The Strong Are Those Who Do Not Fear Challenges

In the afternoon, seven people stood in a neat line on the plaza.

Having completely absorbed the medicinal pills from the morning, everyone was in high spirits, their eyes noticeably brighter than before.

Ye Qiong stood on the steps, scanned the group, and nodded.

"Good, very spirited."

Phainon was the first to ask a question.

"Teacher, you said you had a training plan to arrange for the afternoon. What is it?"

Ye Qiong clasped his hands behind his back.

"Starting today, you will cultivate during the day and participate in soul fighting at the Soul Fighting Arena at night."

As soon as these words were spoken, Wang Sheng and the others exchanged glances, their expressions varied.

Ye Qiong continued.

"Daytime cultivation will follow a check-in system; the daily training time must not be less than three hours."

Wang Sheng and the others were stunned for a beat, looking at each other in confusion. Finally, Huang Yuan managed to blurt out:

"Teacher, three hours... isn't that a bit short?"

Ye Qiong's mouth twitched.

Three hours meant six hours of training.

This wasn't a regular job; in his previous life, that would be equivalent to six hours of physical education class.

Wang Sheng nodded.

"Back at Notting Academy, our daily cultivation time was always more than three hours."

Ye Qiong was silent for a moment, then sighed.

"Fine, then make it four hours."

This time, no one raised any objections.

"Teacher, how exactly will the training be conducted? Will we all be cultivating together?"

Ye Qiong shook his head.

"Teacher Tribios will arrange a corresponding cultivation training plan for each of you. You will cultivate independently according to the plan. If you have any questions or need help, go to Teacher Tribios."

He paused and scanned the group.

"Do you have any opinions regarding my arrangements?"

Everyone shook their heads in unison.

Opinions? Teacher Tribios was a level 99 Limit Douluo. If word got out, people would be breaking down the doors to become her disciples.

Bai Chenxiang suddenly spoke up at this moment.

"Dean, what about you? What are you responsible for teaching us?"

Back in the Star Dou Great Forest, a single piece of advice from Ye Qiong had cleared her mind, and she still remembered it to this day.

Ye Qiong glanced at her.

"Me? Naturally, I will be taking you to fight in the arena."

As he spoke, he took two steps forward, his tone deepening.

"If a Spirit Master only knows how to cultivate blindly, they are merely building a cart behind closed doors."

"Cultivation achieved that way is like a castle in the air—shattered at the slightest touch."

"Only through battle can you solidify your foundation and strengthen your base. Therefore, I hope that before the Spirit Master Tournament arrives, you can all obtain the Gold Soul Fighting Badge."

Gold Soul Fighting!

The moment these three words were spoken, the atmosphere on the plaza changed instantly.

Wang Sheng and the others opened their mouths, filled with astonishment.

"T-Teacher, Gold Soul Fighting? Isn't that a bit too difficult..."

"Yeah, and we have less than two years left..."

Cerydra, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly spoke up.

"Noisy."

Hearing these sudden words, everyone was taken aback and looked at her in unison.

Cerydra raised her head, her gaze sweeping over Wang Sheng and the others, her tone carrying undisguised mockery.

"The strong never fear a challenge. It is merely a Gold Soul Fighting badge, yet you are already this afraid. With such a mindset, how can you ever become a true powerhouse?"

As these words fell, the plaza instantly went quiet.

Wang Sheng and the others lowered their heads, falling into deep thought.

They were, indeed, afraid.

Ye Qiong watched this scene, the corners of his mouth curling upward.

Caesar's words were like a basin of cold water, splashing everyone awake.

A moment later, Ye Qiong spoke at the opportune time:

"The Gold Soul Fighting Badge is merely my requirement for all of you."

"However, Phainon, Princess Caesar, your aptitudes are stronger. I want you to go a step further and obtain the Purple-Gold Soul Fighting Badge. Can you do it?"

Purple-Gold!

Everyone gasped.

This was a grade higher than the Gold Soul Fighting Badge, and the difficulty was even greater.

Phainon hesitated for a fleeting moment, then nodded heavily, looking at Ye Qiong with determined eyes:

"Teacher, although this might be a bit of a challenge for me, I believe I can definitely do it."

Ye Qiong nodded in satisfaction and turned to look at Cerydra.

Cerydra's expression was indifferent, calm and ripple-free:

"A mere Purple-Gold, easy as pie."

"Very good!"

Ye Qiong let out a laugh, his gaze falling back onto Wang Sheng and the others.

"Do you see? This is the awareness one should have to become a powerhouse."

"Princess Caesar was absolutely right just now; true powerhouses never fear challenges."

"The Gold Soul Fighting Badge is only the first challenge on your path to becoming strong. What you will face in the future will be a hundred, a thousand, or even ten thousand times more difficult than this!"

"Only by harboring an unwavering heart of a powerhouse can you go further. Now, do you understand?"

"Understood!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Sheng and the others all raised their heads and shouted in unison.

"Very good. Rest assured, Teacher Tribios and I will do our utmost to help you, as long as you have the heart to become stronger. But before that..."

Ye Qiong paused, his gaze landing on Wang Sheng:

"Wang Sheng!"

"Present!"

"You, along with Jiang Zhu, Jing Ling, Huang Yuan, and Bai Chenxiang, have all broken through level thirty. I am giving you one week to obtain your soul rings. Teacher Tribios will take you to the Star Dou Great Forest. We will follow the same method as last time to hunt for souls. Do you understand?"

"Understood!"

The five of them shouted in unison.

Seeing this, Ye Qiong turned to look at Tribios:

"Teacher Tribios, I'll have to trouble you to take them there. As for the daily instruction for Phainon and Princess Caesar during this time, leave it to me for now."

"Very well."

Tribios nodded and raised her right hand.

A golden triangular gate slowly pulled open in the center of the plaza.

"Let's go."

After they left, only Ye Qiong, Phainon, and Cerydra remained in the plaza.

Phainon turned to look at Ye Qiong:

"Teacher, what are we doing next? Should we start training immediately?"

Ye Qiong waved his hand:

"No need, let's start in the evening. We still have some time now; I want to take you to recruit a new student first, right here in Soto City."

Phainon was stunned:

"Another new student? Who? Are they strong?"

Ye Qiong smiled:

"Let's put it this way: his combat power isn't very high, but his mind here..."

Ye Qiong pointed to his own head as he spoke:

"...is heaven-defying. You'll know once you've interacted with him."

Phainon scratched his head.

He glanced at Cerydra beside him.

Cerydra stood in place with no expression, as if she hadn't heard a thing.

But Phainon noticed her gaze flicker slightly.

Phainon could not guess what she was thinking.

He only knew that anyone capable of piquing Cerydra's interest was likely no simple person.

"Let's go."

Ye Qiong turned and walked toward the academy gates.

The streets of Soto City were as bustling as ever.

Ye Qiong led the two of them through two alleys, turning into a craftsman's shop.

Inside the shop sat a green-haired youth, a black mask covering his eyes.

At this moment, he was holding a small carving knife, focused intently on polishing a piece of wood in his hands.

His expression was so concentrated that he did not notice the movement at the doorway at all.

It was not until the three of them stopped in front of him that he finally looked up at the newcomers.