Deep in the starry expanse, Jia Meng sat silently in the middle of an ancient altar. His eyes were closed as he sensed the curse power flowing all around him.
After the star energy Tianyuan and Jia Meng had supplied fused, it became a model for Tianyuan's principles. The old woman had turned into a little girl, and Jia Meng had found it rather hard to accept.
Tianyuan first praised Jia Meng for his performance in the incident, then began explaining the knowledge related to the boundary between worlds.
Jia Meng naturally cherished this rare opportunity. He listened intently, not daring to let a single word of Tianyuan's explanation pass him by.
Time passed in the blink of an eye, and before long, a year had gone by.
The academy grounds were bathed in sunlight. Through the gaps between the leaves, dappled light fell upon the ancient, slightly dilapidated buildings, lending them a touch of fresh vitality.
"Seven Seas, do you know why Jia Meng asked me to come all this way?"
Master Ban strolled along, chatting as they went. His voice held a hint of curiosity and anticipation.
He was tall and broad, with the sunlight shining on him. A bright smile rested on his face, giving everyone around him a warm feeling.
"I'm not sure. I'd planned to set out for the Northern Sea tomorrow to carry out my mission, but today I thought I'd get some proper rest. If there's no good reason, I'm afraid I'll be disappointed."
Seven Seas Builder walked through the courtyard, a faint smile on his face. His eyes carried both composure and guardedness.
He was tall and slender, with delicate features, but there was a steady, unyielding strength about him.
"Jia Meng is truly a divine being, isn't he? He's been in seclusion for so long, yet this is the first time he's taken the initiative to seek me out."
Master Ban kept talking as they walked, his curiosity driving him to speculate about why Jia Meng had asked to see him.
Just then, a clear, vigorous voice interrupted him.
"Hello, you two. Sorry for the wait. I'm Jia Meng."
Jia Meng came out from beneath the eaves, his shadow stretching tall and straight in the slanting sunlight.
After nearly a year of cultivation, his aura had grown even more mature and imposing. Every gesture he made revealed a composed authority and confidence.
His features were still handsome, and his eyes were deep and perceptive, as though he could see right through people.
"Ah, Jia Meng. I'm Master Ban. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Master Ban quickly greeted the young man, his voice carrying a hint of curiosity and excitement.
Seven Seas Builder also quickly composed himself, his expression turning serious.
He knew that in front of the strong, any negligence was unacceptable.
He smiled slightly and greeted Jia Meng. "Hello, Master. I'm Seven Seas Builder. I hope you'll guide me."
Jia Meng smiled and nodded to them both. His gaze swept over them, as if assessing their strength and potential.
He clasped his hands and got straight to the point. "I asked you here because I have something I'd like to discuss with you."
"Please, go ahead. Whatever it is, I'll do my best to help." Master Ban stood up straight, his expression earnest.
"No need to be so formal. I'm not asking you to give up the Soul Force."
"I only heard that tomorrow you're heading to the Northern Sea to carry out a mission. Someone there has been targeting the Soul Force users, so I thought I'd ask you to help us deal with them. That's all."
Jia Meng smiled as he spoke, his voice gentle and sincere, putting those around him at ease.
Master Ban listened, a warm smile appearing on his face.
"I understand. Then I suppose I can count on you to take care of the matter for me."
His eyes held a genuine warmth.
But Seven Seas Builder felt a knot form in his stomach.
"Is this whole thing just a way to get me to do some special work? Is that why Jia Meng summoned me here? Is he trying to establish his authority over me?"
His eyes filled with confusion and disappointment, and his respect for Jia Meng wavered a little.
Jia Meng seemed to sense what Seven Seas Builder was thinking. He smiled slightly and explained, "Don't worry. I just thought of it as a way to give him something to do."
Just then, a voice as crisp as a bell broke the stillness.
"If you want something to eat, just say so. You don't have to pretend to be someone else and leave others with a bad impression. That doesn't sound like you, Meng."
A figure as sudden and elusive as a ghost appeared before them. There was a mischievous, irrepressible smile on her face.
A moment later, Xia Bu descended from the sky like a dark shadow. Her voice was tinged with reproach.
"You're all like this. The moment you meet, you start arguing. Especially in front of Jia Ruo and Master, you ought to be more mindful of how you look."
Jia Ruo followed close behind. Her voice carried a hint of helpless amusement.
"Look at you. You haven't changed at all after a whole year. You've grown up, but you're still the same."
Looking at the scene before him, Master Ban was filled with curiosity. He waved to everyone and asked Seven Seas Builder in a low voice,
"Now that all four of you are here, is something important going to happen today?"
Seven Seas Builder shook his head, his heart full of doubts.
"I don't know either. I thought Jia Meng had only asked me here to help with something, but now it seems there's more to it than that."
Jia Ruo looked at the young man beside her. Her voice carried a hint of pride.
"Today is the day you three are officially appointed as special Soul Force inspectors. A lot of senior people from the academy are coming, and they'll all be watching you. Don't embarrass me."
"S-Special Soul Force inspectors?!"
Master Ban and Seven Seas Builder looked at her, their faces suddenly showing disbelief.
Special Soul Force inspectors were the highest-ranking figures in the entire Soul Force world. At present, only ninety-nine people held the title.
Over the past year, Jia Meng had cultivated in seclusion, and his strength had already advanced by leaps and bounds. His eyes had grown even deeper, and even his every movement now carried a calm, confident authority.
Wukong had originally been among the weakest. Since mastering the third stage of his transformation, however, he had advanced by leaps and bounds, breaking through the limits of his self-developed mode.
As for Xia Bu, the one who had been shoulder to shoulder with the two of them, she had never stopped pushing forward either. She hadn't been willing to fall behind. Over the past year, she'd worked hard and gathered many powerful, unusual spirits, greatly increasing her overall combat strength.
The upper echelons of the Soul Force world were extremely curious about the abilities of the three.
They already knew the trio were exceptionally talented, but just how powerful they had become was still unknown.
They'd wanted to take advantage of the fact that the three were about to graduate from the academy, using the graduation examination as an excuse to assess them.
Therefore, this assessment was also a challenge set by the high-ranking members of the Soul Force world, who wanted to gain a clearer understanding of the trio's abilities.
For the assessment, the upper echelons of the Soul Force world had even specially invited the only Special Soul Force Inspector in the world—one of the ninety-nine—to come back and oversee it.
As everyone was talking, a tall woman suddenly appeared in front of them.
She was tall and slender, her features cool and composed. Her eyes held a sharpness that made it clear she was not to be underestimated.
"What kind of woman do you like?"
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