Tang San: Brother, I Won't Lose to You!

Tang San did not slack off either.

After training ended, he would still come to the woods alone.

Ordinary Blue Silver Grass grew from his palm.

The vines split into several strands and advanced in crisscrossing paths along the trees and ground.

Tang San kept trying to imitate Tang Feng's control patterns.

Seal off the front.

Limit the landing points.

Compress the range of movement.

Finally complete the encirclement.

But ordinary Blue Silver Grass lacked sufficient strength.

As the number of vines increased, the precision of his control also rapidly declined.

After several attempts, none of them met his expectations.

Tang San looked at the Blue Silver Grass scattered across the ground.

"A domain can compensate for perception."

"But the strength of a Martial Soul cannot be fully made up for through technique alone."

He withdrew the Blue Silver Grass.

The Mysterious Heaven Skill began circulating again.

Yu Xiaogang stood outside the woods.

He did not interrupt Tang San.

Tang Feng's existence had already become the most direct pressure on the Shrek Seven Devils.

Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

Imperial Fighting Team training grounds.

Tang Feng's first training session after becoming captain officially began.

Yu Feng, Osler, Shi Mo, and Shi Mo stood in the field in turn.

Yu Tianheng stood to one side of the team.

Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling stood side by side at the rear.

Everyone had originally thought Tang Feng would arrange a sparring match first.

Yet Tang Feng did not summon the Ruination Blue Silver Emperor.

Blue-gold light spread from his right palm.

The Life Blue Silver Emperor slowly grew.

Blades of grass extended along the training ground in every direction.

Life Perception!

Blue-gold light covered everyone.

The paths of Soul Power within each person's body, the way their muscles exerted force, and the locations of old injuries all entered Tang Feng's perception.

Yu Feng was the first to step out from the group.

Azure wings spread from his back.

Three Spirit Rings rose along with them.

"Captain, how should I test it?"

"Fly a lap."

Soul Power erupted beneath Yu Feng's feet.

His azure wings pressed downward.

His body swiftly rose into the air.

His first Spirit Ring lit up.

Wind-attributed Soul Power covered both wings.

Yu Feng continuously changed direction above the training ground.

He dove.

Pulled up.

Turned sideways.

His azure figure repeatedly swept past the overhead beams.

After several breaths, he landed before Tang Feng again.

"How was it?"

Tang Feng raised the Life Blue Silver Emperor.

A Blue-Gold Vine swept through the air, recreating Yu Feng's flight path.

"You rely too heavily on Soul Power propulsion while flying."

"Every time you turn, you use Soul Power to forcibly change your body's direction."

"Your speed is fast, but the consumption is also high."

Yu Feng looked at the several turns depicted by the vine.

"That is the only way to make rapid turns."

"Change the angle at which you cut into the wind."

Tang Feng raised a hand and pointed at Yu Feng's left wing.

"Before turning, draw in your left wing by a third."

"Lower your right wing."

"Let the wind from the side push you through the turn."

Yu Feng spread his wings again.

Following Tang Feng's instructions, he rose into the air.

The first turn.

His azure wings did not cooperate completely.

Yu Feng's body swayed in midair.

He quickly steadied himself.

The second turn.

His left wing folded in ahead of time.

His right wing tilted downward.

Wind-attributed Soul Power flowed along the outer edges of his feathers.

The oncoming airflow swept beneath his right wing.

Yu Feng's body turned swiftly, yet he consumed only half the Soul Power he had before.

His eyes immediately lit up.

The third time.

The fourth time.

The azure figure continuously changed direction above the training ground.

Every turn was smoother than the last.

Yu Feng landed back on the ground.

"The Soul Power consumption really is lower."

Tang Feng looked toward Shi Mo and Shi Mo.

"You two."

The Black Tortoise Martial Soul Possession activated at the same time.

Shi Mo and Shi Mo's bodies rapidly expanded.

Heavy turtle shells covered their chests and backs.

Three Spirit Rings rose from beneath each of their feet.

Tang Feng expanded the Blue Silver Domain.

The grass and trees around the training ground swayed gently.

Dozens of ordinary Blue Silver vines grew from different directions.

The vines did not actually attack.

Every blade of grass represented an attack route.

Shi Mo and Shi Mo stood shoulder to shoulder.

Two turtle shells blocked the front at once.

The vines attacked from the front.

Both raised their arms together.

Bang!

The Blue Silver vines struck the turtle shells.

Yet the defensive area behind them lost its protection at the same time.

Several other vines immediately circled around from both sides and stopped at their backs.

Shi Mo turned around to look.

"We missed it."

Tang Feng withdrew the vines.

"Don't take the hits head-on together."

"One blocks."

"The other seals off the retreat."

The two brothers took their positions again.

The second round of attacks began.

Shi Mo stepped half a pace forward.

His heavy turtle shell blocked the vines from the front.

Shi Mo did not stand shoulder to shoulder with him.

He shifted one position back, turned, and sealed the gap on the right.

The vines on the left seized the chance to attack.

Shi Mo turned on his feet, trying to cover both sides at once.

His originally solid frontal defense immediately shifted out of place.

Tang Feng spoke.

"Ignore the left side."

Shi Mo stopped moving.

Shi Mo immediately filled the gap from behind.

His turtle shell slid sideways.

The vines on the left were completely blocked.

The first round ended.

The second round followed immediately.

The number of vines attacking from the front increased.

Shi Mo took Shi Mo's place at the front.

Shi Mo retreated to the rear and sealed off the routes on both sides.

The brothers' positions constantly alternated.

One bore the frontal attacks.

The other sealed off retreat paths and gaps in their defense.

The Blue Silver Domain continuously changed the direction of attack.

Their coordination also became tighter through repeated adjustments.

The vines of the final round dispersed.

Shi Mo and Shi Mo stood back to back in the center of the training ground.

Every attack route was blocked by turtle shells.

Tang Feng withdrew the Blue Silver Domain.

"Keep this formation."

Shi Mo released his Martial Soul Possession.

"Understood."

Shi Mo nodded as well.

Finally, it was Dugu Yan's turn.

She walked before Tang Feng.

Her long emerald hair was tied behind her head.

Her silver-white team uniform clung to her waist, and the sash at her side swayed gently with her steps.

The Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul emerged behind her.

Thick poison mist swirled around the serpent's shadow.

"How do I train?"

Tang Feng raised his left hand.

The Ruination Blue Silver Emperor grew along the ground.

Dark Blue Vines arrived before Dugu Yan.

The fine serrations along the grass blades slowly unfurled.

"Keep the poison on the vine's surface."

"Don't release it all at once."

Dugu Yan raised her right hand.

Emerald-green poison seeped from her palm.

The moment the poisonous mist touched the vines, it rapidly spread outward.

A layer of green marks appeared across the nearby stone slabs.

Tang Feng controlled the power of destruction to cover the vines.

Dark-purple patterns lit up one after another.

The spreading serpent venom was restrained and gathered back onto the grass blades.

"Your Soul Power output is too fast."

Dugu Yan withdrew some of the poison.

"In past battles, the wider the poisonous mist spread, the better."

"Coating the vines doesn't require a wide range."

Tang Feng raised the Life Blue Silver Emperor.

Blue-Gold Grass blades hovered beside her arm.

Life Perception followed the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Soul Power into her meridians.

"Maintain output through only one meridian."

"Let the poison follow your Soul Power."

Dugu Yan tried again.

A thread of emerald-green poison fell from her fingertips.

The serpent venom slowly moved along the Destruction Vines.

It was fairly stable at first.

When it passed a bend in the vines, the poison began spreading outward again.

The destruction attribute immediately forced it back.

Tang Feng looked at Dugu Yan's wrist.

"You're using too much force here."

He reached out and supported her forearm.

Dugu Yan's body paused slightly.

Tang Feng's fingers hovered above her wrist through the silver-white sleeve.

A Blue-Gold Vine pressed against her palm.

Life Perception clearly relayed the changes in her Soul Power.

"Relax your wrist."

Dugu Yan glanced at him.

"How am I supposed to relax when you're standing so close?"

"Then I'll let go."

Tang Feng prepared to withdraw his hand.

But Dugu Yan grabbed his sleeve before he could.

"I didn't tell you to let go."

She turned back to the Destruction Vines before her.

"Continue."

Ye Lingling stood at the edge of the field.

She swept her long blue hair behind her shoulder, a faint smile appearing in her eyes.

Tang Feng ignored her.

He adjusted Dugu Yan's wrist again.

"Try once more."

Dugu Yan controlled the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Venom as it entered the vines.

This time,

the green poisonous glow did not spread outward.

The poison clung tightly to the Dark Blue Grass blades, spreading from the base of the vines all the way to their tips.

The destruction attribute firmly confined the serpent venom to the surface.

The ground crossed by the vines showed no signs of corrosion.

Tang Feng gently moved his five fingers.

The Dark Blue Vines changed direction accordingly.

The serpent venom remained steadily attached.

A spark of light appeared in Dugu Yan's eyes.

"Success."

"Not stable enough yet."

Tang Feng suddenly accelerated the vines.

The emerald-green poisonous glow swayed lightly.

Dugu Yan immediately adjusted her Soul Power.

The poison that had been about to disperse gathered back together.

The vines made consecutive turns throughout the training ground.

The emerald-green serpent venom never left the grass blades.

After several repetitions,

the poison coating finally stabilized completely.

Dugu Yan withdrew her Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul.

A thin sheen of sweat had appeared on her forehead.

Several strands of her emerald-green hair, tied behind her head, had come loose and stuck to the sides of her fair face.

Just as she raised a hand to wipe it away, a warm touch reached her wrist.

The Life Blue Silver Emperor had already curled around it.

Blue-Gold Grass blades supported her wrist.

[Life Nourishment!]

Gentle life force flowed through her meridians.

The exhaustion from continuously controlling the serpent venom quickly eased.

Dugu Yan lowered her head to look at the Blue-Gold Vines.

"I only used up a little Soul Power."

"Your meridians are being depleted too."

Tang Feng lifted a hand and brushed aside a strand of hair by her cheek.

Grass blades lightly swept across her forehead, carrying away the fine beads of sweat.

Dugu Yan looked up at him.

They were very close.

Blue-gold light fell into her emerald-green eyes.

Her hand still had not released Tang Feng's sleeve.

Ye Lingling walked over to the two of them.

"The captain really does take good care of Yan Yan."

Dugu Yan immediately turned her head.

"Lingling!"

Ye Lingling looked at her hand.

"You're still holding the captain."

Dugu Yan looked down.

She immediately released Tang Feng's sleeve.

Several wrinkles had formed where her fingers had gripped it.

Dugu Yan smoothed out his clothing.

"I was only stopping him from moving around."

Tang Feng withdrew the Life Blue Silver Emperor.

"The one moving around was you."

Dugu Yan lifted her eyes.

"Tang Feng."

"Mm?"

"At the next training session, I'm putting twice as much serpent venom on your vines."

"First, make sure it doesn't spread."

Dugu Yan looked at his calm expression and ultimately did not continue arguing.

Training ended.

The Dark Blue Vines and Blue-Gold Grass blades all turned into motes of light and faded away.

Shi Mo and Shi Mo resumed discussing their defensive positions from earlier.

Osler walked into the field alone, preparing for the next round of testing.

Yu Tianheng looked at the vine marks left on the ground and raised no objections.

Yu Feng descended from the air.

The green wings behind his back slowly folded away.

He walked up to Tang Feng and raised a hand to pat his chest.

"I accept you as captain."

Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

Imperial Fighting Team training ground.

After Yu Feng spoke, the atmosphere in the training ground visibly relaxed.

Tang Feng withdrew the Life Blue Silver Emperor.

The blue-gold grass blades retreated from beneath everyone's feet, turning back into motes of light and merging into his palm.

"That's enough for today."

Tang Feng looked at Yu Feng.

"Your method of flight still needs adjustment."

"Shi Mo and Shi Mo, maintain alternating defense."

"Dugu Yan, practice poison coating."

"Starting tomorrow, we'll add actual combat."

Everyone immediately agreed.

Yu Tianheng stood to one side without raising any objections.

He had already handed over the captain's badge, so naturally he would no longer interfere with Tang Feng's arrangements.

After training ended, the Imperial Fighting Team members left one after another.

Dugu Yan did not leave immediately.

She walked over to Tang Feng and raised a hand to adjust the hair behind her head.

"Captain, are we really doing actual combat tomorrow?"

"Training alone makes it difficult to integrate coordination into battle."

"Who are you planning to have fight whom?"

"You and Yu Tianheng will be a team."

Dugu Yan's movements stopped.

She turned to look at Yu Tianheng in the distance.

"Me and him?"

"One of you is the main attacker, and the other is control. Problems are most likely to arise in your coordination."

Dugu Yan withdrew her gaze.

"Then let's try it."

Ye Lingling stood behind her and gently nodded.

"I'll handle the healing?"

"You should observe first."

Tang Feng looked at Ye Lingling.

"During battle, you can't focus only on injuries. You also need to judge your teammates' Soul Power consumption."

Ye Lingling held her notebook against her chest.

"I'll write it down."

Dugu Yan tilted her head.

"Lingling, you're becoming more and more like a vice-captain."

"I'm an auxiliary-type Spirit Master."

Ye Lingling answered.

"Support-type Spirit Masters can manage a team too."

Dugu Yan glanced at the silver badge on Tang Feng's chest.

"Then shouldn't the captain give the vice-captain some reward?"

Tang Feng asked, "What do you want?"

Dugu Yan immediately looked away.

"I haven't decided yet."

"Tell me when you have."

"You agreed rather quickly."

Tang Feng did not respond further.

Dugu Yan watched him for a moment, a faint smile appearing at the corners of her lips.

She turned and took Ye Lingling by the arm.

"Lingling, let's go first."

Ye Lingling was led away by her.

After taking a few steps, Dugu Yan looked back again.

Tang Feng was still standing in the middle of the training grounds, examining the traces left behind by the Ruination Blue Silver Emperor.

She quickly withdrew her gaze.

At the same time.

Heaven Dou City.

Crown Prince's Palace.

Xue Qinghe sat in his study.

A report that had just been delivered lay on the desk.

The spy responsible for the report stood below, waiting with his head lowered for instructions.

"Tang Feng, nine years old, Soul Power at rank thirty-three."

Xue Qinghe turned over the first page.

"His first Martial Soul is the Ruination Blue Silver Emperor. His second and third Spirit Rings are both Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings."

The spy immediately answered.

"According to the academy records, he already possessed a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring when he was at rank twenty-two."

Xue Qinghe continued reading the contents below.

"He possesses a flying-type Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone."

"The Spirit Bone's abilities include flight and life recovery."

"Additionally, he possesses two Blue Silver Emperors with special attributes."

The spy gave a detailed account of the recent training.

"After Tang Feng became captain of the Imperial Fighting Team, he did not immediately arrange sparring matches."

"He first used the Life Blue Silver Emperor to examine the team members' bodies, then corrected their fighting methods one by one."

"Yu Feng's flight routes, the Black Tortoise Turtle Spirit Master's defensive positions, and Dugu Yan's method of applying poison were all adjusted by him."

Xue Qinghe set down the report in his hand.

"In just a few days, the entire team has begun operating according to his methods."

"Yes."

The spy nodded.

"The members of the Imperial Fighting Team have already acknowledged him."

Xue Qinghe leaned back in his chair.