Chapter 39

Just the previous night, Ghost Douluo had been summoned by Bibi Dong. Upon his arrival, she provided him with a set of specific instructions that left him noticeably surprised.

"Is that understood?" Bibi Dong asked, her voice cold and commanding.

"Yes!" Ghost Douluo responded, then hesitated before asking, "Your eminence, may I ask a question?"

"Speak," Bibi Dong ordered.

Ghost Douluo voiced his concern, "Assigning me to instruct the class of Cai Wen and Hu Liena, isn't it unfair to the other classes? Might it not spark resentment and envy?"

Bibi Dong addressed him by name, "Ghost Douluo, when has the world ever been fair? There's no such thing as fairness. Everything comes down to luck - luck in talent, upbringing, wealth, survival, and growth."

She continued, her tone matter-of-fact, "If the other classes grow resentful of having a Title Douluo as an instructor, then so be it. It will serve as a challenge for them to grow stronger. If this is enough to cause my two disciples to falter, then I made a mistake in accepting them in the first place." Her voice held no doubt that her disciples would overcome the challenges ahead.

"Anything else?" she asked.

"No, your eminence," Ghost Douluo replied, and after a few more exchanges, he took his leave. Bibi Dong then returned to her chamber to cultivate.

In the present Ghost Douluo subsequently led his group, who followed him in quiet obedience. After navigating numerous twists and turns, they arrived at one of the many established training grounds within the Spirit Hall. The vast area was a testament to the rigorous training regime of the institution.

"Form a line," Ghost Douluo commanded, to which they promptly responded, forming a neat row before their stern instructor.

Ghost Douluo turned his attention to each disciple, scrutinizing them with his sharp eyes. The silence was palpable, a heavy tension hanging in the air. He finally broke the silence with his grave voice.

"Your class represents the elite among the disciples of the Spirit Hall Academy. Above you, there are two more classes - the Master and the True Master Grade," he explained.

(NOTE: In my Spirit Hall Academy, there are 4 grading. Apprentice, Disciple, Master and True Master Grade, each grade has 4 class with class 3 being the lowest, class 1 second to the highest and elite class being the best)

He continued, "Every five years, the Spirit Hall Academy hosts a tournament. This contest pits disciples, Masters, and True Masters against each other. While any class can participate, victories by those outside the Elite Class are rare."

His words prompted a female student to raise her hand, to which Ghost Douluo gestured for her to speak.

"What is the purpose of this tournament?" she asked.

"The tournament is designed to foster competition and personal growth. A stagnant environment impedes development. However, the primary objective is to select representatives for the Spirit Hall and the Academy in the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Elite Tournament," Ghost Douluo explained.

Cai Wen muttered to himself, "Who came up with such a long title?" His comment was overheard, but everyone else was preoccupied with digesting the information shared by Ghost Douluo.

"The tournament occurs every five years. We emerged victorious in the last one, and in four years, the Pope hopes to dominate the event once again," Ghost Douluo added.

Yan's response vibrated with tangible excitement. "Are you suggesting that we, at our current level, could participate in that tournament?" His enthusiasm to show off his skills was almost impossible to suppress.

"Temper your excitement," Ghost Douluo cautioned, his voice carrying a note of stern warning. "While it's true that students from outside the Elite Class have participated in the past, none have ever emerged victorious. The same applies to your class - the Elite Disciples. Most participants from the Master and True Master classes are more mature teens and adults, seasoned by years of experience and possessing significantly higher spirit power than you. Therefore, your chances of winning the school tournament are virtually nonexistent." His harsh dose of reality seemed to pierce through Yan's bubble of excitement like a dart.

"However," Ghost Douluo added, his voice tinged with a hint of admiration, "there have been rare instances where members of your class have won. The most recent case was the current Pope, who achieved this feat a few decades ago."

"Teacher?" Hu Liena echoed, surprise etched on her face, yet a sense of pride welled up within her for being her disciple.

Ghost Douluo resumed, "That's precisely why I'm here - to boost your odds of success. However, even with my rigorous training, your chances of victory will still remain slim."

His words slightly revived their spirits, despite the fact that they held no illusions about outperforming their seniors. Naturally, this excluded the prideful individuals such as Xie Yue, Hu Liena, and Yan.

As for Cai Wen, he remained apprehensive about their slim odds of success. Even though he recognized his own power, he understood that there were limits to what he could achieve against a group of experienced spirit masters.

'Nevertheless, there's no harm in trying,' he contemplated.

"Let's get back to our training," Ghost Douluo directed, his tone authoritative and unwavering. "Earlier, I evaluated your physical capabilities, and I must admit I was somewhat disappointed. While it's commendable that you can withstand pressure equivalent to your current level, I don't want that to be your benchmark. By the end of my training, I expect all of you to be able to endure pressure three times higher than your present spirit rank." Everyone listened attentively, even though the task seemed intimidating.

"But what about me?" Cai Wen interrupted suddenly. "I've already proven that I can handle spiritual pressure levels beyond my current rank." His statement served as a reminder that he was a freshly minted spirit grandmaster.

"In your case, I will raise my expectations for you to manage pressure fifteen levels above your rank," Ghost Douluo replied calmly. Internally, he was taken aback. 'This kid is gradually morphing into a real monster,' he mused.

The other students deemed Cai Wen's challenge to be somewhat unfair, but observing his nonchalant acceptance, they held back their objections.

Ghost Douluo then proceeded to elaborate on a few more topics before finally transitioning into the lesson.