People Must Rely on Themselves

Many times, many things were precisely the things that could not be spoken of because the relationship was too close.

Whether it was the Black Heart Evil Palm or the Fist of the North Star, both were martial arts steeped in murderous intent.

The more they were used, the more they were fought with, the more one's state of mind would naturally be affected.

This had nothing to do with willpower. From the moment he chose to cultivate these two martial arts, he had embarked on this kind of path.

Since he had set foot on this path, he should not run from it. He had to accept it, control it!

Fist seals condensed stars and shattered the nine heavens; palms swallowed the dark moon and drowned the tides of heaven. Blood burned barren bones, leaving a thousand mountains silent; blades cleaved the setting sun, scorching ten thousand miles.

Before murderous intent ceased, the wind had already raged; before battle intent could rest, the fire grew fiercer. If one asked where Asura was headed, when all living beings fell into calamity, I alone would stand proud!

The Training Room floor was soaked with sweat. Situ Xuan lay flat on his back in the center, his chest heaving violently.

The bright Soul Guidance Lamps on the ceiling left burning afterimages across his retinas.

The crisp sound of Long Xiuyuan twisting open a bottle of mineral water was especially clear amid the silence. He crouched down and shook the bottle against Situ Xuan's sweat-soaked temple, the cold bottle sending tiny droplets scattering.

"Don't you ever feel lonely?"

Long Xiuyuan spoke without warning. "Fighting alone, training alone, coming and going by yourself, doing whatever you please..."

His gaze was dark and distant. He seemed unable to understand what could have made a mere ten-year-old boy develop such a personality. "Aren't friends good? Aren't teammates good?"

Situ Xuan slapped aside the water bottle Long Xiuyuan offered and chuckled softly. "Lao Long, when did you become so sentimental?"

The lights in the Training Room suddenly dimmed for an instant, as though swallowed by something invisible.

Situ Xuan raised an arm, shadows winding over his wrist bones like snakes. Staring at the halo of light on the ceiling, he spoke so softly it was almost a murmur to himself. "There is no wholehearted good in this world, nor is there wholehearted evil."

His words seemed somewhat nonsensical. "When you place certain things in the hands of others, the moment the outcome fails to meet your expectations, all kinds of negative emotions will inevitably arise within you..."

"Pain, sorrow, resentment, melancholy, unwillingness, even heartbreak."

"So when you look back, this damned life has actually been telling you one truth all along..."

Situ Xuan lowered his arm and looked directly at the glaring white light. He said firmly, "People must rely on themselves!"

"People must rely on themselves!"

He repeated it, as though expounding some great truth.

The principal's office.

"What exactly happened?"

Yu Zhen looked gravely at Long Hengxu, who stood before his desk.

Long Hengxu gave a bitter smile. "This year's new students are truly a little bizarre... But I must say, this batch of new students is absolutely brimming with talent. If guided properly, they will certainly become the pillars of Eastsea Academy in the future."

"The reason today's match spiraled out of control was that, at the very end, two students from Grade One class one, both two-ring Soul Grandmasters, suddenly used an incomplete Martial Soul Fusion Skill. That Martial Soul Fusion Skill should be extremely high-level. They should only be able to fully display its effects after reaching three rings."

"A Martial Soul Fusion Skill?"

Yu Zhen's brows rose slightly, surprise flashing through his eyes. At the same time, the anger in his heart eased somewhat. "Since it was an unstable Martial Soul Fusion Skill, whatever consequences occurred would be understandable. As long as the situation is not serious, I will not blame you."

Long Hengxu continued to smile bitterly and shook his head. "Principal, I did not come to discuss the Martial Soul Fusion Skill. Or rather, the winner of this year's Class Promotion Tournament was not Class One-One, which possessed the Martial Soul Fusion Skill, but the seemingly ordinary Grade One Class Three."

"What?"

Yu Zhen asked in disbelief, "They still lost despite having a Martial Soul Fusion Skill?"

Long Hengxu nodded. "Yes, and they lost without even the ability to fight back."

He slowly exhaled. "That is precisely why I wish to request that you halt the Class Promotion Tournament's continued progression."

"You mean..."

Yu Zhen stood up in disbelief, frowning as he asked, "You mean that not even the second years would be a match for that Grade One Class Three?"

Eastsea Academy's Class Promotion Tournament had always begun with the first years fighting, with the final victor challenging Class Two-Five and continuing upward from there.

However, under normal circumstances, no matter how strong the first years were, they could not surpass the average level of the second years. In other words, the tournament would usually stop by the time it reached Class Two-Three.

This was both a reminder to the first-year students that there were always greater people beyond them and greater mountains beyond the mountains.

It was also meant to tell the second-year students that their juniors were outstanding, so they must not grow complacent and should strive forward.

But Long Hengxu's meaning at this moment was perfectly clear: if the Class Promotion Tournament continued, Eastsea Academy might truly see a class that fought its way from the first year all the way to the third year for the first time in its history!

"Principal, that is indeed the situation."

Long Hengxu nodded bitterly and sighed. "I found it difficult to believe at the time as well. But the facts were right before our eyes. Over a thousand teachers and students witnessed what happened, so I could not possibly fabricate it! If you do not believe me, you may investigate it yourself."

"In my view, that student's Martial Soul was likely the Body Martial Soul that had only ever appeared in the legendary Body Sect."

The Body Sect had long since become a legend, even more ancient than Shrek Academy.

Partly because Mu Ye kept a low profile, and partly because the Body Sect had only two members.

Ordinary people had long forgotten this legendary sect that had once stood shoulder to shoulder with Shrek Academy ten thousand years ago.

"Principal, that is not all."

Long Hengxu continued, "Class One-Five, the class led by Teacher Wu Zhangkong, was the only class capable of fighting Situ Xuan to a standstill, at least in my view. If not for the order of the Class Promotion Tournament, the top two of this year's first years would likely have been Grade One Class Three and Class One-Five."

One bombshell followed another, leaving Yu Zhen unable to process it for a while. Only after a long time did he ask, "You mean that a Martial Soul Fusion Skill combination, something rarely seen even once in ten or twenty years, cannot even rank among the top two of this year's new students?"

Long Hengxu nodded. "That is correct."

"Gasp!"

Yu Zhen sucked in a sharp breath, sat down, and took a drink of water before finally suppressing the shock in his heart.

Could it be that Eastsea Academy's destiny has finally returned?!

"Teacher Long, since you came to see me, do you have a suggestion?"

Yu Zhen abruptly leaned forward, looking expectantly at Long Hengxu. "Go ahead and tell me. Let us pool our wisdom!"

Long Hengxu answered confidently, "I believe the first years' current situation no longer makes them suitable to continue participating in the Class Promotion Tournament. Judging from today, forget the second years—even the third years might not be able to stop them. That may not be a good thing for the students. I believe we should treat this batch of new students differently."

"How should we treat them differently?"