MY HIDDEN TALENT IS FORBIDDEN BY THE HEAVENS-Chapter 71: ADIOS DRAGON TURTLE

Chapter 71 — THE DAY BEFORE THE FIRE

Morning came quietly to Dragon Turtle Academy.

Not with the roar of beasts or the clash of steel, but with the slow hum of ancient formations powering down as dawn light washed over stone terraces and massive training grounds. The academy felt... settled. As if the earth itself was exhaling after days of tension.

For the Azure Dragon Academy team, that calm felt unfamiliar.

They stood on the outer transit platform, a wide stone plaza suspended between towering pillars carved with dragon-turtle reliefs. Below them, clouds drifted lazily. Above them, the sky stretched wide and open.

Travel packs were stacked neatly. Cloaks folded. Weapons secured.

They were leaving.

Not as survivors this time.

But as contenders.

Mei Ying stood at the front, arms crossed, gaze sweeping over her students with practiced sharpness. She looked relaxed, but those who knew her could tell she was already thinking ten steps ahead.

"Stop staring at the scenery," she said flatly. "You’re not tourists."

Chen Wulian rolled his shoulders and grinned.

"Come on, Instructor. Let us appreciate our last peaceful moment before everything explodes again."

"Peaceful?" Mei Ying raised a brow. "You nearly died three days ago."

Chen shrugged. "Details."

Ling Yifan adjusted the strap of his spear, posture straight, eyes focused. He hadn’t spoken much since morning. Not tense. Not distracted.

Prepared.

Bai Qianlan stood beside him, hands clasped behind her back, expression calm. Her illusions were fully suppressed, her aura steady. She looked... settled.

Ouyang Xue’er leaned against a pillar nearby, arms crossed, watching everyone with quiet amusement.

Long Hao stood slightly apart from the group, gaze drifting over the academy grounds one last time. Dragon Turtle Academy felt different from anywhere else they’d been.

Heavy.

Old.

Like it remembered things people no longer did.

Longyu’s presence was quiet in his chest. Awake, but observant.

"Don’t get sentimental," she muttered lazily inside his mind. "You’re not built for it."

He didn’t respond.

He was thinking about what came next.

A heavy impact shook the platform.

Stone cracked.

Dust puffed.

Several students jumped.

Chen sighed. "Called it."

The Dragon Turtle Academy dean landed at the center of the platform with a grin that could have belonged to a war god. His massive frame radiated strength, muscles coiled like steel cables beneath his sleeveless robe.

"YOU’RE LEAVING ALREADY?" he boomed. "I WAS JUST STARTING TO LIKE YOU LOT."

The Azure Dragon dean stood a short distance away, hands tucked calmly into his sleeves.

"No," he said evenly. "You were starting to plan property damage."

The Dragon Turtle dean laughed loudly.

"THAT WALL STARTED IT."

The Vermilion Phoenix Academy dean approached more gracefully, crimson robes trailing softly behind her. Golden-orange hair caught the light like fire kissed by sunlight.

"You really must stop terrorizing guests," she said, smiling. "It’s unbecoming."

He scoffed. "I AM hospitality."

The Azure Dragon dean closed his eyes briefly.

Mei Ying cleared her throat.

The Dragon Turtle Academy dean clapped his hands together loudly.

"ALRIGHT," he boomed. "SINCE EVERYONE IS STILL ALIVE, I’D LIKE TO OFFICIALLY SAY—COME BACK AND VISIT ANYTIME."

The Azure Dragon dean turned slowly.

"No."

The Dragon Turtle dean blinked. "Why not?"

"Because you challenge guests to fights."

"ONLY SOMETIMES."

"Yesterday."

"DETAILS."

The Vermilion Phoenix Academy dean stepped forward gracefully, folding her hands in front of her. Her smile was polite, but there was steel beneath it.

"Enough," she said lightly. "They’re my guests next."

The Dragon Turtle dean crossed his arms. "You’re not planning to go easy on them, are you?"

She laughed softly.

"Oh, absolutely not."

She turned her gaze to the Azure Dragon team, eyes sharp now, warm smile unchanged.

"Vermilion Academy welcomes all competitors," she said. "But understand this clearly."

Her voice carried effortlessly across the platform.

"Stage Three is our home."

"Our rules."

"Our fire."

She paused, just long enough.

"And those who step into it unprepared will burn."

Chen muttered under his breath, "She said that nicely, but I still feel threatened."

The Azure Dragon dean nodded calmly.

"As expected," he said. "We wouldn’t have it any other way."

The Dragon Turtle dean grinned widely.

"SEE? THIS IS WHY I LIKE YOU PEOPLE."

He leaned forward, cracking his knuckles.

"IF ANY OF YOU SURVIVE STAGE THREE AND WANT A REAL CHALLENGE—"

"No," the Azure Dragon dean said flatly.

The Vermilion dean smiled.

"Please don’t encourage him."

The Dragon Turtle dean laughed anyway.

"GOOD LUCK, KIDS."

"YOU’LL NEED IT."

All three deans stopped instantly.

She looked unimpressed.

"Before any of you embarrass yourselves further," she said, "my students are leaving."

The Dragon Turtle dean scratched his head. "Right. Farewells."

He looked at the Azure Dragon team again, gaze sharpening just a bit.

"Listen up," he said, voice lowering. "Stage Three will be hosted as VERMILLION ACADEMY."

No laughter now.

"No terrain advantage. No raw endurance tests. No chance to outmuscle everything."

His eyes lingered on Ling Yifan. Then Long Hao.

"It will test what you choose to protect."

He straightened and laughed again.

"ALSO—if any of you want to fight me after the tournament, my door is always open."

The Vermilion dean rolled her eyes.

The Azure Dragon dean sighed.

As the escorts finalized preparations, the platform relaxed into something more casual.

Rong Yueran did not seem to notice the way half the platform went quiet the moment she appeared beside Chen Wulian.

Or maybe she noticed and simply didn’t care.

She leaned into him a little more, fingers hooking lazily around his arm, her shoulder pressing just enough to make her presence impossible to ignore.

"So," she repeated, voice warm, eyes bright, "you’re really leaving."

Chen’s brain stopped working.

His mouth opened.

Nothing came out.

Ling Yifan turned his head slowly.

Bai Qianlan noticed immediately.

Her expression didn’t change, but the air around her shifted just a fraction, illusion petals flickering once before settling again.

"Oh?" Bai said, stepping closer to Ling Yifan. Her tone was light, almost curious. "That’s... romantic."

Ling Yifan glanced between Chen and Rong.

"...Is it?"

Bai leaned closer. Not enough to be obvious. Enough to be deliberate.

"I was just wondering," she said softly, "if that’s how people say goodbye here."

Ling Yifan considered this very seriously.

"It appears so," he replied.

Bai grabbed Yifan closer and waited.

He didn’t react.

Not even a blink.

Her smile twitched.

Mei Ying, who had been watching the entire thing with mild irritation, sighed.

"Unbelievable."

She walked straight up to Ling Yifan.

Without warning, she reached up and fixed his collar again. This time slower. Much slower.

"You’re tense," she said calmly. "Try relaxing."

Ling Yifan went rigid.

Color rushed up his neck like wildfire.

"I-Instructor—this is—!"

The platform exploded.

Chen wheezed. "WAIT. HOLD ON. THAT’S ILLEGAL."

"Well, He is 18 so, Technically, it’s not." corrected Long Hao.

Ouyang nearly fell off the pillar she was leaning on.

Bai stared for a second, then burst out laughing, covering her mouth.

"You’re hopeless," she said, shaking her head.

Ling Yifan stood there, face red, hands clenched, completely defeated.

Mei Ying stepped back, satisfied.

"Good," she said. "Now you’re paying attention."

Rong Yueran smiled faintly, eyes lingering on Chen.

"Looks like he’s fun to tease too."

Chen swallowed.

"...I’m surrounded by monsters."

When the laughter faded, Mei Ying gathered them again.

"At Vermilion Academy," she said, tone firm, "nothing will feel familiar."

She looked at Chen. "Leadership will be tested."

At Ling Yifan. "Resolve will be challenged."

At Bai. "Control will matter more than brilliance."

At Long Hao.

"And restraint," she said quietly, "will be your greatest enemy."

Long Hao nodded once.

"I understand."

Mei Ying stepped back.

"Stage Three isn’t a battlefield."

She paused.

"It’s a crucible."

The transport gates activated.

Light flared.

Vermilion Academy escorts formed up.

Chen glanced back at Rong Yueran.

She waved sweetly.

Chen swallowed.

"...Why do I feel like my life’s about to get complicated?"

Long Hao passed him. "It already is."

Ling Yifan took Bai’s hand.

She squeezed it once.

No teasing.

No words.

Just trust.

The platform lights rose.

The Dragon Turtle dean laughed.

"DON’T DIE!"

The Vermilion dean smiled. "Try to be elegant."

The Azure Dragon dean spoke quietly. "Go."

The transport lifted.

Dragon Turtle Academy faded into stone and memory.

Ahead waited Vermilion Phoenix Academy.

And Stage Three.

Not a test.

Not a war.

But something far more dangerous.

A place where what you carry matters more than what you can destroy.

[Chapter ENDS]

SIDE MOMENT — "SOMEONE IS POUTING"

Long Hao leaned against the railing of the transport corridor, eyes half-lidded, watching the clouds slide past beneath them.

Inside his chest—

"Hey."

He ignored it.

"...HEY."

Still nothing.

A faint glow flared in front of him.

Longyu manifested, arms crossed, cheeks puffed, jade-green eyes narrowed into sharp slits.

"You’re doing it again," she said.

Long Hao blinked. "Doing what?"

"I told you not to step too close to Rong Yueran earlier," Longyu snapped. "And what did you do?"

"I walked past her," Long Hao replied calmly.

"You paused," she shot back. "For half a second."

He shrugged. "Habit."

Longyu floated higher, clearly offended.

"Habit?! Do you have any idea how many fate lines twisted in that half second?"

"...No."

She gasped dramatically.

"WOW. Just wow. Incredible. Absolutely incredible." She spun in midair, pointing at him. "I warn you about danger, politics, assassins, dragon bones, emotional landmines—and you treat it like background noise!"

Long Hao glanced at her. "You’re glowing brighter."

"That’s because I’m ANGRY," she snapped. "And don’t think I didn’t notice you ignoring me back at Dragon Turtle Academy."

"I heard you."

"You acknowledged me," Longyu corrected. "Those are different."

He sighed. "You’re pouting."

"I am NOT pouting."

She turned away sharply.

"...This is strategic sulking."

Long Hao smiled faintly.

"That’s still pouting."

Longyu whipped back around.

"Listen here, Shadow King," she said, jabbing a finger at his chest. "I didn’t manifest a semi-physical form just to be ignored. Do you know how exhausting it is to exist like this?"

"...You nap a lot."

"That’s RECOVERY."

She floated lower, hovering right in front of his face, eyes narrowed.

"Next time I warn you about something," she said firmly, "you listen. No hesitation. No instincts. No ’I’ve done worse in my past life’ nonsense."

Long Hao met her gaze.

"...Alright."

She blinked.

"...That was too easy."

He smirked. "You were convincing."

Longyu huffed, cheeks still puffed, then crossed her arms again.

"Hmph. Good. As you should."

She faded slightly, muttering as she vanished—

"And don’t think this means I forgive you."

Long Hao chuckled quietly as the corridor lights dimmed.

"...She’s definitely pouting."

Somewhere deep inside, Longyu grumbled.

"I can still hear you."