Chapter 330: Chapter 330: Heading to the White Eagle Empire, Bizarre Airspace

Faced with Xiao Tian’s arrogant, in-your-face provocation.

Luo Qingyu was so furious she looked ready to lash out with a whip. Even the usually good-tempered Shen Yixuan’s brows furrowed slightly.

But Gu Yuexi’s expression remained completely unchanged.

She simply lifted her gaze slightly, glancing at the ridiculously confident man standing before her.

Her gaze was like she was looking at a fly in her way.

Her red lips parted slightly as she coldly uttered a single word:

"Off."

Concise. Powerful.

No nonsense, no excuses—just that one word.

The calm expression on Xiao Tian’s face instantly froze. A sharp glint flared in his eyes, and the Qi Blood in his body surged violently!

"You’re courting death..."

Just as the two sides were on the verge of coming to blows in the hall of the Education Bureau.

"AHEM, AHEM!"

Two loud coughs came from the entrance.

Following the sound, a group of middle-aged men in formal attire with imposing auras walked in.

The one in the lead was none other than one of the deputy directors of the Great Xia Education Bureau, a King Realm expert!

"What are you doing? Fighting amongst yourselves? If you have so much energy, save it for the international tournament!"

The deputy director’s face was stern as his severe gaze swept over the crowd.

Xiao Tian, who had been so aggressive just a moment ago, instantly retracted his aura and retreated to his group. Before he did, however, he shot Gu Yuexi a vicious glare that clearly said, ’You just wait.’

Seeing that the situation was under control, the deputy director softened his tone and began a motivational speech.

It was nothing more than the usual—emphasizing the importance of the competition, how it was not just for their personal futures but for national honor, and hoping everyone would set aside their prejudices to present a united front, and so on.

Finally, it was time for the most critical part: appointing the team captain.

A team must have a unified command.

The deputy director’s gaze swept across the ten students before finally landing on Shen Yixuan.

"After discussions between the Education Bureau and the various universities, it has been decided that the captain of the Great Xia representative team will be Shen Yixuan from Kyoto University."

As soon as this was announced, the expressions of the several students from Huaqing soured, especially Xiao Tian, who let out a cold snort.

But he didn’t object.

Shen Yixuan took a step forward and bowed slightly, his demeanor composed and respectful.

"I, Shen Yixuan, accept this duty. I will not fail the trust placed in me."

The deputy director nodded in satisfaction, then his expression turned serious once more.

"There is one more thing."

"Due to the recent tense international situation, as well as some special circumstances... there will be no faculty escort for your trip to the White Eagle Empire."

"The faculty chaperones may only be able to arrive in the White Eagle Empire a few days later."

"Therefore, for the first few days in the White Eagle Empire, you will be on your own."

"If you encounter any problems..."

The deputy director gave Shen Yixuan a deep look.

"Follow the captain’s orders in all matters!"

...

’No teachers leading the team?’

This news left all the students present slightly stunned.

In previous international competitions, to ensure the safety of these promising future talents of Great Xia, weren’t they always escorted by at least a few Ninth Grade teachers, or even a King Realm expert personally?

’And this time they’re just letting us go by ourselves?’

Although they were all Middle-Grade Realm Martial Artists, each one an expert in their own right, this change of plans was still quite unexpected.

’A tense international situation?’

’Special circumstances? What kind of special circumstances?’

Everyone was filled with a degree of shock and suspicion.

However, for this group of proud and arrogant young prodigies, the initial surprise quickly gave way to the excitement of unbridled freedom—the sky was the limit.

「That afternoon.」

A luxurious private jet, emblazoned with the emblem of Great Xia, took off from Kyoto International Airport. It soared into the clouds, heading toward the White Eagle Empire on the other side of the ocean.

The cabin was incredibly luxurious, fully equipped with leather sofas, a self-service bar, and entertainment facilities.

The ten students gradually relaxed, gathering in twos and threes, either closing their eyes to rest or conversing in low voices.

Of course, the students from Jing University and Huaqing still kept their distance, ignoring each other completely.

Chu Sheng leaned against the porthole, gazing at the thick clouds and azure sky outside while mulling over his own agenda.

’This flight should take a dozen or so hours.’

’As soon as we land, there will be foreign Demon Beasts everywhere!’

’Just thinking about it makes my mouth water.’

...

「Night fell.」

The cabin lights were dimmed. Most of the students had entered a light sleep, adjusting their condition for the upcoming competition.

The entire cabin was silent, save for the faint roar of the engines.

Suddenly, Chu Sheng, who had been feigning sleep, snapped his eyes open!

’Something’s wrong!’

’It’s too quiet!’

’Not the kind of quiet from people not talking, but... the deathly silence of living presence having vanished!’

At almost the exact same moment, Gu Yuexi, who was sitting by the window, also snapped her eyes open.

In that instant, the gazes of the human and the mosquito met mid-air, and both understood the gravity in the other’s eyes.

Something was wrong.

"Shen Yixuan!"

Without a moment’s hesitation, Gu Yuexi’s sharp call shattered the cabin’s silence.

Shen Yixuan reacted instantly, springing up from his seat with a folding fan in his hand, his eyes sharp.

"What’s wrong?"

"The cockpit!"

Gu Yuexi pointed toward the front of the plane.

Shen Yixuan’s expression changed. In a flash, he dashed toward the cockpit.

The other students were also startled awake, and they looked around warily.

"What’s going on? What’s all the shouting about in the middle of the night?"

Zhao Cheng from Huaqing grumbled unhappily.

However, in the next second, Shen Yixuan’s extremely grave voice came from the front:

"The cockpit... is empty."

"What?!"

Everyone turned pale with shock and rushed over.

The cockpit door was wide open. Inside, the instrument panel was still flashing, and the autopilot was engaged, but...

Both the captain and the first officer were gone!

It was as if they had vanished into thin air!

Not only that, the group soon discovered that the flight attendant’s rest area was also completely empty. All the flight attendants who should have been on duty had disappeared as well!

Besides the ten of them, there wasn’t a single other living person on the entire plane!

A bone-chilling cold instantly shot up from the soles of their feet straight to the crowns of their heads.

"Is... is this a ghost ship?"

Someone’s voice trembled.

"Don’t panic!"

Shen Yixuan quickly calmed himself. He strode to the navigation screen and glanced at it, his face instantly turning even uglier.

"We’re off course!"

"We are no longer on the flight path to the White Eagle Empire. Instead... we’re over an unknown region of the high seas!"

The words had barely left his mouth.

RUMBLE—!!!

The plane, which had been flying smoothly, suddenly began to shudder violently!

It was as if it had hit an invisible wall, or been slapped hard by a formless, giant hand.

Immediately after, the entire aircraft began to tilt and spin wildly!

A piercing alarm blared throughout the cabin!

"Warning! Warning! Wing damaged! Engine failure! We are falling!"

The cabin lights went out instantly, leaving only the frantic flashing of red emergency lights that illuminated everyone’s faces, making them look like flickering phantoms.

Watching this unfold, several question marks appeared above Chu Sheng’s head.

’Huh? What kind of plot twist is this?’

’Bruh?’

「Meanwhile.」

"Shit! This plane is falling apart!"

Zhao Cheng swore, his face pale as he clung to a handrail.

"What’s there to panic about!"

Just then, Xiao Tian of Huaqing stood up. Although he too was somewhat surprised, his face still held its usual arrogance.

"It’s just an airplane."

"We are all Middle-Grade Realm Martial Artists who know how to use Flying in the Sky! A mere ten-thousand-meter altitude is nothing. We just have to jump!"

As he spoke, he stepped forward and used the emergency release to open a cabin door. A violent gale immediately rushed in, nearly blowing everyone away.

"The plane could explode at any moment. Everyone, jump with me."

Facing the roaring wind, Xiao Tian commanded them with a show-off tone, acting as if he were the captain.

The next second, he stepped forward, fearlessly striding out of the cabin door.

"Wait!"

Shen Yixuan suddenly sensed something and shouted for him to stop.

Gu Yuexi’s brows were also knitted tightly. She sensed an extremely obscure Power of Rule enveloping the area outside.

But Xiao Tian completely ignored Shen Yixuan’s words.

He took a step out.

However... in the next second.

His expression shifted from extreme confidence to extreme terror!

And in the second after that.

His body plummeted straight down.