The next morning arrived quietly.
Soft sunlight entered the bungalow through the windows, illuminating the familiar room.
Jade stood near the door with a bag hanging from his shoulder.
Everything he needed for the academy was already packed.
A few sets of clothes.
Some notebooks.
Several personal belongings.
A handful of materials he had collected during his time in the Spiritual Realm.
Nothing excessive.
Jade had never been someone who owned many things.
He looked around the bungalow one final time.
This place had never truly been his home.
It belonged to Aviana.
Yet after spending so much time here, the rooms had gradually become familiar.
The kitchen.
The living room.
The quiet bedroom.
Even the small table where he had spent countless hours thinking about his future.
Jade sighed.
"I'll probably be away for a long time."
He adjusted the strap of his bag.
"But at least I'll still be able to visit through my Soul Sea."
A small movement caught his attention.
Ling emerged from the wall.
The little shadow stretched lazily before looking at Jade.
Jade smiled.
"Come on."
"We're leaving."
Ling immediately followed him.
Jade reached for the door.
But before he could open it—
The door opened from the other side.
Jade stopped.
A familiar figure stood before him.
Long black-and-gold hair.
Golden eyes.
A familiar presence.
Aviana.
Jade sighed.
"Aviana."
She smiled.
"So you're leaving."
Jade nodded.
"I'm going to the academy."
He lifted his bag slightly.
"I might stay there for a long time."
Aviana stepped forward.
"I'll miss you."
Before Jade could respond, she suddenly hugged him.
Jade froze for a moment.
Then he smiled faintly.
"We'll still see each other."
"How?"
"Through my Soul Sea."
Aviana thought about it.
"That's true."
She released him.
Then her expression changed.
She looked at him suspiciously.
"Although..."
Jade immediately became cautious.
"What?"
"What on earth were you fighting?"
Jade blinked.
Aviana crossed her arms.
"I felt an unbearable heat coming from your Soul Sea."
"It was so intense that I thought something had gone terribly wrong."
"Then I realized your Blood Army had disappeared."
Jade's expression became awkward.
"Oh."
"That."
"Yes."
Aviana narrowed her eyes.
"Explain."
Jade scratched his cheek.
"I don't really know what happened."
"You don't know?"
"No."
"Nothing?"
"Not really."
Aviana stared at him.
Jade continued.
"Ling was actually the one who did it."
The little shadow immediately turned toward Jade.
Its tiny arms crossed.
Its expression was filled with disgust.
Jade understood immediately.
He laughed.
"Don't look at me like that."
Ling turned its head away.
Aviana burst into laughter.
"You two are ridiculous."
Jade shook his head.
"I know."
Aviana's smile slowly faded.
Then she looked at him seriously.
"Anyway..."
"I'm going to challenge my second Trial."
Jade's eyes widened.
"Already?"
Aviana nodded.
"I've formed my Gate."
For a moment, Jade simply stared at her.
Then a proud smile appeared.
"Congratulations."
Aviana smiled.
"Before I come back..."
She pointed at him.
"You'd better be stronger."
Jade nodded.
"I will."
Aviana stepped backward.
A powerful Gate appeared behind her.
The instant it opened—
A tremendous pressure flooded the room.
Jade's body immediately reacted.
His knees weakened.
His breathing became heavier.
The air itself seemed to become denser.
Even Ling flattened itself against the floor.
Aviana, however, calmly stepped backward.
She looked at Jade one final time.
"See you later."
Then she entered the Gate.
The Gate closed.
The pressure disappeared.
A few seconds later, the Gate itself vanished.
Jade remained standing silently.
He slowly exhaled.
"...She's getting stronger."
Ling nodded.
Jade looked down at the shadow.
"You agree?"
Ling crossed its arms.
Jade laughed.
"Of course you do."
He adjusted his bag.
Then looked toward the road ahead.
It was time.
The academy was waiting.
Jade stepped outside.
The door closed behind him.
---
Three Hours Later...
A young woman stood before a quiet house on Planet Diamond.
She looked at the building carefully.
Then she pressed the doorbell.
Ding.
Ding.
Ding.
No answer.
The woman frowned.
It was Sarah.
She had been searching for Jade.
Not casually.
She had searched through government records.
Academy registrations.
Initiate databases.
Residential files.
Public records.
Everywhere she could think of.
Yet there was one problem.
There was no Jade.
At least...
There was no Jade registered under that name.
Sarah wasn't willing to give up.
She continued searching.
Eventually, she found something suspicious.
A file.
The name listed inside was:
Robin.
Sarah stared at the name.
"Robin?"
She opened the file.
There wasn't much information.
But one detail immediately caught her attention.
The residence was connected to a woman named Aviana.
Sarah's expression changed.
She immediately understood.
"Jade..."
"So that's the name you're using."
Robin.
An alias.
It was the only explanation that made sense.
Sarah looked toward the house again.
She pressed the bell.
Nothing.
"Is anyone home?"
Silence.
Sarah sighed.
"Of course."
She activated her ability.
Shadow Step.
Her body blurred.
The next instant—
She appeared inside the house.
Sarah looked around.
Empty.
No Jade.
No Aviana.
No Ling.
She walked through the rooms carefully.
Everything appeared normal.
The furniture was still there.
The kitchen was untouched.
The house carried the faint feeling of people who had recently left.
But nobody was there.
Sarah sighed.
"I missed you again."
She eventually left the house.
There was no reason to remain.
Instead, she walked toward a secluded section of a nearby park.
Tall trees surrounded the area.
Few people passed through this part of the park.
Sarah looked around to make sure nobody was watching.
Then—
She summoned her Gate.
Darkness unfolded before her.
A powerful pressure emerged from the other side.
Sarah stepped forward.
Her figure disappeared into the Gate.
The Gate slowly closed behind her.
---
Meanwhile...
Jade had already arrived at the academy.
The enormous campus stretched across the horizon.
Crystal buildings rose into the sky.
Training grounds covered vast sections of the property.
Cultivation halls stood beside projection facilities.
Hundreds of Initiates moved through the campus.
Some carried weapons.
Others wore academy uniforms.
Some were already heading toward training areas.
Jade quietly observed everything.
So this was his new environment.
For the first time in a long while—
he wasn't surrounded by monsters.
He was surrounded by people who wanted to become stronger.
That felt strangely refreshing.
After completing the necessary registration procedures, Jade received his room assignment.
He looked down at the information.
Residential Building C.
Room 217.
"217."
He memorized it.
Then he carried his bag toward the residential building.
The corridors were surprisingly quiet.
A few students passed him.
Some glanced at him.
Others continued walking.
Jade didn't pay much attention.
He wasn't here to become famous.
He wasn't here to impress anyone.
He had a much simpler goal.
Become stronger.
Strong enough to uncover the truth.
Strong enough to break the mystery surrounding his Fate.
Strong enough to eventually reunite with the people he cared about.
Eventually, Jade found the correct room.
217.
He opened the door.
A simple room greeted him.
A bed.
A desk.
A cultivation platform.
A small kitchen.
A private bathroom.
Nothing luxurious.
But it was enough.
Jade placed his bag beside the bed.
Then he sat down.
The journey had finally begun.
Tomorrow would bring training.
Evaluations.
Classes.
New people.
New enemies.
New opportunities.
For now, however...
Jade simply leaned against the bed.
His eyes slowly closed.
Soon enough, someone from the academy would come to summon him.
And when that happened—
his peaceful period would truly be over.
Jade had entered the academy.
And with it...
A completely new chapter of his life had begun.