CHAPTER 29 — "TRAINING : COMPLETE DISASTER"
The morning bell rang.
Not softly.Not gently.
It rang with the cruel certainty of fate.
Heavenly Stage Arena
The Heavenly Stage Arena was one of Azure Dragon Academy's largest training grounds—a massive circular battlefield layered with rune-engraved stone, reinforced barriers, and floating platforms. Thousands of students trained here daily, from freshmen still learning how to channel qi to seniors already capable of leveling small hills.
Today, however, the atmosphere was… strange.
Seniors lined the outer rings.Freshmen crowded the lower stands.Instructors stood in uneasy silence.
All eyes were locked on one place.
The Freshman Top 10.
They stood together at the center of the arena.
And the seniors were watching them—
Like farmers watching tigers being released into a chicken coop.
"…Are they really the Top 10?""That spear guy looks normal.""That calm one is dangerous. I can feel it.""Why does the illusion girl feel scary?"
An instructor cleared his throat loudly.
He was a mid-level combat instructor, muscular, experienced, and very confident.
At least—he had been confident five minutes ago.
EXERCISE ONE —
"Alright," the instructor said, trying to sound authoritative."First exercise. Basic control."
He pointed to a thick stone pillar, reinforced with defensive arrays.
"Punch the stone pillar," he said."Lightly."
Chen Wulian stepped forward immediately.
"Got it."
He rolled his shoulders once.
Then—
BOOOOOOM—!!!
The punch didn't just hit the pillar.
It deleted it.
Stone shattered into dust. Shockwaves rippled across the arena floor. Several freshmen were knocked backward.
Silence.
The instructor stared at the empty space where a pillar used to exist.
"…Do you even understand the meaning of lightly?"
Chen wiped his knuckles.
"No."
The seniors collectively inhaled.
EXERCISE TWO —
The instructor pinched the bridge of his nose.
"…Fine. Next."
He pointed at a practice target.
"Freeze the target slightly."
Ouyang Xue'er stepped forward.
"Okay."
She raised one hand.
A pulse of frost exploded outward.
FROOOOOOM—!!!
The entire training field froze solid.
The ground.The pillars.The freshmen.
Several students were frozen mid-blink.
The instructor screamed.
"DO NOT FREEZE YOUR CLASSMATES!"
Ouyang tilted her head.
"They were standing too close."
A senior cracked the ice off his legs and ran away crying.
EXERCISE THREE —
The instructor's voice was now trembling.
"…Just—just show a basic illusion."
Bai Qianlan stepped forward gracefully.
"Alright."
She lifted her hand.
A simple illusion formed—
Then she accidentally released a divine-grade spiritual pressure.
The air collapsed.
Half the freshmen fainted on the spot.
Some seniors dropped to one knee.
The illusion shattered immediately.
The instructor stared at the unconscious students.
"…Do you all understand the meaning of basic?"
Bai Qianlan blinked.
"No."
EXERCISE FOUR —
The instructor's soul visibly left his body.
"…Ling Yifan."
Ling Yifan stepped forward calmly.
"Strike lightly."
Ling Yifan flicked his wrist.
The spear hummed.
ULTIMATE SKILL — SPIRIT HURRICANE CUTS THE SKY
A vertical blade of compressed spiritual wind ripped through the arena, splitting clouds above and carving a clean line through multiple defensive barriers.
The instructor screamed.
"LIGHTLY!! LIGHTLY!!!"
Ling Yifan frowned.
"…Ah. My bad."
Several seniors quietly reconsidered their life choices.
EXERCISE FIVE —
The instructor turned slowly.
"…Long Hao."
Long Hao stepped forward.
"Yes?"
"Punch the dummy," the instructor said weakly."Lightly."
"…Okay."
Long Hao punched.
At first, nothing happened.
The instructor actually smiled.
Then—
The dummy caught fire.
Then melted.
Then collapsed inward.
Then disintegrated into glowing ash.
The instructor fell to his knees.
"…WHY ARE YOU ALL LIKE THIS?!"
Whispers erupted.
"That's the Gold Peak talent?""He fights like a calamity god.""He's too calm… too dangerous…""I'm scared."
Long Hao blinked.
"…Was that too much?"
BREAK TIME —
During break, Long Hao sat peacefully under a tree, eyes closed, meditating.
Ouyang Xue'er sat beside him.
Moments later, Bai Qianlan sat on his other side.
The temperature dropped.
They glared at each other.
"You're too close," Xue'er said.
"You should move," Bai replied.
"I'm not moving."
"Then I won't move."
Long Hao sighed.
"…I'm just trying to meditate."
Both girls turned simultaneously.
"WE'RE TRYING TO TRAIN TOO!!"
Long Hao stood up.
"…I'll leave."
Before he could take two steps—
A senior appeared.
Tall. Confident. Ranked high.
"Long Hao," the senior said proudly."I challenge—"
Long Hao looked at him.
Just… looked.
The senior froze.
Sweat poured down his back.
He bowed deeply.
"I apologize. My mistake. Goodbye."
He ran.
Long Hao blinked.
"…Okay?"
The seniors pretended not to see anything.
[CHAPTER ENDS]