Training

"Nothing."

Shen Zhou shook his head, "White Emperor is fighting Tian Meng for territory in my Consciousness Sea."

Qian Daoliu was stunned for a moment, then he laughed as well.

"Neither of those two is easy to deal with."

The two continued forward, and the silhouette of White Tiger City gradually appeared on the horizon.

In the night, the light of Martial Soul Academy was like a star fallen to the mortal world, warm and bright.

When they returned to the academy, it was already the second half of the night.

Golden Crocodile Douluo was dozing at the main gate. Hearing footsteps, he opened his eyes, saw Shen Zhou and Qian Daoliu return, and stood up.

"Big Brother, Eighth Brother, you're back? How did it go?"

"Resolved."

Qian Daoliu said indifferently.

Golden Crocodile Douluo did not ask further.

He knew that if Big Brother said it was "resolved," then it was truly resolved.

There was no need to ask for details, no need to ask for the process; the result was—Xuan Zi was dead, the people from Shrek were either dead or had fled, and Martial Soul Academy was safe and sound.

"Go get some rest."

Qian Daoliu patted Golden Crocodile on the shoulder and walked toward the depths of the academy.

Shen Zhou followed behind, stopped at the lakeside, and gazed at the Spirit Pagoda in the center of the lake.

Moonlight spilled onto the lake surface, and the blue light of the Spirit Pagoda was reflected in the water, shimmering and beautiful as a painting.

"Master?"

Huo Yuhao's voice came from behind.

Shen Zhou turned around and saw Huo Yuhao walking over, draped in an outer robe and rubbing his eyes.

Clearly, he had heard the commotion, woken up from his sleep, and run out to take a look.

"Why are you awake?"

Shen Zhou asked.

"I heard Master was back, so I came to check."

Huo Yuhao walked to Shen Zhou's side and looked up at him, "Master, did something happen tonight?"

Shen Zhou was silent for a moment, then nodded.

"Mm, a small matter. It's already been resolved, no need to worry."

Huo Yuhao bit his lip, wanting to say something, but in the end, he just nodded.

"Master, please get some rest early."

"You go to sleep too. You still have to cultivate tomorrow."

"Mm."

Huo Yuhao turned and walked a few steps, then stopped and looked back at Shen Zhou.

"Master, there is a scent of blood on you."

Shen Zhou was stunned for a moment, then smiled.

"Go to sleep."

Huo Yuhao nodded and trotted back to the dormitory.

Shen Zhou stood by the lake, looking down at his robes.

There wasn't much blood, only a few spots, splashed on from Xuan Zi.

He flicked his finger, a wave of Soul Power swept over, the bloodstains vanished, and the robe was restored to its original state.

"Eighth Brother."

Qian Daoliu's voice came from behind.

Shen Zhou turned around and saw Qian Daoliu standing under a willow tree by the lake, moonlight spilling over his golden hair, making him look like a statue.

"Big Brother, not sleeping yet?"

"Can't sleep."

Qian Daoliu walked over, standing with his hands behind his back, "Eighth Brother, regarding tonight's events, do you think it was worth it?"

Shen Zhou was silent for a while.

"Big Brother, this isn't a question of whether it's worth it.

Xuan Zi deserves death, and Ma Xiaotao has fallen into evil; she cannot be spared either.

What we have done is right."

Qian Daoliu nodded, saying nothing more.

The two stood by the lake, gazing at the Spirit Pagoda under the moonlight, silent for a long time.

Deep within the Consciousness Sea, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm poked his head out from the Golden Star, glanced at the soundly sleeping Er Ha, snorted, and retreated back inside.

Er Ha rolled over, mumbling something unintelligible.

"So fierce..."

The next morning, sunlight spilled through the window lattice into the Martial Soul Academy's cultivation room.

Located on the east side of the academy, adjacent to the Martial Arts Arena, the cultivation room's four walls were engraved with Spirit Gathering Array Pattern, and the heaven and earth energy in the air was so dense it had almost condensed into substance.

This was one of the facilities included with the Academy Construction Card, designed specifically for Soul Master cultivation, with effects far exceeding those of ordinary academy cultivation rooms.

Huo Yuhao sat cross-legged on a cushion, eyes closed, his Soul Power circulating slowly within him.

After a month of body tempering and the baptism of the Spirit Pagoda, his physique was much stronger than when he first arrived; though not yet burly, he at least no longer looked malnourished.

Shen Zhou, who had not slept all night, felt no fatigue.

He stood in the center of the cultivation room with his hands behind his back, his right Heavenly Eye slightly open, a golden vertical line slowly rotating within his pupil.

He was observing the flow of Soul Power within Huo Yuhao; the path of Soul Power flow for the Spirit Eye martial soul differed from ordinary martial souls, with most of the power concentrated in the brain, requiring special techniques to guide effectively.

"Yuhao," Shen Zhou said.

Huo Yuhao opened his eyes and looked at his master.

"Master, what is it?"

"Your Soul Power circulation speed is too slow." Shen Zhou walked over to him, crouched down, and looked him in the eye. "The core of the Spirit Eye martial soul is mental power, not Soul Power.

You have placed too much focus on the accumulation of Soul Power and neglected the training of your mental power."

Huo Yuhao was stunned for a moment.

"Master, how... how do I train mental power?"

Shen Zhou did not answer directly, instead raising his right hand, index and middle fingers pressed together, and tapped Huo Yuhao between his brows.

A cool energy surged from Shen Zhou's fingertips, seeping into Huo Yuhao's mind.

Huo Yuhao felt his mind become crystal clear, as if something had been unlocked, and the entire world became clearer than ever before in his eyes.

He could feel the wind outside the cultivation room, the ripples of the lake, and even the blue light emanating from the distant Spirit Pagoda.

"This is..." Huo Yuhao's eyes widened.

"Mental Probe," Shen Zhou retracted his hand. "The first Soul Ring of the Spirit Eye grants you the soul skill Mental Shock, but Mental Probe is the true core of the Spirit Eye.

Only by first detecting the enemy's position, movements, and even thoughts can you make the most effective response."

Huo Yuhao closed his eyes, carefully sensing the flow path of the energy he had just felt.

A moment later, he opened his eyes, a faint trace of golden light flashing within them—faint, but undeniably present.

"Master, I think... I felt it."

"Felt what?"

"There is wind outside the cultivation room, blowing from the east.

There are ripples on the lake; it's fish swimming.

There is blue light over at the Spirit Pagoda, flickering on and off..."

The corners of Shen Zhou's mouth curled upward slightly.

To achieve this level on the first attempt at guidance, Huo Yuhao's talent was truly extraordinary.

In the original story, his first Spirit Eye soul skill was Mental Probe, but that was only achieved with the help of Sky Dream Ice Silkworm.

Yet the current Huo Yuhao, without the help of Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, had touched the threshold of Mental Probe through his own talent.

"Not bad." Shen Zhou stood up. "From now on, the first thing you do in every morning class is to use Mental Probe to perceive the surrounding environment.

Start with the cultivation room, then the entire academy, and then White Tiger City.

When you can cover the entire White Tiger City with your mental power, your Spirit Eye will be considered to have entered the gate."

Huo Yuhao nodded heavily, his eyes filled with excitement.

"Master, and after entering the gate?"

"After entering the gate?" Shen Zhou smiled. "Only after entering the gate does the real cultivation begin."

Just then, the door to the cultivation room was pushed open.

Qian Daoliu walked in, his long golden hair shining brilliantly in the sunlight, his white robes making him look like a god descending to earth.

Following behind him was Yu Mengdi; the golden-haired woman had changed into a crisp, fitted outfit, her back straight and her steps steady, four purple Soul Rings rotating slowly around her, with the faint phantom of a pair of white angel wings visible behind her.