Qin Ming and the Royal Dou Team

Early the next morning, Bai Baoshan arrived at Zhao Ming's small courtyard.

Zhao Ming had already finished washing up. When he saw Bai Baoshan push open the door and enter, he went to greet him.

"Zhao Ming, did you rest well last night?" Bai Baoshan asked with a smile.

"Very well. Thank you for your concern, Education Committee Member Bai." Zhao Ming nodded.

"That's good. Let's go! I'll take you to meet Teacher Qin Ming. He should already be training over there."

Bai Baoshan led Zhao Ming along the academy's bluestone paths, around the central square, and deeper into the academy grounds.

Heaven Dou Royal Academy's training grounds were scattered throughout the campus. There were open-air Soul Fighting Arenas as well as enclosed indoor training halls.

As the academy's top elite team, the Royal Dou Team led by Qin Ming had its own dedicated training ground. It was located in the woods on the eastern side of the academy, quiet and secluded from outside disturbances.

After walking for about the time it took to drink a cup of tea, the two arrived at a training ground surrounded by maple trees.

The training ground was roughly half the size of a football field, with smooth bluestone slabs covering the ground. Several stone pillars engraved with defensive soul tool inscriptions stood around it, capable of withstanding clashes between soul skills below the Soul Sage level without being damaged.

Several weapon racks and a set of crystal pillars for testing Soul Power stood at the edge of the field. The facilities were quite complete.

There were already eight people in the training ground.

At the front stood a man who looked to be around thirty. He had ordinary features, black hair, and wore a dark blue teacher's robe. He stood straight and carried himself with calm composure.

Bai Baoshan brought Zhao Ming into the training ground and clapped his hands cheerfully, drawing everyone's attention. "Teacher Qin Ming, sorry to interrupt. This is Zhao Ming, the student I mentioned to you yesterday. Innate Full Soul Power, seven and a half years old, with twenty-second-rank Soul Power."

Qin Ming turned around, his gaze settling on Zhao Ming as he sized him up.

Though he had graduated from Shrek Academy, he had taught at Heaven Dou Royal Academy for many years and had seen plenty of geniuses. Yet he had never heard of anyone reaching rank twenty-two at only seven and a half years old.

A gentle smile appeared on his face. He took the initiative to step forward and extended a hand to Zhao Ming.

"Hello, Zhao Ming. I'm Qin Ming, and I'll also be the future leader of the Royal Dou Team. I asked Education Committee Member Bai to bring you here today because I'd like to invite you to join us and fight together in the Continental Elite Soul Master Tournament after next."

The Continental Elite Soul Master Tournament was the highest-level youth Soul Master competition on Douluo Continent, held once every five years. Qin Ming was already scouting and cultivating members for the tournament after next, showing just how far ahead he was planning.

Zhao Ming shook Qin Ming's hand. "Hello, Teacher Qin. His Highness the Crown Prince mentioned you to me. He said you were an excellent teacher. It's an honor to learn under you."

Qin Ming's eyes immediately lit up at those words.

Although he was a teacher at Heaven Dou Royal Academy, his position within the academy was actually somewhat delicate.

Quite a few people in the academy had opinions about his background, considering him an outsider. If not for the strong support of the three Education Committee Members, his position as leader of the Royal Dou Team might not have been secure.

As for Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, his sterling reputation throughout the Heaven Dou Empire was known to all.

Wise, benevolent, respectful toward the worthy—none of those words were empty praise when applied to the Crown Prince.

To receive praise directly from the Crown Prince was both a form of recognition and an invisible shield for Qin Ming. Even the Crown Prince called him an excellent teacher, so those people gossiping behind his back would have to think twice.

"His Highness overpraises me." Qin Ming smiled, genuine delight in his voice. He then turned to Bai Baoshan and bowed slightly. "Thank you, Education Committee Member Bai, for personally bringing Zhao Ming here. Sorry for troubling you."

Bai Baoshan waved his hand and laughed heartily. "No trouble, no trouble. I've delivered him. You all can take your time talking. This old man will be leaving first."

With that, Bai Baoshan turned and strode out of the training ground.

After seeing Bai Baoshan off, Qin Ming turned back and beckoned to the team members in the training ground. "Everyone, come over. Meet your new teammate."

The eight members stopped their training and gathered around in twos and threes.

Their gazes all fell on Zhao Ming. Some were curious, some appraising, and some carried a trace of disdain.

Qin Ming cleared his throat and began introducing the members of the Royal Dou Team to Zhao Ming one by one.

"This is Yu Tianheng. His Martial Soul is the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. He's a rank twenty-nine assault-type Battle Soul Master and the captain of the Royal Dou Team." Qin Ming pointed to the young man standing at the front.

Yu Tianheng was around eighteen or nineteen, tall and slender with a cold, stern face. His entire being radiated an innate arrogance.

The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon was the number one beast Martial Soul in the world. As a direct descendant of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, Yu Tianheng had every reason to be proud.

"This is Dugu Yan. Her Martial Soul is the Jade Phosphorous Serpent. She's a rank twenty-nine control-type Battle Soul Master and the vice-captain." Dugu Yan stood beside Yu Tianheng. She was slightly shorter than him, with long purple hair draped over her shoulders. Her eyes were rare jade-green vertical pupils, giving her a chilling and dangerous air.

She was Dugu Bo's granddaughter and the inheritor of the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul. Among Soul Masters of the same rank, few could match her ability to control the battlefield with poison.

"These are the brothers Shi Mo and Shi Mo. Both have the Black Tortoise Martial Soul and are defense types. The elder brother, Shi Mo, is rank twenty-eight, while the younger brother, Shi Mo, is rank twenty-seven."

Shi Mo and Shi Mo were twins who looked almost identical. Their Black Tortoise Martial Souls were top-tier defensive Martial Souls, and when they joined forces, they could even unleash the Black Tortoise Combined Strike. Their defense was as impenetrable as a wall of bronze and iron.

"Yu Feng, Martial Soul: Wind Chime Bird. Rank twenty-six agility-attack-type Battle Soul Master." Yu Feng was a lean, handsome youth with long limbs, slender fingers, and lively, sharp eyes. At a glance, he was clearly a speed-type Soul Master.

"Osler, Martial Soul: Ghost Leopard. Rank twenty-six agility-attack-type Battle Soul Master." Osler and Yu Feng formed the Royal Dou Team's dual agility-attack combination. His skin was darker, his physique athletic, and he radiated the explosive power of a hunting leopard.

"Finally, this is Ye Lingling. Her Martial Soul is the Nine-Hearted Begonia. She's a rank twenty-five support-type Battle Soul Master, the team's only pure healing support, and the core of the Royal Dou Team's survival." Qin Ming pointed at a girl standing at the very edge of the group.

Ye Lingling wore a plain white dress and a black veil. Her demeanor was cold and distant.

Her Nine-Hearted Begonia Martial Soul was exceptionally special. It could only perform group healing and possessed no offensive skills whatsoever, but its healing effect was powerful enough to give the entire team a second life in battle.

Zhao Ming nodded to each of them in greeting. The Royal Dou Team's lineup was exactly the same as in the original work, without the slightest difference.

Captain Yu Tianheng was an assault-type Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Soul Master. Vice-captain Dugu Yan specialized in Jade Phosphorous Serpent poison control. Shi Mo and Shi Mo provided dual Black Tortoise defenses. Yu Feng and Osler were dual agility attackers who roamed the battlefield, while Ye Lingling provided Nine-Hearted Begonia group healing.

This team's strengths and weaknesses were both extremely obvious.

Its strength lay in the Black Tortoise twins' formidable defense combined with the Jade Phosphorous Serpent's poison control, supplemented by the dual agility attackers' harassment and the Nine-Hearted Begonia's endless healing. Together, they formed an exceptionally solid defensive counterattack system.

But its weaknesses were equally glaring. The entire team had only one assault-type output point: Yu Tianheng.

Once Yu Tianheng was targeted or restrained, the Royal Dou Team's offensive power would be crippled.

Moreover, the entire team relied heavily on Ye Lingling's healing. If Ye Lingling were taken out by an assassin-type Soul Master, the whole team's endurance would collapse instantly.

Zhao Ming possessed Innate Full Soul Power, and his Martial Soul was the blunt weapon Steel Whip. He was perfectly suited to serve as the team's second main attacker.

His addition could greatly compensate for the Royal Dou Team's lack of offensive options, making the team's tactical system far richer and more diverse.

That was why Qin Ming was so eager to invite Zhao Ming to join. A genius assault-type Soul Master who had reached rank twenty-two at only seven and a half was practically a puzzle piece tailor-made for the Royal Dou Team.

After introducing all the members, Qin Ming clapped his hands. His gaze moved back and forth between Zhao Ming and Yu Tianheng, and a meaningful smile curled at his lips. "Since Zhao Ming has officially joined the Royal Dou Team, then as the leader, the first thing I need to do is gauge our new member's capabilities.

"Zhao Ming, you and Tianheng are both assault types. Have a spar, stopping before anyone gets hurt. Let me see your actual combat level."

Upon hearing that, the team members immediately spread out, leaving the open space in the middle of the training ground clear.

A spar between Yu Tianheng and Zhao Ming was a reasonable arrangement. They were both assault types, and their future tactical coordination would inevitably involve a great deal of joint combat. Understanding each other's strength and fighting styles beforehand would be greatly beneficial to their future cooperation.

Yu Tianheng was the first to walk to the center of the field. He turned to face Zhao Ming.

His expression remained stern, but there was a new seriousness in his eyes. Although Zhao Ming was only seven and a half and his Soul Power was seven ranks lower, he had been recommended by His Highness the Crown Prince and personally invited by Teacher Qin Ming to join the Royal Dou Team. This child was certainly no ordinary person.

"Yu Tianheng, Martial Soul: Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. Rank twenty-nine assault-type Battle Soul Master. Please instruct me."

Before his words had even faded, Yu Tianheng let out a low shout. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul instantly possessed him, while two yellow soul rings rose from beneath his feet.

Zhao Ming calmly walked to the center of the field and stopped ten meters opposite Yu Tianheng.

With a flick of his right hand, a pitch-black Steel Whip appeared in his palm. The whip was roughly three feet long, its body gleaming with a cold metallic sheen beneath the sunlight.

At the same time, two disguised yellow soul rings rose from beneath his feet.

"Zhao Ming, Martial Soul: Steel Whip. Rank twenty-two assault-type Battle Soul Master. Please instruct me."