On the third day after returning from the Fengtian Mountain Range, Feng Xiaotian went to the main campus.
He wanted to assemble a team in preparation for the future Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament. There were thirteen members in total, nine from the junior academy and four from the intermediate academy, and they needed a permanent venue for long-term intensive training. This was not something the intermediate academy's instructors could approve, so Feng Xiaotian went straight to the instructor in charge of training venues at the main campus.
Instructor Zhao, who oversaw venue allocation, received him.
Feng Xiaotian explained why he had come. Instructor Zhao glanced at him and pushed forward the venue schedule spread across the desk.
"Feng Xiaotian, you're the dean's son, but I can't approve this on the spot just because of that. See for yourself." Instructor Zhao tapped the schedule. "The main campus's training grounds are booked for every two-hour period. You say you have thirteen people drawn from two academies, and you want a separate venue for long-term intensive training. Without a sound reason, that's not just a waste of resources. The other teams won't accept it if they find out."
Feng Xiaotian did not move.
"Instructor Zhao, these people weren't thrown together at random." Feng Xiaotian's voice was quiet but steady. "We went soul hunting together in the Fengtian Mountain Range a few days ago. I already have a clear grasp of all thirteen members' roles and coordination. Defense, control, agility attack, power attack, support, and food-we have all six roles covered. The starting lineup's framework is already in place, and we have enough depth on the bench to rotate members and handle different opponents."
Feng Xiaotian paused. "We're not going to the Continental Elite Tournament just to make up the numbers. I can't promise we'll win the championship, but these people absolutely have the strength to reach the grand finals. If this team fails to produce respectable results within three years, I'll return the venue in its original condition. I won't occupy it for even one extra day."
Instructor Zhao watched Feng Xiaotian without speaking.
The office door was pushed open.
A woman walked in. She looked to be in her early thirties and wore a dark teal instructor's robe, with three wind-pattern badges pinned to her collar-the mark of a senior instructor at the main campus. Her features had a cool cast, and her eyes and brows carried an authority that needed no anger to command respect.
Feng Xiaotian froze for a moment.
Instructor Qin.
He recognized that face. She had been the one to take Feng Lingtian to the junior academy dormitory back then. Later, she had also been the one to invite him back to the junior academy for the supplementary admission test. Feng Xiaotian had always assumed she was merely an ordinary instructor at the junior academy who had been there a little longer than most.
But now, those three wind-pattern badges on her collar told him unmistakably that he had been wrong.
Instructor Zhao stood. "Instructor Qin."
Instructor Qin nodded, her gaze settling on Feng Xiaotian. "Feng Xiaotian, how have your younger brother and those other children been doing lately?"
Feng Xiaotian collected himself. "They've all broken through level twenty and finished hunting for their second Soul Rings."
Instructor Qin murmured an acknowledgment and turned to Instructor Zhao. "I observed Feng Lingtian and those children for a while at the junior academy. They all have great potential. Zhao, hasn't that old martial training ground in the main campus's northern section been sitting empty?"
Instructor Zhao hesitated briefly. "Instructor Qin, I do have the key to that venue, but it's reserved for the advanced academy elite team's intensive training."
"The elite team barely uses it a few times a year." Instructor Qin's tone was calm. "You heard what this child just said. Their roles are clear, the framework is already there, and he's made a commitment himself. Giving him a chance hardly counts as making an exception."
Instructor Zhao fell silent for a moment, then took a key from a drawer and placed it on the desk.
"You can use the place." Instructor Zhao glanced at Feng Xiaotian. "Maintain the facilities yourselves, and pay for anything you damage. That three-year agreement came from your own mouth. Don't forget it."
Feng Xiaotian took the key. "Thank you, Instructor Zhao. Thank you, Instructor Qin."
Instructor Qin said nothing more. She merely glanced at Feng Xiaotian, then turned to leave. As she passed him, she paused.
"Train hard."
Feng Xiaotian nodded.
Only after leaving the office did Feng Xiaotian learn from Instructor Zhao that Instructor Qin had considerable seniority at the main campus, and her father was the vice dean of Godwind Academy. She usually kept her mountains and waters hidden, but the instructors at the main campus all knew her words carried weight.
Feng Xiaotian gripped the key in his hand and thought, So Instructor Qin has been watching over our group all along. She's been there ever since our first day at the junior academy.
On the seventh day after returning from the Fengtian Mountain Range, Feng Xiaotian called everyone to the old martial training ground in the main campus's northern section.
The martial training ground was larger than the training grounds at both the junior and intermediate academies. Flat bluestone slabs paved the ground, and wooden training posts and sandbags stood around its edges. Although some miscellaneous clutter still lay piled in the corners, waiting to be cleared away, the place was clean and spacious overall, with enough room for thirteen people to train without holding back.
Thirteen people, not one missing. Feng Lingtian stood beside Feng Xiaotian, while the others lined up on either side. This was the first time everyone had gathered since returning from the Fengtian Mountain Range.
Feng Xiaotian's gaze swept over each of them.
"This place will be our training ground from now on," Feng Xiaotian said. "Starting today, we're officially beginning intensive training. There's only one goal: the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament."
Silence settled over the martial training ground.
"A tournament's official lineup consists of seven members, but a real team can't have only seven people. In past tournaments, not a single team that made it to the end relied on just seven people all the way through. We're no exception."
Feng Xiaotian's tone was calm, but his next words abruptly tightened the atmosphere on the training ground.
"I've already decided on the official starting lineup." Feng Xiaotian's gaze swept over everyone. "Myself, Power Attack System, captain. Feng Lingtian, Agility Attack System. Zhong Yue, Defense System. Su Mei'er, Control System. Lu Hanxiao, agility attack and control. Ji Ning, Agility Attack System. Ye Qingyu, Support System. Those seven are the official starters."
Feng Xiaotian paused, his gaze settling on Jiang Lin. "Jiang Lin, your Spirit Eyes are our greatest variable. You're not in the starting lineup, but you're our secret weapon. At a critical moment, your Spiritual Projection will change the course of the entire match."
Jiang Lin's light brown eyes glanced at Feng Xiaotian, the layer of pale golden light in them brightening slightly. He nodded without speaking.
Feng Xiaotian then looked at Su Ran. "Su Ran, you're Food System. In a drawn-out battle, we're two different teams with and without you. Like Jiang Lin, you're not in the regular rotation, but when we need you, you must be able to step up."
Su Ran smiled gently. "Understood."
Feng Xiaotian's gaze swept over the remaining four. "Lu Qing, Shi Yan, Cheng Luo, Bai Yu, you four are substitutes. Being a substitute doesn't mean you've been eliminated. It means being ready to rotate in at any time against different opponents and for different tactics."
Lu Qing nodded. Shi Yan answered with a guileless "Understood." The smile at the corner of Cheng Luo's mouth faded a little, but his gaze grew more serious than before. Bai Yu's fingers tightened slightly around her wind chime.
The training ground was so quiet that only the sound of wind sweeping over the bluestone slabs remained.
"These three months are an opportunity for all of you." Feng Xiaotian's gaze passed over the four substitutes one by one. "Anyone who exceeds expectations during intensive training can step up. If you think you've been underestimated, prove it with your strength. Likewise, any starter who slacks off will be replaced."
No one spoke. But Feng Xiaotian could see a fire burning in everyone's eyes. Especially Lu Qing, Shi Yan, Cheng Luo, and Bai Yu-not one of the four showed any resentment, but Feng Xiaotian knew they were all holding a fierce resolve inside.
Having finished, Feng Xiaotian turned his head and glanced at Feng Lingtian.
Feng Lingtian stepped forward. "My brother is the captain, and I'm the vice captain. During intensive training, my brother will handle overall tactics and lineup adjustments. I'll handle your daily training and physical conditioning."
Zhong Yue blinked. "Physical conditioning?"
Feng Lingtian glanced at him. "You all know I refine pills. Starting tomorrow, after training ends each day, I'll prepare different medicinal baths and medicinal meals based on each person's Martial Soul characteristics and physical condition. Defense System members need stronger sinews and bones, Agility Attack System members need to keep their meridians clear, Control System members need to recover their spiritual power, and Support System members need their Soul Power nourished. Everyone is different."
A low murmur rose across the training ground. Su Mei'er's lips curved slightly, laughter in her eyes. Lu Hanxiao nodded silently.
Feng Lingtian turned and drew a line on the training ground with the tip of his foot.
"First exercise: basic coordination. Pair up however you like, and familiarize yourselves with each other's Martial Soul characteristics and combat rhythms. In four hours, my brother and I will check your results."
The thirteen scattered, each looking for a partner.
Zhong Yue walked over to Bai Yu and scratched his head. "Want to pair up?" Bai Yu glanced at him, the corner of her mouth shifting slightly. She said nothing, but she did not walk away either. Zhong Yue grinned.
Su Mei'er remained where she was, her gaze sweeping through the crowd before finally settling on Feng Lingtian. Her lips curved slightly, and she was just about to step forward when Feng Lingtian was already walking toward Jiang Lin.
"Jiang Lin, you're with me."
Jiang Lin's light brown eyes glanced at Feng Lingtian, and he nodded.
Su Mei'er raised an eyebrow, then turned and walked toward Ji Ning. "Ji Ning, let's pair up." Ji Ning was as quiet as ever and said only one word: "Okay."
Lu Hanxiao and Lu Qing were cousins from the same clan, so they naturally stood together. Lu Qing's right fingertips twitched slightly, and a pale cyan glimmer of a wind-scythe blade flashed in his palm before vanishing. Lu Hanxiao glanced at him without speaking.
Su Ran and Ye Qingyu stood at the edge of the training ground, neither speaking first. Su Mei'er passed by and casually patted Su Ran's shoulder. "Train hard." Her tone was offhand, but Su Ran nodded, his lips curving slightly. Feng Lingtian saw this from a distance and made a mental note-the relationship between Su Mei'er and Su Ran did not look like that of ordinary classmates.
After a while, Su Ran said, "Let's pair up." Ye Qingyu nodded, her voice very soft. "Mm."
The seven groups spread out. Feng Xiaotian stood in the center of the training ground, his gaze sweeping over everyone. His eyes lingered on Lu Qing for a moment. Lu Qing was facing Lu Hanxiao, and neither spoke, but Feng Xiaotian noticed that the glimmer of a wind-scythe blade at Lu Qing's right fingertips never truly took shape.
Feng Xiaotian withdrew his gaze without saying anything.