Chapter 1 The Bewitching Mist
"First Soul Skill, Bewitching Mist."
Hu Liena launched a preemptive strike, filling the entire arena with pink mist. As a敏攻系 (agility-type) soul master, Guan Siyan's strength lay in her speed. If the opponent struck first, she would be at a significant disadvantage.
Within the mist, Guan Siyan immediately activated her own soul skill. The opponent's skill covered an immense area, with the entire arena enveloped in its shroud, leaving no room for escape.
Instead of wasting effort and soul power on futile evasions, she decided to embrace the mist and engage Hu Liena in a game of cat and mouse.
The question was whether Hu Liena would be more agile in the mist, or if Guan Siyan's speed and dexterity would prevail.
As the pink mist enveloped the arena, below the stage, Shuang Yue Lian, with her arms crossed and a displeased glint in her beautiful eyes, looked at Ying Yan Yang beside her.
His direct gaze made Ying Yan Yang uneasy, and he involuntarily turned his head away, unable to meet her eyes.
Heaven knew he hadn't known beforehand that Hu Liena intended to challenge Guan Siyan.
As class instructors of the same academy and sworn siblings who had faced life and death together, they were bound to show each other some respect, seeing each other regularly.
Yet, Wang Zhong and Hu Liena had, one after another, challenged Zhang Shuai and Guan Siyan from the second year. While this might seem like absolute confidence in their own strength, it could also be seen as an insult.
In certain respects, the relationship between a class instructor and their students was one of shared honor and disgrace. When a student defeated a senior, the teacher gained glory; when a student lost under pressure, the teacher's reputation suffered.
If your student won and my student lost, wouldn't that prove my student lacked talent, strength, and even that my teaching methods were inferior to yours?
It was precisely these thoughts that fueled Shuang Yue Lian's resentful gaze towards Ying Yan Yang.
Your students are challenging my students, one after another. What is the meaning of this?
Do you think I, Shuang Yue Lian, have no temper?
Ying Yan Yang understood Shuang Yue Lian's feelings. If he were in her shoes, he too would be angered by such a situation. And Shuang Yue Lian, known for her gentle and kind disposition, was only showing a little resentment.
"Oh dear, Sister Lian, don't look at Yan Yang like that for such a small matter. It's making him shy,"
"Look, Lu Xiaoshuang from our class also lost to Wang Zhong."
"You should try to maintain a calm mindset about these things."
Xia Xuan, observing the strange atmosphere between the two, chuckled gleefully.
Shuang Yue Lian rolled her eyes at Xia Xuan and retorted irritably,
"Your Lu Xiaoshuang challenged and lost because he himself wanted the money. Losing face is his own doing."
"But what did our class's youngsters do to provoke this? Except for Pei Yan, two of them were inexplicably singled out and forced into two challenges."
"Who am I supposed to complain to?"
A wave of strong resentment washed over Xia Xuan, and his gloating smile froze. Well, he hadn't found any amusement; instead, he had become the amusement.
With a dissatisfied glare at the bewildered Lu Xiaoshuang, whose expression was one of existential questioning, Xia Xuan directly declared,
"From now on, your physical training will be increased tenfold!"
Lu Xiaoshuang: "..."
"Sister Lian, please calm down. I truly had no idea about this matter."
"Neither Wang Zhong nor Hu Liena ever mentioned anything like this to me."
Ying Yan Yang wore a look of helplessness. The person before him was his sworn elder sister. As the fourth sibling, he had no choice but to patiently appease her. If it were Zhao She or Li Ge, he would have taught them a lesson in minutes.
'So what if they fought? What can you do to me!'
"Heh, if I told you, would you make them give up this idea?" Shuang Yue Lian's eyes were unfriendly as she spoke without reserve.
"Alas, I really couldn't stop them. It's a good thing for students to be ambitious, driven, courageous, and passionate! Why should I stop them!"
Ying Yan Yang seriously considered Shuang Yue Lian's suggestion and finally gave a very solemn answer.
Shuang Yue Lian was so amused by his earnest and serious response that she immediately kicked him hard.
Feeling the searing pain on the top of his foot, Ying Yan Yang's mouth twitched incessantly, almost making him cry out. It was no joke, a kick from high heels, even without soul power, was a powerful blow.
Observing the interaction between the two, Yue Shan and Xia Xuan exchanged glances and shook their heads with light smiles.
"The relationship between you class instructors is so good, Yan."
Xie Yue, within the class, watched the demeanor and actions of the teachers and listened to their conversation, feeling a pang of envy.
"Yes, they truly are like a family. No barriers, no distance, and their closeness makes one feel warm."
Yan also watched everything, his words filled with longing.
"You, me, Nana, Wang Zhong, we'll be like this in the future too, won't we?" Xie Yue said with a hint of hope.
"No!"
Yan's answer made Xie Yue frown on the spot, even angry. "Why?"
"Wang Zhong is progressing too quickly! Nana is desperately chasing his tail, only able to strive by looking at his receding figure, but even so, she's far behind."
"Xie Yue, although you are her brother, your talent doesn't match Nana's, and mine doesn't match yours. No matter how hard we try, we won't be able to keep up with his pace."
"We will be left behind, and we will be cast aside. Even if Wang Zhong doesn't want to, reality will force us in different directions."
Unexpectedly, Yan, who usually seemed a bit dull and stubborn, saw this matter with surprising clarity.
Ying Yan Yang had once said that he already saw a future where Wang Zhong would obtain his fourth soul ring, while they would still be struggling towards their third.
The signs were already appearing!
What was Wang Zhong's current level? Twenty-five! What were Xie Yue and Hu Liena's levels? Fifteen! Yan's level? Fourteen! Xie Yue and Yan had both broken through recently, while Hu Liena had been at level fourteen for some time and was on the verge of breaking through to fifteen.
The three-tiered ladder was already laid out before them.
The interaction between Ying Yan Yang and Shuang Yue Lian in front had stopped. Upon hearing Yan's words, the latter intended to offer comfort, but Ying Yan Yang stopped her with a look.
This was the cruelty of reality versus talent.
The reason Ying Yan Yang, Shuang Yue Lian, Xia Xuan, and Yue Shan were like siblings was because they were all geniuses!
But it was also precisely because they were merely geniuses that they were like siblings.
Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan were geniuses, but compared to Wang Zhong, they were not yet geniuses enough!
The chasm was drawn the day their martial souls awakened. If no external force could bridge this gap, this was the reality they had to face.
However, things that could enhance talent and aptitude were rare throughout history.
Even the teaching manuals only mentioned them in passing. Immortal herbs! How could such things still exist in this world?
Thinking of this, Ying Yan Yang could only let out a seemingly casual sigh.