The sky above Azure Sky City shimmered with calm spirit winds.
Gone were the cracks in reality. In their place: stabilized ley lines, caravans of cultivators, and banners marking the Great Academy Reopening.
Bo Ren inhaled deeply at the city gates. "Smell that?"
Zhao Kai sniffed. "Spirit noodles and wet stone."
Yue smirked. "Same as it ever was."
Tian Xue looked at Jiang Han. "You sure about this? No aliases, no shadow cloaks?"
He nodded. "If I'm going to walk this world, I'll walk it as me."
> SYSTEM UPDATE: Public Identity Activated – Jiang Han, Flame-Initiate Rank 4
Known Flame Affinities: Dual-registered (Confirmed: Sovereign Class)
Soul Pet Registered: Voltshadow Wyrmling – "Tempest"
---
Azure Sky Academy – Grand Reopening
The courtyard buzzed with energy.
Thousands of students flooded the registration plazas. Sects, schools, and city-state families had sent their elite. Elemental flags fluttered—Fire, Wind, Metal, Soul, Beast Tamer, Combat Tactics, and Mystic Scroll Division.
At the center stood Headmistress Ye Qingmei, her crimson robes lined with dragonflame thread.
> "After years of darkness, we light the sky again," she declared.
"Azure Sky will crown new champions, restore old honor, and uncover what was lost."
And beside her—an aged man with gray eyes and black armor etched with gold.
Vice Headmaster Han Li.
Jiang Han narrowed his eyes.
> "Han Li was once a top-tier enforcer in the Jiang family… before it fell."
Tian Xue whispered, "Do you think he knows who you really are?"
He smiled. "Let's find out."
---
Placement Exam: Phase One
The group registered under Team Dawnflame, listed as independent cultivators.
First test: Attribute Evaluation.
Bo Ren scored high in Soul and Formation.
Yue aced Agility and Precision.
Zhao Kai shattered the strength stone—again.
Tian Xue stunned evaluators with near-perfect Healing Flame Control.
Jiang Han stepped up last.
He touched the orb.
> [SYSTEM SYNCING FLAME SIGNATURES…]
Primary Affinity: Sovereign Fire (Merged)
Secondary Affinity: Lightning (Beast-Soul Bound)
Special Traits Detected: Mourning | Instinct | Sorrowfire | Twilight (Linked)
Ranking Evaluation: Error – Classification Beyond Tier Scope. Provisional Rank: ???
The orb cracked.
The proctor fainted.
Bo Ren: "…I think you broke it."
---
Familiar Faces
As they explored the academy, old names returned.
They passed Luo Chen, once a rival to Long Chen—now a top student in the Mystic Division.
They spotted Xiao Yuran, whose Wind Flame techniques had once clashed with Jiang's old techniques during the Jade Lotus Tournament.
In the distance, Leng Qingyun—a cold, elegant prodigy—watched Jiang Han with narrowed eyes.
> "He feels familiar," she whispered to her aide.
"Too familiar…"
> "Could he be one of the last from the Jiang Clan?" the aide asked.
She said nothing.
---
Soul Pet Division – Ranking Battle
Later that week, Jiang was invited to a preliminary Soul Pet sparring event. His opponent: Wen Xiu, a beast tamer from the Thunder River Sect, ranked top five in Lightning Affinity pairing.
> "You're new," Wen Xiu sneered.
"You don't deserve a Voltshadow Wyrmling."
Jiang simply smiled. "Then come take it."
> Duel Start: Jiang Han vs Wen Xiu – Soul Pet Mode
Wen Xiu's Razorwolf lunged.
Jiang nodded.
Tempest uncoiled, moving like lightning wrapped in intention.
One blink.
One strike.
> Thundercoil Surge!
The Razorwolf collapsed mid-pounce, paralyzed.
Wen Xiu stared.
Jiang turned to leave.
> "Next time, try respecting the soul pet. They choose us, not the other way around."
---
Academy Buzz
That evening, students whispered in every corner of Azure Sky.
> "Did you see the new kid with the silver wyrmling?"
"He's not just strong—he's… strange. Like he's burned more than we've lived."
"He might challenge the top ten."
"They're saying he uses merged Sovereign Flames. That's impossible, right?"
> "One girl said… he looks like Long Chen once did."