Douluo: Soul-Breaking spear

Chapter 71: Weighted Obstacle Running

Faced with the new setup at Training Ground No. 3, Yang Potian strapped on his weighted gear and began running.

The first obstacle was a 100-meter dash down a straight track, requiring maximum speed. Next, he faced a deep pit over two meters wide, which he had to jump into and quickly climb out of—a test of raw arm strength. Following that was a crawl through a narrow tunnel, a set of cylindrical pipes just under a meter in diameter and 20 meters long, requiring upper body strength to get through quickly.

Then came a narrow balance beam. Ascending a short one-meter ramp led to a single 30-meter-long log bridge, a mere 20 centimeters in diameter. Without good balance, falling was inevitable, which would mean starting over. The next was a five-step stilt sequence, with each step a meter apart and arranged irregularly, requiring careful timing and speed.

After this was a 30-meter-square pool, demanding endurance and balance to swim across with the added weight. Exiting the pool led to a mud pit covered with low-hanging barbed wire, forcing participants to crawl swiftly while staying low.

The final challenge was a 30-meter-high suspended rope climb. The entire structure was designed to sway, making it difficult to use the ropes for leverage—an extreme test of strength and control.

…

After one lap, Yang Potian was already feeling the toll, realizing that this course was far tougher than a simple weighted run. He now understood an old saying from his previous life's military: "I'd rather run five kilometers than do four hundred meters of obstacles."

Pure running exhausted the lungs and muscles, but obstacle running taxed the entire body and mind. Completing such a course required formidable willpower.

The others struggled even more, especially the two girls, who stumbled or fell at several points. Everyone took frequent breaks, and by sunset, no one had run even close to 10 kilometers. Even Yang Potian, who covered more ground than the others, had fallen short of his target 50 kilometers.

All of them were battered and bruised, drenched in sweat, and utterly spent.

Mr. Li Xiang quickly led the team to the training ground's nearby bathhouses for medicinal soaks, separated by gender to ensure privacy. During the bath, everyone but Yang Potian drifted off to sleep in the warm water, showing just how much the day's exertion had taken out of them.

After the medicinal soak, they bolted for the cafeteria, ravenous like a pack of wolves. The sight of them devouring their meal stunned the nearby nobles, who whispered and pointed, leaving Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling blushing with embarrassment.

Following the meal, the group felt somewhat rejuvenated, though Ye Lingling's frailer constitution required more time to fully recover. That evening, they went to the spirit battle arena, though Ye Lingling's primary role was healing, in case anyone needed immediate treatment.

Yang Potian informed the team that going forward, their main training focus would be weighted obstacle running, with each member's load gradually increased to push them to their limits. The goal was for each person to push themselves to exhaustion.

Hearing this, everyone pulled a face, but Yang Potian added, "Due to the intensity of weighted obstacle running, we'll rest one day every seven days, and every three months, we'll have a five-day rest period. During rest days, you're free to do as you please, but meditation cannot be neglected."

Everyone, including Mr. Li Xiang, sighed in relief; even he wouldn't be able to handle such a rigorous pace without breaks.

Three months later, the team had finally adapted to the weighted obstacle course. As spirit masters, their recovery and adaptability were far beyond ordinary people. Each member had gained a level: Niu Meng had reached level 23, Bai Xiaofei and Tai Long had reached level 22, and Ye Lingling was now level 26. Dugu Yan had finally broken through to level 30, while Yang Ping'an reached level 28, and Yang Potian himself had advanced to level 36.

Their physical stamina and endurance had greatly improved as well. Even Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan, who had been more prone to fatigue, now managed the course with ease, visibly benefiting from the training. The men had developed a more defined, solid musculature, and the girls' figures had noticeably improved too, with a graceful yet athletic build.

After three months of spirit battles, Yang Potian earned his Amethyst Spirit Medal. In the Soul Elder spirit fights, both solo and duo battles, he maintained an unbeaten streak and was believed to have achieved the Amethyst Medal faster than any Soul Elder before him.

With this accomplishment, Yang Potian's training required adjustments. The Amethyst Medal marked him as an elite combatant, and the Heaven Dou City spirit arena could no longer offer him any opponents, as there were no other Amethyst-level Soul Elders. Indeed, no Amethyst-level Soul Elders existed on the entire continent.

Over these months, Yang Potian's combat instincts, adaptability, and physical strength had improved significantly. Even Mr. Li Xiang believed that few, if any, Soul Ancestors would be a match for him, given that Yang Potian had yet to use any spirit abilities in the spirit arena. Relying solely on spear techniques and spear energy, he had achieved an astounding win record.

In this time, Yang Potian had participated in nearly 300 battles, averaging over three matches per day. These victories had earned him more than five million gold spirit coins.

Yang Potian had become a star in the arena. His presence stirred the crowd to cheers, and he'd even gained a following among the audience, who dubbed him "The Strongest Soul Elder."

Some had attempted to challenge or provoke him, but Mr. Li Xiang quickly put an end to it. Though only a Soul King, Mr. Li Xiang's position as a teacher at Heaven Dou Academy discouraged any real trouble. After all, Heaven Dou Academy's three Contras were famously protective, and no one wanted to provoke them.

Dugu Yan, for her part, even verbally clashed with would-be troublemakers, leaving them speechless. When they learned she was the granddaughter of Poison Douluo Dugu Bo, they quickly apologized and made a hasty exit.

As Yang Potian prepared to leave with his Amethyst Spirit Medal, a staff member approached. "Mr. Yang Potian, if you have a moment, the manager of Heaven Dou City Spirit Arena would like to invite you to their office for a discussion. We can assure you complete safety."

(End of Chapter)

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