Wind Rises from the Humble, Schemes Brew in the Cosmos

Twilight completely enveloped Shrek Academy. The bustle of the training grounds during the day gradually faded into silence, leaving only the rustling of the evening breeze through the trees.

Lin Chen stepped slowly into the boys' dormitory. Inside, Oscar and Ma Hongjun were joking and teasing each other, while Dai Mubai leaned against his bed with his eyes closed, his brow furrowed with a rare, heavy gloom.

Lin Chen's expression remained gentle and indifferent, like any student returning from training. He casually found a bed in the corner and sat down. His soul power aura was steady and restrained, the surface-level strength of a level 36 Soul Elder showing no flaws. The origin power of his Star Hidden Grass flowed silently, masking all his true foundations and fluctuations of heart.

No one noticed that in the bamboo forest behind the mountain just moments ago, the system-unlocked [Secret Protection Permission] had quietly merged with his soul power origin. From this day forward, his protection of Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing would be even more seamless; even if a Title Douluo-level powerhouse were to pry, they would never detect the defenses and bonds he had secretly laid.

"Lin Chen, you're back! Our combat coordination today was top-tier. You have to team up with us again next time!" Oscar grinned as he saw him return, conjuring a Recovery Sausage and handing it over. "Replenish your soul power; you must have used quite a bit during that fight."

Ma Hongjun also leaned in, saying in a naive tone, "That's right, that's right! You look so plain, but you're truly reliable in team battles—much steadier than Boss Dai!"

Dai Mubai opened his eyes at these words and glared helplessly at Ma Hongjun, though he did not refute him. He had watched the four-man team battle all day; Lin Chen's tactics were precise, his positioning was sound, and he remained low-key yet irreplaceable throughout, leaving no room for criticism.

Lin Chen nodded slightly, accepted the sausage with a calm expression, and thanked him gently. "I was just familiarizing myself with the team's rhythm. Everyone was simply doing their part."

His words were plain, neither arrogant nor impatient, perfectly fitting his low-key and introverted persona.

No one knew that during the entire battle, while he appeared to have expended little, he had actually torn through soul power barriers several times in secret to neutralize fatal attacks and covertly transmit soul power, with a loss far greater than what was visible. However, relying on his deep foundation as a level 62 Soul Emperor, combined with the healing and stabilizing effects of the Star Hidden Grass, he had already smoothed away all fatigue.

After chatting for a while, the group settled into meditation. Soon, only the sound of steady breathing and the faint hum of soul power circulation remained in the dormitory.

Lin Chen sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, appearing to be in deep meditation, but his consciousness had already quietly spread out, transforming into an intangible perception that enveloped the entire Shrek Academy.

This was a sensory secret technique he had polished for a long time, hidden within the soul power of heaven and earth. It did not trigger any martial soul fluctuations, and even Zhao Wuji or Flender could not detect this sliver of divine sense probing.

In an instant, the movements across the academy fell into his mind.

In the direction of the girls' dormitory, three familiar auras were stable and peaceful.

Xiao Wu's soul power was soft and agile, carrying a sense of steady warmth. Her mind was clear, clearly having let go of the bitterness from the day and placing full trust in his forbearance and planning.

Ning Rongrong's soul power was brilliant and pure, the origin luster of her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda warm and gentle. The young girl's heart was slightly restless, likely still savoring the scene of fighting side-by-side during the day; that inexplicable trust and affection were quietly taking root.

Zhu Zhuqing's aura remained cold and sharp, the soul power of her Hell Spirit Cat extremely restrained. She appeared to keep people at a distance, but Lin Chen clearly sensed that the heartstrings she had kept taut for years had quietly loosened a fraction. She held onto the warmth of his secret protection from the day, though her cold nature prevented her from showing it.

Three delicate threads of emotional bonds, invisible and colorless, were tightly entwined around his soul—gentle yet resilient, becoming the softest ties in his hidden game of chess.

Withdrawing his perception, a deep glimmer flashed in Lin Chen's eyes.

He knew very well that the brief peace at Shrek was merely an illusion before the storm.

Martial Soul Hall's eyes and ears were already spread throughout Heaven Dou City. The Shrek Seven Devils possessed extraordinary talent and had already been placed on Martial Soul Hall's priority surveillance list. In particular, the true form of Xiao Wu, the heritage of Ning Rongrong's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and the grievances between Zhu Zhuqing and Dai Mubai regarding the Star Luo Imperial Family—each one was a hidden danger that would stir up trouble in the future.

Furthermore, he had secretly discovered that there were frequent soul power anomalies in Heaven Dou City recently. Many secret soul masters were wandering about, appearing aimless but actually screening for talented young soul masters. It was highly likely that Martial Soul Hall was laying the groundwork and scouting for the upcoming Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament.

And the members of Shrek were precisely the targets they were watching and guarding against.

The wind is rising; it is almost here.

Lin Chen whispered to himself, his gaze calm and waveless.

The plot trajectory he knew from his past life was steadily advancing. With the Elite Tournament approaching, the conspiracies of Martial Soul Hall, the power struggle between the two great empires, and the undercurrents between the sects would soon sweep up all young soul masters.

He was now firmly at the level of a Soul Emperor, confident in fighting Soul Saints above his rank. With the extreme concealment of the Star Hidden Grass and his multiple secret soul skills, he had enough to protect himself in the chaos and secretly guard those around him. But it was far from enough.

To truly control his own destiny, protect the three girls, and break the grand chess game set by Martial Soul Hall, he needed to break through faster, possess greater combat power, and hold deeper trump cards.

With his mind made up, Lin Chen stopped distracting himself and quietly circulated his soul power.

On the surface, it maintained the steady rhythm of a level 36 Soul Elder to fool the perceptions of those around him, but internally, he was undergoing the high-speed cultivation of a level 62 Soul Emperor. The soul power of heaven and earth was continuously swallowed, refined, and purified by him, solidifying his foundation bit by bit.

He did not take the path of impatient, rapid growth. He moved steadily, refining every thread of soul power to the extreme, laying an absolute foundation for his future breakthrough to Title Douluo and his ability to contend with divine forces.

The night passed silently.

The next day, as the sun rose, the crisp sound of a gathering whistle pierced the academy's tranquility.

All Shrek students assembled on the training ground on time. Flender stood in front of them with a solemn expression, a far cry from his usual casual demeanor.

"Regular combat training is suspended today."

Flender's gaze swept over the group, his voice loud and carrying a sense of gravity. "There is only half a month left until the qualifiers for the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament. From now on, we will no longer spar randomly. We will conduct targeted team battle training to polish our coordination, refine our tactics, and adapt to high-intensity real combat."

As soon as these words were spoken, all the students present were invigorated.

The Shrek Seven Devils looked at each other, their eyes flashing with fighting spirit. Only Lin Chen remained indifferent, understanding the situation in his heart.

The plot had officially entered a key node. The Elite Tournament was the first grand stage for him to reveal a portion of his edge, lay secret plans, and reap opportunities.

"For team battle training, you are still free to form groups, but I require that every team's tactics be flexible, coordination must be tacit, and there are no restrictions on martial soul combinations. Simulate the real combat scenarios of the tournament," Flender continued. "Zhao Wuji will be responsible for supervising the entire process, recording everyone's shortcomings and strengths, and making targeted adjustments one by one."

As his voice fell, the group immediately dispersed to form teams.

Almost instantly, Xiao Wu subconsciously looked toward Lin Chen, her gaze soft and filled with reliance.

Ning Rongrong paused, instinctively wanting to walk toward Lin Chen. The tacit understanding and sense of security from fighting side-by-side yesterday made her instinctively want to team up with him again.

Zhu Zhuqing's cold eyes also flickered slightly, her gaze falling quietly on Lin Chen at the edge of the crowd as she moved half a step closer without a sound.

The three girls' gazes met subtly, each hiding their own feelings, with no one else noticing.

Seeing this, Dai Mubai smiled and said, "Perfect, the four of us had excellent coordination yesterday. Let's continue as a team today and refine our team battle tactics!"

Oscar and Ma Hongjun immediately echoed the sentiment.

Lin Chen narrowed his eyes, quickly calculating the pros and cons.

With the whole group assembled, he could use the guise of team battle training to protect the four of them at close range while secretly observing the shortcomings of the other students. He could polish the best team tactics for Shrek in advance and avoid fatal risks in the future tournament. More importantly, the multi-person melee scenario was the most suitable for him to intervene secretly, resolve crises, and lay down his own hidden moves without ever arousing suspicion.

With this thought in mind, he nodded slightly, his expression as gentle as ever: "Very well."

Soon, the core Shrek team of six was formed, remaining the most compatible and tacit combination.

Zhao Wuji strode over and said in a deep voice: "The six of you will form a group to fight against all the remaining students. There are no restrictions on moves; go all out and simulate a desperate team battle!"

As soon as his words fell, the soul power of the dozen or so Shrek students opposite them surged instantly. Various Martial Souls bloomed in unison, their momentum coalescing as they pressed down toward the six.

A thick atmosphere of battle instantly swept across the entire training ground; the wind rose from a whisper, and the will to fight ignited into a prairie fire.

Lin Chen stood at the rear flank of the team, maintaining his usual unremarkable appearance. While he appeared to be coordinating with the team, his eyes were clear, fully discerning the attack trajectories and soul power flaws of every opponent.

Hidden undercurrents surged around him, emotions stirred in the dark, and the chessboard began to unfold.

In the shadows where no one knew, he held the universe in his palm, planning every step. He intended to hone the strongest Shrek team combat power while silently guarding the three secret affections beside him, waiting quietly for the wind to rise so he could startle the world with a single feat.

The great battle in the arena was on the verge of breaking out.