The Soul Master Competition had ended for the year.
Heaven Dou Royal Academy had the best teaching facilities and the strongest faculty in the Heaven Dou Empire, yet it still hadn't achieved good results.
Its students' overall strength was inferior to that of the Heaven Dou Empire's several major elemental academies, as well as the even more powerful Spirit Hall Academy and Star Luo Empire Royal Academy.
After much soul-searching, the three senior members of the Teaching Committee decided to make bold reforms to the School Team.
When choosing new members, they would select promising young students rather than older students with higher Soul Power Levels.
After all, they still had five years, and promising young students were more worth cultivating.
The seven main members of the School Team were:
Yu Tianheng, Martial Soul: Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon; Thirty-second Rank Assault System Battle Soul Elder; Soul Rings: Two Yellow One Purple.
Long Chen, Martial Soul: Dark Night Demonic Lute; Thirty-second Rank Control System Battle Soul Elder; Soul Rings: Two Yellow One Purple.
Dugu Yan, Martial Soul: Jade Phosphorous Serpent; Thirty-first Rank Control System Battle Soul Elder; Soul Rings: Two Yellow One Purple.
Shi Mo, Martial Soul: Black Tortoise; Thirty-first Rank Defense System Battle Soul Elder; Soul Rings: Two Yellow One Purple.
Yufeng, Martial Soul: Wind Chime Bird; Twenty-ninth Rank Agility Attack System Battle Spirit Master; Soul Rings: Two Yellow.
Osler, Martial Soul: Ghost Leopard; Twenty-ninth Rank Agility Attack System Battle Spirit Master; Soul Rings: Two Yellow.
Ye Lingling, Martial Soul: Nine Heart Begonia; Twenty-fourth Rank Support System Tool Soul Master; Soul Rings: Two Yellow.
The oldest of these seven main team members was no older than sixteen.
Ye Lingling was the youngest and had the lowest Soul Power Level, but she was vital to the team, irreplaceable, and had tremendous potential.
As soon as the roster was announced, Long Chen went to find Ye Lingling.
"Lingling, wasn't I right? Not only did you make the School Team, you even became one of its main members."
A radiant smile spread across Ye Lingling's face, and her eyes shone with anticipation.
"Brother Chen, I never thought I could become a main member of the School Team and fight alongside you. It feels amazing!"
"Come on, let's go meet up at the training field."
Meng Shenji, the academy's Chief of the Teaching Committee, summoned the seven members of the newly formed School Team to the training field.
Meng Shenji stood in the middle of the training field, with a young man standing beside him.
The man looked to be around thirty. He had an ordinary appearance, simple black hair, and plain clothes.
Meng Shenji's stern yet kindly gaze swept over each team member before he offered his congratulations.
"Congratulations on distinguishing yourselves from so many outstanding students and becoming members of Heaven Dou Royal Academy's School Team. This is not only recognition of your individual strength, but also a source of hope that our academy will make a breakthrough at the next Soul Master Competition."
With that, he turned and gestured for the young man beside him to step forward.
"I also have an important announcement today. This is Teacher Qin Ming. He will be your Team Leader Teacher as you train and prepare for the competition. Though Teacher Qin Ming is only thirty, he is already a fifty-fifth-rank Battle Soul King. He is a thoughtful teacher with great potential, and he will bring fresh energy and new tactical ideas to our team."
Qin Ming nodded slightly, his gaze calm and deep.
He wore no finery and had no flamboyant air, yet the composure and confidence he exuded inspired respect.
"I'm glad to have the chance to learn and improve alongside you. In the days ahead, I'll do everything I can to help you grow stronger and prepare as thoroughly as possible for the next Soul Master Competition."
Meng Shenji nodded in satisfaction and looked back at the seven team members.
"Every one of you is an indispensable part of this team. Support one another and improve together. I hope you'll achieve better results at the Soul Master Competition five years from now and bring honor to the academy."
As Meng Shenji finished speaking, warm applause rang out across the training field.
Afterward, Meng Shenji left, entrusting the rest of the instruction to Qin Ming.
Long Chen knew that Qin Ming was a member of Shrek Academy's first graduating class and its most outstanding graduate in the twenty years since the academy was founded.
He taught at Heaven Dou Royal Academy, where his exceptional talent and outstanding strength had earned him the Teaching Committee's esteem.
This time, the Teaching Committee had made bold reforms.
Not only had they selected more promising young students as the School Team's main members, they had also appointed Qin Ming, a Tianzhi Rank teacher, as the team's Team Leader Teacher.
Qin Ming's gaze swept over everyone, lingering a moment longer on Long Chen.
Then he said:
"Some of you are Tianhui Rank, some are Tianzhi Rank, and some are Tiandou Rank. None of that matters. In our future studies and training, I'll treat you all equally and guide each of you according to the traits of your Martial Soul and Soul Skills."
Qin Ming paused, then continued:
"Every team has a Captain and a Vice-Captain. They bear responsibility for the team. Since our team has just been formed, we need to choose a Captain and Vice-Captain. I'd like to hear your opinions first."
Everyone looked straight at Yu Tianheng and Long Chen.
In a world where strength reigned supreme, strength decided everything.
By the usual custom, the strongest person would naturally lead the team.
Long Chen and Yu Tianheng were both thirty-second rank, one a Control System specialist and the other an Assault System specialist.
If one of them were to be chosen as Captain, Yu Tianheng would clearly be the first choice. He was older and had a stronger background.
After all, Yu Tianheng came from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, one of the Upper Three Sects.
Moreover, he was a veteran student, while Long Chen had only just arrived and was so young that it would be hard for him to command respect.
Long Chen spoke up first.
"Teacher Qin Ming, I think Yu Tianheng would make a good Captain, and Dugu Yan would be suitable as Vice-Captain."
Dugu Yan was a little surprised to hear this. She hadn't expected Long Chen to willingly give up the position.
Given Long Chen's strength and potential, even if he couldn't be Captain, he could still command respect as Vice-Captain.
Shi Mo said:
"I agree with Long Chen's suggestion."
Of the seven, Shi Mo was the oldest. He was a classmate of Yu Tianheng and Dugu Yan.
He had also been classmates with Long Chen for a while, so the two weren't strangers.
He knew Long Chen was a modest, reserved person who wouldn't care about being Captain.
Ye Lingling and the other two students nodded in agreement as well.
Seeing this, Qin Ming said:
"Then it's settled. Starting today, you're members of the Imperial Fighting Team. Yu Tianheng will be Captain, and Dugu Yan will be Vice-Captain."
"Understood!"
The team had only just been formed that day, so they didn't train much. They simply talked and got to know one another.
Afterward, Long Chen and Ye Lingling headed toward the Dormitory Building. Dugu Yan caught up with them from behind.
"Long Chen, why did you give the position of Vice-Captain to me?"
Long Chen replied calmly:
"I'm too young to be Vice-Captain. You're more suited to the role."
"You're too modest."
"I'm not. By the way, I have a few pills here. If you trust me, try taking one when the poison in your body flares up. It should ease your pain."
As he spoke, Long Chen handed Dugu Yan the pills he had prepared in advance.
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