Class Three-Person Team Battle!

One figure stood surrounded by roiling flames that formed a Phoenix Phantom. Even from hundreds of meters away, its scorching aura washed over them.

The other was encircled by ice crystals, cold currents sweeping forth to stand evenly against the flames.

Soul Power collided, and air waves surged like tides.

Huang Fei stopped and watched, his heart growing solemn.

That woman wreathed in flames was clearly Ma Xiaotao, whom he had glimpsed from afar during yesterday's class.

Though she had not lost control at the moment, the tyrannical might of her Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul already far surpassed that of an ordinary Soul King.

Her opponent's Ice Attribute Soul Power was pure and immense, capable of confronting the phoenix's Evil Fire head-on. He was clearly no ordinary opponent either.

So this is the strength of an Inner Court Disciple...

Huang Fei took a deep breath, his gaze gradually sharpening.

When he turned and left Sea God's Pavilion, most of the sun had already sunk below the horizon, leaving a dim golden streak in the sky.

No lamps had been lit in the dormitory.

Huang Fei sat cross-legged in the darkness, carefully sorting through everything he had gained that day.

The Soul Condensing Secret Art lay open across his knees. By the faint light filtering through the window, he read it over and over.

The secret art itself was not complicated. Its core lay in controlling the soul with the mind and tempering power with the soul.

Through mental guidance, one repeatedly vibrated, compressed, and condensed Soul Power, purging impurities and improving its quality.

He attempted to circulate it according to the method.

Soul Power rose from his Dantian like a stream, flowing through specific meridians. Each time it passed an acupoint, it gave a slight tremor. After making a full circuit and returning to his Dantian, the vortex seemed to spin a little slower, yet it became more solid.

It really worked.

Huang Fei stopped circulating his Soul Power, having already made his decision.

For the next seven days, he would no longer pursue a breakthrough. Instead, he would focus on using the Soul Condensing Secret Art to consolidate his foundation.

His combat approach also needed adjustment.

Previously, he had focused mostly on maneuvering and wearing opponents down. Against truly strong enemies, he lacked a means of delivering a decisive blow.

Though the Wood Combat Art was exquisite, it lacked a direct and ruthless killing move.

Perhaps... he could compress the Life Energy of his Thousand Year Soul Ring to its absolute limit and incorporate it into his spear techniques.

Once the thought arose, it was like a seed falling into the soil and quietly taking root.

He took out his notes again and flipped to the page on Soul Beast records.

Pure life-type plant Soul Beasts were already scarce, and those over a thousand years old were even rarer.

After consulting ancient texts over the past few days, he had barely narrowed the choices down to three candidates:

The first was the "Ancient Spirit Tree." Legend had it that only after a thousand years of growth could it nurture a wisp of Spirit Qi. It had the highest compatibility, but its traces were hard to find.

The second was the "Jade Vine." It belonged to the same kind as the Vine of Life. Though its bloodline was slightly inferior, it was easier to find.

The third was the "Moonlight Ganoderma." It absorbed Moonlight at night, and its Life Energy was gentle and pure. However, it was almost completely non-aggressive. Hunting it was easy, but absorbing it required a special environment.

The specific choice would depend on fate.

Just as he was deep in thought, a system notification quietly surfaced in his mind:

[Consecutive Breakthrough Quest: 10 days remaining]

[Hidden Quest triggered: Break through Level 20 using Soul Power refined through compression]

[Completion Reward: Opportunity to increase Soul Ring age (Thousand Year → Three Thousand Year)]

Huang Fei's gaze sharpened.

An increase in Soul Ring age... this was a heaven-defying opportunity.

But the prerequisite was that he had to refine his Soul Power to its utmost limit before reaching Level 20.

He closed his eyes, and his breathing gradually settled.

Moonlight flowed like water beyond the window, spilling over the frame and illuminating the young man's calm profile.

The night passed without incident.

The Next Day, during Theory Class.

As Mu Chen explained cases involving the risks of absorbing Soul Rings, his gaze swept over Huang Fei. Suddenly, he said,

"The maximum age for a Soul Master's Second Soul Ring is around seven hundred years."

"But with a special constitution or the support of cultivation techniques, one may perhaps attempt to exceed it."

As he spoke, he gave Huang Fei a deep look.

Huang Fei's expression did not change, but understanding dawned within him.

This instructor had likely noticed something as well.

After class, Ning Tian came to find him.

She noticed that Huang Fei's Soul Power fluctuations seemed different. They no longer advanced as sharply as before, instead becoming deep and weighty. After a moment's thought, she understood the key point.

"A solid foundation truly is important," she said softly. "My Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect also has methods for condensing Soul Power. Though they cannot compare to the secret teachings of Sea God's Pavilion, they have their own subtleties."

As she spoke, she took out a handwritten copy and handed it to him.

Huang Fei accepted it and flipped through it briefly. He found that this method focused on "Soul Power Diversion and Circulation," perfectly complementing the "Vibration Compression" of the Soul Condensing Secret Art.

The two exchanged their insights in low voices in the corridor, occasionally sketching diagrams and working through deductions on paper.

Not far away, Wu Feng leaned against a wall with her arms folded. Watching the two of them, she suddenly felt a faint tightness in her chest.

She gritted her teeth, turned, and headed straight for the Training Ground.

That afternoon, during a sparring session in Real Combat Simulation class, Wu Feng's aura suddenly surged amid the fierce battle, and she broke through her bottleneck in one stroke.

Level 26!

Tie Shan rarely smiled as he praised her in front of everyone.

Yet Wu Feng looked toward Huang Fei, and the Fighting Spirit in her eyes only grew stronger rather than fading.

Huang Fei nodded to her from afar in congratulations.

As the sun set, the figures on the Training Ground gradually dispersed.

Huang Fei stood alone at the edge of the field, closing his eyes as he recalled what he had gained during the day.

The Soul Condensing Secret Art and the method of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect confirmed each other, deepening his understanding of the essence of Soul Power by another level.

The Wood Breathing Technique circulated soundlessly. Soul Power Roots quietly extended into the earth, and within sixty meters, the movements of Ants and Insects and the touch of Fallen Leaf upon the ground all reflected in his mind.

Suddenly, his thoughts stirred.

The Soul Power Roots gave a slight tremor, quietly lifting a Fallen Leaf three meters away and suspending it in midair.

Though it vanished after only an instant.

Huang Fei opened his eyes, the corner of his lips curving upward.

His precision of control had improved by another fraction.

The road might be long, but those who walked it would eventually arrive.

He turned and headed toward the dormitory.

His figure disappeared into the dusk, his footsteps steady.

Instructor Tie Shan of the Real Combat Simulation class acted with swift decisiveness and never wasted words.

That day, as soon as class began, he stood in the center of the Training Ground, his voice ringing like a Great Bell.

"Starting today, form your own teams of three and conduct simulated team battles."

His gaze swept across the Whole Field as he continued,

"When Soul Masters travel the continent, lone wolves do not survive."

"Teammates are your arms, your back, and the people to whom you can entrust your life at a critical moment."

"If you do not temper yourselves now, you will have to make up for it with blood later."

As his words fell, figures were already weaving across the Training Ground.

Ning Tian looked to Huang Fei almost immediately, without the slightest hesitation.

Huang Fei gave a faint nod.

Wu Feng strode over and stopped beside Ning Tian, but her eyes landed on Huang Fei's face, the Fighting Spirit in them undisguised.

The three naturally formed a team.

Not far away, Hong Yu teamed up with two other Assault Type Soul Masters. When his gaze passed over them, there was hidden wariness in his eyes, along with a trace of unwillingness.

At some point, Mu Jin had also arrived at the edge of the field. She stood beside Tie Shan and exchanged a few quiet words with him, her gaze pausing briefly on Huang Fei's team.

Once the teams were formed, Tie Shan waved a large hand.

"The rules are simple. Two teams fight. The winners remain on the field and may fight three matches in a row."

"The losers leave the field, and other teams take their place."

He paused, and a nearly cruel smile tugged at his lips.

"Remember, this is Real Combat Simulation, not child's play."

"As long as you do not cripple someone's cultivation or take a life, any means are permitted."

With that, he retreated to the side of the field and completely handed the space over to the students.

The atmosphere instantly tightened.

Huang Fei's team was scheduled for the first match. Their opponents were the three led by Hong Yu.

All three were Assault Type Soul Masters, with Martial Souls of the Sea Shark Spear, Blazing Bear, and Ironclad Beast.

"Huang Fei, I will take back the humiliation from last time!"

"This time, I won't give you another chance."

Hong Yu stood at the front, his Water Blue Spear angled toward the ground as he spoke in a low voice.

"You're getting stronger. So am I."

Huang Fei remained calm and merely nodded lightly.

Battle never required unnecessary words.

Ning Tian stepped back two paces and stood behind the team. The Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Tower appeared above her palm, radiant with flowing light.

"Martial Soul Possession!"

Wu Feng shouted, fusing with the Red Dragon as flames rose around her.

Huang Fei stood at the front. A Purple Soul Ring slowly rose beneath his feet, but he did not rush to use a soul skill. He merely made a grasping motion with his right hand, and an Azure Blue Spear quietly took shape.