After leaving the mixed zone of the Star Dou Great Forest, they found a safe border area where they planned to rest for the night before returning to the academy, as traveling at night was still more risky.
At the rest camp, everyone's face still showed the excitement of obtaining the Soul Ring. Even the three education committee members and Teacher Sun Buyu had undisguised smiles of satisfaction on their faces.
Yu Feng and Osler are currently engrossed in discussing the various possibilities of using Soul Skill.
Looking at his companions' expressions, Lin Yan felt that the Immortal Herb had been put to good use.
Lin Yan coughed lightly twice, drawing everyone's attention.
"My friends, the effects of the Immortal Herb go beyond just increasing our Soul Power," Lin Yan said. "More importantly, Immortal Herb subtly influences your physical attributes. Its medicinal properties will continuously nourish your meridians and physique, allowing you to cultivate at a speed far exceeding that of ordinary people in the future. Therefore, upon returning to the academy, we must seize this golden period and dedicate ourselves fully to cultivating our Soul Power. Every level we advance before the competition begins will increase our chances of victory."
Upon hearing this, everyone nodded in agreement. Having personally experienced the transformative power of the Immortal Herb, they deeply believed Lin Yan's words.
Teacher Sun Buyu nodded in agreement, adding, " Lin Yan is right. Soul Power Level is fundamental, but having a level without the corresponding control is like a child wielding a hammer. Your Fourth Soul Skill are all very powerful, requiring a significant investment of time to familiarize yourself with and master their essence. At the same time, your current strength composition has undergone a huge change, and your previous cooperative tactics must be adjusted and refined accordingly. The key priorities going forward are: first, to increase Soul Power; second, to master Soul Skill; and third... to improve teamwork."
" Teacher Sun is absolutely right," Lin Yan said. "We are a whole, and the strength of an individual must ultimately be integrated into the strength of the team. How to combine the defense of Shi Mo Shi Mo, the speed of Yu Feng, the stealth of Osler, the control of Yanzi, and the healing of Lingling, along with the strength of all of us, to create an effect greater than the sum of its parts, will be the core of our training going forward."
Everyone's expressions turned serious, and they nodded in agreement, already considering what role they should play in the new team structure.
Throughout the night, everyone was thinking and discussing, and the three education committees and Sun Buyu also offered suggestions from time to time, all of which benefited everyone greatly.
The next day, at daybreak, everyone set off back to the academy.
Back at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, the three faculty members offered words of encouragement to everyone before departing.
When Yu Tianheng saw everyone return, he immediately went up to them and asked about their situation. As the captain of the Imperial Fighting Team, Yu Tianheng was not kept in the dark by the team members, who told him about their respective strengths.
When Yu Tianheng heard that everyone's strength had already reached the Soul Ancestor, he felt a little down.
As the potential successor of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect and the captain of the Imperial Fighting Team, Yu Tianheng possessed a certain pride. He used to be the core and strongest member of the team, always at the forefront of decision-making, command, and offense. But now, everyone's strength had improved dramatically, while he remained at level 37, making no progress and becoming the weakest member of the team, which left him feeling very disappointed.
He felt like a lone goose separated from its flock, watching helplessly as the rest of the flock soared into the higher sky, while he remained bound in place by invisible chains. The pride that once belonged to the captain had now become a heavy burden, weighing him down so much that he could hardly breathe.
Disturbed and confused, Yu Tianheng bid farewell to everyone and walked out of the academy gate alone.
Heaven Dou City remained as prosperous as ever, bustling with traffic and noise, but this liveliness could not dispel the gloom in his heart.
He wandered aimlessly through the streets, hoping the cool night breeze would dispel some of the pent-up emotions in his heart.
As he passed a relatively quiet street corner, two familiar figures came into view, causing him to stop in his tracks.
"Second Uncle? Tang San?" Yu Tianheng asked, somewhat surprised.
The two were none other than Yu Xiaogang and Tang San. Upon seeing his nephew, Yu Xiaogang's stern face softened slightly. " Tian Heng? Why are you here alone?"
Yu Tianheng opened his mouth, but for a moment he didn't know how to begin.
Seeing Yu Tianheng's hesitant expression, Yu Xiaogang pressed, "Just say what's on your mind, don't beat around the bush!"
Under Yu Xiaogang's persistent questioning, Yu Tianheng recounted the events in detail.
He tried his best to keep his tone calm, but Yu Xiaogang still keenly caught the undisguised sense of loss and frustration in his voice.
"What did you say? Everyone broke through level 40? Some even jumped five or six levels at once, some even more than ten levels?" Upon hearing this, Yu Xiaogang's usually calm face showed disbelief and shock.
He devoted his life to studying Martial Soul Theory and knew the difficulties of Soul Master's cultivation. Such a speed of Soul Power improvement was simply unheard of.
Tang San's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he immediately understood.
He whispered to Yu Xiaogang, "Teacher, based on Brother Tian Heng's description, what they took was very likely the 'celestial herbs' I mentioned to you before, the ones I saw in Senior Dugu Bo's herb garden."
Yu Xiaogang's body trembled. He looked at Tang San, and seeing the latter nod affirmatively, he took a deep breath, his heart churning with turbulent emotions.
He never expected that the Immortal Herb from Dugu Bo would have such effects. He had thought Tang San was exaggerating when he first heard about it, but now that Yu Tianheng had said it, he realized that what Tang San said was true.
He looked at Yu Tianheng again, his gaze filled with complexity. He hesitated for a moment, then slowly spoke, his tone carrying a rational coldness. " Tian Heng, according to you, Lin Yan didn't give you this opportunity, is that right?"
Yu Tianheng's face turned pale, and he nodded with difficulty.
"This means that in his heart, you have been excluded from his Core Circle." Yu Xiaogang's words were like a sharp knife, cutting open a reality. "The future core of the Imperial Fighting Team is no longer Yu Tianheng of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, but Lin Yan. Your teammates' strength has skyrocketed, while you have remained stagnant. In the upcoming team training and tactical system, your position will be very awkward, and you might even... be a hindrance."
Every word struck Yu Tianheng's heart like a heavy hammer, making his face grow even paler. He knew that what his second uncle said was true, but he himself had always been unwilling to admit it.
"In that case, what's the point of you staying at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy?" Yu Xiaogang looked at him, his tone carrying a subtle hint of recruitment. " Shrek Academy may be newly established, but it has excellent teachers like Flender and Zhao Wuji, students like Little San whose talent is by no means inferior, and a complete training program I've devised. It may not have the lucrative conditions of the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, but it can give you true recognition and... a core position. Come to Shrek, Tian Heng. This is the place where you can fully unleash your talents and not be marginalized."