No Chapter Title Came to Mind 2

Early the next morning, before dawn had broken.

Xu Jie yawned and, as usual, led Huo Yuhao up to the dormitory rooftop for their routine training.

Because he had spent the entire previous night practicing undead magic without resting at all, faint dark circles ringed Xu Jie's eyes. So, unusually, Xu Jie followed Huo Yuhao in practicing the Wudang Eye-Brightening Skill once.

"Yuhao, have you broken through the Wudang Eye-Brightening Skill's second level, Original Eye?" Xu Jie asked, rubbing his much fresher eyes.

"Not yet." Huo Yuhao shook his head.

"Is that so? Yuhao, do your eyes feel anything unusual while cultivating?" Xu Jie asked with a frown.

The Wudang Eye-Brightening Skill, also known as the Taiyi Eye-Brightening Skill—Taiyi could also mean the foundation of all things, the source of all things. Thus, the Wudang Eye-Brightening Skill, named after Taiyi, was founded upon sixteen words: "Dust removed, spirit clear; eyes bright, return to origin; Original Eye joins truth; true purity enters God Realm."

These sixteen words also contained the four realms of this eye technique: Spirit Clear, Original Eye, Returning to Truth, and Entering God Realm.

Breaking through to the second realm should have been simple, just like the first four words of its creed. According to Daoist theory, people living in this world could not avoid being tainted by its murky aura, and their eyes would likewise become clouded with dust.

Spirit Clear meant clear eyes. It referred to removing the dust and turbid aura veiling one's eyes, returning them to how they had been at birth—the technique's second realm, Original Eye.

Logically speaking, he had taught the Wudang Eye-Brightening Skill to Huo Yuhao three years ago. No matter how much dust had accumulated in his eyes, three years should have been enough to clean them thoroughly.

But why, after three years, was Huo Yuhao still stuck at the Spirit Clear realm?

"Mm, it feels like something is being blocked. It should have something to do with my martial soul," Huo Yuhao said as he recalled the sensation.

"A martial soul?" Xu Jie lowered his head in thought. Sure enough, he still needed to find a way to take Huo Yuhao to the Body Sect for a look. If there was something wrong with his cultivation method, Xu Jie could still help examine it.

But when it came to martial souls—especially body martial souls—that was not Xu Jie's field of expertise. Professionals should handle professional matters. He had not even fully figured out his own martial soul yet.

"Forget about that for now. Keep cultivating!"

"Okay." Huo Yuhao nodded. He did not dwell on it either. Though his realm had not improved, he could feel that his vision was growing clearer and clearer. The effect was not obvious, but he was constantly improving.

Click!

The sound of the rooftop door opening suddenly rang out. Xu Jie and Huo Yuhao looked toward it as a handsome youth with pink-blue hair emerged. When he saw the two of them, surprise appeared on his attractive face.

Wang Dong? What was she doing up here?

Xu Jie watched the newcomer, wariness flashing through his heart. Huo Yuhao's gaze was also filled with curiosity.

Wang Dong glanced at Xu Jie and Huo Yuhao without going over to greet them. She walked to the side facing the sun, ignoring them both.

Since Wang Dong had not greeted them, Xu Jie naturally had no intention of greeting her. They were not familiar to begin with, and Xu Jie could barely avoid her fast enough. How could he possibly go up and talk to her?

Xu Jie and Huo Yuhao continued cultivating on their own, ignoring Wang Dong beside them.

Before long, a ray of sunlight streaked across the horizon, and the rising sun slowly emerged from the east.

Wang Dong took a white cloth from her Soul Tool and spread it on the ground. Sitting cross-legged, she fixed her eyes tightly on the rising sun.

Hm!? She's cultivating the Purple Demon Eye.

Having watched Beibei and Tang Ya cultivate, Xu Jie recognized at a glance that Wang Dong was practicing the Purple Demon Eye. It seemed they would need to find another place to train. Wang Dong would likely become a regular on the rooftop.

With that thought, Xu Jie quietly said to Huo Yuhao, "Yuhao, let's go. We'll take a break today. I practiced undead magic all night, so I'm going back to catch up on sleep."

"Okay." Huo Yuhao glanced at Wang Dong but said nothing. For one thing, their morning training usually consisted of him and Xu Jie sparring. If Xu Jie was not training, there was no point in staying on the rooftop alone.

For another, while Xu Jie had been practicing undead magic the night before, he had suddenly received a new premonition. He said that once he became involved with people whose names contained Winter or Autumn, his fate would become miserable.

After death, he would become someone he did not want to be, able only to live like a dignityless lapdog.

Though it seemed strange, Huo Yuhao still took it to heart, because Xu Jie had experienced premonitions before, and they had always been accurate.

So, looking at Wang Dong nearby, he also wanted to leave as soon as possible.

The two left the rooftop and returned to the dormitory. It was still early, so Huo Yuhao climbed onto his bed and continued meditating with his eyes closed.

Xu Jie, on the other hand, flopped onto his bed and closed his eyes to rest. Over the next two days, he needed to find a new place to cultivate and leave the academy to check on Qian Qin and her son, whom Dugu Lu had settled down.

Within Shrek City stood a magnificent two-story wooden building. Above the entrance hung a gilded plaque bearing four large characters: Lonely Cloud Merchant Association.

The evening glow quietly faded from the sky, taking with it the sun's last lingering light.

Two figures walked slowly beneath the Soul Guidance Street Lamps that had just lit up throughout the city, heading straight for that grand two-story building.

"Oh, right, Lu. I looked over your cultivation technique and found that if the circulation of the meridians in one part is altered, it can reduce some of the Jade Phosphor Snake Venom entering your body." As Xu Jie spoke, he took out a sheet of white paper and handed it to Dugu Lu.

"Really?" Dugu Lu accepted the paper, gave it a cursory glance, then casually put it into his Soul Tool without taking it to heart.

"Remember to try it when you get back and see how it works," Xu Jie said seriously.

"I know." Dugu Lu waved a hand carelessly. Clearly, he did not believe Xu Jie's modifications would work. After all, if the Dugu Family had failed to accomplish it for ten thousand years, could Xu Jie really find a way to optimize it after looking at it for just a few nights?

Seeing that he did not care much, Xu Jie said nothing more. The two quickened their pace and soon arrived before the Lonely Cloud Merchant Association.

The Lonely Cloud Merchant Association at night was nowhere near as lively as it was during the day. Apart from a few attendants and Qian Qin and her son, whom Xu Jie and the others had rescued, the vast hall was empty. Those wealthy merchants dressed in lavish clothing had finished discussing business during the day and, guided by regular patrons, had gone off to the city's more unspeakable establishments to cultivate relationships.

"Aunt Qian, dinner's here," Xu Jie called out from afar as he and Dugu Lu entered the merchant association.

Qian Qin, who had been sweeping with a broom, set it down and greeted them. Little Qian Ran also put down the basic education books Huo Yuhao had given him a few days ago and walked toward Xu Jie.

As Qian Ran approached, Xu Jie nudged Dugu Lu with his elbow.

Dugu Lu took out a prepared lunchbox from his Soul Tool. Xu Jie accepted it, stepped forward, and rubbed Qian Ran's head.

"Hungry?"