With the fresh morning air filling my lungs, I was already awake alongside Baixue, completing our daily stamina routine on the academy grounds. The sun had barely risen, casting long shadows across the training field as we pushed our bodies to their limits. After what felt like an hour of intense training, I noticed another figure attempting to keep pace with our rigorous routine.
Even from a distance, I could tell she had never undergone proper stamina training before. Her breathing was laboured, her form sloppy, and she was clearly relying solely on her soul power to maintain her endurance rather than actual physical conditioning. There was no doubt about it – that determined figure struggling to match our pace was Shui Bing'er.
It seemed she had observed our morning training sessions and awakened some sort of competitive spirit within herself. If they can do it, so can I, I could practically hear her thinking. Unfortunately, her complete lack of prior physical exercise experience was painfully obvious.
As much as I could analyse the situation, all elemental academies had become completely dependent on their extreme attributes to compete with one another. However, they could never truly surpass the three great clans because they lacked specialized skills tailored to their individual martial souls. The Clear Sky Sect relied on their legendary hammering techniques – something like continuous Hammer attack and other one which I remember due to playing GI is the Great Sumeru Hammer. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan possessed their signature Dragon Transformation ability. And the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan had developed separate consciousness control techniques that allowed them to simultaneously manage seven different spirit skills.
The only thing Tianshui Academy truly specialized in was Martial Soul Fusion, but even that seemed designed more to compensate for the Ice Phoenix's inherent weaknesses rather than unlock its full potential. Shui Bing'er's situation was somewhat similar to Ma Xiaotao's – she was infinitely close to possessing Ultimate Ice, but something was holding her back. Whether it was the purity of her bloodline or the quality of her soul rings, I couldn't be certain. The only way for her to achieve true Ultimate Ice would be to hunt a soul beast with an exceptionally strong bloodline, but since the Extreme North was one of the most restricted zones on the continent, few had the courage to venture there due to its harsh environment and incredibly powerful soul beasts.
I seriously wanted to question whoever had been the idiot to advise Shui Bing'er to pursue the control system path. It was probably the dean who had guided her toward that route for the Continental Tournament, but it was clearly limiting her true potential. I could advise her to change her cultivation path at any time – she definitely had the potential to become a god-level powerhouse. The only problem was that she didn't know anything about advancement beyond becoming a Titled Douluo, as for her generation, Title Douluo represented the absolute pinnacle of soul master achievement. I seriously doubted whether she would even reach level 70 without proper guidance.
The only thing I could do was guide her onto the proper path and train her correctly. I was confident I could present a compelling argument to the dean about changing her from the Control System to the Attack System. Perhaps later, I could search the Aurora thing (mentioned in chapter 28) in the Extreme North which might help strengthen her bloodline.
Just as we completed our daily routine, I spotted Shui Bing'er taking deep, ragged breaths to recover from her exhaustion, yet still trying to push herself further despite her body's protests.
I approached her with measured steps and said, "Stop forcing yourself like that. You don't have the proper physical foundation to sustain this kind of training."
The truth was, the only reason Baixue and I had developed such incredible stamina was due to the Whale Glue we had consumed previously. Without that enhancement, it would have been impossible for us to maintain such endurance at our age. I could potentially request or trade something with the dean in exchange for access to more Whale Glue for the team.
She looked up at me with determination burning in her ice-blue eyes. "Then how can you both persist for so long despite being younger than us?"
"We can endure it because of our daily physical routine, which has become second nature to us," I explained patiently. "We've been slowly but steadily building our stamina and overall physical capabilities. The only advice I can give you is to keep running until you reach your natural limit, then gradually increase that limit day by day to build up your stamina. And remember – you'll need to maintain your daily soul cultivation alongside this physical training, so you'll have to design a very tight schedule."
Another crucial factor in our rapid advancement as soul masters was our unique cultivation method, which operated passively twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, synchronized with our breathing. Because of this technique, I didn't need to actively cultivate soul power like most others. I could potentially teach this method to the team for the upcoming tournament.
At that moment, Shui Yue'er appeared with her characteristic bright energy, practically bouncing as she approached us. "Sister! Qingqing! Xue'er! The dean called for us to gather at the battle ground!"
I wasn't surprised by her casual naming style – she reminded me of an extroverted friend from my previous life, radiating that unique aura that belonged to a person whom every introvert fears but still rely on them to make their own presence.
"We're coming," I responded, extending my hand toward Shui Bing'er to help her up. She grasped it firmly and pulled herself to her feet, and we all made our way to the designated gathering spot.
Only five of us were present at the battle ground. Xue Wu was already there, waiting patiently for the rest of us to arrive. After a few minutes, the dean appeared and took note of our assembled group.
"It seems you're all getting along well with each other," she observed with satisfaction. "I wanted to properly introduce our two new members to the rest of you so we can begin serious training. Additionally, I want to assign Xiao Qingxue as team captain, given that she's stronger than everyone else here."
This announcement surprised everyone present except for Baixue, who simply nodded knowingly. Suddenly, Shui Bing'er raised her hand with determination.
"Dean, may I challenge Qingxue for the position of captain?"
I wasn't even remotely surprised by this request. While Shui Bing'er appeared to be kind-hearted and calm on the surface, she secretly harbored an intense pride and desire to be the best at everything she attempted.
The dean turned to me with an expectant look. "What do you think, Qingxue? Will you accept her challenge?"
I could tell she wanted me to accept so I could demonstrate my true capabilities to the team.
"I'll accept the challenge," I declared, causing everyone to perk up with interest. "However, I want all of them to fight me together – including Baixue."
My words caused even the dean to look slightly surprised, though she quickly understood that I wouldn't make such a bold statement without proper reasoning. Baixue already understood the true extent of my Spirit Eye abilities, which were essentially cheat-level powerful, so she remained the calmest of the group. The other three displayed slight expressions of anger, clearly thinking I was belittling their abilities.
The dean gave me a somewhat disbelieving look but nodded. "Very well. Let's proceed as she suggested."
"But dean—" Shui Bing'er began to protest.
"Just continue," the dean cut through her complaint firmly. "If she loses, she'll bear all the shame that comes with such arrogance."
We all took our positions on the battle ground, the atmosphere growing tense with anticipation. The formal introductions began, as was traditional before any serious combat.
"Shui Bing'er, Martial Spirit: Ice Phoenix, Control System!" Her three soul rings materialized around her in a display of power – two yellow and one purple, indicating her solid foundation.
"Shui Yue'er, Martial Spirit: Jade Dolphin, Control System!" Two bright yellow soul rings appeared.
"Xue Wu, Martial Spirit: Graceful Dance Snow Decoration, Auxiliary System!" Her two yellow rings shimmered into existence, ready to provide crucial support.
"Qing Baixue, Martial Spirit: Heavenly Ice Fox, Agility Attack System!" Despite having only one yellow soul ring, her presence radiated dangerous potential.
I suddenly remembered the tournament tradition of formal introductions before battle – something that had slipped my mind in the heat of the moment.
"Xiao Qingxue, Martial Spirit: Spirit Eye!" My disguised soul rings appeared – two yellow and one purple, matching the power level I wanted to display.
"Battle begin!" the dean's voice rang out across the training ground.
The moment combat commenced, I deliberately waited to observe their coordination. Xue Wu immediately began her elegant dance, her auxiliary abilities flowing outward to enhance her teammates' capabilities. However, Baixue had already taken decisive action, sprinting forward at a speed that surprised even Yue'er, despite the latter being an agility-type soul master. It was impressive to see how much Baixue had improved with just one soul ring.
I casually raised my arm to intercept her lightning-fast kick aimed at my torso. The impact resonated through the air, but I barely shifted from the force. Recognizing that her direct assault had failed, Baixue immediately retreated to maintain a safe distance, utilizing her agility training perfectly. She had learned well how an assassin should engage their target – strike fast, assess the situation, and reposition accordingly. However, she seemed to forget that she now had teammates who could create opportunities for more coordinated surprise attacks.
Sensing my slight disappointment in her tactical oversight, Baixue's eyes widened with realization, and I could see the panic as she understood where she had made her mistake. I still wondered when exactly Baixue had developed such an uncanny ability to read my intentions and emotions.
The next moment, Xue Wu's dance reached its crescendo, and powerful buffs flowed out to enhance her teammates' abilities. Simultaneously, Bing'er activated her second soul skill, creating ice armor that encased her allies in protective crystalline shells. She then used her Ice Crater ability to manipulate the battlefield, creating barriers and obstacles to limit my movement options. Clearly, she understood that I likely possessed physical capabilities similar to or exceeding Baixue's impressive speed.
Yue'er coordinated with Baixue to attempt a pincer attack from my flanks. The younger sister initiated the assault with her projectile-based soul skill, launching shards of ice that whistled through the air toward me. Even though I was essentially immune to ice-based attacks, the physical impact could still cause damage if I wasn't careful.
I flowed like water around her attacks, my movements appearing almost casual as I evaded each projectile by mere inches. As Baixue approached with another calculated strike, I parried her attack with minimal effort, redirecting her momentum. At that precise moment, Shui Bing'er unleashed her first soul skill – a freezing technique that could immobilize anything it touched upon contact, essentially a movement-sealing ability.
The coordination was actually quite impressive for a hastily assembled team. However, seeing that none of their individual skills were having any significant effect on me, frustration began to show on Bing'er's face.
"Baixue, buy us some time!" Bing'er suddenly shouted with urgency in her voice.
I immediately understood what she intended to attempt. Yue'er, Bing'er, and Xue Wu quickly moved toward each other, joining hands in preparation for a Martial Soul Fusion technique. Meanwhile, Baixue threw herself into the fray with renewed determination, attacking me with a relentless series of strikes and feints. I deliberately chose not to retaliate with full force, curious to witness the strength of their fusion technique firsthand. The dean started to move forward as if to stop the dangerous technique but then stepped back, equally interested in seeing my true capabilities.
The air around the three girls began to shimmer and distort as their martial souls resonated with each other. Soul power swirled around them in increasingly complex patterns, and I could feel the temperature dropping dramatically as their combined ice attributes merged into something greater than the sum of its parts.
Just as their Martial Soul Fusion reached completion, a magnificent crystal phoenix materialized behind them, its wings spanning nearly the entire width of the battle ground. The creature radiated an aura of absolute cold that made even the dean take an involuntary step backward.
"Martial Soul Fusion: Drifting Snow!" they declared in unison, their voices harmonizing in an otherworldly manner.
The fusion technique was far more impressive than I had anticipated. A massive storm of ice and snow erupted from the crystal phoenix, creating a localized blizzard that threatened to engulf the entire training area. Razor-sharp ice crystals mixed with the devastating cold as the phoenix itself dove toward me with talons extended, its cry echoing with the power of absolute winter.
For a moment, I allowed myself to appreciate their effort and coordination. This was genuinely dangerous technique that could seriously threaten most soul masters of their level or even higher.
However, it was time to end this demonstration.
I calmly materialized my signature weapon – the Ice Blade, a sword formed from Ultimate Ice that radiated an aura of absolute zero. With a single, fluid motion, I performed what appeared to be a simple draw cut through the air.
The effect was instantaneous and devastating. The Martial Soul Fusion shattered like fragile glass, the crystal phoenix dissolving into countless sparkles of light before vanishing entirely. The three girls collapsed to the ground, completely drained from the backlash of their broken fusion technique.
Then, with casual indifference, I simply snapped my fingers.
Every trace of ice that had been created during the battle – from Bing'er's armor and barriers to the residual frost from their fusion technique – completely disappeared without a trace. This was one of the unique perks of possessing true Ultimate Ice: absolute control over all ice-based phenomena, unless it was created by another martial soul or soul beast with equal or superior Ultimate Ice capabilities.
The silence that followed was deafening. Even seasoned veterans would have struggled against that fusion technique, yet I had neutralized it as easily as extinguishing a candle.
"Impossible..." Shui Bing'er whispered, staring at me with wide eyes filled with disbelief and newfound respect.
This display clearly demonstrated just how vast the power gap was between us, despite my apparent age. Even the dean was questioning whether what she had witnessed was what a true genius looked like, or if she was seeing something far beyond normal comprehension.
I walked calmly toward the center of the battle ground, my expression serious but not unkind. "You all possess excellent martial souls, but you're nowhere near your true potential," I began, my voice carrying clearly across the silent training area. "I may appear young, but I am significantly stronger than all of you combined. I will serve as your captain, and I promise you this – if you follow my guidance and training methods, I will help you achieve power beyond the realm of Titled Douluo."
To most people, such words from someone who appeared to be barely a teenager would sound like childish boasting. However, the dean understood that there was no way I could lie about such capabilities after what she had just witnessed. My power was completely unmatched by any genius existing on the Douluo Continent that she knew of.
Unknown to me, the dean was already beginning to imagine that I might be the descendant of some divine being – perhaps even a god. She was well aware of Spirit Hall's connection to the Angel God, and if such divine bloodlines could manifest, then perhaps...
"I... I accept you as captain," Shui Bing'er said quietly, slowly getting to her feet with help from her sister. "But please, teach us how to become stronger. I don't want to remain weak."
The other team members nodded in agreement, their earlier scepticism replaced by genuine desire to learn from someone who had just demonstrated power beyond their wildest expectations.