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Chapter 4 - CH-4.ADVANCING AND FRIENDS

The summer holidays flew by faster than Jin Chi's patience for push-ups.

Every morning, he trained under his father's sharp eye—learning the fundamentals of hand-to-hand combat. His punches were weak, his footing clumsy, and his balance questionable at best… but his spirit? Unshakable.

Now, as dawn painted the sky in shades of gold, a new chapter awaited him—his first day of fourth grade.

---

The classroom buzzed like a beehive the moment Jin Chi stepped in.

Dozens of eyes locked onto him—some curious, some skeptical, and a few glaring like he'd just stolen their lunch money.

"Hey, that's him, right?" someone whispered.

"The kid who skipped a whole grade?"

"Yeah, the genius everyone's talking about. Doesn't look that smart though…"

Within seconds, Jin Chi was surrounded.

"Hey, what's your name?"

"How old are you?"

"Are you really a genius?"

"Quick! What's ten times ten point one!?"

Jin Chi froze, blinking like a deer in headlights.

Am I… famous already? he thought, half proud, half terrified.

Then—BANG!

The door slammed open. The teacher marched in with the aura of a final boss, instantly silencing the chaos.

"Alright, settle down!" he barked.

Students scattered back to their seats like soldiers under fire.

The teacher's gaze swept the room, then fixed on Jin Chi.

"Yes, he's the one who skipped a grade," he said calmly. "And yes, he's younger than all of you."

Then his tone darkened. "But if anyone dares to bully or bother him…" His eyes gleamed dangerously. "Consider yourself expelled."

The room went dead silent.

Even Jin Chi sat a little straighter. Okay… note to self: don't get on his bad side either.

---

Recess came quickly. Jin Chi had barely packed his books before a group of girls dragged him off.

"Come sit with us!" they said, practically sparkling.

He found himself surrounded by snacks, laughter, and teasing questions. For once, he actually felt like a kid his age.

Then came Cultivation Class. Instructor Loch entered, tall and calm, his voice deep enough to make everyone sit up straight.

"Today, we'll cover Chapter Five: Spiritual Roots. Turn to page forty-five."

The class passed in a blur of scribbling, yawning, and Jin Chi secretly wondering what it'd be like to throw a fireball.

---

When the final bell rang, the classroom exploded with noise again. Some boys sulked in the corner, glaring as girls tugged at Jin Chi's cheeks and called him "adorable."

I used to be twenty-four, he thought miserably. How did I end up in a cheek-pinching nightmare?

At the school gates, his parents waited.

"Chi," his father said, smiling, "it's hard for both of us to come to school now. Business has expanded."

"So… how will I get home every day?" Jin Chi asked, curiosity lighting up his eyes.

Haoran chuckled. "You'll ride the school's Cloud Carriage. It'll take you to and from school safely—and you might even meet a few interesting people."

"A flying carriage?!" Jin Chi gasped. "Like… in the sky?"

His mother nodded. "Exactly. It's the common way for children of cultivator families to travel."

Jin Chi grinned from ear to ear. He could already imagine it—racing across the clouds, waving dramatically at people below, maybe even shouting something cool like 'The skies belong to me!'

---

A few days later, that fantasy became reality.

As dawn's golden light poured through the window, a deep chime echoed outside. Jin Chi was already up, neatly dressed, hair combed, and lunch packed—he looked ready for destiny… or a field trip.

His mother opened the door—and froze.

A tall man stood outside, cloaked in black robes that seemed to drink in the light. His voice was calm but carried an eerie echo.

"Madam," he said, bowing slightly. "I have come to escort Young Master Jin Chi to the Cloud Carriage bound for the academy."

Lianhua forced a polite smile. "O-of course. Chi! Your Cloud Carriage is here!"

Footsteps thundered down the stairs. Jin Chi arrived—wide-eyed, practically glowing with excitement.

The black-robed man extended his hand. "This way, young master."

With a flick of his sleeve, the wind stirred. Mist rose around them, and before Jin could even squeal, they were soaring upward.

The house disappeared below.

Then, through the mist, it appeared—

A magnificent Cloud Carriage, silver and rune-etched, glowing faintly like starlight. Two winged beasts pulled it gracefully through the sky.

Jin Chi's jaw dropped. "So this… is the Cloud Carriage?"

The man nodded faintly. "Indeed. Your journey begins among the clouds."

---

Inside, the carriage was spacious and gleaming—but empty.

Jin Chi squinted suspiciously. Wait… why am I alone?

A sudden chill crept down his spine. Am I… being kidnapped?

He shook his head. "No, no, no… calm down. I'm just early. Probably the first pickup. Totally fine."

He sat, crossing his arms like an anxious old man pretending everything was normal.

Moments later, the carriage stopped again. A boy stepped in—a familiar face from class.

Jin tried to hide, ducking behind a seat. Unfortunately, the boy spotted him instantly.

"Hey, you're Jin Chi, right?"

Jin sighed. "So much for stealth."

"Yes, that's me."

The boy grinned. "I knew it! You're the kid everyone's been talking about!"

Before Jin could reply, the carriage stopped once more.

---

The doors slid open, and sunlight flooded in. A faint shimmer followed—silver hair catching the light like liquid moonlight.

A girl stepped in.

She was breathtaking—calm, elegant, eyes distant like she was watching a world no one else could see.

Even the air seemed to hold its breath.

Jin Chi's mind blanked. Wow… is this what they mean by "main heroine entrance"?

The boy beside him leaned closer. "She's from Class 12-D. She's gonna graduate next year—and word is, she's already caught the attention of a Heaven-Rank University."

"Heaven-Rank… what?" Jin asked, still dazed.

The boy groaned dramatically. "You don't know? Dude, are you just book smart?"

He raised six fingers and began counting them down.

"Mortal Rank—boring. Spirit Rank—newbies. Earth Rank—actual cultivation. King Rank—rich prodigies. Saint Rank—super geniuses. And then Heaven Rank…"

He paused, eyes gleaming.

"That's where legends are born. Students there can crush armies, rewrite weather patterns, maybe even sneeze out lightning."

Jin Chi blinked. "Sneeze out lightning? Sounds… efficient."

The boy laughed. "Exactly! But yeah, the silver-haired girl? She's heading there for sure."

---

Jin Chi's eyes drifted to Shen Yu, the quiet boy from his class. Something about him sparked a thought—a little ping in his mind, like destiny tapping a shoulder.

Hmm… I want him as a friend. Someone who sticks by me. Someone strong, smart… maybe a little calm to balance my chaos.

A mischievous, almost demonic smile tugged at his lips—half childish, half… older, more cunning.

He leaned toward Shen Yu. "Where do you live? Let's… do a night stay together."

Shen Yu stiffened, a tingle running down his spine. This kid… is strange.

"I—uh…" Shen Yu started, but Jin Chi's smile didn't waver.

"By the way," Jin Chi added casually, almost thinking aloud, "what's your name?"

Shen Yu blinked. "My name… is Shen Yu."

Jin Chi's eyes sparkled like he'd just won a prize. Perfect. I've chosen the right boy.

From that moment on, Shen Yu stayed close—sitting together, eating together, and being dragged into the chaos that was Jin Chi's new life. It was strange, it was funny… and somehow, it already felt like fate.

---

Next Chapter: Drilling Training Into Yu

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