CHAPTER 224: GRAND COMPETITION XXIII

The group stayed in the courtyard for a while, too tired to move.

After a few minutes, Yue finally pushed herself up."Alright... let’s at least get back before someone thinks we died."

Mu Chen raised one hand from the ground."I can’t feel my legs."

Han Yi groaned."I can’t feel my soul."

Lei Feng didn’t move at all."Someone bury me. I lived a good life."

Yue pulled Han Yi up by the arm."Come on. If we stay here, Tian Lei will make us train again."

That was enough motivation.

Everyone slowly stood—crooked, limping, sore everywhere—but at least standing.

They moved through the sect grounds like a line of injured ducks.Other disciples stared as they passed.

One whispered to another,"Did they fight a monster?"The other replied,"No. They trained with Instructor Tian."

That alone explained everything.

Han Yi wiped a tear from his eye."I just remembered something..."

Yue frowned. "What?"

Han Yi pointed at the training grounds behind them."We have to come back tomorrow."

Everyone froze.

Mu Chen’s jaw dropped."...We do."

Lei Feng clutched his chest."My heart... it hurts again..."

Yue sighed."This is our life now."

As they walked, Ling finally rejoined them. She had already washed her hands and looked fresh, like she was ready for another round.

Han Yi stared at her in disbelief."Did you... rest already?"

Ling shook her head."No. I was checking the schedule."

Yue narrowed her eyes."What schedule?"

Ling said it calmly, as if it was normal."Tian Lei added two extra sessions this week."

The group stopped dead in their tracks.

Mu Chen whispered, horrified,"...Two... extra...?"

Han Yi clutched his head."I’m not ready! I’m not ready at all!"

Yue looked like she wanted to punch something."I swear he’s trying to kill us."

Ling blinked."It’s good training."

Lei Feng looked at her with pain in his eyes."For you. For us, it’s torture."

Ling tilted her head."Then... train more."

Han Yi threw his hands up."That’s her answer to everything!"

But they kept walking.

Eventually, they reached the outer dorms.

Everyone went quiet, because standing near the entrance was the Head Disciple, Chu Ming.

He watched them approach with a raised eyebrow.

"You all look like you crawled out of a disaster."

Han Yi whispered,"Close enough..."

Chu Ming stepped toward them."Instructor Tian told me the results. Only Ling passed all five rounds."

He looked at Ling with clear respect."Well done."

Ling bowed politely.

Chu Ming turned to the others."As for the rest of you... you need to work harder."

The group collectively died inside.

Yue forced a smile."We’ll try."

Chu Ming nodded and walked away.

As soon as he disappeared around the corner, Han Yi collapsed again."I can’t do this. I’ll never survive until next month."

Yue sighed but patted his shoulder."You’ll survive. Barely. Like always."

Mu Chen dragged himself toward the dorm door."I’m going to sleep for twenty hours."

Lei Feng followed behind him, limping."And then eat everything in the dining hall."

Finally, they all reached their rooms.

Before they went in, Han Yi looked at the rest of them.

"Guys... no matter how bad it gets... we should stick together, right?"

Yue nodded."Of course."

Mu Chen nodded."Yes."

Lei Feng nodded."Always."

Ling nodded too."Good. Tomorrow’s training begins earlier."

The other four froze.

Han Yi screamed,"WHAT?!"

Ling walked away calmly.

The rest just stared at her back with despair.

Yue groaned,"...Sleep. We deal with this after sleep."

They slept like corpses.

Not peacefully—

more like four warriors who had lost a war against wooden puppets.

Morning came too fast.

Han Yi woke first.

He opened his eyes.

Closed them again.

Reopened them just to suffer.

"...Why is it morning already...?" he whispered to his pillow.

His entire body answered with pain.

Across the thin wall, Yue yelled,

"OW—! Who invented spines?! Mine is broken!"

Mu Chen groaned from somewhere on the floor.

"I can’t get up. Tell Tian Lei I died."

Lei Feng’s voice drifted from his room:

"If I don’t move... maybe the pain won’t find me..."

But reality didn’t care.

Because at that moment—

KNOCK. KNOCK.

A calm voice.

"It’s time."

Han Yi froze.

"...Ling?"

The door slid open.

Ling Qingxue stood there, looking freshly washed, perfectly awake, hair tied neatly, expression clear.

Han Yi stared at her like she was a heavenly spirit.

Yue dragged her door open.

Her hair looked like a bird’s nest about to declare war on the world.

"You’re too awake," she muttered. "It’s illegal."

Mu Chen crawled out of his room instead of walking.

Lei Feng dragged himself like a tragic ghost.

Ling blinked at their condition.

"You all look... worse than yesterday."

Han Yi pointed at her weakly.

"Because we’re mortals! You’re... you’re something else."

Ling tilted her head, confused.

"I rested."

Yue narrowed her eyes.

"For how long?"

"Ten minutes."

Han Yi fell to his knees.

"Ten—TEN MINUTES?!"

Mu Chen covered his face.

"I can’t listen to this..."

Ling simply nodded toward the training grounds.

"Instructor Tian is waiting."

Everyone’s souls evaporated.

Lei Feng swallowed hard.

"He... he’s awake this early?"

Ling nodded.

"He said we start with sprint drills."

Han Yi made a noise that did not belong to any known language.

But they walked.

Slowly.

Like prisoners being escorted to their doom.

Training Grounds

Tian Lei was standing there, arms folded, morning wind blowing through his hair like he was posing for a painting.

He saw them and nodded once.

"You’re all late."

Han Yi screamed internally.

Yue bowed stiffly.

"We’re sorry, Instructor."

Tian Lei raised a brow.

"At least you’re honest. Good. Today, we increase intensity."

All four disciples silently screamed.

He continued,

"First: Sprint around the mountain path. Five laps."

Han Yi’s legs trembled.

"F-Five?"

"Yes," Tian Lei said calmly. "Ling will carry the weight vests."

Ling nodded and picked up four heavy vests as if they were bags of feathers.

The others wanted to cry.

Mu Chen whispered,

"I regret every life choice that brought me here..."

Lei Feng groaned,

"My ribs are still rearranged..."

Yue took a deep breath.

"Alright. Let’s do this. Together."

Han Yi clapped his trembling hands weakly.

"Y-Yeah... Together..."

Tian Lei pointed forward.

"Go!"

They ran.

Slow.

Painful.

Wobbly.

But they ran.

And Ling?

She jogged beside them casually, like she was on a morning stroll.

Han Yi gasped for air.

"Ling... how are you so calm...?"

Ling blinked.

"I’m tired."

Everyone stared in disbelief.

"Really??" Yue gasped.

Ling nodded.

"...A little."

Han Yi collapsed mid-run.

Yue dragged him by the collar.

And so it continued:

four half-dead disciples and one unshakable prodigy climbing a mountain together.

Not gracefully.

Not heroically.

But stubbornly—

painfully—

hilariously—

as one extremely suffering group.

And though the sun burned,

though their legs trembled,

though Tian Lei shouted at them from behind...