"My name is Qin Ming, twenty-three years old, and my Martial Soul is the Blazing Fire Canglang. I am a Rank 53 Battle Soul King, specializing in offensive combat. I've just joined as a teacher at the academy, and under the guidance of the Teaching Committee, I will lead this year's Imperial Battle Team. I'm here to select the members for the team."
Once everyone had gathered, Qin Ming began his introduction, explaining his objective.
Truthfully, he hadn't expected such high regard from the Teaching Committee, even taking him on as a disciple. Initially, he had simply planned to use the academy's training grounds to accelerate his own cultivation.
However, with the committee placing such faith in him, he was now determined to achieve great things and raise the Imperial Battle Team to new heights.
"I know you're all elites from your respective classes, but I need only ten members: seven main players and three reserves. The rest will be eliminated. With so many candidates, we won't use the traditional combat elimination method—it would take too long."
"Then, Teacher, what method will we use?" A student eagerly asked.
"It's simple," Qin Ming responded with a cheerful smile. "I've invited the Teaching Committee to assist. You'll only need to endure their oppressive presence. The last ten standing will join the Imperial Battle Team!"
Suddenly, a white-haired old man appeared beside Qin Ming. Dressed in black robes, his presence exuded an eerie aura. This was Meng Shenji, a Control System Battle Soul Douluo from the Teaching Committee of Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, with a Black Demon Martial Soul.
Meng Shenji observed the students, a sinister smile forming. A terrifying aura erupted from his body, with black soul power swirling like a storm, sweeping across the group.
Xu Yang felt as though a mountain had crashed down on him. He staggered but quickly mobilized his soul power, using his healing technique to stabilize himself. After regaining his composure, he looked around, realizing over two-thirds of the students had collapsed under the oppressive pressure. Less than twenty remained standing, but even they were swaying, on the brink of collapse.
"No wonder the Imperial Battle Team in the original story only had seven members. This was the selection process!"
Xu Yang suddenly understood why the Imperial Battle Team in the original story had no substitute members.
Seeing this, Meng Shenji's face darkened. He hadn't expected the overall quality of this batch of students to be so poor. Any Great Soul Master with a firm will should have been able to withstand his earlier burst of soul power pressure, yet so many had collapsed.
What right do such weaklings have to participate in the Soul Master Grand Tournament?
As this thought crossed his mind, Meng Shenji unconsciously released more soul power, intensifying his aura and the oppressive pressure.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The sound of students collapsing echoed through the training ground. Many couldn't endure the pressure and were forced to the ground, unable to rise. Only eight remained standing: Xu Yang, Yu Tianheng, Dugu Yan, Ye Lengleng, Shi Mo, Shi Mo, Yu Feng, and Oslo.
Among them, Xu Yang appeared the most relaxed. His eyes were tightly closed, his body stood ramrod straight like a javelin, and he hadn't even summoned his Martial Soul.
Ye Lingling was suffering the most. She bit her lip so hard that blood trickled out, her body hunched over, on the verge of collapsing. Her Nine Heart Begonia Martial Soul hovered around her, emitting a soft green glow that transformed into vital energy, repairing the damage caused by the oppressive aura.
It was precisely the Nine Heart Begonia's life force that allowed her to endure.
"Teaching Committee, that's enough! If this continues, there won't be anyone left!" Qin Ming interjected urgently, seeing that Meng Shenji was still releasing his oppressive aura, pushing it beyond what even a Soul Venerable could withstand.
"Hmph!" Meng Shenji snorted coldly, flicked his sleeve, and vanished from the spot. He couldn't bear to see the students collapsing; he feared he might impulsively slap them all away.
"Alright, except for the eight students still standing, the rest may leave!" Qin Ming announced coldly, stepping forward.
The fallen students rose reluctantly, staggering back to their classes without protest. They knew they had failed.
Xu Yang slowly opened his eyes, a smile spreading across his face as he observed the seven trembling students beside him.
"Monster!" Dugu Yan thought to herself, staring at Xu Yang, who seemed completely unfazed.
The others were equally astonished, especially Yu Tianheng, who felt a surge of admiration. He believed Xu Yang was destined to be this strong.
Qin Ming beckoned to the group. "Since you'll all be teammates from now on, let's introduce ourselves."
"I'll go first," Dugu Yan said. "I'm ten years old. My Martial Soul is the Jade Scale Serpent, and I'm a Rank 23 Control-type Battle Soul Master."
"Ye Lingling, ten years old. My Martial Soul is the Nine Heart Begonia, and I'm a Rank 21 Support-type Battle Soul Master."
"Oslo, eleven years old. My Martial Soul is the Ghost Leopard, and I'm a Rank 23 Agility-Attack type Battle Soul Master."
"Shi Mo, ten years old. My Martial Soul is the Black Tortoise, and I'm a Rank 22 Defense-type Battle Soul Master."
"Shi Mo, ten years old. My Martial Soul is the Black Tortoise, and I'm a Rank 22 Defense-type Battle Soul Master."
"Yu Feng, ten years old. My Martial Soul is the Wind Chime Bird, and I'm a Rank 22 Agility-Attack type Battle Soul Master."
"Yu Tianheng, ten years old. My Martial Soul is the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, and I'm a Rank 24 Power-Attack type Battle Soul Master."
"Xu Yang, eight years old. My Martial Soul is the Sun, and I'm a Rank 23 Power-Attack type Battle Soul Master."
Hearing the introductions, Qin Ming nodded in satisfaction. While the team composition of these eight wasn't perfectly balanced, it covered all the necessary roles. With proper coordination, they should easily secure a spot in the Soul Master Grand Tournament.
Qin Ming then began organizing their training. Most of the members were scions of established families, each with their own established training methods. He saw no need to interfere with these routines; he knew better than to presume his methods superior to those honed over generations.
His focus was on developing their teamwork. He wanted them to become so familiar with each other that they could understand each other's intentions with a single glance, if not share a telepathic connection.
To achieve this, the eight members spent nearly all their time together, except when sleeping or attending to personal needs, even during cultivation.
It was through this constant proximity that they discovered Xu Yang's unique cultivation method. He continuously channeled solar energy through his Martial Soul, accelerating his progress while steadily solidifying his foundation.
This explained why Xu Yang's cultivation speed was so astonishingly rapid.
Of course, every morning at sunrise, he would inexplicably unleash his First Soul Skill on himself.
"Ah! This is so annoying! Xu Yang, can you finish your cultivation already?!"
Watching Xu Yang cultivate on the balcony, Dugu Yan fanned herself restlessly and began to complain.
It was unbearably hot. She was already dressed in her coolest attire—a short-sleeved top and shorts, her long, fair legs propped up on the table—but the heat persisted. The clear weather, combined with Xu Yang's channeling of solar energy, had driven the surrounding temperature above thirty-seven degrees Celsius.
She longed to leave, but remembering Teacher Qin Ming's instructions, she remained rooted to the spot.