Within the gloomy forest in Astral-5, Hart Phoenix walked away from the teleportation stone and clenched his fists.
“Congratulations on the three-win streak, Hart!” “Congratulations, Young Master.” “Congratulations.”
“Hmph. I’m too late, the mission was already completed by someone else,” Hart snorted, leaving everyone silent.
“By the way, Young Master, you’d asked me to pay attention to Mistress Xi Yue of the Souldream Tribe. She’s recently announced plans to go to the Sand Ocean in Astral-10,” someone said.
“Astral-10?” Hart stopped on his way out, “Isn’t that where the person who finished the Sentinel mission was from?”
Someone next to him immediately spoke up, “You needn’t be affected, Young Master. That person is just lucky, he likely met new Sentinels who’d just joined the academies. You’ve actually defeated a powerful Melder.”
Hart frowned, “You can’t rely on luck in ported battles. I’m going to Astral-10, make the arrangements.”
The people around him were surprised, “Young Master, Astral-5 doesn’t allow people to leave without a valid reason.”
Hart didn’t care, “Tell them my brother asked me to go. He’s always wanted me to marry Xi Yue and gain the support of the Souldream Tribe, this is a good opportunity.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
Within Astral-8, a pair of eyes opened under hot lava, “Craynor, go fetch Xi Yue from Astral-10, she shouldn’t be there. Tell her that if she wants the Sand Ocean, I’ll give it to her once the Blaze takes over the academy.”
Right outside the lava pit, a Melder with an abundance of star energy surrounding him concurred. He was Craynor, second in the Blaze Rankings and far more powerful than the fifth-ranked Arshim who had previously attacked Astral-10.
A low voice reverberated within Astral-9 in the Endless Weave, “Baunir, go to Astral-10 and see if anyone there can threaten our geniuses.”
A young man opened his eyes, black flames winking out within his pupils, “Yes, Tutor.”
Big Pao and Little Pao were chatting within Astral-10. The former asked, “Brother, be honest, how do you think I treat you?”
Little Pao thought about it for a moment and answered, “Not very well.”
The corners of Big Pao’s mouth twitched, “I’ll treat you better in the future.”
“Cut the nonsense. You want me to lend you the money to buy Xi Yue’s newest single, right?” Little Pao asked suspiciously.
Big Pao laughed awkwardly, “Brother, you know that I don’t really have many pursuits in life, I just like Xi Yue’s songs. Come on, lend me some money.”
Little Pao rejected him promptly, “No, I like Xi Yue’s songs too, I’m going to buy it for myself.”
“Then lend it to me.”
“No way, Xi Yue’s songs are like my wife, I would never lend them to anyone.”
“So stingy, you won’t die if I listen to it.”
“I’ll feel very bad.”
“Lend it to me and I promise not to fight for the role of Area Master in the Purgatory Dao.”
“Nope, this isn’t up for discussion.”
As they continued to bicker, a notification appeared on their gadgets that left them wide-eyed in disbelief, “Xi… Xi Yue is coming to Astral-10? Is this real?”
“Xi Yue is coming here!” Big Pao cheered.
“Xi Yue’s coming, Xi Yue’s coming, I want an autograph, I want a picture with her, I want—”
“You two, go receive our guest!” a bellow interrupted their thoughts.
“Yes, Sandmaster,” both brothers answered quickly. Half an hour later, they were at the space station staring at the landing spacecraft from the Souldream Tribe in delight. Both were loyal fans of Xi Yue, but they had never imagined that they would be able to meet the person herself one day.
A troop of female warriors walked out as the spaceship opened, followed by youths with arrogant expressions. These young men were from Astral-8, sent here by their tutors to ensure that Xi Yue wouldn’t be harassed. For example, they would definitely keep her away from the two perverts in front of them whose eyes were gleaming.
“Who are you? Are there no better students who can welcome Young Master Xi Yue in Astral-10?” a young man said irritably.
“We’re the best students,” Big Pao stepped forward casually, “Where’s Junior Xi Yue? Why hasn’t she come out yet?”
The youth frowned and blocked the path, “Mind your manners. You’re just students of an academy that was thrown out; you have no right to call Young Mistress Xi Yue your junior.”
Big Pao pouted and ignored the youth, but before he could rage, a stunning girl with waist-length blue hair and starlike eyes walked out, “Unless it’s banned, Astral-10 is Astral-10; he has every right to call me his junior. Hello, Senior, I’m Xi Yue.”
Both Paos looked at Xi Yue in a daze, intoxicated by her striking appearance and melodious voice. Fortunately, the older brother coughed and said solemnly, “Hello, Junior. I’m Big Pao, you can call me Brother Pao.”
Little Pao stepped forward as well, “I’m Little Pao, you can call me Brother Little Pao.”
Everyone surrounding them was stunned. Brother Pao? What a weird name, were the two of them trying to tease Xi Yue? The person in question grew angry as well, but she suppressed her anger in the face of their excited gazes. Her reluctant smile almost melted the brothers’ hearts, “I think I should just call you Senior Big Pao and Senior Little Pao.”
“Anything is fine. Could we take a picture together, and maybe a short video? It would be even better if we could share a mea—”
“Don’t bother Young Mistress. She’s here for the Sand Ocean and has no time for anything else,” a woman who looked to be in her forties interrupted, standing in front of Xi Yue and glaring at the brothers. They bowed their heads in disappointment.
Xi Yue looked out of the space station. She had heard rumours that the original students of Astral-10 had all left once it had been driven to the Outerverse. Only two of the original students were left that no other academies wanted; these two were probably the guys. This was Astral-10, an academy that was about to be banned. If not for the fact that one of the forces that was going to replace Astral-10 was the Blaze Realm, she wouldn’t have come here at this time. Once the Blaze Realm took over Astral-10, she would have to face someone troublesome whenever she visited.
“Seniors, how many students are currently in Astral-10?” she asked curiously.
“Fourteen,” Little Pao answered.
A young man behind Xi Yue sneered, “What a shame that Astral-10 has fallen to this state, no wonder there are rumours that it’s going to be banned soon. There’s only people like you left here, it’s an embarrassment for this place to still be called an Astral Combat Academy.”
Little Pao raised his brows, “We focus on quality instead of quantity in Astral-10. We’re not a shelter who just accepts everyone.”
“What did you say?!”
Xi Yue lifted her hand and glared at the youth, saying frostily, “There will be no disrespect here, or you can go back.”
The young man bowed his head, “Yes, Young Mistress.”
Xi Yue turned around and looked at Big Pao and Little Pao, “Can I trouble you to bring me to greet the tutors of Astral-10?’
Big Pao smiled, “There’s no need for that, we don’t have too many rules. The Sandmaster already said you can go train in the Sand Ocean directly.”
Xi Yue’s eyes gleamed and she bowed, “Thank you, Senior, please lead the way.”
The two of them immediately led Xi Yue towards the Sand Ocean, but the people from the Souldream Tribe were stopped as not everyone was able to enter an Astral Combat Academy. Xi Yue didn’t object and went in with the students from Astral-8, using the teleporter to arrive at their destination. They came across a pair of boy and girl in the desert, the former clearly leaving while the latter was going in. These were Michelle and Schutz. Schutz had entered the Sand Ocean after facing multiple defeats in the ported battles, and was heading back to test himself again.
Xi Yue’s arrival attracted the pair’s attention; they hadn’t expected to meet other people here. Her gaze swept past Schutz calmly, but her eyes gleamed when she saw Michelle, “I didn’t expect to see the Red Lotus Witch here, nice to meet you.”
Michelle looked back, “I didn’t expect to meet the famed Young Mistress of the Souldream Tribe either.”
“I heard you joined the Ten Arbiters’ Council, it must be so nice to have a powerful sister,” Xi Yue joked, her tone filled with disdain.
“You got a problem with that?” Michelle asked coldly.
Xi Yue smiled, “Why would you say that, Michelle? So what if I’m unhappy, nobody can defy a decision from the Council.”
Michelle didn’t say anything in response and just stared back. Meanwhile, the Pao brothers glanced at each other; there was clearly some history between the two.
“Young Mistress, do you need me to teach her a lesson?” one of Xi Yue’s followers asked.
Xi Yue snorted, “Teach her a lesson? Look clearly, she’s the Red Lotus Witch.”
“Red Lotus Witch?” The few of them were confused, but one of them suddenly recalled something and looked at Michelle fearfully and immediately fell silent.
“Excuse me,” Schutz walked right into the teleporter, drawing a glance from Xi Yue. However, she didn’t pay much attention to him; in her eyes, Michelle was likely the only one worth recognition in Astral-10. However, one of the youths following her blocked Schutz’s path on purpose. This was the same person who’d been scolded just now, and that had left him extremely annoyed at Astral-10. He wanted to find some way to humiliate this academy that should have been thrown out long ago, and he was also someone from the Blaze Realm.
The Pao brothers saw the challenge, but they didn’t say anything. The path of cultivation was never smooth; if one didn’t even dare to battle, there was no point in training. This was Astral-10, no matter what, one definitely couldn’t hide from a challenge.
Xi Yue turned around to take a look and ignored them, her gaze still focused on Michelle. This was the woman who’d taken her spot on the Ten Arbiters’ Council just because she had a powerful sister.
“Make way,” Schutz matched the youth’s glare.
The young man walked even closer, “You ants just have good luck to be able to overcome the obstacles and enter Astral-10. I don’t know who the person was who stopped you, but remember, I’m from the Blaze Realm.”
Schutz’s gaze turned cold; the Blaze Realm was one of the three forces who attacked Astral-10’s assessment and was also one of the forces who were trying to replace Astral-10 in order to take control of the key to the Nine Trial Zones.
