Side Room, He Caitou

As he walked along, he naturally drew the gazes of many girls, who cast flirtatious glances his way.

Xu Sanshi was not bad-looking himself, but compared to Bei Bei, he was like a firefly beside the bright moon, or mere leaves beside a flower, instantly relegated to a supporting role.

"Damn, I'm speechless." Xu Sanshi felt a bit frantic; he had originally wanted to strike up a conversation with a few beauties, but their eyes were all fixed on Bei Bei, leaving him completely ignored.

"Don't feel inferior, I'm just a tiny bit more handsome than you, that's all." Bei Bei held up his index finger and thumb to gesture.

"You're all just shallow women. No matter how handsome he is, he's just a skinny weakling." Xu Sanshi said with a hint of jealousy, flexing his arm to show off his muscles.

"That's just envy and jealousy toward my peerless face!" Bei Bei said smugly.

Hearing this, Xu Sanshi felt an urge to lunge at him and tear that smug grin right off Bei Bei's face.

"Bei Bei!"

Just then, a crisp voice rang out from behind them.

"Xiao Ya, you're here!"

Bei Bei turned his head to see Tang Ya walking over quickly.

Although she was a year younger than Bei Bei, she had become a first-year student in the same intake as him.

"Wow! What a beautiful girl. No wonder you act so high and mighty—so you have a girlfriend!" Xu Sanshi nudged Bei Bei with his elbow, teasing him.

"Don't talk nonsense, we're just friends." Bei Bei rolled his eyes at him and then introduced her to Tang Ya: "This is my roommate, Xu Sanshi."

Tang Ya nodded slightly toward Xu Sanshi. Her personality was naturally lively and cheerful; after a year, she had buried the pain of her parents' deaths deep in her heart, and she was no longer as melancholy as she had been at the start.

"Xu Sanshi, I'm planning to take Xiao Ya to the Soul Tool Department. Want to come and take a look?" Bei Bei invited.

"The Soul Tool Department? Why go there? Aren't we students of the Martial Soul Department?" Xu Sanshi was puzzled.

Like most traditional soul masters, he didn't care much for soul tools, feeling that over-reliance on them would make a soul master dependent.

"Shrek has recently carried out some reforms in teaching. The Soul Tool Department has developed quite a few tools that can help soul masters train and cultivate more effectively."

Bei Bei smiled, "We might need to go to the Soul Tool Department for training quite often in the future."

"Really? Soul tools have those kinds of uses?" Xu Sanshi was skeptical.

Although he didn't like the Soul Tool Department, he was, after all, the son of the Heaven Spirit Empire's princess and the son of the Mysterious Underworld Sect's master; he was certainly not lacking in worldly experience.

"Why not go and see for yourself?" Bei Bei patted his shoulder and laughed.

The Soul Tool Department had undergone massive changes over the years. Under Bei Bei's influence, he had integrated some technology from his past life and the future direction of soul tool development, all of which he had discussed in detail with Fan Yu.

The Soul Tool Department wasn't lacking in high-level soul masters; what they lacked were the ideas to give them a clear research direction.

But this was exactly what Bei Bei had in abundance; otherwise, following the normal course of development, the Soul Tool Department would have had to grope their way forward step by step.

The group arrived at the Soul Tool Department. After years of expansion and support from the Sea God Pavilion, its size was now nearly on par with the Martial Soul Department.

Xu Sanshi looked around curiously. Aside from the Sun Moon Empire, there was likely no place among the three great empires—Star Luo, Heavenly Soul, and Heaven Spirit—that could compare to Shrek Academy's Soul Tool Department in terms of soul technology research.

Bei Bei took out a Level 3 Soul Master badge and pinned it to his chest.

The water-blue, eight-pointed star badge was inlaid with three diamonds carved into stars, shimmering brilliantly in the sunlight.

"I didn't expect you to be a Level 3 Soul Master! You must be a Soul Elder, right?" Seeing this, a strange look flashed in Xu Sanshi's eyes.

"My soul power is a secret! If you can force me to use my full strength, you'll naturally find out." Bei Bei said with a smile.

He was currently a four-ring Soul Ancestor, stronger than many fourth and fifth-year students, and had already reached the standard for graduation from the Outer Court.

"Wait, let's go to the Soul Fighting Arena and have a match!" Xu Sanshi was clearly unconvinced; the other's words seemed to imply he would definitely lose.

"Sure! You're welcome to challenge me anytime, but whoever loses has to call the other 'Boss'." Bei Bei raised an eyebrow, a playful smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"It's a deal, then. Don't be scared and refuse to fight when the time comes!" Looking at Bei Bei's smile, Xu Sanshi felt something was off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

However, they were all of a similar age, and who among those who could enter Shrek Academy wasn't a genius?

Everyone was young and hot-blooded; he didn't believe he would lose to anyone.

Tang Ya looked at Xu Sanshi with a pitying expression. She knew Bei Bei's true strength all too well and couldn't help but offer a silent prayer for him for a few seconds.

Bei Bei led the two to a Soul Tool Experimental Zone and called out loudly, "Teacher Fan Yu."

"Bei Bei, you're here!" Fan Yu heard the voice and walked over quickly. Beside him stood a dark-skinned youth, even more robust than Xu Sanshi, standing about 1.9 meters tall.

"Let me introduce you. I went to the Heaven Dou Empire a while ago and took on a disciple. You can just call him He Caitou." Fan Yu introduced him to Bei Bei.

"Hello, I'm Bei Bei." Bei Bei looked at the other and sized him up.

The youth had the typical appearance of a Sun Moon Empire noble—dark skin. His real name was Xu He, and he was the former crown prince of the Sun Moon Empire.

Due to a coup, he had changed his name and fled to the Heaven Dou Empire, only recently being found by Fan Yu, who had taken him on as a personal disciple.

But this 1.9-meter height... he's really twelve?! What did he eat to grow like that?!

"Hello." He Caitou nodded in response.

"Teacher Fan Yu, I haven't had a chance to congratulate you on becoming a Level 7 Soul Master yet." Bei Bei smiled.

"I remember today is the new student enrollment; how do you have time to come here? Are you planning to try making a Level 4 soul tool?" Fan Yu asked.

"No, I'm here to introduce someone to you." Bei Bei pointed to Tang Ya beside him. "This is Xiao Ya. She wants to dual-specialize in the Soul Tool Department. If you're free, see if you can teach her a thing or two."

"Greetings, Teacher Fan Yu." Tang Ya bowed slightly in salute.

"Oh! So you are the Tang Ya that Bei Bei often speaks of, the very last member of the Tang Sect!" Fan Yu sighed with emotion upon hearing this; the once number one sect in the world had ended up in such a state.

"How about this! I will take you to the Physical Testing Room to see if you have the talent to become a Soul Tool master," Fan Yu said.

Fan Yu led the group into a room containing a cylindrical Soul Tool connected to several electronic screens.

"This is specifically for testing a Soul Master's physical data. After years of refinement, it basically never produces any discrepancies," Fan Yu introduced to the group.

The others were hearing about such a Soul Tool for the first time, their faces filled with astonishment.