The training ground was silent.
"Our Captain... actually lost!" Yu Feng and the others rubbed their eyes in disbelief.
In their hearts, Yu Tianheng was the pillar of the Royal Fighting Team, a figurehead for the younger generation of noble Soul Masters in the Heaven Dou Empire. But today, their reality was shattered. First, Tianheng had been easily suppressed by Teacher Lin Mu, and now he had been systematically defeated by a Level 34 Blue Silver Grass user.
The fact that the opponent was five levels lower and several years younger made the defeat sting even more. This outcome completely overturned everything they knew about the hierarchy of Martial Souls.
Yu Tianheng stared blankly at the composed Tang San. The pride he had cultivated as a scion of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan lay in ruins. However, he was a man who respected strength. Taking a deep breath, he reached up, gently moved the crystalline leaf blade away from his throat, and said solemnly, "I lost, Brother Tang San. Welcome to the team."
Yu Tianheng looked at Lin Mu in the distance. A realization dawned on him: if a trash Martial Soul like Blue Silver Grass could reach this level of combat effectiveness under Lin Mu's guidance, then his own top-tier Dragon Martial Soul would be unstoppable under the same tutelage.
Driven by a sudden surge of ambition, Yu Tianheng scrambled to his feet and strode toward Lin Mu. He bowed deeply and proclaimed loudly, "Teacher Lin Mu, please! Accept me as your disciple and teach me the true path of cultivation!"
The team gasped. Their proud Captain was asking for an apprenticeship?
Lin Mu looked at Yu Tianheng with a hint of amusement. 'Accept another disciple?' Teaching Tang San was already a full-time job designed to maximize System rewards. Besides, Yu Tianheng was Yu Xiaogang's nephew; the bloodline entanglement alone made it a headache he didn't need.
Before Lin Mu could respond, Tang San stepped forward, physically blocking Yu Tianheng's path. His gaze was icy. "Do not be delusional. With your mediocre talent, my Master would never accept you."
Yu Tianheng nearly choked on his own breath. Snobbed by the teacher, and now dismissed by the student? "Brother Tang San," Tianheng said, suppressing his frustration and speaking with forced sincerity, "If I become his disciple, we will be fellow brothers. Together, we can ensure the Royal Fighting Team wins the Continental Championship!"
"I said, you are not worthy," Tang San replied flatly, his tone final.
Dugu Yan looked ready to snap and attack Tang San for the insult, but Qin Ming caught her arm, shaking his head. He knew that in the world of monsters, the word genius had a different definition.
Yu Tianheng felt a chill of shame. "Your talent is indeed superior, and your strength proved itself today... but you don't understand the first thing about humility!"
"Humility?" Tang San tilted his head. He thought back to the last few years. Lin Mu had taught him hidden weapons, combat theory, and how to reshape his values, but the word "humility" had never been part of the curriculum. In Lin Mu's world, the strong dictated the terms, and the weak listened.
Lin Mu stepped forward, placing a hand on Tang San's shoulder. "I have decided to focus my energy solely on Xiao San. I will not be taking any more personal disciples. However, as the Head Leader of this team, I will still provide you all with guidance."
"Master..." Tang San's expression softened. To him, Lin Mu's exclusive focus was the greatest sign of trust.
Yu Tianheng's shoulders slumped in disappointment, but he quickly composed himself. "Then... thank you for your generosity, Teacher Lin Mu."
"Xiao Wu, show them what you've got," Lin Mu commanded.
Xiao Wu released Tang San's arm and skipped forward. Three rings, two yellow, one purple, swirled around her. She gave a cheeky grin to the stunned teammates.
"Xiao Wu, Martial Soul: Soft-Boned Rabbit, Level 31 Power Attack System. Please be gentle!"
Another Soul Elder around thirteen years old! Yu Tianheng and the others felt as though they had no right to ever use the word genius again. Even the resentful Dugu Yan pursed her lips, her gaze shifting between Tang San and Xiao Wu with a newfound sense of self-consciousness.
"Yu Tianheng," Lin Mu said, his voice turning into a sharp blade. "Your Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon is of top quality, but your Level 39 status is insufficient for a main attacker in the upcoming tournament. You are stagnant."
Yu Tianheng winced.
"From now on, your training will be focused on breaking your limits through high-pressure combat. You will participate in at least three Soul Arena battles every single day. Sparring with Tang San will count as one of them."
"Teacher Lin Mu, that intensity... no one can handle that many high-stakes battles daily," Dugu Yan interjected, worried for her boyfriend.
Lin Mu looked at her with a chilling indifference. "You have the Nine-Hearted Begonia on your team, the ultimate healing Martial Soul, yet you complain about training fatigue? You are all spoiled."
The room went silent. Lin Mu's words were harsh, but logically undeniable.
"Teacher Lin Mu," Yu Tianheng said, his eyes burning with a new light as he looked at Tang San. "I accept. I will undergo your training."
Lin Mu nodded slightly, then turned to the Vice-Captain. "Dugu Yan, you will participate in two battles a day."
"Why only two?" Dugu Yan snapped, her pride wounded. "If Tianheng does three, I want three!"
"Tianheng still has room to evolve," Lin Mu said mercilessly. "But you rely far too heavily on your Jade Phosphorus Serpent's venom. In a high-level fight where the opponent has toxin resistance, you are essentially useless. Your ceiling is much lower."
Dugu Yan stood frozen, her face turning pale. It was the first time in her life someone had called her family's legendary poison a crutch.
"Fine," Lin Mu said nonchalantly. "Do three if you wish. It won't change the fact that our lineup is a mess."
Lin Mu sighed. The Royal Fighting Team's current strategy was essentially "protect the dragon." But Yu Tianheng wasn't strong enough to carry the entire team's damage against elite opponents. If they wanted to beat the Golden Generation of the Spirit Hall Academy, Lin Mu knew he would have to tear this team down and rebuild it from the ground up.