Journey to Spirit City

When Qian Renxue accepted the letter Azure Luan handed her, a beautiful curve quietly formed at the corner of her lips. Yet she did not open it immediately, instead putting it away.

"Let's go."

"I'll take you back to Spirit City."

After respectfully bowing to Qian Renxue, Azure Luan clasped his hands behind his back and headed toward the carriage parked outside the residence.

"Goodbye, Sister!"

Chen Xi waved farewell to Qian Renxue, then followed Azure Luan out of the residence, looking back every few steps.

"Goodbye!"

Qian Renxue waved as well, then came to the front of the residence and watched Chen Xi climb into the carriage.

The carriage gradually began to move.

Only after it vanished from sight did Qian Renxue withdraw her gaze and return to the residence.

Inside the carriage.

Seeing Azure Luan's cold expression and the distant air he gave off, Chen Xi quietly shifted a little farther away from him.

Azure Luan's expression did not change in the slightest at Chen Xi's small movement.

"We are about a month away from Spirit City. If you need anything, tell me, and I can take you to buy it in the cities along the way."

"I am not a Soul Master who specializes in Mental Power, but I am fairly skilled in using it. This book contains some of my insights into Mental Power usage. You can read it, and if there is anything you do not understand, you may ask me."

Azure Luan took out a book and placed it before Chen Xi. Then he closed his eyes to rest.

Chen Xi wanted to thank Azure Luan as she watched him rest with his eyes closed, but she feared disturbing him. After pondering for a while, she gently picked up the book and began reading it, making as little noise as possible.

Because the book specifically marked the methods of using Mental Power and included Azure Luan's own understanding, Chen Xi could understand it quite easily.

The uses of Mental Power described in the book could roughly be divided into four types. First: using it to assist in battle, allowing one to more keenly perceive every movement of an opponent.

Second: mental strikes, materializing mental attacks to strike the enemy's Sea of Consciousness. If the gap in Mental Power was too great, there was a high chance of causing the enemy to lose their mind.

Third: constructing mental illusions, pulling opponents into one's own mental illusion for control and attack.

Fourth: mental manipulation and constructing mental defenses. Mental manipulation controlled an opponent's mind, while mental defenses were used to guard against an opponent's mental attacks.

Chen Xi silently flipped through the book and chose the direction she would focus on learning. She was already planning to pursue the ultimate in mental attacks, so things like mental strikes would naturally be her primary focus.

As for assisting in battle, constructing mental illusions, and mental manipulation, she would learn those as well, but they were lower in priority than mental strikes.

After all, there were some things she might not need to use, but she could not afford not to know.

Chen Xi attentively read the book in her hands.

Azure Luan quietly opened his eyes. Seeing Chen Xi's obedient and sensible appearance, a trace of contemplation appeared in his eyes.

"Do you know?"

"At your age, only children who cry get candy."

"And being this sensible may cause you to suffer."

Azure Luan's somewhat indifferent voice rang out inside the carriage.

Hearing this, Chen Xi slowly raised her head. Her dark purple eyes blinked softly a few times before she looked at the rapidly passing scenery outside the window.

After pondering for a moment.

"But that assumes there is someone willing to give out candy."

Chen Xi returned her gaze to the book and carefully read its contents.

Azure Luan looked out the carriage window and said nothing more. He simply closed his eyes again to rest.

Time quietly passed.

One month later.

The carriage carrying Chen Xi and Azure Luan entered Spirit City.

Chen Xi reached out and lifted the curtain over the carriage window. As she looked at Spirit City's bustling streets, a hint of amazement appeared in her eyes.

Spirit City was even more prosperous than Heaven Dou City.

"Spirit City is the holy land in the hearts of Soul Masters, a place where all Soul Masters must make their pilgrimage. Although Spirit City lies at the border between the two great empires, its prosperity surpasses even the capitals of both empires."

Azure Luan opened his eyes and explained softly.

Chen Xi nodded noncommittally.

A holy land in the hearts of Soul Masters, a place where all Soul Masters must make their pilgrimage.

That might indeed be true for commoner Soul Masters, but for some major sects and nobles, it was not necessarily the case.

Under Chen Xi's gaze, a grand and imposing building gradually appeared ahead. Armored guards carrying weapons continuously patrolled around it, and atop the building stood a massive stone statue of a Six-Winged Angel.

Even without Azure Luan's introduction, Chen Xi knew that this was Spirit Hall.

More precisely, this was Spirit Hall's highest institution: the Papal Hall.

Chen Xi's gaze lingered over the Six-Winged Angel statue above the Papal Hall. Yet she did not know whether it was an illusion or something else, but as she studied the statue, it actually gave her the feeling that it was studying her as well.

She rubbed her eyes and looked again at the Six-Winged Angel statue, but that feeling of being watched had quietly disappeared, as though it had never existed.

"Was it an illusion?"

After pondering briefly, Chen Xi cast the feeling aside.

The carriage did not stop in front of Spirit City, instead traveling in another direction.

It passed through Spirit City and arrived at a valley.

Armored soldiers patrolled the outskirts of the valley. A single glance was enough to give one the sense that its defenses were extremely tight.

Azure Luan used his status as an Elder to pass through the outer patrols.

The carriage continued onward before finally stopping in front of a heavy black gate.

The carriage door opened.

Azure Luan led Chen Xi out of the carriage and up to the black gate.

A somewhat burly middle-aged man jogged over and bowed to Azure Luan.

"This subordinate, Jiekaer, greets the Third Elder."

Jiekaer's voice was filled with respect.

"I brought her to the Training Camp."

"Take her inside."

Azure Luan lightly raised a hand, then pointed at Chen Xi beside him.

Jiekaer looked at Chen Xi and carefully examined her before gradually withdrawing his gaze. A trace of contemplation quietly flashed through his eyes.

"Yes, Third Elder."

"Does this young lady need anything in the Training Camp..."

Jiekaer asked tentatively, but before he could finish, he was directly interrupted.

"Treat her no differently from the others."

"Perform well. In one year, I will personally come to see your final results in the Training Camp."

After saying this to Chen Xi, Azure Luan headed toward the carriage.

Watching Azure Luan's departing back, Chen Xi solemnly nodded.