Zhang Lexuan nodded as well. She was cold on the outside but warm-hearted within, and had long since come to regard Shrek Academy as her home.
Ma Xiaotao was Dean Yan Shaozhe's disciple, which made her family. Naturally, Zhang Lexuan would do everything she could to help her.
After hearing this, a glimmer of tears appeared in Ma Xiaotao's eyes. She nodded excitedly again and again.
After that little interruption, the three of them continued sitting together, enjoying their skewers.
Bei Bei carefully guided Ma Xiaotao from the side.
Ma Xiaotao's talent was undoubtedly top-tier. Her Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul was a true Phoenix.
It hadn't evolved from a barnyard chicken. It was just that impurities were mixed into her Phoenix Flame, preventing it from displaying the true might of a Phoenix.
As time passed, Ma Xiaotao gradually grew skilled at controlling the heat.
Though flames still occasionally burst out, laughter and cheerful chatter continued to fill the air between the three of them.
The skewers she grilled still weren't as delicious as Bei Bei's, but they were tasty enough to eat.
Over the next two years, Bei Bei continued learning from Mu En. His studies covered not only cultivation, but also a great deal of theoretical knowledge.
Now eight years old, his strength had increased rapidly. His Soul Power had reached level 23, and he had obtained his Second Soul Ring not long ago.
Before that, Mu En had found him a piece of Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Glue to improve his physical constitution. To be safe, he had personally taken Bei Bei to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt the Soul Beast he needed for his Second Soul Ring.
After two years of study, Bei Bei could already achieve a preliminary fusion of his spiritual power and Soul Power. However, his cultivation was still too weak, and he remained unable to use the ultimate skill Reign Over the World.
Once his cultivation improved, he would naturally be able to achieve it with ease.
Mu En no longer required Bei Bei to study with him every day, so Bei Bei had increasingly more free time.
He occasionally sparred with Ma Xiaotao and Zhang Lexuan as well, building up his combat experience.
Twelve-year-old Ma Xiaotao had been assigned by Dean Yan Shaozhe to study in the Outer Court's Freshman Class One, so Bei Bei hadn't seen her for some time.
Zhang Lexuan was in seclusion, cultivating in preparation for the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Fighting Tournament two years later.
Five years ago, Zhang Lexuan had taken part in the tournament once, but only as a member of the reserve team.
This time, she would compete as captain, leading the Main Team.
With little to do, Bei Bei arranged to visit Ma Xiaotao after school. When he got there, she would introduce him to a few of her classmates.
After crossing Sea God Lake and following a path through the Outer Court, he immediately spotted the statues of Shrek's founders, Flender, Yu Xiaogang, and Liu Erlong, along with Tang San and the others.
Bei Bei gave them a glance, then continued on his way.
At that hour, the Martial Soul Department students were in class, leaving the academy quiet and somewhat deserted.
A few muffled thuds caught Bei Bei's attention. He turned and saw that they were coming from the Soul Tool Department's testing grounds.
"That's the sound of Soul Tools being tested!" Bei Bei immediately grew interested. He wasn't opposed to becoming a Soul Engineer; he was only worried that studying these things would take up too much of his cultivation time.
When one was still weak, carrying a few Soul Tools could both protect oneself and add to one's combat strength.
But he wouldn't put the cart before the horse. No matter how good a Soul Tool was, it was still an external aid. Only strength of one's own was true strength.
Besides, a suitable Soul Tool could provide unexpected support and help a Soul Master cultivate.
There was still some time before the Martial Soul Department students got out of class, so Bei Bei decided to take a look around the Soul Tool Department.
The Soul Tool Department's buildings gleamed with a metallic sheen. Their streamlined designs were simple and modern, with few ornate patterns—a style completely different from that of the Martial Soul Department.
Bei Bei had a token from Mu En, which gave him permission to enter most places in Shrek Academy.
He entered a huge metal building. The interior was spacious, and quite a few Soul Engineers were testing all kinds of Soul Tools.
Some Soul Tool Department teachers were there too, surrounded by groups of students chattering about something.
On a nearby testing table, Bei Bei spotted an oddly shaped Soul Tool, with scattered parts lying around it.
Every type of Soul Tool consisted of two key parts: an outer structure and a Core Array.
Bei Bei watched the Soul Tool with interest. It reminded him a lot of the technology from his previous life, but with the extraordinary power of Soul Power, it could do many more incredible things.
"Where did you come from, kid? This is the Soul Tool testing area. It's dangerous." A tall, broad-shouldered middle-aged man approached, frowning as he gently chided him.
"I was curious, so I came to take a look." Bei Bei stepped back and recognized him as Teacher Fan Yu of the Soul Tool Department, who would later become Huo Yuhao's mentor in the field of Soul Tools.
"You're not a student in the Soul Tool Department, are you? And you're not old enough to enroll, either. How did you get in?" Fan Yu asked, frowning as he looked Bei Bei up and down.
Bei Bei took out his token and held it up for Fan Yu to see. "My name is Bei Bei. I usually live in the Inner Court. I came to the Outer Court to visit a friend, and stopped by the Soul Tool Department on the way."
Fan Yu recognized the token as a high-level one. He guessed that the boy was probably a descendant of one of the senior elders in the Sea God Pavilion.
"Don't disturb the others, and don't touch anything here." Seeing that Bei Bei seemed well-behaved, Fan Yu didn't order him to leave.
As the Sun Moon Empire's Soul Guidance Technology grew ever more advanced, Shrek Academy had established the Soul Tool Department long ago, but it had never been given much importance.
Most of the academy, especially the Martial Soul Department, had long been prejudiced against and dismissive of the Soul Tool Department.
Even the academy's leadership and the many senior elders of the Sea God Pavilion gave it far less support than the Martial Soul Department in resource allocation, talent development, and practical application.
It was rare for someone as young as Bei Bei to show such a keen interest in Soul Tools. As a descendant of one of the senior elders, he could remain in the Inner Court for training, which meant his talent must be exceptional.
If Fan Yu made an effort to engage with him, perhaps he could help the Soul Tool Department once he grew up.
After taking some materials, Fan Yu returned to his laboratory. Bei Bei followed closely behind him.
At present, Fan Yu was only a Level 6 Soul Engineer, and he was preparing to break through to level seven.
There weren't many high-level Soul Engineers in Shrek Academy. Compared with the Sun Moon Continent, they were in a completely different league.
Fan Yu sorted the materials he had brought in, picked up a core, and took out a carving knife to begin engraving the array.
Bei Bei sat quietly to one side and watched. It was his first time seeing the entire process of making a Soul Tool.
Time trickled by. Fan Yu engraved several Core Arrays in succession. Even as a Soul Saint, the strain of such intense mental exertion left him exhausted.
After resting for a while, Fan Yu picked up the other materials, preparing to make the outer casing of the Soul Tool.