Chapter 90: Everyday madness
The morning sun peeked over the Azure Sky Sect’s mountains, casting a warm glow across the training grounds. Birds chirped, water trickled in the streams, and for a brief moment, everything looked peaceful.
Li Ming yawned loudly, stretching his arms as he stepped out of his dormitory. Bai Guo fluttered down from the roof, human form sleek and upright, wings folded neatly behind him.
"Descendant," Bai Guo said, rubbing his eyes with a clawed hand, "I can already tell today is going to be... chaotic."
Li Ming grinned. "You say that every day, but somehow I survive. Mostly."
He was interrupted by a high-pitched shriek. Turning, he saw Xue Yan zipping across the courtyard at an impossible speed, chasing a mischievous squirrel that had stolen her breakfast bun. She skidded to a halt, glaring at the little animal.
"Seriously?!" Xue Yan yelled. "I just got this!"
Li Ming laughed, covering his mouth. "You’re actually chasing a squirrel... at full speed. I respect that dedication."
Bai Guo groaned, folding his wings. "Descendant... never underestimate squirrels. They are more cunning than they look."
From across the training field, Lan Yue approached calmly, observing the antics. Her usual composed demeanor remained intact, though a faint twitch at her lips betrayed amusement. "You all act like children sometimes," she said, shaking her head.
Li Ming tilted his head. "We are children, Lan Yue. Cultivators under fifteen are basically children. Everyone else is just... old."
Lan Yue rolled her eyes, trying not to smile. "Keep that energy up, Li Ming. The tournament isn’t far off. You’ll need it."
Bai Guo fluttered onto Li Ming’s shoulder, flapping once for dramatic emphasis. "Descendant, remember. Energy isn’t just for fighting—it’s for surviving the chaos of everyday life. Case in point: Xue Yan versus the squirrel."
Li Ming’s eyes followed the girl as she executed a perfect spinning kick, sending the tiny thief scurrying up a tree. She landed lightly, arms crossed, panting slightly.
"Victory!" Xue Yan declared. "The bun is safe... for now."
Li Ming chuckled. "Your energy is terrifying in battle... but also extremely entertaining in everyday life."
Lan Yue sighed, shaking her head. "You three are impossible."
The sunlight glinted off the training grounds as more disciples began arriving, each adding their own little flare to the courtyard’s chaos. Some practiced sword forms, others tried to control Qi in complicated patterns, and a few, like Li Ming, mostly ran into each other by accident.
Bai Guo smirked, wings flicking. "Descendant, look alive. Today isn’t just a calm day. It’s the calm before the storm—figuratively speaking. Figuratively."
Li Ming grinned, fists clenched. "Storm? Bring it on. But first... breakfast." He gestured toward the small dining pavilion. "Even cultivators need buns."
Xue Yan’s eyes narrowed, but she couldn’t hide a small smile. "You really love those things, don’t you?"
Li Ming puffed out his chest. "Of course! They’re the fuel of legends."
Bai Guo muttered under his breath, "Fuel of chaos, more like."
The group walked toward the pavilion, laughter and teasing bouncing across the morning air. The squirrels had retreated, the training grounds were lively, and even Lan Yue seemed to loosen just a fraction.
And somewhere in the distance, Wu Jian watched silently, folding his arms. A small smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, though he didn’t step forward. Li Ming didn’t notice him yet, too busy laughing at Bai Guo’s dramatic flapping and Xue Yan’s exaggerated bow to the victorious squirrel.
The day stretched ahead, full of sun, buns, minor accidents, and the kind of small, ridiculous adventures that cultivators under fifteen somehow always attracted. And as Li Ming inhaled the morning air, he thought only one thing:
"Maybe... life isn’t just about fighting. Sometimes... it’s about enjoying the chaos."
Bai Guo flapped his wings in agreement.
Li Ming smiled, adjusting his sleeves.
----
The morning breeze carried the smell of steamed buns, roasted tea, and—somehow—burning wood.
Li Ming sniffed the air suspiciously. "Wait... why does it smell like fire?"
Bai Guo blinked innocently. "Ah, yes. That might be... my fault."
Li Ming spun around. "What did you do?"
The chicken-man scratched his neck awkwardly. "I may have tried to toast your bun using spiritual fire."
The bun in question was now a smoldering lump on a stick.
Xue Yan burst out laughing so hard she fell over. "You turned breakfast into ashes!"
Li Ming sighed dramatically. "You just couldn’t let me have one peaceful morning, could you?"
Bai Guo puffed his chest. "Peace is boring! Fire adds flavor—well, it used to."
Lan Yue arrived right on time, holding a fresh cup of tea. "What’s going on here?"
"Nothing," Li Ming said quickly, trying to hide the charred remains of his breakfast behind his back.
Her gaze shifted to Bai Guo, then to the smoke rising from the stick. "You were cooking again, weren’t you?"
"Experimenting," Bai Guo corrected. "It’s called culinary cultivation."
Lan Yue sighed. "If you burn one more thing, I’ll make you meditate for a week straight."
Bai Guo saluted dramatically. "Yes, Captain Serious!"
Before Lan Yue could respond, a loud gong echoed through the courtyard.
BONG! BONG! BONG!
All laughter stopped. Disciples froze mid-bite, mid-spar, mid-run.
A voice boomed from the top of the central tower. "All disciples, gather at the main arena! The Sect Master will announce the participants for the Grand Sect Tournament!"
Li Ming’s eyes lit up. "Finally!"
Bai Guo flapped once, grinning. "The real show begins."
They hurried to the main arena, which was already buzzing with excitement. Hundreds of disciples filled the stone seats, whispering about the announcement. The elders stood in neat rows, their robes fluttering in the breeze.
At the center stood the Sect Master himself—a tall, stern man with a beard that could probably cut steel.
He raised a hand, and silence fell.
"Disciples of Azure Sky Sect," he said, his voice deep and steady, "in seven days, we will enter the Grand Sect Tournament. One hundred and eighty sects will compete for glory, honor, and the Grand Spirit Token!"
Gasps spread across the crowd.
Li Ming leaned toward Bai Guo and whispered, "Did he say one hundred and eighty?"
Bai Guo nodded. "That’s... a lot of chances to get hit in the face."
The Sect Master continued, "Only five disciples will represent Azure Sky Sect. The strongest of our current generation. The chosen are..."
Everyone held their breath.
"Lan Yue."
Polite applause echoed through the stands. Lan Yue nodded calmly.
"Wu Jian."
A few cheers, mostly from his own group of admirers. He smirked, glancing briefly at Li Ming.
Li Ming crossed his arms. "He’s enjoying that too much."
"Bai Guo."
The chicken-man struck a pose. "Obviously."
The Sect Master’s eyebrow twitched but continued, "Li Ming."
Half the arena went silent for a moment. Then whispers broke out.
"Li Ming? The explosion guy?"
"Didn’t he burn half the field once?"
"I heard he fought a cabbage last month."
Bai Guo leaned toward him and whispered, "You’re famous, descendant. For all the wrong reasons."
Li Ming forced a smile. "Fame is fame."
"And the last member," the Sect Master said, "Xue Yan."
The girl blinked in surprise. "Wait—me?!"
Lan Yue nodded approvingly. "You’ve earned it."
The crowd erupted in cheers.
Bai Guo clapped Li Ming’s shoulder. "We’re the chosen ones, descendant. A team of legends... or lunatics. Probably both."
Li Ming looked at his teammates: Lan Yue standing calm as always, Xue Yan practically bouncing with energy, Wu Jian glaring like he wanted to punch something, and Bai Guo who was... adjusting his feathers dramatically.
He smiled. "Yep. Definitely both."
The Sect Master spoke again. "You five will represent our sect. Train hard, for the first round will not be kind. You face the Crimson Blade Sect."
Murmurs filled the arena.
Bai Guo’s smile dropped. "Oh no. Not them."
Li Ming frowned. "What’s wrong with them?"
"They’re battle maniacs," Bai Guo whispered. "They once destroyed their own stage before the fight even started. By accident!"
Li Ming grinned. "Sounds fun."
Lan Yue sighed. "You have the strangest definition of fun."
As the crowd began dispersing, Li Ming clenched his fist. For the first time in a while, he wasn’t nervous—just excited.
He glanced at his team. "Alright, everyone. Let’s train until we can’t stand."
Xue Yan laughed. "I already can’t stand—I’m too excited!"
Bai Guo smirked. "Descendant, if you explode the arena during training, I’ll pretend I don’t know you."
Li Ming grinned. "Then I guess I’ll just have to make the explosions useful this time."
The group walked off together—bickering, laughing, and planning—for what was clearly the beginning of something huge.
Far above, the Sect Master watched them go, his eyes narrowing slightly. "That boy," he muttered, "is either our greatest hope... or our biggest headache."
Bai Guo sneezed somewhere in the distance.
To be continued...