The air hovering over Nuoding Academy felt charged with an unsettling tension that went beyond the oppressive heat of midday training sessions or the heavy influence of internal gravity runes. This was a pervasive atmosphere—political, probing, and tinged with danger, as if an unseen weight were pressing down on everyone present.
Tang Yan stood at the peak of the dormitory roof, his keen eyes sweeping over the academy's sturdy outer walls, which seemed to hold secrets of their own. A shiver of unease prickled at his skin. "It feels like we're being watched," he mused, instincts honed over years of training coming to the fore.
A familiar voice chimed in through his mental interface: "The wind carries the scent of meddling… and bureaucracy," it remarked with an almost sarcastic tone.
From within, Tianmeng Bug added, "Incoming bureaucratic tension certainly does not sit well. I'd much rather face a pack of soul beasts than deal with this."
1. **Return of the Familiar Stranger**
In the bustling main courtyard of Nuoding, Su Yuntao stepped through the imposing gates of the academy, his Spirit Hall envoy robes glistening under the late afternoon sun. They were now cleaner, richer—embroidered with symbols of his rank—far more ornate than the last time Tang Yan had encountered him. There was a new sharpness in Su Yuntao's eyes, a weight to his presence that suggested he was not simply delivering mundane news.
He clutched a scroll tightly in his hand—a mission ordered from Spirit Hall to re-evaluate potential prodigies for their tracking program. Before he could immerse himself in the academy's routine, he was intercepted by Yu Xiaogang, who stood with an air of authority, his expression stern.
"Yuntao," Yu Xiaogang called out, halting Su Yuntao in his tracks. The younger man's eyes widened slightly in recognition, the word "Master" barely escaping his lips.
"You will not evaluate those two. You will report their progress under my certification. That is all," Yu Xiaogang stated firmly, every word steeped in authority.
Su Yuntao hesitated for a fleeting moment—caught in the tension between protocol and the gravity of old ties. Eventually, he yielded with a respectful nod. "As you command, Master."
The system chimed in quietly, "Old bonds salvage new anomalies. Quite convenient, isn't it?"
Tianmeng Bug replied, "What they don't yet know is that they're dealing with individuals as potent as walking nuclear scrolls."
2. **The Meeting of Adults — Behind Closed Doors**
That evening, a hush fell over the academy as the adult council convened in a locked chamber, the air thick with unspoken worries. Yu Xiaogang stood by a tall window, arms crossed in thought while surveying the fading light outside. Tang Hao leaned nonchalantly against the wall, his presence solid and protective. Across the room, Gu Yuena and Ah Yin sat together, their expressions serious, while Bi Ji quietly prepared tea, the steam rising like wisps of worry.
"Spirit Hall is probing," Yu Xiaogang stated bluntly, breaking the silence. "They sense something irregular. It's not enough to spur them into immediate action, but it is enough for them to report back."
A grunt of frustration escaped Tang Hao. "Let them try. We're prepared."
"You say that, but it's that very bravado that might make you their first target," Yu Xiaogang countered, his tone sharp.
Gu Yuena's golden gaze fixed firmly on Tang Hao, her voice low yet firm. "We cannot afford mistakes at this juncture. The boys are not yet prepared for such exposure."
Ah Yin interjected softly, her voice trembling with concern, "And soon, they'll be becoming stronger than we can conceal."
3. **The Foreshadowing – A Divide Looms**
Yu Xiaogang laid a complex chart depicting soul power fluctuations on the ornate wooden table, the lines and curves a testament to the boys' potential. "After they absorb their second ring, they will become impossible to ignore. Particularly Tang Yan. His presence will be palpable."
Gu Yuena nodded in agreement. "He's stabilizing a form of Heavenly Energy that even the gods themselves hesitate to trace. This is no ordinary power we're dealing with."
Tang Hao sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "What's your point, then?"
Yu Xiaogang raised his gaze from the chart to meet theirs. "After their second ring is absorbed… they will need to be separated."
"WHAT?" Bi Ji nearly dropped her delicately crafted cup, her eyes wide with shock.
"Only temporarily," he clarified quickly, sensing the ensuing panic. "Different academies, different spheres. The less the world observes them together, the less likely anyone will suspect what they truly are."
Ah Yin's voice shook as she whispered, "Will they… accept that?"
Gu Yuena assuredly stated, "Tang Yan will. If it protects Tang San."
Tang Hao added, "And Tang San will comply. If it means strengthening Tang Yan."
Silence enveloped them, thick as the gathering clouds outside.
The system chimed in again, "A storm brews at the edge of brotherhood."
Meanwhile, somewhere in the distance, Tang Yan sneezed, cutting through the atmosphere with unexpected levity. "Ugh, what a weird chill," he muttered, seemingly oblivious to the gravity of the meeting behind closed doors.
The system remarked dryly, "...Nevermind. Host far too dense to notice."
4. **Final Scene — The Calm Before Growth**
That night, beneath a tapestry of shimmering stars, the twins sat side by side, sharing soul bread and exchanging silent, playful banter. They remained blissfully unaware of the looming implications of their journeys ahead, discussing plans for their second ring hunt and strategizing how to merge their martial soul capabilities with formation arrays.
"One day," Tang Yan said with a dreamy smile, "we'll look back at all of this and laugh, I'm sure of it."
Tang San, always the realist, teased, "What if we don't?"
"Then we'll just train harder until we do!" Tang Yan replied enthusiastically, their hands clasping in a brotherly bond that felt unbreakable, two souls standing resolutely beneath the vast expanse of the heavens.
Yet, unbeknownst to them, in the shadows, fate was already preparing for its next move.