"Who's making noise, Little Red Roll, is that you? Are you ready?" Li Xin came out, looking at the enthusiastic crowd, he was quite pleased. He loved this kind of vibe; back in the Black Rose days, it was hard to get this level of enthusiasm, everything felt awkward.

"Of course I'm ready. I feel like I was just careless last time. If I dodged your sweep and landed a punch straight at you, you wouldn't necessarily have been able to block it!" Rock said confidently.

Celestia and the others couldn't help but laugh, though they didn't want to discourage Rock. However, Rock didn't care about others' opinions.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let me see what new skills you've come up with!" Li Xin rubbed his hands together, "Lancer, you prepare too, you're up second."

"I'm not the same style as him; I want a duel. We'll duel you one-on-one!" Lancer said in a firm and righteous manner.

Among the crowd, except for Simmons and Rock, the others were starting to feel a bit overwhelmed. Their usual training was considered "diligent," but this sudden intensity was getting to them, and the initial excitement and ambition were now turning into self-doubt.

Is this intensity really helpful for us? Can it really make us stand out in the War of Glory? Is the gap with the Knight Academy already insurmountable?

Celestia was usually clear-headed, but internally she wasn't as calm as she appeared. In her bones, she considered herself extraordinary and knew that Li Xin was going easy on her during practice bouts. However, her confidence took a hit.

Li Xin didn't force anything; whatever attitude the others had, he matched it. He exerted himself in sparring with Little Red Roll, and pointed out the problems in his combat as much as possible. Little Red Roll seemed straightforward, perhaps a bit dull in his companions' eyes, but in fact, his combat talent was excellent and he was highly focused. The person who improved the most wasn't Simmons but him.

Of course, the extent to which the Fake Embryo helped, Li Xin didn't know. These Secret Treasures might come into play without anyone realizing, and there's no way to predict that.

After finishing outside, Li Xin went back inside; Celestia followed and closed the door. Simmons was still leaning against the wall, wondering if he could last until his duel with Didia. Rumor had it that Didia was also in seclusion preparing, seemingly having figured things out.

"Brother Li, isn't this intensity a bit too much? I feel like everyone's morale can't keep up," Celestia said worriedly, "Even Simmons, with this level of intensity, can he recover by the time of the duel?"

Li Xin looked at Simmons, who, startled, looked at Celestia. Lately, he'd been focused on managing his own situation and hadn't paid much attention to the team members' states. "Is there a problem?"

"Besides Rock, everyone seems to lack confidence," Celestia said. She felt it herself, doubting whether her spells were useful at all.

Simmons looked at Li Xin, who thought for a moment. "The decision is yours."

"Should we lower the intensity a bit?" Celestia suggested.

Simmons shook his head gently, "Sorry, Brother Li, we might be lacking spirit. We shout loudly when chanting slogans, but a little intensity and we can't keep up. The Canon Law School still lags behind the Knight Academy in this aspect."

Celestia frowned, "Simmons, everyone's trying hard."

"Celestia, you might misunderstand what it means to try hard. The Knight Academy does have someone like Anthony, who couldn't bear its rigorous training and chose to give up and fall. The Knight Order of ours is the strongest in Dao Yuan, not just out of self-promotion," Simmons sighed, "The Canon Law School hasn't produced results for years. Have you thought about where the problem lies?"

"Resources, discipline, intense pressure—these are basics. The Canon Law School is much more lenient than the Knight Academy," Simmons explained, "Confidence turning to self-doubt, then rebuilding confidence—this process has to repeat countless times before a mature warrior emerges. We still have a long way to go; at this level, reaching the top eight seems unlikely. We'd probably be knocked out in the first round, even when we think we're talented, smart, and ahead of the curve, we've already fallen behind."

Celestia's face burned; she knew Simmons was referring to her.

"Celestia, within our family, you're very smart and talented, but you have a fatal flaw—you've seen too little, experienced even less," Simmons said. "Before entering the Secret Castle, I was the same, but the environment will quickly change a person."

Those who cannot change themselves are already dead.

The Knight Academy's recruitment is extremely stringent; entering is not the end but just the beginning. The harsh rules make it difficult for many to adapt. Anthony wasn't the first, nor will he be the last, and a facade of strength can't hide the truth. Even as a member of the Nasser Clan, his final outcome didn't yield any accomplishments or reach the honor he sought. Was Anthony really useless?

At that time, he was already defeating everyone from the Canon Law School. Although he retained his captaincy, he couldn't compete within the Knight Academy, and the Nasser Clan was just his last cover. Later, he also lost his position as heir because Didia was stronger.

Some people, once they lose hope, choose to fall, and once they fall, the abyss is their final destination.

Simmons made it very clear, but many things can't be understood by those who haven't experienced them. Fortunately, Celestia is the kind of bright person who knows Simmons is right.

"Brother Li, I'm sorry I doubted you," Celestia readily admitted her mistake.

Li Xin waved his hand, "It's nothing. What you said wasn't unreasonable. I'll pay more attention to the scale. Most of the current training is a mental barrier; it hasn't reached the physical level."

Self-doubt is a hurdle for many smart people. Someone like Rock, a bit single-minded but full of passion, often skips this step, while Simmons, smart and talented, has long passed it. As captain, the biggest fear is a lack of vision and misjudging the situation.

Li Xin and his sparring sessions increased in intensity daily, causing minor injuries that didn't damage muscles or bones, requiring precise control. He was acutely aware that very few could achieve this. So far, he probably still couldn't beat Didia, at least not from what Li Xin had seen.

Li Xin knew this, and Simmons knew it too, which is why all of Simmons' energy was focused on training and reflection. Li Xin trained outside to give him independent thinking space; combat was just one aspect, personal understanding was more important.

All of this varies per person, and Li Xin believed Simmons knows what to do. That's how it is with dealing with smart people.

Does knowing mean a great success?

In fact, knowing eliminates 90% of people, and achieving it eliminates another 99% within those who know.

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