Training Path

The three of them walked along the path leading to the Teaching Building.

Sunlight filtered through gaps in the leaves, scattering mottled patches across the ground.

Xue Lingyun walked in the middle at an unhurried pace.

Huo Yuhao was on his left and Wang Dong on his right. With him between them, the two chatted on and off.

After walking for a while, Xue Lingyun suddenly said, "Physical Training Class will probably be canceled today."

Huo Yuhao turned to look at him. "How do you know?"

"The assessment is tomorrow," Xue Lingyun said. "If they put us through physical training again today, who'll have the strength to fight tomorrow? Teacher Zhou is strict, but she isn't stupid."

Wang Dong, who had been listening beside them, immediately brightened. "Really? That's great! No running laps today!"

She was so excited that she nearly jumped up. Instinctively, she reached out to tug Xue Lingyun's sleeve, but no matter how hard she pulled, she could not move him.

Xue Lingyun continued walking as though nothing had happened, without even breaking stride.

Wang Dong awkwardly withdrew her hand and tugged at Huo Yuhao's sleeve instead. This time, with one hard shake, she nearly pulled Huo Yuhao off balance.

He silently pulled his sleeve free without saying anything.

Wang Dong did not mind. She moved closer to Xue Lingyun and asked, "Then what are we doing in class today? They can't possibly dismiss us straight away, can they?"

Xue Lingyun glanced at her. "They'll probably explain tomorrow's assessment rules, and have you fill out your training paths."

Huo Yuhao froze for a moment. "Training paths?"

"Choosing the Assault Department, Control System, and so on," Xue Lingyun explained. "After the Freshman Assessment, there'll be a new class assignment, so they'll probably have you fill it out today. You choose whichever direction you plan to develop in."

He paused and looked at Huo Yuhao. "Take you, for example. Your Martial Soul has a spiritual attribute, so you can take any path."

"You can join the Control System, with Soul Skills like Spiritual Impact and interference techniques. Or you can develop toward the Support System—Spiritual Probe Sharing is also extremely useful in a team."

"Choosing a training path is really just deciding which direction you want to focus on."

Wang Dong blinked as she listened. "Then what should he choose?"

Huo Yuhao also looked at Xue Lingyun.

Xue Lingyun considered it for a moment. "That's something he needs to think through himself. But personally, I think the Control System has better prospects."

"You already have Spiritual Probe. If you add Spiritual Impact, you can use the probe to lock onto targets, then attack directly with the impact. It gives you both offense and defense. The Support System may have a major role in teams, but it ultimately relies on teammates."

He looked at Huo Yuhao. "Of course, that's only my personal opinion. Think it over yourself."

Huo Yuhao nodded thoughtfully.

Wang Dong blinked, then suddenly asked, "What exactly does the Freshman Assessment test?"

"Actual combat," Xue Lingyun said.

Wang Dong paused. "Actual combat?"

"Combat between students," Xue Lingyun added.

Huo Yuhao followed up, "How does that work? One-on-one?"

Xue Lingyun shook his head. "The number of people isn't completely fixed, but it's generally teams of three fighting team battles."

He continued, "Considering Martial Souls from the Support System, and the fact that classes haven't been assigned yet, they can't exactly make a Support System student duel an Assault Department student. So it's usually team-based."

Wang Dong's mind worked quickly, and she immediately became excited. "Then can the three of us be assigned to the same team? And slaughter everyone in the Freshman Assessment?"

After saying that, she looked at Xue Lingyun with sparkling eyes.

Xue Lingyun spread his hands. "Almost impossible."

The excitement on Wang Dong's face froze. "Why?"

"The Freshman Assessment usually limits each team's composition," Xue Lingyun said. "A team can have at most one Assault Department student."

"Why?" Wang Dong asked indignantly.

Xue Lingyun explained, "At low levels, everyone has few skills and not many tricks. Assault Department students have the advantage in both damage output and taking hits. If you put two Assault Department students on one team, how are the other teams supposed to fight?"

Wang Dong deflated a little after hearing that. She frowned, then suddenly thought of something, and her eyes lit up again. "Then how about I choose the Control System?"

Xue Lingyun said nothing. He simply looked at her.

Wang Dong felt a little guilty under his gaze, but she still tried to persuade him. "Think about it. My abilities could work in the Control System too, couldn't they? Controlling the whole field with my attack power—that counts as control, doesn't it? And I can fly and attack from range. Why can't I handle Crowd Control?"

Xue Lingyun still said nothing, merely staring at her.

His stare made Wang Dong's scalp tingle, and her voice grew quieter and quieter. "...I was just saying."

Only then did Xue Lingyun look away. His tone was calm. "Do you take Teacher Zhou for a blind person? With a standard offensive Martial Soul like yours, if you dare write down the Control System, she'll be the first to call you in for a talk."

Wang Dong wilted, lowering her head and muttering, "Then should I put down the Agile Attack System or the Defense System?"

Xue Lingyun shook his head. "No need."

Wang Dong raised her head to look at him.

Xue Lingyun said, "If we all choose the Assault Department, we just won't be assigned to the same team during the Freshman Assessment. After the assessment, we can still attend the same class."

Wang Dong paused. "You mean..."

"Class One," Xue Lingyun said. "The Assault Department and Control System are both in Class One. If you choose another path, then we won't even be in the same class in the Outer Court from now on."

Wang Dong thought it over and felt that it made sense. Though she was still somewhat unwilling, she ultimately relented. "Fine, fine. Then the Assault Department it is."

After a while, she suddenly said, "What if we get assigned against each other? We can't be that unlucky, can we?"

Xue Lingyun looked at her.

Wang Dong grew uncomfortable under his gaze. She lifted her chin and said, "I'm not afraid of you!"

Xue Lingyun still said nothing.

Wang Dong continued, "I'm just afraid I might hurt you!"

Xue Lingyun looked away, the corners of his lips curving slightly. He did not respond.

As Huo Yuhao listened beside them, he was thinking about something else.

What would it look like if he really ended up on the opposite side from Bro Lingyun?

Bro Lingyun would stand across from him, two purple Soul Rings rising beneath his feet, then throw a punch...

He imagined the scene and shuddered, quickly flinging the thought from his mind.

Wang Dong noticed his movement and asked curiously, "What are you shivering for?"

Huo Yuhao shook his head and said nothing.

The three continued onward, and the Teaching Building was not far ahead.

Xue Lingyun suddenly said, "Class is about to start. Let's go."

He stepped forward, with Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong following after him.

Sunlight shone over them, stretching their shadows long across the ground.

The preparatory bell rang in the distance.