At this point, he paused, his gaze sweeping across every member of the Imperial Battle Team. "Grow from your failures."
"Grow from your failures." The members of the Imperial Battle Team repeated Qin Ming's words.
Qin Ming waved his hand. "All of you, go back and rest. Recover as quickly as possible. I still need to see a few people."
With that, Qin Ming turned and strode away.
The mood on the Imperial Battle Team's side was one of utter dejection, a stark contrast to the opposite end of the arena. As the Shrek Seven Devils walked toward the Great Master, Flandre, and Zhao Wuji to the sound of thunderous applause, their eyes were brimming with irrepressible excitement.
The Great Master and Tang San locked eyes for a brief moment. In his teacher's gaze, Tang San saw satisfaction. For Tang San, earning his master's approval meant more than all the applause from the crowd.
The Great Master did not withhold his praise. "Excellent. You won. You didn't just defeat your opponents—you defeated yourselves as well. Today's team battle Soul Duel counts as the examination for the second stage of the trial, and every one of you has passed my test with outstanding results."
Oscar grinned. "Great Master, now that we're done, does that mean we get a holiday when we get back?"
Flandre frowned from the side. "Don't you little brats get too full of yourselves. Can't you see how lucky today's victory was? If this were a straight contest of raw ability, you wouldn't stand a chance against the Imperial Battle Team."
Oscar shot back, "But, Headmaster, I recall that you once taught us that luck is part of strength. Have you already forgotten?"
"Ugh… fine, you little rascal, hmph." Though Flandre's words were scolding Oscar, the truth was that the excitement surging inside him surpassed even the Great Master's.
Shrek Academy—it had been his obsession, his unwavering devotion for years on end. And now, at last, he had welcomed the most exceptional group of students in the Academy's entire history.
He believed that within twenty years, the children standing before him would unleash a storm upon the Soul Master world of all Soul Land—a true storm.
Zhao Wuji laughed. "Come on, Flandre, you can drop the tough act. The kids have been pushed hard enough these past few days. Great Master, don't you think we ought to let them rest a while once we're back?"
The Great Master nodded slowly. "They do deserve a break. When we return, I'll give you all a half-month vacation. You can do whatever you want with the time. After that, I'll consider when to begin the third stage of the trial."
"Huh? There's a third stage?!" Every one of the six others except Tang San cried out in unison.
The Great Master simply cast them a flat glance, his face reverting to its usual stiff mask. "What? Do you have objections?"
"No, no, of course not! Great Master, you are the wisest of all. Forget the third stage—even a fourth or fifth, we'd push right through!" Oscar answered in a hurry. The rest were quietly wiping sweat from their brows.
They had to admit that the Great Master's training methods were remarkably effective—but the suffering involved was something no one ever wanted to dwell on. The first and second trials had already been grueling beyond belief. What on earth would the third stage bring?
Just then, a figure approached at an unhurried pace. Before he had even drawn near, his voice preceded him. "Headmaster Flandre, Vice Headmaster Zhao Wuji. How have you been? Your student, Qin Ming, pays his respects."
It was none other than Qin Ming, the Imperial Battle Team's supervising instructor. He quickened his steps, crossed the distance in a few strides, and dropped to one knee before Flandre and Zhao Wuji. Gone was the composure he had shown while overseeing the Imperial Battle Team's formation. His eyes now blazed with unmistakable emotion.
Flandre pushed the crystal spectacles up on the bridge of his nose. "I was starting to think this little brat of ours had long since forgotten about us."
Zhao Wuji hauled Qin Ming to his feet and looked him over from head to toe, then burst into hearty laughter. "Impressive, kid. You've gotten stronger and stronger—won't be long before you catch up to us old fogeys."
Qin Ming stood with his hands at his sides, head respectfully bowed. "No matter how much time passes, the two of you will always be my teachers, and Qin Ming will always be a student of Shrek Academy."
Watching this scene unfold, the Shrek Seven Devils were struck speechless. They had no idea who Qin Ming actually was or what he did, but they had clearly seen him appear at the entrance on the opposite end of the dueling platform earlier.