Beiyuan Province, Legion defense line.

Leng Ye, clad in military attire, casually strolled through the barracks, observing the camp before him.

To call it a camp wasn't quite accurate.

It was a vast corridor; through its one-way glass, one could see the scene inside.

It was somewhat akin to a special classroom.

But here, it was pitch-dark and incredibly quiet.

Nearly one hundred people were in this dark room.

Their vision was completely sealed off.

At their sides were their Pet Beasts.

In this darkness, an oppressive silence reigned, yet phantom shadows flickered now and then.

Each flicker of these shadows was like the scythe of the Grim Reaper brushing past everyone inside. Some managed to block it, while others were 'struck down'.

This was a very special drill for acclimating to dark environments.

It was also one of the most critical drills for the Beast Taming Corps, a requirement for the Heavenly Tomb.

Within the Heavenly Tomb, the only certainty was absolute darkness.

Facing potentially endless Undead Pet Beasts in such darkness exerted unimaginable psychological pressure.

This room was for the specialized training of Beast Tamers and their Pet Beasts.

Eventually, the darkness slowly receded, and vision was restored to everyone. Some had fallen, while others still stood.

"How many times have I told you?" Su Anyong's voice boomed. "In the darkness, the only one you can trust is yourself! You need to merge your spiritual power with your Pet Beast and then use soul perception. Don't trust anyone else! Look at you! You couldn't even withstand a density one-tenth of an Undead Beast Tide, just holding on for an hour before a third of you fell.

"What kind of elite force are you? What kind of so-called King of Soldiers Level Beast Tamers are you? Let me tell you what the special Beastmaster Troops need: it's not about how strong your Realm is, but your ability to adapt to various environments! You must be able to complete missions under all kinds of harsh conditions, and for that, you can sacrifice everything!

"Dignity, life, even the lives of teammates and Pet Beasts—all are expendable! Look at you now...

"From today on, for everything you do, you'll wear this blackout veil for me. Starting now, all of you are blind in the darkness... All right, continue training!"

Su Anyong stepped out of the dark simulation room. Only then did Leng Ye smile and say, "Not bad. Simulating the dark Ghost Soul tide at Peak Command, and maintaining casualties below fifty percent after an hour of onslaught, is quite promising!"

Su Anyong emerged, his earlier sternness gone. He chuckled, "It's alright, but you can't coddle these brats. They are still far from the standard required for the Heavenly Tomb! However, the current situation isn't bad. Second Master, the most important thing now is the matter of the Breeder!"

Leng Ye nodded. "Didn't I tell you? This March. Don't worry. With the Legion's resources, as long as the Pet Beasts' potential is solid, it's absolutely possible to raise their strength before they enter the Heavenly Tomb."

After a pause, Leng Ye's expression became slightly more serious.

"Anyong, just this morning, I learned some news about the Heavenly Tomb!"

"Hmm?" Su Anyong looked at Leng Ye.

"Yes, it's from Eagle Country. Our training direction is correct: inside the Heavenly Tomb is nothing but darkness, no light at all, and it's filled with a great number of Undead Pet Beasts."

Su Anyong's brow furrowed even more, however. He was perplexed. "Are the people from Eagle Country that kind-hearted? Or rather, what's their agenda?"

"They indeed have an agenda. One of their two leaders personally spoke with the Legendary Holy Dragon, wanting to explore the sword tomb within the Heavenly Tomb with us. If possible, they are even willing to trade some of the Heavenly Tomb's findings with us," Leng Ye stated flatly.

Su Anyong's frown deepened.

"Did he agree?"

"How could he? It's still under discussion, though. Eagle Country's stance is very deferential. Precisely because of this, the value of the Heavenly Tomb is likely beyond imagination. Consequently, we cannot rule out the possibility of trouble when it's time to enter. This means the previously agreed-upon entry time may no longer be accurate.

"When the time comes, your youngsters might need to be ready to enter at any moment! So, speed up the training. The planned annual leave might be canceled."

"This... Yes!" Su Anyong exhaled deeply.

After the serious discussion, Leng Ye chuckled. "What's the matter? Did you block your son's number?"

"Hmm?"

Su Anyong was stunned. Scratching his head as he faced Leng Ye's smile, he said, "That damn kid! He fooled me for an entire night last time. I was planning to give him a good scolding when I got back."

Leng Ye nodded. "There'll be plenty of time for that later. This is a critical period. Hurry up and unblock him; the lad has something to discuss with you."

"Yes..."

Leng Ye then left without saying more.

Su Anyong sighed helplessly. It seemed he wouldn't be able to return for the New Year's celebrations this year.

But soon after, Su Anyong cast a suspicious glance at Leng Ye's retreating figure.

Something isn't right! he thought. Why would someone of Second Master's stature know about such things? Even if Second Master had looked into my son or knew a bit about him, it should only be a superficial understanding, right? From the way he put it, did my son bring this up when he talked to Second Master? Otherwise, how would Second Master know I blocked his number, and how would he know Su Ping needs to talk to me?

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