Fan Yumei and Master Sun chatted for a bit longer before she bid her goodbyes to all three of her beasts and Master Sun.
"You guys stay on your best behavior—especially you, Maxius and Mystic. Also Lufei is in charge," Fan called out as she exited the lab, making her way out of Master Sun's villa.
She grabbed breakfast up the road from some vendors.
As she walked, she watched the scene of hawkers and hologram signs advertising their products. A few young kids were watching a dumpling vendor chatting and serving customers, eyes glued to each steaming bowl of soup as they were devoured—rubbing their stomachs and smacking their lips.
Fan Yumei paused… then walked over and squatted beside them, spooking them as she spoke:
"Hey, have you eaten?"
"Ahh!" they all screamed, jumping up in fright.
"Don't do that! You nearly gave me a heart attack—then I'd crawl back from King Yama and haunt you until the end of your days!" a young boy with unique blue and hazel eyes shouted, patting his little chest.
"Who are you?" another asked—a young girl.
Fan Yumei chuckled softly as she stood.
"Kid, I didn't think you'd be so timid," she teased, smirking at his bewildered expression.
"Timid?! You're timid! Your whole family is timid!!!" he shouted, stomping his foot and hopping in place like he was trying to match her height.
"Okay, okay—I was wrong, all right, kid? Do you feel better now that you've vented your emotions out, hmm?" Fan Yumei pointed and poked his forehead, causing him to cover it with his hands.
"Mhm, serves you right… at least you know better!" the brat-boy huffed, turning his back to her while still sneaking side glances, wondering what she wanted.
"Big sister… how can we help you? You came to us for a reason, right?" the little girl from earlier asked as she tugged on Fan Yumei's sleeve.
Fan Yumei turned fully to her and stated her purpose:
"I asked if you guys have eaten?" she repeated her earlier question, then added, "It's my treat. I don't need nor want anything in return."
They all perked up hearing this.
"Really?! You're not just playing tricks on us, right? If so, take your mockery elsewhere and we can go about our way," said the boy with the two-colored eyes.
"Of course not. I don't play about food—nor joke about feeding someone in need and hungry. Especially kids like orphans… and old people." Fan Yumei waved her hand as she spoke, complete seriousness in her voice.
She led them across the way to the vendor selling dumpling soup and asked for eight bowls—all with extra dumplings and a meat bun for each person, brightening the smiles on their faces.
Fan Yumei only smiled as she watched them finish their food before standing and bidding farewell to the kids.
Then she tore a teleport scroll, muttering:
"Federation Academy."
She walked through the portal and appeared in front of the campus's main entrance—thankfully, she wouldn't have to cross all the way from homeroom. Still 12 minutes before class started.
⸻
PING!
Fan glanced down at her Omni-band as a message from the principal came through her student page profile.
⸻
Good morning, Ms. Fan,
I would like to discuss a few things with you.
This is nothing bad.
When you arrive on school grounds, please report to the Front Academy Office.
Thank you,
Principal Renshu
⸻
"Mhm…" Fan Yumei hummed at the message, rerouting her steps toward the principal's office, wondering what this was about.
"I guess we'll see soon enough."
Soon she saw the front office building and picked up her pace a little—no sense in keeping the principal waiting.
She finally entered and walked up to the receptionist, who didn't even look up from her work.
"They're in the office, waiting," the woman said distractedly, waving a hand toward the principal's door.
When Fan didn't move fast enough, the woman added,
"Go on now. Don't keep them waiting, Student Fan."
Fan Yumei snapped out of her daydream, still wondering who "they" were, as she knocked and entered.
⸻
What met her was a wall of eyes staring directly at her.
She blinked, startled.
"Sorry I'm late. I just got to school," she bowed, eyes flicking across the room.
Principal Renshu.
Guild Commander Qin.
Two unfamiliar teachers.
A handful of students—some she knew, some she didn't.
A space seemed to open for her like magic.
She slipped in and turned to face the front just as the principal began.
⸻
"First off, congratulations to all of you for placing in the top three or five—whether it was in solo battles or beast battles," Principal Renshu said, clapping. A few educators and guests joined in politely.
"Secondly… I've called you here because each of you has won an entry into the newly discovered Secret Realm." He paused, clearly choosing his words carefully.
Students began whispering. Eyes darted around the room.
"This realm… it's newly discovered. Never explored. Not once. Not by us, not by others," he said, his tone dropping into something far more serious.
"There will be powerhouses. Rival academies. Outsiders. Unknowns…"
"This is now life and death."
He hesitated again.
Then stepped back.
⸻
Guild Commander Qin stepped forward—his presence ice-cold.
"Most of you won't survive," he said flatly.
"Some of you will be looted. Killed. Tortured for another's amusement or resources. You'll die… because you're too weak."
A few students visibly flinched.
His voice cut deep—no warmth, no leniency.
"The Academy doesn't do death matches, no. But all cultivators know the unspoken law of the jungle."
"Kill… or be killed."
"And in your case… let's hope they make your deaths fast."
More students backed away a step, now grasping the weight of his words.
⸻
"We aren't sure how long the realm will remain open," Qin continued, "and we don't know how time flows inside it. One hour here could be days inside. Or the opposite."
"Some people return with white hair after what they thought was a weekend."
"You wouldn't want to age a lifetime… stuck in a realm where no one can reach you."
He stood tall, hands behind his back, voice cold and flat.
"Anything found inside is rightfully yours. But the Academy and Iron Guild are willing to pay very well for certain resources, relics, and historical records retrieved."
That caught everyone's attention.
⸻
Principal Renshu stepped forward again.
"You'll each receive a mission list—herbs and items needed by the Academy, collected by the City R Research Faculty."
"These will assist with your beasts' evolution, refinement, and bloodline purification. Free of charge."
He nodded toward the assistant who brought out scrolls.
⸻
Fan Yumei felt a tap on her shoulder.
She turned—Min Zhao and Jin Minhe were waving at her with small grins.
She nodded, smiled, and moved to stand with them, slipping into a spot between Zhou Qian and Jin Minhe. Kai Shi stood just behind her.
⸻
"We don't know exactly what kind of realm this is yet," Principal Renshu said at last, "but the energy signals suggest accelerated time."
"What we might think is a few hours outside the realm … could be days, months, or years inside."
"Realms like this are dangerous—but they are also the best place to find treasure, rare resources, inheritances, or even rare beast types and eggs ."
⸻
His words rang like a silent bell.
Steel truth.
And the room felt colder for it.