As Wang Dong passed by the two of them, he asked, "Why are you running so slowly?"
Wang Feng replied, "What's the point of running fast? It'll only make you more tired. This training isn't about who reaches the finish line first, it's about enduring until the bell rings. So we don't need to run too fast, because if we do, our stamina will run out before the bell even rings."
Wang Dong thought about it for a moment and realized that what Wang Feng said made sense. He then slowed his pace and matched Wang Feng's speed.
Wang Feng also told Wang Dong to use the method he taught that morning to help him last longer.
Time passed, and thanks to Wang Feng's technique, both Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong were able to maintain a steady pace. However, the technique had one weakness—they had to stay focused and keep their speed consistent. As a result, they fell at least one lap behind the other students.
The advantage of this technique was its ability to reduce fatigue through concentration and meditation. It was highly suitable for long-term endurance. Because of this, even though they were behind, both Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong remained calm.
Meanwhile, Wang Feng was also running at the same pace as them. With stamina that had been trained for five years and refined by the Meteor Tears, his endurance far surpassed the other students.
At this point, the three of them were on the same lap—the tenth. The other students were at least one or more laps ahead.
However, the effects of sprinting at the start were beginning to show. The students who had initially taken the lead were now starting to slow down. Those who had exerted too much energy early on were eventually overtaken by students with more stable pacing.
Drops of sweat began to soak the track. More than half an hour passed, and finally, a weaker female student collapsed with a loud thud. She tried to get up but failed. One by one, the other students began to give up.
Although the students tried their best to hold on, fatigue eventually defeated their will. Running while wearing heavy armor was no easy task. Many of them had already depleted their soul power early on, leaving their bodies unable to bear the heavy burden.
After an hour had passed, half of the students had already collapsed. Zhou Yi remained standing in place, expressionless, and gave no encouragement to those who had given up.
Around Shrek Square, the sound of armor crashing to the ground became more frequent. Even the strongest students began to fall one by one.
By the time an hour and a half had passed, only five people remained. They were Wang Feng, Wang Dong, Huo Yuhao, and two other students.
Five minutes later, the other two students also fell to the ground one after the other. The only ones left on the field were Wang Feng, Huo Yuhao, and Wang Dong. Although they were sweating heavily and their faces were flushed, their pace remained constant and steady.
"Hey, look. Let's see how long they can keep going," one student pointed at the three of them.
Gradually, the cheerful spark in the eyes of the fallen students faded. The power of example was incredible. They began to get up from the ground one by one, watching the perseverance of the three.
Then, one of them started running again. With one person leading, a second and third followed. Slowly, all the students in the freshman class gritted their teeth, lifted their stiff legs, and barely moved back onto the track.
Zhou Yi was moved. Since becoming a teacher, he had rarely been touched by his students' performance, but this time, he truly was. Because of those three, and also because of the ninety-seven students who stood up and followed. This wasn't just a physical training session—it was also a spiritual training for them! On the faces of these children, barely eleven or twelve years old, Zhou Yi saw determination amidst exhaustion.
This lesson was far, far more effective than he had imagined.
"Ding-ling-ling——"
The bell marking the end of the class finally rang.
Clatter, crack, this time the dominoes really fell. The sound of the end-of-class bell rang loudly, and a large group of students immediately collapsed.
The iron armor clashed against the ground with a series of loud crashes, and all the new students fell at once, kicking up a cloud of dust.
Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong, who had been barely hanging on until now, finally collapsed the moment they heard the bell ring.
However, as they fell, Wang Feng, who happened to be behind them, grabbed the back of their armor, preventing their pretty faces from hitting the ground directly.
Just as all the students in the first-year class lay exhausted on the ground, Zhou Yi, with a look of satisfaction in her eyes, waved into the distance.
Then, a man dressed in white floated over, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. He approached her, nodded in greeting, and then turned to face the group of students.
After that, dazzling soul rings appeared beneath his feet: two yellow, two purple, and three black—seven in total. A Soul Saint, a true powerhouse with a level-70 cultivation base.
The Soul Saint raised his hand, and a gentle green glow began to radiate from his palm. His seventh soul ring was surrounded by black light. He shook his body, and in an instant, he transformed into a towering tree.
A gentle breeze blew, and emerald green leaves fluttered from the giant tree whose canopy resembled a massive umbrella. Precisely ninety-one leaves floated down lightly, each landing on one of the ninety-one new first-year students.
Everyone felt a soothing and incredibly comfortable sensation spreading throughout their bodies. Whether it was their sore muscles or injuries caused by the armor, all were healed at a remarkable speed. Even their physical strength gradually began to recover, although their soul power remained depleted and unaffected by the green leaves.
Wang Dong turned around and sat up, staring at the tall tree with sparkling eyes, then gasped. "That's one of the top-tier plant-type martial souls—the Tree of Life martial soul! Level 70, the true form of the martial soul. Teacher Zhou actually brought in a top-level plant-type support specialist to heal and recover us."
Surrounded by green light, after releasing the hundred leaves, the towering tree quickly shrank and transformed back into the white-clad man in the blink of an eye. He nodded at Zhou Yi, who bowed respectfully to him. The man then left like a breeze, just as quietly as he had arrived. From beginning to end, he didn't speak a single word to Zhou Yi.
The students got up from the ground one by one. Though still tired, they felt an indescribable satisfaction after having pushed their bodies to the limit.
Zhou Yi looked at the students who had gotten to their feet and said calmly, "I have to say, you gave me a surprising answer. Today, no one will be eliminated."
As soon as these words were spoken, the students couldn't help but cheer—especially those who had run the most laps in the rear lines—relieved beyond measure.
"You should thank Wang Feng, Wang Dong, and Huo Yuhao. If not for them, some of you might've given up, and I would've expelled someone. You should also be proud—you're the only class I've taught where no one was expelled on the first day."
The present students looked at the three and expressed their thanks.
Zhou Yi nodded and said, "Dismissed. Everyone, return your armor. The other teachers will hold theory classes tomorrow. I suggest you meditate and digest the progress and meaning of today's physical training. I'll hold class again the afternoon after tomorrow. At that time, I hope there are no slackers."
"Yes." The students responded in unison, but they didn't immediately leave. Instead, they rushed toward the three of them and lifted them into the air.
For these teenagers, joy and happiness were straightforward. Thanks to the three of them, no one was eliminated, and everyone avoided punishment. At this moment, the three were their heroes.
Moreover, after the grueling and painful physical training class, Teacher Zhou had asked a miraculous plant-type Soul Sage to heal and care for them, allowing them to clearly experience the power of high-level soul masters. Their physical pain was gone, and their dislike for Teacher Zhou drastically diminished.
This group kept celebrating for over ten minutes until students from other classes finished school, then they stopped and returned to their dorms to clean up. They looked utterly miserable by now.