A Grand Assembly of Young Lords

The colossal iceberg neared the Battle God Isle docks. An incessant crackle of ice shards shattering and reforming echoed across the waters. A hundred meters from the pier, the iceberg came to a majestic standstill, from which a magnificent ice pillar sprouted forth, extending with a fluctuating pace until it spanned the distance to the shoreline. From afar, it resembled a breathtakingly grand ice bridge.

Du Chen, captivated, thought to himself, "What an extravagant display! This spectacle far eclipses the combined grandeur of my Belkus and Wyvern Carriage!"

Gode turned his head, shrugging, deliberately avoiding the majestic iceberg. He scoffed, "What an ostentatious display! Mr. Francis, you see? I was right! Loki is undoubtedly here to woo women, otherwise, why would he even bother deploying the Great Snow Mountain's Jade Zither Ice Ship!?"

"Does utilizing such ostentatious transport necessarily imply he's here to woo women?" Du Chen remained somewhat noncommittal, a faint smile playing on his lips. "What did you mean by 'Little Bahlin' earlier? And what's the background of this Loki? Why would Peck face misfortune simply because of his arrival?"

Gode stuck out his tongue and offered a mischievous grin, whispering, "'Little Bahlin' is an insult among our Sea Clan. As for this Loki... he is the Young Master of the Ice and Snow Castle, hailing from the Great Snow Mountain in the Arctic Lands; his family's wealth and influence are immense! However, three years ago, their Ice and Snow Castle expanded its territory, encroaching upon the Sea Clan's borders, leading to a fierce clash between him and Peck! Oh, and you should know Loki!"

Gode nudged Du Chen with his shoulder, then gestured with his chin towards Hot Spring Mountain. "He's your Senior Brother. He graduated... it must have been seven or eight years ago, wouldn't you say?"

"Senior Brother?" Heh, Battle God Isle admits nearly three thousand disciples each year, with seven or eight hundred successfully graduating. How could Du Chen possibly recall every single one? In truth, he genuinely remembered only one Senior Brother – Charlemagne, the Foremost Battle God beneath the Starry Sky!

An elegant young master strolled across the ice bridge, a man in his late twenties. Draped in white robes and a fur cloak, his silver hair cascaded over his shoulders, and an air of heroic vitality emanated from his brows. Behind him followed two maidservants in white, each reverently holding a sacred artifact, their small steps hurrying to keep pace. At first glance, amidst the ethereal ice fog, this handsome and youthful figure appeared like a celestial being. This Loki, indeed, seemed to be a truly remarkable individual!

*He's almost as impressive as me!* Du Chen mused inwardly.

"Gode," Du Chen queried, "with so many influential young scions converging upon Battle God Isle simultaneously, something significant must be afoot. Tell me, who else has arrived?"

Gode tallied on his fin-webbed fingers, "Besides Peck, the Eldest Son of the Sea Emperor, and Loki, the Young Master of the Great Snow Mountain, I also know Ken, the Crown Prince of the Eastern War from the Bright Emperor's Fortress! And Prince Otes of the Frozen Tundra Barbarians... these are the only truly significant figures. The rest are merely small fry, not worth a mention!" His definition of "significant figures" was, predictably, himself: those stronger than him possessed status and influence, while those weaker... were but small fry.

*Boom, boom, boom!*

A rumbling of war drums echoed from afar, drawing ever closer. Before Du Chen could even question Gode, Young Master Loki of the Great Snow Mountain halted on the ice bridge. He gazed at a black leviathan of a ship cutting through the waves, then laughed heartily, "Senior Brother Otes has also arrived! It's been nearly seven years since we parted ways at the graduation ceremony!"

A voice like muffled thunder boomed, "Junior Brother Loki, you were quick to depart back then, otherwise, I would have surely snatched the top honors of the Class of '72 from you! Haha!" Barbarians were renowned for their straightforward nature, always speaking their minds, and Otes, as he greeted Loki, proved no exception.

As he spoke, a giant of a man, like an iron tower, soared from the black leviathan and landed on Loki's ice bridge, making the iceberg itself tremble. Otes, indeed worthy of his barbarian name, boasted a massive bald head, his face smeared with war paint, and a physique of brawny muscles tougher than even human heavy armor. He clapped Loki heavily on the shoulder. "You can't escape this time, can you? Ha! Come, let's first pay our respects at the Battle God Pavilion on Hot Spring Mountain, and then I'll have a proper spar with you! You wouldn't refuse me, would you?!"

"Of course not!" Loki replied with a smile. "It's been seven years since graduation; I wonder what changes have occurred at the Battle God Arena. These past years, I've been preoccupied contending with the Sea Clan for the Glacial Rift, and haven't had a chance to return and truly observe!"

"Only you are busy?" Otes boomed. "Haven't I, your Senior Brother, also been embroiled in life-and-death struggles with the beastmen? Haha! But not long ago, great chaos erupted in the beastmen's Sacred Land, and I seized the opportunity to conquer three thousand <i>li</i> of their grasslands. Now, I dictate terms in the northwest corner of Einz!"

The two exchanged a knowing smile, one refined and elegant, the other robust and uninhibited, before soaring side by side towards the very heart of Battle God Isle: Hot Spring Mountain!

Du Chen watched them from afar, a sudden smile gracing his lips. Perhaps a decade hence, his own Junior Brothers would regard his return to these familiar grounds in much the same way? Battle God Isle had instructed for a millennium, and with Zigurd's disciples spread across the world, who knew how many more Senior Brothers and Sisters like these walked the lands!

For a fleeting moment, a thought suddenly bloomed in Du Chen's mind: he yearned to graduate quickly. Seven years ago, Loki and Otes were likely nothing more than rascally students at Battle God Isle, skipping classes to chase women. Yet, seven years later, the dramatic shifts and turmoils across the continent might very well be orchestrated by their hands...

A faint, inexplicable melancholy, however, vanished in an instant; it was better to be realistic. Du Chen beckoned Gode back to Dormitory Number Eighteen. Cassian was already ensconced there, so the addition of Gode was of no consequence. The Sea Clan's little prince, upon realizing he could reside beside Deboning, was so ecstatic he couldn't stop beaming.

His thoughts lingered on what might transpire on May 13th, and the unsettling possibility that the inexplicable Foremost Assassin under Heaven might choose that very day to pay him a "visit." Du Chen continuously caressed the Fire Diamond ring Phil had left him, and finally made up his mind: since he currently had no other pressing matters requiring his immediate attention, he might as well seek out Frinda once she returned from Elite Training!

Five days later, Arthur returned with his Elite Training classmates, yet he bore Du Chen two pieces of news: one bad, and one even worse. The bad news was that Instructor Lily was furious about Du Chen's truancy and was intent on disciplining him. The even worse news was that Frinda had achieved yet another breakthrough in her training, successfully advancing to a Five-Star Battle-Warrior! Overjoyed and deeply satisfied with her teaching success, Lily immediately whisked Frinda away to the training area reserved for Fifth-Year students, making their return an uncertain prospect...

Arthur also shared a private piece of intelligence: General Leonardo had been released. Although he was not reinstated to his original post, and was even demoted to a mere battalion commander, his military position remained intact. With his formidable capabilities, he would assuredly reclaim his generalship eventually. This was indeed excellent news, but what truly astonished Du Chen were the rumors Reno had conveyed: it was none other than a Divine Grant Earl named Brockman who had secretly intervened, allowing Leonardo to miraculously cheat death.

This Brockman, indeed, left Du Chen astonished for quite some time.

An ever-increasing number of young prodigies converged upon Battle God Isle. Although the academy maintained strict management, it could not stem the tide of these former graduates returning from beyond its walls. Even though the academy's high command clearly knew something significant was brewing, they could not forbid their alumni from returning to revisit their old stomping grounds. Thus, under the watchful eyes of the academy's guard corps, alumni from years past could be seen daily on the Battle God Arena, engaging in "sparring and reminiscing"—a pastime that, occasionally, resulted in fatalities. In short, Battle God Isle was immersed in a truly eerie atmosphere...

One day in late April, still muttering to himself about why the Foremost Assassin under Heaven hadn't sought him out earlier that month, Du Chen successfully advanced to a Five-Star Battle-Warrior. Tracing the academy's history, achieving this rank in merely one year and four months was an unparalleled feat for his era – of course, setting aside that anomaly, Charlemagne, who in the same timeframe had already begun to challenge the very realm of a Six-Star Battle God!

Yet, unbeknownst to all, almost on the very day of Du Chen's advancement, a certain individual within Battle God Isle's Icy Jade Pool laughed maniacally throughout the entire day, roaring, "Charlemagne is but a trifle! My disciple became a Six-Star Battle God two months earlier than yours!"

It was also on this very day that Frinda returned, and without Du Chen even needing to seek her out. This competitive young woman, who had been bested by Du Chen on several occasions, arrived directly at his doorstep.

"Student Francis, Instructor Lily has commanded me to seek your valuable insight!" Frinda politely rapped on the door. Compared to before, Lily's rigorous training had tempered her youthful impetuosity, imbuing her spirited and valiant demeanor with a distinct touch of maturity. Yet, the twin blades in her hands remained chillingly sharp and Dazzling!

Du Chen, who was currently guiding Cassian and Gode on the precise methods of performing philanthropic acts, paused in surprise upon hearing her words. Then, a smile touched his lips, "Alright, you two go excavate some resources for good deeds!" There was indeed strength in numbers, and Du Chen had already garnered considerable Merit simply from taking his "commission" during this period. The effects were quite apparent; his ninth lotus was already visibly halfway bloomed.

Stepping outside, Frinda offered a faint smile, lowering her sword as she spoke, "Student Francis, I have officially advanced to a Five-Star Battle-Warrior. However, Instructor Lily expressly stated that only by sparring with an expert such as yourself can I achieve swifter progress, so please, do not hesitate to bestow your valuable insight!"

*You cheeky girl, do you wish to be humbled by me once more? Alas, I am not in the mood for games today!* Du Chen mused inwardly.

Du Chen offered a faint, graceful smile and bowed slightly. "Student Frinda, please hold for a moment regarding the sparring. I have a more pressing matter I wish to discuss with you." As he spoke, he reached into his pocket and retrieved the Fire Diamond ring, extending it towards Frinda. "A relative of mine entrusted me with this ring, instructing me to deliver it to your esteemed family..."

"It's *you*!?" Frinda glanced at Du Chen in surprise, a flicker of anger instantly appearing in her eyes, though it vanished just as quickly. She then said calmly, "I had assumed it would be Charles! But since it is you, then I shall speak plainly!"

Frinda took the Thunder-Fire Diamond Ring from Du Chen's hand and slipped it into her sash. "Although you bear this Thunder-Fire Diamond Ring, I do not assent to its implied purpose! My parents received the life-saving grace of your mother, Madam Phil, and my family will assuredly repay that profound kindness – thus, I accept this ring, but today..."

"Ah, Miss Frinda, you've finally returned! I've been awaiting you for over a month!" A slender young master interrupted Frinda's words, strolling leisurely towards Du Chen. He smiled, "My young friend, I presume it's not incorrect to address you as Junior Brother! Let your Senior Brother tell you, how can one simply bestow a diamond ring upon a young lady so casually? Such actions can easily lead to misunderstandings!"

"Who are you?" Frinda demanded, highly displeased by his interruption, and scrutinized him with a cold gaze. Suddenly, she realized that, unnoticed, many similar young masters had gathered around them, and several strikingly distinctive individuals were also loitering within the dormitory area.

"Student," Frinda stated with displeasure, "regardless of your identity, Student Francis and I are discussing important matters. If you have something to convey, please wait a moment!"

"Student? Heh, it's been a long time since anyone addressed me as such. I am Pylos of Yakun!" He fixed his gaze on Du Chen. "I resided in this very Dormitory Number Eighteen when I graduated two years ago. Heh, Junior Brother Francis, I hear you hold the second position on the academy's Battle God Ranking. I wonder, would you be willing to spar a bit with your Senior Brother?"

*Sparring?* Du Chen suddenly found the current situation remarkably familiar. It was almost as if... among the noble scions of Saint John City, "sparring" was the most commonly employed tactic when dealing with love rivals, wasn't it?