Eve of Vacation

After the official class assignments, Huo Yuhao's cultivation gradually began to fall into a proper rhythm over the remainder of the semester. Aside from daily chores and unavoidable classes, he spent nearly all his time at Shrek Academy's Battle Soul Arena.

Although only second-year students and above could participate in matches at Shrek Academy's Battle Soul Arena, while first-years could not freely challenge others, arrange matches, or engage in actual combat—

The spectator stands were open equally to students of every grade. They merely had to pay a certain number of Gold Soul Coins as an admission fee.

Huo Yuhao, however, could waive that fee directly with his status as a Core Disciple.

Core Disciples were few and far between in every cohort.

With that status, Huo Yuhao could freely enjoy a range of benefits at Shrek Academy, such as nourishing meals made from low-level Soul Beast meat and other ingredients, exchange for cultivation equipment, or seek special guidance from teachers.

There were other privileges as well. For example, the academy issued students a certain scholarship every month. Though the amount was not large, it still served as encouragement.

At the same time, students with Core Disciple status could freely enter or gain early access to certain academy facilities, such as the Battle Soul Arena and Beast Arena, without paying admission or making reservations.

Overall, having the status of a Core Disciple was quite convenient at Shrek Academy. Since Ancestor Tang had long since set his sights on the original Huo Yuhao anyway, Huo Yuhao no longer cared much about it. After all, only what was in his hands truly belonged to him.

For eight months, Huo Yuhao spent every day at the Battle Soul Arena without participating in actual fights. Of course, due to the rules, he could not take part in Battle Soul Arena matches anyway.

Still, students from every grade had come to know of him. After all, Huo Yuhao was the only idle person who squatted around the Battle Soul Arena as soon as classes ended every day. He only watched, never fought, and never placed bets, so he was rather conspicuous.

After being nourished by Soul Beast meat and its nutrients, combined with the cultivation method he had improved himself, and aided by the continuous circulation of Soul Power nourishing his body—

The original Huo Yuhao's frail, undersized body, weakened by malnutrition, had now been successfully restored. With ample nutrition and energy, he had even surpassed most peers his age.

After all, ordinary people did not have the ability to use Soul Power to open all the meridians throughout their bodies, forming a seamless, self-sustaining cycle that circulated Soul Power around the clock to nourish the body.

As his meridians widened and stabilized, Huo Yuhao's cultivation talent was greatly enhanced. Combined with the existence of his Soul Power Circuit, his current cultivation speed was no lower than that of Soul Masters with Martial Soul Fusion Skills.

Even the so-called Profound Water Pill, which was said to accelerate a Soul Master's cultivation, merely cleansed the marrow and purged impurities from the body. This reduced internal impurities, allowing Soul Power to circulate more smoothly, efficiently, and quickly.

After achieving All Meridians Unblocked, Huo Yuhao's cultivation speed had long since cast off the disadvantage brought by his Innate Soul Power of only one rank, a flaw in his innate physique.

Of course, during this time, Huo Yuhao had also taken the time to pawn the fifth-grade Soul Tool, the White Tiger Dagger, that he possessed. Using the money from the pawn, and through Beibei's connections, he traded Xu Sanshi for a Profound Water Pill.

Though Huo Yuhao no longer actually needed the Profound Water Pill to assist his cultivation, he still needed a suitable reason and excuse for his cultivation speed.

At his current pace, the Mysterious Heaven Skill and the peculiarities of his Body Martial Soul alone could no longer conceal it. Thus, he needed some pills as a cover. As for whether others would become suspicious, at least he would have an excuse to brush them off.

Naturally, Huo Yuhao had no intention of consuming the Profound Water Pill himself. There was no need, and every medicine carried some toxicity. He did not yet know whether the unstructured pill-making methods of Douluo Continent had any other hidden risks.

Though he would not consume it, it was still useful for research. Through the Eye of Truth's analysis, Huo Yuhao easily determined the ingredients of the Profound Water Pill and the principles behind its effects.

By reverse-engineering the pill's refining method, gaining a glimpse into Douluo Continent's native pill system, then finding a chance to sell the Profound Water Pill elsewhere, Huo Yuhao could at least recoup his costs.

Although the Profound Water Pill was a unique pill of the Profound Nether Sect and exceedingly precious, it was only worth ten thousand gold. Every year, quite a few found their way into major auctions across the continent; their production was simply very limited.

As for why the White Tiger Dagger had only been pawned rather than sold, it was because the shops throughout Shrek City, large and small, were actually all properties of Shrek Academy.

Huo Yuhao's status as a Core Disciple could be checked by businesses related to Soul Masters, such as auction houses and pawnshops.

Thus, out of respect for his status as a Core Disciple, the pawnshop gave Huo Yuhao considerable preferential treatment. In truth, the White Tiger Dagger had merely been used as collateral. As long as Huo Yuhao later gathered the principal and interest, he could still redeem it.

Whether Huo Yuhao would actually redeem it was another matter.

According to the Eye of Truth's observation and measurement of his own body, Huo Yuhao's Soul Power had now reached roughly Rank 23.

It should be known that this was Rank 23 achieved solely through Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's managed cultivation, without using a Soul Ascension Pill or cultivating through Martial Soul Fusion with Wang Dong. The increase in Huo Yuhao's cultivation speed was already astonishing.

And as he continued cultivating, Huo Yuhao's cultivation speed would only become faster and faster.

Allowing Soul Power to flow through his entire body and completing a Soul Power cycle was merely the first step. As the flow of Soul Power became smoother, the meridians it traveled through would become increasingly sturdier and more suited to its passage.

Moreover, the Soul Power Circuits Huo Yuhao constructed would rise to higher and higher levels, with increasingly better effects.

At least before Rank 70, Huo Yuhao believed his cultivation speed would only be faster than that of Soul Masters with Innate Full Soul Power at the same rank, never slower.

What came afterward was difficult to say. The next step after connecting all the meridians was to condense a Soul Core, but a Soul Core was certainly not something he could touch at present. Therefore, how to transition before condensing a Soul Core was something Huo Yuhao still needed to research.

After watching another utterly boring match below, Huo Yuhao stretched and stood up, preparing to leave.

He had spent several months at the Battle Soul Arena. The Martial Soul structures, bodily compositions, Soul Power circulation paths, and even Soul Skill construction methods of most participating Soul Masters had already been thoroughly figured out by Huo Yuhao through the Eye of Truth.

This included some Soul Masters who only watched from the sidelines and never personally entered the arena.

Though they had not used their Soul Skills, the skills themselves were integrated into their Martial Souls in the form of Soul Rings. By seeing through their Martial Souls and spending a little effort, Huo Yuhao had "taken apart" their Soul Skills.

Of course, Huo Yuhao had not expected much from the students at the Battle Soul Arena this time. The end of the semester was drawing near, after all.

Most students were making arrangements for vacation and naturally had no interest in remaining at the academy to participate in Battle Soul matches. The only people still visible in the arena were familiar faces.

Whether their physical techniques or Self-Created Soul Skills, Huo Yuhao had long since recorded them all. It was difficult for them to offer anything new.

"Yuhao, why are you here alone again? Watching Battle Soul matches every day—aren't you bored?"

Xiao Xiao and Wang Dong's voices reached him. Both carried armfuls of food and snacks, clearly having just returned from strolling through the snack street outside Shrek Academy.

Wang Dong naturally handed the snacks in her hand to Huo Yuhao. He casually accepted them, took a few bites, and said, "Even the slightest tactical variation may open up new directions and possibilities. How could coming here to seek inspiration be boring to me?"

Having been on the same team during the Freshman Assessment and then joining the Tang Sect together, Huo Yuhao, Xiao Xiao, and Wang Dong had grown closer over the past eight months.

"Yuhao, you're Rank 20 too. Have you submitted a Soul Hunting Application to Director Du? What Soul Beast are you aiming for?" Wang Dong asked curiously.

"I submitted it two days ago, but since the end of the semester is near, Director Du placed me in the Soul Hunting Team at the end of the term."

"It depends on my luck. The current options are the Illusionary Eye Sky Moth, whose innate Soul Skill is a spiritual-type illusion, or the Big-Headed Spirit Ape, which possesses Soul Skills like Spiritual Power amplification and condensation. For my first few Soul Skills, I prefer amplification-type skills."

"But spiritual-attribute Soul Beasts are simply too rare. If I truly encounter a suitable one, I probably won't be too picky." Huo Yuhao shrugged indifferently.

To him, choosing Soul Skills was not all that important. From the very beginning, he had never intended to rely on the mere nine Soul Skills available to a Titled Douluo at most to form his combat system.

Before he gained the ability to condense Soul Rings himself, or before he was qualified to reveal that technique, he only needed to follow the Power of Laws of Douluo Star and casually select a few not-too-ridiculous spiritual-attribute Soul Beast rings to break through.

As long as his Spiritual Power and Soul Power were sufficient, Huo Yuhao could freely create all manner of Soul Power Circuits through his analysis of Soul Skills and Soul Tool Core Arrays, constructing skill systems suited to different forms of combat.

So, if one had to put it that way, Soul Rings and Soul Skills attached to his Body Martial Soul would actually suit Huo Yuhao better if they were amplification-type rather than functional-type Soul Skills.

Wang Dong nodded at that. "But the second-year advancement assessment is actual combat. If your Second Soul Skill is an amplification type... will that really be okay?"

Huo Yuhao shook his head. "If you choose your future merely for an exam, then you're putting the cart before the horse. At most, an exam can serve as verification of your own path."

"And if you already have a clear plan for your future, then you should not let some so-called exam restrain you, much less alter the direction you're moving in."

"Everyone knows that in the later stages of Soul Master cultivation, attack-type and defense-type Soul Skills granted by Hundred-Year Soul Rings and Thousand-Year Soul Rings become vastly less useful, even beginning to feel pointless."

"On the other hand, amplification Soul Skills, which seem unimpressive and lack strong utility early on, may shine brilliantly later. After all, Soul Skills themselves receive a certain degree of enhancement as their user's Soul Power rises."

"As for offensive and defensive Soul Skills, Soul Sages, Soul Douluos, and Titled Douluos often have superior replacements among their Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Skills. Naturally, they would not waste Soul Power using those low-level Soul Skills."

"But amplification Soul Skills are different. The further one progresses, the more every little increase can dramatically widen the gap in strength between Soul Masters."

"And all that costs is a relatively weak transitional period early on. Now that Soul Tools have emerged, think carefully: is it truly necessary to choose a Hundred-Year or Thousand-Year attack or defense Soul Skill merely for immediate combat power?"

"Wouldn't it be better to spend a little money on a decent Soul Tool to equip yourself and use it as a transition?"

"Though acquiring Soul Skills depends on luck to a certain extent, the source Soul Beast can most likely determine the Soul Skill a Soul Master obtains. This has been proven through a great deal of data."

"Anyway, that's my view. It's getting late. Let's head back early. Or do you want to eat out?"

"Vacation is almost here, and we'll have to part ways. In any case, I know what I'm doing for the second-semester advancement assessment. No matter what, passing won't be a problem."

"Let's go, let's go! Of course we're eating out! Vacation's almost here, so Huo Yuhao, you have to treat us this time!" Wang Dong's eyes lit up as she hurriedly pushed Huo Yuhao toward the exit of Shrek Academy.

Xiao Xiao quickly followed as well, walking shoulder to shoulder with them.

"Finally, I have a chance to fleece you properly! Wahahaha! This time, I'm going to eat my fill!"

"Wang Dong, you never eat as much as Yuhao does. Yuhao is already a head taller than you now, and you still have the nerve to say that."

"What are you talking about! I just haven't shown my true strength before!"

As the sun set, the three figures gradually disappeared into the brightly lit streets of Shrek City.

The three of them, Huo Yuhao included, were only barely twelve years old. Their carefree years of youth would last only a few short years, vanishing in the blink of an eye if they were not careful.

But for now, all three of them cherished these hard-won youthful days and the simple friendship they shared.