Douluo: Soul-Breaking spear

Chapter 131: Sunset Forest Training

Yang Potian looked at Xue Qinghe's poised expression. "Your Highness, is this why you summoned me? If so, thank you for your concern about the second team."

"Not entirely," Xue Qinghe replied. "The first team's instructor, Yu Xiaogang, has something he wishes to discuss with you."

Yang Potian looked over at Yu Xiaogang in confusion. "Teacher Yu, what did you want to discuss?"

Yu Xiaogang, visibly pleased with himself, responded, "Yang Potian, your team's strength seems to have weakened recently. Why not merge the first and second teams? Don't worry; you can still serve as the team captain."

Yang Potian stifled a sigh. "Thank you, Teacher Yu, but I'm confident in the second team's strength. We don't need to merge with the first team."

The smile faded from Yu Xiaogang's face. "Your team may have several Spirit Ancestors, but you can't possibly achieve much with that lineup. Letting them join the first team would bolster our strength and increase our chances of winning."

Yang Potian held back a smirk, thinking, Even if you have a full lineup of Spirit Ancestors, where's your confidence coming from?

"Teacher Yu, there's no need. As I've said before, I call the shots for the second team."

"This is foolishness! Haven't you thought about the greater good?"

Yang Potian smiled. "Teacher Yu, if you're really set on this, you're welcome to try recruiting any of my teammates yourself. See if they're interested in joining the first team."

"However, if you're planning on poaching, I'd suggest notifying the three second-team instructors first. I wouldn't want any misunderstandings to arise."

Before Yu Xiaogang could respond, Liu Erlong spoke up. "Kid, what's that supposed to mean? It's just a few team members. What harm is there? It's for their own good."

Ignoring Liu Erlong, Yang Potian glanced over at the three deans.

Meng Shenji, one of the deans, addressed Yu Xiaogang. "Teacher Yu, please proceed carefully in your actions. If anything were to go wrong, we wouldn't be able to undo the consequences. The second team is under Yang Potian's leadership, with Teachers Li Xiang and Dugu Bo, the Poison Douluo, as co-leaders. Barring extraordinary circumstances, it's best not to interfere with the second team."

A stunned silence fell over the room; no one expected Yang Potian to have enlisted the unpredictable Dugu Bo. Xue Qinghe, however, merely looked at Yang Potian with an amused expression, as if enjoying the unfolding drama.

Yu Xiaogang's face darkened. Knowing Dugu Bo's reputation for unpredictability and deadly poison, even the Upper Three Sects were wary of him. Yu Xiaogang didn't dare push his luck.

He shifted tactics. "Yang Potian, could we at least switch places, allowing the first team to compete in the preliminaries and the second team to enter the finals directly?"

Yang Potian shook his head. "Teacher Yu, do you think I requested the second team's spot without a reason?"

"You want the preliminaries to serve as training? I see you planned this from the start."

Seeing Yu Xiaogang's discomfort, Ning Fengzhi interjected, "Yang Potian, I've heard there's some discord among the Four Single-Attribute Clans. The Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect is willing to mediate on your behalf."

Yang Potian turned to Ning Fengzhi with a polite smile. "Thank you, Sect Leader Ning. However, as the saying goes, 'Different paths do not seek the same goals.' The Four Clans are allied, but each has its own ambitions and growth objectives. Forcing them together wouldn't benefit anyone."

"But your unity has helped you face various threats and grow stronger," Ning Fengzhi pressed.

"We in the Potian Clan prefer to stand on our own," Yang Potian replied. "We won't rely on anyone, nor will we serve as anyone's dog."

With that, Yang Potian bowed slightly and left, unwilling to waste any more time on them.

Over the past few days, Yang Potian had heard that Yu Xiaogang was intensifying the first team's training, even copying the second team's methods and increasing the overall intensity.

Yang Potian found it laughable. Though Yu Xiaogang had earned the title of "Master," he seemed to lack understanding of proper training. Copying a regimen without considering its context was bound to harm his students. If he ended up ruining Yu Tianheng and Ning Rongrong, it would be interesting to watch.

Five days later, the second team set off by carriage to train in the Sunset Forest.

Yang Potian had made extensive preparations, with both Poison Douluo and Yang Wuju assigned to protect them. Supplies were fully stocked, ensuring the team was ready for the challenges ahead.

The Sunset Forest was full of spirit beasts, including many over ten thousand years old. This training would be invaluable, helping the team hone their combat coordination, response to danger, and ability to handle powerful spirit beasts.

For his younger sister, Yang Tianyue, the experience was particularly crucial. At twelve, she lacked combat and life experience, which Yang Potian intended to change.

He laid down a rule: for any spirit beast under 30,000 years old, the team would have to face it together. There would be no room for fear or retreat.

Nighttime in the Sunset Forest was especially treacherous. Shadows moved everywhere, presenting an intense trial for the team. In just ten days, everyone had lost weight and their initial excitement had faded, replaced by wary, sharp gazes.

Facing their first ten-thousand-year spirit beast, Yang Potian refused to step in, forcing the seven members to face it together. Their teamwork was poor, the formation scattered, and several team members turned and ran, far from their usual confident selves.

After each battle, Yang Potian analyzed their performance, discussing strategies and areas for improvement.

Time flew by, and six months passed. The team's transformation was complete. Once youthful and inexperienced, each member now bore a hardened demeanor from repeated exposure to blood and life-or-death battles with spirit beasts. Their real-world combat skills had increased dramatically.

With their current coordination, the seven of them could hold their own against a twenty-thousand-year spirit beast, if not defeat it outright.

His sister Yang Tianyue had shown remarkable growth; despite being only a Spirit Elder, her fighting skills now matched those of an average Spirit Ancestor.

After half a year in the Sunset Forest, their teamwork had reached a seamless level. Yang Potian estimated that this team could easily make the top three in the Spirit Master Tournament.

As the second team sharpened their skills in the Sunset Forest, the first team was encountering issues. Under constant intense training, followed only by standard medicinal baths, the first team's apparent rapid progress was compromised by lingering internal injuries.

For beast spirit masters, the impact was less severe, but tool spirit masters and auxiliary spirit masters were at greater risk.

Ning Rongrong was the first to notice something was wrong. Despite her competitive nature, the long-term overtraining had weakened her physically.

Upon her return to the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo examined her and discovered multiple internal injuries. Startled, they also checked Ning Heng, who was experiencing similar issues.

Ning Fengzhi was alarmed when he learned the cause. The overtraining, combined with inadequate post-training care, had left lasting injuries in both students.

Outraged, Ning Fengzhi cursed Yu Xiaogang, realizing the so-called "Master" wasn't as competent as he'd thought.

Bone Douluo was puzzled. "Fengzhi, Yu Xiaogang is using the same training method as the second team. Why hasn't the second team suffered similar issues?"

Ning Fengzhi considered this before replying, "The second team must have a way to prevent such injuries. Yang Potian is likely behind it."

"Yang Potian comes from the Potian Clan, masters in alchemy. I suspect he uses the clan's special medicinal baths, not the academy's formula."

Bone Douluo's anger flared. "I'll confront Yu Xiaogang and Yang Potian—this is their fault!"

Ning Fengzhi shook his head. "Yu Xiaogang is the son of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's patriarch. If we confront him, we risk damaging our alliance with them."

"As for Yang Potian, he has no direct involvement. The training regimen was designed specifically for his team. Yu Xiaogang simply copied it without understanding it fully."

Bone Douluo was still fuming. "What do we do now? Rongrong's injuries can't be ignored."

"I'll take Rongrong to see Doctor Ye Renxin in Heaven Dou City. He should be able to heal her injuries. And I'll arrange for Rongrong to join the second team for future training. It will be safer for her."

Bone Douluo hesitated. "Fengzhi, Yu Xiaogang doesn't seem very capable, and Tang San seems unreliable. Why do you still support them?"

Bone Douluo's point was valid. Established sects like the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect already possessed the knowledge Yu Xiaogang preached. His theories added no real value.

Tang San's hidden weapon business with the sect was also troubling. He charged exorbitant prices, reaping substantial profits, yet sought to learn the sect's Split Mind Control technique without offering any form of compensation—a blatant double standard.

The imbalance was obvious. They provided high-priced goods and support while Tang San sought to take their secrets without reciprocating.

Ning Fengzhi sighed. "I'm well aware of their shortcomings. But Tang San has the Clear Sky Sect backing him, and Yu Xiaogang is connected to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. If we want to stand against Spirit Hall, we need them on our side. The Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect is auxiliary by nature, so we must rely on the strength of the other two sects."

(End of Chapter)

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