Beauty can be as ferocious as a wolf or tiger, capable of dismantling a man's willpower. Just thinking about it, let alone acting on it, is terrifying!
(Author cries in a corner)
Under Liu Erlong's confused and bewildered gaze, Dai Mubai bolted out the door, disappearing without a trace.
As for the business he had with Liu Erlong or Flender, it was completely forgotten.
If not now, then when? A locked room like this was far too dangerous!
On the training grounds, Tang San stood wearing a specially made 100-pound iron training suit.
Ma Hongjun, Huang Yuan, and Jing Ling each wore 50-pound versions.
Oscar, as a food-type spirit master, was exempt. Forcing him to wear one would be like sentencing him to death.
Everyone accepted this arrangement without much complaint.
Initially, Ma Hongjun and the others grumbled about their 50-pound suits, but upon learning that Tang San was wearing a 100-pound suit, their dissatisfaction vanished.
Tang San, ever self-assured, took pride in this disparity.
While others might feel it was unfair, Tang San interpreted it as a recognition of his superior strength.
If he wore the same 50-pound suit as the others, it would suggest that his abilities were only on par with theirs.
As a prodigy, Tang San wouldn't accept that, even if he didn't say it out loud.
Watching Tang San's subtle smugness, Zhao Wuji's mouth twitched.
Good grief, Dai Mubai was spot on!
Tang San didn't just accept the arrangement—he believed it was only right and natural.
Perfect. It made him an even easier target!
Zhao Wuji wasn't aware of Tang San's tendency in the original story to always take on more than others: carrying extra stones, running extra laps. He thrived on being treated differently.
While gravity training was effective for comprehensive physical development, it had to be approached step by step, much like climbing stairs. Skipping too many steps could lead to serious problems.
The same principle applied to gravity training. You start with double gravity, then progress to triple, and so on. Jumping straight to five or ten times gravity might yield rapid results, but latent injuries would be inevitable.
Tang San had already experienced 10x gravity during training.
The others, being less physically capable, were subjected to only 3x or 4x gravity.
Now, under the triple combo of running, gravity, and iron suits, the five trainees were struggling, sweating profusely and panting heavily.
Even Tang San felt immense pressure but continued gritting his teeth to push through.
Zhao Wuji hadn't forbidden the use of spirit power for assistance. Tang San, with his Mysterious Heaven Skill's rapid recovery ability, calculated that he could manage to finish the course with careful pacing and sufficient spirit power.
Suddenly, Tang San felt a dramatic increase in gravity, catching him off guard and sending him sprawling to the ground.
"Tang San! Get up, you can do it!"
Zhao Wuji's encouraging voice rang in his ears.
"Tang San! Believe in yourself. Your potential and strength far exceed this! Get up—once you conquer this mountain, you'll stand at the peak!"
Ma Hongjun, Oscar, and the others stared, dumbfounded.
Since when did Zhao Wuji become so motivational?
Hearing these words, even they felt a surge of determination, as if they could run a few extra laps.
Tang San, too, was moved. His resentment toward Zhao Wuji melted away, replaced by the belief that this treatment stemmed from Zhao Wuji's high expectations of him.
Faced with 8x gravity, Tang San's eyes shone with determination. He was certain he could rise to the challenge.
If he could run 100 laps under this pressure, he'd surpass not only himself but every peer his age.
Which of my contemporaries could match this?
Not even Dai Mubai could accomplish such a feat!
Meanwhile, Dai Mubai, having changed his clothes, still felt a lingering chill. What had just happened with Liu Erlong was far too terrifying.
As he passed the training grounds, he noticed Zhao Wuji's adept motivational speech.
Huh, looks like Old Zhao has been secretly practicing these lines, he thought, recognizing his own words almost verbatim.
Just then, Zhao Wuji continued, "Tang San, you've got this!"
"You're the only control-type spirit master in the Shrek team. During the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament, you'll be the team's cornerstone. Don't let us down!"
Since Dugu Yan's martial spirit evolution had reclassified her as a power-type spirit master, Tang San had become the team's sole control specialist.
Hearing this, Tang San's eyes gleamed with anticipation.
The Elite Tournament, held once every five years, was his ultimate stage. He was destined to be its main character!
Without Tang San, the Shrek team would fall apart!
Fueled by this thought, Tang San seemed to summon strength from nowhere, standing up with gritted teeth and continuing to run.
Though calling it "running" was generous—an elderly man in his eighties might have walked faster.
"Excellent, Tang San! You've surpassed yourself!" Zhao Wuji called out now and then, his genuine delight evident from the smile on his face.
Dai Mubai shook his head. The thought processes of a Child of Destiny were truly extraordinary.
Tang San, now at level 37, had less than three months until the Elite Tournament. There was no chance he'd reach level 40 and obtain his fourth spirit ring in time—unless he somehow cheated.
Meanwhile, back in the world of the Douluo Dalu novel...
Li Si and Tang Hao had successfully transplanted the Blue Silver Emperor into the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.
Though the Well had lost much of its foundational energy, it could still sustain the Blue Silver Emperor for another millennium…
(To be continued)