Just Break Through

Yun Jingheng leaned back on Tang Wulin's stool, watching the group of people arguing.

"Hey, I said..."

"I told you, the circuit here can't be designed like this!"

"But Jing Heng needs energy regeneration, what use is such high defense?!"

"Call him by his full name! How long have you even known him? Without any defenses, what's the difference between him and a piece of paper?!"

"But we can't just focus on defense! Energy regeneration is his core need!"

"Isn't the purpose of Battle Armor to protect Soul Master? What's the point if not defense?!"

"Do you even understand Battle Armor design?!"

"I'm just a level four crafting engineer, do you think I don't understand?!"

Xie Xie sat on the edge of Tang Wulin's bed and looked at Yun Jingheng.

"Jing Heng... aren't you going to try to persuade him?"

Yun Jingheng glanced at Xu Xiaoyan, who was trying to break up the fight.

"I don't."

Tang Wulin walked over carrying a water glass. "Just watching like that?"

Yun Jingheng pinched the bridge of his nose. "Well... from the moment those two dared to question the drawings produced by a level six designer, I knew there was nothing I could stop."

"But didn't you say, 'We must learn to question'?"

Yun Jingheng paused for a moment.

He turned his head and looked at Tang Wulin.

Tang Wulin looked at him too, his expression serious; he wasn't joking.

Yun Jingheng paused for a moment, then said, "... When did I say that?"

Tang Wulin thought for a moment, "The time you stole Elder Feng's metal, you said, 'In scholarship, one must learn to question; what others say may not necessarily be correct.'"

Yun Jingheng paused for a moment, "How can a scholar's business be considered stealing? It's taking advantage. Besides, wasn't he just making it so obvious that he was waiting for me to take it? And I remember he was talking about cultivation."

Tang Wulin nodded, "Isn't cultivation also a form of learning?"

"You're great in every way, except your memory is too good."

"Ah?"

"Nothing."

Yun Jingheng sighed helplessly and stood up from Tang Wulin's stool.

He cracked his neck, his joints making a slight popping sound, and then strode toward the two men.

Ye Xinglan and Gu Yue were still arguing, each raising their voices higher than the last, with Xu Xiaoyan caught in the middle.

Yun Jingheng walked up to them, stretched out his hands, and placed one hand on Ye Xinglan's shoulder and the other on Gu Yue's shoulder.

"Alright."

The two of them stopped at the same time and looked at him.

Both of their faces were flushed, whether from arguing or from anger, it was hard to tell.

Yun Jingheng looked at them, paused for two seconds, and said, "Since we can't reach a conclusion, let's move on to the next one."

He let go of her hand, turned around and walked to the table, rolled up the messy drawing on the table, and stuffed it into his Storage Soul Tool.

Then he pulled out a new sheet of paper and laid it on the table.

"Let's make Wulin's Battle Armor parts first."

Ye Xinglan was taken aback.

"Wulin's?"

Yun Jingheng nodded, "Mm."

"But you are the core of our team." ×3

"You're almost level 50, why are you doing mine first? Do yours first!"

"Hey, think about it, wasn't all the previous training centered around me?"

Xie Xie shifted his position slightly. "That's right."

"The competition for first and second graders isn't far off." His voice wasn't loud, but everyone fell silent.

Yun Jingheng continued, "The previous training and the first-year selection must have been seen by the second-year students."

"They're in the shadows, we're in the light. They've seen our teamwork, our rhythm, and our core tactics."

He paused for a moment, then said, "If we use the same old tactics during the competition, it's like showing them our hand."

Ye Xinglan frowned slightly. "You mean...?"

Yun Jingheng looked at her, "Change the core."

The room fell silent for a moment.

Xie Xie opened his mouth, "Change the core? Change who?"

Yun Jingheng glanced at him, then looked at Tang Wulin, "Change him."

Tang Wulin was stunned for a moment, "Me?"

Yun Jingheng nodded, "In our previous training, we always revolved around me. You and Xing Lan held the line head-on, Xie Xie roamed and harassed, Xu Xiaoyan provided remote control, and Gu Yue provided all-around interference."

"Everyone is cooperating with me; everyone is following my rhythm."

He looked at Tang Wulin, "As long as the second-year students keep an eye on me, they can figure out all of our movements."

Tang Wulin paused for a moment, then said, "So you want me to replace the core with myself?"

Yun Jingheng nodded, "Yes. During the match, you'll be the main attacker, and I'll support. You'll be responsible for pushing forward from the front, while Xing Lan and I will look for opportunities from the back. Xie Xie will continue to roam, Xu Xiaoyan will continue to control, and Gu Yue will continue to disrupt. But everyone's rhythm will follow yours, not mine."

Xie Xie scratched his head. "But you're our strongest. If you don't lead the attack, how can we win?"

Yun Jingheng looked at him, "We can win. Because I'm still on the field. They think I'm the main attacker, but I'm actually supporting. By the time they realize it, it'll be too late."

He paused for a moment, then said, "That's called tactical deception."

Ye Xinglan put down her pen, crossed her arms, and asked, "Are you sure a second-year student would fall for that?"

Yun Jingheng thought for a moment, "Yes. Yuan En wouldn't have thought of that."

Gu Yue tossed her hair. "I agree."

Ye Xinglan glanced at her, then at Yun Jingheng, and said, "I agree too."

"Agreed." ×2

"Then let's make Wulin's right arm armor first. I have a suggestion..."

Gu Yue interrupted him, "Wait a minute."

Yun Jingheng looked at the pretty girl.

"Um?"

Gu Yue looked at him and remained silent for two seconds.

"You've reached level 49, the peak."

Yun Jingheng nodded, "Mm."

"Just one step away from level 50."

Gu Yue looked at him and asked, "Have you ever thought about breaking through to level 50 before the competition?"

The room fell silent for a moment, and all eyes turned to Yun Jingheng.

"If you can break through, we'll win more easily."

Yun Jingheng remained silent.

Gu Yue walked up to him, very close.

Yun Jingheng looked down at her, and she looked up at him.

The two exchanged a glance for a second. "Don't worry about the Battle Armor for the next few days."

Gu Yue said, "Ye Xinglan and I will keep an eye on the Battle Armor. You focus on your cultivation."

Yun Jingheng thought for a moment, then said, "Alright."

Ye Xinglan put down her pen and looked at Yun Jingheng.

"I'll be there for you when you break through."

Yun Jingheng looked at her, "No need, I'll go back to the Inner Court."

Sea God Island, Ya Li's residence.

Sunlight streamed in through the window, falling on the wooden floor in a grid pattern.

Ya Li stood in the kitchen, holding a cleaver, chopping vegetables.

Green peppers and shredded meat were piled on the cutting board, and soup was simmering in a pot next to it, steaming hot.

She cut very carefully, each cut landing in the same spot, resulting in evenly sized strips of green bell pepper, as if measured with a ruler.

Yun Jingheng stood at the doorway, not going in, but leaning against the doorframe with his hands in his pockets.

He watched Ya Li's retreating figure for a while.

Ya Li's hair was pulled back, with a few stray strands falling beside her ears, swaying gently as she chopped vegetables.

She was wearing a light blue loungewear set with the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, revealing a section of her fair forearm.

"Mom," Yun Jingheng began.

Ya Li paused, turned her head, and looked at him. "Hmm? You're back? Are you hungry?"

Yun Jingheng shook his head. "I'm not hungry."

Ya Li put down the kitchen knife, wiped her hands, walked over, and stood in front of him.

Your father came home last night.

Yun Jingheng was taken aback. "Huh? Why didn't you tell me this morning?"

Ya Li looked at him, a slight smile playing on her lips. "I was just about to say something when you ran off, saying you were going to be late for class."

Where is my dad?

Ya Li gestured with her chin towards the window, "Sea God Pavilion, let's go see him. You haven't seen him in a long time."

"Okay, sure."

The door to the Sea God Pavilion was open, and sunlight streamed in through the windows, casting dappled patterns on the wooden floor.

Yun Ming sat at the table, a cup of tea in front of him, still steaming.

He was holding a file and reading it.

Hearing footsteps, he looked up at the doorway.

Yun Jingheng stood at the door, looking at him, and he looked at him.

"Dad."

Yun Ming put down the file. "You're back?"

"Um."

Yun Ming picked up his teacup and took a sip. "I heard you're about to break through."

Yun Jingheng nodded, "Mm."

Yun Ming put down his teacup, stood up, walked to the window, and opened it.

He turned around and looked at Yun Jingheng, "Break through, I'll protect you."

"But..."

Yun Jingheng stood at the door, looking at Yun Ming, and hesitated for a moment.

"But... I haven't gotten my fifth Soul Ring yet. Even if I break through, without Soul Ring, I'll just have a level but no spirit ring. It's better to hold off on it for now."

His voice wasn't loud, but every word carried a hint of unease.

Yun Ming looked at him, a slight smile curving his lips. "It's nothing. I've already found my fifth Soul Ring."

Yun Jingheng raised his head and looked at Yun Ming.

"Just focus on your breakthrough. Don't worry about the Soul Ring."

Yun Jingheng paused for a moment, then asked, "What kind of Soul Beast is it?"

"The Nether Ice Fang Leopard, 100,000 years old, the Ultimate Ice."

In the Sea of Spirit, Xiao Jiu suddenly stood up.

???

Yun Jingheng was stunned for a moment, "One hundred thousand years?"