The second day back at school, the sun was shining brightly.
Dugu Yan found Lin Yan early in the morning, her face beaming with eager excitement.
"Let's go, Lin Yan, I'll take you to see Teacher Qin! The sooner we get the team joining sorted out, the sooner we can start training together!"
Lin Yan smiled as she looked at Dugu Yan, who was even more enthusiastic than herself, and nodded in agreement, "Okay, thank you, Sister Yanzi."
"Why are you being so polite with me!" Dugu Yan waved her hand and led Lin Yan toward the faculty office area of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
Along the way, many students cast curious glances at Dugu Yan and Lin Yan as they walked side by side. Dugu Yan was already a prominent figure at the Heaven Dou Academy, while Lin Yan was also somewhat famous due to his previous closeness with Dugu Yan Ye Lingling.
Seeing the two of them together at this moment inevitably sparks speculation.
Dugu Yan didn't care at all; instead, she deliberately straightened her back, as if to declare something.
Lin Yan remained calm as always, but occasionally, when he thought of the scene last night when he and Ye Lingling held hands and confessed their feelings to each other under the sunset, a gentle smile would unconsciously appear on his lips.
Soon, the two arrived at a private office. Dugu Yan knocked on the door.
"Please come in." A deep, steady male voice called out.
Dugu Yan pushed open the door and entered, followed closely by Lin Yan. The office was simply furnished, and a young man who looked to be in his late twenties was writing at his desk. He was handsome, had a capable demeanor, and exuded a sense of righteousness. He was none other than Qin Ming, the leader of the Imperial Fighting Team.
Qin Ming looked up, saw Dugu Yan, and smiled, "It's Yanzi, you're back? I heard you asked for leave because your grandfather wanted you to come back for something? Did you resolve it? Did things go smoothly?"
His gaze then fell on Lin Yan behind Dugu Yan, with a hint of inquiry.
" Teacher Qin, everything went smoothly." Dugu Yan replied with a smile, then stepped aside to let Lin Yan pass. "Teacher, I came today to recommend someone to join our Imperial Fighting Team."
Qin Ming put down his pen, leaned back slightly, and sized up Lin Yan, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes. Lin Yan possessed superior looks and temperament, calm and composed, neither arrogant nor humble; his bearing alone was extraordinary. "And this student is?"
"His name is Lin Yan, and he's my... good friend!" Dugu Yan paused, finding a suitable word, then emphasized, "Moreover, he just became my grandfather's apprentice! My grandfather wants him to join the Imperial Fighting Team for some training."
"Oh, you're the student that Crown Prince Xue Qinghe recommended to the school? You became Poison Douluo's disciple?" A hint of surprise flashed in Qin Ming's eyes, and he couldn't help but sit up straight.
Dugu Bo is aloof and has extremely high standards. The fact that this young man was chosen by him and taken as a disciple means that he must be extraordinary.
His gaze towards Lin Yan held even greater importance.
"To be recommended for admission by the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Imperial Family and to be favored by Senior Dugu, Lin Yan must have extraordinary abilities. May I ask what level of Soul Power Lin Yan currently possesses? And what is his Martial Soul?"
Lin Yan stepped forward, gave a slight bow, and calmly replied, "Hello, Teacher Qin. My Martial Soul is the Illusory Rainbow Ice Blue Silver Grass, and my current Soul Power is level thirty-eight."
" Illusory Rainbow Ice Blue Silver Grass? Level 38?" Qin Ming's surprise deepened.
Qin Ming knew about the Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul; it was a typical Trash Martial Soul, with only a handful possessing any Soul Power. However, hearing Lin Yan say it was the Illusory Rainbow Ice Blue Silver Grass, Qin Ming guessed it might be Mutated Martial Soul, but to be able to cultivate it to level thirty-eight! This shocked him, after all, no matter how mutated the Blue Silver Grass might be, his starting point was still the Blue Silver Grass! Moreover, judging from Lin Yan's age, he seemed to be a year or two younger than Yu Tianheng others; such cultivation speed was terrifying. No wonder he was accepted as a disciple by the Poison Douluo.
"Yes." Lin Yan nodded in confirmation.
Dugu Yan added from the side, " Teacher Qin, Lin Yan is very strong! With him joining, our team will definitely be even more powerful!"
Qin Ming pondered for a moment, his eyes regaining their composure and caution. He lightly tapped his fingers on the table and slowly said, " Lin Yan's talent is indeed astonishing; he is a top disciple of the Poison Douluo, and his status is certainly worthy. However..."
He changed the subject, revealing a troubled expression. " Yanzi, as you know, our Imperial Fighting Team has already finalized its main lineup of seven members in preparation for this year's All-Continent Elite High-Level Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament. They've already spent a considerable amount of time practicing together and have developed a strong rapport. Adding a new member abruptly, regardless of their skill level, would require a lot of time just for them to gel, and... it wouldn't be fair to the existing team members."
He looked at Lin Yan, his tone sincere yet firm. " Lin Yan, I admire your talent and respect His Dugu Dugu's wishes. However, the Imperial Fighting Team is a whole, and I cannot decide the fate of any member solely on my own. Every member of the team has earned their place through their own hard work and strength."
Lin Yan had anticipated this, and he calmly asked, " Teacher Qin, I understand your concerns. So, what do I need to do to qualify for joining the team?"
Qin Ming nodded appreciatively; he liked young people who were humble, composed, and dared to face challenges head-on.
"It's simple: gain the approval of the existing team members. In the Imperial Fighting Team, strength reigns supreme. As long as you can prove to them that your joining will benefit the team and improve its overall strength, then I think no one will object to a strong player joining."
He stood up and said to the two of them, "Let's go. I'll take you to the training ground now. They should all be training there at this time. Whether you stay or not is up to you."
"Thank you very much, Teacher Qin, for giving me this opportunity," Lin Yan said solemnly.
Qin Ming smiled and walked out of the office first. Dugu Yan gave Lin Yan a "good luck" look, and the three of them walked together towards the academy's dedicated training ground.