Early the next morning, Xiao Tianyang and the others set off for the Great Soul Arena.
However, upon closer inspection, one person was missing from the group—Dai Mubai.
"Hmph! Dai Mubai actually had the nerve to skip out on me last night. What a coward!" Xiao Tianyang snorted coldly. "Seems like our recent training has been too lenient. I'll have to reorganize it and adjust the schedule!"
Ma Hongjun, hearing this, paled and quickly defended, "Tianyang, cut him some slack! Boss Dai had a valid reason for missing training last night—he even asked for your permission!"
"Oh? Did he? I don't recall." Xiao Tianyang raised an eyebrow. "Or are you covering for him, you fatso?"
"Don't pin this on me!" Ma Hongjun waved his hands frantically before turning to Xiao Wu. "Didn't you hear about it?"
"Hear what? I know nothing!" Xiao Wu turned away, a mischievous smirk playing on her lips.
At that moment, Ma Hongjun, Oscar, and the others felt as though lightning had struck them.
They realized one thing: Dai Mubai was doomed… and so were they.
Xiao Tianyang had a rule—"If the girls mess up, the boys suffer. If the boys mess up, the boys suffer. If everyone messes up, everyone suffers together."
As the saying went, they were a team—United in hardship, inseparable in punishment.
As for why the punishments were gender-based? Only Xiao Tianyang knew.
Regardless, his words—and Xiao Wu's—sealed their fate: their training load would double.
"Boss Dai, you've doomed us all!" Ma Hongjun sighed in despair.
If there was one person who struggled the most with Xiao Tianyang's training, it was undeniably him.
First, because Xiao Tianyang's regimen heavily emphasized physical conditioning.
Second, because of Ma Hongjun himself.
According to Xiao Tianyang's philosophy, a soul master's strength rested on three pillars:
First was Body as it's the vessel. Without a strong physique, everything else was meaningless.
Second was the Martial Soul as it's the core. In this world, lacking a martial soul made one nothing more than ordinary.
Lastly, the Soul (Willpower) as it's the bridge between body and spirit, the essence of one's determination.
Thus, Xiao Tianyang's training was divided into three brutal phases:
Physical Conditioning: The same regimen they'd started in Suotuo City, now intensified.
Martial Soul Mastery: Meditation, skill refinement, and innovation. This part was complex, relying entirely on personal comprehension.
Willpower Tempering: The most grueling and torturous of all.
The third phase was especially feared—not only did they endure Xiao Tianyang's Devil Training Plan, but they also had to brace for his unpredictable tests.
A sudden ambush from behind a door.
A surprise attack from the bushes.
A full-force strike from above.
Xiao Tianyang would challenge them under any pretext.
Frankly, if not for the undeniable results, even Yu Xiaogang and others might've suspected Xiao Tianyang had a sadistic streak.
But now? They were already struggling under the current regimen.
Doubling it? It was unthinkable.
And as for Ma Hongjun—his bulky frame made it worse.
Forced to carry extra weight dozens of kilograms more than the others and endure 1.5 times the training volume, exhaustion was inevitable.
…
Upon arriving at the rest area, the group split into two—Xiao Tianyang's team on one side, Yu Xiaogang and the others on the opposite.
This was normal. Since the tournament began, Yu Xiaogang's group had either been absent or uninvolved, leaving the scheduling and strategy entirely to Tang San.
Today's opponents were far weaker than before. While no team in the tournament was truly weak, they paled in comparison to the Five Elemental Academies.
Yet the match wasn't without intrigue.
"Look!" Ning Rongrong's eyes sparkled as she scanned the roster. "Team Whitebeard is competing today!"
"Isn't that normal?" Xiao Wu raised an eyebrow. "Did you expect their opponents to forfeit?"
After recent events, no one dared challenge Team Whitebeard.
Whether through schemes, accidents, or sheer misfortune, those who faced Xiao Tianyang never survived.
With his overwhelming strength, he was unstoppable.
Thus, to avoid disaster, both students and instructors deliberately avoided him.
Why risk it? Most teams had no hope of winning the championship—survival and advancement were enough.
This was just the qualifiers; the real battles lay ahead.
As the saying went: The tallest tree catches the wind.
Of course, such caution only applied to the weak.
Those with strength—like Tang San or Xiao Tianyang—might've considered confronting Spirit Hall.
But given their history, that path was fraught with peril.
Xiao Wu, unaware of Edward's true identity, felt a flicker of concern—not out of recognition, but a student's instinctive worry for a teacher.
"Not only did they accept the challenge," Ning Rongrong grinned, "but their opponent is Tianshui Academy!"
She wasn't worried. Previously, the opposing teams had been small fry—expendable.
But Tianshui Academy? One of the Five Elemental Academies. They had no reason to resort to underhanded tactics.
"Them?!" Xiao Wu blinked in surprise. "But even if they forfeited, they'd still rank first. Why bother?"
"Perhaps," Xiao Tianyang mused, "they see every match as unmissable. Besides, Team Whitebeard remains undefeated. Who's to say who's truly number one?"
Just then, footsteps approached.
The group turned to see Dai Mubai striding in, radiant with satisfaction.
His demeanor made one thing clear: last night's date had gone exceptionally well.
At least for him.
"Fatty, why the long face? I'm not even late!" Dai Mubai frowned, checking the time.
Ma Hongjun's resentful glare reminded him of jilted lovers from his Suotuo City days.
"Dai Mubai," Xiao Tianyang stepped forward, smiling as he shook Dai Mubai's hand. "Congratulations on qualifying for the Super Devil Training Program! Looking forward to sweating together!"
Then, with a sly grin he added, "Oh, and how was your date last night?"
Dai Mubai: "…"
Something about the atmosphere felt ominously off.
…
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