Time flies when you're on the training field.
Feng Xiaotian was observing everyone's situation. He paused for a moment as he walked past Lu Hanxiao.
"The moment you sheathe your blade is when your defense is weakest," he crouched down, looking at where Lu Hanxiao had folded his wings. "If Lu Qing is to your right, you need to leave him room to provide cover."
Lu Hanxiao folded his wings and nodded. The wounds on his left arm and right shoulder had completely healed, but he would always subconsciously glance at those spots during training.
Lu Qing didn't say anything, but every time they stood in their positions, she would unconsciously move a little to Lu Hanxiao's right.
Seeing that the two understood, Feng Xiaotian stood up and looked at Jiang Lin and Ji Ning beside him.
Jiang Lin's Spirit Eyes opened Mental Interference field, Ji Ning moved at high speed within it. One after another, the afterimages of Hummingbird Illusion appeared, only to be locked onto and shattered by Jiang Lin's Spiritual Detection. Neither of them would give in, and neither was willing to stop first.
Feng Xiaotian stopped them and slowly shared his observations.
"The accuracy is sufficient," Feng Xiaotian said to Jiang Lin, "But you still need to practice range control. You locked on three times just now; the first time you locked on too early, the second time you locked on too late, and only the third time you locked on the point where Ji Ning changed direction."
Ji Ning squatted down beside him, panting. Feng Xiaotian glanced at him and said, "Your phantom switching speed is fast enough, but the stability isn't. When you're interfered with, the third afterimage is noticeably fainter than the first two."
Ji Ning grinned. "We've been found out."
"Keep practicing, correct these small mistakes, and don't repeat them."
After Feng Xiaotian finished speaking, he turned and walked to the other side.
There were two people beside the trees. Ye Qingyu's Wind Zither floated in front of her, its strings plucking automatically. Su Ran squatted down beside her, his palm open, on which lay a dozen or so freshly made Wind Grain Seed. He picked one up, threw it into his mouth, chewed it a couple of times, and frowned.
"Still too slow," he muttered, as if angry with himself. "Between the seventh and tenth pills, it was at least a breath too slow."
Ye Qingyu glanced at him, plucked a string on the Wind Zither, and a Light Sound fell upon him. "As long as it works. No one will die in an instant."
Su Ran didn't reply; her palm lit up with Soul Power again as she began making the next batch.
Feng Xiaotian didn't disturb them, while not far away, Cheng Luo was practicing the speed of weaving Wind-Binding Vine alone. One after another, wind vines emerged from his palm, intertwined in the air to form a net, and were quickly retracted by him. He was practicing "Instant Net Weaving" - weaving a vine net that could trap Agility Attack System Soul Master within three breaths.
Feng Xiaotian glanced at him twice but didn't disturb him. Cheng Luo didn't need anyone to remind him; he knew what he should practice on his own.
He turned around to go see Zhong Yue and Shi Yan.
Zhong Yue's Black Tortoise: Wind Armor condensed into a giant tortoise shell in front of him, its surface swirling with wind patterns, blocking all attacks from the front. Shi Yan stood behind him, the sonic shield of the Void Resonance Bell enveloping the two of them, filling in any gaps on their flanks and above.
" Zhong Yue, could you make your shield a little bigger?" Shi Yan asked.
Zhong Yue shook his head, panting, and said, "If it gets any bigger, my Soul Power won't be able to keep up."
His shield had shrunk back to its normal size, his face was pale, and the veins on his forehead were throbbing, clearly indicating that he had squeezed his Soul Power to the limit in that last burst.
Feng Lingtian paused as he passed by. His gaze lingered on Zhong Yue for a moment before he slowly spoke:
"You have already condensed the Soul Core. The core of the Soul Core is its circulation speed—your current method is incorrect; relying solely on Soul Power to sustain it is normal that you can't. Increase the rotation speed of the Soul Core, and the speed of Soul Power generation will increase, naturally resulting in more output Soul Power."
Zhong Yue was taken aback. "Then what should we do?"
Feng Lingtian didn't answer directly, but turned to Su Mei'er: " Su Mei'er, come over here and demonstrate for him."
Su Mei'er walked over, and with a gentle sway of the main tail of the Nine-Tailed Fox, the speed at which the Soul Core Circulated in her dantian increased visibly. A ball of wind element appeared in her palm, not bursting out explosively, but flowing steadily like spring water.
"Don't stop after you've pushed yourself to your limit each day," Su Mei'er told Zhong Yue. "Let the Soul Core swirl for another cycle, and let the shield hold for another breath. If you can't hold on, grit your teeth and keep going. If you can hold on for this one breath today, your upper limit will be a little higher tomorrow."
She glanced at Feng Lingtian, who nodded slightly.
"That's how I trained when I was practicing elemental fusion," Su Mei'er said, turning her gaze away from Zhong Yue. "If you can hold on for even one more breath each day, your shield will be at least two sizes larger in a month."
Zhong Yue remained silent for a few moments, then closed his eyes, and the Soul Core in his dantian began to slowly accelerate.
The tortoise shell reformed in front of him, slower but more stable than before. Wind patterns appeared one after another, not bursting out instantly, but spreading out layer by layer like ripples on water.
The tortoise shell had enlarged. It didn't suddenly expand; it grew slowly and steadily.
Zhong Yue opened his eyes, looked down at his hands, and then at the tortoise shell in front of him.
Feng Xiaotian happened to witness what had just happened as he passed by.
"Can it hold on?" Feng Xiaotian asked.
Zhong Yue nodded, his voice much steadyer than before. "Yes."
Feng Xiaotian said nothing more and turned to walk towards Bai Yu.
Bai Yu stood not far away, gently swaying Wind Chime in her hand. She had been helping Zhong Yue check his right-side blind spot all this time.
" Bai Yu, step five paces to the left," Feng Xiaotian said. " Zhong Yue's right side is a blind spot; you need to keep an eye on him."
Bai Yu nodded, took five steps, and the sound of the Wind Chime changed direction.
A month later, Feng Xiaotian called everyone together.
"There's still a month left," he said, "For the qualifiers."
No one spoke. Everyone knew this day would come sooner or later, but when they actually heard the countdown, their hearts still tightened.
"Seven official team members," Feng Xiaotian's gaze swept over everyone, "Me, Lingtian, Zhong Yue Lu Hanxiao, Su Mei'er, Ji Ning, and Ye Qingyu. These are the starting lineup."
He paused.
"But in the qualifiers, I won't use the starting lineup. I'll use a combination of starting players and substitutes, rotating players in – everyone needs to be ready to play."
Shi Yan looked up at him.
" Shi Yan," Feng Xiaotian looked at him, "The one-year agreement I guaranteed happens during the competition. When you encounter Thunder Academy and Elephant Armor Academy, that will be your chance to prove yourself. I assure you, you can definitely do it."
Shi Yan paused for a moment, then nodded.
" Bai Yu, Lu Qing, Cheng Luo, Su Ran," Feng Xiaotian out to them one by one, "The same goes for you. Don't let me down when it's your turn."
Bai Yu gripped the Wind Chime tightly, Lu Qing touched the Wind Scythe at his waist, Cheng Luo and Su Ran exchanged a glance and nodded simultaneously.
"Go and prepare," Feng Xiaotian said. "Starting tomorrow, we'll increase our sparring training."
The crowd dispersed.
Lu Hanxiao walked at the very back, with Lu Qing beside him.
" A Xiao," Lu Qing called out.
Lu Hanxiao stopped in his tracks without turning around.
"In the qualifiers," Lu Qing said, "We brothers will show them what teamwork really is."
Lu Hanxiao remained silent for a few moments, then turned around and glanced at Lu Qing.
"Good."
This is the first time he's said "good" in a month.
Time flies, and before we know it, it's time for everyone to set off.
At the entrance of the Godwind Academy.
Four carriages were ready to depart. Feng Qingxuan stood on the steps, looking at the thirteen people standing neatly in front of him.
"You are now heading to Heaven Dou City to participate in the preliminary rounds of the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament." His voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear. "I don't require you to get any particular place; I only have one request—"
He paused for a moment.
"Don't leave any regrets."
Feng Xiaotian, standing at the front of the line, smiled slightly upon hearing this.
"Set off."
Thirteen people boarded the carriages one by one. Lu Hanxiao did not ride a horse this time, but sat in the last carriage with Lu Qing. The carriages slowly drove out of the academy gate, the wheels rolling over the bluestone road with a dull thud.
Feng Xiaotian sat at the back of the first carriage, watching the academy gate recede into the distance, and remained silent for a long time.
From Heaven Dou City to the Godwind Academy, it's the Homeward Journey.
From the Godwind Academy to Heaven Dou City, it is a journey.
Three days later, the carriage entered Heaven Dou City.
There is less than a month until the start of the qualifiers.
Feng Xiaotian lifted the carriage curtain and looked out at the bustling street. People came and went, cars flowed, and shops on both sides of the street hung with various signs. The air was filled with the aroma of freshly baked bread and spices.
Heaven Dou City, it's been a long time.
He lowered the carriage curtain, a slight smile playing on his lips.
This time, we're not just here to compete.