Focus

Focus

Ning Rongrong's question reminded Shi Yi of something.

Now that I have Immortal Herbs, I can try developing those critical yet fragile areas and tiny meridian branches. A body that has consumed Immortal Herbs should be more resilient. With other Immortal Herbs on hand, even if they are used to repair the body, it will still be worth it as long as I can achieve major results, Shi Yi thought to himself.

Before long, Zhao Wuji came over to Shi Yi. He was not surprised to see Ning Rongrong, who had just joined them. Two hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins was undoubtedly an astronomical sum to ordinary people, but to Soul Masters, it was merely a few months' worth of expenses. Now that Ning Rongrong had joined Shi Yi's training, as long as Shi Yi was willing, they could continue until Zhao Wuji's Gravity had no effect on him whatsoever.

Based on Zhao Wuji's understanding of Shi Yi, he reckoned his soul skill would more or less become ineffective once Shi Yi reached Soul Emperor rank.

"You're something else, kid. You even lured over the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Looks like those other little ones won't be able to take part in this team soul battle," Zhao Wuji said with a smile.

Ning Rongrong glared at Shi Yi, looking somewhat embarrassed as well.

Shi Yi shook his head slightly. "The dazzling coordination in so-called team soul battles is nothing more than entertainment for those noble lords. Compared to such boring matters, I would rather they gained something from training."

Zhao Wuji nodded. "You're right, kid. Team soul battles are just children's games. Once Soul Masters reach higher levels, both the power and range of their soul skills become immense. Having more people only becomes a burden instead."

After a pause, Zhao Wuji continued, "Still, team soul battles do have some meaning for these two little girls. One has a chance of developing a Martial Soul Fusion Skill, while the other can try supporting multiple people. It will improve her support abilities."

At that, Zhu Zhuqing temporarily stopped training, and both she and Ning Rongrong turned their gazes toward Shi Yi.

Shi Yi smiled faintly. "In my view, the most important thing for a support Soul Master is choosing a suitable companion, perhaps even a family member. This is especially important for a pure single-target numerical support Martial Soul like the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. Rongrong's father has done very well in that regard. With pillars like the Sword and Bone Duo, would he still need to support other trash? That special rule of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is meant to convey precisely this."

Ning Rongrong nodded in agreement, a glimmer appearing in her eyes. Just as she was about to say, "Then does that mean I don't need to practice Heart Separation Control?"

Shi Yi smiled and added, "Don't nod so quickly. Even if you only support one person, your Heart Separation Control still needs to reach an extremely high level."

The light in Ning Rongrong's eyes was instantly extinguished by Shi Yi's words.

"A good companion paired with the support of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda gives you an extremely high baseline. But Heart Separation Control raises your upper limit. That limit does not merely refer to the number of people you can support. More importantly, it raises the limit of duration. The stronger your support target, the more obvious the effects of the enhancement become. The more soul skills you can control, the stronger your control, the higher your Mental Power, and the deeper your understanding of that close companion, the more you can continuously switch to the enhancement he needs in the fleeting instants of battle. In that sense, even if you only give him an eighty-percent strength enhancement while all the other enhancements are in their gaps, he can still display the effect of an eighty-percent enhancement to all attributes when facing an enemy."

"Fine, fine, I'll practice, all right? Why are you as naggy as Father?" Ning Rongrong pouted.

"As for Zhuqing, I think wasting time with Dai Mubai would be better spent cultivating properly. In my view, true Martial Soul Fusion Skills depend more on fate than on breeding people like sows, as Star Luo does. The three-person Martial Soul Fusion Skill of Teacher, the Dean, and that other person can even reach ninety-nine percent compatibility, yet the Dean's and Teacher's Martial Souls are not particularly related. I can say for certain that the Martial Soul compatibility of those Star Luo Imperial Family members is at most seventy or eighty percent. The missing twenty or thirty percent lies in this: can someone from the imperial family truly reach a mutual understanding with a powerful minister?" Shi Yi said with a smile.

Zhu Zhuqing's expression became complicated. She knew very well that the compatibility between her and Dai Mubai's Martial Souls did not even reach the seventy or eighty percent Shi Yi had mentioned. The two of them only had sixty percent, while Dai Weisi and her sister had even lower compatibility. They merely held the advantage in cultivation because they had been born earlier.

"All right, Old Zhao can't argue with you. I'll accompany you in continuing your training. They've all gone to the Great Soul Arena for practical combat training, so no one is cooking," Zhao Wuji said teasingly.

Shi Yi looked at Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing, appearing somewhat embarrassed. "I've suddenly decided that going to Suotuo City for some practical combat training with Teacher would not be bad either. What do you think?"

Zhu Zhuqing looked at Shi Yi and said flatly, "Training."

"You're the teacher, so you cook!" Ning Rongrong said, glaring at Shi Yi.

"Remember to make my share too," Zhao Wuji said with a smile.

Helpless, Shi Yi could only nod. In truth, he had quite enjoyed cooking alone in his previous life. Back then, earning money was for the sake of living, and eating was part of life. But after coming to this world, Shi Yi, who had countless things to do every day, had long cast his own life aside. In this world, only the strong were qualified to enjoy life.

As training began, Zhu Zhuqing's figure started darting constantly about in front of Shi Yi's room, while Ning Rongrong remained within Zhao Wuji's Gravity Field, practicing her Heart Separation Control. Because she had to resist the Gravity brought by Zhao Wuji, her heavy breathing made practicing Heart Separation Control extraordinarily difficult as time passed.

Shi Yi was not surprised. He could tell at a glance just how much substance Ning Rongrong's Heart Separation Control had. If Yu Xiaogang's training for Ning Rongrong leaned more toward the body, then Shi Yi's training leaned more toward mental focus. Focus was especially difficult for someone with Ning Rongrong's personality, yet it was an indispensable state in cultivation.

Doing something with focus and repeatedly doing something were completely different in effect. This was also why Shi Yi admired Zhu Zhuqing so much. Her will was strong, her conviction firm, and she was exceedingly focused in her cultivation.

The purpose of Gravity was not merely to distract Ning Rongrong. Humans were remarkable creatures. When their physical condition continuously weakened, or when they encountered a major crisis, their bodies could unleash potential surpassing their usual limits.

Of course, there would be a deficit after such an outburst, but with Ning Rongrong continuously supplying medicinal ingredients, they would be lively again the next day.

Shi Yi could sense that as Ning Rongrong gradually grew accustomed to the Gravity, even though her physical condition was constantly being weakened by it, her use of Heart Separation Control was steadily stabilizing.

Zhu Zhuqing, on the other hand, was as focused as Shi Yi had described. She was not simply repeating the training endlessly. Whenever she failed to gather the Hair Crystal particles before they hit the ground, she would reflect for a while before beginning her next attempt. Focus was not simple repetition, but fully devoting oneself to continuously improving what one was doing.

After observing their training for a while, Shi Yi took out the Tungsten Steel armor he had forged from his Soul Tool. Once he put it on, he entered Zhao Wuji's Gravity Field, summoned his Soul Rings, and began training his control.

His morning runs and his current control over Soul Power and Soul Rings were both methods Shi Yi used to train control. One used running to exercise control over his body, seeking to transform his strength into speed to the greatest extent possible. The other was the refined multi-threaded manipulation of Soul Power.

Time passed quickly during cultivation. Seeing that it was about time, Shi Yi tossed his Tungsten Steel armor into his Soul Tool and headed toward his little house.

After washing up simply, Shi Yi began skillfully preparing the ingredients before him. The kitchen knife in his hand was exceptionally precise. At this moment, Shi Yi suddenly rediscovered the feeling of being a chef in his previous life. Every cut was powerful yet elegant.

"As my cultivation rises, everything I do receives a corresponding boost. There truly are countless paths to the Great Dao, all leading to the same destination."

Shi Yi smiled faintly. Looking at the familiar cooking utensils before him, a trace of nostalgia could not help flashing through his eyes. These cooking utensils from his previous life had been made casually while he practiced Disorder Splitting Wind.

Although this world doesn't have the various additives from my previous life, the ingredients here are all of excellent quality, Shi Yi thought to himself.

Gradually, Shi Yi became focused. His movements were smooth and rhythmic, as though he were performing a silent dance. The oil in the wok began to smoke, and he swiftly poured the chopped ingredients into it. With a sharp sizzle, a fragrant aroma immediately spread through the entire kitchen.

Shi Yi adjusted the heat from time to time and gently stirred with his spoon, ensuring that every piece of food was heated evenly. For the first time in a long while, Shi Yi's eyes revealed a love for life. As time passed, the dishes became increasingly appetizing in color, and their fragrance grew richer and richer.

Finally, he plated the finished dishes, sprinkling some chopped green scallions over them as garnish according to the habits of his previous life, then placed them into a food box.

When Shi Yi stepped outside carrying the food box, intending to call everyone to eat, he found that they had already stopped training and were seated around the table in his little house.

"Kid, I think you're the real Food System Soul Master. Just by smelling it, I can tell it's good," Zhao Wuji said with a grin.

Shi Yi took the dishes from the food box and said with a smile, "If Teacher Zhao is willing to learn, it's actually very easy."

"Isn't that what you're here for, kid? You can just make it. It doesn't take much time anyway," Zhao Wuji said teasingly.

Shi Yi's face darkened, and he nodded helplessly. It was only cooking, after all, and he had to eat too. With his high cultivation, his hands and feet were swift and nimble. He could even cook without making a single mistake. As for cleaning up afterward, he could simply find someone in the village and pay them to handle it.

The following month was very peaceful. Without the rest of Shrek, Shi Yi seemed to have returned to the days when he had studied at Nuoding Academy.

Over that month, Zhu Zhuqing progressed rapidly. Before the Hair Crystal particles hit the ground, she could already collect the vast majority of them. Naturally, the number of Hair Crystal particles had also been carefully designed by Shi Yi. According to his estimate, Zhu Zhuqing would most likely be unable to complete it before breaking through level thirty.

But an estimate was always only an estimate. In Shi Yi's view, Zhu Zhuqing was the one among Shrek's group most likely to surpass her own limits.

As for Ning Rongrong, she had also improved considerably. At the very least, she could now settle down and properly practice Heart Separation Control.

Just when Shi Yi thought such days might continue forever, Yu Xiaogang returned.

Shi Yi, who had been training, stopped as well.

"Teacher? Shouldn't you be at the Great Soul Arena at this time?" Shi Yi said as he left the Gravity Field and walked toward Yu Xiaogang.

Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing, however, were not affected in the slightest by Yu Xiaogang's return and continued training.

Yu Xiaogang did not immediately respond to Shi Yi. Instead, his gaze fell upon Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong. At that moment, he noticed Ning Rongrong's progress as well. If Zhu Zhuqing possessed strong discipline and obedience, then Ning Rongrong should have been among the worst in that regard. Yet Yu Xiaogang was now seeing obedience in Ning Rongrong that resembled Zhu Zhuqing's.

"Teacher, what do you think? Not bad, right?" Shi Yi said with a light smile.

Yu Xiaogang looked at Shi Yi, his expression complicated. "Not bad. How did you do it?"

"Teacher's authority alone cannot make students take the initiative to learn. Those who associate with the virtuous become virtuous, while those who associate with the wicked become wicked. People influence one another. Moral character may not be especially important to Soul Masters, but for students, learning good character is more conducive to steady cultivation," Shi Yi said with a light smile.

Yu Xiaogang nodded and sighed. "It seems Flender's decision back then was not wrong. You truly are suited to being a teacher."

"If I'm not mistaken, you came here to have them participate in a team soul battle, correct?" Shi Yi asked with a smile.

Yu Xiaogang looked surprised. He took out a stack of information from his Soul Tool, and before Shi Yi could even take it, he had already seen Yu Tianheng's prominent name.

"Oh, Yu Tianheng, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. You really aren't holding back, old man. He must be closely related to you. Do you want your clansmen to learn that there are always greater heights, or do you want them to learn it?" Shi Yi said with a smile.

Yu Xiaogang looked at Shi Yi and said calmly, "He is my nephew. As for which side wins, I will be happy to see it. What do you think?"

Shi Yi casually flipped through the information, nodded slightly, and smiled. "Not bad. For your sake, I have to let them go, don't I? The other side is made up of talented opponents too. It will let Zhuqing and Rongrong see their own growth and serve as motivation."

Yu Xiaogang nodded, feeling relieved. Seeing Ning Rongrong's state, he had feared Shi Yi would refuse to let them participate in the team soul battle.

It was not easy to make a mischievous student enter such a state of cultivation.

Yu Xiaogang looked at Shi Yi in surprise. "You're that confident in them?"

Shi Yi nodded as though it were only natural. "I can guarantee that with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda's enhancement, Zhuqing will be faster than the other side's Agility Attack System Soul Master. They will definitely shine brilliantly in this team soul battle."

Yu Xiaogang nodded. He was also very interested in the results of Shi Yi's training. Although he did not intend to take any more disciples, education would always be a top priority for a family or even a sect.