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Moonlight flowed through the quiet study, and steam curled upward from the cups on the table.
As though hoping to dispel some of the gravity in the room, Xia Yun changed the subject. "I haven't congratulated you yet, Young Master. Seven matches in the first round-robin cycle, seven victories."
Chen Xiaojun tapped the tabletop lightly, his tone even. "Isn't sweeping the first cycle perfectly ordinary for the top academies?"
"Your seven victories carry a different weight." Xia Yun looked up. "Leaving the other teams aside, Divine Wind and Thunder Academy are both recognized as the second-strongest academies in their respective provinces."
"Thunder Academy in particular was truly surprising this time. They actually have six Soul Kings."
"If they didn't need to retain Lei Jiuchong and his 'Thunder Umbrella' to control the entire field, they could probably field a starting lineup made up entirely of Soul Kings."
"A force like that is rare even among the top academies."
Chen Xiaojun lifted his teacup, the rising mist obscuring his eyes. "Martial soul mutations keep emerging in the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon lineage... Their clan's fortunes truly are flourishing."
His words carried little overt emotion, yet there was a faint ripple beneath them, like one stirring an ancient well.
An indescribably complicated expression appeared on Xia Yun's face, mingling wonder with a trace of helplessness. "They really know how to multiply. With a bloodline flourishing like that, how could anyone not envy them? But envy won't give others what they have."
Chen Xiaojun did not linger on the subject, instead asking, "Five Mountains Academy has done well this time too, hasn't it? They defeated Moon Bay Academy, the second-ranked academy in Tosk Province."
Xia Yun nodded, though his tone remained heavy. "Yes, but we'd originally planned to use