Douluo Continent III Haotian Wulin

"Coming again tonight?"

Xie Xie's face almost fell when he heard Wu Changkong's last sentence, "Come find me after dinner."

Compared to his aloof and indifferent attitude when he first entered the school, he has become much more genuine these past two days. His temper is also gradually showing. In the end, he was born with the temperament of a pampered young master; his arrogance and spoiled nature are genuine. If Wu Changkong hadn't been able to keep him in check in every way, it's questionable whether he could have endured this level of physical training.

"The teacher is doing this for our own good." Tang Wulin helped him walk back, his voice still relatively calm.

Xie Xie glanced at him, wanting to retort, but seeing that the guy was still serious, he swallowed back the words he was about to say.

All he wants to do right now is lie down.

In the hour between afternoon and dinner, the dormitory building of Class 5 was almost deathly silent. Most people fell asleep as soon as they hit the bed, without even the strength to turn over.

Tang Wulin was also tired; his shoulders, back, legs, and waist were all aching, but he still forced himself to sit up cross-legged.

meditation.

The new meditation technique taught by Wu Changkong was much more complex than that taught in the junior academy, but it was indeed more effective. Circulating soul power, while not immediately erasing the physical fatigue, allowed the soreness to gradually subside, preventing it from completely overwhelming the body.

While he was meditating, he also occasionally diverted some of his attention to other things.

The task of forging with Tianlong Iron has been accepted, and the materials will be delivered to Mang Tian's forge in Donghai City within three days. But given the current situation—attending classes during the day and undergoing special training at night—where will there be any uninterrupted time for forging?

Thinking of this, Tang Wulin frowned slightly.

It seems we really have no choice but to postpone it.

Either go at midnight, or just do this one order for now and don't take on any new tasks for the time being.

After dinner, Tang Wulin practically dragged Xie Xie to the playground.

Xie Xie originally wanted to play dead and deny it, but when he thought of Wu Changkong's face, he didn't dare.

When they arrived, Gu Yue had already come.

As dusk fell, the setting sun cast a warm glow on her school uniform at the edge of the playground. She stood there quietly, her expression even calmer than during the day, as if she had fully recovered.

Seeing her like this, Tang Wulin couldn't help but feel even more admiration for her.

Even though it's a full day of physical education classes, Gu Yue always seems to have more time to spare than the others.

Wu Changkong stood not far away, still exuding a cold aura. He had changed into a black tracksuit, which made his figure appear even more slender and agile. A little further away, several groups of older female students were scattered in twos and threes, pretending to pass by, but their eyes were all on him.

"You three, come with me."

Wu Changkong didn't give them much time to catch their breath and turned to leave.

The three had no choice but to follow.

He led them all the way to the back of the academy, and finally into an indoor training hall.

The training hall is circular with a wide open space, and it has soul-guided shield slots all around, clearly designed specifically for high-intensity combat and martial soul training. The destructive force that an ordinary training ground couldn't withstand can be contained here.

Tang Wulin could tell at a glance that this place wasn't something any class could use.

Wu Changkong was able to bring them in, which means he had obviously already completed all the formalities.

He was right.

When Wu Changkong went to the teaching affairs office in the afternoon, besides handling the formalities for Gu Yue, he also took the opportunity to reserve this training ground. Long Hengxu was currently trying to mend his relationship with him, so he naturally gave him the green light all the way.

Wu Changkong didn't care about this.

What Long Hengxu thinks is his business. As long as the place is usable, he can't be bothered to care.

Walking to the center of the field, Wu Changkong stopped and turned to look at the three of them.

"Starting today, you will train with me individually every night."

"There is only one goal: to prepare for the promotion tournament three months from now."

He first looked at Tang Wulin.

That gaze remained cold, even sharper than when he looked at others.

"Tang Wulin, your advantages are obvious: you're strong, physically robust, and have good resilience," Wu Changkong said slowly. "But your use of your martial soul is too crude. Right now, you're fighting with your body, fighting with a hammer, not acting as a true soul master."

Tang Wulin's heart tightened, but he remained silent.

Wu Changkong continued:

"We initially put you on the list because there weren't many people to choose from in Class Five. Now that Gu Yue is here, the situation is different. You've seen her talent, control, and combat strategy today."

"I won't easily change my mind, but don't think your position is secure. If you can't show me enough progress to convince me within three months, you might not be the one to make it to the promotion tournament."

"Yes," Tang Wulin replied in a low voice.

These words sounded harsh, but he didn't feel much resentment; he just felt a little heavy-hearted.

He knew that Wu Changkong was telling the truth.

Compared to Gu Yue, I am indeed still lacking. It's not about strength or courage, but about the level of a Soul Master.

Just then, Gu Yue suddenly spoke.

"Dance teacher, I will not compete in his place."

Even Xie Xie was taken aback by these words.

Wu Changkong turned to look at her: "Why?"

Gu Yue's expression was very calm.

"I joined as a transfer student," she said. "The spot originally meant for Class 5 shouldn't be taken away from someone else just because I suddenly joined. That's not fair to him. So, if a replacement is necessary, I can choose not to participate."

She spoke calmly and casually, without seeking credit or putting on airs. It was as if she were stating something she felt should naturally be the way it was.

Wu Changkong remained silent for a moment.

To be honest, he really didn't expect Gu Yue to bring this up.

With Gu Yue's talent, she was qualified and had the confidence to stand directly in that position. But she didn't.

Tang Wulin was also taken aback for a moment, then looked at her and said earnestly, "Thank you."

Gu Yue also looked at him.

Tang Wulin continued, "But Teacher Wu is right. The promotion tournament isn't about who gives way to whom; it's about who's stronger going up. That's how it should be. You're stronger than me, so it's only right that you participate."

He paused for a moment as he spoke, and a hint of stubbornness appeared in his eyes.

"However, I won't give up. Three months is a long time, and I'll practice like crazy. If I'm strong enough by then, the teacher will naturally let me play. If I'm not strong enough, then it's my own fault, and I can't blame anyone else."

The venue fell silent for a brief moment.

Wu Changkong looked at him, his eyes flickering slightly.

This child always speaks like this—no arguing, no backing down, yet he manages to say everything clearly. He neither embarrassed Gu Yue nor blocked his own escape route, and he also maintained a very proper attitude.

It's rare to see such a sense of propriety in a nine-year-old child.

Xie Xie listened from the side and felt that the two of them had left him standing there in the back and forth.

So he couldn't help but interject:

"Teacher, what exactly does the special training involve? It's not just physical fitness again, is it?"

He said this with a hint of caution in his tone.

After all that exertion during the day, his legs go weak whenever he hears the word "physical fitness."

Wu Changkong glanced at him indifferently.

"Of course not."

Xie Xie immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

But the next moment, Wu Changkong's words caught him off guard.

"No matter what you train for, there is only one goal—to make you stronger."

"In my view, the most direct and effective way is always through real-world practice."

His gaze swept over the three of them, and he said, word by word:

"Use real combat to force out your problems, and then use real combat to correct them. Experience, judgment, rhythm, reaction, and on-the-spot choices—these are not things you can acquire just by thinking. Your special training tonight has only one content: real combat."

Tang Wulin immediately perked up.

Xie Xie's expression also turned serious.

Gu Yue remained quiet, only her gaze was more focused.

Wu Changkong first looked at Xie Xie.

"You go first."

"Your strengths are clear: you're fast and have explosive power. Having two martial souls is a huge advantage among your peers," Wu Changkong said, but his tone lacked any hint of praise. "But your problems are just as clear."

"First, your stamina is poor. After a burst of energy, you drop out too quickly. Your problem isn't that you can't fight, but that you can only fight for a short period. If it drags on, you'll collapse first."

Xie Xie's lips twitched, but he didn't dare to interrupt.

"Secondly, you rely too much on the first strike," Wu Changkong continued. "Once those initial few moves don't have the desired effect, your subsequent attacks tend to become chaotic. Your second martial soul is indeed suited for surprise attacks, but precisely because of this, it shouldn't be used lightly. Once you reveal it, it must be worthwhile. Either severely injure your opponent or end the battle directly. If you can't do either of those things, don't rush to expose it."

Xie Xie nodded silently.

These words were harsh, but he could tell that Wu Changkong wasn't just giving him a warning; he was genuinely pointing out his problems one by one.

Then, Wu Changkong looked at Gu Yue.

"Your elemental control is excellent. Not just good, but exceptionally good for your age," he said. "In today's match, you won not only with your martial spirit, but also with your rhythm and strategy."

Gu Yue listened quietly.

"But you're not without your problems," Wu Changkong said. "None of your elements are particularly strong. Right now, you rely on combinations, switching, and judgment. If you encounter an opponent with much higher soul power or extremely strong defense, your current fighting style may not be effective in the long run."

Gu Yue nodded gently.

"Tomorrow, I will take the three of you to have your mental strength tested," Wu Changkong said. "Your martial soul characteristics and elemental control place high demands on your mental abilities. I need more accurate data."

Upon hearing this, Tang Wulin instinctively said, "Teacher, I've had this test before—"

"I only believe what I see myself."

Wu Changkong interrupted him directly, without even letting him finish his sentence.

Tang Wulin immediately shut up.

He's used to it. Wu Changkong isn't unreasonable; he just only speaks his own logic.

Finally, Wu Changkong's gaze returned to Tang Wulin.

"As for you."

Upon hearing these three words, Tang Wulin involuntarily stood up straighter.

"You have the most questions," Wu Changkong said. "So, you'll be the most tired tonight."