Chapter 498: Cultivation Must Come at a Price

"Master?" A student couldn't help but whisper, "Really?"

Liu Erlong heard this and snorted coldly: "You will soon know who he is. But I warn you, no matter what doubts you have about him, you must do your best. Otherwise, you will bear the consequences."

As they were talking, there was a slight sound of footsteps in the distance. Everyone looked up and saw a figure slowly approaching. It was Lu Yu. His expression was normal. He glanced at the students and nodded slightly.

"It seems that it's all ready." Lu Yu walked to Liu Erlong and said softly.

Liu Erlong said in a deep voice: "There are twelve people in total. I have carefully selected them based on their age, martial spirit, and character."

Lu Yu nodded slightly and turned to look at the students: "Hello, I'm Jin. From today on, you will receive a new training plan."

"What plan?" a student couldn't help but ask.

Lu Yu's eyes turned cold: "Remember, from now on, it's not you who ask questions, but I who decide everything."

The students were shocked by his cold tone and lowered their heads, not daring to say anything more.

Lu Yu nodded with satisfaction: "Very good. Starting from tomorrow, I will teach you personally. But there is one thing you must remember, this is not an ordinary training, but an opportunity that can change your destiny. I hope you can cherish it."

Liu Erlong watched coldly from the sidelines, but she had a faint expectation in her heart. Could this man really do what he said?

Lu Yu set out on the road back to Tiandou Royal Academy with a calm heart. This time, he was no longer the young man full of longing but alone. After experiencing all the things in Lanba Academy, he already had a clear goal in his mind: to build his own strong team and move towards the top.

As the sun sets, the gate of Tiandou Royal Academy stands tall. As soon as Lu Yu enters the academy, the familiar environment and the bustling noise of students flood into his ears.

"Lu Yu?" A familiar voice sounded. It was Su Han from the student team.

Lu Yu turned around and smiled: "It's me, Su Han, long time no see."

Su Han walked up quickly, with a little surprise on her face: "I heard that you went to Blue Tyrant Academy for exchange and study, why are you back so soon?"

"I have learned what I should learn and seen a lot. I still feel that Tiandou Royal Academy is more suitable for me." Lu Yu said lightly.

Su Han nodded, but couldn't help but ask in a low voice: "I heard...you fought with those strong men in Lan Ba ​​Academy?"

Lu Yu smiled and said, "It's just a competition, no big deal."

At this time, another voice interrupted: "Sparring? I heard that you beat all the talented students of Blue Bully Academy. You still call this no big deal?"

Lu Yu looked at the source of the voice. It was Mo Rui, who had once been at odds with him, speaking with disdain. Lu Yu smiled calmly: "Whether you believe it or not, what's important is not the past, but the future."

Murray was stunned, but snorted: "You are good at talking, but don't think that you can change anything just because you come back."

Lu Yu ignored him and turned away. At this moment, his heart was calm. Regardless of past opponents or ridicule, he only focused on his plan.

On the second day, Lu Yu began to look for students to recruit. He stood in a corner of the training ground, observing silently. Suddenly, a familiar figure came into view - it was Wu Xiao, a low-key student he had met at Tiandou Royal Academy.

"Wu Xiao," Lu Yu walked forward and greeted him.

Wu Xiao looked up and was a little surprised to see Lu Yu: "Lu Yu? You're back."

"Yes." Lu Yu looked at him directly, his eyes deep, "I have something I want to talk to you about."

Wu Xiao nodded, and the two of them went to a secluded corner together.

"Are you interested in joining the team I'm forming?" Lu Yu went straight to the point.

Wu Xiao was stunned for a moment: "Team? What do you mean?"

Lu Yu explained: "I want to form an elite team of my own and no longer rely on the resources and command of the academy. You have good qualifications, but you have always been buried. I think you can be a member of the team."

Wu Xiao hesitated and said, "But, this is inconsistent with the arrangement of the college..."

"The arrangement of the academy will only make you a mediocre student, and eventually do nothing." Lu Yu said firmly, "Follow me, I can make you stronger, stronger than you think."

Wu Xiao looked at Lu Yu deeply, and finally nodded after a while: "Okay, I'm willing to try."

In the next few days, Lu Yu recruited a group of students who had potential but were neglected. He made targeted evaluations and promises to each of them, and his confidence and clear goals infected them.

On a dark and windy night, Lu Yu called together all the new members. He stood in the middle of the empty field, his eyes sweeping over the people in front of him: Wu Xiao, Lin Qing, Mo Yu, Tang Xi, and a few students whose names were still unknown.

"Everyone knows that my name is Lu Yu," he said calmly, but with a convincing force, "From today on, we are no longer ordinary students, but a team pursuing the top. I don't need weaklings. As long as you are willing to work hard, I will bring you unprecedented breakthroughs."

Lin Qing couldn't help but ask: "Lu Yu, what do we need to do?"

"The first step is to put aside the traditional cultivation methods taught to you by the academy," Lu Yu said slowly, "I will teach you a completely new set of cultivation techniques that have never appeared in the outside world."

Everyone was shocked when they heard this. Tang Xi was a little uneasy: "Is this... too dangerous?"

Lu Yu glanced at her and said in a cold voice: "The pursuit of power is always accompanied by risks. If you are afraid, quit now, I will never force you."

Tang Xi lowered his head and clenched his teeth: "No, I'll stay."

Lu Yu nodded and continued, "Starting tomorrow, our training will be completely separated from the academy's curriculum, and everyone must obey my command. Our goal is not only to become strong, but also to make a splash in the future continental competition!"

Hearing this, everyone's hearts were stirred. The Continental Competition was the stage that countless soul masters dreamed of, and Lu Yu's goal was obviously more ambitious than they imagined.

From that day on, Lu Yu's team began secret training. He integrated the experience learned from Lan Ba ​​Academy with his own unique skills and developed a rigorous plan.

On the training ground, Wu Xiao was practicing a new way of soul power circulation. He felt that the soul power was flowing more smoothly than before, and couldn't help but sigh: "Lu Yu, this method of practice is really unprecedented!"

Lu Yu nodded: "The trajectory of soul power is the key. We must maximize our potential."

Lin Qing, who was standing by, was sweating profusely, but his eyes were determined: "This is much more difficult than the courses in the academy, but the effect is more significant!"

Lu Yu smiled calmly: "This is just the beginning. Future training will be more difficult. But I can guarantee that the results will also shock you."

Liu Erlong stood on the edge of the cliff, looking at the forest in the distance with a dazed look in her eyes, holding a pot of wine tightly in her hand. The wind blew through her long hair, bringing a hint of coolness, but it could not blow away the tangle in her heart.

At this moment, a calm voice came from not far away: "Dean Liu, it's so late, are you still drinking?"

Liu Erlong turned around and saw Lu Yu walking towards her slowly. He had a warm smile on his face, but his eyes were so deep that people couldn't see through them.

"Lu Yu?" Liu Erlong frowned slightly. "Shouldn't you be accompanying the students in training? Why are you here?"

Lu Yu smiled, stood beside her, and looked into the distance with her. "You need to relax once in a while. Seeing Dean Liu alone here, I was worried that you might be worried, so I came to see you."

Liu Erlong snorted, raised the wine pot and took a big gulp: "You don't need to worry about my affairs. You are an outsider, what can you understand?"

Lu Yu was not repelled by her cold attitude, and his tone remained gentle: "Outsider? I don't think so. Since joining Shrek, I have regarded this place as my home, and Dean Liu is also one of my relatives. If you have any troubles, maybe you can feel better by speaking them out."

Liu Erlong paused, looking at Lu Yu with complicated eyes, and sneered after a moment: "Relatives? Ha, what a joke! Who can understand my affairs? Don't think you can see through me just because you are smart."

Lu Yu shook his head slightly, his tone gentle but with some certainty: "You are here because of Yu Xiaogang, right?"

Hearing this name, Liu Erlong's body stiffened, and then turned around and glared at Lu Yu: "What did you say?!"

Lu Yu did not back down, and looked at her calmly: "Dean Liu, I don't want to expose your scars, but I hope you can face the reality. Yu Xiaogang's heart may never be with you."

"Shut up!" Liu Erlong roared, and the wine jug fell to the ground, splashing a little bit of wine. "You don't know the relationship between us at all! What right do you have to say that?"

Lu Yu was silent for a moment and sighed: "Yes, I don't understand. But you are a smart person, can you really not feel his attitude? In his eyes, there are only those martial arts theories and his self-esteem. He feels more guilt than love for you...

Liu Erlong's eyes suddenly dimmed, and her anger seemed to have subsided at that moment. She murmured, "Guilt... Yes, he has always felt guilty. He didn't dare to face me, nor did he dare to really respond to me... But I..." Her voice was choked with sobs.

Lu Yu slowly approached her, his voice low but powerful: "Dean Liu, you are a person who deserves to be loved, but not in such an unequal relationship. You are too cruel to yourself by binding yourself to the past."

Liu Erlong was silent for a long time, and finally asked softly: "Then tell me, what should I do?"

Lu Yu's eyes became gentler: "Let it go, let him go, and let yourself go. You still have the entire Shrek Academy and these children. They need you, and Shrek needs your strength."

Liu Erlong lowered her head, pondered for a moment, and nodded gently: "Maybe you are right. I can't go on like this."

Lu Yu smiled and changed the topic at the right time: "In that case, why don't we talk about the academy. I recently had an idea that may be helpful to the development of the academy."

Liu Erlong raised her head, a hint of curiosity flashed in her eyes: "What's your idea?"

Lu Yu nodded and turned to look at the academy in the distance: "Although the students of Shrek Academy are very talented, the teaching methods can be more systematic. I want to develop a more scientific training plan for the students, especially for combat and teamwork training."

Liu Erlong frowned slightly: "Our training is already very strict, do you think it's not enough?"

Lu Yu smiled and said, "Strictness does not mean science. For example, we can tailor a training plan for each student and provide guidance based on the characteristics of their martial spirits and personality traits. In addition, the team's tacit understanding and combat capabilities require more targeted training."

Liu Erlong nodded thoughtfully: "It sounds good. But how do you plan to implement it?"

"I will first observe the strengths and weaknesses of each student, and then discuss a complete plan with the teachers." Lu Yu's voice was full of confidence, "However, this requires your support."

Liu Erlong raised her head and looked at the young man in front of her. His eyes were firm and his tone was sincere, which made her feel trustful. After a moment, she nodded: "Okay, I support you. As long as it can make the academy stronger, I am willing to give it a try."

Lu Yu smiled, with a hint of relief in his eyes: "Then it's settled. Dean Liu, the future Shrek Academy will definitely become stronger because of us."

Liu Erlong nodded, as if a huge stone in her heart had been lifted. In the night wind, her figure no longer seemed so lonely.

Lu Yu's dormitory was quiet. He was sitting cross-legged on the bed, holding an old book in his hands. The pages were covered with ancient runes of lightning spells. He lowered his eyelids and carefully pondered the mysteries. Thunder spells were very attractive to him. The domineering and pure power always ignited the fighting spirit deep in his heart.

On the side, Ye Lingling was leaning against the table, holding a medical book in her hands, but she seemed absent-minded. She looked up at Lu Yu from time to time, with a mischievous smile on her lips.

"Lu Yu, you said that you are practicing thunder magic. Aren't you afraid of turning yourself into charcoal?" Ye Lingling chuckled and flipped the pages of the book casually, with a playful tone in her voice.

Lu Yu looked up at her, with a hint of helplessness in his eyes, but he did not stop his actions. He smiled slightly, and said calmly: "I'm not afraid. Although the thunder method is overbearing, if it is controlled properly, it will only make me stronger."

"Oh, you talk as if you have already mastered it. Don't forget, the last time you practiced the Thunder Explosion Technique, all the flowers and plants in the yard were burnt." Ye Lingling curled her lips, but there was some concern in her tone.

"That was an accident." Lu Yu showed a little embarrassment on his face, but soon regained his composure, "How can cultivation be without some cost?"

Ye Lingling shook her head, the smile on her face getting wider: "Alright, alright, whatever you want. But seriously, why have you been staying indoors lately? Even if you're practicing, you don't have to work so hard, right?"

"Lingling, you won't understand." Lu Yu whispered, with a hint of persistence in his eyes, "Only by becoming stronger can I protect the important people around me."

Ye Lingling was slightly stunned after hearing this, then she lowered her head and chuckled: "Okay, your reason is not bad. But, am I one of the important people?"