The next day.
After the trainees finished their daily physical drills, something different happened. Wu Changkong's cold voice cut through the air: "Tang Wulin, Xie Xie, Gu Yue — come find me after dinner."
He then turned his gaze toward Arthur, who was standing to one side.
Having finished today's sparring session, Arthur was deep in thought, wrestling with how to crystallize his own sword intent.
In terms of pure combat technique, Wu Changkong couldn't match Arthur. But Wu Changkong's sword intent had a way of turning the tide at the most critical moments, time and again.
Sword intent was an elusive thing.
Two sword strikes identical in force, angle, and motion — the difference in power between one infused with sword intent and one without was like night and day.
After a brief hesitation, Wu Changkong said: "Arthur, come as well."
"Alright."
---
After dinner, dusk was deepening into evening.
The group made their way to the training field. Not far off, Wu Changkong stood in a black athletic uniform, that same cold expression on his face, looking every bit as cool and striking as ever.
A cluster of older female students passing by slowed to a stop, their gazes lingering on him.
Then Arthur and Gu Yue moved to stand together, and the scene shifted. Arthur's looks were warm and open — the kind of face that put people at ease just by looking at it. Gu Yue, on the other hand, radiated an otherworldly elegance that drew eyes like a magnet. She drifted naturally to Arthur's side, and the two of them together composed a quietly dazzling picture.
Tang Wulin and Xie Xie quietly edged away to give them space. After several days together, anyone with eyes could tell that Gu Yue had feelings for Arthur. They weren't about to play the third wheel.
"You four, follow me." Wu Changkong saw the group assembled and wasted no words — he turned and walked deeper into the academy grounds.
The four hurried after him, eventually arriving at an indoor training facility.
Wu Changkong had gone out of his way during the day to personally request this space from the Head of Instruction, Long Hengxu. He had promised to support Long Hengxu's work going forward and not cause him any trouble, in exchange for which Long Hengxu had smoothed the way without hesitation.
As for supporting Long Hengxu — Wu Changkong didn't particularly care either way. Reaching his goal was what mattered.
And if it weren't for these few students who had genuinely moved him, someone of his temperament never would have stooped to ask a favor.
Tang Wulin, Xie Xie, and Gu Yue were all gifted. Wu Changkong felt the pull of that.
Properly cultivated, they had every chance of passing into Shrek Academy.
As for Arthur, Wu Changkong had no intention of trying to steer him. Over these past days, through the constant clash of blade against blade, he had sensed something pure in the exchange.
He understood: Arthur had his own path, and he was walking it without the slightest wavering.
"I've called you here about the class promotion tournament," Wu Changkong explained, then added: "If all four of you qualify, one of you will be kept as a substitute."
Tang Wulin and Xie Xie exchanged a glance. Since Gu Yue and Arthur were clearly stronger than them, the substitute slot could only fall on one of the two of them.
"I'll pass, Teacher." Arthur had no interest in the tournament. The other students were too weak to stir any real desire to fight. "I won't be participating."
"Fine. Then it'll be Tang Wulin, Xie Xie, and Gu Yue. The three of you will compete." Wu Changkong nodded — this was more or less what he had expected. Arthur was simply too far ahead of his peers.
And with Arthur in the ring, the others wouldn't get the training they needed. The whole exercise would lose its point.
In Wu Changkong's view, the class promotion itself was incidental. The tournament was first and foremost a test for the other three.
The reason he had brought Arthur along tonight was simply to hear his thoughts — given Arthur's strength, not offering him the chance to participate would have been difficult to justify.
Beside them, Gu Yue heard that Arthur wasn't planning to compete, and she very nearly decided to withdraw as well. Her lips parted slightly, a word half-formed — then stopped.
She caught herself. The tournament might actually be worth entering. Standing on the stage, subduing everyone in front of her, displaying her strength before Arthur — wouldn't that be far more likely to catch his attention?
---
The training facility was circular, its perimeter enclosed by a spirit-guide barrier — designed specifically for students of higher cultivation, ensuring that full-force training wouldn't tear the space apart.
Wu Changkong led the three to the center of the floor and stopped.
Arthur watched from the sidelines.
Wu Changkong's efficiency was, as always, characteristic: "Starting tonight, you will undergo special training every evening. Your target is the class promotion tournament three months from now."
He paused, then added: "We've confirmed you three as the competitors — but if any of you fail to meet my standards by the time training is through, don't expect to take the stage. I won't send you up."
"Teacher, is the special training physical conditioning?" Xie Xie's concern was pointed somewhere entirely different from the others'. His voice was saturated with resistance — clearly, the physical drills had left a lasting mark on him.
"No." Wu Changkong's tone remained cold. "Your special training consists entirely of live combat. Live combat to draw out your potential. Live combat to sharpen your battle experience."
His gaze moved across the three of them like the edge of a blade, and he began his assessments: "Xie Xie — your speed is above average for your level, but your stamina is a weakness. You can't sustain it for long. Twin spirit souls are rare. Hold your second spirit soul in reserve for now — deploy it at the turning point of a fight to catch the opponent off guard. The effect can be decisive."
He turned to Tang Wulin, his tone easing slightly: "Your Blue Silver Grass is tenacious. A mutation, but still Blue Silver Grass. That toughness cuts both ways — it's an asset and a limitation. For now your priority should be cultivating your spirit power and developing toward a control-type spirit master. Learn your Blue Silver Grass completely. The timing of when you call it into a fight matters enormously."
"And your strength — you have a natural gift for it, so use it. Try integrating your hammer and your Blue Silver Grass into a combined fighting style."
Tang Wulin answered quietly: "Yes, Teacher."
Finally he looked at Gu Yue. Wu Changkong didn't have much experience-based guidance to offer her — he knew too little about an Elementalist spirit master, had never even heard of such a spirit soul before.
"Gu Yue — your spirit soul is powerful. Remarkably versatile."
"There are many directions you could take it. In my assessment, your innate talent for elemental control is exceptional. I'd suggest looking into elemental fusion and developing in that direction. A single element has its limits. A layered combination of multiple elements can produce tremendous power."
"Thank you, Teacher Wu," Gu Yue replied with a nod.
"Special training begins." The words had barely left Wu Changkong's mouth before Xie Xie jumped in with an eager question — in his mind, anything that wasn't physical conditioning was acceptable: "Teacher, who do we fight?"
Wu Changkong stepped back three paces. His right hand swept out, and a wooden sword appeared in his grip. "Your opponent is me. All three of you, at once. I won't use my spirit soul or spirit skills. Attack me without holding back."
The last word had barely landed when the wooden sword shot straight at Xie Xie.
Xie Xie scrambled backward, but the sword clung to him like a shadow, relentless. Seeing this, Tang Wulin instantly summoned his Blue Silver Grass, lashing it to his Thousand Refined Tungsten Hammer and hurling it at Wu Changkong.
Wu Changkong didn't even spare it a glance. His body shifted by a fraction, and the hammer sailed straight past and off into the distance behind him.
At that moment, Gu Yue moved quietly.
A gust of wind surged in from the side, slowing Wu Changkong's movements. At the same instant, the ground beneath his feet suddenly turned soft and gave way — and a volley of ice spikes came streaking in right behind it, aimed at sealing off his room to maneuver.