The half-month rest period passed in the blink of an eye.
The academy teams from the Heaven Dou Empire that had qualified for the Grand Finals finally set out for Spirit City.
The enormous procession advanced slowly, guarded by elite Royal Knights personally led by Crown Prince Xue Qinghe.
"Lin Ye, since there's little to do on the road, would you care to join me for tea?"
Beside the lavishly decorated crown prince's carriage, drawn by four magnificent steeds, Xue Qinghe stood in his everyday princely attire, smiling at Lin Ye inside the Imperial Fighting Team's carriage.
"How could I refuse an invitation from Your Highness?" Lin Ye nodded slightly, then leaped lightly aboard the spacious princely carriage with effortless composure.
The interior was exceedingly roomy, with fragrant tea on a small table, a full assortment of pastries and fruit, and a thick velvet carpet underfoot.
The two sat facing each other as the carriage began moving again, swaying gently.
Xue Qinghe personally lifted the pot and poured Lin Ye a cup of hot tea.
"A journey this long does offer a rare moment of leisure."
Lin Ye accepted the cup with both hands and said calmly, "With the Royal Knights clearing the way, naturally, the wind is calm and the waves are still."
Xue Qinghe lifted his own cup and blew gently over it, asking with apparent casualness, "What are your plans after the tournament, Brother Lin?"
At the question, the faintest curve touched Lin Ye's lips, and he looked up at the scenery flashing past the window.
"After the tournament?"
"The sky is high, the earth is vast, and the continent stretches far and wide."
"Naturally, I'll roam the four seas and see the sights this world has to offer."
There was an air of carefree freedom in