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"Brother Wen, let me try too!"
As soon as Su Wen demonstrated his Book Engraving and Enhancement ability, the seven members of the team instantly grew interested.
It wasn't just Ning Rongrong's playful nature showing—though she was the youngest and most expressive of the bunch.
Even the others, though more restrained, were clearly intrigued.
After all, they had watched Su Wen manipulate the elements of wind and fire every day, developing new techniques, and steadily growing stronger through them.
Naturally, they had all imagined—what if I had that ability?
Could it make up for some of their own weaknesses?
Among them, Yu Tianheng merely wanted to try controlling fire out of curiosity.
But for Yu Feng (Windrider), the desire ran much deeper.
His control over the wind element was still lacking, and he knew that if Su Wen's engraved page could enhance his elemental sensitivity—even temporarily—then experiencing that control firsthand might help him develop his own soul skills to an entirely new level.
"It feels… almost like releasing a soul skill!"
After Dugu Yan and the others experimented with the ability, they were all amazed.
Su Wen's method truly broadened their horizons.
"Hmm, the effect should be around that of a ten-year soul ring skill," Su Wen explained calmly, "but the soul power consumption is quite large."
For support-type soul masters, who lacked combat capability, the trade-off was absolutely worth it.
But for Yu Tianheng and the others, the power drain was too high for it to be more than a fascinating experience.
Only Yu Feng and Oslo, who could benefit from improved elemental control, found the enhancement truly valuable.
As for Ye Lingling, she stood silently at the side, her expression complicated.
She, too, was a support-type soul master—and one with very little sense of security.
Her martial soul, the Nine-Heart Begonia, was even more heaven-defying than the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
Yet, it carried a cruel restriction: only two soul masters could exist in the same era.
If one Nine-Heart Begonia soul master lived, no descendant could awaken the same martial soul until that person died.
Because of this, their kind could never form clans or sects.
And as a result, every Nine-Heart Begonia soul master had to rely on others for protection.
While the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan had built their own sect and power base, the Nine-Heart Begonia line had always been isolated and vulnerable.
———
When Qin Ming walked onto the training field and saw his students literally playing with wind and fire, he froze for a full ten seconds.
Wait.
If his memory served correctly, only Su Wen possessed mastery over those two elements, right?
So how on earth were Yu Tianheng, Dugu Yan, and the others all manipulating flames and air currents now?
Three minutes later, Qin Ming stood before Su Wen, his expression a mixture of astonishment and contemplation.
After taking a deep breath, he quickly pieced together the purpose and implications of Su Wen's new ability.
"Everyone, listen up." He began authoritatively. "Tianheng, Yan—you two don't rely heavily on this ability. But Yu Feng, Oslo, you can both benefit immensely from it. As for Lingling and Rongrong, you must train this skill diligently."
He continued, his tone analytical yet approving:
"Whether it's necessary for all of you or not, there's one undeniable fact—Su Wen's engraving ability is a support-type enhancement. Don't just see it as elemental manipulation."
The others blinked, realizing that they had been so distracted by the flashy elemental control that they'd overlooked the supportive essence behind it.
"With wind control, Su Wen can fly," Qin Ming pointed out. "If you can all master that, imagine what it would mean for our matches."
Seven opponents who could fly.
Just thinking about it…
Wouldn't that make any enemy team completely lose their minds?
Su Wen couldn't help but recall Oscar's Flying Mushroom Sausage.
He wondered, if fate ever brought the Heaven Dou Royal Team to fight the Shrek Seven Devils, how would those proud Shrek monsters react when they realized their opponents could fly too?
"And it's not just flight," Qin Ming continued. "Controlling wind and fire might not give you powerful new attack skills, but it will help you counter enemies from the Godwind and Blazing Academies, who specialize in those elements."
He wasn't wrong. Both academies belonged to the Four Element Academies, and their students were all elemental specialists.
With Su Wen's assistance, countering them would become significantly easier.
It was clear—Qin Ming's competitive drive was intense.
He had just learned of Su Wen's power, yet he was already strategizing how to incorporate it into the team's battle formations.
Of course, this also meant Su Wen himself would have to fight in the upcoming matches.
But that was fine—his strength already matched their level.
Besides, the team's composition had overlap between its defensive and agility attackers.
Whether Su Wen replaced a defense-type or an agility-type member, he would fit right in.
In fact, with Su Wen on the field, the team's support unit would require less direct protection, making two top-tier defense soul masters somewhat redundant.
The Shi brothers, both defensive specialists, could now alternate participation, allowing them to maximize their individual performance.
———
Meanwhile, Ning Rongrong wasn't causing any trouble at all.
Under Qin Ming's structured and rational guidance, she was actually training with enthusiasm.
Unlike Flender, who always made students run laps and justified it with ridiculous excuses, Qin Ming explained everything logically—and without any intent to humiliate.
That alone made Ning Rongrong more willing to cooperate.
Before, she'd never cared much for physical training. She thought, I'm a support-type soul master with no combat power—what's the point of training my body?
But now, thanks to Su Wen, she could fight, and that changed everything.
Of course, her enthusiasm had limits.
Every time she looked ready to revert to her spoiled self, Su Wen would drop the same line—
"Rongrong, when are you going to reach Level 20?"
And every single time, she'd freeze.
Because she knew what that question really meant:
"Do you still want a thousand-year second soul ring?"
That reminder alone kept her going.
"Ugh, Brother Wen, this fire control is so hard! It's way more complicated than controlling an energy flow!" she groaned, frustrated.
Su Wen chuckled.
"Don't rush. After all, it's an ability granted through my enhancement. Of course it'll feel unnatural at first—you'll adapt with practice."
In other words, she needed to get used to his martial soul's rhythm.
With time, she would naturally attune to it.
And so, time passed—
Three months in the blink of an eye.
By then, Ning Rongrong had broken through to Level 20.
At the Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena, Ning Fengzhi looked at his daughter, who now carried herself with confidence and maturity.
"You've changed so much," he sighed.
"Rongrong, since you've reached Level 20, your Sword Grandpa will take you to obtain your second soul ring."
"Ah?" Ning Rongrong's tone instantly soured.
"I want my second soul ring to be a thousand-year ring!"
After three months of hard training—motivated entirely by Su Wen—how could she accept settling for a mere hundred-year soul ring?
Absolutely not.
Even if it took years, she, Ning Rongrong, would wait until she could absorb a thousand-year one!
But Ning Fengzhi already expected this reaction. His expression hardened, his tone carrying the authority of a true clan leader.
"Rongrong!"
The air grew heavy—
Even Su Wen could feel the oppressive aura of a superior.
"Have you forgotten the most important principle of a support-type soul master?"
"...To protect myself and minimize my presence," she murmured timidly.
Ning Fengzhi sighed, both stern and pained.
"Exactly. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda is already eye-catching enough. If you add a thousand-year second ring, you'll instantly become the enemy's number one target in every battle."
Even if she had combat ability, so what?
Being both an elite support and a fighter would only make her a greater threat.
Combat skills were meant to save herself, not to stand on the frontlines.
Ning Rongrong thought carefully.
Her father's reasoning… actually made sense.
Over the past three months, she had fought in hundreds of battles in the academy and the Great Spirit Arena—
And in every single one, she had been targeted first.
She remembered well how that felt.
"Father, I understand."
"I'll go with Sword Grandpa to obtain my soul ring."
(End of Chapter)