Starry Sky Island had no winter, so even in December, it remained lush and green.
With just one week left until the year-end assessment, all members of the Heavenly Pride Camp gathered at the dock, ready to head to the examination site.
For transcendents, the assessment naturally wouldn’t involve sitting for a written test or having everyone fight one-on-one to see who’s stronger. Instead, it tended to focus more on individual comprehensive abilities, so the evaluation method was most likely another survival challenge.
Kind of like a battle royale game.
Their assessment location this time was the Amazon rainforest. Alongside the test, they also had missions to carry out. They would be transported there on a massive ship called the Sea Whale, which could hold several thousand people—and they were just a small portion of the passengers.
Standing on the deck of the Sea Whale, enjoying the warm sea breeze on his face, Su Mu felt his mood lighten considerably.
Just then, a middle-aged man with a white cloth wrapped around his head—looking rather impressive—walked over. His gaze was fixed on Su Mu, and a smile never left his face.
“Excuse me, are you Miss Ye Qingyi?” the man asked politely, every word and gesture exuding elegance.
“I am.” Su Mu looked puzzled. “Is there something you need?”
“This is an invitation to the captain’s dinner. Our young master hopes you can attend.” The man handed over a golden invitation and added, “He specifically said your friends are welcome to join you as well.”
The commotion drew the attention of the other Heavenly Pride Camp trainees. Someone remarked enviously, “It pays to be pretty—you get invited everywhere you go. This ship belongs to some Middle Eastern billionaire’s family, so the one inviting her must be one of his people.”
Judging by the man’s attire, it was highly likely that this so-called young master was Kash.
Su Mu had spent some time with him back in the Temple Ruins, and he still had a vivid impression of Kash’s utterly ruthless personality.
“May I ask who this young master is? We’ve never met before—it would be rather abrupt to attend just like that,” Su Mu declined politely.
The man replied unhurriedly, “Our young master’s name is Kash. You once helped him, and he would like to take this opportunity to properly thank you.”
As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of brisk footsteps came from afar, accompanied by hearty laughter—distinct and memorable.
“Sister Chiba… no, I should call you Sister Qingyi now—you have to do me this favor! I’ve already told my father that I absolutely must bring you to meet him.” The newcomer was indeed Kash, flanked by a B-rank bodyguard with sharp, fierce eyes.
“So it’s you.” Su Mu pretended to just realize who he was, looking surprised. “So this ship belongs to your family, huh?”
Kash laughed. “To be precise, it’s mine—my grandfather gave it to me as a birthday gift.”
Su Mu was momentarily speechless.
“To show my sincerity, I’ve invited everyone from the Heavenly Pride Camp to the dinner. There’ll be a dance party afterward too—everyone can have a great time.”
The overall supervisor for this trip was Chief Instructor Long Tianyu. He glanced at the eager young faces and said, “Go if you want to. Don’t look at me.”
His words were like the release valve on a dam—once loosened, the floodwaters poured out.
Come on, what young person doesn’t love a good party?
Su Mu accepted Kash’s invitation and arrived on time, though unlike the others, he didn’t change into formal wear—he just wore his own clothes.
Su Mu didn’t know who Kash’s father was, but after Kash finished his invitations, he spent a long time chatting with Long Tianyu. Given how long they talked, they were probably friends.
The dinner was incredibly lavish. Even some of the wealthy scions who’d seen plenty of high society were visibly impressed—after all, there were levels to wealth.
Su Mu was seated at the VIP table, along with the other five in his group.
Yang Jie, who never liked crowded events, hadn’t come—he said he’d rather enjoy the sea breeze alone on the deck. But Kash had arranged things thoroughly and had reserved a seat for him anyway.
This preferential treatment rubbed some people the wrong way, and whispers started spreading—mostly about how “Ye Qingyi” must have a special relationship with Kash.
But before they could gossip for even a minute, someone appeared before them with a warning. If not for Long Tianyu and the Heavenly Pride Camp’s sake, they’d probably have been thrown out on the spot.
When the clock struck the hour, a burst of music rang out, and a man who bore a striking resemblance to Kash entered the venue, surrounded by a entourage of bodyguards. Kash walked right beside him.
“Greetings, friends!” Delta had a very approachable demeanor and carried none of the arrogance of a man in power. If he’d had more than one mouth, he’d have personally greeted every single person there.
The attendees weren’t just from the Heavenly Pride Camp—many were members of their own family clan, and they all shouted at the top of their lungs: “Greetings, Patriarch!”
With that kind of energy, there was no way the atmosphere could ever go flat.
Delta made his way to the center of the banquet hall, with his bodyguards forming a semicircle around him.
“Today is a special day. It’s an honor to be traveling on the same ship as Mr. Long Tianyu. As they say in Xia country, we’re truly ‘sharing the same boat’ on this journey.”
Long Tianyu: (ﾟ⊿ﾟ)ﾂ
“The Heavenly Pride Camp belongs to all of humanity. I believe I have a responsibility to contribute to the future development of these young people. That’s why I’ve volunteered to escort everyone to South America and cover all related expenses. I only hope that you all train hard and grow into strong, capable individuals who can stand on your own…”
His words were all the usual formalities. If you read between the lines, the meaning was simple: he’d invested in the Heavenly Pride Camp—and quite substantially at that.
After finishing his speech, his gaze suddenly began scanning the crowd, eventually landing on Su Mu’s face. He smiled and said, “One more thing—today I want to personally express my gratitude to Miss Qingyi. If it weren’t for her, my son might very well have met his end in the Temple Ruins.”
Kash nodded along cooperatively, and Su Mu felt his image soar to heroic proportions in an instant.
But it didn’t end there. Delta actually started walking toward Su Mu, and the entire room’s attention followed.
“So, I’d like to give her a gift—both as thanks and as a gesture of friendship. Miss Qingyi, please don’t refuse.”
Sensing all kinds of eyes on him, Su Mu felt a bit uncomfortable inside, but with his strong mental fortitude, he certainly wasn’t about to freeze up.
He thought to himself: Hey, I’m an Elder of the Northern Dipper—kind of a big deal in the hierarchy. On a global scale, I’m someone too.
Delta brought out a wooden box in front of everyone, then opened it under the watch of thousands of eyes.
Inside was a scabbard—longer than average—and Su Mu recognized at once that it was custom-made for his Tetanus Blade.
The scabbard was pitch black, radiating a chilling coldness. Just one glance made it feel as if your very soul might freeze over.
“This is a scabbard I had specially crafted for you. The material is Cold Crystal—the only piece of its kind in the world. A scabbard made from it can nurture and refine the blade. Over time, it will imbue the sword with ice properties, making it extremely lethal.”
Su Mu quickly declined: “It was just a small favor—this gift is far too precious. I can’t accept it.”
(Inside: Hahahaha, what a treasure! Let me be modest first…)
Seeing this, Kash snatched the box from his father’s hands and shoved it directly into Su Mu’s: “Just take it. It’s already made.”
“Oh, this is so embarrassing…” Su Mu couldn’t keep his hands off it—he was dying to take it out and admire it up close—but his words said one thing while his heart sang another.
What could he do? A big shot had to mind his image, or else his reputation might take a hit…
