The children, not fully aware of the situation, found it normal, or at least not abnormal. However, a certain girl suddenly shouted loudly :
"So this is how you treat the future pillars of the clan ?"
Her voice echoed strangely loudly, piercing the ears of the other children. It was then that an old man opened his eyes. He was deep within the forest, surrounded by several dragons, phoenixes, and peacocks sleeping at his feet. His strength was unfathomable, perhaps even greater than that of the elder who had accompanied the children.
"Oh, oh, oh ! It looks like the princess has arrived... Or maybe I should say, the future princess..."
Shocking words escaped the old man's mouth. Apparently, this girl would be a princess!
"Should I go greet her ? Well, I suppose someone is already heading toward her position, so I won't act just yet. Ha ha ha !"
The old man chuckled briefly, then resumed his cultivation.
Meanwhile, Suha's voice continued to echo through the forest, reaching even the furthest corners. This astounded the children nearby, as they didn't even know such a thing was possible. Suha had indeed received training in cultivation and knew how to infuse qi into her voice. But was such a feat even possible at this level ? It is important to note that this forest was enormous, around 1000 kilometers in diameter, yet her voice still resonated ! Suha had undoubtedly already begun cultivating, and not just at the initial stages...
While Suha kept shouting, one child spoke in an extremely nonchalant tone :
"Can you stop yelling ? You're keeping people from sleeping. Do you think you're the only one here or something !"
At these words, the echo of her voice ceased, replaced by a deafening silence. Suha fixed her gaze on the boy, whose insignia displayed the number 9835. Her eyes were incredulous as she stared at the boy who had just told her to be quiet. In response, Suha began to fill her lungs with air and qi, preparing to shout even louder. It might have seemed childish, but Suha could not allow this childish, who wasn't even at the top of the ranking, to tell her what to do.
But before she could open her mouth, the boy spoke again:
"If you dare start again, I'll make sure you lose your tongue ! Got it ?"
That was the final straw, even for this girl who had kept her composure for almost 11 years. She walked toward the boy and opened her mouth :
"Do you even know why I'm shouting ? Can't you see you're going to die in this forest ? I'm fighting for all of you, to help you ! How dare you threaten me ? You should be thanking me and encouraging me, you little arrogant brat !!"
The boy looked at her. He was lying at the foot of a tree, but he stood up and stretched, wearing tattered farmer's clothes. His name was Long Shen.
"So what ? I couldn't care less if you're fighting for me or whatever. Leave me alone and shut up !"
Suha didn't back down, retorting:
"And how do you think you'll get out of here without my help ? Your group doesn't even know what cultivation is, and neither do you! Don't you find the current groupings unfair ? Why don't you just let me handle things and stop thinking only about yourself ?"
In her final words, there was a faint trace of murderous intent hidden beneath her angelic smile.
"What could an arrogant little girl like you do anyway ? Are you going to rely on your so-called cultivation... the 7th level of qi refinement ? What nonsense !"
"You ! How do you know that ? Aren't you supposed to have no cultivation foundation..."
Suddenly, the towering trees parted to let in the daylight. In the dazzling light, a majestic figure floated in the air, accompanied by fierce gusts of wind, rain, and even thunder, putting on an unforgettable display for all the children present.
"Little girl, didn't we tell you not to make waves until the end of the selection ? Yet here I am, already answering your tantrum..."
The voice was clearly audible despite the chaos of the natural elements. But Suha didn't respond immediately. She was still in shock from the revelation Long Shen had just made. After a few moments, she regained her composure, which caught the attention of the majestic figure in the air.
"It is an honor for me to receive the help of a monarch from the clan ! Please, allow me to express my frustration !"
Suha said this firmly, bowing respectfully. Her words could have offended the elder, but instead of reacting negatively, he sighed and asked:
"So, what do you want me to do, future Imperial Princess of the Divine Peafowl Clan, Suha ?"
At these words, the children present quickly understood why she had remained so calm during the journey. They were more than shocked by this revelation. Even Long Shen squinted his eyes, then lay back down at the foot of the tree, unfazed by the natural tempest. Suha herself didn't want her identity revealed and silently cursed the monarch in her heart.
"Monarch, I wish to make a request to change the composition of the groups. In my opinion, this current setup will only lead to the clan's destruction."
Monarch Ling frowned at this statement but said nothing. A silence followed, then a decree was issued:
"Let it be so: from this day onward, the selection will be conducted with groups consisting of both talented children and those without talent."
The monarch's voice, rising toward the heavens, triggered a pillar of light one kilometer in diameter.
This decision was shocking, as it not only affected the groups for this selection but would apply to all future ones. This decree was simply the result of Suha's request, illustrating her influence, even though she wasn't yet officially the princess of the clan.
"I would also like to add something else. I want this boy to be in my group."
Suha pointed at Long Shen, who, at that moment, was sleeping deeply.
Monarch Ling was surprised by this request. He focused on Long Shen but sensed no qi from him. Seeing no danger, he accepted without further.
"Very well, with that, I am departing. You will find on your token the new group number to which you now belong. Best of luck to all of you !"
Monarch Ling disappeared, and with him, the storms. The light faded, and darkness once again took its place in the forest.