The Imperial Fighting Team

"Crown Prince, members of the education committee, I have a proposal."

At that moment, the man in the first seat on the right stood up.

He was tall, with sword-like brows and star-bright eyes. His silver-white academy instructor's uniform made him look particularly imposing.

He was Qin Ming, the leader among the younger generation of instructors.

"What do you have in mind, Teacher Qin?"

Xue Qinghe turned his head slightly, his gaze settling on Qin Ming as the anger in his heart subsided a little.

He had a good impression of Qin Ming.

According to Spirit Hall's records, this man was the second-youngest Soul Emperor.

Qin Ming was crisp and decisive in both words and deeds, never beating around the bush.

More importantly, he was a genius who had risen step by step from the ranks of commoner Soul Masters, free of the tangled interests that bound the nobles.

Perhaps his proposal could bring some changes to the academy.

"I propose selecting a few of the finest students from the entire academy to form an independent team."

Qin Ming straightened and said solemnly:

"Give them dedicated facilities and specialized training, completely separate from the other students."

"Everything should revolve around actual combat, with the academy's classroom instruction serving only as a supplement."

"Above all, we shouldn't limit ourselves to the Soul Fighting Arenas in Heaven Dou City. During training, we can take them on study tours, traveling to Soul Fighting Arenas across the continent and fighting in different environments."

He spoke in great detail, each point sounding as though he had polished it countless times in his mind.

The intermediate academy Qin Ming had attended was Shrek Academy.

Although Shrek Academy was remote and rundown, with meager facilities, its teaching methods stood apart, focusing primarily on actual combat in Soul Fighting Arenas.

After each fight came a review, and after each review came another fight.

Day after day, year after year.

After graduating, he had traveled the continent for years and visited many places.

Qin Ming had discovered that Soul Masters from different regions fought in vastly different ways.

Soul Masters from Heaven Dou placed more emphasis on tactics and coordination, while those from the Star Luo Empire fought more fiercely and directly, holding nothing back when they struck.

Seeing the fighting styles of different regions during their travels would greatly benefit their growth.

That was why he had placed particular emphasis on the study-tour proposal.

"That is a good idea."

After hearing him out, Meng Shenji slowly nodded.

"The academy does have quite a few promising seedlings, but they usually get lumped into large classes and dragged down by those idle noble children, which slows their growth considerably. If we select them for focused training, we can tailor it much more effectively."

The man beside Meng Shenji offered a different opinion:

"Providing facilities and funding won't be a problem. The academy isn't short of money, and the imperial family will support us as well. But I'm afraid few students would be willing to travel across the entire continent."

This was Bai Baoshan, the academy's second education committee member.

Most students at Heaven Dou Royal Academy were children of the nobility, raised in comfort and privilege.

If they were made to train in Soul Fighting Arenas across the continent, match after match, the vast majority would never endure it.

"Monsters naturally require a monster's training methods."

Qin Ming shook his head, his tone unwavering.

"If someone is unwilling to travel, that simply means he isn't suited to this team."

"True geniuses won't mind this little hardship. Those who do aren't worthy of joining this team."

His firm, powerful voice echoed through the conference room.

Bang!

Xue Qinghe suddenly slapped the table.

He stood, his eyes blazing.

"Good. It's settled, then. I'll request dedicated funding from the imperial family to support the team's operations."

He turned to Qin Ming. "Teacher Qin Ming, you'll be in charge of this. This team will be born for battle, shouldering the duty of restoring the glory of the academy and the imperial family. We shall call it the Imperial Fighting Team."

Qin Ming nodded excitedly. "I will not betray the trust Your Highness and the committee have placed in me!"

Xue Qinghe turned back to the others, his gaze growing stern. "Whatever else may be said, Heaven Dou Royal Academy is the empire's finest academy. Such a disgrace must never happen again!"

He tapped his fingers on the tabletop, his tone growing more forceful:

"If we can't find suitable candidates, recruit them from other academies."

"As long as talented commoner Soul Masters are willing to come, the academy can offer them full scholarships and all the resources they need for cultivation."

"Also, start selecting candidates at the Royal Intermediate Academy. Promising seedlings must be nurtured from childhood to serve as the team's reserves."

The three education committee members exchanged glances and silently nodded.

It seemed this young crown prince truly had been stung.

They nodded together and answered in unison:

"Yes!"

The Balak Kingdom.

On the main road.

"Boss, why didn't you accept the Soul Tool that city lord offered you?"

With the refined iron pot strapped to his back, Oscar panted heavily, his steps growing heavier and heavier.

What he really wanted to say was that if they had a Soul Tool, he wouldn't have to work so hard training with a pot on his back.

Yu Chen walked ahead with light steps.

"Oscar, taking Gold Soul Coins for killing Wolf Bandits is only right, but when the city lord offered me a Soul Tool, he probably wanted me to owe him a favor."

Before they left, the city lord had approached Yu Chen alone and offered him a Storage Soul Tool.

But Yu Chen had politely declined.

Debts of gratitude were the hardest to repay.

With his talent, even setting aside the possibility of becoming a god, he would at least become a Titled Douluo.

When that day came, a favor owed today and a kindness received tomorrow would weave a tangled web of connections that bound him fast.

Seeing Oscar panting for breath, Yu Chen pointed ahead. "See that forest up ahead? We'll have a good rest there in a bit."

"Great!"

At those words, Oscar felt his strength return and gritted his teeth as he pressed on.

After walking for half an hour, they finally reached the forest.

The canopy blotted out the sky and sun, while a soft layer of blue silver grass covered the ground, like a carpet beneath their feet.

"Ah, I feel like my legs are about to give out."

Oscar tossed the iron pot onto the ground with a dull clang and flopped straight down onto the blue silver grass.

Yu Chen looked into the distance.

The forest stretched endlessly, its trees growing denser farther in.

Some of the blue silver grass growing in low-lying areas flourished particularly well. Its leaves were broad and thick, rising far above the grass outside, and its color was deeper too.

In the original story, the Blue Silver Forest was on the border between the Balak Kingdom and the Silves Kingdom. This should be the place.

Yu Chen thought to himself.

The stretch before him was merely ordinary woodland on the outer edge, but if he ventured deep into the mountains, he should be able to find the hidden Blue Silver Grass Sacred Land.

"Uncle Dashan, Oscar, rest here for a while. I'm going to take a look in the mountains."

Yu Chen picked up his bundle and turned to Ming Dashan.

Leaning against a tree trunk, Ming Dashan nodded. "All right. Be careful, and come back soon."

He didn't ask what Yu Chen intended to do.

After the battle against the Wolf Bandits in the village, he had gained a clear understanding of Yu Chen's strength.

Although Yu Chen's soul power was only at rank twenty-nine, his actual combat ability far surpassed Ming Dashan's own as a Soul Ancestor.

About a quarter of an hour later.

Yu Chen reached an open mountaintop.

Whoosh!

A surge of blue energy welled up from his right leg. His feet left the ground, and his entire body rose into the air.

Blue Silver Emperor Soul Bone Skill-Flight.