The Calm Before the Storm
Weeks folded into one another, a tapestry woven with rigorous training, deepening knowledge, and the quiet, steady growth of bonds. The first semester of their first year at Donghai Academy hurtled towards its conclusion, marked by a tangible shift in the classroom air—a blend of anticipation and focused resolve.
"Today," Wu Changkong announced from the lectern, his voice cutting through the morning quiet, "I will outline the parameters of your final examination."
Xie Xie blinked, a smirk playing on his lips. "We have finals too, Teacher Wu? Isn't that a bit… elementary for us?" His confidence wasn't entirely misplaced. The six students of Class Zero were no longer the novices who had entered months ago. Forged in the crucible of Wu Changkong's methods and the Spirit Ascension Platform's simulated deaths, they had been transformed.
Tang Wulin, once the most uncertain, now stood at the peak of the 17th rank, his spirit solid and his hammer arm fearsome. Zhang Yangzi, Wang Jinxi, and Yao Xuan had all reached the 23rd rank of Soul Power. Gu Yue and Xie Xie were close behind at the 22nd rank. In raw power alone, they could rival the top echelons of the third-year classes. But their true worth lay in combat prowess—honed, practical, and lethal.
Yao Xuan, listening, conducted a silent internal audit. His soul power was stable at rank 23. His mental strength, nurtured by the Creation Soul Forging Technique, had climbed to 260 points, giving his perceptions a razor's edge. His Ancestral Dragon Soul Spirit thrummed with the potency of 1,200 years of cultivation. The only lingering itch was his bloodline, stalled at 19.9% awakening—a mere 80 Gold Evolution Points shy of the 20% threshold that promised a transformative leap. 'So close,' he mused with a flicker of frustration. The new abilities would have been a significant advantage for what was to come. Yet, he consoled himself, remembering Mu Chen's hinted-at reward: access to the Stormy Period Platform. That would be his chance.
"Complaining it will be too easy?" Wu Changkong's gaze swept over them, a ghost of a challenge in his eyes. "Set your minds at ease. I have designed an examination that will demand your utmost. You will be tested in two parts. The first: the Spirit Ascension Platform."
He paused, letting the expectation build. "However, you will not enter the standard simulation. You will enter during its Riotous Period."
Puzzled glances were exchanged among the students.
"Twice a year," Wu Changkong explained, "due to unstable energy convergence, the Platform enters a state of heightened volatility and opportunity. The rules change." He held up three fingers. "First, team entry is permitted—up to seven individuals. You six will enter as one unit. This is a test of your coordinated tactics.
"Second, the danger escalates. While the normal cap is three-thousand-year soul beasts, during the Riot, beasts of up to six thousand years may manifest. The probability of encountering elite, top-tier species multiplies.
"Third, the reward and the risk. Soul beasts defeated during the Riot yield triple the normal spiritual energy. However, absorbing this energy requires one hundred seconds of uninterrupted concentration. If you are forced to exit the Platform during this time, any unabsorbed energy is forfeit, dissipated into the simulation." His eyes grew steely. "Your enemies, therefore, are not only the soul beasts. They are also other soul master teams seeking the same bounty. Your objective is to endure within the Riotous Period simulation for two hours. Failure means your winter break is forfeit to remedial training."
A determined light ignited in the eyes of the six. "We understand, Teacher Wu!" they chorused.
"Good. You have three days to prepare. Use them to strategize, to rest, and to fortify your resolve. Class dismissed." With that, Wu Changkong turned and left, the door clicking shut behind him with finality.
The classroom buzzed with immediate, focused energy. Xie Xie was the first to turn to Yao Xuan. "Boss, what's the plan?"
Yao Xuan leaned against a desk, his mind already analyzing variables. "The Platform restricts entry to those at the Soul Elder rank or below. Barring an exceptionally powerful peak Soul Elder, my strength should be sufficient to handle most direct threats. Our primary goal shouldn't merely be survival." He looked at each of them. "It should be optimization. The academy invested heavily for us to experience the Riotous Period. We must seize its triple rewards to maximize our soul spirit cultivation."
Tang Wulin nodded vigorously. Zhang Yangzi, Wang Jinxi, and Gu Yue all signaled their agreement.
"As for tactics," Yao Xuan continued, "we follow our trained formations. Against century-level threats, Zhang Yangzi, Wang Jinxi, Xie Xie, and Wulin will engage as the vanguard. Gu Yue and I will intercept any millennium-level beasts, with you four providing flanking support and control. Our teamwork is solid; we've proven that against Teacher Wu's illusions."
He paused, his expression turning thoughtful. "However, the Platform is a realm of unpredictability. To increase our margin of safety…" He met their gazes. "I will forge a set of basic, thousand-refined protective gear for each of you before we enter."
Zhang Yangzi looked momentarily taken aback. "Isn't that… bending the rules?"
"Teacher Wu's philosophy is clear," Yao Xuan countered calmly. "A soul master who utilizes every available resource to ensure survival is a practical soul master. He never forbade equipment. This gear won't make us invincible, but it may turn a crippling blow into a survivable one. We enter as a team; we leave as a team. That is the priority."
The logic was unassailable. Zhang Yangzi's hesitation melted into a grateful nod. "You're right. Thank you, Boss."
Gu Yue, who had been listening silently from beside Yao Xuan, allowed her shoulder to lean faintly against his arm—a subtle, trusting gesture. Her silver eyes were contemplative. The sovereign within her was analyzing the tactical implications of the Riotous Period's chaos, the increased value of prey, and the heightened threat of rival human intelligence. But beneath that, a quieter, more instinctual part—the part that remembered being Na'er, safe in Aolai City—felt a surge of reassurance at Yao Xuan's proactive protectiveness. His leadership was not domineering, but encompassing, a shield woven from strategy and genuine care.
As the group broke into smaller discussions, debating positioning and signal calls, Yao Xuan felt the familiar weight of responsibility settle on his shoulders. It was a weight he accepted. His gaze drifted to the window, where the academy grounds were painted in the pale light of a winter afternoon. In three days, they would step into controlled chaos. And after that… the winter break awaited, and with it, Gu Yue's invitation to a library of ancient secrets. Each trial, whether of combat or of legacy, was a step further along their intertwined path.