Firmament Sword

Xu Luo suffered immensely during these last ten li. His whole body felt like it was on fire, and even his breaths were searing hot.

Even Master Mao couldn’t stand to watch anymore and asked Xu Luo if he wanted some secret help.

Xu Luo flatly refused.

”Are you kidding me? Didn’t you see those few guys who couldn’t take it anymore? They secretly used their True Essence, thinking they wouldn’t be discovered, and were immediately kicked out on Devil Instructor Zhou’s orders.”

Right now, however, almost no one had the extra energy to pay attention to such things. But they all knew, with chilling certainty, that those who were kicked out... were more or less finished for life!

The ones who were kicked out collapsed to the ground, weeping and wailing, kneeling and begging the instructor for another chance. But all they received in return was the sound of horse hooves fading into the distance.

From start to finish, Instructor Zhou didn’t even glance back at them once.

About twenty or thirty people had been kicked out along the way.

By now, almost everyone, even if they died of exhaustion, even if they fell behind, would never again entertain the slightest thought of using their True Essence.

Devil Instructor Zhou’s eyes were incredibly sharp. Even with several thousand people, the moment someone used their True Essence, he would almost always discover it instantly.

’What a monster!’ countless students lamented in their hearts.

”Aaaargh! Do you think I’m like that bunch of idiots? If I were to pull a few strings, you think he’d be able to detect it?” Uncle Meow Meow was deeply annoyed, feeling its kind offer had been completely unappreciated.

”Even if I weren’t discovered, I still wouldn’t use external help. That would defeat the entire purpose,” Xu Luo replied.

”Fine, I can’t be bothered with a stubborn human like you! I’m going back to sleep, arrrgh!”

With peace and quiet finally restored, Xu Luo felt like he could collapse at any moment.

”How are you holding up? Want me to carry you for a while?” Sun Donghai sidled up, asking with a relaxed expression.

Xu Luo shook his head. Looking at Sun Donghai, who seemed completely unaffected, he could only curse inwardly, ’What a freak of nature!’

The guy’s stamina was simply astonishing. After running for more than forty li, his expression hadn’t changed, and he wasn’t even out of breath. He didn’t look like he was under any pressure at all.

”Heh, don’t worry. As long as we don’t use True Essence, even if I carry you, the instructor will just pretend he didn’t see.”

Sun Donghai smiled and said, ”In the Imperial Capital, we’re the descendants of prestigious families, young masters of the nobility. We all run in our own circles. But on the battlefield, you, me... even people like Wei Ziting and his group, we’re all comrades-in-arms. We’re all brothers. It’s only right that we support each other.”

”Haha, you’re right. But if I don’t temper myself now, wouldn’t I just be dragging my comrades down when we actually get on the battlefield?” Xu Luo said, panting. ”So, no matter what, I’m going to see this through!”

”You’ve got real guts! I admit I underestimated you before!” Sun Donghai gave Xu Luo a thumbs-up before moving to the side and resuming his somewhat awkward running gait.

Zhao Mo, Wang Ziweng, Leng Ping, and the others also heard Sun Donghai’s words. Although they didn’t say anything, their expressions showed that they were deeply moved.

Wei Ziting and his followers were still in the leading group, but by now, Wei Ziting had realized that Xu Luo’s method might be more effective. He just couldn’t bring himself to swallow his pride and try it.

Ever since being beaten by Xu Luo, Li Tie had been training desperately, wanting to regain his lost face. Faced with an offer from Wei Ziting, he had unhesitatingly pledged his allegiance.

The Prime Minister Wei Group was currently the most powerful faction in the entire Cangqiong Kingdom. With Prime Minister Wei’s power eclipsing the imperial court, it went without saying that his son, Wei Ziting, had a boundless future.

”Learn your martial arts well, and sell them to the Emperor’s house.”

Li Tie had understood this saying since he was a child. He hadn’t previously pledged himself to anyone out of pride. The moment Wei Ziting first extended an olive branch to him, Li Tie was thrilled.

He knew his future would be bright!

Although Wei Ziting had suffered a setback at Xu Luo’s hands, his status in the eyes of the True Martial Academy students hadn’t changed one bit.

Therefore, almost no one could resist an overture from Young Master Wei.

Of course, there was an exception to every rule.

Lin Chi was that exception!

Lin Chi ran quietly within the leading group, keeping his distance from Wei Ziting and the others. He was proud and aloof. Even after Sun Donghai had slapped away his dignity and face, even after being mercilessly ridiculed by Xu Luo, his arrogance remained unchanged.

He had simply grown more silent.

When faced with Wei Ziting’s recruitment offer, Lin Chi refused without hesitation.

”Young Master Wei’s kind intentions are appreciated, but I will settle the grudge between myself, Xu Luo, and Sun Donghai on my own...” Lin Chi curtly rebuffed the messenger Wei Ziting had sent.

He was resolute in his goal: the Seventh Princess!

’I, Lin Chi... am destined to marry the Seventh Princess! If I join you, Wei Ziting, wouldn’t I just become your lackey?’

’Would I be as unprincipled as Li Tie?’

’Sooner or later, I will make everyone cheer for me, Lin Chi! Applaud me!’

’By then, some Xu Luo, some Sun Donghai... in my eyes, you will all be nothing but ants!’

As for Xu Luo’s proposal to use footwork without drawing on True Essence, Lin Chi merely sneered.

’As long as a Martial Artist has a powerful reserve of True Essence, they are invincible! Running out of True Essence on the battlefield? That only happens to the weak! How could that possibly happen to me, Lin Chi?’

Therefore, Lin Chi was filled with disdain for the many students following Xu Luo. ’A bunch of clowns!’

THUD...

Little Fatty Liu Feng stumbled and fell flat on the ground.

Already on the verge of exhaustion, and weighed down by his portly frame, he struggled for a long time but just couldn’t get back up.

Xu Luo and the others immediately prepared to stop and help him up.

”Keep going! I can get up myself!” the Little Fatty shouted anxiously. ”Don’t worry about me! If you stop, you’re done for!”

Most people were already numb, running purely on instinct and willpower. The Little Fatty was right. Once they stopped, it would be almost impossible to get moving again.

Just then, Sun Donghai said to Xu Luo and his friends, ”You guys keep running, I’ll get him!”

With that, Sun Donghai ran back to the Little Fatty’s side, pulled him up with one hand, and then supported him by the arm as they slowly started running forward again.

”Sun Donghai, thank you. I, Liu Feng, will remember this,” the Little Fatty said. He’d never had any interaction with Sun Donghai before. They were all top-tier young masters in the Imperial Capital, each with their own social circles that would never mix under normal circumstances.

”Nothing to thank me for. We’re all classmates, and now, we’re comrades-in-arms!” Sun Donghai said with a smile.

Xu Jie, Huangfu Chongzhi, and the others looked at Sun Donghai with eyes full of gratitude.

Among the five of them, Xu Jie had the best stamina, but he was currently supporting Sui Yan, who had also long since run out of energy. Otherwise, he would have definitely been the first one to rush over.

As they neared the destination, more and more people collapsed, unable to get back up.

Some were pulled up by their companions, while others... were ignored.

Sun Donghai helped up a few people near him, but as more and more collapsed, he simply couldn’t keep up.

He couldn’t help but let out a furious roar. ”How can you all be so cold-blooded? The people falling are our classmates! In the future, they’ll be our comrades-in-arms! If you’re this selfish, do you really expect your comrades to take a blade for you? Do you expect to be able to trust them with your back? Damn it, if you’re a man, if you have any strength to spare, help the person next to you up! They’re not a burden! They... are our companions!”

Sun Donghai’s roar made a flicker of shame appear in the eyes of many students who had already become completely numb.

”Yeah, the ones who fell... they’re our classmates, our comrades!”

”If we don’t care about them now, who will care about us in the future?”

”Damn it, so what if we fall behind? So what if we don’t get to eat? I’ll take it! I’d rather die than abandon a brother!” one student, who had been on the verge of collapse, found a sudden burst of strength from nowhere. He yanked a fallen classmate to his feet and roared, ”If you’re a goddamn man, then pull your companion up!”

Ferocious expressions appeared on many faces. Gritting their teeth, they risked collapsing themselves to pull up those around them.

Some tried to force their companions up, only to fall down themselves, making the scene even more chaotic instead of better.

”Boss...” Mo Shang said, looking worriedly at the students collapsing on the mountain path.

Instructor Zhou waved his hand, a flash of satisfaction finally appearing in his eyes. The fact that these students could realize this meant that his efforts in this first day of devil’s training had not been in vain!

”Fools!” Li Tie stood on a higher part of the path, looking down coldly at the people behind him. He sneered, ”They can barely manage themselves, and they still want to help others. Isn’t that just making things worse?”

Wei Ziting frowned slightly but didn’t reply. At that moment, this noble Young Master suddenly felt a pang of envy for those people.

He thought to himself, ’If I were to fall, the people around me would surely help me up. But... would they do it willingly?’

A mocking sneer touched the corners of Lin Chi’s mouth. Looking at the chaotic scene behind him, he laughed coldly in his heart. ’A bunch of fools who don’t know their own limits. Do they really think this is the camaraderie of the battlefield? How naive!’

Sun Donghai’s actions had completely ignited the passion buried deep in the students’ hearts. Although the scene was chaotic, not a single person gave up!

Even if it meant falling to the very back, they would bring their companions with them!

Xu Luo gave Sun Donghai a deep look and thought to himself, ’This man is destined to shine brightly in the future!’

”Brothers, don’t give up! Just another half hour and we’ll reach the campsite!” Sun Donghai shouted. ”When we get there, don’t just plop down on the ground and stop moving, or you’ll ruin your bodies! You have to walk around slowly for half an hour. Then, once you’ve recovered a bit of energy, set up the tents and build the cooking stoves immediately!”

”Those with less stamina, stay behind and gather firewood nearby! Those with more, follow me to hunt! It’s just a meal, right? We’re the most elite group from the True Martial Academy! Otherwise, why would we even be qualified to be here? We’re also the elite class of the Cangqiong Kingdom! Don’t let others look down on us!”

Sun Donghai’s words greatly boosted everyone’s morale. Although people in the column continued to fall, their entire spirit was quietly being transformed.