Death Grand Canyon, Evil Soul Masters!

The training that followed was still physical conditioning, but several new exercises had been added on top of the original regimen, such as duck walks, frog jumps, and squats.

Although the exercises themselves were ordinary, the volume was enormous, leaving the Genius Camp students so sore that even walking hurt.

A strange sight soon appeared in the Genius Camp. The students' walking postures looked incredibly awkward—one step, two steps—sometimes even comical. Some of them found getting out of bed or walking down stairs unusually thrilling.

Of course, Long Yu and Qian Renxue were exceptions. The speed and amount at which they absorbed the medicinal liquid were slowly increasing as well.

Although the others also absorbed the medicinal liquid, they still could not fully recover.

Qian Ning'er came in first in every event. Each time, she deliberately glanced at Long Yu, and Long Yu cooperatively put on an admiring expression.

Though there were other reasons, his admiration for Qian Renxue was genuine. At thirteen, she possessed strength at least on the level of a Soul Ancestor, and she was no ordinary Soul Ancestor at that. It was impossible not to admire her.

Time flew by, and the month of physical training finally came to an end.

The fifty-two students stood on the stage once more. Compared to a month ago, some students' skin had gone from pale to slightly tanned, their spirits had improved, and their somewhat childish faces now carried an extra measure of resilience and confidence.

The training had indeed been exhausting, but the results were equally remarkable, especially for the auxiliary-type Soul Masters.

Even Long Yu and Qian Ning'er could feel that their physical qualities had improved somewhat, let alone the other students, whose constitutions were inferior to theirs.

Lin Hao shouted before the crowd, "Your performance over the past month has been pretty good. I have seen all of your progress.

"Beyond your powerful talents, I have also seen that your character is quite good. You have already begun to develop an awareness of teamwork. Give yourselves a round of applause first." After Lin Hao finished speaking, Lin Fei and Lin Hao began clapping first. The students then let out a breath, looked at the teammates beside them, and smiled as they joined in the applause.

After all, they were teammates who had supported one another. Their bonds had grown much stronger than before.

Lin Hao continued, "Very good. You will have three days to rest and recover. Three days from now, you will begin the most important training of all: practical combat training.

"Although we will do our best to protect you, remember this: someone who has not been tempered by blood and fire cannot be considered a true warrior.

"I will tell you in advance that your practical combat training will take place in Death Grand Canyon. Your requirement is simple: survive.

"As for how long it will last, that has not yet been decided. We will wait for instructions from above.

"Over the next three days, you may prepare food and supplies for yourselves. You may also learn more about Death Grand Canyon, visit your parents, or choose to withdraw from the Genius Camp.

"However, I must make this clear: if you want to become a powerful Soul Master, Soul Power Level and physical fitness alone are not enough. Combat experience is also indispensable.

"Now, dismissed." After Lin Hao finished speaking, the students did not relax at the prospect of a break. Instead, their expressions turned grave.

Death Grand Canyon. They had heard of that terrifying place back when they trained at Spirit Hall Academy. It was the place with the highest death rate in Spirit Hall Academy—without question!

Long Yu returned to the Heaven-grade Dormitory, but instead of going straight back to his own room, he knocked on Qian Ning'er's door.

Although some students had challenged them during this period, without exception, Long Yu had handled every one of them by himself.

He called out, "Sister Ning'er, it's Xiao Yu." The month of training had brought some progress in their relationship.

After Long Yu had fully acknowledged Qian Renxue's first-place standing, Qian Renxue had developed some fondness for this somewhat handsome little brother. Besides, she had intended to win him over from the start, so their relationship was fairly good now.

"Xiao Yu? Come in, then." Qian Renxue did not mind Long Yu entering her room. He was only a child, after all. What bad intentions could he possibly have?

Long Yu looked around Qian Renxue's room. There were no pink decorations as he had imagined. Instead, gold and white complemented each other, making the room appear grand and imbued with a sacred air.

"Xiao Yu, sit. Why did you come to see me? Is something the matter?" Qian Renxue asked as she walked over.

Looking at Qian Renxue like this, Long Yu could not help sighing. She was still as beautiful as ever. He quickly cast aside his other thoughts.

He then asked, "Sister Ning'er, what kind of place is the Death Grand Canyon Instructor Lin mentioned? Why do I feel like the other students are extremely afraid of it?" Long Yu was genuinely curious. It seemed that the original work had barely mentioned it.

"Death Grand Canyon is Spirit Hall's highest-level trial ground for students. No one knows how long it has existed.

"The environment is harsh, and it contains a large number of soul beasts, all at least a hundred years old. There are even ten-thousand-year soul beasts.

"Moreover, because resources in Death Grand Canyon are scarce, competition within it is far crueler than in even the continent's most famous Star Dou Great Forest. The soul beasts that survive there are much stronger and more violent than soul beasts of the same level outside.

"More frighteningly, my grandfa... no, one of my elders told me that it also contains many heinous criminals from the two great empires, as well as some...

"Evil Soul Masters. Compared to soul beasts, they are far more dangerous.

"Although Spirit Hall sends teams of experts above the Soul Saint rank every year to conduct large-scale purges of Death Grand Canyon and kill all Soul Masters at the Soul King rank and above, no one knows what level of beings may still be hiding inside." Qian Renxue spoke seriously.

One reason she had agreed to come here at her grandfather's request, aside from refusing to accept his claim that Long Yu's martial soul was even stronger than hers, was the mandatory trial of this Genius Camp. She also wanted to see this place known as Spirit Hall's most terrifying trial ground.

As for the other training and guidance, Qian Renxue did not care much about them.

It was not that she looked down on the instructors here, but could Soul Saints and Soul Douluo truly teach better than the elders of the Elder Hall?

Evil Soul Masters? Long Yu was briefly dazed, but quickly recovered.

If the root cause of Evil Soul Masters was the awakening of evil martial souls, coupled with Soul Masters deliberately using the evil abilities and methods of their martial souls to cultivate at a speed far beyond that of ordinary people—

Then as long as Soul Masters continued to awaken martial souls, Evil Soul Masters would never disappear.

"Yes. Although I do not know much about those Evil Soul Masters, one of Spirit Hall's duties is to eliminate all Evil Soul Masters and maintain order across the continent.

"That is also the origin of our family. Our family regards it as our foremost mission.

"Although Spirit Hall hunts down Evil Soul Masters throughout the continent, many still hide in various places across it.

"Spirit Hall captures some low-level Evil Soul Masters and raises them here, intending to let you gain some understanding of Evil Soul Masters from a young age.

"In short, Xiao Yu, remember this: inside Death Grand Canyon, apart from the students of our Genius Camp, kill everyone else you see. Do not hesitate, and do not show mercy." Qian Renxue rarely spoke so much.