Liu Yi and the School Team members, equipped with safety ropes and maglev skateboards, began their intense floating training.
“First, practice basic balance,” Wei Xiuyu commanded from the central platform. “Everyone choose a platform and get familiar with operating your maglev skateboards.”
Liu Yi stepped onto her maglev skateboard, feeling the device beneath her feet subtly vibrate. She took a deep breath, bent her knees slightly, and the skateboard immediately levitated.
“Woah!” Li Chengying’s exclamation came from nearby. She was scuttling like a crab, her arms flailing exaggeratedly to maintain balance.
Her Lightning Leopard nervously followed behind, ready to catch its potentially falling Beast Tamer at any moment.
“Chengying, relax,” Gao Xue said, gracefully gliding past on her maglev skateboard. “Lower your center of gravity and look straight ahead.”
“Easy for you to say!” Li Chengying wailed, her face crumpled. “This thing is way harder than riding a pet!”
Just then, a moving platform slowly approached from the side.
Liu Yi seized the moment, gently pushed off, and her skateboard smoothly moved to the adjacent platform.
“Liu Yi is amazing!” a first-year said enviously, lying on the ground. “She succeeded on her first try.”
Just then, a gasp of surprise came from nearby.
Liu Yi turned to look, only to see Li Chengying flailing her arms and legs, trying to maintain balance. Her Lightning Leopard nervously circled her, occasionally nudging her swaying body with its head.
“Little Leopard, stop messing around!” Li Chengying had just finished shouting when she completely lost her balance due to another one of the Lightning Leopard’s “rescues.” Both Beast Tamer and pet tumbled directly off the platform.
“Swish—” The safety rope’s magnetic devices instantly activated, firmly securing them to the edge of the platform.
“Hahahaha!” Laughter erupted all around.
“Li Chengying,” Coach Zhang, who was instructing the second-years on the other side, shook his head helplessly. “Have your Lightning Leopard get on the platform too; don’t let it cause trouble down there.”
Li Chengying awkwardly climbed back onto the platform and patted her Lightning Leopard’s head: “Hear that? Get up here!”
“Shanshan…”
The Lightning Leopard let out a mournful whine and cautiously jumped onto the platform, only to accidentally shove Li Chengying off due to its large size.
“Splash!”
“…”
This time, even Coach Zhang couldn’t help but laugh: “Never mind. You and your Lightning Leopard can go practice on the smaller platforms at the edge for now.”
On the other side, Wei Tan’an’s Sandstorm Scorpion was attempting to leap between platforms.
It precisely calculated the distance, executing a graceful leap and landing steadily on a platform three meters away.
“Well done!” Wei Tan’an called out, then stepped onto her own maglev skateboard and carefully followed.
However, just as she was about to reach it, the platform suddenly accelerated.
The Sandstorm Scorpion reacted swiftly, immediately gripping the edge of the platform with its foreclaw.
But Wei Tan’an wasn’t so lucky. Her skateboard collided with the moving platform, sending her flying forward.
“Ah!”
The safety rope instantly activated, and the magnetic devices firmly secured her to the nearest platform.
Wei Tan’an was plastered to the platform surface in a spread-eagle shape. The Sandstorm Scorpion rushed over and gently “peeled” her off with its foreclaw.
...
“Liu Yi!” Li Chengying finally tamed her maglev skateboard and was now carving arcs through the air. “Let’s race! My skateboarding skills have improved by leaps and bounds!”
“The finish line is that red platform furthest away. First one there wins, and the loser buys bubble tea!”
Liu Yi glanced at the distant red platform, then at Li Chengying’s confident expression, and nodded: “Alright, but are you sure you want to bet bubble tea again?”
“Of course!” Li Chengying puffed out her chest. “My Mianmian even said I’m improving incredibly fast!”
Gao Xue, standing nearby, pressed a hand to her forehead: “Chengying, your Cloud Howler Sparrow is a Flying-type pet. Its opinion doesn’t count.”
“No problem!” Li Chengying said with a laugh. “Gao Xue, you be the referee.”
Gao Xue reluctantly headed to the finish line platform. She understood why Li Chengying always sought out this junior student.
When she first met Ouyang Qin two years ago, she had latched onto her in much the same way to get acquainted.
Exceptionally talented individuals like them seemed to hold a strong appeal for Li Chengying.
Gao Xue stood on the finish line platform and waved her arms: “Ready—Go!”
Li Chengying eagerly shot forward first.
Liu Yi smiled slightly. She had observed Li Chengying’s movements and noticed that while her opponent had mastered basic balance, she always overcompensated when turning.
Sure enough, when Li Chengying encountered the first platform requiring a turn, she almost veered sideways and nearly fell.
The Lightning Leopard nervously ran below, ready to catch her at any moment.
Liu Yi, meanwhile, used this time to steadily bypass three platforms in a row, quickly catching up to Li Chengying.
Ultimately, Liu Yi reached the red platform first with a clear advantage.
When Li Chengying arrived, she practically collapsed onto the platform.
“I give up!” she wailed. “Bubble tea, order whatever you want!”
...
As the training neared its end, Wei Xiuyu blew the assembly whistle.
“Today’s training concludes now.” She scanned the group. “The simulated floating island training ground will be open all day. For future School Team training sessions, everyone will gather directly here.”
The team members left the grounds in twos and threes, many still excitedly discussing the day’s training.
After all, most of them were using maglev skateboards for the first time and found it quite novel. They would eventually have to command their pets in combat while simultaneously operating these devices.
“Liu Yi,” Wei Xiuyu called out, stopping Liu Yi who was about to leave. “Stay for a moment.”
After everyone else had left, Wei Xiuyu looked at Ziyue and Chiying beside Liu Yi:
“Your two pets shouldn’t face a disadvantage in terms of terrain in the Monte competition zone. The Silver Snow Fox’s Frost Path can create footholds, and the Moling Dragon’s Cloud Walking trait will allow it to thrive.”
Liu Yi nodded: “Yes.”
“So, you should adapt quickly to training on the floating islands,” Wei Xiuyu continued. “That being the case, you mustn’t neglect the Tower of Trials challenges either.”
“Before we depart for the Monte Region, try to clear up to the 25th floor of the Tower of Trials.”
“Understood,” Liu Yi replied.
After leaving the exclusive School Team training ground, Liu Yi noticed that Ouyang Qin, Li Chengying, and Gao Xue had not yet left school.
“Liu Yi!” Li Chengying waved excitedly. “I promised to treat you to bubble tea! I know a dessert shop that’s pretty good!”
Gao Xue shook her head helplessly: “We’re benefiting from this too.”
Ouyang Qin crossed her arms, a faint smile playing on her lips: “Since that’s the case, we should definitely make her splurge.”
Liu Yi looked at Li Chengying’s expectant eyes and nodded with a smile: “I’m a bit hungry after training, actually.”
The four of them went to a dessert shop near the school called “Sweetie Sweetie.”
The shop’s interior was cozy, with decorative paintings of various pet designs adorning the walls. In a corner, a vanilla bear cub was curled up, napping.
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