Stepping on the Demoness to become the strongest

July ended, and August had arrived.

For many students, half of their summer vacation had already passed.

Though half of the vacation still remained, they couldn't help but feel occasional pangs of melancholy when they thought of the quietly departed July.

Yan Yu was delighted to confirm that the four girls in the team had already mastered the basic operations of the Sword Control Technique.

Even if the lady in green from the Dragon Spring Mountain Mysterious Realm appeared and attacked with the authentic Sword Control Technique of the Taoist sect, the girls could now exchange a few moves with her.

Not being instantly killed was considered a success!

Next, it was time to decide on the four major careers: Law, Sword, Assistant Officer, and Envoy.

The second edition of the textbook had been distributed, and the instructors were engaging in discussions with each student. Based on their usual performance, they recommended one of the careers for them.

Of course, the choice ultimately rested in the hands of the students, but in the military, strength was what truly mattered.

If you chose a career unsuited for you and were unable to display your strengths later on, you would have to bear the consequences yourself.

There was no need for such discussions in Yan Yu's Team. He and Zhao Yuanzhen had long been clear about it; both were hidden sects of the Assistant Officer career, known as Puppet Masters, and there was no need to discuss further.

Chen Lingyun had also communicated with him beforehand, planning to choose the career of Envoy in the ghost-using sect… Ever since she got her hands on the Soul Summoning Banner, she had been studying how to use it, and Yan Yu did not interfere with her research.

Soon, Lin Ning and Su Yunjin came to him proactively.

"Yan Yu, are you planning to set me on the path of a Sword Immortal?" Lin Ning asked directly.

"Why do you say that?" Yan Yu pretended to be surprised.

"You once told me not to practice unarmed combat." Lin Ning began to list off the details, clearly with the memory of a top student, "You also made me focus on practicing the precursor to the Sword Control Technique, which is the Metal-Element Impact Curse."

"In the Wuyi Mountain Secret Realm, you specifically let me learn the Enemy Luring Technique, which seemed to suggest a role in scouting and assault. Even during the practice of Sword Control, you were tougher on me than on the others…"

Yan Yu suddenly laughed helplessly: You even noticed those details? Impressive!

"So, to summarize, you must have been cultivating me towards becoming a Sword Immortal from the start." Lin Ning concluded in the end.

"Do you like being a Sword Immortal?" Yan Yu neither confirmed nor denied but asked her in return.

"Of course." Lin Ning responded without hesitation, "After preparing so much for me, it wouldn't make sense to change paths now, would it? Then all the effort I invested previously would be wasted!"

"That settles it then." Yan Yu said with a smile, "If you've guessed it and have no objections, why ask me?"

"Just in case. Once it's confirmed, I can be at ease." Lin Ning then turned to Su Yunjin, reminding her, "Yun Jin, your turn to ask."

"What are your thoughts, Yun Jin?" Yan Yu asked.

"I don't really have any." Su Yunjin spoke softly, "I'm definitely not suited to be a Sword Immortal, but the Assistant Officer and Envoy rely too much on external things, and I'm not sure if they're right for me."

"What about being a Cultivator?" Yan Yu smiled, "How about the Cultivator who fights from a distance?"

"If it's the kind of Cultivator who has to take on the main assault and perform large-scale lethal Taoism Methods, I probably can't handle it." Su Yunjin had a clear understanding, obviously having thought over this question many times recently, "But if it's about containment and healing, I will strive to do my best."

"Alright, then you start on the path of a Cultivator." Yan Yu nodded and then suddenly added, "However, my view differs from yours."

"A Cultivator using large-scale lethal Taoism Methods for assaults is indeed beyond you now, but that might not be the case in the future."

He took out an ID and handed it over to Su Yunjin.

"This is?" Su Yunjin opened her eyes wide in surprise.

"It's a borrowing permit for the 'Southern Dipper Galaxy Secret Art.' With this permit, you can collect the Taoism Method scriptures from the school library," Yan Yu answered, "Memorize the mental mantra first and fully understand the theory—that's your strength. As for how to cast and apply it in actual combat, I'll teach you."

"This ID was tough to get, I really went through a lot to apply for it, so don't lose it."

Receiving the ID with solemnity and bidding farewell to Yan Yu, Su Yunjin finally allowed herself to breathe a sigh of relief.

"See, I told you, Yun Jin." Lin Ning also said with a smile, "I knew the captain had a plan for you all along."

"Yeah." Su Yunjin nodded vigorously.

She was embarrassed to say that she had been having nightmares recently, dreaming that she kept encountering Yan Yu in various places, and then the two of them would interact in all kinds of ways.

For instance, in the library, Yan Yu would study with her; on the training ground, he would give her pointers on how to train...

However, no matter what the scenario was, when it got to the final stage, he would suddenly drop a bombshell, "Yun Jin, have you considered a job outside of the team?"

Then Su Yunjin would be startled awake.

She sometimes even found it strange because she had never had a strong motivation to desperately excel at something from her childhood to adulthood—even her decade-long habit of reading was merely a hobby, and she wouldn't regret it too much if she were forced to give it up one day.

But the team...

Su Yunjin didn't want to leave the team, and she was sure this desire came from her heart.

Alright, now that she had the goal to learn the "Southern Dipper Galaxy Secret Art," it was time to work hard!

After bidding farewell to Lin Ning, Su Yunjin went to the library, planning to fully grasp the theory of this Taoism Method as Yan Yu had arranged before doing anything else.

After presenting her credentials, the military cultivator in charge of managing the library led Su Yunjin into the inner chamber, confiscated her mobile phone, and then handed her the paper book of the "Southern Dipper Galaxy Secret Art."

"You can only read it in this room," the librarian cautioned. "You cannot copy it, take photos, or take it out. There are cameras in the room, so don't do anything foolish. After you're done, press the doorbell, and I will come to collect it."

"Mhm," Su Yunjin nodded vigorously.

The librarian left with her mobile phone and returned to his desk to enter Su Yunjin's borrowing information into the computer.

About half an hour later, Su Yunjin's phone suddenly rang.

The librarian answered the call.

"Hello, Yun Jin?" a middle-aged woman's voice came from the phone.

"I'm sorry," replied the librarian, "Comrade Su Yunjin is currently on a confidential mission and cannot take calls. If it's an emergency, I can relay the message, or you can call back after she has completed her mission."

"Huh?" The person on the other end was obviously taken aback, "Then... when will the mission be completed?"

"I'm sorry," the librarian continued, "it's a confidential mission, so I can't share any details with you."

"Here's the thing," the voice on the other end began arranging her words, "I'm her mother! Her father and I are just outside the school, and we have filed a family visit application. Could you let your military leaders know... the commander, that is, and allow us to come into the school and wait for her?"

"I'm sorry," the librarian confirmed, "Has your family visit application been approved already?"

"Not yet," the other party said a bit sheepishly, "We just came up with an urgent matter and came to Jinling Prefecture to find her."

"Oh," the librarian mused.

According to school rules, a family visit application must be submitted three days in advance to allow time for step-by-step approval.

Without going through successive levels of approval, did you think, as a commoner, you could just walk into our cultivators' academy? This is a military restricted area! What if you saw things you shouldn't?

"Listen to me," the librarian patiently explained, "If you want to visit the school, our institution is a military academy with strict confidentiality regulations, and you must have an approved application to gain entry. A mere submission of an application definitely won't suffice."

"However, if you just want to see your daughter, we can ask her to come out to meet you. That way, there won't be any procedural issues."

After all, college cultivators have all undergone confidentiality training and know precisely what they can and cannot discuss with relatives and friends. Compared to risking a security breach by allowing parents into the school, it's safer to have the student file a report and then leave the campus to meet with their parents.

"But didn't you say that my daughter is currently on a confidential mission?" the other party said with some dissatisfaction, "You can't even say when she'll be able to come out."

"Indeed," the librarian was troubled but then had a sudden inspiration.

Su Yunjin is a member of Yan Yu's Team, right?

"How about I ask her team leader for you?" the librarian suggested. "Shall I see if he can come out to meet you?"

"Team?" The other party paused for quite a while, "What team?"

"I can't say much about that," the librarian said with a smile, "but I can explain to you: It's because your daughter is exceptional that she was selected to join this team."

There was silence on the other end for a long while before finally:

"Alright then. Please ask that team's leader if he can spare some time to come out. I appreciate it, thank you."

Although the voice on the phone was very polite and courteous, there didn't seem to be any joy at hearing "my daughter is excellent."