Long Tianwu had settled into his lodgings but had not yet had a chance to catch his breath.
Meanwhile, on the sports field, Wu Zhangkong had already gathered the candidates for the class promotion tournament, his expression stern.
His gaze settled squarely on Tang Wulin. His voice held not the slightest ripple of emotion, yet carried an unquestionable force:
"Tang Wulin, your Martial Soul is Blue Silver Grass. I only included you among the candidates for the class promotion tournament because the team needed a substitute, and there really wasn't a better choice."
"Now Gu Yue is here. You just saw her talent and strength for yourself. If you still want to represent Class Five, you'll have to meet my requirements. Otherwise, I'll only send three people into this tournament."
Tang Wulin clenched his fists and lowered his head, his face alternating between red and white, but he could not get a single word out.
Just then, Gu Yue suddenly stepped forward, her clear voice breaking the silence. "Teacher Wu, I won't take his place in the tournament."
She did not know what sort of relationship Lu Cheng had with Tang Wulin, but she had seen him coming and going with Tang Wulin before...
Wu Zhangkong glanced at her, his expression as indifferent as ever, his reply even more blunt and decisive. "Then we'll only send two people."
Without a wild card like Lu Chen, he might have taken a little more interest in Tang Wulin's tenacity.
But now that he had two outstanding prospects in Lu Chen and Gu Yue, Tang Wulin's strength seemed rather inadequate.
Choosing him back then had merely been a matter of picking a general from among dwarfs.
After lecturing Tang Wulin, Wu Zhangkong turned his gaze to Lu Chen. He pondered for a moment before speaking:
"Lu Chen, I don't know where you learned those strange moves, or how you combine and use them. But remember, a Martial Soul is a soul master's foundation. Unorthodox methods can only add flowers to brocade; you mustn't put the branches before the roots."
He paused, then added another remark, as though he had seen through the worries in Lu Chen's heart:
"Also, don't be afraid just because your Martial Soul has a devouring attribute. As long as you haven't used it to devour living people, it doesn't count as an evil Martial Soul. There's no need to hide it."
"Yes, Teacher," Lu Chen answered respectfully. The stone that had been hanging over his heart finally settled.
After finishing with Lu Chen, Wu Zhangkong observed and lectured Gu Yue and Xie Xie in turn, pointing out their shortcomings in actual combat and the areas they needed to improve.
Only when all of that was done did he clap his hands and announce loudly:
"Now we'll begin our special training in earnest. Lu Chen, you're first. Your practical combat ability is good. Set an example for them."
As he spoke, he made a point of emphasizing, "I won't use my Martial Soul or any Soul Skills. Get that sword of yours and show them the importance of practical combat ability."
With that, Wu Zhangkong took a jet-black wooden sword from his Storage Soul Guidance Device and casually weighed it in his hand. At a glance, it was an ordinary wooden sword.
Lu Chen acknowledged him, turned, and took the alchemical sword from his Storage Soul Guidance Device.
Its blade gleamed with a cold silver light, and intricate patterns were engraved on its guard-the alchemical array for the Royal Fire Word Spirit.
Gripping the hilt, he walked slowly into the field, his sword tip angled toward the ground as he fixed Wu Zhangkong with a sharp gaze. "Teacher, here I come."
Wu Zhangkong nodded and lightly swung his wooden sword, stirring a breeze. "Go ahead. Don't hold back."
Lu Chen pushed off hard, shooting forward like an arrow. His alchemical sword drove straight at Wu Zhangkong's face, carrying a fierce rush of wind.
The thrust was fast and vicious, its angle exceptionally tricky.
Unhurried, Wu Zhangkong turned his wrist lightly, striking the spine of the alchemical sword with precise accuracy.
With a crisp clang, Lu Chen felt a deft force travel through his sword, instantly knocking the blade aside. He spun with the momentum and swept his blade sideways, driving straight toward Wu Zhangkong's waist.
Wu Zhangkong shifted his feet slightly, drifting away like willow fluff. At the same time, his wooden sword swept upward toward Lu Chen's sword wrist.
Lu Chen hurriedly pulled his sword back and retreated. Their swords clashed briefly in midair, sparks flying everywhere as they exchanged more than a dozen moves in the blink of an eye.
Tang Wulin and Gu Yue watched from nearby without blinking. Neither fighter's moves held the slightest flourish; it was entirely a contest of solid technique.
Lu Chen's alchemical sword carried the searing heat of the Royal Fire Word Spirit, and faint flames flickered with every slash.
Wu Zhangkong's wooden sword moved like drifting clouds and flowing water. It seemed gentle, yet always countered Lu Chen's attacks with perfect precision.
"Good. You have a very good grasp of rhythm," Wu Zhangkong commented calmly as he parried. "But your swordplay is too direct. It lacks variation."
At those words, Lu Chen's gaze sharpened. He twisted his wrist hard, abruptly changing the alchemical sword's direction. Its edge scraped past the wooden sword and thrust straight at Wu Zhangkong's shoulder.
At the same time, he secretly activated the Royal Fire Word Spirit, and a faint layer of flame rose over the blade.
Wu Zhangkong's gaze shifted slightly. Rather than retreating, he advanced, pressing his wooden sword precisely against the alchemical blade while flicking a finger of his other hand squarely against Lu Chen's wrist. Lu Chen felt his wrist go numb, and his grip immediately loosened somewhat.
Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to steady his stance. His footwork shifted as he circled Wu Zhangkong, his sword moves alternating between fast and slow, sometimes broad and sweeping, sometimes tricky and uncanny.
Their figures rapidly crossed on the field, the crisp clashes of wood against alchemical steel ringing without end. For a time, they truly fought on equal footing.
But as time passed, more and more sweat beaded on Lu Chen's forehead, and his breathing grew labored. Wu Zhangkong was, after all, a veteran soul master. His stamina and endurance were far beyond what a boy like him could match.
After another twenty-odd exchanges, Lu Chen's movements were noticeably half a beat slower.
Wu Zhangkong seized that opening. His wooden sword abruptly dipped beneath the alchemical sword's edge, then, with a turn of his wrist, darted out like a venomous snake and struck Lu Chen squarely in the chest.
Lu Chen's entire body stiffened. The alchemical sword fell from his hand with a clatter, and he staggered back two steps before barely regaining his footing.
"I lost." He panted heavily, but an excited smile appeared on his face.
Wu Zhangkong put away his wooden sword and nodded. "Good. To last this long against me, your technique is already far beyond your peers'. Go back and work on your stamina. We'll fight again next time."
Watching from the side, Tang Wulin and Gu Yue felt their blood boil and could not help applauding.
"Your swordsmanship really is good. It has a rare sharpness to it." A rare smile appeared on Wu Zhangkong's face, and his tone softened considerably.
"But remember, for now, you still need to focus on cultivating your Martial Soul. A Martial Soul is a soul master's foundation. Swordsmanship can, at most, add flowers to brocade."
He paused, then added, "If you really like using a sword, there's no need to rush. Once you're strong enough to forge Battle Armor, you can make its accompanying weapon a sword. With your Martial Soul's power reinforcing the blade, the two will truly bring out the best in each other."