Chapter 2024 - 239 - 247

Chapter 239: Unhappy Youth

Lan Jue slapped his forehead in frustration. "Enough, you two. I got one megalomaniac and one sexual predator. How in the hell did I get stuck with you two as my brothers!"

Chu Cheng slapped a hand down upon Lan Jue's shoulder. "A-Jue, I swear to you no one will discover my identity. But you're underestimating my charm, because even with a mask the girls will be swarming me. I don't expect you to understand. So go on then, tell us what you're gunna do."

Lan Jue revealed his plan for the students and future dealings, simple and uncomplicated with nothing held back. The other two gentlemen were clearly bemused by the prospect, and their excitement only grew as he continued to lay out his plan.

"Isn't that too… savage?" Chu Cheng couldn't help but share his opinions, after hearing everything.

"Yeah!" Lan Jue replied, his own tones conflicted. "I'm honestly afraid these young people won't be able to stick to it."

Chu Cheng's tone grew solemn. "This is your problem, A-Jue. You're always underestimating how much we can handle. How do you think humanity's become master of the stars? How is it we came to colonize and rule over so many planets? Because we're amazingly adaptive. We're ferocious! When I was young and in training, a few of my teachers employed cruel methods. Sometimes I hardly wished to live. Hell, you could probably learn a thing or two from them for your schemes."

Hua Li took up his favored imperatorial inflection. "Do you two have any humanity? You're sitting here discussing the best ways to destroy the future of the Alliances by crushing their flowers under foot. My own training was very different from the two of you. Like baptism in a rainstorm. My father told me once, 'if you seek to control the oceans, you must stand firm against the roaring waves.' I think he was right. We of the Poseidon bloodline, we have our family secrets but you two are my brothers. There's no reason to hide any of this from you, so I have no qualms in sharing it. What do you think?"

Lan Jue and Chu Cheng both shot their thumbs towards Hua Li. Pointed Downward.

Three young men, with three very different ideas. Lan Jue took their thoughts in to account, while simultaneously shuddering. It was like the Three Stooges asserting they were smarter than Einstein. If the three of them really did join to teach, then it really would be like a vision of hell.

When Mika returned she saw the three troublesome youths conspiring quietly. She couldn't help but slink over, and in doing so caught a few sentences. When she cried out it took all three men by surprise. "What is this? Planning some sort of terrible thing no doubt."

"Don't worry about it," Lan Jue replied. "Medicine?"

Mika produced the myriad pharmaceuticals she was asked to purchase. It was a large bag, with many smaller ones inside.

Lan Jue turned his eyes towards Hua Li. "According to our new system, we're gunna need a higher dosage. But I'm running low on funds…"

Hua Li shrugged. "Money will not be a concern. This is about the future of humanity. Mika, buy whatever you need – I'll reimburse you. No expenses spared!" As he spoke, he produced a small card from his pocket and handed it to the Stygian Succubus.

Chu Cheng wrapped Hua Li in a bear-hug. "Hey money-bags, take care of me too!"

Hua Li's knee shot up towards Chu Cheng's gibbly bits, forcing Chu Cheng to retreat. "Keep away from me, you stink like all kinds of body fluid! Come at me again and you'll suffer death with no descendants!"

Lan Jue beckoned the other two closer. "Alright, alright – stop messing around. Let's continue planning. Time waits for no man, after all. This first ARC program will last two months, and from what I can tell a normal program will not be enough. They don't need rigorous, they need tragic. We have to think about how to prevent deaths or madness."

The other two solemnly nodded their heads. "That's a problem," they said in unison.

ζ

Early morning. Lan Jue had gotten up in the early hours, along with his two troublesome comrades.

"Are we taking the verti-car?" Chu Cheng asked piteously.

Lan Jue shook his head. "My identity is still a secret. I go every day by bike – if I'm suddenly arriving in an expensive car it'd attract too much attention. You two come by car, if you're joining."

"No way," Hua Li said with a lilt in his voice. "I thought riding the bicycle was awesome. Quaint and amusing! You can take the car on your own, A-Cheng."

Chu Cheng sniffed righteously. "How is this acceptable? We three brothers have to stick together, and since you both want to rise the bike I guess I am, too. I call the backseat, though – you got the crossbar this time, A-Li!"

"Don't you have any humanity?"

"Dunno, how much does it cost?"

"We'll play rock-paper-scissors for it!"

"Fine!"

Ten minutes later, Lan Jue was groaning piteously as he pedaled the antique bicycle along the road. Hua Li had been stuck with the crossbar, and his mood was accurately revealed by his pained expression. Three pairs of long legs bounced and banged as they fought their way towards the university. 'Crowded' did not do the scene justice.

"I should have played for the seat, too!" Lan Jue moaned, pedaling valiantly.

"Why the hell is that," Hua Li grumbled, turning his head back to glare at Lan Jue.

Bitterness crept in to Lan Jue's voice as he spoke. "Do you know how heavy you two are? I'm just surprised this bike hasn't crumpled already. If it did you two would be dead for sure."

Chu Cheng chuckled at his colleague's displeasure. "You're the host, and this is a good display of manliness." He sat in the VIP seat atop the back tire, sans the discomfort of Hua Li and the effort of Lan Jue. He had no reason to complain.

The remaining trek to the university was a difficult one. Once they arrived her hurriedly kicked his two team mates off of the bike and walked the rest of the way to the gate himself. He didn't have to worry about getting them in to the university. He'd also already given them their golden masks.

Upon entering campus Lan Jue was surprised to discover Wu Junyi waiting for him once more. This time the director was waiting inside, and stood silent and stoic. It was as though he were just there to observe the students filing in to classes. Seeing his serious expression, the students didn't loiter around.

Lan Jue approached, and stopped his bicycle once they were face to face. "What are you doing here again?"

"Waiting for you!" The director replied. "The students are all prepared, and things have been organized as per your instructions. We've chartered a bus to take them directly to West Hill. I already set up everything for them there. We're all set."

Lan Jue nodded. "Good. Where's the bus?"

Director Wu indicated with a wave of his hand. "By the mecha combat department. Once you're ready to go, you can be on your way."

Lan Jue looked towards the department, then turned his attention back to Wu Junyi. "I brought two others with me today. Help them in, in a little bit. One of them is wearing a pollution mask, you'll spot him right away. They'll be helping me teach over the next several days. They won't be able to help us all the time, but when they're here it'll make the classes even better."

Of course, director Wu couldn't have known 'even better' meant 'even more terrifying.' When he replied, his inflection was full of enthusiasm. "Even better! I'll bring them in right now, then send them to the bus. Go ahead and get changed."

Lan Jue nodded, then left.

ζ

Mecha Combat Department.

The tour bus was beautiful, clean and white. Students were milling about, placing bags of all shapes and sizes underneath the bus and filing in. As they were going to be gone for a month, there was a consider amount of baggage to consider – especially true for the female students.

Zhou Qianlin was the exception. Unlike Tang Mi – who came with a massive rucksack – Qianlin arrived with only a small bag of clothes and toiletries.

The presence of Tang Mi and Zhou Qianlin gave the other students a false sense of security. They believed that, with these two beauties permitted to join, the classes couldn't be that difficult. For these young men, all full of spunk, this was a very good situation for them to find themselves in. Or so they thought.

Tan Lingyun had also arrived, quite early. She wore a flight suit, which showed off her impressive figure. She did not sit, but instead stood at the front of the bus and watched the happenings with vibrant, excited eyes.

For her, this was certainly a good thing. After all, the belief was she would exit this program a God-ranked pilot. It was the only thing she could think about.

It was Lei Feng's ability, the power he displayed, was a determining factor in her enthusiasm to be sure. Even without considering everything else that was in store, if she learned the different tricks and skills he'd displayed, that alone would launch her to God-hood.

Wang Hongyuan was also in attendance, though in contrast to Tan Lingyun, he was seated in the very last row of the bus. It looked as though they shared a tacit understanding; one assistant in front, the other in the back, watching. The reality was less altruistic, that being that Wang Hongyuan simply wanted to limit his exposure to Tan Lingyun as much as possible. The chance of blowing his cover was too high.

By now, all the students were settled, chatting loudly among themselves. Just then, a tall figure appeared in the bus' doorway.

The moment he stepped foot in the bus, silence took over everything. All eyes turned to him, and it felt as though the temperature dropped a good few degrees.

He was tall, with a golden mask and a decidedly frightening aura.

"Hello Drillmaster." The first few rows of the bust called out to their teacher in unison. The others followed suit on their heels. No one dared show this man disrespect.

Lan Jue swept his eyes over the gathered students. In the end his glance fell upon Tan Lingyun, standing at his side.

She spoke without hesitation. "Drillmaster. Fifty-one registered ARC students and two Assistant Drill instructors, all present and accounted for. We're ready to go on your command."

Lan Jue simply nodded. "We've got two more coming."

Two more? Curiosity welled up within the Savage Goddess. Who else could be coming?

No sooner had the thought crossed her mind, then the two final travelers stepped through the door. Every student on the bus stared, eyes wide, as the mystery individuals appeared.

Chapter 240: Three Demon Drillmasters?

As the two figures entered the tour bus, every ARC student's eyes popped wide. The reason for their astonishment was simple: their masks were golden as well.

Beyond that the two were of similar height and build to their Drillmaster, with only slight differences visible. In fact, only their flight suits differentiated them.

Their drillmaster had split himself in three?

Tan Lingyun was not spared the jolt. Two more with golden masks – could this mean they were also God-ranked pilots? When did they become a dime a dozen?

Lan Jue's deep voice filled the bus' interior. "These two gentlemen will also be your Drillmasters for the near future. You may refer to them as you refer to me."

"Hello, Drillmasters!" the students cried.

The red-haired one was obviously Chu Cheng, and the blue-haired one Hua Li. The masks ensured neither need be concerned about their true identity, which was especially important for Hua Li. The two of them nodded in response to the greeting, but said nothing. For Chu Cheng, this was largely due to the fact that he was too busy ogling the several pretty girls in attendance. It was inevitable that both he and Hua Li would eventually turn their attention to Zhou Qianlin, who was seated near the back. They hadn't expected to see Hera's doppleganger among the students.

"Off we go."

The bus lurched forward at Lan Jue's command. In no time they were out of the school and on their way. Wu Junyi was not present; he'd already relayed his commands to the school and West Hill. From here on out, all decisions were Lan Jue's, and orders were to be executed upon his request.

The bus rumbled along the road outside of campus and began to pick up speed. West Hill was a lump on the horizon.

West Hill had its own special personnel on staff, who'd been arranged by Wu Junyi to accommodate the training. When they finally arrived, Lan Jue was first off the bus.

"Get off the bus, and hand over all your communicators and any other equipment you can use to communicate with the outside world, "Lan Jue commanded in his regal voice. "If I find anyone holding out, punishment will be severe."

No outside communication? Suddenly, the students felt like their original idea of a pleasant school outing wasn't quite what was in store.

None dare deny the God-ranked pilot, so one by one communicators were relinquished to Tan Lingyun and Wang Hongyuan. Hua Li, Chu Cheng and Lan Jue stood in front, silently watching.

What about the Soulcaller gem? Lan Jue's head swam with Zhou Qianlin's voice.

That's fine. You can only communicate with me anyway. What we're trying to avoid is sharing information with the outside world. Lan Jue was entirely in 'Drillmaster mode', so his deep 'voice' was somewhat curt.

Once everything had been collected, Lan Jue asked the base personnel to help the students get checked in. He gave them twenty minutes to settle in and return.

"After twenty minutes, gather in the training field. I'm desperately hoping someone shows up late." His chilly voice was heavy with the promise of violence. His commands relayed, Lan Jue turned and left.

Chu Cheng and Hua Li fanned out behind him. Chu Cheng's excited voice whispered his way. "Woo, A-Jue, so vicious! Next time lemme give it a try. Seeing you like this brings me right back to when I got my start. Ugh, those memories are hard to remember!"

"No doubt! But it's damn interesting." Hua Li responded.

Lan Jue sighed helplessly. "You two are truly a pain in my ass, you know that? And here you are taking pleasure in others' misfortune."

ζ

Tang Mi and Zhou Qianlin walked side by side as they went to check in. Tang Mi quietly spoke to her friend. "Qianlin, I heard my brother say the Prince of Devils – Nooblet from the first class – is his Master. This whole ARC class is odd! Beginning with the fact they took all of our communicators! The training we took when we enrolled in the university wasn't anything like this."

"Better management, probably," Qianlin replied. "This training will also be much stricter, I think. We should brace ourselves."

Tang Mi chuckled dismissively. "I'm in awesome shape, it shouldn't be any trouble. If you're worried over your delicate feminine curves why'd you join the training!"

Qianlin shot her a glance. "Delicate? Maybe to you. In willpower, though, you're not even in my bracket. We can put money on that."

Tang Mi laughed openly. "You wanna compare yourself to me? Do I seem that low-down?"

"Keep your voice down," Qianlin said with a glare. "Don't you see everyone staring at you?"

Sure enough it was hard to count how many people were interested in just how 'low-down' Tang Mi really was.

"You better hurry, Little Mi. Twenty minutes isn't much for you lady folk." Tang Xiao had been walking ahead of them. He'd turned back when he heard his sister's voice.

Tang Xiao may have had the advantage over the other students, but his advantage was also why he was so apprehensive. He knew very well how vicious his Master could be. When he said twenty minutes, he damn sure meant twenty minutes. A second late, and he was sure Master would make good on his earlier promise.

Twenty minutes later the three Drillmasters and two Assistants were waiting on the training field. Lan Jue was waiting in the center, with Chu Cheng and Hua Li on either side. Wang Hongyuan and Tan Lingyun were beside them.

Students had been steadily trickling in. Tang Xiao, with his bulging belly and trunk-like legs, had been first to arrive.

The female students were naturally among the last to arrive, with Tang Mi being the final comer. Lan Jue was watching the clock.

Seeing this, Tang Mi was running to join the others. Her heart was racing as she remembered her first run-in with Nooblet, and the subsequently cruel defeat she suffered from his Brunois Assault. It made her furious 1. Tang Mi, who was almost never tardy, was moving slowly on purpose. Not only was she the last to arrive, she was also ten seconds late.

"Drillmaster, all fifty students have arrived." Tan Lingyun eyes Tang Mi as she gave her report.

Lan Jue nodded.

"Tang Mi, to the front."

She did as commanded, and separated herself from the group. Her head was held high, and there was a defiance in her eyes that said 'what are you going to do about it?'

"To the front," Lan Jue said softly.

"Alright," Tang Mi replied. She took another large step forward, bringing her a few feet from the Prince of Devils.

Lan Jue first turned his attention to the other gathered students. "If you recall, I said twenty minutes. Within that time frame, everyone one of you arrived on time. Except for Tang Mi. Now, I'd like everyone to spread out one arm's length."

The students all raised their arms at his command, without hesitation, and spread out to give each other room.

"Arms down."

They complied.

Tang Mi was beginning to sense doubt snaking its way within her. What was this Drillmaster doing, asking her to stand in front?

Lan Jue went on. "Spread your legs, and drop in to horse stance. I want your thighs level with the ground."

Horse stance? Everyone could do this. They did as instructed.

Lan Jue then turned to regard Wang Hongyuan and Tan Lingyun. "I'd like our two assistants to serve as examples in the front."

Tan Lingyun blinked behind her mask. He was going to have her do the horse stance as well? Was this his 'training'?

Despite her misgivings, she moved to the front and dropped in to the stance. Wang Hongyuan did so without any hesitation or internal grumbling – his hope was to truly improve.

With the two assistants as examples, Lan Jue stood between them and went on. "Horse stance is your foundation. I hope you all can hold it, otherwise – like a poorly built house – your foundation crumbles. If you can't, you'll join Tang Mi in her punishment."

"Yesterday, you all felt the catalysis of the electric strike. Afterwards I put my mind to it, and I came up with an even better way to instigate your Discipline. In the next two months, I'm certain every one of you will enjoy this process. But today, Tang Mi will be… awarded… the first demonstration."

Tang Mi stood before the gathered assembly, fearlessly staring at the others. What was he going to do, shock her again? She lived through it once, what was there to fear? She was sure she could handle it.

Unfortunately, her back was to Lan Jue. She couldn't see what was occurring behind her. But the students in front of her could, and every one of them was staring in abject horror.

What are they looking at?

A silver light shimmered in Lan Jue hand and then, without pretext, a long steel needle appeared. It twinkled with a strange, surreal light, and was about the length of Lan Jue's forearm. The unnatural light caused no small number of students to shiver uncomfortably.

Tang Xiao's mouth was wide open, literally slack-jawed. He wanted to call out, but Lan Jue's harsh glare stopped the words from coming.

The Prince of Devils approached Tang Mi until he stood at her back. He spoke softly. "Bioelectricity had a profound effect on the human body, even down to the molecular level. Student Tang Mi, what is your Discipline?"

"Metal domination," she said curtly.

Her own Discipline was different from Tang Xiao's metalmorphosis, but were in the same vein. Tang Xiao's was slightly better, for it involved both attack and defense. Tang Mi's own powers were more suited for attack, as her own body couldn't become metal. As a result, she was slightly behind her brother. A sixth-ranked adept.

Lan Jue nodded. "Very good! Metal dominion, somewhat similar to a Mental Discipline. It relies on the strength and will of metal. In today's world we encounter metal everywhere. It's a good Discipline. So, if we want to improve your Discipline there are two locations that are best suited for the task. The first is your Core, and the second your brain. Judging by the waves of power from your aura, your core isn't located in your brain. If it were, your Talent – and thus your metal domination – would be better. In my estimation, your core is located in your chest. Is that right?"

Hearing this, Tang Mi couldn't help but be both confused and surprised. Lan Jue was precisely correct with his determination. Her core was indeed in her chest.

"That's right," she said.

1. The Chinese reads as 'anger not coming from one place'. In Traditional Chinese medicine, the emotion of anger is said to come from the liver. This expression notes that the anger is coming from many places, so it's more than just normal anger. It's pissed the f*** off.

Chapter 241: We'll Go All Out!

"Very well," Lan Jue said in his dispassionate voice. "Let's get started." He wasted no time, for as the students looked on in surprise and horror their Drillmaster shoved the giant needle through Tang Mi's back.

Her whole body went rigid, as though she had been immobilized by some unseen force.

"Xiao Mi!" Tang Xiao and Zhou Qianlin called out in one voice, and Tang Xiao immediately rushed forward to attend to her. He had only the one sister and, even though he knew his Master wasn't going to hurt her, it went beyond all his instincts not to do something.

There was a flash, and suddenly Lan Jue was holding another, frighteningly long needle. Tang Xiao ran directly in to it in his head-long rush, burying the needle in his own chest. He, too, was frozen in place.

"Did I ask you to break rank? You wanted to protect her from some perceived injustice, and now you're here right along side her. Anyone else?" Lan Jue glared at the others.

Silence.

The needles were almost two feet long! And nine-tenths of them were buried in the brother and sister.

Tan Lingyun looked own, grinding her teeth. Logically, she understood that this Drillmaster must have a reason for his actions. However, these were students he was hurting. She only just barely managed to control herself.

"Me!" A powerful, moving and steadfast voice rang through the training grounds.

"Xiao Mi is my friend," the voice assured, as an alluring figure rose from amidst the others. With deliberate steps, the sleek silhouette walked towards the Drillmaster. "If she has to suffer your punishments, then I will too. Go on then."

Zhou Qianlin stood a small distance apart, challenging Lan Jue with her stare.

Lan Jue was surprised to see such firmness on her beautiful face. None of the other male students had the courage to suffer the needle's stick, but here she was asking for it. She might have known who this Drillmaster was, that he would do nothing to harm them. However, just the fact that she was so willing to face whatever it was he was doing with the spike, displayed her bravery.

"As you wish." He relinquished one needle and, with the flick of a wrist summoned another. In the blink of an eye, he buried it in her chest. She stumbled around, frozen solid, but facing the others dropped in horse stance. As they watched Qianlin's flush and ruddy face blanched until it was white as a sheet. Her face was frozen in an expression of pain.

And the pain was intense. In truth they did not feel the stabbing sensation of the needle. Instead it was an all-encompassing numbness. At least on the outside. Within their tortured bodies it felt like every organ was twisted, jerking and locked in spasm. Blood rushed through their veins at intense speed, making them feel bloated and swollen. But they couldn't move a finger.

"Enough! How could you do this?!" Tan Lingyun could finally take no more. She faced Lan Jue, her voice thick with anger and incredulity.

Flash. Suddenly Lan Jue was standing before the Savage Goddess, but before she could react he thrust a needle in to her throat. She froze.

An overwhelming sensation of anger hung over the area like an encroaching tempest. The pressure made it hardtop breathe.

When Lan Jue spoke again, his voice was as detached and dismissive as it was from the onset. "I had told you all yesterday, that once we got started you wouldn't be able to back out. You had your chance leave. Now you're here, and this is my domain. I am your master here, and unless you can take me on… unless you can beat e, then you're going to do everything I say. You're going to suffer every punishment I levy. And every transgression, will be dealt with harshly."

His eyes swept across the crouching pilots. "You probably think I'm crazy. Even my assistants are displeased, and now punished. And you're right… I am crazy. And since this is my domain anyone who irritates me – staff included – will be treated as harshly a you will be."

As he spoke he made his way to Wang Hongyuan. His second assistant made no effort to evade as Lan Jue plunged a needle in to him.

"So courageous, you young men and women! You witness the cruel treatment of your colleagues, your teachers. You stay where you are. All… but two women. Very nice. If this is the strength of character I can expect from NEU students, I'd hate to encounter a coward."

"We are not cowards!" Geng Yang, situated near the front, shot to a standing position. He glared hatefully at Lan Jue. "Fellow students, we don't have to take this! Here's here to hurt us! How can we sit here and let him treat Zhou Qianlin and Tang Mi this way? If you're men, then advance!" With that, he charged forward with a rallying cry. Behind him, a golden aura bloomed in to existence much like a small sun. A dozen golden orbs launched out from it towards Lan Jue.

The fiery, metallic orbs raced ahead with malicious intent. However, as they approached the Drillmaster, each other exploded in a shower of golden light.

"Metamorphosis?" Lan Jue watched him approach with interest, but his reaction time did not suffer. Almost unconsciously he weaved a net of interlacing electric bolts – a net of crackling electricity. As the orbs interacted and collided with it, they subsequently exploded in to nothingness.

Geng Yang's call to arms ignited the fiery passions of several young men. They rushed at the Drillmaster, eyes red with rage.

They knew they stood no chance, but how could they not be incited to action after what they'd seen and heard? Were they not men? The women they admired and desired had stood up in defiance, it was unthinkable for them to cower like children.

The sky lit up as Disciplines of a dozen different colors flared. They charged at their Drillmaster from all directions.

"Do any of you believe you stand a chance, in the face of my power?" He shot out a leg and viciously kicked Geng Yang away. Lan Jue vanished, only the briefest glimpses of him visible as one student after another was viciously thrown from the crowd. They tumbled to the ground, with needles jabbed in various angles within them. They then lay on the floor, their bodies frozen in the instant they were stabbed.

Chu Cheng and Hua Li stood in the distance, watching the students revolt. Chu Cheng leaned towards Hua Li, and spoke softly. "Look at this punk. Why does he get to have all the fun?"

Hua Li responded with a lilting sigh. "But… he also never told us not to get involved. Onward!" Hua Li dissolved in to a beam of pale blue light, and was on the move.

Chu Cheng, naturally, could not refuse the promise of entertainment and himself raced off in the other direction. The two insidious young men launched themselves in to the fray of angry youth and wild discipline. Neither employed their own powers – they didn't have to. As they danced among the rioting students, they would grab one, then throw them towards Lan Jue.

Lan Jue's response to their assault was relaxed. He handled them easily as they came. With the addition of his two companions, the revolt was quickly settled. In no time at all every students was motionless, sporting a two-foot long syringe jabbed somewhere or another.

"At least your response proves you still have some measure of courage. But you're weak, pathetic, and rash. For that, you shall pay the price." Lan Jue's derisive voice hung in the quiet air.

The Prince of Devils raised his right hand, and within a crackling blue light was revealed. Slowly, the orb of electric light grew and changed, until it was an undulating ball of golden power. They couldn't move, couldn't react, but each one of the students stared in terror as their Drillmaster prepared their next punishment.

He wants to kill us, they thought. He's going to kill us!

They barely had time to fear for their lives, before the orb shot up in to the air and exploded a few feet overhead. The syringes jutting from each student acted like a lightning road, guiding the golden bolts right to them.

Before long, a dim golden aura hung over every frozen figure. Every one of them were frozen in twisted positions. Their mouths were open, but despite their pain, fury and fear, not a sound would come out.

It was difficult to imagine what they were going through! Just the initial jab from the needle alone was difficult to bear, however now it felt like they were being ripped apart. And then compressed, and then torn to ribbons. This wasn't pain, to them – this was obliteration.

It wasn't simply a physical pain they experienced, but a horrible affliction that scarred their souls. No adept, no matter how strong their Discipline, could mitigate how monstrous this pain felt. In fact, it was like their Talent had been sealed away.

As Chu Cheng and Hua Li looked at their handy-work, they spied no end of twitching students. Some just showed the whites of their eyes – their pupils had rolled back in to their skulls.

Lan Jue walked among them, stopping occasionally to slap them.

As he did, the golden aura blanketing some of the students would react by weakening visibly. Others would grow stronger. Wang Hongyuan and Tan Lingyun, for instance, shown with brilliant golden light.

It took several minutes for the release of power to be modulated in this way. Once he'd finished, Lan Jue returned to his original position.

He stood before Tang Mi. Gently, he turned her around so she could see the destruction he'd wrought. He spoke to her softly, calmly. "The suffering they are experience, is directly as a result of your actions. They endure this torture, because you were too stubborn to follow orders. If this were a battlefield, your fellow soldiers would all be dead – because you had to make your point. You could die a thousand times and never make up for a mistake of that magnitude. When the moment comes that lives rely on you, remember that you are not one person. You are part of a team. You are all part of a unit. The next time you decide to act, think first about how this will affect your companions."

Tang Mi had no way to respond to the Drillmaster's instruction, by word or deed. Her eyes were dim, and she could barely hear what he was saying. She only wanted to die… she so badly wanted to die.

Lan Jue took a step back, and looked at Hua Li. "You may begin."

Chapter 242: Spastic Pain

Hua Li nodded in acknowledgement, then lifting both his hands, pressed them toward the sky. Under a beam of gentle blue light, waves of power rippled from him. The cyan-colored emulsions intertwined with Lan Jue's sparks of electric power. As the undulating waves spread outward, they covered all of the students and teachers.

As the power blanketed them, the students and assistants could feel tendrils of it worming its way in to them. It felt like being splashed with scalding water, but somehow eased the spasms caused by Lan Jue's bio-electric strikes. Each of the afflicted began to feel pulses of their Discipline trying to break out.

The throbbing waves of their Discipline coincided with the ripples of Hua Li's energy as they washed over the students. They were still writhing from the electricity, but strangely, the twitches became rather rhythmic.

Gradually, the tearing pain was reduced to more manageable levels.

Lan Jue remained standing before them, motionless, however his eyes stared fixedly at each of his charges in turn. His psychic sight carefully assessed the condition of all of them.

They had only two months to incite a qualitative change in each of these aspiring pilots. It wasn't going to be easy, for anyone. Extraordinary measures would be required.

Everything they experienced today, was just the beginning.

Lan Jue paid special attention to the changes Qianlin's body was undergoing. Although her cultivation speed was impressive, her overall Discipline power was still weak. Compared to the others involved in the program, she was the furthest behind. It was for this reason he'd used significantly less electric power on her.

Of course, in only a very short time Qianlin had brought him no end of surprise. This girl, who looked so soft and gentle, was tougher than all the guys in this training field, suffering the bolts of electricity without hesitation and recovering quickly. It had apparently served to incite her Discipline as intended, but the effect on her physically was minimal. Her muscles, meridians, organs… all of them were exceptionally hardy. She had handled it better than any of the others, and of them all looked the least in pain.

This was greatly surprising to Lan Jue. He'd carefully regulated the first strike against her, but she drank it like a sponge. Her power absorbed the undulating energy from Hua Li as well.

He adjusted the shock so that it was more in line with the other students. Instantly her relaxed face twisted in a pained scowl. He carefully watched as her body adjusted, and despite her expression he saw that she was sustaining against the increased pressure well. Where she stronger in Talent, he thought to himself, she would be able to sustain several times more punishment than any of the others.

The golden electric light filled the training area, bathed it in shimmering light. Workers in the distance looked on, stunned. They'd never witnessed any sort of training like this, and naturally since they weren't the ones being stabbed in the chest and repeated blasted by lightning bolts, they relished the entertainment.

Chu Cheng's eyes twinkled as he looked on. He was filled with an intense sense of satisfaction. The scene confirmed once more to him the fact he always knew – Lan Qing and Lan Jue's up-bringing must have been something terrible. These kids, they were lucky.

Heh.

The seconds ticked by. Each one felt like a lifetime, at least to the students who remained jerking like epileptics. It was certainly only by virtue of Hua Li's healing aura that they were able to continue suffering the torture.

The first student to begin foaming at the mouth was a younger student, smaller than the others. Only then was his body spared further shock, and he slipped in to a coma.

A moment later, a second student follows suit.

Eventually the golden bolts subsided, one by one. As they did, the student it was attached to collapsed and lost consciousness.

This was as good a metric as any to compare these pilot's sustaining ability. The stronger they were, the longer they could hold out. The opposite was just as true.

The first student to pass out had lasted thirty minutes.

Lan Jue left them where they fell. There was no more electricity, but Hua Li's healing waves remained. By the time the clock ticked the final second of an hour, most of the students were dead to the world. Only a few rare holdouts remained.

Among them were Tang Xiao, and Tang Mi, along with the mecha piloting star Geng Yang. Wang Hongyuan and Tan Lingyun were also still standing. But most impressive, was Zhou Qianlin!

Qianlin remained, teeth gritted and valiantly suffering past the point of many of her stronger classmates. The trauma was still within her means to withstand. Lan Jue considered increasing the power of the electricity coursing through her even higher. However, he decided against it, fearing that her weak Discipline wouldn't be able to protect her against serious injury. He left her as she was.

Another ten minutes passed before Geng Yang had enough. Tang Mi was next, then Tang Xiao. They fell one after the others, like dominos. By the time Tang Xiao passed out, he'd lasted five minutes longer than the school's previously favorite pilot.

They were getting in to dangerous territory, now. The longer a body was locked in electric spasm, the more fragile it became.

Three persisted; Wang Hongyuan, Tan Lingyun, and Zhou Qianlin.

Lan Jue watched, speechless. Qianlin stared right back at him. Her body was wracked in convulsions, but her conscious remained firm as iron.

Her willpower was unbreakable, a fact Lan Jue was shocked to discover. She had surprised all of her class-mates, even his own chubby disciple. It was incredible!

Eighty minutes.

Qianlin's whole body was red, like she'd been burned. The tics and twitches were more violent than ever. Still, she grit her teeth and willed her body to hold.

No, it was too much. This was her first time suffering something like this, and too much could cause irreparable damage.

He approached his young charge, until he stood directly before her.

Zhou Qianlin stared at him.

Lan Jue lifted a hand, intending to relieve her of the electric current. Before he could, however, a weak but obstinate voice filled his mind.

I've got it!

You… There was hesitation in his answer.

Chu Cheng and Hua Li had by now understood what was happening. Both of them were equivalent in power to Lan Jue, at least comparatively. Both of them could certainly maintain themselves under Lan Jue's electric prison. However, they understood what it took to do so, so they watched Qianlin with deep interest, to see how far she could go.

'Endurance' wasn't enough. You needed an iron force of will – something she evidently possessed. All of this, and she was just a young girl.

Lan Jue took a deep breath, and suppressed the urge to ease her suffering. He bit back on the anxious lump in his throat. He nodded to her, ever so slightly, then went back to his position in the middle of them all.

He respected her decision, and to a degree understood why she made it. He had no reason to make it stop – if she wanted to go on, that was her right.

Erratic lights still flashed through the arena. The atmosphere was thick, and the air began to warp around the hold-outs.

One hour and twenty-five minutes in, Wang Hongyuan let out a sigh then collapsed. Only Tan Lingyun and Zhou Qianlin remained standing.

Tan Lingyun never took her eyes from Lan Jue. Like Qianlin, her eyes were bright and stubborn. What's more, by now she had a faint understanding of Lan Jue's purpose.

She was the strongest of those who'd been caught in this electric trap. An eighth-ranked Discipline was nothing to scoff at, and subsequently her voltage was highest. At this point, it was about five times more powerful than what the students had encountered.

Under the intense stimulation, Tan Lingyun could feel her core furiously at work. With each pulse of power, and each shock of energy, she felt not only her perception of the outside world growing but also her energy itself.

The experience was hellish, but she faced it with excitement.

The students couldn't feel the slight changes in their Discipline, even if they were awake. It was different for the Savage Goddess. And it wasn't just her energy or power – her body, too, was becoming stronger.

Any doubts Tan Lingyun had at the outside had been quieted, now. She could feel through the waves of elemental power, that the golden-masked newcomer was at least a ninth-level Talent. It was confirmed by the ac that it would require at least that much power to sustain this release of energy for so long.

If Lan Jue was the Prince of Devils, then this man must be his counterpart, a guardian angel.

I… must… endure! Over and over, Tan Lingyun snarled the words to herself.

Suddenly, Lan Jue was standing before her.

"We'll finish here."

The golden bolts of electricity vanished. Tan Lingyun and Zhou Qianlin were freed from their torment.

Qianlin swayed on her feet for a moment and then, with a defeated sigh, slumped to the ground. However, she did not lose consciousness. She lay crumpled in a heap, breathing heavily. Residual tremors periodically swept through her.

Tan Lingyun was in much better condition. She had dropped to one knee, and was panting headily like her younger student. Her flight suit was soaked through with sweat, and her whole body shook.

"Wh-y… di-…. did you… stop?" she said between shuddering gasps.

"I only have the one female assistant," he replied dispassionately.

"If you were to pass out, who'd look after our female students?"

He regarded her for a moment longer. Then, with nothing more to say, he motioned the distant workers to approach.

Chapter 243: Boiled and Eaten?

A contingent of workers Lan Jue had had Director Wu prepare beforehand came rushing onto the field. Three levitating medical vehicles came with them.

The paralyzed students were loaded on to the cars and removed from the area.

The flashing green aura around Tan Lingyun shimmered and dissipated. She had recovered from Lan Jue's assault, requiring a few minutes' rest before she was able to rise to her feet.

Zhou Qianlin was still gasping for breath a short distance away. She was in and out of consciousness, lying on the floor.

"What else are you planning?" Tan Lingyun stared at Lan Jue with glassy eyes.

"Come with me," he replied. With that Lan Jue, Hua Li, Chu Cheng and Tan Lingyun followed one of the workers as he led them from the training grounds.

Tan Lingyun, her teeth clenched, walked behind them best she can. Her gait would sometimes suffer from a stagger, and her knees threatened to give, but she continued on. Pride alone pushed her to keep up.

They followed the worker in to the training base.

Under Lan Jue's instruction, the flat-bed cars bearing the unconscious students were separated according to gender. The boys were placed in one big room, and the girls in another. The center of each of these rooms was dominated by a boiling pond.

"W-what's going on?" Tan Lingyun asked again, peering at Lan Jue in curiosity.

Lan Jue's response was quiet. "Boil them. Get everyone in the water and watch them. No one is permitted to leave until an hour has passed. You are to join them. Understand?"

"Boil…" The Savage Goddess looked at him with wide eyes. She was slowly becoming convinced the man in front of her truly was a devil in disguise.

"But… why?" She asked dumbly.

"I'm going to eat them," Lan Jue replied.

"Ah!" Chu Cheng and Hua Li couldn't help but snicker at Tan Lingyun's reaction.

The students were efficiently set up in their respective rooms. Lan Jue had several of the female staff accompany Tan Lingyun to the female section.

"Remember, no one gets out till time's up, yourself included! Disobey at your own risk." She could hear Lan Jue call after her as she left.

The two rooms were entirely segregated for privacy. Hua Li left with Tan Lingyun, while Lan Jue began dropping pouches of some unknown material in to the pool.

As the contents of the bags boiled in the intense heat, the pool's waters changed to many different colors. Eventually the colors combined, and the water adopted a dark brown tinge, almost like a coffee.

Lan Jue infused the water with a jolt of electricity to keep the contents churning.

Lan Jue stepped back, and with an indication of his hand the workers began to strip the male students of their flight suits. One by one they were placed in the pool with only their heads above water.

Chu Cheng watched from Lan Jue's side. "You know, I really should be on the female side. I'm positive I could do a better job than Hua Li."

"You?" Lan Jue said, his irritated tone clearly delineating his opinion on the matter. "If you went it'd be for the sole purpose of getting us all arrested. So long as you're in my sight I can relax. But if any of the young men catch your fancy far be it from me to interfere."

Chu Cheng's middle finger relayed the fiery young man's response.

The boiling pool was now a boiling potion of herbs and medicines. Once everyone was in, it was clear Lan Jue had not been exaggerating. They were all to be boiled alive.

On the other side of the partition, Hua Li was filling the relatively smaller female pool with medicine. Once he was finished, he left and returned to Lan Jue.

Soon the girls were also submerged in the mixture. Tan Lingyun was the only one conscious, and hesitation was clear in her posture as she looked upon the furiously boiling waters.

Could a person even handle it, she thought? She watched as the young women's fair complexion quickly became beat red from the heat. Still they remained asleep.

With a determined snarl, Tan Lingyun removed her clothes and jumped in.

She didn't ease her way in – to her, a short spell of suffering beat long and drawn-out any day. It was only hot water, she told herself. It couldn't do anything to her she hadn't already suffered.

It was only a few moments later that she started screaming. She was just about to leap out when a strange began to gush forth and diffuse some of the scalding heat.

Ey? This power…

It wasn't long before she found the heart of the issue. This energy wasn't her own. In fact, it was a property in the water, brought about by the Drillmaster's electric stimulation.

The energy somehow regulated the heat, and though 'anguish' was a suitable description for how she felt, it was still just within the realm of bearable. Her mind went to the pouches of medicine floating along the water's surface. She sunk in to the water, jaw clenched.

They were in fact being boiled alive!

Surely, any outsider who could see this would be horrified. Even the workers looked on with pale faces and doubt in their eyes. They had been commanded to prepare the water earlier, so they knew precisely how hot it was! They were convinced putting the students in there was a danger to their health.

Like were like fleshy hard-boiled eggs.

However, their misgivings were squelched. The school had made it very clear the Drillmaster was to get whatever he wanted. Every order, no matter how strange or unpalatable, was to be carried out to the letter. The school treated them well here, and none of the workers were keen on looking for other work. They comforted themselves with the assurance that the NEU wouldn't do anything to really hurt their students.

Ten minutes later

A scream rang out.

"Aaaaahhh!" The noise was shrill, forlorn, as though someone were being murdered. Like a ding swine.

A large and fleshy figure leaped out from the water, throwing boiling droplets in every which direction. His whole body was bright pink like a boiled shrimp's.

Before the bulky silhouette could entirely escape from the hellish waters, a bolt of electricity struck them right back down.

Splash. The stout body belly-flopped back in to the scalding water. Their pitiful cries abruptly fell silent.

A few seconds later, like a cresting wale, the fat body returned to the surface screaming bloody murder. Another blast, and again he was submerged.

"Ahhh! I'm boiling to death!" The screams were given words, this time, but they were no less tragic. The fat student made no further attempts to extricate themselves from the pool, but writhed pitifully beneath the roiling waters.

Tang Xiao's fat head bobbed on the surface, contorted in pain.

Tang Xiao wasn't the strongest of those who were electrocuted and injected today. Wang Hongyuan, the seventh-ranked adept that he was, took that title. What he did possess, however, was better endurance than the rest of them, and a faster recovery speed.

Part of this was due to his metalmorphosis Discipline, certainly. But more than that, his resistance was a result of the terrible beatings he was receiving daily from Mika.

He'd been knocked out a few dozen times at least by this point, so he was the first to pop out of it today.

Of course Tang Xiao desperately wished that wasn't the case. If he were unconscious, he at least couldn't feel this excruciating pain.

The scalding waters caused him to scream over and over. His small, pitiful-looking eyes glistened with tears. He glared through the burning drops at the stoic, golden-masked Lan Jue.

Steam filled the room, making it difficult to see anything clearly. Lan Jue's lithe figure seemed to undulate in the mist, disappearing and reappearing through the cloud of pain like a true demon.

"Teacher… save me please! Why are you doing this?" Tang Xiao howled, gasping desperately for breath through the screams and choking steam.

Chu Cheng's gloating voice was the one that responded. "He's the one that put your fat ass in there. You think he's going to save you? It's best to suck it up and learn to live in there, pig-boy. It'd be better for you."

"Ahh! It's too much, I'm dying!" The poor child whined and writhes incessantly, but Lan Jue made no move to save him. He had no desire to make it stop just yet.

"It's too much," Tang Xiao whined at his Master. "Professor, I can't handle it!"

Finally, Lan Jue responded, though his voice was chilly and dismissive. "If you can't handle this slight discomfort, how are you going to survive through the rest of the training? Keep shouting, but it'll only waste energy. Where I you, I'd be focusing on the changes in my body instead of complaining. Pain is the best way to temper oneself. Enjoy it."

Tang Xiao said nothing further, after all he understood his Master on some level. He knew the type of person that he was. If there was one thing he knew absolutely, it was that nothing he could say would make this situation better. Behave, and endure. That's all he could do.

With his determination made, Tang Xiao quit his woeful cries, grit his teeth, and focused on the pain. What he discovered was that, somehow, the needle his teacher had inserted within him was somehow sealing away his Discipline. No matter how he tried to pull it forth, to protect him from the terrible waters, no power would answer. He truly had no choice but to bear it on his own.

Lan Jue's voice rang in his ears, over and over. This is your last chance. You can't back out. Last chance. Tang Xiao understood, now, why he'd said it so many times.

The needles and lightning were just the beginning, and now the hot pool. This was the training! They were there for one purpose – to experience the torment of all eighteen levels of hell.

But despite the terrible situation he found himself in, Tang Xiao would do it again. If given the opportunity to change his mind, he wouldn't. That didn't mean, though, that he wouldn't hesitate.

One phrase from his master rolled in his mind over and over again. If you decide to come, don't even dream of leaving. Once this two-month training starts, there's no going back.

The thoughts helped solidify Tang Xiao's resolve. He knew there was nothing he could do. He wasn't alone, there were others at his side suffering the same fate. He had to change his attitude. He narrowed his eyes, and learned to love the pain.

Another piercing scream filled the thick air. This time, it was from Wang Hongyuan. The dance teacher, like Tang Xiao before him, instinctively pounced from the water to try and distance himself from the agony. Like Tang Xiao, a blast of lightning sent him tumbling back in.

The silver mask hid his face, though his figure gave him away.

"Lan-"

CRACK!

This second blast was terrifically more powerful than the last, and before Wang Hongyuan could inadvertently scream the Price of Devil's name, he was frozen solid.

Chapter 244: Boiled Alive

"Shut up, and take it like a man." Lan Jue's cold voice was sharply contrasted by the scalding hot water.

Wang Hongyuan had had enough time, now, to react to the water. His Discipline wasn't much stronger than Tang Xiao's, though his cultivation was further along. However, the heat was proving particularly difficult to bear in contrast to Tang Xiao – largely because he didn't have several centimeters of fat protecting him!

"Drillmaster, what is this? Why am I in here?! This water is boiling!" Wang Hongyuan realized his folly, and kept Lan Jue's name out of the conversation. But that didn't stop his screams from being any less shrill. He screamed and writhed, but dared not attempt to leave the water.

"Nothing. Behave, endure." Lan Jue's voice was calm and easy.

The intense heat worked as a stimulus for a person's mental fortitude. Fortunately, Wang Hongyuan was a smart cookie. It took him no time at all to understand this was part of the training. So he shut his mouth, scowled through the pain and suffered in silence.

Tang Xiao and Wang Hongyuan were able to get this far largely due to their understanding of their teacher. The others students, however, didn't have that benefit. One after the other they awoke to the heat and pain, and didn't know why.

As one screaming voice arose another would join it. Then they would fall silent and another would take its place. The pained screams of men and women filled the pools. It was like a song of suffering.

Blasts of thunder would punctuate the cries. Whether screams or curses, Lan Jue didn't hesitate to drop bolts of lightning upon his students. Under his brutal ministrations, not a soul could escape the boiling pools. This formerly relaxing room was now a living hell, filled the ear-piercing screams of its victims.

The female side was less soul-crushingly harsh, though screams were still heard. Likely because there were fewer of them.

In general, there were fewer women who were interested in becoming career mecha combat pilots. Other than Zhou Qianlin and Tang Mi, there were only two other female students in the class of fifty. Adding Tan Lingyun, their group had only five girls.

Tan Lingyun had had the longest opportunity to adapt, and her higher level of cultivation helped tremendously. She couldn't employ her Discipline, but she could sense – little by little – the medicines in the water permeating through her. It was raising her own body temper to match the pool. As time went on, not only did she feel capable of bearing more punishment, contrarily she felt a sense of comfort spreading from within her.

The stiffness from the Drillmaster's lightning attacks was beginning to wear off, along with the numbness. The catalytic properties were beginning to wane as well, but she could feel the results even in the suppleness of her movements.

Indeed, her Discipline seemed sealed, but there was more energy flowing through her veins with her blood. It brought the power to all of her muscles and meridians. She felt like something had taken root, and was growing.

Although Tan Lingyun couldn't yet understand what benefit this treatment would have on her, she had to admit that she hadn't felt her Discipline like this in a very long time. Not since it first Awoke.

The manifestation of an Adept's Discipline was energy, but it was an energy that intermingled seamlessly with the body. Thus, as the Adept grew so too did their power, but it simply felt like the normal growth process. Like one's own skeleton and organs, they grew as time progressed but their changes went unnoticed.

And what was this medicine in the water?

Admittedly Tan Lingyun had been too busy focusing on the pain to consider these sorts of things. Now she was able to start considering her surroundings, and as she did surprise filled her pretty eyes.

She was certainly no expert in medicine, but she'd used medicines to promote body and Discipline growth once before, when testing her Talent. She remembered the smell of it, and it smelled very similar to what she was immersed in.

Golden mugwort, that's what was in the water. And what else? It was used to clear the collaterals and bring nutritive energies to the five organs. She couldn't recall the name. 1

How much medicine did they need to fill up this whole pool?! The anger and indignation in her heart subsided, replaced by surprise.

Is this some sort of unorthodox teaching method?

At present Tan Lingyun was the only one to puzzle it out. Her body was strong enough to withstand the heat, leaving her mind free to consider other things.

The other students, Wang Hongyuan among them, were too lost in their abyss of suffering.

Just think; the smell of boiling students, so nice.

"Save me! I don't want to train. Let me go. Let me out!"

"Drillmaster, I'm sorry. Forgive me! Forgive me please, I was wrong. I don't want to be boiled alive!"

"Mother…"

Cries of all sorts, curses of all styles, rang through West Hill. The training grounds had become purgatory for these pour souls. Cries rang out, rising and falling in a terrible crescendo, as dozens of bodies writhed and screamed themselves hoarse.

Not all present were screaming, however. The first to awaken – Tang Xiao, was huddled in a corner, taking long deep breaths. He was trying his best to avoid the other students.

Wang Hongyuan was not far away, similarly cowering in the waters. The both of them knew screaming would serve no purpose. Lan Jue would not allow them to escape. Though their understanding didn't go as far as Tan Lingyun's, as they fought for calm the scent of medicine filled their nostrils.

It shouldn't be harmful… in fact, it mustn't be harmful! Once they came to this realization, they simply shut their mouths and took it.

Where any normal person put in to this water, they'd have been cooked through in short order, but Adepts were a different breed. From the day their Discipline awakens, an Adept's energy flows through them, nourishing and strengthening their bodies. It was also the reason why Adepts made the best mecha pilots – they could handle more than an average man.

The students were horrified and surprised to discover that the steel needles their Drillmaster had used somehow sealed their Discipline away. Still their energy persisted, and in fact had no problem protecting them from the more harmful effects of the water. None of them knew, also, that Hua Li had infused them with the water element to protect them.

With all that in mind, despite how cruel and terrible the situation looked there was no real risk.

The peels of thunder and blasts of lightning grew steadily fewer and farther between. Only a few hold-outs still had strength enough to struggle against the pain.

The seconds ticked by. After what felt like an age, Hua Li stepped close to Lan Jue and spoke in to his ear. "That's enough, I think."

Lan Jue gave him a slight nod.

He knew very well that going too far was just as bad as not doing enough. But today was the first day, so he had to make a show of being harsh. He had to teach them a lesson, so that they understood they will need to follow orders during the training. On top of that, there was a saying in former era China: First time taking the medicine, double the dose.

As for mental and nervous breakdowns, there was no chance of that happening. Part of the injection he'd given them was to prevent that from happening. If any of them were on the verge of having a mental break, the medicine would put them in to a medically induced coma.

This was designed to prove to them, unequivocally, that they were capable of suffering far more than they realized. Until now, not a single student had fallen unconscious. They sat in the water, still struggling against the pain with vitality.

Five minutes passed, and those in the water began to feel a drowsiness hang over them. Their struggles lessened, and that was the clue Lan Jue needed. The workers began feeding rails in to the water.

"You've got three minutes to climb these rails and get out. If after three minutes you're unable to climb out, you'll stay in another half an hour." He delivered the instructions, then left.

The students looked at each other in surprise and uncertainty. Silence prevailed, until a fat body churned the already tumultuous body in his rush to clamber up the railing. It was a very clear display of the phrase 'fighting for your life.' He was out of the terrible water much faster than his girth would have to believe. Escaping the torture, he collapsed belly first on the floor like a puddle of flesh. He took large, heaving breaths as he lay inert, unable to move a finger.

The second to exit the pool did so with impressive grace. Like a swallow, he was up the pool and out on to the ground with pretty and dramatic movements. Obviously, it was the masked Wang Hongyuan.

With their example, the other students rushed towards the poles like a swarm of hornets. Their speed was impressive.

"It's pretty hot," Lan Jue commented in a leisurely tone, wiping sweat from his brow. He seemed decidedly less murderous than usual.

"Why do I get the sense hurting these poor kids is satisfying some dark craving in you." Chu Cheng watched the exchange from behind Lan Jue, hands behind his head and fingers laced together.

"Because you have mental problems." Hua Li's voice interrupted his friend's thoughts, as he approached from behind with his hands stuck in his pockets.

"You're the one with mental problems. Damn near psychotic," Chu Cheng muttered in irritation.

Hua Li looked over the students. "Suitably intense, but this required quite a lot of medicine. Next I guess we'll see how they react."

Lan Jue chuckle behind the mask. "That's enough for this morning. We'll pick it up after lunch."

From the moment they arrived to now, with the students steaming pitifully on the floor, only two hours or so had passed. To the kids, however, it felt like a lifetime of wading through hell.

"Meet me in the training field in half an hour. If anyone's late, you'll try for round two of this treatment. Lan Jue's icy-cold voice was like a blast of thunder to their eardrums. They lay panting on the floor, beat-red like well-cooked meat.

Half an hour!

Tang Xiao was the first to react, urging his body to turn just enough for him to confirm the time with the clock hanging on the wall. It was an act quickly mirrored by all the rest of the students.

With the lessons derived from Tang Mi's tardy arrival, who would dare challenge the Drillmaster?

The situation wasn't much better on the female side of the pool.

In order to save face in front of the others, and retain the dignity of an instructor, Tan Lingyun had found the willpower to sit up once out of the pool. Zhou Qianlin had tried several times to follow, but her body wouldn't let her move. Tang Mi, one long leg splayed over Qianlin's lower back, panted pitifully against the floor. It was quite the display, but even if the men next door were given an opportunity to take a peek, they were all too weak and beaten to appreciate the views.

1. Chinese herbal medicine, as part of the TCM system, performs functions based on their various properties in accordance to the 'Five Phases' – that is, their elemental properties. Those are Fire -> Metal -> Wood -> Earth -> Water. Ai Jiu, or Chinese mugwort, is used most often for moxibustion and aromatherapy, where it has properties of cooling and clearing. In addition, Chinese medical theory posits that our organs are separated in to Yin and Yang organs. The Yin organs are considered the more important because they provide essential energies for growth-reproduction-health. These are the Lungs, Liver, Kidney, Spleen and Heart. Technically the Pericardium is also a yin organ, but ancient texts bundled it in with the Heart, to call them collective 'the Five Zang Organs'. In TCM, you'll often want to support and/or brings nutritive energies to the Yin organs to help give them the power they need to fight illness.

Chapter 245: Afternoon Delight

It took about twenty minutes in total for the students to pull themselves out of the water, throw on some clothes, and gather in the training yard.

It was a slightly easier time for the women. There were only five of them, so it was easier to distinguish their clothes from the pile and get organized. While their hair was messy, they were at least fully clothed, if somewhat uncomfortable.

The young men bustled among themselves.

For a dozen or so of them, their clothes had been cast in a pile. In the midst of their pain – and the fear of being late – they chaotically rummaged through the fabric in a desperate search for their own gear. In fact, those who got themselves together in a reasonable time frame were the exceptions.

Tang Xiao, for instance, had simply wrapped himself in two pieces of clothing; one on top, and one on bottom.

Flight suits were form fitting, and sadly Tang Xiao had been unable to find his own. They were composed of an elastic fabric, but he was simply too large to grab any suit. So he had to improvise, using the two separate ones he'd grabbed for a shirt and pants. The middle was left bare, and his expansive stomach wobbled in protest as he bounded around.

But as comical and pitiful as he appeared, the other students weren't any better off. Those with average builds were lucky, and they just grabbed whatever was lying around to cover themselves appropriately. Some of the slower students, they were dismayed to discover, ended up with no clothes at all. They had to settle with picking up whoevers' underwear they could muster and running out to the field.

They were a pathetic sight, as they stumbled out on to the field. A number of students were still groaning. Residual tics and jerks still plagued a few.

Hua Li, Lan Jue and Chu Cheng were waiting in their golden masks. They stood in the center of the field, silent as the students desperately gathered.

Seeing them in such dire circumstances, it took everything Lan Jue had to keep his severe countenance in place and not burst in to laughter.

Tan Lingyun lead the girls in to position, all the way glaring daggers at Lan Jue. She snapped to attention. "Drillmaster. Assistant Instructor Tan Lingyun, reporting all our female students in attendance."

"Line up," was all Lan Jue would say.

The male students came in bits and pieces, led presumably by Wang Hongyuan. His figure was one of the lucky few where he was able to simply grab a flight suit that served its purpose. When he reported in, his tone was gruff and embarrassed. He stood to one side, his head hung and staring at the ground. The silver mask, however, retained its stoic expression.

It was an impressive feat, all things considered. They were all here, not one tardy student.

Lan Jue's soft voice greeted them. "Smells good, doesn't it – the smell of boiling people."

Silence greeted his words. Even the groaning stopped. Who would dare single themselves out before this mad man? Who knew what other terrible things this monster had in store.

Now they were truly beginning to understand why the Drillmaster had chosen to call himself the Prince of Devils. It was a nickname that probably didn't go far enough. Ever since becoming adepts, none of the students could imagine they would have to suffer such torment. And that's precisely what it was – torment. How was this training?!

"Do you see yourselves? Like a routed army. As you are now, if you were really in a fight you'd drop everything and run like cowards." Lan Jue addressed them, his voice both derogatory and disappointed.

"Director Wu assured me you were the best the NEU had. The university's strongest and most skilled mecha pilots. Not according to what I'm seeing. I'm already doubtful there's a decent pilot in the lot of you. Today's class is going to teach you two things: First, I require absolute obedience in all things. Anyone who dares violate this rule, I have methods that'll push the limits of what humans can endure. Second, you all are a team. As a team you will suffer as your team mates suffer. You will face the same trials and difficulties. These people around you, they're your compatriots. Brothers and sisters in arms. Remember this when you make a decision, for it affects every person here. I don't care who make a mistake, everyone – including our two assistants – will suffer the consequences."

"This morning's class will end here. You have an hour to get yourselves tidied up, shower, eat and rest. Meet back here when your hour's up. You can be late… honestly." The last few words were delivered with sincerity, the Prince of Devil's intonation free and easy. But the gathered students weren't fooled. They felt that chill running up their spine, heard the ominous wind at their backs. No one said a word.

"I'll finish with a reminder," Lan Jue went on. "Those needles are to be left where they are. Anyone who removed theirs, will be stabbed twice. Dismissed."

He left, without saying anything further.

Once the three demon drilmasters were out of sight, the students were finally able to relax. Some left, a few immediately fell to the ground. Those of weaker mental constitution openly wept.

Very vocal complaints filled the air from all directions.

Lan Jue couldn't care less how the students were reacting. Tan Lingyun and Wang Hongyuan would at least keep them from deserting. If they chose not to eat, and instead complain for an hour, Lan Jue didn't mind. The afternoon class would be the same – largely because he hadn't planned further than that.

Tang Xiao didn't complain, didn't belly-ache. He felt like his actions were correct, and didn't waste time bemoaning his fate. He saved his energy for what was to come.

He fought against his tired and beaten body to find the one who had grabbed his clothes. Giving no consideration to the women in the audience, he quickly disrobed and switched clothing. Thankfully he had underwear to preserve some semblance of dignity. Once changed, he teetered away.

"Girls, with me!" Tan Lingyun's commanding voice rang out over the field. Her own needle glinted in the light, still sticking out of her chest. It prevented her from using her Discipline, but the Savage Goddess' physical fitness was already far and away better than most. She supported a couple of the girls as they limped off the field.

Tang Mi was silent, her face gloomy. The exhaustion, the discomfort she felt didn't bother her. What did, was the fact that she had been propped up as an example of what not to be. Though none of the other students said anything, the look in their eyes was clear enough as they stared at her.

She pondered just how poorly this would have ended up, had she been a boy. Whether or not it was that loathsome drillmaster's intention, the implication had been the morning's torture lay squarely on her shoulders.

Tang Mi was not a spoiled girl, but she had always been talented even when she was young. She was no ordinary girl, as was evident by the fact she was the most skillful female student the NEU had. Never before had she encountered such treatment in her short, blessed life.

The pain she felt, both physically and emotionally, fundamentally altered her view of the world.

"Little Mi, don't think too much about it. Let's go eat." Qianlin wrapped an arm around Tang Mi's, and spoke gently to her friend.

Tang Mi nibbled absent-mindedly on her lower lip. She looked at Qianlin with red-rimmed eyes.

Qianlin responded by wrapping her in a hug. "Don't think about it. We're all in the same boat. What happened was a result of you being late, this was the Drillmaster's plan all along. After all, why else would he prepare so many needles?" When she spoke, her voice was purposefully louder, so that the students around them couldn't help but hear.

Tang Mi nodded her head, ever so slightly.

"Let's go," Tan Lingyun called to them. "We've only got an hour."

Her jaw set, Tang Mi followed Qianlin towards Tan Lingyun and the exit. The other two girls were close behind.

The students rinsed themselves off and, with no time to change clothes, followed the worker's instructions to the cantina. Upon smelling that full-bodied aroma, and seeing those steaming plates of food, the students were finally beginning to feel like they'd escaped the depths of hell.

They had an expansive spread to choose from, with at least ten different meals to choose from. Nine of them were meat dishes, and the tenth being a vegetable soup.

The students stumbled around, preparing to eat. The residual effects of their morning 'training' remained, and there wasn't a soul present who wasn't limping from the trauma.

The cafeteria was a bustle of activity.

Tang Xiao took to the food with a vengeance. It wasn't so much eating as it was viciously throwing food at his stomach. At one point he'd managed to cram an entire drumstick in his mouth, extricating only the bone. He chewed just enough so as not to choke and swallowed it down.

They ate like ravenous animals, and to a man each student felt like their stomachs were bottomless pits. No matter what or how much they are, it was never enough. The women were no exception. No one was concerned with appearances at this point.

An hour was all they had, and it was hardly enough. Every one of them ate while staring fixedly at the clock. At this moment being late was their primary fear – after all, that hellish drillmaster had told them it was all for one. A single student could ruin it for everybody. No one was interested in suffering the murderous stares of their peers. Tang Mi might have been uncertain how they would react, but they understood quite clearly.

An hour later, every student was standing at attention in the training field. A few of them burped, still working through their lunch.

The three drillmasters were punctual, already waiting when the students arrived. In their golden masks, they really were like demons.

It couldn't be said that the students' clothes were tidy at this point, but they were at least in far better straights than earlier. The girls had showered and put their clothes right, but their hair remained a mess. They'd had no time to comb their hair.

Lan Jue regarded them calmly. Eventually, he spoke. "I trust you enjoyed your lunch. Our training is nothing if not humane, so you'll find this afternoon's class to be gentler. You just ate, after all. So we'll keep the physical exhaustion to a minimum."

Humane? Do you even know what that word means? The flabbergasted sentiment rang in the heads of every student. Of course no one had the gall to say it out loud. They still had the desire to survive this 'training.'

Lan Jue waved at a group of workers standing nearby. They approached the students, bearing trays.

"Four for each of you. Rest them in the palms of your hands." Lan Jue commanded.

As the trays arrived before the students, they noticed they were filled with razor blades. No, they were scalpel heads, like those used for operations. They were about an inch long, and half an inch wide – and exceptionally sharp.

Chapter 246: Dancing Blades

The trays were heavy with surgical razors!

But no, that wasn't right. Scalpel blades were only sharp on one end. These looked painfully sharp on both sides.

Each student very carefully plucked four from the trays as the workers wandered by, then placed them in their palms. They didn't know what the Drillmaster had planned, but their hearts were full of foreboding.

Before long, every palm bore a set of razor blades. A worker with surplus blades approached Lan Jue.

The masked jewelry master snapped up two blades, pinching them between his thumbs and forefingers. He approached the students, hands high. "Two more each for Emperor pilots, and six more for Sovereigns."

Tang Mi, Tang Xiao and Geng Yang were given two more blades each, while Tan Lingyun and Wang Hongyuan were given six more.

Lan Jue kept just the two.

"Watch carefully," he instructed, as his hands begun to move.

Under the student's scrutiny, the razor blade began to dance along the back of Lan Jue's finger, flipping over and between them back and forth. The sharp inch of steel tumbled back and forth over his finger joints like it had a life of its own.

The sun was high over the outdoor field. With the sun high overhead, shining directly upon Lan Jue and his razor blades, it gave the onlookers a strange sense of beauty. They felt like they were watching a man playing with a friendly spirit, as the blade flashed occasionally catching the sun's rays.

However, no one was excited to watch. By now they expected nothing but terrible things from their demon Drillmaster.

Lan Jue meandered among the lines of students, still coaxing the razor blade along his fingers. His trek was slow and deliberate, giving everyone ample time to see what he was doing.

His finger speed was fast, but very rhythmic. Despite the sharpness of the blade, no damage was done to Lan Jue's hands. The rise and fall of his fingers, and the flash of steel as it tumbled along them, was almost hypnotic.

"For the next hour, you will learn to control this blade as it runs over and between your fingers. The other drillmasters and I will be responsible for supervising you. Should anyone stop, or deviate from the method shown, you'll all be treated to a wonderful surprise. Begin."

Lan Jue returned to the front of the class. The razor blades were gone, and now an orb of roiling lightning crackled in his palm.

The sizzling sound it produced filled the air. It's cobalt blue, electric light cast stark shadows on the faces of the nearest students.

With the 'wonderful surprise' of this morning still fresh in their minds, the students didn't dare hesitate. They took a final, dismal look at the razors, then started.

Lan Jue never told them any tricks, never related any techniques. He'd just showed them the example.

These young pilots had all done similar finger exercises before, however their training methods had involved either crystal balls or small iron rods – never razor blades. Who used razor blades?

They proceeded carefully, with ginger and jittery movements.

Hua Li and Chu Cheng made a tour of the student lines, heading off in different directions. Chu Cheng wandered among them with his hand raised, a roiling ball of fire swirling within. The orb was alive with licking flames of red and orange, but the core of it was black as night. Looking at it too long, it felt like your soul was being drawn inside. Most unsettling of all, however, was the heat – or rather, the lack thereof. Instead of heat, the orb released a palpable, ominous chill.

None of the students knew what it was, or what it did, but the feeling it released was enough to frighten them. No one was willing to discover the properties of this devil's fiery orb.

The morning's lesson was clear; the Prince of Devils demanded obedience, and none dare challenge that. Not after Tang Mi.

It took very little time for the first student to cut their hand. He picked it up where it fell, and continued.

Of course anyone who let their cadence slip, or who slowed even a little, was met with a streak of lightning, a lick of flame, or a blast of water.

It was a mistake to assume the water was the least terrible of the options. The moment that water touched them, it felt like their skin was simultaneous numb and itchy. It made controlling the blades harder, and thus made them more likely to suffer other punishments.

Fresh drops of blood began to trickle on to the dirt of the training ground. Fresh cuts and slices appeared with every passing second, whether boy or girls, making their hands slick with blood.

Still the grounds were silent as a grave. No one dared cry out, and no one dared stop. Tight-lipped, they trained.

Lan Jue made his way to Tan Lingyun, and stopped. He waved Wang Hongyuan over to join them.

The two of them were also sporting cuts, mostly due to the extra number of razor blades they bore. With five in each hand, it made the motions chaotic and uncoordinated.

"Watch carefully," he told them. He grabbed the ten razors from Tan Lingyun. Under his ministrations, the blades rolled harmlessly along his fingertips.

Tan Lingyun watched, the surprise on her face hidden by the mask, as the sharp bits of metal undulated in his hands. They flashed as they moved unceasingly along his fingers, over and under, over and under.

This time, as he demonstrated what he wanted, he lectured them on the proper techniques. They were responsible for ten razors, so their basic knowledge of the exercise wasn't going to be sufficient.

Tan Lingyun listened intently. It didn't appear as though the several cuts she'd suffered troubled her in the least. How much blood could the fingers have, anyway? This pain meant nothing. Nothing was more important than achieving God-ranked status.

The afternoon's lesson, despite the bloodshed, was significantly less terrifying than the morning. Relaxed wasn't the word, but something akin to it. But oh how the fingers suffered. Several of the students were struggling to control the blades, since their hands were coated in blood. They couldn't help but stop to wipe the blood on their flight suits, and continue.

An hour later, Lan Jue called for them to stop.

By the time the razors were collected, blood sloshed along the inside of the worker's trays. Another set of workers rushed ahead with prepared bandages to wrap up the students' hands.

Each of them had performed admirably, working hard and not trying to shirk the training. Their Disciplines were sealed, and they'd only get them back once the training was complete.

They were unpleasantly surprised to discover that the bandages were coated in some sort of medicine that made their wounds burn, but they suffered in silence until the discomfort was pushed to the background.

Several of the students took deep breaths of relief. It wasn't as bad as the morning routine, they told themselves. That satisfaction was short lived.

"Good, it looks like you've had enough time to digest. It's time to begin the afternoon class. Horse-stance, begin!"

Horse-stance began easy enough, but where it became a problem was as time stretched on. Things changed the longer you held the stance, and they couldn't even use their Discipline to help dispel the pain.

Their legs went from sore, to pained, to numb.

Five minutes later sweat was pouring from their foreheads. Soon the pain in their fingers was utterly forgotten.

Ten minutes later, and a few of the students were threatening to collapse.

They desperately wanted a break, to rest and give their tortured legs some respite. But before them stood Lan Jue, idly twirling a steel needle they were all so familiar with. There was no mistaking what would happen if they couldn't hold the stance.

Chapter 247: Extreme Excitation

After fifteen minutes, their bodies hardly knew how to handle the sensation. Once a person's limitations were reached, they had no more control over how it reacted.

People started to collapse.

The moment someone fell, a second steel needle was quickly jabbed in to their thorax. They would subsequently be thrown to the side, and blasted with an arc of electricity that caused them to seize up.

It was a stark visual that helped keep the others in place – none dared break rank, as they didn't want to be the next pin-cushion. There was a sense of hard determination hanging over the training field.

Eventually it was Tan Lingyun who was the last to fall. As before, she was not exempt from the punishment. Another steel rod jutted from her, as she twitched and jerked.

Errant arcs of golden electricity danced every which direction. The students didn't even have enough energy to scream or protest their treatment.

One after another the students came to. Up to their neck in boiling water…

It was almost an exact copy of their morning routine, but for the fact that lunch was replaced with dinner.

It was assumed, for the most part, that after dinner they would be given some respite. It was a false assumption, though, as after eating they simply went right back to the field and practiced with the razors again. Followed by horse stance. Which inevitably concluded with steel needles, lightning strikes and boiling water.

This time they didn't snap out of it. One by one they were plucked from the water like corpses and deposited in their beds. By the time their unconscious forms were finally given quarter, it was late in to the night.

Lan Jue, too, rested upon his bed in exhaustion. Hua Li stood at his back. Soothing waves of power infused Lan Jue through Hua Li's hands, which were lightly pressed against his shoulders. The water element coursed through him like a cleansing rain.

Lan Jue had used about eighty percent of his energy reserves today, and that was after relying on the phylactery stone to help him recover. More than his power, though, he felt as though the vitality had been drained out of him.

From the outside it might have appeared easy – stab a kid, shock a kid and so forth – but in fact he had had to pay very close attention to every one of the students through the entire process. He was responsible for their well-being, and had to ensure the motivation they were using to improve their Disciplines didn't cause any permanent damage. He had to be ready – at a moment's notice – to spring in to action and protect them.

By the end of the day, he was physically and mentally exhausted.

Chu Cheng sat at his side, idly sipping a glass of brandy.

"I'm pretty sure every one of these kids are having very pleasant dreams of murdering you," he said. "Today was just as bad as what we experienced all those years ago. Heh, I'd love to see their faces if they knew just the medicines cost as much as an a-ranked power gem. I was impressed with them today, really. Good quality students. With sufficient time I think every one of them could be Sovereigns. A few of them even have a chance at God-ranked."

Hua Li chimed in. "A-Jue took a beating today as well. It aint so easy being the bad guy! It'd certainly be a surprise how much these methods take out of every body. But unfortunately they'll never know – it'd affect their improvement."

Chu Cheng nodded. "And for the next three days, the most important thing is that they stick to it. We'll see what happens then."

Hua Li smirked at his friend. "Without me here, you'd probably already have a few who couldn't hash it. Don't worry about them, with me here there won't be a problem."

Lan Jue opened his eyes, but didn't look at either of his companions. "Yeah, with A-Li here it's a big help. The stimulation we're giving here may not be as beneficial as the Fantascia Genetica decoction, but between A-Li and I the difference isn't that large."

With a shrug, Chu Cheng took another sip of brandy. "Suddenly I'm feeling like helping you isn't in our best interest. I'm from the North, and Hua Li's a Westerner!"

"Don't give me that," Lan Jue muttered, shooting his friend a disdainful glance. "You think I don't know you're trying to be all sneaky and steal my training regimen?"

Chu Cheng laughed. "What would be the point? I don't have your bioelectric Discipline, so the results would be sub-par. It'd have to be replaced with the North's specialty – merging man with machine."

Lan Jue shook his head. "I figured you had a plan, from the beginning. The East, the North, the West… in the end these internal disputes they bicker over don't mean a thing. I have no interest in any of that. My concern is the future, when we inevitably run in to things we never even knew we had to protect ourselves from. The survival of the human race is the only goal."

Chu Cheng's rarely encountered serious face met Lan Jue's assertions. "You're absolutely right. I verified it with the family last night. The second reconnaissance fleet we sent has vanished, and likely has encountered some trouble. We're assembling a third party now – this time a large scale sweep and clear, I'm told. We've even repositioned two bastions to face the last known location of the monster planets. We're ready, on emergency alert. We've also let the other two Alliances know."

Hua Li was in agreement. "I've also been monitoring the Poseidon group intelligence reports, and they confirm it as well. Everything's calm on the surface, but there's a lot happening under wraps. Arms production has ramped up, and the scuffles between the North and the East have died down. Now it's come down to the wire, and the decision-makers have finally decided to work together. Truth be told I'm taking notes throughout this process as well, and plan to use them for my own family once this is done. Sorry A-Jue."

Lan Jue simply shook his head. "There's nothing to be sorry about. This whole process is the brainchild of the three of us, anyway. Besides, I'm only too anxious to spread this, and improve humanity's chances as much as possible."

"How long do you plan to continue at this pace," Hua Li asked.

"Three days," Lan Jue replied. "That should be about the limit to what they can bear. Any longer than that and I'm afraid there might be – unpredictable consequences."

"You're actually doing three days, eh?" Chu Cheng shivered. They'd originally only planned for one day of this sort of treatment.

Lan Jue explained. "I made the determination after watching them today. They're endurance is a lot better than I'd originally expected. Such being the case, we need to make sure they reach their limit. Now I say three days, but not everyone's going to make it that far. We'll need to watch every one of them very carefully, pay attention to their physical state. If we can break them all the way down, they'll rise up that much quicker."

Hua Li nodded. "It'll certainly show us their willpower and potential. Those are the two basis for a person's strength."

Just then, Lan Jue's communicator rang.

"Boss, Jin Tao's up."

"Good," he replied, "send him here tomorrow morning. We'll see how much of the decoction he managed to absorb, and what effect it's had."

Hua Li's eyes flashed. "I'm very curious myself. Fantascia Genetica, your Eastern medicines, and our power combined on one subject. It'll be very interesting to see where he ultimately ends up, and how quickly."

The thought brought a grin to Lan Jue's face. "I'm anxious as well. Anxious to see how this little psychopath reacts. Looks like we've got fifty-one students, now."