Deepening the Foundation

The late spring breeze carried the scent of fresh grass from Heaven Dou Royal Academy's Martial Arts Arena, rustling through the weeping willows by the field and drying the thin sheen of sweat on the youths' foreheads after morning training.

Time flew like a white colt glimpsed through a crack. In the blink of an eye, half a year had quietly slipped away amid the daily routines of sword practice, meditation, and sparring.

Over the past six months, the Imperial Dou Team's Martial Arts Arena had always been filled with a tense, competitive air, all because seven-year-old Lin Yao was like an endlessly energetic "catfish."

Before dawn each day, he would already be on the field, Star Sword in hand, slashing away. When meditating, the Soul Power fluctuations around him were so steady that they seemed unlike those of a child.

Seeing his drive, then recalling the pride they had once felt over their titles as "geniuses," the other team members could not help but feel their faces burn.

Yu Tianheng reined in his former arrogance. His Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul often flickered in and out of sight above his palm, while every punch he threw carried a piercing crack through the air.

The Jade Scale Snake Soul Power at Dugu Yan's fingertips gathered without being released as she stared intently at the moving targets in the arena.

Even the most cautious Shi Mo brothers no longer focused solely on defense. Whenever their Black Tortoise martial souls emerged, the patterns on their shells shone brighter than before.

In such an atmosphere, no one dared slack off, and everyone's strength advanced by leaps and bounds without their realizing it.

Lin Yao had just turned seven. He had grown a little taller than half a year ago and stood beneath the shade of a tree in the Martial Arts Arena, dressed in the academy uniform, his fingers unconsciously stroking the hilt of his Star Sword martial soul.

Over the past six months, he had not pursued a rapid surge in Soul Power. Instead, he had settled down to do two things.

First, he slowly calmed the restless Soul Power within him. Second, he digested the knowledge pouring in from his other selves across countless worlds.

His Soul Power had risen too quickly before. Though his foundation was nowhere near as unstable as that of an Evil Soul Master, it had still left him uneasy.

Now, after spending two hours each day sitting in meditation and sensing his Soul Power slowly flowing through his Meridians and growing increasingly robust, he finally felt somewhat reassured.

As for the complicated knowledge, some of it lay hidden deep in his mind like dusty ancient tomes, requiring patient sorting.

Other parts had to be integrated bit by bit into his daily life alongside the path of Soul Master cultivation.

Moreover, since he had been unable to connect with his other selves in other worlds over the past six months, Lin Yao's Soul Power had only risen by four levels. It was no longer as "terrifying" as before, but every step had been exceptionally solid.

Even such steady progress drew endless praise from Ning Fengzhi, Chen Xin, and the others.

Whenever Chen Xin came to test Lin Yao's strength each month, he would stroke his beard as his gaze fell on the circulating Soul Power around the boy, his eyes filled with approval.

His Soul Power was solid and his foundation stable—far better than those little brats who only knew how to chase speed.

Lin Yao's efficient improvement was also thanks to the Molten Demon Bear's External Soul Bone.

Though he had no idea how the Molten Demon Bear had formed a spiritual-type Soul Bone, Lin Yao knew full well that he had struck it rich.

Ever since fusing with that Soul Bone, the mental power he had accumulated from several versions of himself across different worlds had finally found a smooth channel through which to circulate. His memory and comprehension had risen accordingly.

In class, he could remember every word of the Soul Master theory his teachers taught. During cultivation, he could grasp the essence of a new sword technique after seeing it demonstrated only once.

With that Soul Bone and his ability to connect with his other selves in countless worlds, Lin Yao seemed to possess boundless energy.

He often trained in the Martial Arts Arena until the moon hung high in the sky. Whenever his sword light cleaved through the night, even the stars seemed to glitter for him.

His desperate efforts thoroughly frightened the other team members.

Holding the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, Ning Rongrong watched Lin Yao swing his sword, her little face filled with stubborn determination not to lose.

Once somewhat pampered, she now completed her meditation and support training without fail every single day.

Yu Tianheng was even more fired up. Whenever he unleashed his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul, the purple lightning was fiercer than before. He was determined to make up the gap Lin Yao had opened over him.

In this atmosphere, every member of the Imperial Dou Team improved at a visible pace.

Their future was already far brighter than the disappointing state described in the original story.

At the same time, to give the Imperial Dou Team a clearer understanding of their own strength, one education committee member came each month to test everyone's Soul Power Level.

The Martial Arts Arena where they trained displayed their newly updated cultivation rankings.

Yu Tianheng, age twelve. Beast martial soul: Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. Attack Type. Level 27.

Standing at the center of the Martial Arts Arena, Yu Tianheng clenched his fists and watched the lightning dancing over his martial soul, his brows slightly furrowed.

Though he had improved considerably, the thought that Lin Yao, five years younger than him, was already level 29 added a greater sense of urgency to his eyes.

Dugu Yan, age twelve. Beast martial soul: Jade Scale Snake. Control Type. Level 26.

Faint jade-green Soul Power wound around her fingertips as she practiced serpentine bindings against the targets, a satisfied smile on her lips.

The past six months of practice had more than doubled the precision of her control.

Shi Mo and Shi Mo, age twelve. Beast martial soul: Black Tortoise. Defense Type. Both level 26.

The two stood side by side and unleashed their martial souls at the same time.

Their thick tortoise shells overlapped, blocking even the sunlight. The brothers exchanged a glance, their eyes full of mutual understanding.

Osler, age twelve. Beast martial soul: Ghost Leopard. Agility Attack Type. Level 25.

He darted through the Martial Arts Arena like a ghost, his footsteps silent as they touched the ground. When he stopped, sweat covered his brow, but his eyes had grown even sharper.

Yu Feng, age twelve. Beast martial soul: Wind Chime Bird. Agility Attack Type. Level 25.

When he unleashed his martial soul, small bird wings sprouted from his back. As he rose into the air, a crisp chiming of wind bells followed him, and his movements were several times more agile than half a year ago.

Ye Lingling, age eleven. Tool martial soul: Nine Heart Begonia. Healing System. Level 24.

Holding a begonia branch, she gathered gentle Soul Power at her fingertips as she treated a classmate who had sprained an ankle during practice, her expression soft and focused.

Ning Rongrong, age seven. Tool martial soul: Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. Support Type. Level 18.

She held up the small glazed pagoda and bestowed Soul Power upon Lin Yao beside her, her little face brimming with pride.

A gain of three levels in half a year was the result of countless days and nights of hard work.

Lin Yao, age seven. Tool martial soul: Star Sword. Attack Type. Level 29.

He had just finished a round of sword practice.

As he sheathed his sword, the starlight on its blade slowly faded. Beads of sweat slid down his cheeks, yet he paid them no mind.

He merely gazed into the distant sky, his eyes full of calm. Every one of those twenty-nine levels had been built upon an incomparably solid foundation.

Other than Lin Yao and Ning Rongrong, the rest of the team might have been slightly less talented than the Shrek Seven Devils, but they had long escaped the predicament of being "geniuses in name, mediocrities in truth" from the original story.

In the original story, during their first spirit battle, these top geniuses of the Heaven Dou Empire had been several years older than their opponents, yet their Soul Power Levels had not opened up any gap at all. They looked every bit like "fake geniuses."

Their current progress had already restored some of the confidence befitting true geniuses.

What was even more worth mentioning was that the Imperial Dou Team's current strength made even some Soul Elder-level teams wary of them.

From time to time, they were even brought in as sparring partners for Heaven Dou Royal Academy's first team.

After all, the All-Continent Soul Master Elite Competition would be held in two years. It took place once every five years, and the previous one had been held three years ago.

Although they and Tang San's group were all too young to participate this time, and their true stage would not arrive until seven years later, it was always good to adapt to high-level competition ahead of time.

But whenever the academy's first team was mentioned, Lin Yao could not help shaking his head.

He had watched them train before. Three low-level Soul Ancestors and four high-level Soul Elders—their Soul Power Levels looked impressive, but their actual combat ability was utterly pathetic.

The team members always wore the lazy air of those raised in comfort. They treated daily training perfunctorily, and their Soul Power growth relied entirely on resources piled up by their families.

During one spar, a Soul Ancestor had relied on his higher level and looked down on Lin Yao. In the end, Lin Yao pressed him step by step with exquisite swordsmanship and kicked him off the platform in utter disgrace.

Standing on the platform with the Star Sword in hand, Lin Yao understood clearly.

A true strong person was always judged by overall strength, never by a flashy façade built from stacked levels.