Practical Combat Training

This was a small clearing in the forest, but compared to the canopy-choked woods before, it was a rare open space.

A few rare beams of sunlight, not entirely blocked, pierced through the foliage like golden swords, casting pillars of light that illuminated the dust dancing in the air and the massive, dazzling halo of spiritual power surrounding Situ Xuan.

The grass in the clearing was covered in dew, shimmering under the sunlight, forming a strange and intense contrast with the aura of death brought by Situ Xuan.

The ceiling of the training ground hummed with the slight vibration of metal support frames, and the dim spotlights cast a shadow over the bruise on the right side of Situ Xuan's face.

He slowly lifted his chin, his gaze sweeping over the five people in front of him, lingering on Tang Wulin for a brief moment before drifting away dismissively.

"What do you think?"

Looking at the five people who were acting as if they were facing a formidable enemy, Wu Zhangkong nodded with satisfaction. "Do you have any opinions?"

Situ Xuan shook his head and let out a scoff. "What kind of opinion could I have? Didn't I just promise you, Teacher, that I would come and test the mettle of these losers?"

As soon as these words were spoken, they immediately incited the dissatisfaction of the five.

"Hey! Situ Xuan, we gave you some face, and now you're really getting full of yourself?"

As the most hot-tempered of the five, Xie Xie already had a poor impression of Situ Xuan, so he naturally bristled after hearing this: "You don't really think we're afraid of you, do you?"

Situ Xuan looked Xie Xie up and down and spoke with contempt: "Isn't this just a carried dog who can only run his mouth?"

"If it weren't for Tang Wulin and Gu Yue, would you even have the chance to stand before me and bark?"

During the Class Promotion Tournament between Grade One Class Five and Grade One Class Three, Xie Xie had grandly taken it upon himself to contain Situ Xuan, only to be knocked out of combat with a single punch and then held up by one hand to be mocked.

With the humiliating incident brought up again, Xie Xie's face turned red with anger. Just as he was about to say something, he was interrupted by Wu Zhangkong.

"Enough! Whatever grudges you have, you can settle them however you want when you fight later."

Wu Zhangkong looked at the timer in his hand. "You have three minutes to discuss your tactics."

"Once the time is up, the live combat begins."

The various images intertwined, but instead of making him uncomfortable, they stirred up a crazy urge to completely destroy everything before his eyes.

His breathing grew heavy involuntarily, a wisp of black energy flickered between his brows, and the aura radiating from his body became increasingly dangerous and unstable, like a volcano ready to erupt at any moment.

Just as this baleful aura was about to further erode his mind and trigger deeper demonic thoughts—

"Roar—"

A low tiger roar, carrying unquestionable majesty and a soothing power, resounded from the depths of his soul.

It was his spirit soul, the Little Black Tiger!

Although it had fallen into a deep sleep to digest the large amount of spiritual energy it had absorbed, the connection it shared with Situ Xuan's origin allowed it to sense the crisis of its host's mind being on the verge of collapse.

This roar, originating from the source of his soul, was not an actual sound, but it acted like a great bell, shattering the slaughter-filled illusions churning in Situ Xuan's mind and forcibly suppressing the rising violent emotions.

Situ Xuan jolted, waking up from that near-demonic sense of ecstasy, his back instantly soaked in cold sweat.

He gasped for air, a lingering sense of fear remaining in his eyes.

"That was close... This Black Heart Evil Palm is truly wicked!"

He felt a secret chill. "Although it increases power quickly, its erosion of the mind is so tyrannical and fierce. If not for the Little Black Tiger's warning, I'm afraid just now..."

He composed his mind, not daring to circulate the Black Heart Evil Palm at full power anymore, instead controlling it at a relatively gentle rhythm, using it mainly to absorb the stray baleful energy in the air to supplement himself, no longer deliberately seeking a breakthrough.

The growth of power was important, but if he lost his original intent because of it and became a monster that only knew how to kill, that would be putting the cart before the horse, which was definitely not what he wanted.

After this ordeal, Situ Xuan had a deeper understanding of these two powers.

"The Dragon-Turning Breathing Method is a grand and righteous path; it builds a solid foundation, nourishes vitality, and provides insight into opportunities, but its progress is relatively moderate and peaceful. The Black Heart Evil Palm takes a shortcut; its progress is rapid and its lethality is terrifying, but it easily backfires on the mind and shakes one's foundation."

"The fusion during the day was achieved under the pressure of life and death, where my spirit was highly concentrated and unified, using 'battle intent' as a bridge to reach a delicate, temporary balance. If I pursue it deliberately, it will be difficult to replicate due to the difference in my state of mind."

"To truly fuse them, perhaps... I shouldn't force the fusion of their 'forms,' but rather pursue the command of their 'intent'?"

A thought flashed through his mind like lightning.

"The Dragon-Turning Breathing Method cultivates 'myself'; it is about controlling oneself and observing external things. The Black Heart Evil Palm draws upon 'evil'; it is about harnessing external forces and slaughtering all living things. If I can use the 'original self-will' tempered by the Dragon-Turning Breathing Method as the root, and the insight of 'anticipating the opportunity' as the eyes, to command the violent baleful energy of the Black Heart Evil Palm, could I then wield it like an extension of my own arm, rather than being enslaved by it?"

"With my will, I shall command the ferocity of the evil! It is not fusion, but... dominion!"

Thinking of this, Situ Xuan felt as if a new door had opened before him.

He no longer tried to forcibly knead the two types of energy together in his meridians. Instead, he began to try, while maintaining the basic operation of the Dragon-Turning Breathing Method and keeping a sliver of clarity in his mind, to distract himself and guide wisps of the absorbed baleful energy. He did not let them merge into the mainstream of his soul power, but like taming a wild horse, he used his own strong willpower to restrain, compress, and guide them into specific, non-primary meridians, or even... his skin, membranes, and bones!

This process was still full of risk and pain; the unruly nature of the baleful energy far exceeded his imagination, and every act of restraint felt like a miniature war being waged within his body, with tearing pain constantly surging through him.

But relying on the tenacious will he had honed in the Spirit Ascension Platform, and the sense of stability brought by his connection with the Little Black Tiger in the depths of his soul, he endured it.

Gradually, those wisps of separated and restrained baleful energy no longer conflicted with the pale golden mainstream of his soul power. Instead, like bone-attached gangrene, they took root in those peripheral areas, slowly infiltrating and strengthening his physical body, especially the skin on his surface, which faintly shimmered with a very faint, metallic black light, exuding an indestructible yet dangerous aura.

This was not a perfect solution; it was more like a dangerous compromise and experiment.

But at least, he had found a path that might work, a path that allowed him to increase his power while minimizing the risk of his mind being eroded.

"Tell me about your own feelings regarding yesterday's Spirit Ascension Platform."

Wu Zhangkong stood behind the podium and said indifferently to the six students in the classroom.

The five students in the front row wore varied expressions; the exhaustion on the faces of Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi was plain to see, as if they had been plagued by nightmares all night long.

Zhang Yangzi recalled the feeling of helplessness when he was instantly taken out, his fists clenching involuntarily. Wang Jinxi, meanwhile, still felt a lingering fear of the Human-Faced Demon Spider's cold compound eyes and hideous mouthparts; the terror of being torn apart bit by bit was not something easily dispelled.

Xie Xie was no better off. The experience of being chased by a pack of Green Wolf with nowhere to run and no door to enter made his speed advantage as an agility-type soul master seem laughable. At this moment, his gaze was somewhat unfocused, as if he were still on guard against non-existent wolf howls.

Gu Yue, however, looked calm. From beginning to end, it seemed that apart from Tang Wulin, nothing else could capture her attention...

Oh!

Situ Xuan was the exception. When he beat her up, Gu Yue's expression would naturally turn very ugly.

She felt no great annoyance at having "fallen in battle" while covering the team's retreat; instead, she was reviewing her elemental usage and tactical choices at the time, her eyes filled with contemplation.

Tang Wulin, on the other hand, was genuinely happy because his soul spirit, Golden Light, had evolved. He was the only one with an excited expression and bright eyes.

He had not only killed two century-level Soul Beast, but more importantly, he had felt the trust and support of his companions, as well as the growth of his own strength.

Situ Xuan...

Situ Xuan was sleeping on his desk in the back row. His breathing was steady and long. He appeared to be in a deep sleep, but if someone proficient in aura perception were present, they would notice that the aura around him was extremely restrained, as if he had gathered all his sharpness within his body. Only a faint, lingering trace of baleful aura remained, a sign that he had not yet fully recovered after attempting to "command" that energy the previous night.

He turned a deaf ear to Wu Zhangkong's questions, as if the experience in the Spirit Ascension Platform were as mundane as having a glass of water yesterday.

Wu Zhangkong's ice-blue eyes swept over the group, taking in everyone's reactions, and finally lingered on Situ Xuan for a moment without scolding him.

"Zhang Yangzi,"

Wu Zhangkong called out, "You go first."

Zhang Yangzi took a deep breath, stood up, and spoke with a tone of reluctance and self-reflection: "I... was too careless. I underestimated the dangers of the Spirit Ascension Platform. I thought I could handle it with the abilities of my Dark Phantom Eagle, but in the end... I was eliminated without even seeing the opponent's true strength. I understand now that actual combat is not child's play; any underestimation of the enemy can come at a price."

Wu Zhangkong nodded slightly, noncommittal, and turned his gaze to Wang Jinxi.

Wang Jinxi's voice was low: "I... I fell into a trap. Facing the Human-Faced Demon Spider, I felt... I felt very helpless. The gap in power was too great, and my Bone Dragon King martial soul seemed... seemed to be suppressed." There was a hint of confusion and frustration regarding his own martial soul in his words.

"Xie Xie."

Xie Xie scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed: "I was chased too miserably. I was so focused on running that my attack rhythm was completely disrupted. Speed... sometimes isn't everything. I still need better judgment and counter-attack capabilities."

When it was Gu Yue's turn, she stood up, her tone flat but clear: "The simulated environment of the Spirit Ascension Platform is realistic, and the behavior patterns of the Soul Beast are logical. My elemental control was tested in actual combat, but my soul power endurance and my ability to adapt when facing an absolute gap in strength are still insufficient. Covering the team's retreat was the optimal choice at the time, but perhaps I could have attempted more effective methods to obstruct the enemy."

Tang Wulin spoke last, his voice loud and filled with excitement: "Teacher Wu, I feel great! Although it was dangerous, fighting alongside my companions and defeating strong enemies has improved my strength and control! Plus, my soul spirit, Golden Light, has evolved! I like actual combat even more now!"

His optimism and resilience infected the somewhat gloomy atmosphere, and even the expressions of Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi softened a little.

After listening to the five students' statements, Wu Zhangkong's gaze fell once again on the figure in the back row who was still "sleeping."

"Situ Xuan."

No response.

The air in the classroom seemed to stagnate for a moment.

Tang Wulin couldn't help but want to turn around and call him, but was stopped by a look from Gu Yue.

Wu Zhangkong's voice remained flat, yet it carried an invisible pressure that spread like a cold current, precisely enveloping Situ Xuan: "Do you need me to ask you to get up?"

Situ Xuan, who was lying on the desk, moved his eyebrows imperceptibly.

That cold pressure fell upon him, but it did not make him feel uncomfortable; instead, it acted like a whetstone, slightly suppressing the restless baleful aura within his body.

He slowly raised his head. There was no sleepiness on his face; his eyes were clear, even carrying a hint of impatience at being disturbed.

He rubbed his brow and spoke lazily. His voice was hoarse as if he had just woken up, yet it carried a cold, hard edge: "Feelings? I don't have any. I killed what needed to be killed, lived through what I had to, and when I was tired, I came out."

These few understated sentences caused the five students in the front row to react in different ways.

Tang Wulin felt admiration and longing; Xie Xie's mouth twitched in speechlessness; Gu Yue's eyes were deep; Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi had complex expressions, containing both awe and an indescribable sense of frustration—the experience they had struggled through and reflected upon was, in his words, so... unworthy of mention.

Wu Zhangkong stared at Situ Xuan, seemingly trying to see something in his eyes, but those pupils were as deep as an ancient well, holding nothing but indifference and a trace of hard-to-detect fatigue.

"We saw your combat process."

Wu Zhangkong said slowly, "You drew upon your baleful aura to fight three thousand-year Soul Beast alone and ultimately emerged victorious. It was brilliant, but also extremely dangerous. That kind of power does not come without a price."

Situ Xuan raised an eyebrow, noncommittal: "I will bear the price myself. As long as the power can be used by me, that is enough."

"I hope so."

Wu Zhangkong did not pursue the matter further and turned to face everyone: "From your summaries, you have all gained something, and you have also exposed problems. Zhang Yangzi's underestimation of the enemy, Wang Jinxi's lack of confidence when facing suppression, Xie Xie's on-the-spot adaptability, Gu Yue's endurance and limit-testing, Tang Wulin... keep up your fighting spirit. As for Situ Xuan..."

He paused, "Your individual combat power is unquestionable, but Zero Class is a whole. Your status as a 'free agent' means greater responsibility. How to exert your maximum effect within the team is a question you need to think about next."

"Now, the theory class is over."

Wu Zhangkong's tone shifted, and his cold aura suddenly became sharp: "Everyone stand up, assemble on the playground. Actual combat class, begin."

The group was energized, especially Tang Wulin, whose eyes instantly ignited with fighting intent.

Even Situ Xuan sat up slightly, a flicker of interest crossing his eyes.

Purely listening to lectures made him feel bored, but actual combat was the best way for him to verify his thoughts from last night and hone his path of "command."

On the playground, the cold wind was biting.

Wu Zhangkong stood like a spear, looking at the six students lined up before him.

"Today's actual combat class, the content is very simple."

He pointed to several areas marked out on the playground: "Two people per group, free sparring. Rules: No attacking vital points, no intentional maiming. Other than that, no restrictions on methods until one side admits defeat or loses the ability to fight."

"Now, group up."

His gaze swept over the faces of the six.