First Training

Leaving the dormitory.

Chen Xi followed Xing An to assemble at the training grounds.

When the bell stopped ringing, all fifty-three students stood straight on the training grounds. Several instructors led by Jiekaer stood before them.

"Very good. No one is late."

"The usual rules. Before breakfast, we'll start with a warm-up."

"For the warm-up, run five laps around the training grounds. You may not use your Martial Soul or Soul Power during the run. And whoever finishes last will face a very severe punishment."

As soon as Jiekaer finished speaking, he gave the instructor beside him a look.

Receiving Jiekaer's signal, the instructor immediately understood. He pulled out a long whip and swung it through the air before snapping it onto the ground with a crack.

The bluestone-paved ground shattered beneath that single strike.

Seeing this, the students all sucked in a breath of cold air.

"That's probably going to hurt."

Chen Xi looked at the shattered ground, then estimated the distance of one lap around the training grounds.

By her estimate, one lap was roughly eight hundred meters. Five laps would be around four thousand meters.

"Is the Training Camp's training really this intense?"

"Just the warm-up requires a four-kilometer run."

Chen Xi silently thought to herself.

Jiekaer's voice continued from the front.

"Of course, you can rest assured. I've already found Healing Spirit Masters for you, so this definitely won't delay the training that comes afterward."

"Training begins now."

The moment Jiekaer finished speaking, students began running around the training grounds.

Those who reacted a little too slowly were greeted with a whip from the instructors. Pain sent them sprinting forward, and afterward, a healing light fell upon the students who had been whipped, instantly restoring their injuries.

But it still hurt just as much.

"A whip and iodine?"

"No, this works far better than iodine. It only hurts, but it doesn't injure you."

Chen Xi glanced behind her, and her dark purple eyes involuntarily widened into round circles.

Retracting her gaze, Chen Xi adjusted her breathing and gradually increased her pace. However, she remained in the middle of the group the entire time.

After observing for a while, she found that the middle seemed to be the safest position.

It allowed her to conserve the most stamina while keeping her from worrying about punishment from the instructors.

"Xing An, who is the strongest student in the Training Camp?"

Chen Xi turned her gaze toward Xing An beside her.

"The strongest?"

"That's hard to say. Among the fifty-three students, there are currently only five Soul Grand Masters. But they've never fought each other, so I don't know which of the five is the strongest."

"Do you see the one running at the very front?"

Xing An pointed toward a student at the front of the group.

"I see him."

Chen Xi nodded her little head.

"He's Feng Xiao, one of the five Soul Grand Masters."

"The other four are also at the front. Stay in the Training Camp for a few more days, and you'll know them all."

Xing An pointed out several people in succession.

Chen Xi looked over, a thoughtful glint quietly passing through her eyes.

With only five Soul Grand Masters, Chen Xi felt that a place in the top ten of the Training Camp's final assessment was extremely secure for her. She could even aim for the top three, perhaps even first place.

After all, according to Xing An, including herself, there were only six Soul Grand Masters at present.

As long as she did not take the initiative to reveal her strength, there would only be five Soul Grand Masters in the open. If she played it safe, securing third place while competing for first should not be a problem.

After all, Chen Xi was only six years old. Without knowing her actual strength, who would imagine that a little girl of only six was already a Two-Ring Great Spirit Master?

While Chen Xi was lost in thought, the first lap had already ended before she knew it. She adjusted her condition and remained in the middle of the group.

By the end of the third lap, some students were already beginning to fall behind, and a faint sheen of sweat had appeared on Chen Xi's forehead.

By the end of the fourth lap, some were already running out of stamina. The students at the front and those in the middle had begun to spread apart.

Chen Xi glanced behind her. After noticing that many people were behind her, she gradually slowed down a little. As long as she was not last, the instructors' punishment would not fall on her.

"Phew..."

"Chen Xi, is your stamina really that good?"

Xing An's breathing had become somewhat ragged, and her steps were growing heavier.

"It's all right."

"I trained before."

Chen Xi answered casually.

"There's only half a lap left."

"If nothing unexpected happens, the people behind us who have been conserving their stamina should start sprinting."

"Chen Xi, get ready. Don't let them catch up and push you into last place."

After Xing An's well-meaning reminder, she kept a close watch on the situation behind them.

Chen Xi also watched the rear. When she noticed people speeding up behind them, both she and Xing An increased their pace for the final sprint.

Among the instructors, one placed his gaze on Chen Xi, his eyes gradually narrowing.

"Tsk!"

"This new little girl isn't simple."

"The Soul Power fluctuations faintly emanating from her body should have reached the Soul Grandmaster level already."

The instructor spoke softly.

As long as a higher-level Spirit Master swept their Mental Power over a lower-level Spirit Master, they could judge the lower-level Spirit Master's approximate strength from the Soul Power fluctuations around their body.

Therefore, as instructors at the Training Camp, they could easily determine Chen Xi's approximate strength.

"Do you think someone personally sent by the Third Elder would be simple?"

Jiekaer lifted the teacup before him and took a light sip.

"Someone personally sent by the Third Elder?"

Several traces of astonishment appeared in the instructor's voice.

"Mm..."

"The warm-up is about to end."

"Prepare the breakfast we instructors usually eat, then arrange for them to get their food."

"You understand what I mean, right?"

Jiekaer smiled at the instructor beside him.

"Don't worry. I know what to do."

The instructor smiled knowingly and walked toward the front.

Jiekaer, meanwhile, propped his legs on the table before him, closed his eyes, and began considering the morning's training regimen.

Elsewhere.

The students who had just finished their warm-up were exhausted. Some lay directly on the ground to rest, while others sat on the ground and adjusted their condition.

After resting for about five minutes.

An instructor came over and led all the students toward the cafeteria.