Morning in Yuelan City did not arrive quietly anymore.
Once, the city had been little more than a fortified settlement beneath the influence of the Lin Clan—prosperous, certainly, but modest in scale compared to the great capitals of the continent.
Now it woke with the rhythm of something far larger.
The eastern gates opened at sunrise.
Caravans had already gathered outside the walls long before that moment, waiting in orderly lines beneath the watch of the city guard. Merchant banners fluttered in the cool morning air while drivers checked cargo bindings and beasts of burden stamped impatiently against the packed earth.
When the gates finally opened, movement surged inward.
Not chaotic.
Disciplined.
The guards inspected cargo with efficiency, marking crates with small formation stamps that verified their origin and destination.
Inside the city, the main avenue was already alive.
Merchants shouted prices.
Smithies rang with the steady rhythm of hammers striking metal.
Formation workshops glowed faintly with controlled spiritual energy as arrays were etched into polished plates of alloy.
Above the streets, aerial platforms moved slowly between towers carrying sealed containers of refined minerals and crystalline materials.
Yuelan City had changed.
Not through sudden explosion of growth—
But through constant momentum.
Every week something new appeared.
Another workshop.
Another laboratory.
Another caravan route linking distant regions of the continent.
And most of it traced back to the same source.
The Lin Clan.
Near the western district of the city, a convoy of reinforced transport carts rolled slowly toward the refinery quarter.
Each cart carried heavy stone containers sealed with runic locks.
The moment they entered the guarded courtyard of the processing complex, engineers moved forward immediately.
One of them tapped lightly against the container wall.
A faint harmonic resonance echoed through the stone.
"Confirmed," the engineer said calmly.
"Twin Stones."
The surrounding workers relaxed slightly.
Even within Yuelan City, the transport of Pedras Gêmeas—Twin Stones—was treated with careful attention.
They were rare.
Not because the world lacked them.
But because extracting them was dangerous and difficult.
The stones formed in deep underground layers where unstable geological formations made traditional mining methods nearly impossible.
Explosives were forbidden.
The risk of collapse was too high.
Instead, the Lin Clan had developed a different approach.
Specialized soul-guided drilling tools carved narrow tunnels through the earth with surgical precision. Mining teams moved through these tunnels in coordinated rotations.
One group drilled.
One inspected mineral quality.
Another transported extracted material to the surface.
The process resembled a production line, carefully planned long before the first tool ever touched the stone.
It was slower than traditional mining.
But infinitely safer.
And far more efficient in the long run.
The engineers opened the first container.
Inside, several dull gray stones rested within reinforced brackets.
They did not look impressive.
But faint energy pulses flowed between their surfaces in synchronized patterns.
Twin Stones always existed in pairs.
Two crystals that resonated with identical energy signatures across any distance.
Once refined and stabilized through formation processing, they could transmit information between two distant nodes with perfect synchronization.
For most forces on the continent, such materials were too rare to build large systems around.
For the Lin Clan—
They were the foundation of something larger.
Across the refinery district, another facility worked under entirely different conditions.
Inside a long hall lined with crystalline pillars, rows of technicians monitored complex formation arrays built into the floor.
At the center of the room floated several irregular chunks of translucent mineral.
Memory Crystals.
Unlike Twin Stones, these could not be mined directly.
The raw material was usually found inside ancient ruins or rare geological pockets.
But the Lin Clan had discovered another method.
Energy transformation.
A machine built from layered formation arrays converted ambient spiritual energy into condensed spiritual essence—a form of refined energy often called Reiki, a natural power derived from the harmony of heaven and earth.
The second machine in the chain did something even more delicate.
It compressed that spiritual essence.
Layer by layer.
Until it solidified.
The result—
Synthetic Memory Crystals.
They were not perfect yet.
But each new batch improved in clarity and stability.
And with them, the foundation for a much larger system slowly took shape.
Information.
Transmission.
Networks.
The beginning of something the continent had never seen before.
Beyond the industrial districts, the northern edge of Yuelan City opened toward wide training grounds that stretched along the outer walls.
Here the rhythm of the city changed.
Steel rang against steel.
Shockwaves of controlled spiritual power rolled across reinforced arenas.
Groups of cultivators trained beneath the supervision of Lin Clan instructors while formation barriers shimmered faintly around each platform.
Among the fields, two figures clashed with such force that nearby trainees instinctively stepped back.
Mo Yu moved first.
His fist struck forward like a falling hammer.
The impact alone fractured the stone beneath his feet.
Di Long met the attack head-on.
Their bodies collided with a thunderous crash that sent dust spiraling into the air.
Neither used soul skills.
Neither summoned martial souls.
This was pure physical combat.
Qi and Blood cultivation.
Mo Yu twisted mid-strike, attempting to redirect the momentum into a shoulder throw.
Di Long countered instantly, shifting his weight and driving an elbow toward Mo Yu's ribs.
The ground cracked again.
Nearby observers watched with focused attention.
Qi Luo leaned casually against a wooden railing.
"That one almost landed."
Lie Yang chuckled.
"Almost."
Both women had changed significantly over the past month.
Their bloodline pills had begun integrating fully with their cultivation.
The refined bestial aura through bloodline pills and bone inscription cultivation.
Qi Luo pushed away from the railing.
"They're improving fast."
Lie Yang nodded.
"Everyone is."
Her gaze drifted toward the far end of the training fields.
Beyond the regular arenas, a separate section of reinforced ground stretched toward the forest edge.
That was where the core group trained.
And even from this distance—
The pressure in the air felt different.
Heavier.
Sharper.
As if the atmosphere itself had grown denser around them.
Three months remained before the Continental Elite Tournament of the Soul Masters Academy.
Three months until the continent gathered to witness the next generation of power.
But here in Yuelan City—
Preparation had already begun.
Not with noise.
Not with grand declarations.
But with steady growth.
And every day—
The distance between this group and the rest of the continent grew a little wider.
Time did not slow in Yuelan City.
If anything, it seemed to accelerate.
Days blended into weeks, and weeks into something that felt almost like a continuous cycle of training, refinement, and quiet breakthroughs.
The training grounds outside the northern walls rarely stood empty anymore.
From dawn until late into the evening, the reinforced platforms echoed with the sounds of cultivation.
Steel striking steel.
Formation barriers rippling under controlled impacts.
The low hum of circulating spiritual power.
The core group spent most of those weeks there.
Not because they were forced to.
But because none of them wanted to slow down.
Three months had once sounded like plenty of time.
Now—
Only two remained.
And every one of them could feel the difference their training had already made.
Ji Juechen moved across the stone platform like a blade drawn through water.
His sword did not rely on explosive techniques.
It rarely needed them.
Instead, every motion was precise.
Measured.
Refined.
When the blade moved, the air itself seemed to align with its path.
A sharp arc cut forward.
Wind followed.
The strike did not end there.
Lightning flickered faintly along the edge of the sword, not wild or uncontrolled, but condensed into thin lines of energy that reinforced the blade's momentum.
Ji Juechen stopped mid-motion.
His aura settled again.
He exhaled slowly.
Across from him, Wu Feng rested the flat of her heavy sword against her shoulder.
"Your control improved."
Ji Juechen glanced at her.
"You noticed."
Wu Feng smirked.
"I would if you were getting slower."
He ignored the comment.
Nearby, Xu Tianzhen laughed.
"That would be a miracle."
Wu Feng rolled her shoulders once before lifting her weapon again.
Unlike Ji Juechen's refined precision, Wu Feng's fighting style was direct.
Her sword swung downward.
The moment the blade moved, Longwei surged.
It did not erupt violently.
Instead, the invisible pressure threaded itself along the weapon's edge, amplifying the strike without dispersing outward.
The ground cracked beneath the impact.
Stone fragments scattered across the arena.
Wu Feng looked down briefly.
"…Still too much force."
"Not necessarily," Ning Tian said calmly from the edge of the field.
She had been observing quietly for several minutes.
"The control is improving."
Wu Feng tilted her head.
"That sounded almost like praise."
Ning Tian didn't react.
She simply adjusted the angle of the small formation disc in her hand, recalibrating the measurement array she had been using to track their output.
"Your energy dispersion dropped by eleven percent."
Wu Feng blinked.
"…You actually measured it?"
Ning Tian nodded.
"Yes."
Wu Feng sighed.
"Of course you did."
On the next platform, the temperature dropped abruptly.
Meng Hongchen raised her hand.
Ice formed instantly.
But instead of expanding outward as a chaotic wave, the frost condensed into shape.
One construct.
Then another.
Within seconds, several armored figures made entirely from solid ice stood across the arena.
They looked almost like knights.
Each one carried a weapon.
Each one moved with coordinated motion.
Meng flicked her fingers.
The constructs charged forward simultaneously.
Their movement was smoother than before.
Faster.
More controlled.
Across from her, Ma Xiaotao's flames ignited.
Scarlet fire surged outward as she stepped forward to meet the approaching constructs.
The first ice knight shattered beneath a single strike.
Steam erupted into the air.
The second lasted longer.
The third forced Xiaotao to actually shift her stance before breaking apart under her flames.
Ma Xiaotao exhaled slowly.
"You improved."
Meng grinned.
"You noticed."
"Hard not to."
Xiaotao glanced at the remaining constructs forming behind Meng.
"They move like soldiers now."
Meng shrugged.
"I'm still working on the coordination."
A short distance away, the ground itself began to move.
Tang Ya stood with her eyes half closed as spiritual energy flowed through the soil beneath her feet.
Vines erupted upward.
Trees formed in seconds.
The entire training field transformed into a miniature forest.
Within that forest, two massive wooden figures slowly emerged.
Golems.
Their limbs creaked as they moved forward.
Above them, a dragon-shaped construct formed from intertwined branches circled through the air before diving toward the ground in a sweeping arc.
Across from Tang Ya, Jiang Nannan vanished.
The wooden dragon struck the ground.
A shockwave rippled through the trees.
But Nannan was already behind Tang Ya.
She reappeared like a flicker of shadow.
Even Tang Ya blinked slightly in surprise.
"That was fast."
Jiang Nannan brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.
"Still refining it."
Her aura had changed subtly over the past weeks.
Not louder.
But denser.
Her movements carried a faint spatial distortion now—almost imperceptible, but unmistakably present to anyone paying close attention.
The integration of Qi and Blood cultivation with her spatial abilities had begun enhancing her speed in ways even she was still adapting to.
Farther along the field, the ground beneath Long Xiaoyi's feet shifted like living stone.
She extended her hand slightly.
The earth rose.
Not violently.
But steadily.
Columns of stone emerged from the platform before collapsing again under her control.
She adjusted the movement repeatedly, refining the response of the element itself.
Nearby, Xiao Hongchen watched quietly while adjusting the settings of a small projection device.
"Structural response improved."
Long Xiaoyi nodded slightly.
"I stopped forcing the flow."
"That helps."
At the edge of the field, Lin Huang stood watching.
He had not joined the sparring rotation yet.
Instead, he observed.
Every exchange.
Every improvement.
The difference from a month ago was obvious.
None of them had advanced dramatically in a single moment.
But the accumulation of weeks had changed everything.
Their cultivation had stabilized.
Their control had sharpened.
And their Soul Power had grown.
When the training session finally slowed, Ning Tian stepped forward again and activated the formation disc in her hand.
Several numbers appeared across the projection surface.
Wu Feng leaned forward.
"Well?"
Ning Tian glanced across the readings before answering.
"Everyone advanced."
She paused briefly before continuing.
"Lin Huang — Rank 67."
"Ji Juechen — Rank 66."
"Ma Xiaotao — Rank 66."
"Xu Tianzhen — Rank 65."
"Meng Hongchen — Rank 65."
"Long Xiaoyi — Rank 65."
"Qiu'er — Rank 65."
"Xiao Hongchen — Rank 65."
Wu Feng raised an eyebrow.
"And us?"
Ning Tian looked up calmly.
"Ning Tian — Rank 63."
"Wu Feng — Rank 63."
Wu Feng nodded slowly.
"Fair."
Ning Tian continued.
"Tang Ya — Rank 62."
"Ju Zi — Rank 62."
"Jiang Nannan — Rank 57."
A short silence followed.
Ma Xiaotao finally spoke.
"Everyone moved forward."
Lin Huang crossed his arms quietly.
"Yes."
Three months had once sounded like preparation.
Now—
The difference those weeks had created was impossible to ignore.
And the tournament had not even begun yet.
Training rarely ended with silence.
Even after the clashes slowed and the last formation barriers faded from the training grounds, the lingering energy of cultivation remained in the air like the fading warmth after a storm.
But the pace eventually softened.
Weapons were set aside.
Circulation stabilized.
The group gradually drifted toward the gardens that bordered the northern side of the Lin Clan estate.
The place had been intentionally designed for this purpose.
Wide stone paths curved between old trees whose roots stretched deep into the earth, stabilizing the surrounding spiritual energy. Small streams ran quietly through the garden, their water carrying faint traces of natural spiritual essence drawn from the surrounding land.
It was calm.
Balanced.
A place where cultivators could slow their breathing after intense training.
Zhang Lexuan sat beneath one of the older trees, its wide canopy filtering the afternoon sunlight into soft patterns across the grass.
Lin Huang lay with his head resting in her lap.
One arm behind his head.
Eyes closed.
At first glance, it looked like he had fallen asleep.
Lexuan didn't move much.
Her fingers moved slowly through his hair, calm and unhurried.
Across the garden, several others had gathered as well.
Meng Hongchen dropped down onto the grass with a small sigh.
"You look comfortable."
No response.
Wu Feng sat down nearby, resting her heavy sword beside her.
"He's always comfortable."
Meng glanced at Lin Huang again.
"You think he's actually sleeping?"
Without opening his eyes, Lin Huang answered.
"Strategic recovery."
Ma Xiaotao laughed immediately.
"That's the laziest excuse I've heard all day."
Xu Tianzhen leaned back against the trunk of another tree.
"I don't know. It sounds very convincing."
Lin Huang didn't move.
"If you'd like, I can start another training session."
Xu Tianzhen waved a hand lazily.
"No need."
"Your recovery is important."
Wu Feng snorted quietly.
"Coward."
Not far from them, Jiang Nannan sat on the stone edge of a small garden stream.
Her posture was relaxed, though her attention remained on the slow movement of the water beneath her feet.
Meng glanced in her direction.
"You've been getting faster."
Nannan didn't look up.
"I've been practicing."
Wu Feng smirked slightly.
"That's not the only reason."
Meng tilted her head.
"Oh?"
Ning Tian, sitting nearby with a small formation slate resting across her knees, adjusted the device quietly.
"Her spatial circulation improved."
Wu Feng raised an eyebrow.
"Just that?"
Ning Tian paused briefly.
Then she spoke calmly.
"There are multiple factors."
Jiang Nannan sighed softly.
"You're all very observant."
Ma Xiaotao grinned.
"It's hard not to notice when someone suddenly starts moving like a ghost."
Nannan finally looked up.
Her expression remained calm.
But the faint warmth in her cheeks didn't go unnoticed.
A few steps away, Long Xiaoyi stood near the edge of the garden where the earth rose slightly into a low hill.
She rested one hand lightly against the soil.
The ground beneath her fingers responded almost immediately.
Small ripples moved through the dirt before settling again.
She nodded slightly to herself.
"Better."
Xiao Hongchen, who had been adjusting a projection device beside the path, glanced toward her.
"You stopped forcing the flow."
"Yes."
"That's good."
Across the clearing, Bi Ji watched the group quietly.
Unlike the others, she had not joined the earlier training.
She rarely needed to.
Her aura remained calm and steady, the natural vitality surrounding her presence blending almost seamlessly with the garden itself.
After a moment she spoke softly.
"Your circulations are stabilizing well."
Several of them turned slightly toward her.
Her voice carried no criticism.
Just observation.
Bi Ji's gaze drifted across the group slowly.
"The balance between your Qi, Soul Power, and bloodline refinement has improved."
Ma Xiaotao stretched lazily.
"That sounds like progress."
"It is," Bi Ji replied calmly.
Qiu'er sat on the low stone wall bordering the garden.
She had remained quiet for most of the conversation, though her golden eyes occasionally drifted toward the training fields beyond the trees.
After a moment she spoke.
"We still have two months."
Wu Feng leaned back slightly.
"That's plenty."
Ji Juechen, standing nearby with his sword resting across his shoulder, shook his head once.
"It isn't."
His voice remained calm.
But certain.
Meng tilted her head.
"You think the others will be that strong?"
Ji Juechen's gaze moved briefly toward Lin Huang.
"Strength isn't the problem."
Lin Huang still hadn't opened his eyes.
But he spoke anyway.
"The continent has been waiting for this tournament."
That simple statement quieted the garden slightly.
Ning Tian nodded slowly.
"Every major academy will be there."
"And several imperial observers," Ju Zi added as she stepped onto the garden path.
She had arrived quietly enough that few had noticed her approach.
"The Sun and Moon Empire has already confirmed it."
Wu Feng crossed her arms.
"So it really will be a show."
Ju Zi nodded.
"Yes."
Her gaze shifted briefly toward Lin Huang.
"And everyone will be watching."
For a moment, no one spoke.
Then Lexuan's fingers paused slightly in Lin Huang's hair.
"You're still not moving."
Lin Huang opened one eye slightly.
"Do I have to?"
Lexuan smiled faintly.
"Eventually."
Lin Huang closed his eye again.
"…Not yet."
And for a few more moments—
The garden remained peaceful.
Because once they stood again—
The next stage of their journey would begin.
The calm of the garden did not last forever.
Even in moments of quiet, the Lin Clan estate continued moving with the same steady rhythm that had carried it through the past months.
Yuelan City never truly slept.
And neither did the clan that governed it.
By the time the sun had begun its slow descent toward the western horizon, activity had already shifted toward the central compound of the estate.
Courtyards filled with servants carrying documents and sealed containers.
Engineers moved between workshops with formation diagrams rolled beneath their arms.
Several courtyards away, the faint pulse of large-scale spiritual arrays could be felt through the stone pathways beneath their feet.
The Lin Clan had grown into something much larger than a noble household.
It was now a system.
A network of industry, cultivation, research, and information that extended far beyond the city walls.
And at the center of it—
Movement never stopped.
Ju Zi stepped through one of the inner courtyards with measured calm, a stack of formation reports held neatly in one hand.
Behind her, several assistants followed with sealed tablets containing updated logistics projections.
The moment she reached the central pavilion, Su Mei was already there.
Su Mei stood beside a long table covered with maps and documents.
When she looked up, her expression softened slightly.
"You finished reviewing the refinery reports?"
Ju Zi nodded.
"The latest batch of Memory Crystals stabilized better than expected."
Su Mei allowed herself a small nod.
"Good."
Her gaze shifted briefly toward the courtyard entrance.
"Mining teams also reported progress."
"More Twin Stones?"
"Yes."
"The deeper extraction routes are working."
Ju Zi placed the formation reports carefully onto the table.
"That will accelerate the information network."
"Eventually," Su Mei replied.
Neither of them sounded hurried.
Both women understood that most of the Lin Clan's projects were built for the long term.
They moved steadily.
Not recklessly.
Beyond the pavilion, soft footsteps crossed the stone walkway.
Lin Huang entered the courtyard quietly.
He had changed out of his training clothes, though the faint traces of spiritual circulation still lingered around him.
Su Mei noticed him immediately.
"You finished resting?"
Lin Huang shrugged slightly.
"More or less."
Ju Zi glanced up from the reports.
"You were supposed to be resting."
Lin Huang raised an eyebrow.
"I did."
"You were lying in the garden."
"That counts."
Ju Zi studied him for a moment before shaking her head slightly.
"You're impossible."
Lin Huang didn't argue.
Instead his attention shifted toward the interior of the pavilion.
A faint sound had reached his ears.
Soft.
Small.
Almost like a quiet complaint.
He stepped past the table.
Inside the pavilion's shaded interior, a small cradle rested near the open window where the afternoon breeze could pass through the room.
Lin Huang leaned slightly over the edge.
The baby inside blinked up at him.
Lin Yuxin's eyes were still unfocused in the way only very young children's eyes were.
But the moment she saw him—
The restless movement of her tiny hands slowed.
Lin Huang smiled faintly.
"So you're awake."
Behind him, Su Mei crossed her arms lightly.
"She woke up not long ago."
Lin Huang carefully lifted the baby from the cradle.
Yuxin squirmed for a moment.
Then settled almost immediately.
Her small hand wrapped clumsily around the fabric of his sleeve.
Ju Zi watched the scene from the table.
"You spoil her."
Lin Huang glanced at her.
"She's my sister."
"That's exactly the problem."
Lin Huang ignored the comment.
Instead he adjusted his hold slightly, letting Yuxin rest more comfortably against his shoulder.
For a moment the courtyard grew quiet.
Even the movement of servants seemed to slow slightly as they passed through the outer corridors.
Yuxin made a soft sound.
Lin Huang glanced down.
"…Hungry?"
She didn't answer.
Obviously.
But the faint movement of her tiny fingers suggested she was perfectly content where she was.
Su Mei's expression softened slightly.
"She calms down when you're holding her."
Lin Huang shrugged.
"Good taste."
Ju Zi sighed.
"I'm surrounded by idiots."
Su Mei chuckled quietly.
Outside the pavilion, several members of the group had begun drifting through the courtyard as well.
Ma Xiaotao leaned against one of the stone columns.
"She's smaller than the last time I saw her."
"That tends to happen with babies," Xu Tianzhen said dryly.
Meng Hongchen stepped closer.
"She recognizes you."
Lin Huang glanced at her.
"She should."
Wu Feng folded her arms.
"Of course."
"You're already training her."
Lin Huang looked down at the small child resting quietly against his shoulder.
"…Not yet."
Zhang Lexuan approached a moment later, her calm aura settling naturally into the space around the pavilion.
When she saw Yuxin in Lin Huang's arms, she smiled faintly.
"She likes you."
Lin Huang shifted slightly so the baby could see her.
"She has good instincts."
Nearby, Jiang Nannan watched quietly from the edge of the courtyard.
Long Xiaoyi stood beside her, observing the scene without comment.
Bi Ji's gaze lingered on the baby briefly before returning to the quiet flow of energy across the courtyard.
For a short moment—
The world felt strangely simple.
No cultivation.
No tournaments.
No political currents moving across the continent.
Just the quiet presence of family.
But moments like that never lasted forever.
Ju Zi finally closed the last of the formation reports.
"The final schedules are confirmed."
Lin Huang glanced up.
"For what?"
Ju Zi met his gaze.
"The departure."
Silence settled briefly across the courtyard.
Two months.
It seemed shorter every day.
Two months passed faster than anyone expected.
In Yuelan City, time did not drift slowly the way it sometimes did in quiet cultivation sects. The city had a rhythm now—one driven by work, research, trade, and the constant movement of people and ideas.
Days were filled with activity.
Nights with cultivation.
And in between those cycles, the strength of the group continued to grow.
The training grounds saw less chaotic sparring and more refinement. Techniques were no longer simply practiced—they were sharpened. Each movement of sword, flame, frost, wood, or stone carried clearer intent.
The difference was subtle.
But undeniable.
Lin Huang rarely spoke about it.
He didn't need to.
The results spoke for themselves.
Morning arrived cool and clear on the day of departure.
A thin layer of mist still hung over the outer districts of Yuelan City, slowly dissolving under the rising sunlight.
But the central plaza of the Lin Clan compound was already awake.
Rows of sleek aerial craft waited across the open courtyard.
They were not ordinary transports.
The main vessel was a long, silver-gray aircraft reinforced with layered formation arrays carved along its hull. Smaller escort helicopters hovered nearby, their rotating blades humming with quiet spiritual engines.
Technicians moved quickly across the landing platform.
Final inspections.
Formation calibrations.
Energy core stabilization.
Everything was checked twice.
This journey was not merely travel.
It was the Lin Clan sending its next generation into the eyes of the continent.
Lin Huang stood near the edge of the platform.
Below him, Yuelan City stretched outward in every direction.
The city looked different from this height.
Larger.
Alive.
Markets were opening.
Caravans were already leaving the gates.
Refinery towers released thin streams of spiritual vapor into the air.
The city had grown rapidly over the past months.
But this was only the beginning.
Behind him, footsteps approached.
Zhang Lexuan stopped beside him.
"You're thinking again."
Lin Huang didn't look away from the horizon.
"I usually am."
Lexuan smiled faintly.
"That's true."
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Lexuan glanced toward the aircraft behind them.
"Everyone is ready."
Lin Huang nodded once.
"Good."
Across the platform, the rest of the group had already gathered.
Wu Feng leaned casually against the side of the transport vessel.
Her sword rested across her shoulder.
"I still think we should have flown earlier."
Xu Tianzhen stretched lazily.
"You just want to start fighting already."
"Obviously."
Meng Hongchen stepped onto the platform railing and looked down at the city below.
"Still strange."
Ma Xiaotao crossed her arms.
"What is?"
Meng shrugged.
"That the entire continent will be watching."
Ji Juechen stood nearby, silent as always, his sword resting calmly at his side.
"Good."
That was the only word he offered.
Nearby, Jiang Nannan adjusted the straps of her light combat gear.
Her movements were quiet.
But her eyes were sharp.
Long Xiaoyi stood beside her, one hand resting lightly against the metal surface of the aircraft as if feeling the subtle vibrations of the engines.
Ning Tian and Ju Zi spoke quietly near the command ramp.
Final route confirmations.
Escort formations.
Projected arrival times.
Even now, they treated the journey with the same precision they applied to everything else.
At the base of the platform steps, Su Mei stood with her arms folded.
Beside her was the only member of the Lin Clan who clearly had no idea what any of this meant.
Lin Yuxin sat in Su Mei's arms, wrapped in a soft blanket, her small eyes blinking curiously at the large machines hovering above the courtyard.
When Lin Huang approached, the baby noticed immediately.
Her tiny hands lifted in his direction.
Su Mei raised an eyebrow.
"She recognized you."
Lin Huang took the baby carefully.
Yuxin made a small sound of contentment the moment she settled against his shoulder.
Wu Feng laughed quietly from across the platform.
"She definitely prefers you."
Lin Huang looked down at the baby.
"She has good judgment."
Xu Tianzhen snorted.
"That confidence is impressive."
Ma Xiaotao walked closer and lightly tapped Lin Huang's shoulder.
"You better come back in one piece."
Lin Huang glanced at her.
"That's the plan."
Su Mei stepped forward and gently took Yuxin back.
The baby protested for exactly two seconds before settling again.
Su Mei adjusted the blanket around her.
"Don't cause trouble."
Lin Huang raised an eyebrow.
"I never do."
Ju Zi, standing near the aircraft ramp, didn't even look up.
"That is objectively false."
A low hum filled the air.
The aircraft engines had finished stabilizing.
Technicians stepped back from the platform.
The escort helicopters rose slightly higher into the air, forming a loose perimeter.
Ju Zi turned toward the group.
"We're ready."
Lin Huang looked once more across the city.
Yuelan's towers caught the morning sunlight.
For a brief moment, the entire city glowed.
Then he turned.
"Let's go."
The group boarded the aircraft.
Engines roared to life.
Wind rushed across the platform as the vessel slowly lifted from the ground.
The escort helicopters followed immediately, their blades slicing through the air as the formation rose above the city.
From the sky, Yuelan looked smaller.
But its presence remained unmistakable.
A rising force.
One that the continent had not yet fully understood.
The aircraft turned east.
Toward the capital of the Sun and Moon Empire.
Toward the massive stadium that had already begun drawing delegations from across the world.
Toward the stage where the next generation of power would be revealed.
The Continental Elite Tournament of the Soul Masters Academy awaited.
And this time—
The entire continent would be watching.