Just then, the same flying vehicle they had arrived in approached once more, and the same woman stepped out. At a glance, Tianlei noticed bruises on her face that hadn't been there before.
Who would hit a woman so badly, to the point of leaving her looking almost unrecognizable? Yet despite that, she bowed her head toward the two of them, her posture stiff and obedient.
She walked around the vehicle, opening all the doors, then gestured for them to enter.
Tianlei didn't hesitate. He stepped inside together with the feather lady. He had no choice but to heed his grandfather's words . If he ignored them, he would face danger just as the old man had warned.
The woman started the engine. The vehicle shifted modes, wheels folding inward as wings unfolded, and soon it lifted into the air.
Golden Earth Academy was only a few minutes away. After all, the Feng Earth Tower stood in the eastern part of Silver Ridge City, just a few kilometers from Silver Town.
Throughout the journey, Tianlei let silence drown everything else. All he had to do was endure while being patient, being hardworking and fulfill his obligations. Otherwise, he would fall, no matter how much he wished otherwise.
The vehicle descended a short distance from the main gates of Golden Earth Academy. Massive metallic gates towered ahead, embedded into a wall that enclosed the entire academy. The walls rose more than fifty meters high, with at least ten guards patrolling the entrance.
No one was entering or leaving. It was as though the academy existed apart from the world, or perhaps only elite students came here and even then, they were few.
"Oh shit, how could I forget," the feather lady muttered as she stepped out of the vehicle.
"What is it?" Tianlei asked.
"To enter the academy, you need a pass or an invitation. That's how the system works. Unless you're a core student, you can't enter or exit before the allocated time."
"Is that going to be a problem?"
"Well… it isn't always a problem, if you charm your way through."
She moved forward, tucking her hair neatly behind her ear, then activated her armor.
This time, it looked different from when she had used it in the Great Di Forest. The armor pressed tightly against her body, accentuating her curves, making her appear undeniably alluring.
"Charm your way through, huh," Tianlei thought. His eyes lingered on her upper body before drifting lower. The thought alone sent a shiver down his spine.
"What are you looking at?"
Tianlei straightened immediately. "What?"
"Is that really necessary?" he continued, shifting his gaze toward the ten guards near the gate.
His eyes caught sight of two artillery guns mounted on either side of the entrance. They looked automatic. Forced entry was clearly not an option at least not one meant for survival.
"Come on."
She began walking, hips swaying slightly. Maybe it was excessive, but she moved like a woman who knew exactly what she wanted. Tianlei followed without protest.
"Mr. Tianlei," a voice called from behind.
He turned. The woman from the vehicle was approaching him. She stopped and bowed deeply.
"The patriarch ordered me to give this to you," she said softly. Her voice trembled with pain, and blood stains were visible on her cracked lips. Whoever had struck her hadn't held back.
Tianlei briefly wondered if it had been the patriarch himself, but dismissed the thought. That wasn't the kind of man he was.
She extended her hand, offering a small ring.Tianlei accepted it and smiled faintly.
"Thanks."
She looked startled by his response, then bowed again and returned to the vehicle.
For a moment, Tianlei felt a trace of sorrow for her, but memories of her earlier ill words about the Feng Earth Tower surfaced, and he pushed those feelings aside.
He hurried forward to catch up with the feather lady. She had already reached the guards, and the conversation had begun.
"This is my brother, Su Tu'ran," she said, gesturing toward Tianlei.
"Miss, I wish I could help," one of the guards replied, "but today we were strictly instructed not to allow anyone without an invitation or pass card. That was a direct order."
The feather lady clenched her jaw and struck the ground with her foot, sending a gust of wind rippling through the guards.
"You must be joking. What happened to helping me?" she snapped.
"Miss, I hate to trouble beautiful women like you," the man said calmly, "but disobeying orders would put all of us in danger."
He appeared to be in his twenties, a young guard with an obvious fondness for her.
The feather lady's expression softened into a faint smile.
"I understand you're on duty," she said, "but do you really want to get me into trouble? My brother and I rushed out after hearing something happened at our home. It was… family chaos."
Her eyes glistened with unshed tears. The lie wasn't perfect, but it was convincing enough.
"You know my cousin," she continued. "A spoiled brat. He demanded his share of the family wealth. My father slapped him, and things escalated. People these days don't even respect family anymore."
The young guard hesitated, sympathy flickering across his face. He turned to Tianlei.
"Su Tu'ran… is that true?"
Tianlei stiffened at the name. "Uh, yes. It's… a very long and complicated story."
The guard nodded, then turned to someone behind him.
"Second Commander, should we let them pass?"
The second commander looked up from his tablet. He was older, with a beard running from his chin up toward his hairline. One eyebrow rose slowly.
"How long will you keep getting lied to by girls?" he said flatly. "She won't give you anything except a smile."
The feather lady clenched her fists and stepped forward.
"Hey, old man. Maybe you had an argument with your wife—who, I'll say, must be pretty rude to treat such a handsome man poorly but we aren't deceiving you. I'm far too smart for petty girl charms."
The man glanced up again.
"Oh? You're smart. Does my face scream 'man who hates his quarrelsome wife'? If it does, then sure."
The feather lady grinned.
"I'm sorry to trouble you so much," she said gently, choosing her words carefully. "But as you can see, we've already faced trouble and we'll face more if you don't let us pass."
The man chuckled softly.
"Oh dear, I'm truly sorry for everything you've been through , Go ahead. Talk to that man over there. If he allows you, then go."
She bowed slightly and turned to Tianlei.
"Brother Su, come on. We don't have all day."
Tianlei followed, still incredulous at how smoothly she'd maneuvered through the guards.
They approached another man standing near the gate, casually smoking a cigarette. Unlike the others, he wore no uniform just a military-style tracksuit. The gate beside him was slightly open, just enough for a person to pass through.
"Sir," the feather lady said politely, "as you can see, we've been permitted to proceed. If it isn't too much trouble, may we pass?"
The man looked up, removed the cigarette from his lips, and exhaled smoke directly toward them.
Tianlei instinctively covered his nose, the smoke was thick and suffocating. He was yet to know what people actually enjoyed from inhaling such a thing .
"Oh yeah, I see you passed," the man said lazily. "Congratulations." He placed the cigarette back between his lips.
The feather lady narrowed her eyes.
"So… we can pass?"
"Well, you cleared the first two rounds," he replied. "But the third round isn't a joke."
"What are you talking about?"
Tianlei glanced around. The man's mocking expression sent a chill through him. His instincts screamed danger. He turned and saw the guards behind them grinning.
"You were allowed to pass only because I allowed them to allow you," the man continued calmly. "Miss Su Jiaru… and Feng Tianlei. Who do you think we are?"
"Definitely fools," Tianlei answered coldly.
The feather lady's eyes burned with fury, her nails digging into her palms as realization struck her . These guards seemed to have planned everything from pitiful talks to mocking gestures so that it seems real .
"You were playing with us? For your own entertainment?"
"Well, yeah," the man said, removing the cigarette and pinching it between his fingers. "It was amusing watching you charm your way through. Did you really think all men are idiots who fall for petty tricks? We've grown out of that, girl."
"Your names are Su Jiaru and Feng Tianlei," he said, stepping closer and staring into her eyes. "Am I wrong?"
He turned to Tianlei.
"Did you really think we were fools?"
Tianlei's gaze hardened.
"Like I said," he replied calmly, "you are."
"Drowning Cursed Mind Technique."