Tower of Heaven

Tensions rose between the two groups. Atlas was obviously unwilling to retract his gaze, so, with no sense of decency, Feng Jiahui summoned her qi.

However, before she could do anything with it, a figure appeared between them.

"Now, now... What do you think you're doing?"n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Whoosh!

A hot wind blew through the corridor. Feng Jiahui's qi was erased from the world like it was nothing.

Not that she was going to complain.

"I apologize, Elder Siyu. I was merely attempting to show this disrespectful guest that he should respect the Feng Clan."

They were words strung together so poorly that even the Elder was forced to roll her eyes.

"Right. Feng Jiahui, with your personality, I believe that is exactly what you were trying to do."

Her eyes sharpened as she glared at the young phoenix.

"However, when were you instructed to do such a thing? If I am not mistaken, I specifically told you to remain in your quarters until the combat circuit begins."

Feng Jiahui flinched. It was true that she wasn't supposed to be here at all, but she couldn't stand it. She felt that Atlas' presence here was an offense, and if she had the chance to criticize Feng Yaohua while targeting him, then she was more than happy to do so.

But, it wasn't like she could say such a thing to the Elder. She fumbled over her thoughts, wondering how to justify her presence as the Elder shook her head in disappointment.

"Enough of this. Is this the attitude that Elder Yingzi has been teaching all of you?"

She glanced at Atlas before continuing.

"Rather than allowing you to run amok, I would rather begin the combat circuit right this instant."

Atlas only shrugged, since it was fine with him either way. He recognized this Elder Siyu as the one who was standing next to the Elder who greeted him before, but judging by the tone of her words, that person was not the Elder Yingzi she spoke of.

"Feng Jiahui and the rest of you, return to your rooms. None of you will have any part in this tradition any longer, so unless you wish to observe the battles, do not enter the vicinity of the arena."

She opened her mouth, her scolding still unfinished, but Atlas interrupted her before she could continue.

"Excuse me, Senior…"

She turned and looked at him with a raised brow.

"What is it?"

"Right, you said that they are not taking part in the combat circuit anymore…"

"You wish to change that?"

Feng Jiahui's eyes widened as she heard his words. Her expression changed into that of an extremely offended person soon after.

'This man is trying to force me into a battle with him? Is he so desperate to die?'

Her thoughts varied heavily from those around her. While she entertained them, Elder Siyu's mental transmission entered Atlas' mind.

"You are aware that if you kill or cripple anyone, then you will become a lifetime enemy of our Feng Clan, correct?" Read new adventures at empire

Atlas smiled wryly. Did she think he was someone who would go so far over a mere verbal conflict?

Well, when he thought about it, those kinds of people were not rare in a cultivator society, so he felt the need to explain himself. He couldn't use the art of mental transmission yet, but voice transmission wasn't much different. Unless one had a very, very good ear, one would not be able to hear it.

When his clear voice transmission entered the Elder's ears, even she was surprised that he was able to relay his words so clearly.

"I have no such intentions. I only want to curb her arrogance. I believe that it is better to learn these lessons through experience, after all."

She squinted her eyelids questioningly, but he tried his best to assure her that he wasn't looking for blood.

After all, Atlas would never kill a budding genius who he did not perceive as a threat. It could come back to bite him in the future, but he was also a believer in the ideology that people could grow and change through experience.

He didn't feel that it was right to end the life of someone who had barely lived for a few decades over some words they said.

Now, the story changed when the person in question's words held more weight, but at least in this situation…

"Haa…"

Elder Siyu glanced over at Feng Jiahui. She didn't even need to ask if Jiahui was willing to accept his challenge. Her eyes were filled with a flaming desire to dominate.

'Well, he is not wrong.'

It was better for geniuses to understand consequences when they were young.

'Jiahui is not like her peers. She has been coddled since young and has never left Alfros without the protection of Elder Yingzi's entourage. Even when climbing the Tower, she has always been aided by others. Unlike Yaohua or even Kexin and the rest of her friends, Jiahui has never experienced defeat, failure, or tragedy.'

Feng Jiahui was, in essence, everything that was wrong with the current Feng Clan combined into a single person.

It felt shameful to concede to a young genius like Atlas and allow him to do as he pleased, but she couldn't say that his presence wouldn't be a useful motivator for people like Jiahui.

The world was big enough. Every single one of them was a mere speck of dust trying to shine in a sandstorm. If they wanted to do something so impossible, rather than arrogance, they needed the modesty to judge others, criticize themselves, and improve.

'In the end, though the first battle will be shameful, nobody else is so unprepared.'

Regardless of which faction they belonged to, the rest of the young phoenix geniuses had never been coddled so much. They trained to stand against each other, but at least they had trained themselves.

"If both of you wish to compete, then I will not stand in your way. The combat circuit will begin tonight. Yaohua, bring Atlas to the combat arena in three hours."

Feng Yaohua nodded with a bow. The rest present also slightly bowed as Elder Siyu nodded her head.

"Then, I expect there to be no more problems until then. Understood?"

""Yes, Senior!"

The six phoenixes present called out in unison, while Atlas only nodded his head.

After warning them with her eyes one more time, Elder Siyu vanished as abruptly as she'd appeared.

In the now silent hallway, Feng Jiahui could only glare at the opposing group.

"Tch. You were saved this time, but you won't be so lucky in the arena."

With one last spiteful sentence, she turned around and huffed away. The three who came with her scurried along as well, not having made an impact with their presence even once.

Atlas turned to Feng Yaohua and Feng Qingru, not minding them at all.

"Well, shall we continue the tour?"

Feng Yaohua smiled in response.

"Why not? We have three hours to kill, anyway."

As she turned around and began walking away, she stopped in her tracks for but a moment.

"By the way, I know Feng Jiahui is a weakling, so you're probably thinking that the circuit will be a drag. I just wanted to say that it might be like that during the first fight, but…"

All of a sudden, the entire space was filled with burning flames. Feng Yaohua's eyes glowed a bright red color as she became their ruler.

"...I promise that it won't be anywhere near as boring afterward."

Feeling the flames singe the hairs off of his arms, Atlas could only grin in response.