Back when all twelve members of the team had broken through level thirty, Bai Yu had only just reached level twenty-four. She and Ye Qingyu were the team's only two female Support System Soul Masters, so comparisons were inevitable. But Bai Yu's Innate Soul Power was one level lower than Ye Qingyu's, and her cultivation was slower to begin with. She was also a year older than Ye Qingyu, and in her early years, her family had never considered having her follow the path of a Soul Master, wasting several of her best years for cultivation. So from the very beginning, no one on the team had ever pressured her about her level.
But just because the others did not pressure her did not mean she was not anxious herself. Bai Yu had never lowered her standards for herself. More than anyone, she wanted to keep pace with everyone.
Over a year passed in the blink of an eye, bringing them to the beginning of 2795. More than two months earlier, Bai Yu had broken through level twenty-six, and everyone else's Soul Power had also improved to varying degrees. Over that year and more, Feng Xiaotian had been observing everyone's combat habits, gradually coming to a judgment.
That day, Feng Xiaotian called everyone to the training grounds on the back mountain, ready to discuss the problems he had observed.
Twelve people stood in two rows, with Feng Xiaotian standing before them. The morning breeze swept through the woods on the back mountain, bringing a rustle of leaves.
Feng Xiaotian's gaze swept from the first row to the second, passing over every face. Feng Lingtian stood at the far right of the front row, rubbing the back of his hand over a smudge of dirt on the tip of his nose that had appeared at some unknown point. Noticing his older brother's gaze sweep toward him, he immediately lowered his hand and puffed out his chest.
"From the very beginning, when our group came together, our goal was clear-the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament."
At those words, quite a few of those present unconsciously straightened their backs. That was the highest stage for every Soul Master Academy, the arena for the very best young fighters across the entire continent.
Once everyone had settled down, Feng Xiaotian continued, "From the time we formed this team until now, we've always gone Soul Hunting after breakthroughs, using actual combat with Soul Beasts to develop our coordination. That method works. After several Soul Hunting Operations, your teamwork really is much better than it was at the start."
He paused.
"But I've noticed a problem."
Feng Xiaotian's voice grew a little deeper.
"We've overlooked something-Soul Fighting and Soul Hunting are different. There's no need to hold back when Soul Hunting, so in every battle, our principle has been to end things quickly and decisively, and strike to kill whenever we can. There's nothing wrong with that principle in the Soul Hunting Forest-if you're a step too slow, you might be the one who dies."
He paused.
"But the All-Continent Elite Tournament is only Soul Fighting. The tournament has rules-you can't kill, you can't cripple, and you can't strike to kill. When the referee calls a stop, you have to stop. Break the rules, and you're declared the loser on the spot. Every one of you, search your heart and ask yourself: when you face an opponent, what's your first reaction?"
No one answered, but he saw the answer in several pairs of eyes. Strike at the vitals, whatever was fastest.
"That habit has already been carved into your muscle memory. If, on the day of the tournament, you get carried away fighting an opponent and instinctively throw a killing blow-the moment the referee's whistle sounds, you won't even get a chance to explain. If we work so hard to get that far, only to be eliminated under the rules because of this habit, it'd be far too much of a shame."
Ye Qingyu's lips moved, but no words came out. Beside her, Bai Yu nervously swallowed in secret. Zhong Yue still stood with his arms folded, but his brow was slightly furrowed, clearly giving the matter serious thought.
"So from now on, we need to rein in the momentum of our hunting habits and bend that instinct to strike to kill back within the rules."
The training grounds fell silent for a moment.
"Captain." Ji Ning was the first who could not hold back. He raised his eyes and asked in confusion, "Then what should we do?"
"Go to the Soul Fighting Arena," Feng Xiaotian said.
At those words, everyone's gaze shifted slightly.
Feng Xiaotian continued, "The Great Soul Arena in Godwind City has professional referees, clear rules, and a complete points system. The teamwork we develop fighting there will be the closest thing to practical training under tournament rules. We can be matched with opponents at our own level in individual, duo, and team Soul Fighting. Individual matches train our ability to suppress opponents, duo matches train coordination, and team matches train overall tactics-so we're entering all three."
Feng Lingtian chimed in from the side, his eyes shining. "Right, once we're there, we can first get a feel for things, see what strong fighters there are in each format, and then assign people accordingly-"
"We'll discuss the groups when we get there," Feng Xiaotian interrupted, his tone not particularly cold. "Today, we're just setting our direction."
"Oh," Feng Lingtian said, pursing his lips, though their corners still could not help curling upward.
"We're not going Soul Fighting this time to earn points. We're going so you can learn how to fight within the rules-when to attack fiercely, when to hold back, and how much force you can use without committing a foul. Only by fighting match after match can you make your bodies remember these things and turn them into instinct."
Feng Xiaotian paused.
"This isn't a request. This is our training from here on."
He said nothing further. Feng Xiaotian was a man of few words to begin with. Once he had said what needed saying, he would not waste another word.
The training grounds were quiet for two or three breaths. Ji Ning loosened his fingers from his weapon's grip and let his hand fall to his side. Zhong Yue remained standing with his arms folded, giving an almost imperceptible nod. Lu Hanxiao tilted his head, his lips still pressed together.
"Bai Yu," Ye Qingyu turned her head and said very softly, "when we get to the Soul Fighting Arena, why don't we pair up for duos? I'll provide amplification, and you can provide precision enhancement. We might be able to produce a different kind of effect."
Bai Yu's eyes lit up, and she was just about to nod-
"Wait."
The voice came from the back row. Zhong Yue moved half a step forward, his gaze settling on Bai Yu and lingering a little too long.
"Two Support System Soul Masters pairing up is too dangerous. If an opposing agility attacker breaks through, there won't even be anyone to block them."
Ye Qingyu glanced at him, the corners of her lips curving slightly, but did not expose him. She had known Zhong Yue for quite some time. He was usually a man of few words; anything that made him speak up to stop someone was surely not as simple as "tactical analysis."
"What do you think we should do, then?" Ye Qingyu tossed the question back, her tone light.
Zhong Yue paused, his gaze moving from Ye Qingyu to Bai Yu, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly.
"Bai Yu should pair up with me."
The training grounds fell silent for an instant.
Leaning against a nearby tree, Su Mei'er raised her eyebrows high at those words. She looked Zhong Yue up and down and laughed-not a smile, but the kind of laughter she could not have held back even if she tried.
"Zhong Yue, you're Defense System, and Bai Yu is Support System. If you two team up-are you planning to bash your opponents to death with your turtle shell?"
Zhong Yue froze, his mouth opening, the tips of his ears red enough to drip blood.
"I..." Her words left Zhong Yue speechless.
Feng Lingtian could not hold back a laugh from the side and hurriedly covered it with a cough. Ji Ning turned his head away, the corners of his lips twitching.
Su Mei'er pushed away from the tree, walked up to Zhong Yue, and looked at him with a beaming smile.
"I've known you all this time, and this is the first time I've seen you volunteer to pick a teammate. You're so nervous about who Bai Yu pairs up with-is it really because you think the tactics are unsafe, or do you just want to pull her over to your side?"
Those words struck right at Zhong Yue's little hidden thought. Even his neck flushed red as he said in a fluster, "What do you mean, pull her to my side... I just... just think it's unsafe for her to pair up with a Support System Soul Master. I can defend. At least I can protect her."
"There are only two people in duo Soul Fighting. If you're protecting her, who's dealing damage?" Su Mei'er spread her hands.
Bai Yu finally came back to her senses. Her cheeks slightly warm, she secretly tugged Zhong Yue's sleeve and said in a very small voice, "Um... thank you for thinking of me. But as for duos, let's wait until we get to the Soul Fighting Arena and form groups based on the actual situation."
Zhong Yue murmured his agreement, his gaze drifting toward the nearby woods, and said nothing more.
Ye Qingyu stepped aside, amusement in her eyes. "Zhong Yue isn't entirely wrong-two Support System Soul Masters really would be risky. But as for forming teams, let's see what the captain arranges later."
Seeing that she had gone far enough, Su Mei'er stopped pressing him and turned to walk back. As she passed Zhong Yue, she tossed out, "Think before you speak next time. Don't let me catch you a second time."
Zhong Yue did not answer, his neck as stiff as an iron plate.
Feng Xiaotian paid no attention to the commotion on that side. His gaze swept over everyone present before turning to Feng Lingtian.
"Did you bring the supplementary pills?"
Feng Lingtian grinned and patted the Storage Soul Tool at his waist. "Had them ready ages ago. Recovery, healing, emergency supplies-I've packed a separate portion of each, ready to use whenever we need them."
Feng Xiaotian nodded, his gaze lingering on the Storage Soul Tool for an instant, confirming it was not empty.
"Then let's go."
Feng Xiaotian turned and walked out of the training grounds. The twelve followed one after another, their footsteps mingling on the gravel path of the back mountain.