Riding Thorn as One

The battle against the Demon Hunt Squad Number One before setting out was naturally not for the impossible wager. He wanted not only to test everyone's abilities, but also to let everyone gain a preliminary understanding of one another after displaying their strength as much as possible under the pressure he brought.

Chen Yinger, the somewhat scatterbrained girl, immediately said smugly, "Aside from Cai'er, I should be the strongest, right? I summoned a powerful eighth-rank magical beast to help us fight. We really had a chance of winning."

Sima Xian chuckled. "Ying'er, if you had to do it again, could you still summon an eighth-rank magical beast?"

Chen Yinger's expression immediately fell, and she muttered, "There'll always be a chance."

Gao Yingjie turned his gaze to Long Haochen. "Haochen, you're the captain. Tell us what you think."

Long Haochen nodded. "Let's start with our strengths. They're quite obvious. Mainly, almost everyone has the potential to unleash attacks beyond their own level of strength. My Light Rain Hibiscus Thrust, Wang Yuanyuan's Giant Spirit God Shield, Sima Xian's Holy Light Hammer combined with Berserk, Ying'er's Gate of Living Beings summons, and Cai'er's special attacks. Han Yu and Lin Xin are relatively more support-oriented, but they also play an equally important role in battle."

He had been carefully observing everyone's abilities throughout the battle. Now, his analysis came effortlessly and with clear logic.

"These abilities that surpass our own levels make it easy for us to unleash attack power beyond our enemies' expectations. As long as the team's overall strength can erupt, I believe we will definitely be the strongest among this batch of newly promoted Demon Hunt Squads."

Everyone nodded as he spoke. After the previous battle, Cai'er had undoubtedly been the most dazzling performer, but as the team's core, Long Haochen's abilities could not be overlooked either. The Saint Origin Spiritual Stove and his own defense had served as the team's mainstay. If he had not held Gao Yingjie back, then even if Gao Yingjie had not gone all out, everyone would have found it difficult to get the chance to unleash their strongest skills. Long Haochen's final strike had also left a deep impression on everyone. The Light Rain Hibiscus Sword's powerful piercing force had even damaged the Mithril Base Battle Armor, showing just how formidable its attack power was. Thus, everyone had become increasingly convinced by Long Haochen as their captain. Strength was, after all, the most important thing. Even Wang Yuanyuan, who had originally been somewhat unconvinced, gained a few more degrees of respect for Long Haochen after witnessing the immense value of the Light Rain Hibiscus Sword and the Saint Origin Spiritual Stove.

After all, while no one knew Long Haochen's exact age, they could tell that he, Cai'er, and Chen Yinger were the youngest members of the team. Yet he and Cai'er had already reached the Fifth Rank at such a young age. Their future prospects were obvious.

Gao Yingjie nodded. "Now talk about the weaknesses."

Long Haochen said, "The weaknesses are obvious. First, we are not familiar with one another. We don't understand each other's skill casting times, skill power, effects, or fighting styles. Under such circumstances, it is difficult for us to act in unison, and we cannot fully bring out our abilities. Coordination has to be strengthened through constant practice and battle. We will definitely pay attention to that in the future. The second weakness is uncertainty. This mainly lies with Ying'er. Her Gate of Living Beings is a powerful summoning spell, but she cannot be certain what she will summon. Therefore, it is difficult for me to factor her abilities into our battle plans. And once she summons a powerful magical beast, poor coordination may instead produce the opposite effect. For example, earlier, the Evil Eye Lord's attack affected Haoyue's magic."

Chen Yinger stuck out her tongue beside him. "If the summoned magical beast is too powerful, I can't completely control it either." Gao Yingjie frowned slightly. "Chen Yinger, I know there must be some secret behind your ability to summon the Gate of Living Beings. That is your own secret, and it is not convenient for me to ask about it. But you are now a member of a Demon Hunt Squad. Including Han Yu, you are one-seventh of its strength. Every person is important to the entire team. So if you want the team to develop better, your summons must stabilize as soon as possible."

Chen Yinger froze for a moment and muttered, "I'm afraid I won't truly be able to control the Gate of Living Beings until at least the Seventh Rank."

Gao Yingjie said, "There is another way: obtain a Lifebound Summoned Beast as soon as possible. Given your current situation, it will probably be ten years before you reach the Seventh Rank. Are you going to rely on your companions to protect you for those ten years? For a team, that could very likely bring disaster upon everyone." As he spoke, his tone gradually became stern.

Chen Yinger's pretty face turned somewhat pale. She slowly lowered her head and fell silent.

The others actually understood her situation very well. However, the team had only just been formed, and she was just a young girl, so no one found it appropriate to say too much and risk affecting their unity. It was clearly most suitable for Gao Yingjie, their leader and, in a sense, an outsider to the Demon Hunt Squad, to say it. That was indeed the case. Even Lin Xin, who could not launch attacks, could still support the entire team's defense through his excellent magical control and spellcasting ability. But if Chen Yinger's Gate of Living Beings failed to summon a powerful magical beast, she would only become a burden to the whole team. Even if she did summon one, failing to control it properly might not be a good thing for the team. Thus, she was currently the most unstable link in the entire team.

Gao Yingjie's imposing gaze swept across them as he said solemnly, "You must all remember this. You are one whole, a complete collective. Everything must prioritize the interests of the collective. Otherwise, if one person has a problem, everyone will be dragged down. In battle, you must depend on one another and perform your respective duties. Even if you exhaust your final shred of strength, you must fulfill your own responsibilities."

Over the next three months, I will pass on as much of my experience to you as possible. How much you can absorb and how much you can put into practice will depend on yourselves. Next, I will briefly analyze the situation of each member of your Soldier Grade One Demon Hunt Squad."

"I've already spoken about Chen Yinger. She is the team's uncertainty. But since you are a team, every member has the duty to protect her in battle. Once she matures in the future, she will certainly become an important part of the team."

His gaze shifted to the team's only mage, and Gao Yingjie's eyes became noticeably unusual. "Lin Xin, do you know? Among mages your age, you are the most outstanding one I have ever seen."

"Huh?" Lin Xin was stunned. He was truly unaccustomed to this sudden praise. He had thought Gao Yingjie would look down on him for being unable to use attack magic.

Gao Yingjie said solemnly, "Today's battle against me was your team's first time cooperating together. But during that cooperation, aside from Long Haochen's magical beast, you were the one who worked with him most seamlessly. Your Elemental Shield always landed on him at the first possible moment. Moreover, although they were both Elemental Shields, the defense you cast was stronger than that of Long Haochen's magical beast.

"If I am not mistaken, you improved the Elemental Shield through your own control, creating an effect similar to resonance. The staff in your hand should be made of pure Fire Cloud Crystal. Although it provides you with a considerable boost, without exceptional talent, you could not continuously cast defensive magic at such a rapid pace."

"Although I should not pry into others' secrets, among all of you, what I most want to know is why you do not cultivate any attack magic. I know you are also a Magical Pharmacist. Even while dividing your attention between two pursuits, you can use defensive magic so superbly. If you devoted yourself wholeheartedly to cultivating a complete magic system, the Magic Temple would certainly be proud of you in the future."

Lin Xin fell silent at Gao Yingjie's words. The somewhat narcissistic young man with Dark Green Long Hair suddenly had a dim look in his eyes, but he said nothing and merely sat there with his head lowered.

Gao Yingjie gave him a deep look. "Very well. For now, we will establish your tactical system under the assumption that Lin Xin can only use defensive magic. In the team, Lin Xin's role is by no means inferior to that of a shield warrior. And because he uses magic, his role in the team may even be greater than a shield warrior's. Lin Xin, remember this. If you truly never wish to learn attack magic, then in the future you must devote more effort to fire-element defensive and support magic. When facing powerful enemies, you must assist Long Haochen in defense, just as you did against me today. When facing numerous enemies of limited individual strength, you are the team's emergency responder. Whoever encounters danger or needs help, you must respond immediately. This requires you to develop a good grasp of the overall situation."

Lin Xin silently nodded. "I'll do my best." After answering only that, he did not speak again. It seemed that Gao Yingjie's earlier mention of why he did not cultivate attack magic had affected him somewhat.

Gao Yingjie said, "I have tentatively assigned Lin Xin to the middle-rear of the team, while Chen Yinger, who requires the most protection, should be in the center. Long Haochen, you must always have your magical beast assist them with movement during battle. For example, through Wind Element spells like the Levitation Spell, or even by having your magical beast carry them."

Long Haochen earnestly remembered every word Gao Yingjie said. These were all truly lessons born of experience. In terms of cultivation, few could surpass Yehua's research. But in practical combat, especially team battles, Yehua could hardly compare to Gao Yingjie before him. Just from the scars on his body, one could tell that his experience had been bought with lessons written in blood.