Lin Ming: "Everyone Here Is Trash"

After hearing everyone out, Qin Ming's brow furrowed even more deeply. He pondered for a moment, then looked at Lin Ming with a complicated expression and slowly said:

"Lin Ming, the seniors do have a point. Teamwork is indeed very important in the Elite Tournament. You haven't been at the academy long, so you don't have enough rapport with everyone yet.

How about this? Train with the team for now, but as for officially competing... we'll see. You need to learn to unite with everyone and communicate more, rather than relying on your individual strength to look down on others."

It sounded like he was trying to smooth things over, but in reality, he had already sided with Yu Tianheng—essentially approving the proposal to remove Lin Ming and placing him in the substitute position.

Lin Ming narrowed his eyes.

He wasn't stupid. He could see Qin Ming's attitude clearly. Yu Tianheng and the others had been personally trained by Qin Ming, and they trained under him regularly, so naturally they were close.

As for him, he was merely an outsider who had only recently arrived at the academy. At a time like this, Qin Ming would of course choose to protect his own students.

He understood the reasoning, but that didn't mean he could accept it.

Lin Ming let out a cold laugh. His voice wasn't loud, yet it carried an indescribable pressure that reached everyone's ears with perfect clarity:

"So Teacher Qin means that I'll hold everyone back?"

Qin Ming froze for a moment before saying, "That's not what I mean, I just..."

"Just what? You just think I don't work well with them? You just think I'm getting in the way of your teacher-student bond?" Lin Ming cut him off directly, taking a step forward, his gaze sharp as lightning.

"Teacher Qin, I call you Teacher out of respect for you. But think carefully—of all the reasons they gave, which one actually got to the point?"

Qin Ming's expression changed slightly.

Lin Ming's gaze swept over Yu Tianheng and the others. His eyes held undisguised contempt, and his voice rose several degrees. "To put it bluntly, after all that nonsense, you simply think that I, Lin Ming, don't deserve to stay on your team. Then let me ask you this: do you really think you're that impressive?"

Yu Tianheng's face darkened. "Lin Ming, what do you mean?"

A roguish grin tugged at Lin Ming's lips. "My meaning is simple—you people are all trash in my eyes."

That one sentence was like a bomb, instantly blowing the place apart.

"What did you say?!"

"Kid, you're courting death!"

"Damn it, aren't you a little too arrogant?!"

Shi Mo, Shi Mo, Osler, and Yu Feng's expressions changed at once. Their faces flushed red with rage, and they nearly rushed forward to attack. Yu Tianheng clenched his fists as well, his knuckles cracking, the fury in his eyes almost bursting forth.

Qin Ming's expression had turned utterly ugly, and his voice sank. "Lin Ming, that was too much."

"Too much?" Lin Ming still wore a calm, carefree smile.

"Teacher Qin, I'm not boasting—do these people even deserve the word 'teamwork'? You say I don't fit in, that I lack team spirit, that bringing in a newcomer will affect coordination. But let me ask you: put together, are the lot of you enough for me to fight?"

This time, even Qin Ming was left speechless.

Lin Ming took two steps forward and looked straight at Yu Tianheng, his tone carrying a hint of amusement:

"Yu Tianheng, when you lost to me last time, you thought you were just too careless. Fine, I'll give you another chance this time—you, Shi Mo, Shi Mo, Osler, and Yu Feng, all five of you come at me together. I'll take on all five of you alone, without any teammates to help me. If you can defeat me in even a single move, I'll immediately get the hell out of Heaven Dou Royal Academy and never appear before you again."