It was noon, with five hours left until dark.
The round trip from Heaven Dou Academy to Heaven Dou City was forty kilometers. Even a Battle Soul Master circulating his Soul Power and rushing at full speed would need at least two hours.
Qin Ming had said to set out from the training ground at the mountaintop and return there, so they also had to account for the climb back up.
On top of that, Qin Ming announced that each of them had to carry an additional ten to twenty kilograms. Even Yu Tianheng's expression changed as he drew a sharp breath.
A forty-kilometer trek, plus nearly ten kilometers of mountain paths, was no small challenge even for a Beast Soul Master.
Ye Lingling and Yu Feng looked even worse. One was an Auxiliary System Soul Master, and the other an Agility Attack System Soul Master who was no good at endurance. With the added weight, the task was nearly impossible for them.
Qin Ming gave them no room to bargain, his voice icy.
"If you can't complete this training, I'll consider choosing new team members. If this is all Heaven Dou Academy's best students can do, don't even dream of competing in the Soul Master Elite Tournament."
"Who says I can't do it?"
Yu Tianheng stepped forward first, picked the basket with the most stones, and headed straight down the mountain.
The Shi Brothers went next, choosing the heaviest of those left.
Besides defense and strength, the Black Tortoise Martial Soul was also known for endurance. Even without using their Martial Souls, they had great stamina.
The three twenty-kilogram baskets had been taken, leaving one weighing fifteen kilograms and three weighing ten.
Fang Lin looked them over, hoisted the fifteen-kilogram basket onto his back, and took another stone from one of the remaining ten-kilogram baskets.
Yu Feng's eyes widened, and he instinctively looked at Qin Ming, but Qin Ming acted as though he hadn't seen anything and did not stop him.
"You can do that?" Yu Feng muttered. He stepped forward and picked up a ten-kilogram basket. Dugu Yan did the same, and the two tacitly left the lightest one for Ye Lingling.
Carrying their stones, they headed down the mountain in single file. Yu Tianheng led the way, followed by the Shi Brothers, while Yu Feng and the other two brought up the rear.
The three in front were as tight-lipped as gourds, while Ye Lingling at the back was cold enough to freeze over. Only Yu Feng and Dugu Yan occasionally spoke to Fang Lin to pass the time.
"Brother Lin, you aren't still wearing your weights, are you?"
Yu Feng had seen Fang Lin's morning training and knew he wore weights that were far from light.
"Like hell I am." Fang Lin rolled his eyes. He was already carrying twenty kilograms of stones. If he wore his weights too, he wouldn't even make it to Heaven Dou City.
When he learned that Fang Lin wasn't carrying any extra weights, Yu Feng's eyes lit up. "Brother Lin, help me carry some of my stones too. You're only carrying twenty kilograms right now. That's far too easy for you."
"Wouldn't it be better if I just carried you on my back?" Fang Lin said irritably. "We've only just started walking. What are you whining for? Come find me when you can't crawl another step."
The sun had begun to slant westward. Counting the descent, they had covered nearly ten kilometers.
Fang Lin glanced ahead from the corner of his eye. The blue-haired girl's forehead was already covered in beads of sweat, and her face had turned somewhat pale.
They had only just begun. Given Ye Lingling's current condition, she might not make it to the end even without a load.
Fang Lin slowed his pace and stopped beside her. "Give me your load. Save some of your strength."
"No need. I can still walk."
The black veil on Ye Lingling's face had stuck to her skin with sweat. Since it interfered with her breathing, she had pulled it off, revealing a fair, delicate but resolute face.
She wiped the sweat from her forehead and quickened her pace, leaving Fang Lin with only a view of her slender back.
Panting, Yu Feng draped an arm over Fang Lin's shoulder. "Brother Lin, if you've got strength to spare, carry some for me. This is killing a bird."
Fang Lin was so exasperated that he laughed. "You're a Beast Soul Master, at least. Can't you show a little promise?"
Even so, Fang Lin still took a stone from Yu Feng's basket, and another from Dugu Yan's while he was at it.
He guessed that Qin Ming wanted to foster their sense of teamwork. His earlier words might even have been meant to drive a wedge between them, and he could be hiding somewhere watching them now.
The weight Yu Feng and Dugu Yan carried was suddenly halved, making things much easier for both of them.
Looking at Ye Lingling walking ahead, Dugu Yan smiled mischievously. "So that's the type you like, Senior Fang Lin. What a shame she doesn't appreciate it. Why not consider me instead?"
Yu Feng chimed in, "Yeah, Sister Lingling looks hard to pursue. Brother Lin, choosing wisely matters more than hard work."
Soul Masters all had keen hearing, and Ye Lingling, walking ahead, visibly paused for a moment.
Fang Lin flicked Yu Feng on the head with a dull thump, putting an end to the conversation.
An hour later, the group had covered another ten kilometers, leaving roughly five kilometers to Heaven Dou City.
They had moved much faster over this stretch, but at the cost of considerable stamina. Even Yu Tianheng, at the head of the group, had begun to pant. Beads of sweat the size of beans rolled continuously down his face, soaking his clothes.
Before the weighted trek, Yu Tianheng had fought the Shi Brothers and had already expended a good deal of Soul Power and stamina.
The others were no better off. Ye Lingling's steps were unsteady, and she stumbled every few paces. Only Yu Feng and Dugu Yan, whose loads Fang Lin had lightened, had managed to preserve somewhat more of their strength.
Fortunately, their formation had yet to fall apart, and no one had been left behind.
The current Imperial Fighting Team was essentially a group of strangers who had only just been brought together. Doing this well was already pretty good.
But Qin Ming certainly wouldn't be satisfied with this result, and they might even have to do extra training.
Fang Lin sighed and walked over to Ye Lingling. Before she could refuse, he pulled the stones straight out of her basket.
"Don't."
Ye Lingling looked up, her blue eyes full of stubbornness, and shook her head obstinately.
"If I can only pass by relying on other people's help the whole time, that means I'm not qualified. Besides, you've already lightened my load once. I can't drag you down and make you fail too."
So Ye Lingling had refused his help because she was worried about dragging him down.
Fang Lin breathed a sigh of relief.
Well, I thought you were prejudiced against me. The old shopkeeper's a decent fellow after all. He even knows to protect his customers' privacy.
Fang Lin didn't put the stones back. Instead, he took Ye Lingling's basket off her back as well.
"If I don't help you, that's when I'll fail. Teacher Qin Ming told us earlier to get familiar with one another and understand one another, and then he gave us this training exercise. Do you really think he wants us each fighting our own battle?"
Ye Lingling's pretty face froze for a moment, and the stubbornness in her eyes eased somewhat.
That did seem to be the case. It also explained why Teacher Qin Ming hadn't stopped Fang Lin when he took the stones at the mountaintop.
Having thought it through, Ye Lingling let Fang Lin take off her basket. Her usually cold expression thawed a little. "Thank you. If you come to Begonia Studio to buy that thing again, I can decide to give you a discount."
Fang Lin nearly stumbled. He turned his head and wiped away the sweat dripping into the corner of his eye.
Old shopkeeper, I really misjudged you...
With Ye Lingling's stones added, Fang Lin's load had reached thirty-five kilograms, close to the weight he usually carried in training.
And unlike the inner armor and wrist guards, the stones were carried on his back, making it harder to move.
After another hour, they finally reached the gates of Heaven Dou City, only to find Qin Ming already standing there.
Qin Ming swept his gaze over the group, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"Not bad, but there isn't much time left. At this rate, there's a good chance none of you will finish."
More than four hours had passed since Fang Lin and the others left the academy.
Although more than half their time remained, they had also expended a great deal of stamina. There was still a mountain to climb on the way back, so the remaining challenge would only be tougher.
Damn squinty eyes, still trying to drive a wedge between us.
Fang Lin grumbled inwardly, caught his breath, and pulled Yu Feng up when he tried to rest.
After ten kilometers on the return journey, Yu Feng and Dugu Yan also began to run out of strength.
Even without a load, Ye Lingling was hardly any better off. She had made it this far purely through willpower.
The formation they had maintained broke apart at this point. The Shi Brothers, who had the best endurance, were now in the lead, with Yu Tianheng following several hundred meters behind. Dugu Yan, Ye Lingling, and the others were at the very back.
Looking at the faint dark figures ahead, Fang Lin sighed silently.
Not one of those three gets it.
They still had to keep going. Fang Lin took the stones from Dugu Yan's basket, letting her support Ye Lingling without a load, while Yu Feng continued with the same weight as before.
With that, Fang Lin's own load reached forty kilograms.
The four walked for another hour, but they covered less than five kilometers, and Dugu Yan was left exhausted.
Fang Lin had even begun to think about giving up, but then Yu Tianheng appeared ahead. He stood at a crossroads, looking back as though deliberately waiting for them.