

Ying Feng, always the calmer one, asked, “Instructor, is there any other essential information you ‘forgot’ to share?”

“Let me think… Oh, after picking the mushrooms, they must be placed in the box promptly. If you put them on the ground or anywhere else, they will die.”

“What kind of mushroom is this?” Ling Xiao complained. “It’s almost sentient.”

“This type of mushroom only grows by the lake where you are. It can’t survive away from its soil. So it resists being relocated, preferring to die in its homeland rather than be moved. The boxes I gave you are specially made for these mushrooms. They were designed by biologists to safely transfer them to labs for research.”

Ying Feng sorted out the known information. “Alright, I know what to do.”

After the communication ended, Ling Xiao excitedly said, “I know what to do too!”

“Tell me.”

“I’ll pick your mushrooms, and you’ll pick mine. We’ll pick them simultaneously, so they won’t die.”

That was also Ying Feng’s plan. “But be prepared. We can’t afford any mistakes. If any mishap causes the picked mushrooms to die, we’ll have no chances left.”

“Don’t worry,” Ling Xiao promised solemnly.

Under a certain tree, a pair of mushrooms suddenly shuddered, sensing two pairs of eyes glaring hungrily at them.

With one hand each, the two men carefully held the base of the mushrooms.

“Ready?” asked Ying Feng.

“Yes!” Ling Xiao nodded.

“On the count of one, move. Three, two, one!”

Together, they uprooted the mushrooms. Neither wilted nor exploded. They waited quietly for several seconds, but nothing happened.

“Did we… succeed?” Ling Xiao questioned. “Just like that?”

Ying Feng finally spoke. “Look at their roots.”

Ling Xiao did and noticed that the two mushrooms were connected at the base. “So they’re from the same root? No wonder they grow together.”

“We need to transfer them to the boxes quickly. They’ll die if they’re out of the soil for three minutes.”

This reminder made Ling Xiao realize that now wasn’t the time to study their ecology. Both took out the boxes provided by the instructor and paused. The box could only hold one mushroom, but if they separated the mushrooms, they’d likely die.

“Why do I feel like the instructor deceived us again?” Ling Xiao whispered.

“You’re not wrong,” Ying Feng said, examining the box for any hidden mechanisms.

“Did you hear something?” Ling Xiao suddenly asked from the side.

Ying Feng paused, listened intently, and his expression suddenly changed. “Duck!”

Ling Xiao instinctively ducked with him. In a split second, a gust of wind brushed past the back of his neck, whistling and hitting a tree ahead with such force that it snapped. The fallen tree made a loud noise, sending a chill down Ling Xiao’s spine. Only then did he realize the dire consequences had they not dodged.

What appeared in Ling Xiao’s view next was a pair of black, furry hands. He looked up, following the arm, and saw a baboon twice the size of a regular one roaring at them. At such close proximity, the roar was deafening.

“What is this?” Ling Xiao was perplexed. He was just picking mushrooms, and now they were in this predicament.

“It seems to be the guardian of this area,” Ying Feng calmly said, a usual demeanor when he was on high alert. “It doesn’t want you to take its mushrooms.”

The baboon roared again, swinging its two hands at them. Ling Xiao and Ying Feng, in perfect sync, jumped back, each still holding half of the mushroom.

“Hey bud, the instructor said once a mushroom is picked, it can’t be replanted. Just let us take it.”

Ling Xiao tried reasoning, but the creature didn’t understand.

“This won’t work.” Ying Feng quickly analyzed the situation. “We can’t always move in sync. If we get separated a little, the mushrooms will die.”

“So, what should we do?”

“One of us has to let go,” Ying Feng said, releasing his grip.

Ling Xiao, who was left holding the mushrooms alone: “……”

“Can I get a redo?”

“Don’t let go. If you drop it, it’ll die. Hand me your box,” Ying Feng commanded.

“Okay.” Ling Xiao obediently handed over his box. “What next?”

“Take the mushrooms and run!”

Ling Xiao bolted. Not because he was heeding Ying Feng’s words, but because the baboon was lunging at him. As he zigzagged through the woods, his voice echoed, “Ying Feng, you’re so treacherous!”

Ying Feng, engrossed in the two boxes, ignored him. “Don’t get too close to me, avoid collateral damage. Don’t get too far either, you won’t make it back. And don’t confront it head-on. Protect the mushrooms. The one in your hand can explode.”

“Ah!” Holding an unpredictable bomb, Ling Xiao sprinted through the woods, chased by an enraged baboon wanting to rip him and the mushrooms to shreds.

“Can you handle this or not?” Despite his agility in the forest, Ling Xiao was having a hard time escaping. With only one hand free, his movements were limited, leading to a few close calls.

“If I can’t find a solution in time,” Ying Feng continued to work on the boxes, “you’ll have to throw the mushroom at the creature chasing you. We can forgo this mission.”

“No way!” Even in dire straits, Ling Xiao wasn’t ready to give up. “If time runs out and you haven’t resolved the issue, I’ll throw it at you!”

Ying Feng was also rapidly dissecting the two boxes. The instructor mentioned that these boxes were custom-made for these mushrooms, so there must be a way to accommodate both without harming them.

Ling Xiao became increasingly adept at moving around. Even with just one hand, he could nimbly weave between the trees. From time to time, he would shout taunts. The baboon couldn’t catch up with him and, in frustration, continued to howl in anger.

As the time limit approached, Ying Feng had an epiphany—if the mushrooms couldn’t be separated, then join the boxes! He discarded the lids, joined the boxes mouth to mouth, creating a perfect seal.

He inspected the reassembled box, finally snapping one side open with only ten seconds left.

“Come back!” he shouted.

Ling Xiao, having awaited the command, made a feint, leading the baboon in another direction, and darted towards Ying Feng.

“Put it in!” Ying Feng held the opened box towards him.

Using a tree trunk, Ling Xiao propelled himself forward, placing the volatile mushrooms in the box just in the nick of time. Ying Feng swiftly secured the lid, ensuring the mushrooms’ safety.

“Take it down!” As soon as Ying Feng uttered these words, he had already rushed forward. Ling Xiao had been holding back for a long time. This was the first time he was chased without being able to fight back. Now, he wouldn’t miss this opportunity to confront the creature. He quickly turned around and launched a fierce attack on the baboon.

The giant baboon was much stronger than the previous creatures they encountered. Even working together took some effort. Ling Xiao finally understood the instructor’s meaning of real combat. This was probably the strongest opponent they had faced so far.

Unfortunately for the baboon, though it faced two fledglings, they were top-tier combatants among their kind. After an intense battle, the creature finally fell. From its corpse emerged a light brown, crystal-like object.

“What is this?” Ling Xiao picked it up from the ground.

“I don’t know.” Ying Feng had never seen such an object before. “Let’s ask the instructor.”

The two returned earlier than the instructor had expected and completed the task successfully. The instructor gave a nod of approval on the surface but was greatly surprised internally.

“Let’s eat this tonight.” Ling Xiao handed over the mushrooms they brought back to the instructor. Seeing Ying Feng’s disdainful look, he quickly explained, “I’m just joking.”

The instructor took it with satisfaction. “Well done.” If this had been an entrance examination, both would have already qualified for the Royal Sky Military Academy.

“The task you gave was so easy I almost fell asleep,” Ling Xiao boasted.

“Easy, huh?” The instructor knocked Ling Xiao’s head with the box. “Do you know how many excellent students applied for Royal Sky last year, passed various challenging tests, but failed at this simple stage?”

“Really?” Ling Xiao was puzzled. “I thought it was okay. Oh, what is this?”

He showed the instructor the item they got from the baboon.

“This is a life crystal. Some call it a soul stone. Every beast has one inside. It’s a very important material.”

“Material? For what?”

“A type of consumable in battle. It’s a secret weapon unique to our people. Only by mastering it can you truly understand our way of combat.”

Ling Xiao was eager. “How can I master it?”

“Fledglings can’t use this tool. Only when you become adults and enter higher education will you learn its usage.”

Ling Xiao was immediately disappointed.

Without any more words, the instructor said, “You have completed today’s task well. Don’t be arrogant. Go prepare. Tomorrow is the main event.”

The next day arrived quickly. Due to the instructor’s reminder, everyone was well prepared, carrying everything they might need. The training location was a mine area densely populated with wild beasts, a barren land with many dark cave entrances.

“The previous days were just to familiarize everyone with the environment. Today’s training is the main event,” the instructor began.

“We have detailed the danger levels of various wild creatures in biology class. This mine area is the main habitat for beasts ranked from E to B. Defeating a B-ranked beast alone is our minimum requirement for tenth graders. Outstanding individuals should aim to defeat A-ranked beasts.”

“Occasionally, formidable A-ranked creatures appear in this area. But based on what I know of you all, with good teamwork, they can be defeated.”

“Different beasts drop different grades of soul stones. We’ll score based on your hunt: E-grade for 2 points, D-grade for 10, C-grade for 25, B-grade for 50, and A-grade for 100. The team with the highest score wins. Whether you work alone or in groups is up to you.”

“Everyone has an alarm in their personal terminals. I assume you all know how to use it, meant for emergencies. We hope you won’t need it. The school hasn’t provided any armor; we don’t use such burdens. Did everyone bring their weapons?”

Everyone swung their right arms in unison, revealing gleaming daggers.

“Good!” The instructor waved his hand. “Let’s go!”

Dozens of figures scattered, disappearing into various caves.

“The quality of this year’s students seems better than last year,” the medic commented.

“That’s because two of them raised the average,” the instructor replied.

“Those two you sent for mushrooms yesterday?”

“Exactly. The average requirement is B-grade, and the excellent ones go up to A. But what they defeated yesterday was an S-grade guardian of the mushrooms. Not the toughest in its rank, but still a formidable opponent.”

“You let fledglings face an S-grade creature alone?” The team doctor was shocked by his boldness.

“With their abilities, defeating an S-grade creature together is no challenge. I knew their strengths, that’s why I let them.”

“That’s risky.”

“It depends on who you’re taking a risk with.” The instructor thought of a student who could hardly hold a dagger. “If every student were at that level, I’d keep them locked on campus. When I see such fledglings, I doubt they belong with us.”

“You’re sure no A-ranked or higher beasts are in the caves?”

“Of course,” the instructor said. “Even if the outdoor training is militarized, the academy won’t forget they are fledglings. There can’t be any accidents.”

“This area has been surveyed. For a century, no S-grade or higher creatures have been spotted. A few A-grades, at most. They might get some minor injuries or hardships, but life-threatening? Never.”

“Don’t underestimate these fledglings. We are known as the battle machines in the galaxy. If a few wild beasts can defeat them, it’s embarrassing. Remember, our current principal, at their age, could single-handedly defeat an S-grade creature. He’s a legend in Bikong.”

---

The author has something to say:

Tip: If A forcibly takes the heart’s blood from B, B can have four outcomes:

Enter the coming-of-age ceremony and succeed, they become the Qizhu; if they fail, they become the Qizi.

If B doesn’t enter the coming-of-age ceremony and succeeds, they defeat A and remain free; if they fail, they become the Qizi.

Unweakened fledglings cannot have their heart’s blood forcibly taken.

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 24

On the first night of camping, Ling Xiao was always restless. He attributed this to hunger. Unable to sleep, he got up and decided to look around, hoping to find some mushrooms to fill his stomach in the wilderness.

Subconsciously, he headed towards the tent where Ying Feng was. It was deep into the night, and all the classmates were asleep. Ying Feng’s tent was as dark and silent as the others around it.

Pretending to be just passing by, Ling Xiao wandered around the vicinity until a small stone snapped and hit him in the chest. The thrower hadn’t used much force; it was clearly just to get his attention.

Following the direction from which the stone came, Ling Xiao unexpectedly spotted Ying Feng sitting under a tree. Ying Feng had noticed Ling Xiao from the moment he showed up, initially thinking he had just gotten up to relieve himself. Yet, Ling Xiao lingered, making Ying Feng wonder about his intentions.

“What are you sneaking around here for?” Ying Feng asked, showing no friendliness to Ling Xiao, who had approached him.

“Why are you here?” Ling Xiao countered. “Why aren’t you sleeping in your tent?”

“I’m not used to sharing with others.” Ying Feng made up an excuse, even though it was true.

The sullenness in Ling Xiao’s heart was immediately swept away. The outdoor air felt fresh, and the stars were bright. Ling Xiao felt that a weight had been lifted from his heart.

Feeling better, his stomach reminded him of its hunger with a growl.

Having seen Ling Xiao’s weakened state during their earlier interaction, Ying Feng understood. “Out of food again?”

Ling Xiao sheepishly scratched the back of his head. “I came out to look for some mushrooms…”

Ying Feng gave him a look as if saying, ‘Are you an idiot?‘. “Are you sure the mushrooms you find with your intelligence are edible? Even if there are, are you planning to eat them raw?”

Ling Xiao felt insulted. “If not mushrooms, there are other things. I remember seeing a banana tree in the forest today.”

Ying Feng didn’t bother explaining that bananas don’t grow year-round. He opened his backpack, taking out half of his food to share.

Ying Feng had helped him out several times before, so Ling Xiao wasn’t polite and began to eat heartily. “I’ll get my living expenses next week and pay you back.”

“So you’ll be hungry again at the end of the next month?”

Ling Xiao was aggrieved. “My financial skills aren’t that bad, okay? I just don’t save money like you do.”

Ying Feng didn’t comment on the financial prowess of someone with no savings. Packing away his things, he failed to notice a bottle rolling out.

“What’s this? Healing medicine?” Ling Xiao asked as he picked it up. “Good, I haven’t treated my wound from today.”

Quickly, he sprayed the contents on his injured arm. By the time Ying Feng managed to retrieve the bottle, it was too late.

“Why were you so fast? Didn’t you check what it was?” Ying Feng was exasperated, but thankfully only a small amount had been sprayed.

“Isn’t it a wound healing spray? I’ve used it before.” Ling Xiao was puzzled, wondering why Ying Feng was generous with food but not his medicine.

“A lot of spray bottles look the same. Don’t you read labels?”

“…Oh.” Ling Xiao finally realized. “What is it then?”

Ying Feng thought, considering it was an inhibitor, it shouldn’t affect Ling Xiao, especially since he hadn’t awakened.

Ying Feng took the bottle back and said, “It’s none of your business. You wouldn’t need it anyway.”

Ling Xiao didn’t press further and quickly finished his meal. Full and at ease, he started feeling drowsy.

“Why aren’t you leaving?” Seeing Ling Xiao about to doze off, Ying Feng urged him to leave.

“Oh.” Ling Xiao got up, brushing dirt off his clothes. “I’ll go back to sleep then.”

Returning to his tent, he had another bizarre dream that night, as strange as the movie he’d watched a few nights ago.

Staying up late and dreaming resulted in Ling Xiao oversleeping the next morning. A tentmate had to drag him out of his sleeping bag.

“Ling Xiao, wake up! We’re about to gather!”

He reluctantly opened his eyes, then suddenly widened them in shock, startling his tentmate.

Half out of his sleeping bag, he quickly scrambled back in. “You go first. I’ll be right there.”

“Are you okay?” His tentmate was concerned, noting Ling Xiao’s sudden flushed face.

“I’m fine. Just go. Don’t be late.”

A person who hadn’t gotten out of bed was reminding another not to be late. The scene seemed completely illogical. The classmate mumbled and left. Once he was sure the classmate was gone and wouldn’t return, Ling Xiao finally sat up. He secretly pulled apart a small opening in his sleeping bag and, as expected, saw his overly enthusiastic lower half.

This was Ling Xiao’s first time dealing with such a situation. He had no idea what to do. Could he even put on pants like this? It would surely be noticeable. If discovered, he would definitely lose his field practice qualifications.

Frantically, he tried to recall how he had handled such a situation last time. He was taking a shower… Right, cold water!

There was no way he could take a cold shower in this environment. Holding his sleeping bag, he hopped over to his luggage, rummaging through it until he found an emergency ice pack. The ice pack was normally at room temperature, but once the seal was broken, the liquid inside would rapidly cool below freezing.

Without hesitation, Ling Xiao tore open the ice pack. As the surface quickly condensed with moisture, in his complete lack of knowledge and without considering the consequences, he placed the ice pack where it was needed most. The coldness was so intense that he let out a mournful scream.

Just at that moment, Ying Feng, who happened to be passing by, thought something terrible had happened inside the tent and opened the tent flap. “What happened?!”

“Don’t come in!” Startled, Ling Xiao quickly threw the ice pack at the intruder. In the ensuing chaos, he ended up tripping over his sleeping bag.

Luckily, Ying Feng was quick to catch the thrown ice pack, which gave him a jolt from its coldness. He then heard a thud. Setting down the ice pack, the scene before him was of Ling Xiao, wrapped tightly in his sleeping bag, sprawled on the ground in a very undignified manner, looking up at him with big eyes.

Ying Feng’s lips twitched. “What are you doing?”

The large caterpillar-like figure on the ground blinked innocently twice.

Forget it. Ying Feng threw the ice pack back, not wanting to get involved in the mess. However, just as he was about to close the tent, he heard Ling Xiao call out to him, “Wait!”

“What now?”

The tent flap was pulled open again, but Ling Xiao frantically gestured. “No, no, close it. Let me put on my pants first.”

After all the commotion, the once enthusiastic part of Ling Xiao finally calmed down. He managed to put on his pants, quickly threw on his shirt, grabbed a water bottle, and ran out to see Ying Feng waiting outside, evidently impatient.

“Done causing a scene?”

“There was a little accident,” Ling Xiao said sheepishly, holding up the water bottle. “I need to wash my hands.”

Ying Feng wasn’t amused. “Why?”

“Uh… I twisted my foot earlier and used the ice pack on it.”

Ying Feng really wanted to punch him at that moment.

The morning’s drama finally ended. Ling Xiao and Ying Feng both rushed to the assembly point, but they were still late.

The instructor was a straightforward person. With a wave of his hand, he ordered, “Run ten laps around the camp.”

Ling Xiao felt guilty. If not for him, Ying Feng wouldn’t have been late either. Seeing Ying Feng start without any explanation, Ling Xiao quickly followed, “Should I run for you?”

Without turning his head, Ying Feng retorted, “Didn’t you twist your foot?”

“…I recover fast.”

“No need.”

After completing the ten laps, they returned to find that all their classmates had disappeared, with only the instructor remaining.

The instructor had a plan in mind. He intended to recommend the two for the admission exam at the Royal Sky Military Academy. To do this, he needed to enhance their skills, and their tardiness that morning gave him an excellent excuse.

“Sir, where is everyone?” Ling Xiao looked around, puzzled. Both he and Ying Feng had maintained an even pace during the run, which impressed the instructor.

“Today is an endurance training day, mountain climbing with a load. The other students have already started.”

“Oh,” Ling Xiao replied, unfazed. “Can we still catch up?”

“Today, the two of you have a special training task,” the instructor interjected. “Endurance training isn’t enough for you. I hope you can take this opportunity to strengthen your combat training.”

“Combat?” Ling Xiao’s curiosity was piqued.

The instructor produced a chip similar to the one Zhen He had given them earlier. He threw it into the air, and it expanded into a map.

“This is the map of the entire mountain area. See the red dot? That’s our current location.”

“Mm,” Ling Xiao nodded.

The instructor pointed towards a faint blue area to their southwest. “There’s a lake here, and by its side grows a unique mushroom…”

Upon hearing this, Ling Xiao gave Ying Feng a triumphant look as if to say, “I told you there were mushrooms here.”

“…I want you to find that lake and bring back your assignment objectives. I have two sticks here. Whichever you draw, that’s your target,” the instructor finished, pulling out two boxes.

“I’ll go first.” Ling Xiao took one box, and Ying Feng took the other.

Upon opening his box, Ling Xiao saw a white glow, from which an image began to emerge.

“Mine’s a red mushroom,” he said before looking at Ying Feng’s. “Yours is a white one. Why does it look bigger than mine?”

The instructor replied cryptically, “Regardless of the type of mushroom, once it’s removed from its native soil, it’ll die within three minutes. The only solution is to transplant them, along with the soil, into the boxes I’ve given you. Remember, you must bring the mushroom back intact. It’s worth noting that this is the wild, and dangers you can’t anticipate may arise. So, both of you must stick together, understand?”

He displayed his tablet, showing the positions of every student marked by light points. “I’ll be monitoring your locations. If anyone acts alone without considering their partner, today’s grade will be annulled.”

Both ran towards their destination. The team doctor, who had listened to the entire exchange, appeared.

“The mushrooms they’re fetching, they’re Qi mushrooms, right?”

“Yes,” the instructor confirmed.

“You’re making one fetch the Zhu mushroom and the other the Zi mushroom*. Isn’t this just toying with them?”

*Clarity: The mushrooms are named after Qizhu and Qizi.

“This was also one of the questions for the entrance exam at the Royal Sky Military Academy last year. Those who apply for Royal Sky are strong, so the school has designed a question that’s neither too hard nor too easy, to test their on-the-spot teamwork.”

“When they’re on their own, both are competent. But those with strong individual skills can be very self-centered. I worry that this test of teamwork might be their biggest obstacle in the entrance exam.”

“So, you’re starting to nurture their synergy from now on?”

“I hope so. After all, for such mushrooms named after the unique partnership of the ‘Tianxiu’, they can’t be harvested by just one person.”

With the map’s guidance, they easily located the lake the instructor mentioned. In the woods by the lake, mushrooms of two colors grew everywhere.

Ling Xiao was right; the white mushrooms were indeed bigger than the red ones. Strangely, wherever they were, both types always grew together, never alone.

“There are so many mushrooms here,” Ling Xiao remarked in surprise. “Is it just as simple as taking them back?”

As he spoke, he pulled up a red mushroom. The moment it left the soil, it wilted rapidly, as if all its moisture had been forcibly drained.

“Watch out!” Before Ling Xiao could contemplate the mushroom’s rapid change, a powerful force pulled him backward.

Following Ying Feng’s warning, the white mushroom on the ground exploded. The blast was powerful, and Ling Xiao would’ve been injured had he remained there.

“What… What just happened?” Ling Xiao, shocked, stared at the red mushroom’s remains and the debris of the white one.

But before they could investigate further, a new enemy appeared. From the spot where the pair of mushrooms grew, a monstrous creature manifested, roaring and charging at them.

Ling Xiao reacted first, kicking the creature. Ying Feng moved behind it, targeting its neck with a knife-hand strike. The creature emitted a painful shriek and exhaled green smoke from its mouth.

“Be careful of its poison!” Ying Feng warned. Both leapt away. Ying Feng quickly drew a dagger from his waist and threw it, pinning the creature to a tree. Struck fatally, the creature howled and disappeared like smoke. If not for Ying Feng’s dagger embedded in the tree, the entire event would’ve seemed like an illusion.

After this lesson, they became more cautious. This time, Ying Feng carefully plucked a white mushroom. Seconds later, his face turned pale as he threw the mushroom, which exploded mid-air.

“Look!” Ling Xiao pointed to the ground. Without him mentioning it, Ying Feng noticed the red mushroom left in place had wilted just like before. After dealing with another mysterious creature, they realized that once one mushroom was pulled, both would die and summon a vengeful spirit-like entity. How could they possibly bring them back whole as the instructor requested?

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 23

A lone student from Team C was carefully walking through the forest, with his arms always in front of his chest in a combat-ready stance, protecting his scorekeeper at the same time.

A strange bird call came from the sky. He looked up and immediately saw a figure burst out from the bushes diagonally in front of him, heading straight for his chest. The student reacted quickly, jumping back in defense. But as he focused on the enemy in front, another person suddenly jumped out from behind. Caught off-guard and attacked from both sides, one of the attackers ruthlessly pressed his stop button.

“Got him!” The two students from Team D, successful in their ambush, gave each other a high-five.

The ambushed student from Team C was visibly upset. “Ganging up on me, how unfair!”

The attackers chuckled. “All’s fair in war!”

Before they could finish their taunt, a dark shadow suddenly fell from a tree, swiftly pressing the termination buttons on both Team D members. The two, caught up in the thrill of scoring, were stunned for a moment before realizing they had been eliminated from the game.

“Thanks for the points.” Ling Xiao laughed, having successfully taken down both. In an instant, he earned three points.

The disgruntled students rolled up their sleeves in anger. “Ling Xiao, you bastard!”

Ling Xiao had already jumped several meters away. His voice echoed in the distance. “All’s fair in war!”

Ying Feng was also scoring impressively, earning four points in just half an hour, including one point from Zhu Yue. He figured it was better to earn the points himself rather than letting other teams take them. At least with him, the point would be in better hands than with Zhu Yue.

As he ran through the jungle, a sixth sense told him an enemy was near. He instantly turned and kicked, sending the would-be attacker flying.

The assailant thought his attack would be successful, but Ying Feng’s reflexes exceeded his expectations. Seeing the tables turned on him and a counterattack imminent, he quickly jumped up and blew a whistle.

Team D probably had the best team coordination. The four members maintained a certain distance from each other, scanning four different directions, ready to assist if an enemy appeared from any side.

Hearing the alert from their teammate, three Team D members quickly turned back. Seeing Ying Feng, one of them exclaimed, “You’ve caught a big one!”

The first attacker was desperate, as Ying Feng had him on the back foot. With his scorekeeper in danger and his teammates just watching the scene, he shouted, “Help me out here! This guy has 5 points!”

Team D and Team A weren’t from the same class, but since awakening, they had lived on the same campus and were well acquainted. Everyone knew about Ying Feng’s skills. Hence, even when outnumbered, they didn’t underestimate him; each of them fully engaged in the battle.

The average combat abilities of the Tianxiu people were quite high, so even Ying Feng, whose strength was extraordinary, still struggled to face four opponents simultaneously. He used the terrain to retreat while focusing his attacks on one person, trying to find a weak spot. However, Team D’s teamwork was impeccable. Whenever one was in danger, the others would come to the rescue, not giving Ying Feng any chance. The situation looked dire for him.

Just then, a sixth person recklessly entered the fray. Ling Xiao had heard the commotion from afar and wanted to join in. To his surprise, he found four Team D members attacking Ying Feng. Seeing one of them about to succeed, Ling Xiao swiftly flew over to block him.

Everyone paused upon seeing the newcomer. At first, they thought he was from Team A, but upon closer inspection, they realized it was Ling Xiao from Team B, leaving them speechless.

“Ling Xiao, what’s your strategy here?” The combatants briefly ceased hostilities to engage in banter.

Ling Xiao wasn’t entirely sure himself. He simply didn’t want to see Ying Feng lose to these individuals. Without much thought, he had joined the fight reflexively.

“You’re not from Team A. Ying Feng is your toughest opponent. If you help us eliminate him, his 5 points are yours,” the leader of the four-member team said, proving himself quite the negotiator.

“After you take my 5 points, these four will turn on you. You might stand a chance one-on-one against me, but you won’t win against all four,” Ying Feng chimed in. “Their combined points are worth more than 5. Think it through.”

Everyone was stunned. It was rare for Ying Feng, who always acted alone, to team up with someone. It seemed everyone was giving their all to win this battle.

Ling Xiao pondered and realized that Ying Feng had a point. He readied himself and said, “I can ally with you temporarily, but you better not run off later.”

Ying Feng had already targeted one of the opponents. “That’s exactly what I was thinking.”

With the addition of Ling Xiao, the tides of the battle turned drastically. While fighting four was challenging, facing two was as easy as slicing melons. Moreover, after a week of intense training, there was a newfound synergy between them. Just a gesture or a glance was enough for each to understand the other’s intent.

Working closely together, they quickly eliminated the four opponents. The kills were evenly shared between Ling Xiao and Ying Feng. A squad that had the potential to go far was defeated by the joint efforts of the two strongest participants in their grade. It seemed their grievances had nowhere to be vented.

Though the four were out, they didn’t leave. They waited to watch the outcome.

“What are you guys looking at?” Ling Xiao was puzzled.

“We want to see who wins between you two,” someone answered. Both of them had accumulated high scores, with Ying Feng at 8 and Ling Xiao at 7. If either could take the other’s points, they’d likely be the ultimate winners. This was a decisive battle.

Unexpectedly, Ying Feng spoke up. “There are still two hours left. If we start fighting here, it might take a long time, and the winner would only gain a few points. Moreover, if we fight here, others might take advantage of us when we’re exhausted.”

In a nearby tree, a member from Team C, who was eavesdropping, suddenly felt a pain in his knee.

Again, Ling Xiao found Ying Feng’s words sensible. “So, what’s your plan?”

“I’ll leave the last half-hour for you,” Ying Feng proposed. “By then, I should have more to wager, making it more enticing for you. I’ll wait for you at the starting point, and we’ll have a fair duel. I hope your score doesn’t look too pitiful by then, provided you last that long.”

“Needless to say,” Ling Xiao was confident. “If I have one point less than you, I’ll give you three moves. Six moves if I’m two points short. I promise I won’t lose in terms of the number of opponents I take down.”

“Agreed.”

After reaching the agreement, they went in opposite directions. The four who remained were left dumbfounded. Could this survival game even be played this way?

As time went on, the number of participants decreased, and the battles intensified. Ling Xiao managed to eliminate five more players, scoring 9 points, earning a total of 16 points. He believed that Ying Feng wouldn’t surpass him.

Soon, the agreed-upon time came. Many awaited at the gathering point, eager to watch their final battle.

Ying Feng appeared as promised. He had maintained a one-point lead over Ling Xiao. He had taken down a strong player from Team C, claiming all five of their points.

“As we agreed, I’ll give you three moves,” Ling Xiao defended. “Make your move. I won’t retaliate.”

“No need,” Ying Feng readied himself. “The extra point was from Zhu Yue. We’re even.”

Ling Xiao realized that Ying Feng had defeated his own teammate. It was ruthless, but somehow, it felt oddly satisfying.

“Alright then.” Ling Xiao no longer held back and lunged first. Ying Feng quickly counterattacked. It was their second public confrontation. Away from the constraints of the training room, their bout seemed fiercer than ever.

Near the gathering point was a dense forest. Ling Xiao, using the trees as cover, showcased his agility to the fullest. He gracefully leapt between trees, rapidly changed positions using vines, and seemed to multiply himself, making it hard for his opponent to pinpoint his location.

After some time, Ying Feng realized he was at a disadvantage. Ling Xiao’s style was perfect for guerrilla warfare in the jungle. He was as agile as a monkey, thriving in this environment, fighting freely and effortlessly.

In contrast, Ying Feng’s direct fighting style was unsuitable for situations with many obstacles. After analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of both sides, Ying Feng intentionally or unintentionally led Ling Xiao to the open ground nearby.

So, the two of them moved from the dense forest to the open land. The spectators, especially the students from the neighboring class, watched this riveting duel with bated breath, fearing to miss any splendid moves even by blinking.

The battle stirred up dust, and the two figures were hidden beneath the flying sand, becoming increasingly difficult to catch sight of. Their previous practice made them familiar with each other’s moves; even with their eyes closed, they could predict the other’s next attack. Their punches and kicks landed on various parts of their opponents, but they couldn’t hit the critical point on the chest.

Even the students on the field stopped fighting to watch, and the instructor constantly nodded in approval from the side. These were the two most promising tenth-grade students, the future hopefuls for the Royal Sky Military Academy. Gaining admission to the academy, which was directly affiliated with the military department, was notoriously difficult. But once admitted, after graduation, one could directly join the military department, a leap to great heights.

Because of this, despite the extraordinarily difficult entrance examination and the rigorous training afterward, many young aspirants longed to get in. If admitted, not just the student but even the instructor guiding them would feel extremely honored.

Time passed by the minute, and neither could gain the upper hand. After three hours of intense combat, both were exhausted. Ling Xiao, who had recently been eating only bread, gradually showed signs of fatigue.

Ying Feng noticed that Ling Xiao’s speed wasn’t as good as before and took the opportunity to intensify his attacks. Ling Xiao, finding it hard to keep up, resorted to his strength, darting around the field to recuperate whenever Ying Feng couldn’t catch up, slowly regaining some strength.

The duration of the battle dragged on, and as the stipulated end time approached, neither had won. The instructor prepared to blow the whistle at the end time.

With only three minutes left, Ling Xiao no longer dodged and, using all his remaining strength, engaged Ying Feng directly. Both had only one goal: to stop the opponent’s counter.

Five, four, three, two, one—the instructor’s whistle echoed. Almost simultaneously, the two who had been moving all over the field stood still. Both reached out and pressed each other’s stop buttons.

The crowd was silent, waiting for the moment that would decide their fates. Whoever pressed the button first would get all the points of the opponent, determining the outcome of the teams. Who was the ultimate winner?

The instructor pulled up the match results on his terminal. “Both pressed the stop button at the same time, accurate to the millisecond. Regrettably, no one won this fight.”

“What?” The crowd exclaimed in surprise. “How will the final result be calculated?”

“They completed the fight 0.3 seconds after the stipulated time, so the scores are based on the previous points.”

Only then did everyone understand why, even though both pressed the stop buttons simultaneously, the numbers on the screen remained unchanged.

In the end, the remaining members of Team A and Team B tied in points. Thus, the extra point from Ying Feng made the difference, and that point came from their own team.

Team A, who won the first day of the field practice, was in high spirits. They even praised Zhu Yue, who was eliminated within the first minute of the fight. “Good job. You indeed contributed to the team.”

Zhu Yue took a deep breath, reminding himself that the main reason for being here wasn’t the outdoor training. And his plan was about to be executed.

Using the extract from Zhen He, he intended to make the suppressant in Ying Feng’s body ineffective and increase the sex hormone, which might trigger the coming-of-age ceremony. Although there was the previous example of Ping Zong and Lang Sheng, Zhu Yue believed that with his abilities, he wouldn’t pose any threat to Ying Feng. Although there was some risk, he felt it was worth it. Once the blood pact was successfully formed, it would last a lifetime, and no one could break them apart.

Zhu Yue, having meticulously planned everything, held the prepared bottle tightly, feeling both nervous and excited.

But when he returned to the tent, he happened to see Ying Feng coming out, carrying his belongings.

Seeing this, Zhu Yue was stunned. “Where are you going?”

“I’ll sleep outside.” Ying Feng’s words shattered all of Zhu Yue’s plans.

“Why?” In his anxiety, Zhu Yue grabbed Ying Feng’s sleeve, only to be brushed off disdainfully.

“I told you, keep your distance. I won’t stay with someone who hasn’t been injected with the suppressant. Either stay away from me or pack up and leave.”

Ying Feng was uncompromising. Zhu Yue could only watch him walk away; his carefully prepared drug was now useless.

---

The author has something to say:

Tip: In the world of “Tianxiu,” adults don’t need to use basic methods like aphrodisiacs. Couples have unique ways to induce passion.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 22

Ling Xiao, with thoughts on his mind, hurried back to the classroom. The instructor in charge of the outdoor practicum was already briefing the students on the things to consider. Upon seeing Ling Xiao at the door, he assumed he had simply overslept and arrived late.

“Why are you only just arriving? Go to your seat.”

Ling Xiao immediately darted to his place and conveniently heard the instructor talking about the groupings.

“To improve everyone’s outdoor survival skills, this practicum will involve camping outdoors for three days and two nights. The tents provided by the school are for two people, so everyone will be paired up. Eight pairs will form one group, and the overall performance of the group will determine your scores. This also serves the second purpose of the practicum—to cultivate your teamwork skills.”

The instructor took out a list. “To ensure fairness, we will group you based on your overall daily performance. The student ranked first will pair with the last-ranked student, and so on. Here’s the list: First pair, Ying Feng and Zhu Yue; second pair, Ling Xiao…”

Down below, Zhu Yue clenched his fist. Being in the same group meant he would be tied to Ying Feng’s actions for the next three days, sharing a tent at night. For some reason, Ying Feng had recently been distant from him but close to Ling Xiao. It reminded him of something Zhen He once mentioned.

Zhu Yue didn’t believe in the idea that people who were bound by blood in their previous lives would be attracted to each other in this one.

However, after observing Ying Feng’s unusual behavior that day, he felt he should be cautious and cut off all possibilities before the two realized the truth. Being grouped with Ying Feng was a golden opportunity. With this in mind, Zhu Yue already had a plan in secret.

After class, back in the dormitory, Zhu Yue eagerly logged onto the Tianyuan Network. He had been saving money for a time like this.

The sign that said “Everything Sold Here” was still there, untouched. Zhu Yue believed that only Zhen He could help, given his knack for acquiring rare items.

“Welcome back,” greeted Zhen He, seeing it was Zhu Yue. “A returning customer! Were you satisfied with the information I provided last time?”

Zhu Yue, without bothering to make small talk, slapped his card onto the counter. “I want to buy something.”

“People who come here always do.” Zhen He, typically nonchalant with familiar customers, joked, “Or did you come to see if I’m available for a date?”

“I’m certain you have what I need. If not, I’ll tear down that sign of yours.”

“Oh, scary,” Zhen He responded with exaggerated fear. “Let’s hear it.”

“Do you know about the suppressant that awakened fledglings need to inject if they want to participate in an outdoor field practice?”

Zhen He laughed. “I’ve been awakened for thirteen years. Do you think I wouldn’t know?”

“Good. I need a drug that can neutralize this suppressant. No, better yet, something that can cause a surge in sex hormones.”

“You’re basically describing a type of aphrodisiac,” Zhen He deduced.

“What’s that?” Zhu Yue had never heard the term.

“It’s a foreign term. Its function is as you described. However, there’s no such thing for the people of Tianxiu, and alien aphrodisiacs don’t work on us.”

Thinking that Zhen He implied they didn’t have it, Zhu Yue’s face darkened.

“However,” Zhen He’s tone changed, “there’s a substance that’s quite similar, an extract.”

“Extract?”

“Once, a genius researcher developed a drug called ‘Embers’ to boost human combat potential. This extract is a byproduct of ‘Embers’.”

“Embers?” This time, Zhu Yue was familiar. “I’ve heard of it.”

“When it was first developed, ‘Embers’ had severe side effects, causing an excess of sex hormones. Researchers found a catalyst in ‘Embers’ that caused this surge and isolated it, leading to a refined version of the drug.”

“And what happened to the extracted substance?” Zhu Yue asked with anticipation.

“It’s worthless for Tianxiu people; it’s typically treated as chemical waste. No one uses it, and there’s no reason to. Even adults wouldn’t resort to such crude methods for arousal. Fledglings have even less use.”

Zhu Yue happily pushed his card forward. “You can charge everything on the card. I need that substance, and I need it by the day after tomorrow.”

Zhen He readily took the card. “One day. Come back at this time tomorrow to get it.”

“You’re not going to ask what I need it for?” Zhu Yue was cautious.

“I do business, and I only take money. I don’t ask reasons. As long as you can pay, I’ll sell. What you do with it is none of my concern, and I won’t disclose any information. However, you can’t ask how I acquired it, and you can’t tell anyone you got it from me. Do you accept these terms?”

“Deal!”

Meanwhile, Ling Xiao was closely examining a small glass vial in his hand, containing a bright orange liquid. He found it while packing.

‘Just as a precaution…’ Ling Xiao thought, fetching a compact syringe from his drawer.

……

The annual field practice had finally arrived. The four classes of tenth grade split into two groups: two classes headed to the coast, while the class Ling Xiao belonged to went inland.

Every young student was extremely excited. On the way there, riding on their flying vehicles, they chattered non-stop. Their excitement didn’t subside even when they reached the destination, causing the instructor to expend a lot of energy to maintain order.

“Quiet! Quiet! This is a militarized field practice, not a casual picnic. What do you think you’re doing, making such a racket?”

He repeated this several times before the group finally quieted down.

“Now, roll call. Students of Team A…”

After roll-calling all four teams, Ying Feng and Ling Xiao were assigned to Teams A and B respectively. Although the members of Team A were encouraged by having the powerful Ying Feng on their side, they also expressed dissatisfaction with the presence of Zhu Yue.

“Though the second weakest in terms of combat ability, at least he’s a positive number. Unlike someone, who’s basically a negative,” said a student from Team A without naming anyone, but everyone knew who he meant.

“If he had self-awareness, he wouldn’t get involved and would just wait on the side. Otherwise, Ying Feng will have to take care of him. He’s just a burden,” said another more bluntly.

Zhu Yue heard all of this and held his tongue. It wasn’t the time to argue with anyone. He had risked not taking the suppressant to participate in this field trip, not to pick fights here. He secretly reached into his pocket, tightly gripping the bottle inside, thinking, ‘Once I achieve my goal, I won’t care what any of you say.’

The instructor led everyone to the designated camping site, and the students chose their spots, setting up tents in pairs.

The tent for Ying Feng’s group was mostly set up by him alone. In order not to seem useless, Zhu Yue volunteered to decorate the inside.

Zhu Yue accidentally spotted something familiar in Ying Feng’s open bag. Seeing Ying Feng wasn’t around, he secretly examined the spray bottle, comparing it with his own, and confirmed that even the labels were identical.

However, he quickly remembered that Zhen He had disguised the medicine he gave him, saying this way it wouldn’t be easily discovered. This meant Ying Feng’s was the real thing, while his was just a different substance in the same bottle.

“What are you doing?”

Ying Feng’s voice came from behind, startling Zhu Yue, causing both bottles to fall. He quickly picked up one and threw it back into Ying Feng’s bag, hiding the other behind him, turning around nervously. “No-nothing…”

Ying Feng, finding this suspicious, asked, “Why touch my stuff?”

“I… I just accidentally saw something in your bag that looked like mine, so I got curious… I didn’t mean to pry,” Zhu Yue quickly added.

Ying Feng skeptically took out the suppressant spray from his bag. “You mean this?”

Zhu Yue, not knowing what the real content of the bottle was, just nodded.

After some thought and observing Zhu Yue’s guilty demeanor, Ying Feng seemed to understand a lot.

“You’ve officially entered the awakening phase, haven’t you?”

“Ah? Yes…” Knowing he couldn’t hide the truth, Zhu Yue confessed.

“You didn’t inject the suppressant, yet you dared to join this field trip?” Ying Feng pinpointed the issue. “This spray is for emergencies. So you brought it just in case?”

“I did take it!” Zhu Yue lied reflexively.

Ying Feng didn’t want to argue further. “Whether you take it or not, keep your distance from me. I don’t want to lose this opportunity because of you. If you can’t, I’ll request a medical check on you now. They’ll know if you’re telling the truth or lying.”

Zhu Yue stepped back, his head lowered, eyes darting, implicitly acknowledging Ying Feng’s suspicions.

Ying Feng pocketed the spray and left.

From Ling Xiao’s tent, he could see everything happening at Ying Feng’s site. He saw Zhu Yue enter, then Ying Feng. He didn’t know what they were doing inside but was relieved when Ying Feng came out.

When he realized he was behaving like a voyeur, Ying Feng had already noticed him. Ling Xiao tried to look nonchalant, pretending to admire the scenery.

“What are you looking at?” A slap landed on Ling Xiao’s shoulder, startling him.

Ling Xiao turned his head to see that it was Ting Lei who had slapped him. “You scared me to death.”

“The instructor has called for assembly. What are you dazing about?”

Lost in his thoughts, Ling Xiao hadn’t heard the whistle. Now, he followed Ting Lei to the assembly point. Members from all four teams had arrived, and the instructor began to introduce the training content for the first day.

“Today is the first day of the field practice. Our focus will be on warming up and adapting to the outdoor terrain. We have marked the boundaries, and within these markers, everyone is free to move.”

Walking among the crowd, the instructor continued, “As we all know, every creature has a weakness. Different creatures have different vulnerabilities, but there’s one common weakness: the heart.”

“For the people of Tianxiu, compared to other races, our recovery ability is faster. If necessary, we can even abandon some body parts to protect ourselves. Even if we lose an arm, advanced medical equipment can help us regenerate. But the heart is different. Our heart is as vulnerable as other races. Once attacked, it can result in temporary combat incapacity or even be fatal.”

“Therefore, the heart is a critical area everyone needs to protect. It’s also the main target when attacking the enemy. Learning to protect oneself, while spending the least effort and killing the enemy at the fastest speed, is what we will train for today.”

The instructor pointed to a pile of devices on the ground. “These are scoring devices. Everyone will wear one on their chest. The red button on it is the stop key.”

“Everyone starts with a score of 1 point. When you press the stop key on someone else’s chest, you’ll get all their points. The person whose stop key is pressed will be out. Anyone crossing the marked boundaries will also be out, and their points will be evenly distributed to the remaining three teams.”

“We have sixty-four participants. The battle time is three hours, or until there’s only one person left on the field. Whether you choose to beat everyone and gain all the points or hide and save your points for the team is up to you.”

“Any questions?”

“No!” Everyone responded in unison.

“Now, each team occupies a direction. When the light on the scoring device lights up, the battle can begin. Everyone, take your positions!”

At the command, members from all four teams swiftly moved in different directions. Ying Feng led Team A and only stopped when he found a relatively safe area. One by one, his teammates arrived.

“Do we have any tactics?” A classmate instinctively regarded Ying Feng as the team leader.

But as a lone ranger, Ying Feng had only one strategy.

“Protect yourself, take down the enemy.”

The light on everyone’s chest lit up, and the number on the LCD screen jumped from 0 to 1.

“Let’s go.” Ying Feng took a step, and Zhu Yue arrived hurriedly.

Without commenting on Zhu Yue’s speed, Ying Feng never expected to retain his point from the beginning. He just wondered which team would get him first.

As Ying Feng was about to bypass him, Zhu Yue spoke.

“I’ll try my best to protect myself and not be a burden.”

Ying Feng, who had walked a few steps away, came back upon hearing this.

“Do you really not want to be a drag?”

Thinking he had gained Ying Feng’s attention, Zhu Yue bravely puffed out his chest.

“Yes!”

“Do you want to contribute to the team?”

“Yes!”

Without hesitation, Ying Feng raised his hand and pressed the stop key on Zhu Yue’s chest. Zhu Yue’s score immediately changed to 0, while Ying Feng’s became 2.

“Out.”

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 21

Standing outside the Ling Xiao door was Lan Sheng. It had been exactly one week since Ling Xiao last saw him.

During this week, Lan Sheng was forcibly isolated by the school authorities, and no visits were allowed. Ling Xiao went to Yao Tai twice to see him but was unsuccessful.

The reason Ling Xiao couldn’t guess that the person outside was him was because before this, when Lan Sheng knocked on Ling Xiao’s door, he either slapped or kicked it. He had never been as polite and distant as he was now.

“I’ve come to say goodbye,” Lan Sheng said calmly. Ling Xiao looked stunned. Apart from the color of the pupils, nothing had changed. It was such a familiar face, yet so unfamiliar, he didn’t even know how to react.

Lan Sheng continued, “The school says that a Qizi like me during puberty must go to the mental health control center for treatment. I don’t know how long it will be, but we probably won’t see each other for a while.”

He mentioned his bereavement so lightly, it was like a sledgehammer, heavily hitting Ling Xiao’s heart.

Seeing Ling Xiao’s expression, Lan Sheng smiled slightly. “Don’t worry about me. Since I promised Ping Zong to live with the memory of him, no matter how difficult it is, I will persist. I’ve already broken my promise to be with him for a lifetime once. There won’t be a second time.”

Ling Xiao moved his lips but made no sound.

“Before I leave, I want to give this to you.”

Lan Sheng handed him a black box. Inside was a dagger.

“My dagger has been taken away. This is the only relic of Ping Zong.”

Ling Xiao felt the heavy weight in his hand. “Such a precious thing; why don’t you keep it?”

“Because where I’m going, weapons are not allowed, and I don’t trust anyone else with it. You’re the only one I’m willing to entrust it to. I believe you’ll keep it safe.”

He paused and added, “I’m giving it to you also because I feel responsible for you losing two friends in one day…”

“You didn’t,” Ling Xiao interrupted quickly, his voice choking up. “You’re still alive, and Ping Zong will always be in my heart. I never lost you both, and I never will in the future.”

“I’m surprised you feel that way,” Lan Sheng said. “I used to be so naive, thinking I was more mature than you. But one coming-of-age ceremony changed both of us. Being steps in your growth journey is probably the only consolation for me and Ping Zong. I hope you won’t forget us with this dagger.”

Hearing the metaphor of steps, Ling Xiao almost burst into tears.

Lan Sheng squeezed his hand. “Ling Xiao, even though you were the first to wake up among the three of us, you’ve always been the most carefree. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have missed the fact that Ping Zong and I were together for three years. He cared about you even more than he did me. I’d often pretend to be jealous, but in reality, I’m most worried about you. Thinking that neither of us will be by your side in the future, you might not even know when you’ll awaken or fall in love, and I worry for you.”

“Lan Sheng…”

“Ling Xiao, promise me that no matter what happens in the future, think of me. I’m your example, and you can’t make the mistakes I made. Don’t live in regret.”

Holding back tears, Ling Xiao nodded. “Will we see each other again?”

“As long as you’re willing to wait for me, we’ll reunite. I just don’t know what we’ll look like when we meet again. But I bet you’ll be taller than me.”

Ling Xiao’s voice wavered. “I’ve always been taller than you.”

Lan Sheng stepped forward and hugged him tightly, and Ling Xiao wished he could keep him there forever.

A moment later, the hug ended, and Ling Xiao reluctantly let go.

“Take care,” he said.

“You too.”

After Lan Sheng turned around, Ling Xiao only then noticed two adult males in white uniforms standing not far away. He had seen those uniforms once before. They claimed to come from the Disease Control Center, a mysterious and daunting place.

Ling Xiao had heard stories about people who went there and never returned. He never thought he’d one day witness his best friend heading there.

It was then that Ling Xiao realized why the school allowed Lan Sheng, who had a history of suicidal tendencies, to bring a weapon on his own. He watched Lan Sheng leave with those two men, as if this was their final farewell.

After Lan Sheng left, Ling Xiao was downcast the entire day. Those around him thought he had moved on from that incident, but seeing him like this again, they were all worried. To cheer him up, a few close classmates came up with a dubious plan.

That evening, just as Ling Xiao was preparing to leave for another commitment, he was stopped by a student named Ting Lei from next door. Without any preamble, Ting Lei pushed him into his dorm room.

“Ling Xiao, come here.”

“What are you doing?” Ling Xiao asked in confusion. “I have a training appointment.”

“You train every day. Aren’t you tired? Take a break,” Ting Lei whispered mysteriously, “I’ve got something great.”

“What is it?” Ling Xiao asked, curious about Ting Lei’s secretive behavior.

Before he could finish his question, he was pushed into the room, which was already filled with several others, all huddled around something.

“Hey, Ling Xiao, come see. This is what we got just for your entertainment.”

“You probably wanted it for yourself,” another guy retorted.

“As if you’re not interested,” the first shot back.

Watching them bicker reminded Ling Xiao of his own interactions with Lan Sheng. To distract from his sadness, he quickly sent a message on his device. “I need to message Ying Feng to let him know I won’t be coming.”

“You two are dating?” Ting Lei exclaimed. “I thought you were joking about wanting Ying Feng as your Qizi!”

“What are you talking about?” Ling Xiao paused. “We just train together.”

“So you fall in love by training? And with a Qizi, you gain an ability boost, right? If you really take him, won’t you be unstoppable?”

Ling Xiao tried to change the subject. “Didn’t you want to show me something? What’s so secretive?”

Ting Lei, forgetting the previous topic, responded, “Just watch, it’s definitely worth it.”

The lights in the room went off, replaced by a projection on the wall. It turned out to be just a movie. In this age of 3D movies, 2D ones had lost their charm, making Ling Xiao wonder why this old-fashioned movie was exciting them so much.

As the movie started, he realized it wasn’t a local production. He couldn’t recognize the film company’s name, and the characters looked like they were from the neighboring Wolfsbane, with darker skin and slightly pointed ears. When the dialogue began, Ling Xiao was taken aback.

Ling Xiao could only patiently continue watching. The person in the projection said a few lines he couldn’t understand, then began to undress.

Ling Xiao: =口=

Now, he finally understood why there was no need for voice dubbing or subtitles. The content of the interactions between the protagonists in the film was so straightforward. However, the way they communicated was so profound and complex for those like them who had no knowledge about sexuality.

The novices, who had never experienced such stimulation, held their breath and stared at the screen without blinking. Even Ling Xiao, who initially showed little interest, was involuntarily captivated.

On the screen, the two main characters were passionately entwined. Just when everyone thought this was the climax of the movie, another person entered the room. They exchanged a few words—this time, Ling Xiao no longer complained about not understanding.

Soon after, the newcomer also joined the fray.

For these kids, their first taste of forbidden fruit was so intense. How could they hold themselves back? They were all parched, flushed, and by the time of the final six-person melee, some of the Wolfsbane people had even transformed, leaving some students dripping in sweat.

“So exhilarating,” one said, licking their lips with satisfaction after the film ended.

“Where did you get such an explosive film?” a classmate curiously asked Ting Lei.

“Don’t tell anyone. I bought it online, spending almost half a month’s living expenses,” Ting Lei replied. Due to inherent conditions, Tianxiu had no adult entertainment industry, and movies of this nature were smuggled in from other galaxies at high costs.

“They sell this in the non-adult section?” They knew they couldn’t access the adult section online.

“There’s a store on the shopping street called ‘Everything Sold Here’. It has many hidden treasures. A worker there found out I was a student from Bikong Academy and even gave me a 10% discount.”

Ling Xiao: …I knew it.

It seemed that Zhen He was indeed a well-known name in Bikong, yet very few knew him personally. And most who met him assumed he was just an intern; unaware he was the owner.

After discussing the origin of the movie, everyone enthusiastically began discussing its content.

“Hey, have any of you experienced what was shown in the movie?”

“Which part?”

“Well…” A classmate hesitated and gestured vaguely. Surprisingly, others understood.

“No.” Several people shook their heads. “Never.”

“It’s only after watching this that I realized that part can also become erect.”

“Yeah, will we become like that in the future?”

“We probably will. We don’t react now, probably because we haven’t awakened yet.”

“I really want to awaken soon…”

“Ling Xiao, what about you?” Ting Lei slapped the daydreaming Ling Xiao.

“Huh? What?”

“Have you… experienced it like in the movie?”

Ling Xiao paused. “No, I’m like you all. I haven’t awakened, so how could I have any physical reaction?”

“Ah,” everyone felt a bit disappointed.

While some wanted to watch the movie again, others planned to visit Zhen He’s store for more films. Ling Xiao didn’t want to accompany them anymore. Making up an excuse, he left. Initially, the others had gathered under the pretext of cheering up Ling Xiao by secretly watching the movie, but now they didn’t bother about him, letting him go.

Ling Xiao returned to his dorm alone. Whether it was because of watching that kind of movie, he felt the room was hotter than usual, and he kept sweating.

After turning down the room’s temperature system, Ling Xiao undressed and stood under the shower. The slightly cooler water felt incredibly refreshing on his skin.

While the physical heat subsided, his mental agitation didn’t. As Ling Xiao washed, he felt something amiss. Looking down, a certain part of him, dormant for a full ten years, was now quite lively, much like what he saw in the movie that night.

Staring at the change in his body, Ling Xiao slowly realized: Have I… awakened?

……

“Your bodily indicators are all normal. Congratulations on officially entering the awakening period. Are you sure you don’t need the inhibitor?”

“No need, thank you, Dr. Yao.”

Yao Tai nodded, opened the door, and escorted the student who had just entered the awakening period out. “As long as you remember the points I mentioned that you need to be careful of during the awakening period, you’ll be fine. Also, you cannot participate in the outdoor field practice organized by the school the day after tomorrow.”

“I understand.”

After the student left, Dr. Yao noticed another person standing outside the door.

“Ling Xiao? Do you need anything?”

Ling Xiao’s attention was entirely drawn to the latter part of Yao Tai’s words. He was unaware of the existence of the inhibitor. He only heard that after entering the awakening period, he couldn’t participate in the outdoor field practice. Knowing that the annual routine outdoor field practice was something he had looked forward to for a long time, there was no way he would give it up for such a reason.

The field practice was only for three days, so delaying reporting for a week… shouldn’t be a problem, right?

With this thought, he quickly shook his head. “No, I don’t need anything.”

Yao Tai looked at his hastily departing figure with some suspicion. Would someone without any problems specifically come to the infirmary?

---

The author has something to say:

A little tip: Because the people of Tianxiu only have 1v1 mate relationships, they won’t have physiological reactions to anyone other than their mate. Hence, the planet doesn’t have any indigenous adult industries.

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<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 20

The door to the principal’s office was gently knocked on, and a youthful, clear voice came from inside.

“Come in.”

The door opened, and Yao Tai entered. Although she was always full of confidence, she now seemed surprisingly subdued.

The principal was writing with a traditional dip pen, a throwback to a time a hundred years earlier when retro was all the rage. Back then, people thought that emails lacked personality and persisted in handwriting. The principal was one of those people and had kept this habit until today.

Yao Tai waited for him to finish writing a sentence before saying, “Principal, the Disease Control Center has called…”

Upon hearing this, the principal’s hand trembled, causing a large drop of ink to fall and splatter across the paper.

This half-written letter was now ruined. The principal sighed, thinking perhaps he should really switch to using email.

He set the pen aside. “Is there no turning back?”

Yao Tai looked serious. “After trying for some time, we indeed can’t cure him. The Disease Control Center has been closely monitoring the data here. His psychological rating has exceeded the warning line twice. I have tried to delay as much as possible, but the center wants him to receive professional treatment as soon as possible.”

The principal walked over to the window with mixed feelings. “I’ve been inside the Disease Control Center. I know better than anyone what it’s like. Every year, hundreds of newly-adult Qizi enter, but very few come out. As a principal and a former patient of the center, I sincerely hope none of my students ever get involved.”

Yao Tai, though not having personally experienced it, understood what he meant. “This time, the responsibility mainly lies with me because of my negligence…”

“It’s not your fault,” the principal countered. “Even if you watched him for a day, you couldn’t for the second or the third… An obsession with death is terrifying. I’ve been through what he’s experienced, so I know the feeling. No one can be held accountable for this because no one can bear it. It’s the fate of every Tianxiu.”

He looked up at the sky. “If there’s someone to blame, blame our genes. Why do lovers fight to the death? Why do those who fail feel as if it’s worse than death?”

He expressed his long-standing confusion. Unfortunately, neither the clouds in the distant sky nor Yao Tai before him could answer any of these questions.

After a while, the principal seemed somewhat composed. “Did the Disease Control Center say when they would pick him up?”

Yao Tai quietly replied, “Tonight.”

The principal was taken aback. “So soon.”

“They’ve already set out and are on their way.”

The principal knew that this was inevitable and nobody could change it. He instructed Yao Tai, “Help him fulfill any remaining wishes he has here at Bikong. Once he leaves these school gates, returning would be indefinitely delayed.”

……

Ling Xiao rushed out of the dormitory like the wind, nearly colliding with a student from the next room.

“Where are you hurrying to, Ling Xiao?” the student asked in surprise.

While running, without looking back, Ling Xiao replied, “I’m meeting Ying Feng for training!”

By the time the last word reached the student, Ling Xiao had disappeared, leaving the student puzzled. Weren’t those two on bad terms? When did they become so close that they’d even train together?

By the time Ling Xiao reached the training hall, he was already late for their agreed time. Yet Ying Feng hadn’t arrived, so Ling Xiao began to warm up on his own.

Meanwhile, Ying Feng was in Yao Tai’s medical room. It had been his most frequent visit in recent times. He was there for the same reason as before.

He had thought that a simple injection would end quickly, but Yao Tai wasn’t there when he arrived. He had to wait for a while before she returned. After explaining, Yao Tai forced him to undergo another examination, causing further delay.

Once she saw the test results, Yao Tai finally believed him. The data showed an unusual level of hormones in Ying Feng’s system, far surpassing the level of the last suppressant injection he had received just a few days ago. It was bewildering.

“Are you sure you haven’t been in close contact with anyone who has awakened?”

Ever since being warned by Yao Tai, Ying Feng had kept a considerable distance from Zhu Yue. So, he naturally replied, “No.”

“There’s only one possibility left,” Yao Tai speculated. “Maybe your body has a strong resistance to the drug, and the inhibitor doesn’t work on you.”

This assumption made her a bit uneasy. “We’re about to go on a field internship. Given your unique situation, maybe I suggest you not participate.”

“I will participate,” Yin Feng decisively declined.

“Actually, even without the inhibitor during the awakening period, it shouldn’t have too significant an impact. But the field environment is complex, and you might encounter sudden dangers. What if something unexpected happens?”

“I can control myself,” Yin Feng said. “Just give me another shot.”

Knowing she couldn’t persuade him, Yao Tai understood. These fledglings are usually strictly protected within the campus, and hence, they especially treasure any opportunity to step out, let alone the annual field internships. Some even postpone their coming-of-age ceremony to participate.

Yao Tai injected him with the inhibitor once more and handed him a spray bottle.

“This is an emergency inhibitor. Use it when necessary. Carry it with you, just in case.”

Yin Feng took it and pocketed it. “Thank you, Dr. Yao.”

“How has Ling Xiao from your class been these days?”

Yin Feng wanted to say he was jumping around like a monkey but changed his words at the last minute. “He’s fine, nothing unusual.”

“That’s good. I was worried his friend’s incident would make him overly pessimistic. He hasn’t come to see me yet, which means he hasn’t awakened. Those who haven’t can experience a pseudo-awakening anytime, which can be a potential risk in the field, especially given his concerning personality. During the internship, can you please keep an eye on him?”

Yin Feng mumbled an acknowledgement. Whether or not he took it to heart, Yao Tai wasn’t sure. Knowing he dislikes mingling with others, especially since the two were so different—one was extroverted and the other introverted—she just let him go.

By the time Yin Feng arrived at the training hall and stepped in, he felt a rush of air towards him. Reacting quickly, he defended against three moves and, spotting an opening, counterattacked. The shadowy figure that ambushed him retreated with a swift backflip, gracefully landing on the ground.

“You’re late,” Ling Xiao said, looking like he had already warmed up with sweat on his forehead.

“Let’s go.” He tossed his coat aside and got into a combat stance. Through days of training, they knew each other’s moves and didn’t need any small talk.

“Don’t you need to warm up?” Ling Xiao didn’t want to have an unfair advantage.

“Fighting you is my warm-up.”

“Damn.” Ling Xiao felt the need to teach such an arrogant person a lesson and, without another word, charged forward. The two clashed intensely.

After several observations, Ling Xiao noticed Yin Feng was particularly defensive about his left chest. Though the heart was everyone’s weak spot, Yin Feng seemed overly protective, making one wonder if he had been seriously injured there before.

Realizing this, Ling Xiao focused his attacks there. Several times, Yin Feng missed golden opportunities to strike because he switched to defense. Taking advantage of this, Ling Xiao stepped up his offensive and pushed him back to the base of the wall.

When Yin Feng’s heel touched the obstacle, he hesitated slightly. Ling Xiao seized this moment, pouring all his strength into a punch. Unexpectedly, Yin Feng didn’t defend but instead landed a swift punch on Ling Xiao’s abdomen, pushing him back several steps. Ling Xiao had exposed himself, thinking Yin Feng wouldn’t attack, but fell right into his trap.

“You.” Ling Xiao groaned, clutching his stomach. “Why didn’t you defend?”

“Who said I had to?” Yin Feng replied nonchalantly.

“You were clearly nervous about that spot.” Ling Xiao felt tricked.

“Ah.” Yin Feng didn’t deny. “Just a habit.”

“Were you hit there before? Once bitten by a snake, one is scared all his life by a mere rope*?” Ling Xiao couldn’t help but ask.

*Metaphor for once you’ve been hurt, you’ll be afraid of similar things or events.

Ying Feng walked over to pick up his uniform jacket. He pulled out the peach pit from the left chest pocket and showed it to him. “Because I usually keep this with me. Since I don’t have it on me now, it doesn’t matter.”

Ling Xiao was irritated. “If that keepsake from your past lover is so precious, you shouldn’t carry it around regularly in case it gets damaged.”

Ying Feng ignored him, tucked the peach pit back into his pocket, and took out a magnetic card from another pocket.

To offer convenience for students, the training hall had installed vending machines. Ying Feng swiped the card in the scanning area, and a chilled sports drink immediately dropped from the machine.

Ling Xiao, also drenched in sweat and parched, saw Ying Feng tilting his head back to drink. He couldn’t help but focus on the Adam’s apple of Ying Feng’s throat. Due to the sweat, the skin there shimmered faintly. Every now and then, a bead of sweat slid down, disappearing into the V of the shirt, where two buttons were undone.

The cold bottle, in contact with the warm air, quickly fogged up with dew. It looked especially refreshing and appetizing, prompting an involuntary swallowing reflex from Ling Xiao.

Ying Feng noticed the intense gaze directed at him. Glancing from the corner of his eyes, he saw Ling Xiao’s comical expression. Amused, he swiped the card again for another drink and tossed the bottle to Ling Xiao.

Ling Xiao was so engrossed that he caught the incoming bottle reflexively. The cold sensation from the bottle gave him goosebumps.

He paused, realizing that Ying Feng had bought it for him. Recalling his own blatant staring earlier, he felt embarrassed.

“I-I’m okay with cold water…” he said, a bit awkwardly.

It was the first time Ying Feng saw someone too broke to even afford a bottle of water putting on a brave face. He said with a hint of sarcasm, “Drink it. Consider it replenishing your energy. These days, sparring with you feels like you haven’t eaten.”

Ling Xiao retorted, “Who said I didn’t eat? I had bread, okay?”

“With your recent activity, haven’t you already finished the bread?”

“Of course not!” Ling Xiao’s response was truthful. However, the harsh reality was that he was eating more than before. What was initially enough to last until the end of the month might run out in just a few days.

From Ling Xiao’s expression, Ying Feng knew the situation. “If you run out, just say so. I don’t mind buying for you. After all, you can’t find someone to mooch food off anymore, can you?”

Upon hearing this, Ling Xiao’s expression dimmed. He lowered his eyes, not retaliating against Ying Feng’s jibe for the first time.

By the time Ying Feng realized he might have said something he shouldn’t have, Ling Xiao walked past him silently, his demeanor entirely different from before.

At the door, he turned back, raising the drink in his hand. “Thanks for this.”

It was the first thank you Ying Feng had received from Ling Xiao in a decade. Instead of feeling content, he felt uneasy.

By the time Ying Feng returned to the dormitory building, Ling Xiao had already disappeared. Ying Feng hesitated, wondering whether to visit Ling Xiao’s room. He recalled the awkward way Ling Xiao had come to apologize to him before, and now he could relate to how Ling Xiao felt then.

Sitting on the bed, Ling Xiao blankly stared at a photograph in his hand. It was a group photo of him, Lan Sheng, and Ping Zong from last year’s field trip.

Back then, he was naive and oblivious, unaware that his close friends were dating. He had innocently positioned himself between the two, radiating with joy.

In the photo, all three of them, with dirty faces and injuries from the field trip, were beaming with happiness. Although only a year had passed, now only one of them remained from that picture. If carefreeness equated to naivety and growth came at a cost, Ling Xiao would rather stay naive and foolish if it meant having the three of them together again.

Three rhythmic knocks sounded from outside. No one in Ling Xiao’s memory had ever knocked on his door so politely before.

“Who is it?”

He asked loudly, but there was no response.

Ling Xiao put the photo back beside his bed and opened the door. Outside stood a person he had not expected.

“It’s you?”

---

The author has something to say:

Tip: Not taking suppressants has absolutely no effect on fighting little monsters in the wild. The “risks” mentioned by the school authorities refer to the possibility of couples getting intimate when alone in the wild, impulsively entering the coming-of-age ceremony without any protective measures, leading to tragic outcomes. The person that Zhen He likes is an example of this. Therefore, the rule of taking suppressants before participating in fieldwork is not aimed at PVE (Player vs. Environment), but rather PVP (Player vs. Player).

---

Kinky Thoughts:

This is the last of the free chapters on jjwxc. If you’ve been enjoying the novel so far and are able to, please consider supporting the author by buying the raws. You can use google chrome with their auto translate and this guide on how to buy novels on jjwxc for help. Remember, only with your (financial) support can artists continue to produce more great works.

---

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 易修罗 / Yi Xiu Luo

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

---

Chapter 19

“…As a friend, he will always be remembered by us. May he find peace in the next life. Bow.”

As the host’s voice fell, Ling Xiao bent down deeply with everyone else. When he stood up, tears streamed down his face.

Students lined up to offer the flowers they held in their hands and then silently returned to give Ling Xiao, who stood at the front of the line, a silent embrace. Ling Xiao attended as a close friend of Ping Zong. However, since that incident, Lan Sheng was forcibly isolated by the school authorities and couldn’t even attend the farewell ceremony.

Ying Feng was the last to come forward to say goodbye. He didn’t offer flowers but handed something to Ling Xiao. Ling Xiao looked at the tattered cloth in his hand, a piece cut from Lan Sheng’s cuff. Tears fell like rain.

In Tianxiu, there were no funerals. Sometimes people even gathered to celebrate death. But tragedies like that of Ping Zong, who passed away before even starting his journey, always evoked deep sorrow.

Many people participated in this farewell ceremony—the principal, instructors, students, even the school doctor and her Qizi who didn’t belong to this academy. They stood at the end of the line, silently watching the grief-stricken students pass by. This was the first time these young ones encountered death, especially of someone they had been close to. The faces of the girls were stained with tears, and some boys had red eyes. This was their first real lesson in the harsh reality of the Tianxiu coming-of-age ceremony.

In the end, only a few remained in the hall. Ling Xiao and his friends couldn’t leave him alone. Ying Feng surprisingly stayed as well. The principal and Yao Tai exchanged glances, then approached Ling Xiao.

“Please do not blame Dr. Yao. The whole idea was mine. I thought a gentle mobilization would reduce the students’ resistance to the coming-of-age ceremony. I hoped everyone could pass this stage peacefully, but it had the opposite effect.”

“If I hadn’t been so presumptuous, Lan Sheng might not have had such a severe psychological shock. He wouldn’t have taken such a drastic action, and Ping Zong wouldn’t have sacrificed himself. The entire fault lies with me. I sincerely apologize to you and to all my students.”

The principal bowed his head sincerely. Yao Tai wanted to approach but was stopped by Zhi Shang.

He silently shook his head, signaling her not to disturb. This incident was complicated, with no clear blame. Every coming-of-age ceremony brought tragedy. The principal aimed to reduce such tragedies, but who could predict unforeseen outcomes?

Seeing the principal humble himself before the students, Yao Tai felt inexplicably upset. If anyone should apologize, it should be her, as she was more involved.

Ling Xiao turned, facing the principal. Their heights were nearly the same, and their gazes were almost level, like peers.

“Principal, you don’t need to apologize to me. If time could turn back, even if we knew the truth, they would still have the coming-of-age ceremony.”

“I know their strengths well. Ping Zong would win, Lan Sheng would lose, the outcome wouldn’t change. Lan Sheng’s refusal to become a Qizi wouldn’t change either. Whatever choice was made would lead to the same conclusion.”

With tears in his eyes, he looked at Ping Zong’s portrait. “Perhaps when they decided to be together, this outcome was already destined. The mistakes of others merely sped up their journey to that conclusion.”

He approached Zhi Shang, who had changed his glasses since the previous pair was shattered by Ling Xiao outside the emergency room.

“I should be the one apologizing to you, Doctor.”

“No…”

“Please hear me out,” Ling Xiao interrupted. “Not just an apology, but also gratitude. Thank you for teaching me about the coming-of-age ceremony, a lesson so costly I’ll remember it all my life.”

“If I hadn’t felt this deeply, I might not have realized the cruelty of the coming-of-age ceremony. I might have remained naive, joking about Qizhu and their Qizi, daydreaming during biology lessons. Even though I’m physically undeveloped, mentally I’m even more so. Thanks for showing me my naivety and ignorance.”

His gaze was sharp, tears defiantly in his eyes, making it hard for Zhi Shang to meet his gaze.

“But now I understand. As Dr. Yao said, the goal of a Tianxiu person is to become stronger, conquer the strong, and grow even stronger.”

“My previous understanding of strength, my unwillingness to lose in any endeavor, was just arrogance. Thank you for helping me see my real objective.”

He raised his fist, clutching the piece of the cuff. “I swear, in this life, I will never be anyone’s Qizi. I’ll control my destiny, not letting anyone decide my fate. No matter who I face in future coming-of-age ceremonies, even if it’s someone I deeply love, I will never, ever lose.”

……

Yao Tai, weighed down with concerns, had been walking for a while before she realized that someone was following her.

“What do you want?” She stopped and asked Ying Feng.

“The medicine you injected into me last time seems to have worn off.”

Yao Tai was taken aback. “How can that be? It’s only been a few days.”

“I’ve had unusual physical reactions for two days in a row.”

Yao Tai thought for a moment. “Have you been in close contact with anyone who has already awakened?”

Ying Feng recalled that only Zu Yue had confessed to him that evening that he had entered the awakening period, and the medicine seemed to have failed shortly after that.

“There was one time,” he admitted.

Yao Tai advised him, “If the other party has no intention of suppressing the awakening, and you don’t want to be troubled by the physiological reactions caused by the awakening, I suggest you keep your distance from them.”

Ying Feng had no intention of having any dealings with Zu Yue in the first place. “I will.”

“Come with me, and I’ll give you another injection.”

Ying Feng followed Yao Tai back to the medical building. It was evident that she was troubled. As Ying Feng wasn’t much of a talker, the two walked in silence to Yao Tai’s office.

The cool, transparent medicine was once again injected into him, accompanied by Yao Tai’s advice, “Regular interactions won’t cause the medicine to fail. Only intense physical contact can disrupt hormone levels. Just keep that in mind.”

Ying Feng wanted to mention that he had only spoken face-to-face with Zu Yue briefly. But in the end, he chose not to. After all, he had already decided to keep his distance, and further words seemed unnecessary.

“All done,” Yao Tai said after finishing the injection. Ying Feng slowly rolled down his sleeves, stood up, and prepared to leave.

“Thank you for the other night,” Yao Tai suddenly said.

Ying Feng knew she was referring to the matter with Ling Xiao. “It’s nothing.”

“I know. People like you prefer to be alone. If I hadn’t insisted, you wouldn’t bother with others’ affairs, especially considering your relationship with Ling Xiao isn’t that good. But forgive me; I was overwhelmed at the time. I couldn’t just send him away in that state.”

“I understand,” Ying Feng replied succinctly.

Yao Tai looked concerned. “Ever since the incident with Ping Zong, many students who have registered have requested to postpone the coming-of-age ceremony. The start of this year’s awakening period was harsh. I foresee many challenges ahead. But every Tianxiu person has to face this. Avoidance isn’t the solution.”

“I think they just want to prepare better. I believe our race isn’t that mentally fragile. When they’re ready, they’ll face their future.”

“I hope so,” Yao Tai said, looking at Ying Feng, whom she had always been particularly attentive to. “Even if you haven’t found someone you like yet, you should still be prepared.”

“I always remember what Dr. Yao told me,” Ying Feng said. “Especially after yesterday. What Ling Xiao said is also what I believe. No matter who I face in the coming-of-age ceremony in the future, I won’t lose.”

When Ying Feng came out of the medical building, the sky was getting dark, and lights were lit all over the campus. It was still some time before the curfew. With nothing specific to do, Ying Feng decided to go to the training hall. After the series of events in the past couple of days, he wanted to sweat a bit before going to sleep, which he believed would help him rest better.

But when he arrived at the training hall, he was surprised to find lights inside and occasional thudding sounds.

Someone had arrived before him. Not wanting to share the venue during his private time, he was just curious about who had the same idea as him. Taking a peek, he was surprised to find Ling Xiao, who had just sworn an oath at the Ping Zong farewell ceremony.

Ling Xiao had activated two combat robots. Every punch and kick hit their weak points. Several broken robots lay against the wall, indicating Ling Xiao had been training for a while.

Ying Feng had sparred with him before, but Ling Xiao’s eyes seemed sharper, his expression more serious, and his attacks more precise, capturing Ying Feng’s full attention.

As Ying Feng watched intently, Ling Xiao spun and delivered a flying kick, sending one robot flying against the wall. Its chest opened to reveal a white flag of defeat.

Quickly following up, Ling Xiao kicked the second robot, which flew straight at Ying Feng. Reacting instinctively, Ying Feng punched it, sending the second robot rolling to one side.

“You were spying,” Ling Xiao called out from a distance.

Ying Feng didn’t bother to argue, especially since he was indeed watching secretly.

“I didn’t expect anyone to be here so late.”

“I need to become stronger,” Ling Xiao said with determination. “I won’t lose to anyone in the coming-of-age ceremony. I’ve sworn it.”

“Same.”

Ling Xiao tilted his head. “Then, would you like to train together? Our last duel doesn’t count. I hope you won’t choke this time.”

Ying Feng began to unbutton his uniform one by one, took it off and threw it to the side, then methodically rolled up his sleeves.

“Last time was an accident; I won’t hold back this time.”

Inside the training hall, the two were evenly matched, and for the first time, both found such an invigorating duel.

They fought until both were completely drained. The duel finally came to an end with Ling Xiao sprawled unceremoniously on the floor, sweat drenching the ground as his chest heaved.

Ying Feng wasn’t faring much better. He sat against the wall, one hand resting on a bent knee, drenched in sweat and gasping for air.

“It’s been a while since I’ve had such a satisfying fight,” Ling Xiao said between breaths.

Though Ying Feng didn’t voice it, he agreed. Fighting a real opponent, especially one of equal skill, was a completely different experience compared to the predictable robots.

“Even though I’ve always been competitive with you, I have to admit, you are indeed strong,” Ling Xiao expressed his appreciation for Ying Feng for the first time.

After a pause, Ying Feng responded, “So are you.”

“Even so, if one day we face each other in the coming-of-age ceremony,” Ling Xiao said confidently, “I won’t lose.”

“Likewise,” Ying Feng hesitated before adding, “But that’s unlikely to happen. You’re overthinking it.”

Ling Xiao felt as if cold water had been splashed on him. He got up unsteadily. “I still haven’t had enough, but it’s almost curfew.”

Ying Feng also got up, picking up his uniform. He initially came here just to sweat it out, but unexpectedly bumped into Ling Xiao, having such an exhaustive duel. He was certain he’d sleep well tonight.

The two made their way back to the dormitory. As they reached the junction in the corridor, Ling Xiao finally spoke again.

“Hey,” he called.

Ying Feng stopped, waiting for him to speak.

“Do you want to continue tomorrow?” He raised his fist. “Train together.”

In the dim corridor light, his gray eyes sparkled, not because of their color, but the passion they emitted.

“Alright,” Ying Feng couldn’t help but agree, seemingly forgetting the recent past when Ling Xiao had vowed to defeat him in front of the whole class. Just a short while ago, their relationship was at a freezing point.

Seeing a positive response, Ling Xiao genuinely smiled. It was the first time Ying Feng had seen him smile since their last encounter at the medical building. In just three days, he witnessed Ling Xiao’s rebound from his lowest point to his peak. It seemed nothing negative could ever bring him down, not even the pain of losing a dear friend. That pain would only serve as unstoppable momentum for him to move forward.

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The author has something to say:

Tip: Fledglings in their (pre)awakening phase, if they haven’t received suppressant injections and have frequent, prolonged physical contact with those who have, might cause the suppressant to fail in the latter. Normal interaction is safe. Not injecting is like the appearance of a normal Earthling, not affecting daily life much, but poses risks.

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