Chapter 492: Pressure Test (2/2)

…

During training, the mastery casters could sense Guan Dongyang's soul energy from a distance. As they were marveling at their captain's powerful soul energy, Wang Tong opened up his arm and sent an invisible web of energy toward the mastery casters.

Everyone felt it right away. As if entangled in a net made out of heavy wires, the mastery casters felt the heaviness in their body and mind. They then cranked up their soul energy in an effort to counter the attack coming from Wang Tong. However, as soon as their soul energy was about to overturn the situation, they felt the weight of the net getting a bit heavier, forcing the soldiers to increase their soul energy by another notch, until they had reached their limits.

Ye Zi had known this type of training method as a one on one training technique between two mastery casters of similar levels. However, Wang Tong had proven to be able to handle twenty soldiers at the same time, including one level eighteen mastery genius.

Guan Dongyang was pleasantly surprised by the discovery of another training method. All this while, he wondered how Wang Tong had done it with such ease.

With Wang Tong's web of soul energy increasing in intensity, even Guan Dongyang started to feel weariness. However, he was convinced that he could pull through it.

Wang Tong smiled and then said, ”That was for you to warm up… Now is the real test. I will place on you a soul energy one level higher than your current level.”

”KOM!”

Guan Dongyang's face paled in an instant. Wang Tong's soul energy bore down on him with the weight of a mountain. However, he didn't flinch and remained steadfast in his defense. He knew that calmness and patience was the only weapon he had while facing a foe who was much more powerful than him. Slow and steady would win the race, while going fast and furious would only get him killed.

After weeks of training, Tan Bu and Duo Lun had reached the same conclusion as Guan Dongyang, so the two increased their soul energy very slowly, striking a fine balance between relieving pain and conserving energy. Meanwhile, they dug in for a long struggle.

Wang Tong looked at the two young soldiers and nodded in approval.

After a while, the other soldiers started to fall to the ground one after another. None of them were able to get up after they had collapsed.

With his eyes closed, Guan Dongyang covered himself with a layer of soul energy while enduring the strain on his system. As a level eighteen Mastery caster, he would not be struck down so easily. Wang Tong was pleased by Guan Dongyang's performance so far, and he reckoned that the latter had improved a lot ever since the tournament.

Ross' face was knotted and contorted by the pain. Bead-sized sweat had joined into a trickle, running down his broad face; he was on the verge of collapsing. When his legs finally gave in, his attempt to make his fall as graceful as possible failed miserably.

As most of the mastery casters retreated from the test, Ye Zi remained on the training ground. She was trained by the divine masters, so her foundation was more solid than most warriors of Battle Wolf.

After some time, all soldiers were laying on the ground except for four: Guan Dongyang, Duo Lun, Tan Bu, and Ye Zi.

”Excellent, the four of you can enter the second stage.” Wang Tong announced.

The first stage subjected the soldiers under soul energy attack that was one level higher than them, and the second phase would up the game by a notch: it would be two additional levels instead of one.

”KOM!”

When the level twenty soul energy came down on Guan Dongyang, he felt that his body was about to buckle under the weight, but it didn't. Swallowing down the pain, Guan Dongyang slowly cranked up his soul energy again, pushing his limit further.

Ye Zi thought she could weather phase two as she did in phase one. But, as soon as the additional soul energy weighted on her, she fell to the ground immediately.

Although struggling, Tan Bu and Duo Lun stood with their shaky legs. They gritted their teeth and let the sweat slide down their body, forming a little puddle beside their feet.

After a while, Tan Bu felt like he was losing consciousness, as the world turned blank. The image of his sister being devoured by the Zerg replayed right in front him.

”No! NO!”

Tan Bu shouted in his mind as terror, anger, and pain gripped him. The white nothingness gnawed at his mind and soul.

”Away!” He shouted, ”AWAY!” He charged up all of the soul energy that was left in him.

”Kom!”

As Tan Bu fell to the ground, he advanced into level fourteen.