Douluo Continent: My name is Lu Mingfei, and my martial soul is Lu Mingze.

"Alright, let's continue." Lu Mingfei dusted himself off. "One more round."

"Are you crazy?" Wang Dong frowned.

"I'll say it again, you've practiced for six hours today."

"Six hours is nothing. I can sleep for twenty hours straight without stopping." Lu Mingfei stretched his neck.

"Are sleeping and training the same thing?"

"How are they different? They're both activities," Lu Mingfei said.

Wang Dong looked at him speechlessly, but in the end, she didn't try to persuade him anymore.

In the days that followed, Lu Mingfei's life continued as usual, but it was even more tiring than before.

But Lu Mingfei gritted his teeth and persevered.

The reason is simple—he doesn't want to repeat a grade.

Or rather, he didn't want to let down Old Wang, the Old Wang who had brought him to Shrek Academy.

He's always been called a teacher, but he's really just an ordinary old man in the admissions office. He doesn't have any background or real ability, but he's kind-hearted.

Back when Lu Mingfei was just drifting through life, it was Old Wang who discovered his potential to develop a true martial soul and went to great lengths to get him into Shrek Academy.

At that time, Old Wang patted him on the shoulder and said, "Kid, you have talent, don't waste it."

Lu Mingfei quipped at the time, "Grandpa, your judgment is terrible. I can't even see my own talent."

Old Wang laughed heartily and said, "I have a good eye for people. You're sure to achieve great things in the future."

As it turned out, Old Wang didn't live to see the day he achieved great things; he passed away very suddenly.

When Lu Mingfei heard the news, he was stunned for a long time, and then he ran to the training ground and trained like crazy all day.

He didn't have many friends, nor were there many people who were kind to him.

Old Wang is one of them.

Therefore, Lu Mingfei cannot repeat a grade; he cannot embarrass Old Wang.

"Senior, you're daydreaming again."

Huo Yuhao's voice pulled him back to reality.

Lu Mingfei shook his head and refocused.

"continue."

Huo Yuhao nodded, activated his Spirit Eye Martial Soul, and his eyes glowed with a faint golden light.

Lu Mingfei activated Kamaitachi at the same time.

A gentle breeze carried all the sounds within a radius of several meters to his ears.

Huo Yuhao's heartbeat, breathing, footsteps, and even the sound of his clothes rubbing together.

Every single detail is crystal clear.

Huo Yuhao made a move.

Lu Mingfei anticipated his attack route, dodged to the side, and took a step forward, trying to close the distance.

Huo Yuhao reacted quickly, immediately changing direction and attacking from the side.

But Lu Mingfei heard it again.

He took a half step back in advance, just in time to avoid Huo Yuhao's attack.

"Beautiful!" Huo Yuhao couldn't help but exclaim.

Lu Mingfei grinned, but before his smile could fully open, he was punched.

"Holy crap—"

He staggered a couple of steps, clutching his shoulder and wincing.

"You cheated!"

"No," Huo Yuhao blinked innocently, "I just suddenly sped up."

Lu Mingfei: "..."

Okay, it's just that you, Senior Lu, were slow to react.

"Senior, you've made great progress," Huo Yuhao said earnestly.

"Just two weeks ago, you couldn't even completely dodge my attacks, but now you can even defeat me."

"That's because you're weak," Wang Dong said sarcastically from the side.

Huo Yuhao: "..."

Lu Mingfei glared at Wang Dong: "Can you please stop undermining me every time?"

"I'm stating the facts," Wang Dong said, arms crossed, his expression calm.

"Huo Yuhao wasn't originally a melee fighter. His Spirit Eye is for support and control. His melee ability is among the worst in our class, so it doesn't prove anything."

Lu Mingfei wanted to refute it, but found that it seemed to be true.

Huo Yuhao's martial soul is the Spirit Eye, whose main abilities are mental detection and mental sharing, but his close combat ability is indeed not strong.

Just because he could dodge Huo Yuhao's attacks doesn't mean he could dodge others'.

"If you really want to know how much you've improved, play against me," Wang Dong said.

"Fight you?"

Lu Mingfei raised an eyebrow: "Didn't you say last time that I couldn't dodge a single move if you used your martial spirit?"

"That was last time," Wang Dong said.

"Now...maybe we can dodge one of those attacks?"

Lu Mingfei: "..."

Are you praising me?

You're insulting me, aren't you?

"Come on, let's fight." Lu Mingfei rolled up his sleeves.

"Today I'm going to show you what your senior Lu is all about."

"How dare Wang Dong, the cricket king, be so arrogant?"

Wang Dong's lips curled up slightly as he walked over and got into position.

Lu Mingfei also focused his mind and activated the Kamaitachi.

Lu Mingfei could hear Wang Dong's heartbeat; it was steady and strong, and he wasn't nervous at all.

On the other hand, his heart was pounding like a drum.

That's the difference.

"Are you ready?" Wang Dong asked.

"Come."

As soon as he finished speaking, Wang Dong moved.

His speed was ridiculously fast. Lu Mingfei only heard a whoosh of wind, and then saw a fist looming in front of him.

Lu Mingfei instinctively turned his head, and his fist grazed past Lu Mingfei's ear.

The second punch followed immediately, aimed at his stomach.

Lu Mingfei jumped back half a step, barely managing to avoid it.

The third punch, the fourth punch, the fifth punch...

Lu Mingfei dodged several times, but in the end he couldn't keep up with the rhythm and was punched in the arm.

"Stop." Wang Dong stopped.

Lu Mingfei clutched his arm, wincing, "Did you increase the pressure again?"

"No," Wang Dong said. "It's just that you were slow to react."

"Was I slow to react?"

"Yes, after you hear my movement, there will be a brief pause before you react. This pause is very short, but it's enough for me."

Lu Mingfei was stunned for a moment.

He carefully recalled what had just happened, and it seemed that was indeed the case.

He could hear Wang Dong's movements, but after hearing them, he would go through them in his mind before directing his body to dodge.

"Then what should we do?" Lu Mingfei asked.

"Practice," Wang Dong said. "Practice until your body can react instinctively, without needing to think about it."

"Don't you need to think before you speak? Isn't that an insult? Do you not have a brain?"

Wang Dong glanced at him: "You didn't have much in your head to begin with."

"Wang Dong, you son of a bitch!"

Huo Yuhao watched the two bickering and couldn't help but laugh out loud.

These two people have a pretty good relationship, but they always end up bickering every time they meet.

I don't know what grudge or hatred they have.

"Alright, alright, stop arguing," Huo Yuhao quickly tried to smooth things over.

"Senior, what Wang Dong means is that you need to train the Kamaitachi's senses and your body's reactions to become an instinct, as natural as breathing, without having to think about it."

Lu Mingfei nodded; he understood the principle.

Just like playing a video game, expert players don't need to think; it's all muscle memory.

As for those that are spinning?

Gao Ming has a great feel for the game, there's nothing you can do about it.

"Okay, then let's keep practicing."

And so began a new round of hellish training.

Wang Dong served as the sparring partner, while Huo Yuhao observed and provided guidance from the sidelines.

Lu Mingfei was beaten black and blue, but he managed to withstand one or two more blows each time.

By evening, Lu Mingfei was so exhausted that he could barely stand.

He lay down directly on the training ground, panting heavily.

"Senior... are you alright?" Huo Yuhao squatted down beside him, looking worried.

"I...I'm alright," Lu Mingfei said weakly.

"I just...want to die."

"Then you should just die," Wang Dong said. "You'll find peace when you're dead."

"Can't you...can you say something nice?"

"It sounds nice?"

Wang Dong thought for a moment and said, "You were knocked down fewer times today than yesterday, so you've improved."

Lu Mingfei: "..."

Is this what you call pleasant to listen to?

You call that nice-sounding?

Huo Yuhao, both amused and exasperated, helped Lu Mingfei up.

"Senior, shall we continue tomorrow?"

"Continue," Lu Mingfei said. "Of course, continue."

Aren't you afraid of getting tired?

"Yes, I'm scared," Lu Mingfei said, rubbing his sore arms. "But I'm even more afraid of repeating a grade."

Huo Yuhao glanced at him but didn't say anything.

He thought Lu Mingfei was a very interesting person.

He usually seems carefree and nonchalant, but when it comes to serious matters, he's more serious than anyone else.

This might be what they call... relaxed on the outside, tense on the inside?