"Boom!"
Thunder exploded in the valley, lighting up the gloomy sky. The first rain of July poured down in sheets.
It was also the first rainfall since Yang Yunhai's return to the academy,the first thunderstorm he faced there.
"Mm." Yang Yunhai and Zhu Zhuqing, who had been cultivating in their room, woke up at the same time, along with Duguyan in the other room.
"Come back safely," Zhu Zhuqing quickly reminded, knowing what Yang Yunhai intended to do as he got up.
"Of course." Yang Yunhai smiled faintly and strode out of the bedroom.
Pushing the door open, he leapt into the rain, quickly moving toward an open clearing before sitting down slowly.
Golden arcs of lightning spread across the ground, and in the next second, lightning serpents surged violently through the clouds.
"Boom!" A bolt as thick as a man's thigh came crashing down.
The current pierced through his body instantly. The Silver Dove, hiding anxiously inside the soul bone, was struck head-on and let out a cry of pain.
"Yin'e!?" Yang Yunhai's expression changed as he gritted his teeth and endured.
"Yun, I'm fine. It just hurts a little," Yin'e quickly replied, her voice trembling. "I can endure it."
"If you feel the next strike might injure you, tell me immediately," Yang Yunhai said firmly.
"Yes, I know." Yin'e responded quickly.
Hearing that, Yang Yunhai stopped hesitating and continued to draw lightning down, carefully controlling the rhythm to give Yin'e time to recover.
"Boom!" Another bolt struck. Three seconds later, another followed.
"Mm…" Yin'e knelt on one knee inside the soul bone's space, biting her lip to endure. Golden light rippled around her form.
The fourth strike. The fifth strike. One after another, in a steady rhythm.
The repeated thunderclaps soon drew Duguyan's attention. She walked to the window, looked out, and her eyes widened sharply.
"That's,!?"
In the clearing, someone was sitting still as lightning slammed down onto his shoulders and back.
"Xiao Hai!?" When the sky lit up again, she caught a clear glimpse of his face. Shock rippled through her heart.
"Xiao Hai is cultivating by drawing lightning!?"
A knock came at her door. "Sister Yan, may I come in?"
Duguyan quickly snapped out of it, hurried to the door, and opened it, blurting out, "Zhuqing, Xiao Hai, he,"
"As you saw, he's cultivating by drawing lightning," Zhu Zhuqing calmly replied.
"I'll keep his secret!" Duguyan said immediately, suppressing her shock.
Zhu Zhuqing nodded gently and walked to the window. Her eyes showed worry, but also pride, as she gazed at the figure in the rain. She did not look at Duguyan beside her, only spoke softly: "Xiao Hai's martial soul actually carries a lightning attribute."
She explained his martial soul's flaw and his long years of training under lightning.
"He…" Duguyan's eyes widened with awe. Watching Yang Yunhai endure the lightning, she felt respect rise from her heart.
She realized then,his strength was built upon sacrifices far beyond what she had imagined.
To face the heavens' wrath with mere flesh and blood,how many people could truly dare?
"Boom!" The lightning flared again.
"Yun, I can't hold on…" Yin'e's trembling voice echoed in Yang Yunhai's mind.
He stopped summoning lightning at once. His own body was paralyzed and stiff, his muscles aching with a tearing sensation that made even breathing difficult.
"Cough, cough…" He covered his chest.
"Yun, are you alright?" Yin'e asked anxiously.
"I'm fine. I'm used to this. A little rest will do." Yang Yunhai smiled.
"Sorry, Yun… I'm too useless," Yin'e whispered, lowering her head.
"Don't say that. You've always been a great help to me." His voice was gentle.
Hearing him call himself her husband, Yin'e's face blossomed with a smile. "Husband, I'll work even harder."
Yang Yunhai sighed inwardly. She had grown wiser since the tournament journey. "Good."
Footsteps splashing through puddles drew his attention. He looked up,Zhu Zhuqing was running toward him, with Duguyan right behind.
Their wet clothes clung tightly to their figures, highlighted by flashes of lightning.
Without a word, Zhu Zhuqing reached him, slipping an arm around his waist to steady him. He straightened his body with her help.
"Xiao Hai, impressive! I, Duguyan, rarely admire anyone, but you're definitely one of them," Duguyan praised sincerely.
Yang Yunhai smiled playfully. "Sister Yan, why don't us three drowned chickens head back inside first?"
Realizing her soaked state, Duguyan blushed furiously, tugged at her clothes, and turned away. "Since you're fine, I'll go back first." She hurried off.
"She really is impatient," Yang Yunhai chuckled.
Zhu Zhuqing only nodded lightly. She had let Duguyan follow without objection.
Back in the room, Yang Yunhai was helped into the bath. He gladly accepted Zhu Zhuqing's attentive care.
"Yun, I think I've grown stronger," Yin'e said with surprise once he had changed into dry clothes.
"Oh?" Yang Yunhai raised an eyebrow. "Come out and let me see."
Yin'e appeared, ethereal and graceful. He studied her carefully but didn't see obvious changes.
Could lightning temper even a soul's essence? Similar to how it sharpened his willpower and spirit? He wasn't sure,it was beyond his current understanding. But it was likely a good sign.
"Maybe the lightning refined your essence. Either way, it's good."
"Yes!" Yin'e nodded firmly.
Turning to Zhu Zhuqing, Yang Yunhai smiled. "My strength improved as well. Just from this one session, my soul power rose directly to level 38. Normally, it would've taken me another month. Likely thanks to the two rare herbs strengthening my body,lightning provides me energy that converts quickly into cultivation."
"Unfortunately, I can't endure too much at once. Otherwise, with my current body, reaching level 40 in one go wouldn't be impossible."
But he didn't dare risk Yin'e's soul taking more damage.
Zhu Zhuqing smiled. "The body needs time to adapt. Growing too fast isn't always good. There's no rush,we're back in the valley now. You can wait for the next chance."
"You're right." He nodded, sitting to meditate until late into the night.
By dawn, Yin'e was asleep, curled against his chest, while Zhu Zhuqing rested beside him.
The next day, rain still fell, so they trained indoors. When the skies cleared, they resumed outdoor practice.
A month passed quickly.
On the last day of the break, in the first team's dormitory at Heaven Dou Royal Academy,
Yu Tianheng entered Qin Ming's room alone, took a deep breath, and said, "Instructor Qin Ming, I request to leave the team."
"What?!" Qin Ming was stunned.
Yu Tianheng's eyes flickered with pain as he lowered his head. "Yan and I broke up."
Qin Ming was silent for a long time before speaking. "Tianheng, are you sure?"
"Yes." He nodded.
"And where will you go?"
"I'll join the second team."
He had thought about joining his uncle's team, but Yan's words still weighed on him. He also didn't want to cause trouble for his uncle.
The first team was full anyway. Joining the second team made sense, especially with Flender coming. It would balance the academy's strength well.
Qin Ming nodded after some thought. "If you've decided, I won't stop you. I'll report this to the board."
"Thank you, Instructor." Yu Tianheng bowed slightly and left.
That afternoon, while the others trained, Duguyan visited Qin Ming.
He was surprised to see how much she had changed after a month's special training,more beautiful, with sharper presence.
"Yan, do you need something?" he asked.
"Instructor Qin Ming, I'd like to request a leave of absence. After this training, I feel I'm about to break through to level 40. I wish to go into seclusion."
"That's a good thing. Approved," Qin Ming replied with a smile. He guessed she also wanted to avoid Tianheng.
"Thank you. I'll go cultivate then," Duguyan said politely and left.
Qin Ming sighed. "So heartbreak can even push cultivation…" From what he knew, Tianheng had already broken through to Soul Sect as well.
The next morning, at the training grounds, Qin Ming addressed the assembled team.
"There's something I must tell you. Tianheng has applied to leave the team. With the board's approval, he has been transferred to the second team."
Everyone except Yang Yunhai, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ye Lingling was shocked.
"Where's Sister Yan? Why isn't she here today?" Yufeng asked quickly.
"She's taken leave for secluded cultivation,she's close to breaking through to level 40," Qin Ming explained.
"Instructor… Captain and Sister Yan, are they…?" Yufeng whispered.
Qin Ming frowned. "Private matters aren't for us to discuss. Focus on training."
He clapped his hands and shifted the subject. "We'll now adjust our training plans. Though you've all improved in real combat these last two months, problems remain. We'll fix those with targeted training."
He began explaining their weaknesses and guiding practice.
Morning was for team training, afternoon for personal cultivation. For Yang Yunhai, nothing changed,he continued his usual regimen.
And so, the days passed steadily.
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