It was the height of summer, the fiery sun just beginning its ascent over the horizon.

Before the entrance of the "Dark Guild," traffic flowed ceaselessly, the ebb and flow of incoming and outgoing patrons forming an unending river.

Now that the "Dark Guild" had expanded with numerous branch locations, the sight of long queues had become a rarity!

Kainy, Charlotte, Angelia, and Rhys, as was their custom, headed together toward the training grounds. Just then, Kainy's body gave a violent shudder, freezing her solid on the spot.

"Kainy, what is it?" Charlotte asked, utterly perplexed, following Kainy's gaze. She could only vaguely make out two small dots approaching in the distance.

Charlotte’s vision wasn't as sharp as Kainy’s, so she inquired again, "Kainy, what are you looking at?"

Kainy, however, offered no reply, her eyes fixed intently on the distance, her expression growing increasingly agitated.

At this moment, Angelia and Rhys had also halted, following the line of sight, but could only perceive two figures—they couldn't discern who they were at all.

The four held their breath, focusing their gaze. As the two figures drew nearer, they could vaguely make out that they were two small children.

Though their faces remained indistinct, Charlotte and the other two began to stir with excitement, for they suspected the identity of those two tiny silhouettes, yet they couldn't be entirely certain!

"It’s, it’s the Commander, it really is the Commander!" As the distance closed, their appearances finally became clear. Rhys was the first to break the silence with an outcry.

Although the other three remained quiet, the unconcealed look on their faces betrayed the depth of their current elation!

The person they had yearned for over the past year and a half had finally returned; how could this sudden burst of joy not move them? A strange, poignant ache suddenly welled up in their hearts—this was the feeling of a long-awaited reunion!

Indeed, the two small figures approaching were Zhong Shenxiu and Robin.

Both of them had undergone subtle changes. Zhong Shenxiu had clearly grown much taller than before, now matching Robin’s height. His hair was also significantly longer, and if one looked closely, a small ponytail could be seen swaying gently behind him—quite endearing!

Robin, on the other hand, had become even more radiant. Her long, raven hair trailed behind her, her deep eyes shone as brightly as stars, and her fair skin was as delicate as lychee flesh. Especially now, dressed in a fitted qipao, it perfectly accentuated her slight figure, making her utterly captivating!

Perhaps overwhelmed by the sheer surprise, Kainy and the others stood dumbstruck, watching Zhong Shenxiu and Robin approach, only snapping back to reality when the pair stopped directly in front of them.

"Xiao Xiu, Robin, you’re back!" Kainy offered a genuine, heartfelt smile, radiant and moving like a lily blooming under the sun.

"Com-Commander!" Rhys stammered out.

Angelia and Charlotte simply gazed at Zhong Shenxiu and Robin with tender affection, remaining silent. Perhaps a thousand words had converged within those beautiful eyes!

"Robin and I haven't eaten yet!" At that moment, Zhong Shenxiu uttered something rather startling.

Kainy let out a few cheerful laughs, then said, "We'll prepare something right away!" As she spoke, she subtly exchanged a look with Charlotte and Angelia.

The two women understood the meaning in Kainy's eyes and nodded in response.

Meanwhile, Wayne and the others felt quite puzzled. Why hadn't Charlotte and the other three arrived yet? Usually, by this time, they would already be here. It was unlikely that all four of them had overslept!

Had something happened to them?

The most anxious among the group was undoubtedly Leng Xiangxue. Seeing that Angelia had not arrived after such a long time unsettled her deeply.

Over the past year and a half, she and Angelia had developed a relationship as close as glue; they were inseparable except when sleeping. Now, seeing Angelia fail to appear on time, worry began to set in.

"Teacher Elena, do you know why they haven't come?" Cherie asked curiously.

Among everyone present, only Elena was close enough to Kainy and the others, and she also knew where they lived. Consequently, everyone turned their gaze towards her.

Elena was also feeling perplexed. Everything had been normal yesterday; why were they all absent today? Had something happened at the "Dark Guild"?

Although she suspected this, she wouldn't voice it to the others, as they were still unaware of the connection between Kainy’s group and the "Dark Guild"!

"Everyone, please don't worry. I think they might have been held up temporarily; they should be here shortly!" Elena advised reassuringly.

The others nodded, asking no further questions.

These individuals would not cease their training just because they hadn't seen Angelia and the others. They possessed strong self-discipline and had already begun practicing individually.

Time ticked by, the sun climbing high in the sky, yet there was still no sign of Kainy and her companions.

The morning's training quota was almost complete when, just then, Kainy and the others finally arrived, naturally accompanied by Zhong Shenxiu and Robin.

Because Zhong Shenxiu and Robin were positioned slightly behind, the others noticed Kainy and Charlotte first.

"Look! They're here!" Cherie suddenly gasped softly. Though not loudly, it instantly captured everyone's attention.

Everyone followed her gaze and indeed saw Kainy and the others approaching with relaxed, joyful expressions.

"Hi, Sister Kainy—" A wave of greetings began, but the voices abruptly cut off, eyes widening in astonishment as if they had witnessed something unbelievable.

Subsequently, everyone else froze in place!

These people had finally seen Zhong Shenxiu and Robin.

Zhong Shenxiu's expression remained placid, showing none of the expected emotion of a long-awaited reunion, as if he had never been separated from them at all.

Robin’s expression was equally calm, though the previous coldness was replaced by a touch of warmth and familiarity.

"Teacher Zhong?"

This sudden surprise was so immense that the crowd dared not believe it was real.

"Did we startle you all?" Kainy teased at that moment.

The group stared intently at Zhong Shenxiu for a full minute before finally accepting the fact: the person they had missed day and night had truly returned!

"Teacher Zhong!" Daisy approached, her eyes red-rimmed. It was true what they said about women being made of water.

Zhong Shenxiu scanned the crowd. From the auras emanating from them, he could tell they hadn't slacked off during this time; they must have followed the training plan he laid out!

Without any preamble or pleasantries, Zhong Shenxiu immediately announced, "Now, I need to verify how much progress each of you has made. Take ten minutes to warm up."

Upon hearing this, the trainees didn't feel nervous; instead, they rolled up their sleeves, brimming with excitement. Their arduous training over the past year and a half had significantly strengthened them, and they were eager to show Zhong Shenxiu the results. Even though they knew he wouldn't offer praise, they still held that hope!

They felt certain their progress would astonish Zhong Shenxiu, and they had been anticipating this very day!

Yet, what they didn't know was that no matter how fast or great their improvement, it couldn't compare to one ten-thousandth of Zhong Shenxiu and Robin’s advancement. While they progressed, Zhong Shenxiu and Robin's strength had also increased. The gap between them and the pair would only grow wider—this was a fixed reality, immutable no matter how hard they strove!

Zhong Shenxiu’s method for assessing them was simple: making them spar individually against Robin, demanding that each person use their absolute best efforts.

When the trainees heard they had to fight Robin, the zeal that had just ignited in their spirits was instantly dampened.

Though they had grown much stronger, the distance between them and Robin was still vast. At the very least, they couldn't even defeat the old Robin, let alone the current Robin, whose power had greatly increased, making her even more terrifying!

Adhering to the principle of ladies first, Zhong Shenxiu designated Angelia to go first. Among the group, apart from Kainy and Charlotte, Angelia was arguably the strongest. Moreover, Angelia had sparred with Robin numerous times; she was sure to set a good example for the rest!

As expected, Angelia did not disappoint Zhong Shenxiu’s expectations. From the outset, she unleashed a barrage of ultimate moves and killing blows, showing no intention of holding back. However, no matter how hard she fought, she couldn't even touch Robin. Finally, with a mere flick of Robin’s slender finger, Angelia—sword and all—was sent flying backward, landing safely on her rear to concede defeat!

Next, Leng Xiangxue volunteered, eager to "recover the honor" for Angelia. She also exerted her full strength right away. Yet, only through this clash did she truly grasp the immensity of Robin’s power and her own insignificance. No wonder Angelia had been so easily dispatched; the difference in levels was too great! In the end, Leng Xiangxue was swept away by a palm wind generated by a casual wave of Robin's hand. Though uninjured, her landing posture was utterly undignified!

However, the others present had no inclination to watch her; they were all tense about their own upcoming battles!

As the sparring continued, everyone met the same fate: effortlessly sent flying by Robin.

The current Robin exuded an aura of grace and unfathomable depth. If she stood still, one might mistake her for no different from an ordinary little girl—perhaps even weaker. But the moment she engaged in combat, one realized they were facing a peak that could never be surmounted!

Although sparring with Robin was emotionally humbling, it effectively crushed any nascent arrogance within the trainees!

Now, everyone understood they still had a long way to go and needed to strive harder!

"I have a general understanding of your strength now. Next, I will teach you some techniques as a group!" Zhong Shenxiu’s words immediately piqued everyone’s curiosity.

"You have all studied the theory of 'Dark Magic,' haven't you?" Zhong Shenxiu asked with a smile.

Could it be that the techniques he was about to teach were related to 'Dark Magic'?