Training

Eastsea Academy, training field—

Tang Wulin and Luo Qing, both wearing weighted gear, were sprinting one hundred meters down the track while Wu Zhangkong held a stopwatch beside them.

"9.58—9.31—"

Wu Zhangkong frowned and carefully rubbed his eyes. Once he confirmed that he had not recorded it wrong, he finally relaxed.

"The two of you have excellent physiques. Even in a maximum-effort weighted hundred-meter sprint, you can still reach this kind of speed."

"What you need most right now is to train your physical coordination and reaction speed, followed by proficiency with your soul skills."

"Understood, Teacher!"

Tang Wulin enthusiastically accepted Wu Zhangkong's training plan, unaware of the brutal training that awaited them.

Xie Xie wore an iron training vest with weights strapped to it, gasping for breath.

"Just... just a little farther!"

He forced himself to keep charging forward as Wu Zhangkong watched from afar.

Finally, as though he had broken through some critical threshold, his legs, which had felt filled with lead, suddenly squeezed out another bit of strength.

The weights on Xie Xie's body seemed to have been lifted away, and he found a trace of strength to charge forward again.

He seemed to have broken through his limits once more. His body was utterly exhausted, but his spirit was unusually fired up.

"I got stronger again! Did I get stronger again?"

In the end, Xie Xie collapsed onto the track from exhaustion. The healing soul master Wu Zhangkong had arranged checked his condition nearby.

Turning to the other students, Wu Zhangkong had arranged mostly targeted enhancement training for them.

Aside from the unified physical training, this was the most important part.

Targeted enhancement training meant that Wu Zhangkong made up for each person's weaknesses and specially strengthened them according to their talents and shortcomings.

For example, he improved the short-term burst power and breakthrough ability of agility assault soul masters, while improving the evasion and maneuvering abilities of support-type soul masters.

He strengthened the battlefield planning and close-range combat of control-type soul masters. He did not demand that they become experts at everything, only that they gradually make up for their weaknesses.

As for their strengths, Wu Zhangkong's goal was to make them even more outstanding in the areas where they already excelled.

Though his methods were somewhat extreme, the results were excellent. He trained the students until they groaned in misery, but as a qualified teacher—

Wu Zhangkong had also arranged sufficient medical treatment for them.

Moreover, with his wealth of experience, he knew how to assign tasks that would drain every last bit of their stamina without leaving behind hidden injuries.

In just one week, the once-slack students had been thoroughly whipped into shape by this cold-faced demon of a teacher.

Even the more rebellious ones were beaten black and blue in the face of Wu Zhangkong's formidable strength as a top-tier Soul Emperor.

After getting beaten once, they behaved.

Now, even the frailest support-type soul masters had developed a bit of muscle.

And the areas they had focused on strengthening had improved by nearly thirty percent compared to when they had first enrolled.

Although everyone suffered during training, they had also gained a great deal, so they had no complaints.

But the few who received special attention did not see it that way.

"Was the price of becoming a savior having to run into my own crutch people?"

Tang Wulin ran ahead while Wu Zhangkong chased after them with his fourth soul ring activated.

"Dodge well. If I hit you even once, you'll have extra training!"

Wu Zhangkong's voice rang out like an alarm bell striking the hearts of the several people fleeing ahead.

"You've got to be kidding! A dignified Soul Emperor is chasing a few little shrimp with one or two soul rings?"

Xie Xie sprinted at incredible speed, terror written all over his face. Clearly, the pressure from the Soul Emperor behind him had frightened him into a panicked retreat.

Luo Qing was not doing much better. He had just tried to take flight, only to discover that the training outfit he wore had restricted his ability to fly.

Of course, he could break free from it, but this was training. He had to give the teacher some respect, right?

"Quit talking and spread out!"

Gu Yue keenly sensed that the teacher behind them was about to unleash a major move. After warning them, she quickly widened the distance between herself and the others.

"Damn, why didn't you say so sooner?"

The group immediately scattered in all directions, and Wu Zhangkong was clearly intrigued.

"An interesting strategy—"

"But still far too immature!"

Wu Zhangkong raised that azure-blue longsword with one hand, and ice spikes suddenly began raining down from the sky.

Those ice spikes seemed to have grown eyes as they chased after the group.

Tang Wulin had no way to react to so many ice spikes. Gritting her teeth, she formed two vines in her hands and began using brute force to swat aside the incoming ice spikes.

Though Luo Qing could not fly, his wings were still the best means of aerial defense.

With a sweep of both wings, the storm they stirred up blew the incoming ice spikes back.

Wu Zhangkong effortlessly caught every one of those ice spikes with one hand.

Xie Xie, however, was not so fortunate. Unlike Luo Qing and Tang Wulin, he could not use skills or strength to neutralize them.

Nor was he like Gu Yue, who, boosted by the wind element, ran the fastest and farthest.

Most of the attacks landed on him, beating him until he ran around with his head in his hands.

"Stop hitting me, stop hitting me! If you keep hitting me, I'm going to die!"

Several swollen bumps had already appeared on Xie Xie's head. They were not bleeding, though some bruises had formed.

The ice spikes had not been sharpened, and Wu Zhangkong had controlled his strength well.

Though he had beaten the boy before him until his face was bruised and swollen, he had not suffered any serious injuries.

After this special training session, Wu Zhangkong was very satisfied with their reactions.

Even Xie Xie, whose face was bruised and swollen, received his praise.

"You have improved quickly this time. You can already find your own methods while being pursued by a four-ring opponent."

He glanced at Xie Xie. "Even Xie Xie understands that when you are outmatched and there is no deep grudge between you, you may choose to surrender when appropriate."

"I am not encouraging surrender. Before you have grown strong enough, preserving yourselves is the most important thing."

"Even if you surrender and lose face, once you escape, you can rely on your talents to grow stronger and reclaim your dignity later."

"But if you do not know how to adapt and stubbornly fight others, ultimately ending in your own ruin and death, then everything will be over—"

Xie Xie was already a little dazed.

This cold-faced demon instructor has a gentle side too?

But he also realized that he should not say that in front of the person in question.

Wu Zhangkong narrowed his eyes, and the smile on his face carried a hint of "kindness."

"The previous rule still stands. If you get hit, you receive extra training."

"Xie Xie, you were hit a total of forty-five times—tomorrow afternoon, I will supervise you as you run forty-five laps."

"Huh? Forty-five laps?"

"That's right, and you must wear weighted gear."

At those words, Xie Xie's legs went weak. Only with the support of his companions beside him did he avoid collapsing straight onto the ground.

Was my life going to end tomorrow?

Gu Yue could not stand watching any longer.

"Xie Xie, stop fooling around."

"Your previous record was forty-one laps. If you put in some effort, you should be able to break through it."

Xie Xie gritted his teeth. "Easy for you to say when you're not the one doing it. Your legs would go weak too if it were you!"

Luo Qing laughed instead.

"Then how about we have a match together sometime?"

"A match in what?"

Everyone was curious.

"We'll compete in running distance within a set time. How about that? The last-place finisher treats everyone to a meal!"

Xie Xie immediately perked up.

"A timed run? Leave it to me!"

"That sounds interesting. Count me in."

"Someone's treating us to a meal? Then I'm in too!"

The group agreed to settle things with a contest. Watching how well they got along, Wu Zhangkong's eyes revealed a smile as well.

"How wonderful, youth..."