Trying a Martial Soul Fusion Skill

Huo Yuqing began an even more grueling path of study.

She took the Heavenly Water Pill, and her Soul Power steadily rose to level sixteen. The pill's power widened and strengthened her meridians, greatly improving her talent and increasing her cultivation speed by five or six times.

The Heavenly Water Pill was even more effective than the Profound Water Pill. Its most precious quality was that its medicinal power did not take effect all at once. Once the body reached its limit in absorbing the medicine, the remaining gentle medicinal power would be stored in the meridians, continuously nourishing and moisturizing them like true spring water.

Combined with Lu Mingyou's ongoing medicinal meals, Huo Yuqing's childhood nutritional deficiencies were also well compensated for. In a month, she had grown a full centimeter taller.

Every morning, the little girl followed Lu Mingyou in memorizing theories on herbal combinations and learning to identify rarer medicinal ingredients. In the afternoons, she went to New City's Soul Tool shop in Jade City to study Soul Tools under Wen Qiang.

Wen Qiang... this guy had his own peculiar teaching philosophy: start by taking things apart.

Over the past two weeks, aside from learning the most basic theories of Soul Tools, Huo Yuqing had dismantled practically every type of Soul Tool she could get her hands on.

From support Soul Tools to combat Soul Tools, ranged and close-combat alike, she had taken them apart to her heart's content. Even some relatively safe Class 7 Soul Tools had not escaped her clutches.

On the continent, however, most academies taught apprentice Soul Engineers by having them begin with metal forging. They learned to make outer casings, then inner casings, and finally to carve Core Arrays. Only after mastering everything would they begin assembling and designing their own Soul Tools.

Wen Qiang did the opposite. He first had Huo Yuqing dismantle a vast number of Soul Tools made by different people and draw conclusions from them, developing her own approach to Soul Tool design. Only then did she begin learning to inscribe Core Arrays and craft the inner and outer casings of Soul Tools.

Any academy that saw this teaching method would have to call it heretical.

As for refining metal, the first step in making Soul Tools for ordinary Soul Engineers...

Wen Qiang believed that any proper Soul Engineer should skip that step. He did not know about other places, but New City directly supplied smelted metals and even ready-made alloys when making Soul Tools.

Specialists should handle specialized work, all right? A Soul Engineer only needed to shape metal into the form they wanted. Why swing hammers and pound iron?

They were not blacksmiths.

His method was highly suited for geniuses who were good at summarizing and finding their own path of thought, but it was utterly unsuitable for ordinary people.

Fortunately, Huo Yuqing's little brain was genuinely sharp in this regard. This approach instead allowed her to develop her own unique way of thinking and understanding early on. If it had been some other ordinary eleven-year-old, he probably would have ruined the child's education.

Compared to Huo Yuqing's smooth progress, Wang Rui's situation was far less encouraging.

The magic Electrolux taught belonged to an entirely unfamiliar system, while Wang Rui had survived in Douluo for over ten thousand years. Certain methods of wielding power had become deeply ingrained instincts. On top of that, the laws governing heaven and earth in the two worlds were completely different, so Wang Rui encountered a tiny bit of difficulty while learning magic.

First, he had to figure out how to convert between magic power and Soul Power.

But at its core, magic was simply another method of wielding power, and the powers of different worlds ultimately led to the same destination... Unlike a Soul Master's power, which naturally came with attributes, magic was closer to using Spiritual Power, specific incantations, and inscriptions to direct the elements in the air.

Once he resolved the conversion between Soul Power and magic power, learning magic was not particularly difficult.

After committing the theoretical knowledge to memory, Wang Rui stumbled through every light-element spell the former Son of Light could still remember.

Not bad. He could use them all, more or less.

Wang Rui's Martial Soul only simulated Ultimate Fire. In his humanoid form, he could not use the Ultimate Light abilities of his true body, but magic made up for that weakness and gave him a few more ways to save his own life.

However, learning existing light-element magic was one thing. Improving contract magic was another.

Breaking down existing contract magic, recoding it, and altering it to produce the effect Wang Rui needed was far from easy.

Especially since Wang Rui wanted to add elements related to destiny into the contract—the Great Tortoise Shell Technique practiced by Electrolux was also a form of using the Power of Destiny, but the Power of Destiny was ultimately something that depended entirely on talent. There were also very few destiny-related spells on the Holy Demon Continent, and Electrolux's understanding of destiny was quite limited...

So the Holy Necromancer happily ran off to study his Bone Dragon and magic cannons.

Although Wang Rui closed his eyes whenever he had time and immersed himself in his spiritual space to study magic, progress on modifying the contract remained painfully slow.

"I wanted to create the new contract before going to Shrek, so I could have Jiang Nannan and Rouge sign it..." Wang Rui knocked his forehead against the table, looking utterly dejected.

Electrolux was speechless.

What the hell did he expect to develop in two weeks, young man... bah, young beast? Why was he so impatient?

The Holy Necromancer shook his head.jpg

In short, two weeks flew by amid all the hectic activity.

Tomorrow was the last day of Shrek's admissions period.

Wang Rui remained on the second floor of Emerald Elixir Hall, studying his contract inscriptions. He had revised them over and over, yet the results were never satisfactory.

Huo Yuqing was still learning from Wen Qiang at the Soul Tool shop. Recently, she had begun studying the principles behind Core Arrays and attempting to inscribe Class 1 arrays.

As the sun gradually sank westward, Wang Rui raised his head and looked out the window.

Today's sunset was exceptionally beautiful. The sunlight was not harsh, and a strangely unreal blood-red sun hung at the boundary between the dim sky and the forest—beautiful, yet carrying an inexplicable sense of oppression.

Little White, the Hundred-Thousand-Year Cultivation Swift-tailed Swallow, landed on the edge of the windowsill. "I've finished investigating what you asked me to look into."

Wang Rui hummed in acknowledgment.

"During Shrek's registration period, someone from the Clear Sky Sect did indeed appear and registered a boy named Wang Dong. But I did not see what Wang Dong looked like, or whether he had pink-blue hair. He has not gone to the academy yet. Still, Wang Dong's class assignment has already been decided. He's in Class One. His homeroom teacher is the most capable among all the first-year teachers. They say the classes taught by that teacher have the highest advancement rate." The bird-shaped surveillance device chirped out its report.

"That Clear Sky Sect disciple who came to register greeted the teacher at the registration desk. If a Tang Clan disciple enrolls, he'll be assigned to the same dorm as Wang Dong... Tch." A look almost like disgust appeared on the swallow's fluffy face. "Neither the Tang Clan nor the Clear Sky Sect is any kind of good bird... But since when did the direct line of the Clear Sky Sect use the surname Wang? Is it a fake name?"

Wang Rui merely nodded calmly. "I understand. All right, thank you. Go back now."

Little White hopped along the window frame and complained in an exaggeratedly resentful tone, "You really are a cold-blooded male beast who throws people away after using them."

Wang Rui: ...

"Enough, no more nonsense." The Swift-tailed Swallow stopped while she was ahead and shook her wings. "I don't trust the others in my clan. I'll stay by your side and carry messages for now."

"Just don't let anyone discover you." Wang Rui nodded and did not stop her. He knew exactly how capable a Hundred-Thousand-Year Cultivation Swift-tailed Swallow was—although she could not beat anyone, generally speaking, no one could hit her either.

"Don't underestimate the hiding abilities of such a weak species as ours." The swallow chirped. "Even if I stood in a tree above a Titled Douluo's head, they wouldn't realize I was a soul beast instead of an ordinary swallow. Do you believe me?"

With that, she flew away.

Wang Rui watched her leave, then turned his gaze back toward the blood-red setting sun.

For some reason, he had felt a faint sense of discomfort over the past two days.

It was not the sort of warning that something threatening to him was about to happen, but rather a faint, causeless feeling of disgust.

With the Power of Destiny, he could not take any sudden feeling lightly.

...It sounded a little superstitious, but this feeling was most likely some kind of warning.

He had indeed avoided quite a few crises before through sensations similar to precognition... But perhaps because his Eye of Destiny had evolved to a certain degree after Attribute Infusion, this feeling differed from the ones he had experienced before.

If his previous premonitions of danger had been like sharp needles stirring in his mind and causing stabbing pain, then this feeling was closer to the discomfort of a toad crawling over the top of his foot.

Wang Rui did not know what this sudden sense of disgust meant. He opened his Eye of Destiny to examine the surroundings, but everything was calm and normal. The mist-like, ethereal currents of fortune continued flowing as usual, with no visible differences.

...Perhaps it meant there would be no danger to his life, but something extremely unpleasant was about to happen.

Wang Rui thought of Shrek and found his guess quite reasonable.

The sun gradually set.

"Wang Rui, I'm back! I successfully inscribed the core of a Class 1 Soul Tool today... Huh? Why haven't you turned on the lights?" Huo Yuqing pushed open the door, sounding very happy.

"I was thinking about something and forgot." Wang Rui smiled and shook his head, temporarily setting aside his worries.

"We're going to take the entrance exam for Shrek Academy tomorrow! Teacher Wen and Teacher Lu both gave me a Storage Soul Tool full of homework today. They told me not to forget to practice even after I get to Shrek." Huo Yuqing chattered as she naturally walked over and stood shoulder to shoulder with Wang Rui before the window.

"We're about to leave... I'm a little reluctant. I never really took the time to appreciate it before, but the Golden Tree is beautiful at night too..." the girl said softly as she looked outside.

The giant tree's golden branches gave off a hazy glow, while its emerald-green leaves rustled in the evening breeze. Though it was already late, Jade City's nights were anything but quiet. Many soul beasts with nocturnal habits had come out for a stroll.

A bat covered in golden-red patterns flew past their window, looking like a large dog with wings. Farther away, a gray-white giant wolf sat down and tried to howl at the beautiful night, only for its companion to immediately bite its tail.

"I wonder what the continent's number one academy is really like... Sister Nannan does not seem to like it very much, but Shrek Academy is so famous. There must be something special about it, right?" Huo Yuqing murmured.

Seeing the longing and anticipation in Huo Yuqing's eyes, Wang Rui did not say anything to dampen her spirits.

Anyway, as long as she could think normally, the academy itself would soon dampen them for her.

"By the way, Yuhao, you're from the Star Luo Empire, right?" Wang Rui suddenly asked. "You should know about the White Tiger Duke and his family, shouldn't you?"

Huo Yuqing jumped in fright, thinking Wang Rui had discovered her identity. She carefully glanced at his expression and, seeing nothing unusual, cautiously replied, "Of course I do."

"Then you also know that the White Tiger Douluo lineage possesses a powerful ability called a Martial Soul Fusion Skill?"

Huo Yuqing nodded.

"I think there may be a Martial Soul Fusion Skill between us... I've always been able to feel a pulling force coming from you. I wonder if you've felt it too." Wang Rui tried to make his words sound as natural as possible, lest he arouse Huo Hang's suspicions and expose himself on the spot.

"I have... Um... why don't we try it out?" Thinking of the rumors she had heard about Martial Soul Fusion Skills, Huo Yuqing's ears reddened slightly.

"Then let's do it. Sit down first." Wang Rui sat on the bed first and patted the spot opposite him.

Huo Yuqing carefully climbed onto the bed and sat cross-legged three feet away from him.

The bedding Jiang Nannan had found was very soft, but neither of them had slept much this month. This was probably the first time the bed had served its intended purpose.

Facing him at such close range, she could see every detail of his face... There seemed to be two pale golden lashes among Wang Rui's fiery red eyelashes.

"What is it?" Wang Rui asked in confusion when Huo Yuqing did not move for a long while.

"N-Nothing!" Huo Yuqing replied loudly and guiltily. "Um, how do we try it? I don't know."

"Release your Soul Power aura." Wang Rui guided her in a low voice without thinking much of it. "Just circulate your Soul Power. You don't need Martial Soul Possession."

A hazy red glow rose around Wang Rui, while a pale golden current of air also began to rise from Huo Yuqing's body.

That pulling force immediately became far more apparent.

Being weaker and slightly less strong-willed, Huo Yuqing had to expend tremendous effort to restrain herself from clinging directly to Wang Rui like a giant magnet.

And beds had always carried certain special connotations, so the girl could not help letting her thoughts wander.

Wang Rui looked at Huo Yuqing's slightly flushed face in confusion, feeling utterly baffled.

What's going on with you, little Huo Yuhao? I remember how calm you were when you hugged Wang Dong in the original story. Why are you blushing and making your heart race around me?

Could I possibly look more like a girl than Wang Dong?

Little Huo, if you keep this up, I'm going to think you're into men!

Wang Rui shook his head, driving the messy thoughts from his mind. Given Huo Hang's current reaction, he really could not bring himself to suggest a hug.

"Hold out your hands," he said without a trace of emotion.

"Oh, okay." Huo Yuqing also realized that her reaction had been somewhat inappropriate. She hurriedly followed his instructions, moving only when he directed her, and held out her hands.

It was not a hug. For some reason, the girl felt a little disappointed.

Wang Rui raised his hands and pressed them against Huo Yuqing's, their palms facing each other.