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The next day!
Wang Li and Du Gu Yan said their goodbyes to Du Gu Bo before leaving the house and heading toward the Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
The Academy was located not far from Heaven Dou City, so they could go there on their own without needing Du Gu Bo to accompany them.
After arriving at the Academy and identifying themselves, no one stopped them. They politely declined the staff's offer to guide them, choosing instead to climb the mountain and head to their old campus on their own.
The staff, however, were quick-witted and immediately reported their arrival to the Academy's senior leadership—three members of the Board of Directors: Meng Shenji, Bai Baoshan, and Zhi Lin.
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*At the Academy's Rear Mountain*
Wang Li and Du Gu Yan's unexpected appearance surprised everyone, including Qin Ming, Yu Tianheng, Ao Si Luo, Yu Feng, Shi Mo, Shi Mo, and Ye Lingling.
Wang Li glanced at Qin Ming. It seemed that Qin Ming had stayed at Heaven Dou Royal Academy. He hadn't gone to Shrek after the disgrace the Academy had suffered. But that was a small matter.
With a smile, Wang Li greeted everyone:
"Teacher Qin, everyone, Yan Yan and I are back."
Du Gu Yan also greeted them warmly.
Qin Ming let out a relieved sigh and said:
"It's good that you're back. With the first team guaranteed a spot in the finals, we still have enough time for final training."
At this moment, Yu Tianheng, with a proud look in his eyes, confidently asked:
"Wang Li, Du Gu Yan, after returning to my sect, I put in a lot of effort and through hard training, I broke through to level 40 and absorbed my first soul ring, becoming a Soul Master. Now I'm at level 45."
"So, what about you two? We'll be fighting side by side soon, so it's necessary to understand each other's strengths."
This wasn't just Yu Tianheng's question. Qin Ming and the others were equally curious about Wang Li and Du Gu Yan's abilities, especially since they had been taken away by Du Gu Bo for almost two years.
Wang Li and Du Gu Yan exchanged glances, and it was Wang Li who spoke first:
"Senior, you might not be aware of this, but when Yan Yan and I were in Heaven Dou City, we encountered the Platinum Bishop of the Spirit Hall, Salas. The pressure he exerted on us is something we haven't dared to forget even for a day."
Yu Tianheng had heard about this event after returning to Heaven Dou Royal Academy, but he was still unsure whether it had anything to do with his question.
Before he could ponder further, Wang Li continued:
"During this time, we suffered a lot and became Soul Kings, but that's still not enough. In the face of a Soul Douluo, a Soul King is still incredibly weak."
As soon as these words were spoken, Yu Tianheng, Qin Ming, and the others were left wide-eyed in shock.
"Soul Kings?!"
This was beyond what they could have imagined!
Yu Tianheng turned pale, a bitter taste filling his heart. Despite all his efforts, he realized that it seemed meaningless in comparison.
Seeing his reaction, Wang Li, feeling that they were all part of the same team, decided to offer some comfort. After all, Yu Tianheng's soul power level was higher than the level of the participants in the original Soul Master Tournament. He had truly worked hard.
Wang Li said:
"Senior, you've worked hard to improve, and we have too. We've also suffered greatly to reach this point. Don't feel too pressured—becoming a Soul King isn't the end of the road for a Soul Master. We haven't reached the finish line yet."
Whether it was Wang Li's comforting words or some other reason, Yu Tianheng's expression softened slightly, though he became even more silent.
Wang Li didn't say much more. A few comforting words were enough; speaking too much could be irritating.
At that moment, Qin Ming cleared his throat and said:
"Wang Li and Du Gu Yan's current soul power is undoubtedly the result of their intense training after being taken away by Lord Bi Lin."
"Now, in our team, we have Wang Li and Du Gu Yan, both Soul Kings, Yu Tianheng, Ao Si Luo, Yu Feng, Shi Mo, Shi Mo, and Ye Lingling, all Soul Masters. With two Soul Kings and six Soul Masters, we can aim for second place and possibly first in the upcoming Soul Master Tournament."
"The only team that can truly pressure us is the Spirit Hall team. From the information we've gathered, we know that their team includes three Soul Kings, known as the Golden Generation. The rest of their members are all Soul Masters at level 45 or above. We don't know their spirit abilities or soul techniques, but they are our biggest opponents. We need to come up with a strategy to counter them."
Upon hearing this, Wang Li slowly scanned the group and was a bit surprised, but also not too shocked. Perhaps it was due to the stimulation brought by his own Soul Master rank at just twelve years old. The overall strength of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy team had been raised to an entirely new level. They could definitely be considered a strong team.
Then, with a light laugh, he said:
"Teacher Qin, I don't think it's that complicated. Yan Yan and I can deal with those three Soul Kings, and then the rest of the team can handle the other Soul Masters from Spirit Hall. That's how we win, right, Yan Yan?"
Du Gu Yan nodded in agreement. As teammates, she directly responded:
"My fourth soul ability allows me to strip people of their five senses. As long as I spread my poison smoke throughout the arena, with my current soul power, forget just three Soul Kings—even if there were seven, they'd all turn into blind and deaf people. So, everyone, don't worry too much. We can easily win the championship this time."
Wang Li and Du Gu Yan, taking turns speaking, once again shocked Qin Ming, Yu Tianheng, Ao Si Luo, Yu Feng, Shi Mo, Shi Mo, and Ye Lingling.
They stared at Du Gu Yan, astonished. Had she been with Wang Li for so long that she had started to adopt his tone, speaking with such ease about things that would have once been unimaginable?
Qin Ming felt deeply unsettled. With Wang Li and Du Gu Yan's abilities, his role as the team leader seemed almost unnecessary.
Training, teamwork—under such overwhelming strength—seemed powerless in comparison.
In the end, Qin Ming could only shake his head and smile bitterly:
"Wang Li, Du Gu Yan, it's still important not to be overconfident. The three Soul Kings from Spirit Hall are called the Golden Generation for a reason. They must have considerable skill. We need to approach them carefully."
At this point, there was a complex expression in Qin Ming's eyes:
"Your achievements now are truly surprising. Even my juniors can't compare to you."
"My juniors—you've met them before. They were part of the soul hunting team we encountered in the town outside the Star Dou Forest. Tang San and Xiao Wu—you know them. They were your classmates at the Primary Soul Master Academy."
"They've come to Heaven Dou City and joined Blue Tyrant Academy, which later became Shrek Academy. When you have time, you can go visit them. After all, you're both alumni of the Primary Soul Master Academy. It'll be a good opportunity to exchange cultivation and spirit skills."
Upon hearing this, Wang Li raised an eyebrow. It seemed that the teachers and students from Shrek had come to Heaven Dou City, but had gone directly to Blue Tyrant Academy.
He smiled and said:
"Sure, when I have time, I'll go check them out. Tang San and Xiao Wu—those are my 'good friends.'"
Qin Ming smiled as well. With Wang Li's strength, offering guidance to his juniors would undoubtedly help them avoid many detours.
(End of Chapter)