Swiftly Passing By

The trainees of the Training Camp had assembled in the square, standing in neat rows. Before them sat Jie Kaer in a chair, his feet propped up on the desk in front of him.

"This morning will be Combat Drills. Match order will be decided by drawing lots. Those who draw the same number will fight each other. There are no rules during the match—whatever it takes to win. Winners may rest until afternoon training, while losers will carry twenty jin and run laps around the square until afternoon training begins. Do you understand?" Jie Kaer slightly closed his eyes, his voice carrying a trace of laziness, as though he did not care about this training at all.

"Yes, Instructor!" the trainees answered in unison before stepping forward to draw their numbered tags.

Jun Xuehan drew number three. The person with the same number was Long Qiang, known as the number one trainee in the Training Camp.

After everyone had drawn their tags, the instructors divided the square into forty-nine small areas. Those with matching numbers entered their designated areas in order to compete.

Area Number Three! Jun Xuehan and Long Qiang stood facing each other.

Long Qiang released his Demon Wolf Martial Soul and used Martial Soul Possession. Two yellow soul rings lit up beneath his feet.

"Kid, you're pretty arrogant. What you said in the cafeteria just now seemed to show complete disdain for people like us who have small factions," Long Qiang said coldly, narrowing his eyes.

"Disdain? You seem to have misunderstood. It isn't that I disdain you—I simply look down on you. Besides, you could have just known that yourselves. Why did you have to take it personally and admit it?" Jun Xuehan narrowed his eyes slightly, the corners of his lips curving upward as he looked at Long Qiang with contempt.

Jun Xuehan had no intention of releasing his Martial Soul. Instead, he took a replica Silver Dragon Spear from his Soul Tool. The 108-jin Replica Silver Dragon Spear spun in his hand, its cold gleaming tip pointing directly at Long Qiang.

The instant Long Qiang saw Jun Xuehan's attitude, his eyes filled with rage. Jun Xuehan would not even look at him properly and was not even releasing his Martial Soul. Just how much did he look down on him?

"You've got a sharp tongue. The Training Camp is a place where strength matters, not a place for you to flap your gums!" Long Qiang shouted angrily. Soul Power surged around him as he charged straight at Jun Xuehan.

As an Agility Assault System Battle Soul Master, Long Qiang was extremely fast. Coupled with his fury, he had no intention of holding back.

Watching Long Qiang rush toward him, Jun Xuehan moved the silver spear in his hand. Each small area was not large, only about five meters in diameter. Such a confined space was highly disadvantageous for an Agility Assault System Soul Master.

Long Qiang leaped high into the air, green Soul Power glowing in his hand as his second soul ring flashed. He attacked Jun Xuehan, but the Replica Silver Dragon Spear swept upward in an Upward Slash. The shaft struck directly between Long Qiang's legs, and an indescribable, agonizing pain surged up from between them.

Long Qiang's face instantly twisted. His attack came to an abrupt stop, and a heart-rending scream tore from his throat. Then the Replica Silver Dragon Spear lashed rapidly across his body, sending Long Qiang stumbling backward before he crashed heavily to the ground. Both hands covered the space between his legs as he rolled around in unbearable pain.

Jun Xuehan withdrew the Replica Silver Dragon Spear and walked straight out of Area Number Three. The outcome was already obvious. There was no need for him to remain there.

Seeing this, the instructor immediately said, "The winner and loser of Area Number Three have been determined. The winner may return to the dormitory to rest and report to the Training Ground for training at noon. The loser has ten minutes to rest, then must run around the square until the noon training session."

Hearing this, Jun Xuehan headed directly back to the dormitory.

After returning to the dormitory, Jun Xuehan sat cross-legged on his bed and began Meditative Cultivation.

On the square, all the trainees were somewhat stunned. The Training Camp's publicly recognized number one had actually lost—and had lost so quickly.

Jun Xuehan's three roommates, in particular, wore especially vivid expressions.

Still, thoughts were thoughts. Their matches had to continue.

Morning training ended, and after lunch, the trainees began their afternoon training. The afternoon's program involved Mental Power training, and it was not until six in the evening that the day's training was finally complete.

Dormitory 202.

Ban Zhuang and the other two roommates approached and softly asked, "Boss Han, you beat Long Qiang without even using your Martial Soul. What level are you really at?"

Jun Xuehan glanced at the three of them and said indifferently, "Since when did I become your boss? Is beating him really that surprising? If you could hit that spot, you could beat him too."

His cool voice echoed faintly through the dormitory. Jun Xuehan was right—so long as they could accurately hit that spot, they could basically defeat Long Qiang as well. The method might not have been very honorable, but the instructor had said that any method was acceptable as long as it won. Naturally, the fastest method was the best.

Recalling what had happened during the match, Ban Zhuang could not help laughing. "Boss, that Offspring Severing Strike of yours was truly brilliant. Two strikes took down the Training Camp's publicly recognized number one."

Jun Xuehan said unconcernedly, "Instead of wasting time chatting, you should cultivate a little more. And don't call me boss. I have no interest in being one."

With that, Jun Xuehan began Meditative Cultivation and ignored the three of them.

Ban Zhuang gave an embarrassed smile upon hearing this and did not disturb Jun Xuehan after he entered cultivation. Instead, the three gathered together and discussed a few minor things that had happened in the Training Camp.

Time passed swiftly, and in the blink of an eye, a year had quietly gone by.

Over that year, Jun Xuehan trained during the day and practiced Meditative Cultivation at night, so long as it did not affect his condition the next day.

Over that year, Jun Xuehan's strength grew rapidly. He had already advanced from Level 15 to the Level 20 bottleneck. As long as he obtained another soul ring, he could break through to become a Soul Grandmaster.

However, in the Training Camp, trainees who wished to obtain a soul ring needed to apply to the instructors. Only after approval from the Chief Instructor would the trainee's family be notified, and at the designated time, a member of the family would take them to obtain a soul ring.

If a trainee's family lacked the ability to help them obtain a soul ring, or if the trainee was from a commoner family, the instructors would step in to hunt a soul beast and help them obtain a suitable soul ring.