The atmosphere in the Imperial Fighting Team's preparation room was somewhat somber after the exhibition match.
The seven who had just clashed fiercely with the Shrek Seven Devils on stage now sat or stood, their faces showing exhaustion and resentment.
Yu Tianheng leaned against the wall, his brows furrowed, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought. The Shi Mo and Shi Mo, sat silently on the bench, while Yu Feng and Osler whispered about the details of the battle they had just fought, their voices filled with regret. Dugu Yan pursed her lips, a hint of defiance in her emerald eyes, while Ye Lingling sat quietly in the corner, her face pale from the excessive consumption of her Soul Power.
Sun Buyu looked at the group of dejected team members in front of him and understood. He cleared his throat, drawing everyone's attention.
"Raise your heads, all of you." Sun Buyu's voice was calm. "Having lost an exhibition match made you so dejected?"
Yu Tianheng took a deep breath and said, "Teacher, we... have let the academy down."
"Disappointed?" Sun Buyu shook his head. "If you're disappointed because you lost the game, there's no need to be. What you really need to think about is why you lost."
He glanced around, his gaze lingering on each team member's face for a moment. " Shrek Academy, their teamwork and tactics, to be honest, are stronger than ours. We have to admit that."
"But," Sun Buyu shifted, becoming serious, "Have you ever thought about why we were able to defeat them at the Soto Great Soul Arena before, but today, despite our improved strength, we lost?"
Yu Feng couldn't help but say, "Last time, Lin Yan was there! He single-handedly held off several of their opponents and even broke through their tactics..."
"That's right!" Sun Buyu affirmed. "Because Lin Yan turned the tide last time, have you subconsciously developed a kind of dependence? Do you feel that even if the situation is unfavorable, he can always cover for you? But today, Lin Yan is not on the field, and you will have to bear all the pressure yourselves. Every decision you make, every release of your Soul Skill, you must be responsible for and bear the consequences yourself."
His words struck like a hammer blow to everyone's hearts. Shi Mo and Shi Mo exchanged a glance, recalling the previous battle. Indeed, at certain moments, they subconsciously felt that Lin Yan on their flanks or rear would be safer. Yu Tianheng also realized that when he was fighting Dai Mubai head-on, he lacked some of the desperate determination he had shown before, because he knew that he had his most reliable partner behind him.
" Lin Yan's strength is undeniable. His presence can indeed greatly increase the team's margin for error and its potential," Sun Buyu slowly. "But this is also a double-edged sword. Over-reliance on a single individual can reduce the team's resilience and problem-solving abilities. Today's defeat, in a sense, is a good thing. It has made you clearly see the shortcomings of your team as a whole when facing equally top-tier opponents, even those with varied tactics, without Lin Yan's support."
He walked to the middle of the team, raising his voice slightly. "Failure isn't terrible; what's terrible is not seeing yourself clearly. The Heaven Dou Royal Academy Imperial Fighting Team —this title is both an honor and a responsibility. It represents the highest level of the Empire's younger generation, but it doesn't mean you're truly invincible. There are always people better than you, and there's always something beyond your understanding. Shrek Academy is the best proof of that. They come from an unknown little place, yet they possess talent no less than yours and a more resilient will."
"This defeat is a good opportunity for you to shed any complacency or wishful thinking that you might not even have realized you had because of Lin Yan's joining, and to regain a clear understanding of yourselves and the team. Your individual abilities are very strong, and the team's foundation is also very good, but how to perfectly unleash this strength under pressure, how to deal with various unexpected situations, and how to rely on each other to win when there is no absolute strong point to rely on are the topics you need to study diligently in the future."
Sun Buyu's words plunged everyone in the preparation room into deep thought. Their previous frustration and resentment gradually gave way to reflection and understanding. Yu Tianheng's eyes sharpened again; he straightened up and said in a deep voice, "Teacher, we understand. We will remember this defeat. We will work even harder in the upcoming training to make up for our shortcomings."
Dugu Yan nodded. "That's right, I will never do that again if I encounter them next time!"
Osler and Yu Feng also expressed their agreement, and the two brothers, Shi Mo and Shi Mo, clenched their fists tightly.
Seeing the team members' renewed fighting spirit, Sun Buyu smiled with satisfaction, "Very good, remember how you felt today. Pack up, we're going back to the academy."
Upon hearing this, everyone began to tidy up their belongings and change their clothes. Although the atmosphere was no longer somber, it still carried a sense of exhaustion after the battle and a heavy feeling of reflection.
Just as they finished packing and were about to leave the preparation room, there was a soft knock on the door.
Osler, who was closest to the door, casually opened it. Standing outside was a girl in a light green dress, with a beautiful face and gentle temperament. It was Han Shuirou from the Plant Academy.
Osler paused for a moment, clearly not recognizing the other person, and instinctively asked, "Hello! Who are you looking for?"
Han Shuirou's gaze swept past Osler, quickly passing through the preparation room, finally settling on a figure. She raised her hand, her slender fingers pointing at the person, her voice soft yet clear. "I'm looking for him."
In an instant, almost every gaze in the preparation room followed the direction of her finger—it was Lin Yan.
Ye Lingling's gaze shifted from Han Shuirou to Lin Yan's face. Dugu Yan Yan's lips curled into a playful smile as she nudged Ye Lingling beside her with her elbow, her eyes brimming with gossip. Yu Feng and Osler exchanged knowing glances, watching the scene with keen interest. Even Yu Tianheng, who had just suffered a defeat and was feeling heavy-hearted, showed a hint of curiosity in his eyes.
Lin Yan froze the moment Han Shuirou pointed at him, then felt gazes from all directions, especially Ye Lingling's eyes beside him, which seemed to see right through him, making him feel inexplicably flustered.
He quickly turned to Ye Lingling and explained, " Lingling, don't overthink it. She's Han Shuirou from the Plant Academy. We... we've been old friends for a long time."
Seeing Lin Yan's slightly flustered appearance, Ye Lingling's eyes flashed with a barely perceptible smile. She gently reached out and squeezed Lin Yan's hand. "Yes, go ahead. I believe in you."
Feeling the warmth from Ye Lingling's palm, Lin Yan's panic subsided considerably. He glanced gratefully at Ye Lingling and nodded.
Standing at the door, Han Shuirou clearly saw Ye Lingling holding Lin Yan's hand. A hint of sadness flashed in the depths of her eyes, but she maintained a gentle smile on the surface.
Lin Yan took a deep breath, walked to the door, and greeted Han Shuirou with a hint of emotion in his voice, " Han Shuirou Rou, it's been a long time."
Han Shuirou nodded slightly and said softly, "Yes, it's been a long time. Lin Yan, you've changed so much over the years. When you smiled at me on stage before, I only felt that you looked somewhat familiar. After thinking about it carefully, I gradually realized that you matched the image in my memory. It really has been a long time."
Lin Yan smiled and said, "Yes, things have changed quite a bit over the years. Come on, don't stand at the door, let me introduce you to my teammates."
As he spoke, Lin Yan stepped aside to lead Han Shuirou in, then introduced her to the curious members of the Imperial Fighting Team: "Let me introduce you all, this is Han Shuirou from the Plant Academy." He then introduced Yu Tianheng, Dugu Yan, Shi Mo, Shi Mo, Yu Feng, Osler in turn, finally looking tenderly at Ye Lingling, "This is Ye Lingling."
Han Shuirou gracefully nodded to everyone and said, "Hello."
Dugu Yan smiled and replied, "Hello, Shuirou Rou." The others also greeted her, and the atmosphere eased considerably.
Lin Yan then explained to his teammates, " Shuirou and I met a few years ago when we were training on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest. We encountered some trouble at the time and helped each other out, so we're old friends who've been through thick and thin together." He briefly described how they met, explaining their relationship while avoiding too many details.
Han Shuirou added, "Yes, we were very fortunate to have Lin Yan's help back then."
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Han Shuirou said, " Lin Yan, I should go back now; we need to gather at the academy. I came here mainly to see you." She paused, her eyes filled with a sincere invitation, "Also, I'd like to invite you to visit our Plant Academy when you have time. I know you also Plant-type Martial Soul. Although our academy isn't as famous as the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, we have some unique strengths in the research of Plant-type Martial Soul. You could come and exchange ideas with us; it might be helpful."
Lin Yan's heart skipped a beat; this perfectly aligned with his upcoming plans. A gentle smile appeared on his face as he earnestly replied, "Thank you for your invitation, Han Shuirou Rou. I will definitely visit you when I have the chance."
This was no mere politeness. Lin Yan had indeed long planned to visit the Plant Academy. Since acquiring his Third Soul Ring, and through months of intense competition and continuous training, he clearly felt that his Soul Power had reached the peak of level thirty-nine, only one step away from the level forty bottleneck, and if things went smoothly, he might even break through soon.
Reaching level 40 as Soul Master means being able to absorb a fourth Soul Ring and acquire a fourth Soul Skill. However, Lin Yan has not yet fully decided which Soul Beast to choose for his Fourth Soul Ring.
His Martial Soul needs to continue to accumulate life attribute. The first three Soul Ring were all aimed at this. Tonight, he felt that after accumulating the Fourth Soul Ring, his Martial Soul should undergo a major transformation. However, choosing which Soul Ring to use requires utmost care.
His original plan was indeed to go back and consult his teacher, Dugu Bo, who, with Dugu Bo's knowledge as Titled Douluo and his understanding of Soul Beast, might be able to give him some advice.
However, if Dugu Bo doesn't have a suitable target, he'll need to consult a large amount of ancient texts and materials to find information about suitable Soul Beast. The Plant Academy, as an academy renowned for its Plant-type Martial Soul, must have a library containing a wealth of detailed records about various Plant-type Soul Beast, and possibly even information on rare species unknown to the outside world. It is undoubtedly an excellent source of information.
Therefore, regardless of whether Han Shuirou extended an invitation today, Lin Yan had already listed the Plant Academy as a destination he absolutely had to visit. Han Shuirou's invitation simply made the process more logical and convenient.
"Then it's settled." Han Shuirou smiled happily upon hearing Lin Yan's affirmative reply. "You can let me know in advance once you've decided on a time."
"Okay, definitely." Lin Yan nodded.
Han Shuirou nodded goodbye to the rest of the Imperial Fighting Team once more, then gave Lin Yan a deep look before turning and leaving. Her pale green figure gradually disappeared at the end of the passage.
Lin Yan watched her leave, already starting to plan his next cultivation journey and his trip to the Plant Academy.