Chapter 97: Leaving for a vast world
Xingluo turned toward Ruan Mei in confusion. "What do you mean? How could you come with me?"
Ruan Mei remained silent for several seconds before looking back at Su Lan’s grave.
"There are some things about me that I cannot explain yet," she said. "But I am not from this city, I was born in Golden Dragon City."
Xingluo stared at her, unable to conceal her surprise.
Ruan Mei had rarely spoken about her family, but Xingluo had always assumed they lived somewhere outside the northern district, she had never considered that her friend might have come from Golden Dragon City.
"Then why did you enroll at Beichen University?"
"I ran away from home."
Ruan Mei lowered her gaze before continuing. "My family arranged a marriage for me and leaving was the only way I could avoid it at the time. I believed that putting enough distance between us would solve everything."
A faint, bitter smile appeared on her face. "But I cannot keep running whenever something becomes difficult. Besides, I would be alone here after you left."
Her eyes moved briefly toward Su Lan’s grave.
"I have already lost one friend and I do not intend to lose another simply because she moved to another city."
Xingluo’s expression softened, although another concern quickly entered her mind.
"What about the marriage? Won’t your family try to force you again once you return?"
"They can try," Ruan Mei replied. "That does not mean I will agree."
She reached forward and gently held Xingluo’s hand. "We are sisters, whatever happens after we reach Golden Dragon City, we will face it together."
Xingluo’s eyes grew wet before she leaned forward and wrapped both arms around her. Ruan Mei stiffened briefly, then returned the embrace as the wind passed through the flowers surrounding Su Lan’s grave.
Several days later, Xingluo stood beside a large teleportation array inside the city’s military base.
Professor Liang waited nearby, having taken responsibility for completing the remaining procedures and introducing her to the Golden Dragon City Military Academy.
Xingluo and Ruan Mei had already collected their documents from Beichen University and formally suspended their enrolment. Ruan Mei had refused to explain how she intended to enter the academy, only assuring Xingluo that she could handle it herself.
Xingluo had also spoken with her parents about the transfer.
Her mother had been unable to contain her happiness after learning that Xingluo had received a place at the Golden Dragon City Military Academy. Her father reacted more calmly, though the pride upon his face remained impossible to conceal.
Their excitement soon became confusion when military personnel arrived to move them into protected accommodation.
Xingluo avoided explaining the danger and claimed the relocation was a temporary arrangement provided to the families of specially recruited students. Neither parent appeared completely convinced, but they eventually accepted her explanation.
She also assured them that they no longer needed to worry about their jobs or daily expenses.
Before leaving, Xingluo transferred fifty million credit points into a card registered under their names. Most of the money came from selling the equipment and materials she obtained inside the legacy realm, while the remainder included compensation and support provided by the military.
Her parents were stunned by the amount and she was barely able to convince them that most of it belonged to the support package granted after her promotion and transfer.
Her father remained suspicious, but her mother was too overwhelmed by the sudden changes to continue questioning her.
Now, standing beside the teleportation array, Xingluo glanced toward Professor Liang for the third time.
The formation had already been prepared, and every required document had been approved. However, Professor Liang showed no intention of activating it.
"Professor, why haven’t we left yet?" Xingluo finally asked. "Who are we waiting for?"
Professor Liang gave her a faint smile. "You will find out soon."
Xingluo was about to question him again when footsteps sounded from behind them.
Someone entered the teleportation chamber and the moment Xingluo and Ruan Mei recognised him, surprise appeared across both their faces.
Miao Tianhe approached with his usual cheerful smile before bowing politely toward Professor Liang.
"Professor."
"You arrived later than expected," Professor Liang said.
"I had several matters to settle before leaving."
Xingluo looked between him and Professor Liang in confusion. "Why are you going to Golden Dragon City? Aren’t you studying at Tianchen University?"
"I was," Miao Tianhe replied. "I completed the transfer procedures before coming here."
Xingluo frowned. "How did you suddenly receive a transfer to the Military Academy?"
His cheerful smile weakened as he released a quiet sigh.
"I could have entered the Golden Dragon City Military Academy from the beginning, my true talent is S-rank, and I have already reached Level 118."
Xingluo stared at him, while Ruan Mei’s expression changed beside her.
Even Wuxia turned his full attention toward Tianhe, although he had always known his friend possessed considerable strength, he had never expected him to have concealed both his talent rank and actual level.
"You hid all of that while studying at Tianchen?" Xingluo asked.
"I concealed part of my strength because I had a reason to remain in this city," Miao Tianhe answered.
His gaze lowered briefly before he continued. "There was someone here whom I regarded as my own brother, I chose to stay beside him, even when better opportunities were available elsewhere."
Xingluo understood who he meant, but she did not speak.
Miao Tianhe looked toward the inactive teleportation array. "He was more important to me than any academy or cultivation resource. We intended to become stronger together and eventually carve out our own place in the city."
Standing beside Xingluo, Wuxia fell silent, Tianhe still believed he was dead, unaware that the person he spoke about stood only several steps away.
"Then why are you leaving now?" Ruan Mei asked.
"The person is gone and nothing remains to keep me here."
Miao Tianhe paused before adding, "I also disbanded the guild."
"Because Qin Haoran died?" Xingluo asked.
He nodded.
"Most of our members joined because they had suffered beneath Qin Haoran or wanted to oppose the Qin family’s influence. With Qin Haoran dead and his family under investigation, the purpose holding the guild together no longer exists."
Tianhe had spent the previous days distributing the guild’s shared resources and settling its remaining affairs before coming to the military base.
"Keeping it alive without a purpose would only turn it into another empty organisation," he continued. "Ending it properly was the better choice."
Xingluo remained silent as she processed his revelation.
Miao Tianhe had concealed an S-rank talent and rejected the resources of the Golden Dragon City Military Academy simply to remain beside someone he considered family. Even after Wuxia’s death, he had stayed behind and continued resisting the people who once threatened them.
Wuxia released a quiet sigh.
You sacrificed far too much, Tianhe.
Had Tianhe entered the academy when he first received the opportunity, its resources and training environment might already have carried him close to the Third Transition.
Professor Liang stepped onto the edge of the teleportation array and looked across the three students.
"That is enough conversation, you will have plenty of time to discuss these matters after reaching the academy."
Miao Tianhe picked up his bag while Xingluo and Ruan Mei moved toward the centre of the formation.
Professor Liang raised one hand, causing silver light to spread through the lines beneath their feet.
"Prepare yourselves," he said. "Golden Dragon City is nothing like the place you are leaving behind."
The teleportation array brightened around them and the military base disappeared beneath a rising pillar of light.