Chapter Thirty: A Powerful Opening

A strikingly beautiful woman in her middle years held a small fragment of inky-black scale between her fingers, a trace of surprise flickering in her captivating eyes. It was a long moment before she finally looked away.

“This is Crane Body Force,” she said, setting down the scale.

“Crane Body Force?” Han Bingning repeated, the name entirely unfamiliar to her.

The woman nodded, her tone contemplative. “It’s scarcely known now. The Crane School traces its origins to Master Crane. The present-day Celestial Crane Constellation was originally carved out on the Star Path by him. Little is known about Master Crane’s background, but it’s quite possible he was the inheritor of an ancient Eastern tradition.”

“Celestial Crane Constellation?” Han Bingning was startled; she’d heard of it, but always as one of the most obscure constellations.

“The Crane School has lost its true teachings and has languished for many years. In its heyday, the Celestial Crane Constellation’s status was unimaginable to people today.” The woman spoke with deep emotion, shaking her head and sighing. “Who would have thought I’d see evidence of the Crane School’s true legacy here?”

She handed the inky scale to Han Bingning. “The core technique of the Crane School is called the Crane Qi Mantra. It is obscure and difficult to comprehend, and even harder to master. The true legacy of the Crane Qi Mantra is the Crane Body. Legend has it that once the Crane Body is mastered, one’s energy becomes as sharp and piercing as a crane’s beak, granting tremendous destructive force—hence the name Crane Body Force. No one knows what befell the Crane School that led to the loss of its heritage. Today, no one knows how to cultivate the Crane Body, and yet I’ve found it here.”

“That incredible?” Han Bingning’s eyes widened. The principal’s tone was filled with rare admiration.

“For generations, countless disciples of the Crane School have devoted their lives to seeking the secret of cultivating the Crane Body.” The woman spoke solemnly. “Master Crane carved out the Celestial Crane Constellation on the Star Path with his own strength—how formidable he must have been! In the past three centuries, apart from King Leo, who subdued the Lionheart Blazing Sword and established the unrivaled rule of the Leo Constellation, who else has accomplished anything so grand? To carve out a constellation on the Star Path single-handedly—those are all peerless warriors. Their legacies are the pinnacle of martial arts in this age.”

Han Bingning’s lips parted in shock, rendered speechless. The principal’s description seemed more and more fantastical.

No matter how she tried, she simply couldn’t connect that crude, scatterbrained fellow with the world’s supreme masters.

The woman mused to herself, “He must have acquired only the core technique. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be practicing the Minor Collapse Fist. That technique, while quite impressive, falls far short of the Crane School’s martial arts.”

Suddenly, the woman recalled a long-overlooked question. “Bingning, who is this person? Have I been away so long that a genius boy has appeared in Starwind City without my notice?”

A genius boy…

Han Bingning’s mouth twitched, and she forced herself to reply. “It’s Tang Tian from Shaqima Academy.”

“Tang Tian?” The woman shook her head. “Never heard of him. He must be a newcomer. Bingning, you must be careful. Never underestimate him. There’s a little-known trait of the Crane Body: its breath is long and continuous, granting extraordinary endurance. The Crane Qi flows on and on, unending.”

Before Han Bingning could respond, the woman abruptly stood up and muttered, “It seems I’ve grown too lax lately. From today onward, I’ll personally oversee your training.”

Han Bingning was taken aback. “Principal, that’s not really necessary. Everyone’s already working so hard…”

“No!” the woman interrupted sharply with a wave of her hand. “I’ve been far too lenient. I must lead by example and fight on the front lines!”

Han Bingning’s face paled a little. The principal was a true training fanatic; once she started, it would be endless days and nights—a nightmare for anyone under her supervision!

She regretted ever bringing that inky scale here.

It was all that damned Tang Tian’s fault!

* * *

Time flew by, and as the Starwind Martial Tournament approached, the city grew ever livelier.

The Starwind Martial Tournament was the grandest festival in Starwind City. Not only did every academy in the city take part, but the event also drew martial artists from distant regions. Participation was not limited to students; it was an open competition, and the rich prizes attracted a flood of outsiders.

The influx of competitors made the tournament more thrilling and appealing than ever, drawing crowds from faraway cities just to witness the spectacle.

The streets were several times busier than usual, with nearly every inn filled to capacity. This year’s tournament saw a record-breaking number of participants. Outside the city, the aerial walkways bustled with figures darting back and forth, each displaying their lightness skills.

“Hey, old man, why’d you drag us out so early? You’re cutting into our sleep!” Tang Tian grumbled as he walked along, Little Nan perched on his shoulders, munching snacks contentedly.

“Idiot, to take part in the preliminaries, of course,” Old Wei replied with a look of disdain.

“There are preliminaries for the Starwind Martial Tournament?” Amory was astonished. “How did I not know about this?”

“Prestigious schools like Beast Academy don’t need to bother with preliminaries,” Old Wei said dryly. “But given our current standing, we have to start from the very beginning.”

“Oh, right. We are, after all, the third-to-last ranked school—makes sense we’d start from the preliminaries,” Amory said with sudden realization.

Old Wei leapt up as if someone had stomped his tail. “Amory, do you have no thoughts about our school’s predicament? Shouldn’t you be burning with passion, ready to fight for our revival?”

“Hey, Tang, are you burning with passion?” Amory turned to Tang Tian.

“I want to sleep,” Tang Tian replied, yawning.

“What did you do last night?” Old Wei asked suspiciously.

“Practiced the Minor Collapse Fist,” Tang Tian answered through another yawn, looking utterly exhausted.

“Minor Collapse Fist? That’s exciting! Tang, let’s have a good fight! For Chihui…” Amory raised his blade in a dramatic shout.

Bang! A fist came crashing down on his head.

Old Wei’s expression darkened. “Amory, if you lose today… heh!”

The chilling laughter made Amory behave himself at once.

When the four arrived at the tournament grounds, they were stunned by the surging crowds. Waves of people milled about, the roar of their voices overwhelming—Tang Tian and Amory were dumbfounded.

“There are this many people just for the preliminaries?” Amory gasped.

“All non-seeded competitors have to start here,” Old Wei said calmly, pulling a slip of paper from his coat and scanning it. “Let’s see… Amory, you’re in arena 5267. Tang, you’re in 3897. See those signs? Go find your arenas. Here are your entry badges—don’t lose them.”

Old Wei shouted with newfound energy, “Boys! For the glorious revival of Grand Shaqima Academy—fight!”

Tang Tian yawned and walked off without a word.

Amory cast Old Wei a sympathetic look, then left to find his arena.

Tang Tian’s eyelids felt impossibly heavy. If only he could find a spot to lie down, he’d fall asleep instantly. After ten days of grueling training, he was utterly drained. He’d just fallen asleep when Old Wei had dragged him off for the preliminaries.

Little Nan, sitting on Tang Tian’s shoulders, scanned the crowd. Suddenly her eyes lit up; she grabbed a fistful of Tang Tian’s hair and pointed excitedly ahead. “Big brother, over there, over there!”

Tang Tian responded absentmindedly, following her direction.

Arena 3897.

Neither opponent nor referee had arrived yet. Without another word, Tang Tian flopped down and immediately began to snore, the sound rising and falling in a steady rhythm.

* * *

“What’s so interesting about the preliminaries?” Ming Guang muttered, not daring to speak too loudly.

When Leader Liang Qiu announced they’d be watching the preliminaries, Ming Guang found it hard to believe. The preliminaries? What did those have to do with them? As one of the top ten at Beast Academy, ranked ninth, Ming Guang had no need for such things.

To him, the preliminaries were just a stage for nobodies. The real competition, the clash of true experts, happened among the seeded contestants.

Liang Qiu’s strange suggestion baffled both Tian Lin and Ming Guang. Even more surprising was that Senior Wang Zhen actually agreed. Tian Lin and Ming Guang exchanged glances, puzzled at whatever had gotten into their elders.

But with the two leaders speaking, they had no choice but to obey.

The four lined up as they entered the arena, immediately causing a stir. Liang Qiu was serene and elegant; Wang Zhen, deep and imposing; Tian Lin, defiant and cold; Ming Guang, lively and handsome. Each possessed a unique presence, together forming a striking tableau.

“Oh my god! Am I seeing things? Isn’t that Liang Qiu? My idol!”

“Liang Qiu, Wang Zhen, Tian Lin, Ming Guang… What’s going on with Beast Academy? Four of the top ten just showed up? Is some big shot from their academy competing in the preliminaries?”

“Why would Beast Academy’s students need to bother with the preliminaries?”

The onlookers buzzed with speculation. These four were all celebrated stars in Starwind City’s academic circles, especially Liang Qiu and Wang Zhen, who were idolized by countless fans.

Most preliminary competitors hailed from ordinary academies. Seeing their idols up close, they were beside themselves with excitement.

But no one could understand—what were these masters doing at the preliminaries?

Though often called a hotbed for dark horses, the Starwind Martial Tournament’s preliminaries were, in truth, a battleground for the less skilled. Any fighter of note would be seeded straight into the main event.

That four such experts appeared here was astonishing.

Liang Qiu himself was a favorite to win this year’s tournament—why stoop to watching the preliminaries?

Something was afoot.

Liang Qiu ignored the stares and said calmly, “I’ll go watch Amory.”

Wang Zhen nodded. “I’ll watch Tang Tian.”

Tian Lin and Ming Guang exchanged glances—Tian Lin followed Liang Qiu, Ming Guang trailed after Wang Zhen.

The four split into two pairs, to everyone’s surprise. Those not competing eagerly trailed behind, curious to see what kind of matches could draw four seeded contestants to the preliminaries.

***

Young heroes, please log in and add this book to your favorites!