Soul Tool Department

Zhang Lexuan nodded as well; her nature was cold on the outside but warm within, and she had long since regarded Shrek Academy as her own home.

Ma Xiaotao was a disciple of Dean Yan Shaozhe, making her family, and she would naturally spare no effort to help her.

Upon hearing this, a glimmer of tears flashed in Ma Xiaotao's eyes, and she nodded excitedly again and again.

After this brief interlude, the three of them sat together once more, enjoying their skewers.

Bei Bei sat to the side, carefully guiding Ma Xiaotao.

Ma Xiaotao's talent was naturally top-tier; her Evil Fire Phoenix martial soul was a true phoenix.

It had not evolved from a common barnyard fowl; it was simply that the phoenix flames contained impurities, preventing her from manifesting the true power of a phoenix.

As time passed, Ma Xiaotao gradually mastered the heat control.

Even though a flame would burst forth from time to time, the three of them remained filled with laughter and joy.

Although the meat skewers she grilled could not yet match the deliciousness of Bei Bei's, they were sufficiently tasty and had reached an edible level.

Over the next two years, Bei Bei continued to study under Mu En, not only focusing on cultivation but also learning a great deal of theoretical knowledge.

Already eight years old, his strength improved rapidly, and his soul power had reached level twenty-three; he had just recently obtained his second soul ring.

Before this, Elder Mu had found a ten-thousand-year Whale Rubber to enhance his physical constitution, and just to be safe, he had personally taken Bei Bei to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt the soul beast required for his second soul ring.

After two years of study, Bei Bei was able to achieve a preliminary fusion of his spiritual power and soul power, but because his cultivation was still too weak, he remained unable to execute the ultimate technique, Reign Over the World.

He only needed to wait for his cultivation to rise, and it would naturally fall into place.

Elder Mu no longer required Bei Bei to come to him for study every day, and he found himself with more and more free time.

Occasionally, he would spar with Ma Xiaotao and Zhang Lexuan to increase his combat experience.

Twelve-year-old Ma Xiaotao had been arranged by Dean Yan Shaozhe to study in the first class of the outer courtyard freshmen, so Bei Bei had not seen her for some time.

Zhang Lexuan was currently in seclusion, preparing for the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Duel Tournament two years away.

Five years ago, Zhang Lexuan had participated once, though only as a member of the reserve team.

For this upcoming soul duel tournament, Zhang Lexuan would serve as the captain, leading the main team into the competition.

Feeling somewhat bored, Bei Bei made an appointment with Ma Xiaotao to visit her after school, at which time she would introduce him to a few of her classmates.

Crossing Sea God Lake and walking along the path in the outer courtyard, he caught sight of the statues of Shrek founders Flender, Yu Xiaogang, Liu Erlong, and Tang San at a glance.

Bei Bei merely glanced at them before continuing to walk forward.

At this time of day, the students of the Martial Soul Department were all in class, and the entire academy appeared somewhat empty and quiet.

A few muffled thuds caught Bei Bei's attention; he turned his head and discovered they were coming from the direction of the Soul Tool Department's testing grounds.

It's the sound of testing soul tools! Bei Bei immediately became interested; he was not opposed to becoming a soul tool master, he was only worried that studying such things would take up too much of his cultivation time.

If one were to equip a few soul tools while still weak, they could both protect themselves and enrich their combat capabilities.

However, he would not put the cart before the horse; no matter how good a soul tool was, it was ultimately just an external object. Only one's own strength was true strength.

Moreover, suitable soul tools could provide unexpected auxiliary effects, helping a soul master in their cultivation.

Since there was still some time before the Martial Soul Department students finished their classes, Bei Bei decided to head over to the Soul Tool Department to take a look.

The buildings of the Soul Tool Department mostly shimmered with a metallic luster; they were simple, streamlined, and full of a technological feel, lacking complex patterns—a completely different architectural style compared to the Martial Soul Department.

Bei Bei possessed a token given to him by Elder Mu, granting him permission to enter most areas of Shrek Academy.

Entering a massive metal building, he found the environment quite spacious, with many soul tool masters testing various soul tools.

There were also some teachers from the Soul Tool Department surrounded by students, all gathered together, chattering away about something.

Bei Bei saw a strangely shaped soul tool placed on a testing table not far away, with some scattered parts lying around it.

Every type of soul tool was composed of two key parts: an external structure and a core array.

Bei Bei observed the soul tool with interest, feeling that it was very similar to the technology of his previous life, yet because it possessed the magical substance of soul power, it could achieve far more incredible things.

"Where did this child come from? This is a soul tool testing area; it's very dangerous." A tall, middle-aged man walked over with a deep frown and scolded him softly.

"I was just curious and came to take a look." Bei Bei took a step back, recognizing the man as Teacher Fan Yu of the Soul Tool Department, who would one day be the mentor of Huo Yuhao in the field of soul tools.

"You shouldn't be a student of the Soul Tool Department! And you haven't reached the age for enrollment! How did you get in?" Fan Yu frowned, looking Bei Bei up and down.

Bei Bei took out his token and waved it in front of Fan Yu. "My name is Bei Bei. I usually live in the inner courtyard. I came to the outer courtyard to find a friend and decided to stop by the Soul Tool Department on the way."

Fan Yu recognized that the token in Bei Bei's hand was of a very high level, and he guessed that the boy was likely a junior of that elder in the Sea God Pavilion.

"Don't disturb the others, and don't touch anything here randomly." Seeing that Bei Bei was reasonably well-behaved, he did not order him to leave.

As the soul tool technology of the Sun Moon Empire grew stronger and stronger, Shrek Academy had established the Soul Tool Department long ago, but it had never been highly valued.

The vast majority of the academy, especially the Martial Soul Department, had long held prejudices and disdain toward the Soul Tool Department.

Even the academy's upper echelons and the many elders of the Sea God Pavilion allocated far fewer resources, talent cultivation, and practical applications to them compared to the Martial Soul Department.

It was rare for someone as young as Bei Bei to have such a strong interest in soul tools, and as a junior of one of the elders, his talent for being cultivated in the inner courtyard must certainly be high.

If he could build a good relationship with him, perhaps it would be of help to the Soul Tool Department once he grew up.

After Fan Yu gathered some materials, he returned to his laboratory, with Bei Bei following closely behind him.

At present, Fan Yu was only a Level 6 Soul Master, and he was currently preparing to make a push for Level 7.

There were not many high-level Soul Masters within Shrek Academy, and compared to the Sun Moon Continent, they were not even on the same order of magnitude.

Fan Yu sorted the materials he had brought over, picked up a core, and took out his carving knife, preparing to engrave the array.

Bei Bei sat to the side, watching quietly; this was his first time witnessing the entire process of Soul Tool creation.

Time ticked away bit by bit as Fan Yu successfully engraved several core arrays in succession; the high-intensity mental expenditure left even him, a Soul Saint, feeling quite exhausted.

After resting for a while, Fan Yu picked up the other materials, preparing to forge the outer shell of the Soul Tool.