Preparing for the Selection Tournament!

"Sharp-tongued bastard!"

Luo Bai growled, forcibly suppressing the urge to attack right away. They were still at the bureau, after all.

"I'm telling you, Qi Wu! Don't think you can do whatever you want just because Wolf Team is protecting you for now! At the Selection Tournament, I'll defeat you in front of everyone in the bureau!"

He advanced a step, lowering his voice further, venom dripping from every word:

"I'll make you lie on that stage like a dying dog and beg for mercy! You'll pay ten times, a hundred times over for what you said today!"

Qi Wu picked at his ear as though he had heard some irritating noise, his expression full of disdain.

"Done yet? You sure talk a lot. Anyone can make threats."

He paused, then suddenly leaned a little closer. His azure eyes gleamed with mockery in the night as he spoke in a voice only the two of them could hear:

"For the sake of your simp... uh, undying devotion, let me give you some advice. Instead of wasting your time yapping at me, why not go practice?"

"Otherwise, if you lose too badly on the stage and embarrass yourself in front of your dear Yu Yao, whom you love so 'sincerely'... that wouldn't be nice, would it?"

Those words plunged a knife straight into Luo Bai's heart and rubbed salt into the wound.

[Irritation Points +500 (Luo Bai is enraged by your personal attacks and provocation)]

"You! Are! Dead!"

Luo Bai finally snapped. Golden light surged uncontrollably around him again, his clenched fists cracking. He looked ready to attack regardless of where they were.

"Tsk, going to start barking again?"

Qi Wu stepped back to put some distance between them and waved dismissively.

"All right, all right, I don't have time to play with you. See you at the Selection Tournament. Hopefully you'll have improved by then instead of repeating the same few lines."

With that, he gave Luo Bai no chance to flare up again. He slipped past him like a phantom and strolled toward the dormitories, whistling leisurely.

Luo Bai stared at Qi Wu's retreating figure, trembling with rage at his utter disregard.

Golden spiritual energy flickered across his body, but in the end, he did not dare actually attack on the bureau's main road.

"Qi Wu!!!"

He forced the name through gritted teeth, filled with boundless hatred.

"I'll kill you at the Selection Tournament!!"

His roar carried far through the quiet night.

Qi Wu was already far away and could not even be bothered to look back.

Back in his dorm room, Qi Wu threw himself onto the soft couch.

"Ahh~ That's the stuff~"

Luo Bai's rage-twisted face flashed through his mind.

Then he tossed it aside like garbage.

Someone blinded by jealousy like that was not worth wasting his precious brain cells on.

His thoughts returned to Wolf Team's words.

"First place in the Selection Tournament..."

Qi Wu murmured to himself, his azure eyes glowing faintly in the darkness.

Originally, he had only wanted a candidate spot. He had no interest in taking first place.

But now, the title of champion had become his ticket to the Abyssal Grand Prison, making it absolutely crucial.

"Guess I'll have to get a little serious."

Qi Wu scratched his head.

Taking first place was not just about him.

It would be a test of the entire team.

Thinking of Jiang Qingyue and Gale, Qi Wu sat up straight.

Jiang Qingyue was talented, and her Demon God Curse Mark had enormous potential, but her combat experience and ability to adapt on the fly were still lacking. He had to find a way to improve them.

Gale... her speed was exceptional, and her combat skills were superb, but she lacked coordination with the team.

All these factors affected their performance.

"This won't do."

Qi Wu rubbed his face.

"The Salvation Team is still too green... intensive training! We need intensive training! The whole team has to step up!"

"I need to make a plan..."

Qi Wu stroked his chin and began working things out.

Before long, a month-long intensive training plan took shape in his mind.

The first thing to do.

Was to get Jiang Qingyue and Gale training like crazy!

Two days later.

The Virtual Battlefield.

"Ahh~ Mr. Wu, I can't go on!"

"Captain... you're so strong..."

Jiang Qingyue sat sprawled on the ground without a shred of dignity, her little face flushed red. Sweat-soaked strands of hair clung to her temples, and her chest heaved as she gasped for breath.

Seven or eight oddly shaped lumps of clay lay scattered around her, neutralized before she could detonate them.

Gale was doing slightly better, but she was also down on one knee, supporting herself with her long blade.

Her short, pale-blue hair was soaked with sweat, a few strands clinging to her fair neck. Her breathing was just as ragged.

Her icy-gray eyes remained fixed ahead, filled with frustration and a trace of... bewilderment after being utterly overwhelmed.

Standing before them, Qi Wu looked completely at ease.

Even his clothes were barely rumpled.

Most striking was the necklace around his neck. Its pendant was a gem carefully carved into a crescent moon, radiating a soft, pure glow—it was none other than the rare Exotic Treasure, the Full Moon Heart.

He had fashioned the Exotic Treasure into a necklace and worn it around his neck.

This increased his cultivation speed by nearly thirty percent.

"Tired already?"

Qi Wu tilted his head as he watched the two women pant.

"I wasn't even using half my strength."

[Irritation Points +100 (Jiang Qingyue thinks you are showing off and humblebragging)]

[Irritation Points +80 (Gale is frustrated that she cannot touch you)]

In their earlier fight, the two had worked together, with Gale leading the attack while Jiang Qingyue provided disruption and explosions.

Yet they had failed to touch even the hem of Qi Wu's clothes, despite him not activating Limitless.

"Mr. Wu! You're such a bully!"

Jiang Qingyue puffed out her cheeks, her watery eyes full of grievance.

"You're too fast! We can't even touch you!"

Gale said nothing, but her tightly pressed lips and the slight trembling of her sword hand revealed her frustration.

Her speed was already among the best at her level.

Yet against Qi Wu, she seemed perpetually one step behind. He easily neutralized every intricate attack with the smallest possible movement.

Qi Wu walked over to Jiang Qingyue and ruffled her silky hair.

"If you can't hit me, find a way to predict my movements or create a situation where your attacks can't miss. If you can't match my speed, compensate with area attacks and battlefield control."

He then turned to Gale.

"Your intent to attack is too obvious. Rein in your killing intent, tread more lightly, and strike from trickier angles. Don't always rely on your superior speed to overwhelm your opponent. Sometimes, countering speed with patience and movement with stillness works better."

At his words, some of the frustration faded from their eyes, replaced by thoughtfulness.

Qi Wu's advice always hit the mark, pinpointing their fundamental weaknesses.

"All right, that's it for today's team sparring."

Qi Wu clapped his hands and stood up.

"To sum it up, Qingyue, you need to be more resourceful. Gale, you need to be more subtle. Tomorrow..."

He changed tack.

"Arrange your own training and reinforce what you learned today. Or spar with each other and try using the methods I just mentioned against one another."

"You can also team up for a mission."

"Huh? Mr. Wu, aren't you coming tomorrow?" Jiang Qingyue looked up and asked.

"Mm." Qi Wu nodded.

"I'm taking a solo mission tomorrow. I'll be heading out."

The intensive training plan he had devised for the Salvation squad had two parts.

One was sparring, and the other was mission training.

Sparring meant practicing against each other in the Virtual Battlefield every day when they had no missions.

As for mission training.

He would arrange one team mission each week to build up their practical combat experience.

Aside from that.

He would also set aside one day each week to undertake a difficult solo mission.

That would serve as training for himself.

He was now a full-fledged operative and could undertake missions alone.

"A solo mission?"

Gale raised her head, a barely perceptible trace of concern flickering through her eyes.

"Then please be careful!"

Jiang Qingyue hurried to remind him, her large eyes filled with concern.

"Don't worry. Piece of cake."

He turned and headed toward the Virtual Battlefield's exit.

"Just don't slack off, you two. I'll be checking your progress when I get back. If you've gotten worse..."

He deliberately drew out his words, leaving a threat hanging that made both women shudder.

Watching Qi Wu disappear into the curtain of light at the exit, Jiang Qingyue and Gale exchanged a glance. Each saw determination and a hint of urgency in the other's eyes.