At that moment, Qin Ming, who had been observing the team, noticed that Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling seemed distracted. Frowning, he spoke up, "Dugu Yan, Ye Lingling, what's going on? Why are you suddenly daydreaming? We're in the middle of training!"
The two girls weren't too bothered by Qin Ming's scolding, as their attention was focused entirely on the mysterious diary that had appeared before them. Surprisingly, it seemed like only they could see it.
This was simply too strange. What exactly was this diary?
However, since they were still in the middle of training, they decided to put their curiosity on hold and finish the session first. Once it was over, they could discuss the diary in detail.
On the side, Yu Tianheng also paused his training, puzzled by Yan's behavior. She was usually the most serious and responsible member of the team—why was she so distracted today? (At this point, the two hadn't confirmed their relationship yet, but they had mutual feelings for each other.)
Both girls quickly responded to Qin Ming, saying, "Sorry, Teacher Qin. It won't happen again."
Indeed, it was their fault for being distracted, and apologizing was the right thing to do. But if Qin Ming pushed further, Dugu Yan wouldn't care much for his authority.
Seeing that their attitudes were respectful, Qin Ming softened, "Alright, let's continue training for a bit longer, then you can rest. Make sure to work on your team coordination. In a few days, we'll head to the Great Spirit Arena in Soto City for some real combat practice."
Yu Tianheng, still confused, asked, "Teacher Qin, why do we have to travel all the way to Soto City for practical training? It's quite far, and the academy already has a training arena, right?"
The others also stopped what they were doing and looked toward Qin Ming, waiting for an explanation.
Qin Ming had expected this question, so he explained, "You're all the best of the best in Heaven Dou Academy. Training within the academy doesn't offer much of a challenge anymore. Even if you seek out older opponents, they may hold back because they fear your background or want to curry favor with you."
"As for why we're going to Soto City, that's a bit of my personal preference. Back when I was a student, I trained there, and I want to give you all the same experience."
"My old academy was near Soto City, and participating in the Great Spirit Arena was one of the graduation requirements. We had to earn the Silver Spirit Badge before we could graduate."
"Moreover, being farther away means people will be less concerned with your identities, and they won't hold back in combat. That's the best way for you to gain real combat experience!"
After hearing this, they had no choice but to agree. After all, it wasn't really a loss for them—just a slightly longer journey.
At the same time, they were curious about Qin Ming's old academy. What kind of school had such high graduation standards? They knew about the Great Spirit Arena and how difficult it was for an average spirit master to earn a Silver Spirit Badge.
Even for them, it would take considerable time and effort. Knowing that Qin Ming had graduated from such a place made them respect him more. No wonder he had achieved such strength at a young age and been hired as a teacher at Heaven Dou Royal Academy despite not having any significant background.
However, their curiosity didn't go beyond that. For them, Heaven Dou Royal Academy was the best, followed by the Four Elemental Academies. Anything else wasn't worth their attention.
Not long after, training finally ended, and the two girls excused themselves, saying they needed to use the restroom. Once they were in a more secluded area, they didn't speak right away. Instead, they quickly read through the contents of the diary.
After a few moments, Dugu Yan let out a deep breath and turned to Ye Lingling, saying, "Lingling, what do you think of this diary? And who is this Su Ming? He's also near Soto City. Could it be that Teacher Qin's old academy is Shrek Academy?"
Ye Lingling nodded in agreement. "That seems very likely. For now, having this diary doesn't seem to be a bad thing. We can gain strength-boosting rewards and also learn about future events in advance."
"Moreover, it's clear from the diary that we're not the only ones with access to it. Several others, including Spirit Hall's Pope, Bibi Dong, have already had it for a while."
"What surprised me the most is that Heaven Dou Empire's Crown Prince, Xue Qinghe, is actually Bibi Dong's daughter in disguise. After reading the diary, I feel like I've learned so many earth-shattering secrets. I need time to process it all."
"As for Su Ming, we'll definitely meet him in a few days when we head to Soto City's Great Spirit Arena. He's been looking forward to our arrival, and it's possible our team will face Shrek's in battle. That'll be the perfect time to gauge his strength."
Dugu Yan agreed with Ye Lingling's analysis, though she was still unsure about one thing. Should she reveal that the Crown Prince of Heaven Dou Empire was an imposter from Spirit Hall?
After all, her grandfather, Dugu Bo, though not officially employed at the royal palace, supported the Fourth Prince, Xue Beng, which meant he also indirectly supported Heaven Dou Empire. The idea that the Crown Prince was an imposter felt like a major betrayal.
Then there was Tang San. Su Ming had mentioned that her grandfather would grow close to Tang San, but his eventual fate wasn't good. Did that mean he would end up like the two Titled Douluo from Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, who died in the final battle?
Dugu Yan didn't want to dwell on that thought any longer. She needed to learn more from Su Ming about her grandfather's future. She couldn't bear the idea of something happening to him—he was her only family.
After much thought, Dugu Yan decided to let things play out naturally. Supporting Heaven Dou Empire might not be the best choice, after all. Although Su Ming had mentioned that Spirit Hall lost the Battle of Jialing Pass in the original story, that was only because of Tang San and a few others.
Now, with Su Ming's presence, everything was different. It was clear that Su Ming leaned toward supporting Spirit Hall, and his heart was set on helping the commoners. This made it likely that he would assist Spirit Hall in uniting the continent.
Revealing the Crown Prince's true identity now would be premature. She needed to gather more information before deciding whether to continue supporting Xue Beng and Heaven Dou Empire, or if it would be better for her grandfather to meet Su Ming instead.
From what she had seen in the diary, Su Ming seemed like a decent person. Aside from being a bit too romantic, he was far better than Tang San. She was determined to stop her grandfather from forming a friendship with Tang San this time!