By the way... slowly and imperceptibly change "my own" fate's direction from these subtle crossroads of destiny!

Unlike the violent defiance of the First Layer Heaven, Zhu Haomiao now had a vague grasp of the playacting method of "Acting in accordance with the Heavenly Will," gradually finding the fun of playing an RPG game.

Every different fate node option could lead to a completely different ending.

He must continuously choose the optimal path among the vast branches of fate, ultimately mastering his own destiny, and achieving the "perfect ending"!

With a sudden understanding in his heart, Zhu Haomiao calmly broke free from the instructor's hand and followed quietly behind him.

"Instructor, I can walk on my own."

The instructor looked back at the boy with surprise. He hadn't expected this meek boy to express defiance, even less so that he could break free from his grip!

Even though he hadn't even exerted any force...

Frowning slightly, the instructor didn't dwell on this small matter and strode toward the Martial Arts Arena.

Quietly and steadily following behind, Zhu Haomiao arrived beneath the Martial Arts Arena and saw the instructor go up and whisper something to a gorgeously dressed eunuch, pointing at himself and eliciting a satisfied smile from the other party.

What was going on?

Today wasn't any important festival, so why would someone from the palace come to observe?

Narrowing his eyes suspiciously, Zhu Haomiao vaguely sensed something strange.

Logically, at the Royal Martial Academy, there are four Grand Competitions a year, with only the Spring Competition being the most important, as it is one of the major sacrificial ceremonies of Da Zhen.

In the first few decades after the founding of the nation, even the Emperor would personally host the Spring Competition to select promising young talents.

But in the later years, the emperors gradually became slack, merely sending representatives to host the Spring Competition and send people during festivals to observe and reward, to show that the Emperor hadn't forgotten them.

Yet even so, each year's Spring Competition remains the most important platform for young people to showcase themselves. Countless nobles and officials have made their names known from this event, beginning their rise to glory...

However, as Da Zhen's national strength declined, the importance of the Royal Martial Academy continued to decrease. Nowadays, except on some important festivals, no one would be sent from the palace. But today, a eunuch of very high status showed up...

Looking at the patterns on the eunuch's splendid clothes, Zhu Haomiao recognized his grade.

Third Grade!

One of the highest-ranking chief eunuchs of Da Zhen!

Why did he inexplicably come here?

And he's smiling at me, smiling my ass!

Frowning suspiciously, Zhu Haomiao's thoughts wandered, zoning out, when suddenly a prompt sounded near his ear.

"Li Lin, why are you still daydreaming? Get on stage!"

Snapping out of it and seeing the instructor's anxious expression, Zhu Haomiao nodded calmly.

"Oh."

Under the burning gazes of the crowd, Zhu Haomiao walked unhurriedly to the center of the wide Martial Arts Arena, causing a rustle of discussions.

"Li Lin? Was he always like this? Something seems different."

"He used to be timid, but now he's poised with a bit of presence."

"Crazy, crazy, I can't believe I find him a little handsome!"

Hearing the girl he fancied praising Li Lin, a chubby little fatty felt uncomfortable and pouted disdainfully.

"It's all an act; once beaten, he'll show his true form. He's just a worthless trash!"

Upon saying this, the surrounding people immediately agreed.

"That's right, he's 15 and still in the Beginner Class, pure waste of space!"

"Last time in a contest, I made him cry with one hand!"

"That's nothing. I beat him without even using my hands; a single kick and he was on his knees begging for mercy!"

...

Youth bursting with performance desire vied to show off in front of the opposite sex, until a petite and delicate figure slowly walked onto the Martial Arts Arena, swiftly shifting the crowd's topic.

"Princess Jinglan! It's really Princess Jinglan!"

"So cute! As expected of the child of the world's most beautiful woman!"

"In a few more years, she'll likely become the new world's most beautiful woman!"

"I've always heard she was being admitted to the Royal Martial Academy; I didn't expect it to be this soon!"

"She's only 8 years old this year, isn't she? Far from the enrollment age!"

"Don't be fooled by her young age; her martial talent is a once-in-a-century phenomenon, and she's almost reached the Grade already!"

"What?!"

Several politically sensitive teenagers furrowed their brows, detecting a hint of intrigue, and immediately fell silent.

Deeply loved by the Emperor, with astounding martial talent, being rushed into the Royal Martial Academy like this, is someone trying to build her up to claim the grand prize...

It's said that His Majesty's health has been declining year by year. Perhaps time is running out, forcing the people behind her to act in such haste.

Having realized this, many looked at the petite figure with a hint of sympathy in their eyes.

No matter how extraordinary her martial talent, a child so young being caught up in the world's harshest battle for the throne likely wouldn't end well...

However, unaware of the intrigue behind all this, Zhu Haomiao merely stared at the little girl who wasn't even chest-high to him, her delicate features spotless, with a head full of confusion.

She definitely wasn't even 10 years old, and far from the Martial Arts Academy's enrollment threshold!

Did Li Lin sink so low that he's now only good for sitting at the kids' table?

Or is this some new form of humiliation?

Winning is expected, losing would be a disgrace, and there's no way to showcase his own changes. Only a fool would take on such a fruitless task!

Thinking of this, Zhu Haomiao directly looked at the instructor not far away.

"Instructor, could I have a different opponent?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because you're in the Beginner Class, she's in the Beginner Class too, you're evenly matched opponents."

"..."

Goddamn evenly matched!

Wait a sec!

Where have I heard this before!

Mysteriously, Zhu Haomiao felt a great sense of humiliation, and in a fit of anger, he got really angry.

"Then what if I make her cry?"

Hearing this, the instructor snorted without any concealment of his mockery.

"With just you?"

Zhu Haomiao: "..."

What a crime!

How low in your eyes is Li Lin?

Unable to even beat a child under 10?!

At this point, the little girl, who had been waiting quietly, softly opened her mouth, her sweet, tender, childish voice carrying a coolness that belied her age.

"Don't worry, I won't cry."

"..."

Looking at the little Douding who was putting on a mature act, Zhu Haomiao hesitated to speak, stopped, hesitated again, and finally let out a self-mocking chuckle and nodded in resignation.

"Alright then."

Upon hearing this, the little girl gracefully performed an etiquette: "Zhao Nuo."

"Li Lin."

Zhu Haomiao returned the gesture indifferently, eager to end this farce quickly.

Seeing this, the instructor quietly breathed a sigh of relief and eagerly announced the start of the match.

In the next second, deafening cheers resounded through the sky, everyone shouting one name.

"Princess Jinglan!"