Soul Land V: Rebirth of Tang San

Wu Bingji glanced at Tang San somewhat helplessly, her eyes conveying a sense of, \'See, I told you this would happen.\'

Yet Tang San remained calm and solemnly said to Mu Enqing, "Teacher, isn\'t it precisely because you will be watching over us in secret that we can take on this challenge? If we were to choose an easy target, where would the benefit of training lie? It\'s exactly because the opponent is strong that we can truly feel the pressure and temper ourselves under stress. Even though our cultivation bases are insufficient, I believe that if everyone\'s abilities complement each other and we coordinate seamlessly, we stand a fighting chance against a Seventh Stage Demon Beast. It\'s possible to succeed."

Mu Enqing had been persuaded by Tang San the day before but had not expected him to be so audacious as to set their sights on a Winged Tiger.

"But do you realize what kind of Demon Beast a Winged Tiger is? An adult Winged Tiger is Seventh Stage, but Eighth Stage individuals also exist. And extremely advanced Winged Tigers could even reach the Ninth Stage. Can you determine what level of Winged Tiger you will encounter? This creature can fly, and its flying speed is quite formidable. Once you\'re unable to contend with it, you won\'t even have a chance to run. Choosing a Winged Tiger isn\'t training, it\'s more like a suicide mission. Would your teammates agree to follow you into this?"

Tang San said frankly, "I haven\'t told them what Demon Beast we are going to hunt. They will only find out when we encounter it."

"..." Mu Enqing\'s gaze towards Tang San changed, containing a hint of, \'I had no idea you were such a daring child. You want to hunt a Winged Tiger at nine years old; does that mean you\'ll be aiming for the Ancestral Court by nineteen?\'

\'Brave yet foolish,\' a somewhat stern voice chimed in at that moment.

Guan Longjiang strode in, his piercing gaze fixed on Tang San, "Truly a case of the inexperienced fearing not the tiger. Are you really not afraid this is akin to marching towards your demise?"

Tang San replied, "We will certainly be cautious. Besides, aren\'t the teachers watching over us from the shadows? You can\'t just take the lion\'s share of the profits without doing anything. How can one see a rainbow without enduring a storm? No one can achieve success easily. Teacher, to stimulate everyone\'s bloodline power and fully unleash the potential hidden within our bloodlines, this is the shortcut. There are definitely risks, but as long as we are extremely careful and well-prepared, I think the risks can be kept within a manageable range."

"Nonsense, do you expect all of our teachers to follow you? We might as well hold practical combat classes in the academy and beat you directly," Guan Longjiang retorted irritably.

"Let them go," came another voice just then. Guan Longjiang and Mu Enqing turned their eyes towards the source. It was none other than Zhang Haoxuan, the person in charge of Redemption Academy and also the mayor of the academy\'s town.

Zhang Haoxuan\'s expression was somewhat peculiar as well. He approached Guan Longjiang and Mu Enqing, "What Xiao Tang said isn\'t wrong. Necessary pressure is the inevitable path to stimulate the growth of these children. Perhaps it\'s because we have been too conservative that the children\'s development has been so slow. Each of them possesses extraordinary talent. How to maximise their talents and accelerate their development is something we have been exploring. The organization has accumulated some experience over many years, but we all know that the rate of accumulation is still too slow. At this pace, it is unlikely we, as humans, could secure a living space even in a hundred, or possibly a thousand years. If we, as their forerunners, don\'t take risks, how can we create a better living space for our descendants?"

Before seeking out Mu Enqing, Tang San had already met with Zhang Haoxuan and shared his ideas.

The difference between Zhang Haoxuan and Mu Enqing or Guan Longjiang was that he knew Tang San\'s potential and was aware that he possessed various abilities. Furthermore, as the person overseeing the entire academy town, Tang San also believed that Zhang Haoxuan would have a more far-sighted perspective. Adding to that the trust he had in Tang San as his teacher.

"But..." Guan Longjiang was still hesitant.

"I\'ll go with them. Even if we encounter a Ninth Stage Winged Tiger, I should still be able to secure their safety," Zhang Haoxuan said, waving off any continuation of protest.

"This is an important trial. If successful, it could also serve as a regular part of the academy\'s future curriculum. Tang San is right; flowers grown in a greenhouse cannot withstand fierce storms. In the future, they will be the pillars of our organization, and what they need is greater tempering," he declared.

There was a finality to the mayor\'s decision. With Zhang Haoxuan volunteering to go personally, what else could Mu Enqing and Guan Longjiang say?

"When do you plan to go?" Zhang Haoxuan looked at Tang San.

Tang San said, "Let\'s make it tomorrow. The eldest senior brother and I have checked the living area of the Winged Tiger in the mountains, and it\'s quite far from us. I estimate that the search will also take some time. We\'ll prepare today and set out tomorrow."

"How many people do you plan to take with you?" Zhang Haoxuan continued to ask.

Tang San said, "I\'ve already chosen the people, including the eldest senior brother and myself, a total of five. Having too many people is actually inconvenient for coordination. With complementary abilities, I believe five people are sufficient for now. If there are too many of us, it wouldn\'t be convenient for you to keep an eye on everyone."

"Alright. Then set off early tomorrow morning."

Tang San and Wu Bingji left. Guan Longjiang, looking at the figure of Zhang Haoxuan with his hands behind his back, said, "You\'re very indulgent with this disciple of yours! Just letting him make a fuss like this? What if something goes wrong?"

"If something goes wrong, I\'ll take responsibility," Zhang Haoxuan said without hesitation.

Guan Longjiang said helplessly, "Well, just be careful then. You should also make more preparations. Although Demon Beasts can\'t achieve God Rank, you still need to be careful."

Zhang Haoxuan nodded and said, "You, sometimes you just worry too much. What Tang San said has actually had a big impact on me. If we want to achieve something extraordinary, to truly give these children the power to fight against the Monster and Fairy Clans in the future, then we can\'t keep to the conventional way of training them. We need to have the courage to try. Even if there are casualties along the way, as long as the final result is good and the experience gained is valuable, it\'s all worth it."

Guan Longjiang said with a bitter smile, "That\'s easy to say, but it wasn\'t easy for us to accumulate this little bit of power! Anyway, you\'re the boss, I\'ll listen to you. Should we invite Old Si to join us?"

Zhang Haoxuan shook his head and said, "No need, we still need him to hold the fort here. We can\'t leave lightly."

Classes, cultivation, eating, cultivation. The day passed in a hurry.

The squad members, having received confirmation from Tang San, quietly left the academy early the next morning, and assembled in the middle of the back mountain.

Wu Bingji, needless to say, naturally served as the team leader. The five of them took advantage of the dawn and quietly headed toward the Jiali mountain range.

Wu Bingji walked in the front, followed by Gu Li, while Cheng Zicheng, who had released his Demon God Transformation, flew low, circling above them, Du Bai took the middle position, and Tang San brought up the rear. They entered the mountain range with ease, quickly disappearing into the jungle.

"What\'s going on? Where are Du Bai and Gu Li?" When the morning classes started, Guan Longjiang suddenly realized a significant problem.

He hadn\'t asked Tang San and Wu Bingji who they were taking with them yesterday. In his view, his good disciple, the academy\'s eldest senior brother, was always steady, so he definitely wouldn\'t act rashly. They were going to hunt the Winged Tiger, so they must have chosen a few of the strongest students as teammates.

But this morning, as soon as he started the class, he found out that in addition to those two, Cheng Zicheng, Du Bai, and Gu Li had also left with them.