Refining the Heavens 3 (炼天三)

The biting wind whipped around the students gathered before Saint Cadets Academy, ushering in another year. For some, the break had been a grind of relentless training, their bodies aching reminders of the pursuit of power. For others, it was a fleeting moment of respite, a last breath before the crucible. But now, all stood united by the looming Advancement Test, a trial designed to measure their mettle, their growth, and the very trajectory of their dreams.
Nervous murmurs rippled through the crowd, especially among those who had indulged in their six-month holiday. The thought of additional classes, of training fields instead of rest, gnawed at their composure. Yet, amidst the anxious throng, the Snowdrifts stood apart, a quiet force, their eyes set not just on the test, but on a future forged in a world far more dangerous than any academy could prepare them for.
