Instead of returning to his room, Ray went straight to Alfred's quarters.

"Come in."

Alfred sat cross-legged on the bed, white robes immaculate.

"Teacher," Ray asked, "are we really getting another classmate?"

Alfred opened his eyes. Purple light flickered briefly.

"That's not something you should worry about," he said coldly. "Focus on your final exam."

He paused.

"Originally, the test was designed for five people. Now there are only three of you."

Ray's heart sank.

"That means," Alfred continued calmly, "you'll be taking an exam meant for five."

"Huh?"

You call this a reminder?!

Ray stared blankly at Alfred.

For a moment, his mind went completely empty. Then a single thought surfaced, loud and clear.

So there really exists someone this unreasonable.

Alfred's expression didn't change in the slightest. "If there's nothing else, you may leave."

"Oh…" Ray responded weakly before turning around and walking out. The moment he left the room, however, he couldn't wait to find Raziel Phoenix and Lily to relay the devastating news.

*

"A test meant for five?" Lily's reaction was calm, almost indifferent. "Then we'll just treat it like a test for five."

Raziel Phoenix, on the other hand, swallowed nervously. Still, he knew better than to panic. Worrying about something they couldn't change was pointless.

"Ray," Raziel Phoenix suddenly leaned in and whispered conspiratorially, "there's actually something I want to try with you."

Ray eyed him warily. "What are you plotting now?"

Raziel Phoenix grinned. "Back when I stabbed you and you couldn't control your bloodline, you suddenly exploded with power. Now that you can control it… don't you think the reaction might be even stronger?"

Ray fell silent for a moment. "I… honestly don't know."

Raziel Phoenix's grin widened. "Then let's test it!"

Before Ray could react, Lily lifted her leg and kicked Raziel Phoenix cleanly away, smiling sweetly all the while.

"Absolutely not."

"Oof!" Raziel Phoenix groaned. "I knew it! You're way too protective of him! Lily, can you at least pretend to be fair? We met him at the same time, so why do you always favor Ray?"

Lily's smile deepened, warm and beautiful… yet terrifying.

"What, what are you smiling like that for?" Raziel Phoenix instinctively backed away.

"You want to know why?" Lily said pleasantly. "It's simple. Ray is more handsome than you."

"Eh?"

Raziel Phoenix clutched his chest in outrage. "How can you be like this?!"

Ray couldn't help but laugh. "Enough, both of you. Let's focus on the exam."

Lily nodded. "We'll fight the same way we did in the spirit ascension platform. The three of us work best together anyway. We'll adapt on the fly. Teacher wouldn't give us something impossible."

Ray thought for a moment. "He'll probably target our usual formation. So let's change it. Raziel Phoenix stays as assault-support. Lily joins the assault directly. I'll handle control and defense."

"Fine by me," Lily replied.

After leaving Raziel Phoenix's room, Lily suddenly grabbed Ray's arm.

"Wait."

"Hm?" Ray turned, confused.

Lily circled him slowly, sniffing the air.

"There's a woman's scent on you."

Ray nearly jumped. "Your nose is that sensitive? You can smell that through barbecue smoke?"

"Stop dodging the question," Lily said sharply. "Explain."

Ray scratched his head awkwardly. "Senior sister Ouyang treated me to food earlier. I wasn't in a good mood. We also ran into the Xu siblings."

Lily narrowed her eyes. "So that senior sister of yours likes that arrogant ice staff guy?"

"It looks that way," Ray admitted. "Oh, and Violetta Fireheart might be joining class zero."

"I don't care," Lily replied flatly. "That Ouyang girl isn't good. She values romance over friendship. Stay away from her."

Ray frowned. "Don't say that. She was kind enough to treat me."

"Kind?" Lily snorted. "If she were kind, she would've walked you home. You're still small."

"I'm not small!" Ray protested.

Lily crossed her arms. "Anyway, don't meet her so often. One glance was enough for me. Go sleep."

She turned and left, leaving Ray standing there utterly baffled.

Deciding not to dwell on it, Ray returned to his room and resumed cultivation. No matter how turbulent his emotions were, becoming stronger remained his ultimate goal.

*

Inside her room, Lily closed the door and stood silently by the window. Moonlight washed over her as the cool night breeze stirred her hair.

Her eyes slowly shifted from black to a faint violet glow.

Six colors danced above her palms. Blue, yellow, red, green, silver, gold.

And then, for just a fleeting instant, a dark purple light flickered… before vanishing.

*

The next morning.

Ray was jogging as usual when he spotted a familiar figure.

"Good morning, senior sister!"

Uriel smiled. "Feeling better today?"

"Yes," Ray replied sheepishly. "I'm fine now."

She giggled. "That's good. Oh, by the way, senior brother Xu paid the bill yesterday. You should thank him sometime."

"He paid?"

The gloom returned instantly.

"He did it to give me face," Uriel said lightly. "I'm joking. You can treat me next time instead. Come on, let's see if you can outrun me today."

They picked up the pace. Ray slowed himself to match her speed.

After their run, Uriel went to wash up, while Ray headed straight for the dining hall to lead his one-man Rice Bucket Brigade.

*

Unexpectedly, the second part of the final exam wasn't held at the academy.

Alfred led them onto a soul bus heading toward the outskirts.

"Teacher," Raziel Phoenix asked with a grin, "can you at least tell us what the test is?"

"You'll know when we arrive," Alfred replied coldly. "It's similar to the spirit ascension platform. But also not."

"That clears up nothing," Raziel Phoenix muttered.

The scenery outside gradually changed as they left the city center. Eventually, they arrived at a massive complex.

West Ocean Soul Technology Park.

Metallic buildings of all shapes rose among lush greenery.

"Do you know this place?" Ray whispered.

"Top tech companies," Raziel Phoenix replied. "I heard they even make mechas here."

"Mechas?" Ray's eyes lit up instantly.

To him, mechas were still the coolest thing in existence.

The park was vast. Even after walking for half an hour, Alfred had only led them into a smaller park hidden deep within it.

A broad stretch of greenery spread out before them. At its center stood a solitary building, small and almost insignificant compared to the towering structures they had passed earlier. Surrounded by empty space, it looked strangely out of place.

When they drew closer, the students noticed something even stranger.

There was no name plaque.

"What kind of place is this?" Raziel Phoenix muttered. "Is the exam really happening here?"

The building was dark blue, its walls shimmering like polished mirrors. Each surface looked as though it had been carved from a single slab of glass, reflecting light at odd angles. The result was unsettling yet beautiful, a structure that felt both solid and unreal.

No guards stood by the dark-blue glass doors.

Alfred stepped forward and pressed his palm against the surface.

A blue glow flared to life. An image appeared, accompanied by a teasing voice.

"Oh? Long time no see! West Ocean's Little Kaelric!"

Alfred's expression didn't change. "Open the door."

"Tsk, still as cold as ever," the voice replied lazily.

With a crisp chime, the doors slid open.

Ray, Raziel Phoenix, and Lily exchanged stunned looks.

West Ocean's… Little Kaelric?

Kaelric was Teacher's name, and West Ocean clearly referred to West Ocean City.

But being called that…

They followed Alfred inside.

The interior was just as dark blue, but the floor gleamed white beneath their feet, and soft fluorescent lights illuminated the space. Everything felt orderly, sterile, and eerily quiet.

At the center hovered a circular metal platform. Three metallic wristbands rested upon it.

"Put them on," Alfred instructed.

"What do they do?" Raziel Phoenix asked curiously.

"Identification," Alfred replied. "With them, you won't be treated as hostile by the defense systems."

Raziel Phoenix sucked in a breath. "So advanced…"

They continued forward, passing through another glass door. A blue scanning light swept over them, briefly pausing on their wristbands before fading away.

Beyond the door stretched a long, winding corridor.

As Alfred stepped through another glass panel at the far end, his figure suddenly vanished in a flash of light.

Ray and the others stopped short.

"Spatial technology?" Raziel Phoenix exclaimed.

He had grown up in a major clan and knew the state of modern technology well. Spatial transmission was still largely experimental, far from being used on this scale.

"Move forward," Alfred's voice echoed from all directions.

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