Chapter 24: The Royal Reserve Team

The mediator was none other than Ye Lingling's father—the very person who had recommended Gu Yechén to attend this academy.

In Ye Yuhan's letters, she had mentioned Gu Yechén multiple times and specifically emphasized that he was her future son-in-law.

So, this "mediator" had shown up uninvited, wanting to get a look at this so-called son-in-law firsthand—without Gu Yechén's knowledge or permission.

Before the assessment began, he had already reviewed Gu Yechén's appearance and physique. Other than his poor fashion sense, his demeanor and character seemed decent enough.

Though a bit introverted, he still appeared far more respectable than the crowd of bootlickers around him.

With a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips, the mediator saw that the assessment was nearing its conclusion, and the outcome was essentially settled.

He quietly stepped away—after all, there were official matters awaiting him. Unlike Generals Cai and Kong, he didn't have the luxury to idle around.

On the elevated viewing platform, Sun Buyu wasn't focused on Gu Yechén's abilities at all. Instead, his attention was fixed on the young girl from the Spirit Hall. He even suspected that the little girl might possess a healing-type spirit bone.

Indeed, from such a distance, it was nearly impossible to discern any subtle secrets. The mediator had only deduced some of it thanks to the private information Ye Yuhan had provided.

An auxiliary-type Spirit Master capable of applying area-wide debuffs—such individuals were battlefield game-changers, nearly as valuable as food-type supports.

If someone like her joined the military, she'd likely rise to the rank of a legendary general.

As time passed, the results of the competition became increasingly clear. As expected, Jiuying claimed first place.

At the side, Wang Li continued observing from afar while recording the final rankings.

Before long, he compiled everything into a complete chart:

Results Table:

1st Place: Jiuying – Level 29

2nd Place: Zui Wuqing – Level 20

3rd Place: Cai Xiang – Level 29

4th Place: Gu Yechén – Level 20

5th Place: Kong Long – Level 29

6th Place: Wang Ba – Level 27

7th Place: You Xiyao – Level 27

8th Place: Duoduo – Level 27

Sun Buyu didn't need to look at the chart; he'd been watching the competition live. To his surprise, Kong Long—whom he had high expectations for—only managed fifth place. The students ahead of him were clearly exceptional.

"Goodness... who would've thought the top eight freshmen this year would be so strong?" Sun Buyu muttered to himself. "The three academy elders are going to be thrilled with this batch."

"If it weren't for the lower soul power levels, they could've easily rivaled the second team of the Royal Academy's main battle squad."

At that moment, a gatekeeper from the academy arrived at the viewing platform and whispered something in Sun Buyu's ear.

Sun Buyu burst into laughter. "Hahaha! Excellent! Wonderful news!"

Clearly pleased by the message, he promptly tipped the gatekeeper ten gold soul coins.

The gatekeeper wasn't even scheduled to be on duty that day, yet he had trekked down from the mountains to deliver the message personally—obviously hoping for a generous tip.

Important announcements were usually posted on the academy bulletin board, but sometimes, when teachers were too busy to check, gatekeepers would moonlight as couriers on their days off. They would selectively deliver information relevant to specific teachers, hoping to get rewarded for their effort.

After wiping his mustache, Sun Buyu beamed with satisfaction and raised his hand.

"You've done well. In the future, if there's more good news about me, make sure I'm the first to know. You'll be rewarded with ten gold soul coins every time."

The gatekeeper bowed repeatedly. "Understood, Sir Sun. I figured since you were overseeing the assessment here, you wouldn't have had time to return to campus, so I rushed over to bring you the news."

Sun Buyu nodded. "Alright, you're dismissed."

"Got it!" The gatekeeper trotted off, grinning ear to ear. This was the biggest tip he'd ever received from a side gig.

Once the man was gone, Sun Buyu composed himself and adopted a more serious demeanor.

He turned to Wang Li, who was still recording spirit information, and said, "Ah Li, how would you like to become a Special-Class Instructor at the Royal Academy, just like Qin Ming? The opportunity has arrived."

Wang Li's eyes lit up. "I'd love that!"

Then he paused and asked doubtfully, "But... Sir Sun, do you have a connection or something?"

Sun Buyu smiled. "Becoming a Special-Class Instructor isn't just about wanting it. You have to prove yourself with action. I've already submitted a request to the academy elders to appoint you as a probationary instructor. Before long, you'll be officially teaching students."

"To go from probationary to official, and then from official to Special-Class, is usually a long process. But... there's one shortcut."

"What shortcut?" Wang Li asked, puzzled.

Sun Buyu adopted a mysterious tone. "Remember when I told you about the Royal Reserve Team?"

"Years ago, I proposed creating such a team to the three elders, but the idea kept getting rejected. Somehow, this time, they approved it—and even posted the decision publicly on the bulletin board."

"If this had happened a few years back, I would've been excited to lead the team myself. But now, I'm getting older and don't have the energy. You're different. You're still young and gifted—only 21 years old, and already a Level 44 Soul Ancestor."

"With your talent, you're more than qualified to lead the Royal Reserve Team."

"You're also my only disciple, so of course, I want to cultivate you. That leadership role is yours."

"The Royal Reserve Team is essentially the backup for the academy's first and second teams."

"In the past, substitutes were chosen solely based on soul power levels, without any real team training. As a result, in actual battles, they often underperformed compared to lower-level teams with strong coordination."

"That's why this new reserve team is so important. It'll train cohesion and strategy from the ground up."

"You can choose members from this year's freshmen—preferably the top ten from the assessment. Their performance has already proven their potential."

Wang Li scratched his head and asked, "Teacher, how many members should the Reserve Team have?"

Sun Buyu thought for a moment. "I believe it's eight—or maybe ten. The proposal is old, and I can't quite remember. Just select eight for now. Once we get back and confirm the number on the bulletin, you can add more if needed."

Wang Li nodded firmly. "Understood. I'll do my best to train this team and earn that Special-Class title."

His confidence wasn't unfounded—he had extensive experience with reserve teams and had even sparred against the Spirit Hall's elite, albeit with a crushing defeat. Still, experience was experience.

But Sun Buyu shook his head seriously and said, "Ah Li, I may have opened a backdoor for you, but don't get overconfident. Even if you're taking a shortcut, don't take steps too big—or you'll stumble and lose everything."

"More importantly, to become a Special-Class Instructor, you must show actual results. Words mean nothing."

"I want you to lead the Royal Reserve Team into the Grand Soul Arena and participate in competitive battles."

"Earn at least one Silver Soul Badge yourself, and make sure the other members all get Bronze Badges."

"Prove to the academy elders that our reserve team is no less capable than the main teams."

"If everything goes well, by year's end, our Reserve Team will face the Royal Academy's second team in a friendly scri

mmage. Just make sure you don't embarrass us."

Wang Li nodded solemnly. "Don't worry. Leave it to me."

(End of Chapter)

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