Preparing for Secluded Breakthrough

Xian Lin'er's vice dean's office was on the third floor of the Soul Guidance Department Teaching Building. It was twice the size of Feng Ling's office, with walls covered in Soul Guidance Device design blueprints and complex structural diagrams.

Xian Lin'er was seated at her desk reviewing files, her golden hair casually pinned up with a pen, a few loose strands falling beside her ears. Hearing footsteps, she looked up and saw Yan Jingzhe entering with Feng Ling and Huo Yuhao. A trace of surprise flashed through her amber eyes.

"What wind blew you all here?"

"Good news." Yan Jingzhe walked over, sat across from her, and placed the jade vial containing the Qirong Tongtian Chrysanthemum before her.

Xian Lin'er glanced at the jade vial, then at Feng Ling. Feng Ling nodded to her.

She removed the stopper, and a golden glow spilled from the mouth of the vial, carrying a rich, reassuring aura. She took a deep breath and narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Qirong Tongtian Chrysanthemum?"

"You know your stuff." Yan Jingzhe smiled.

Xian Lin'er did not respond immediately. She stared at the drop of golden liquid for a long while before raising her head, her gaze lingering on Yan Jingzhe's face for several seconds.

"You went to that treasured land in Sunset Forest?"

"Mm."

"Was it dangerous?"

"It was fine. They were very cooperative."

"Fine, I'll take it." Xian Lin'er rolled her eyes, sealed the jade vial, and tucked it away. Her movements were crisp and decisive, without a single polite word.

At that moment, Xian Lin'er noticed the jade vial in Huo Yuhao's hand and asked, "Yuhao has a share too?"

"Eight-Petal Orchid," Yan Jingzhe said.

Xian Lin'er nodded and told Huo Yuhao, "Your master treats you very well. Don't let him down."

Huo Yuhao nodded vigorously.

Yan Jingzhe leaned back in his chair and looked at the two women before him. After a moment of silence, he spoke. This time, his tone was much more serious.

"I'm preparing to enter seclusion."

Feng Ling and Xian Lin'er looked at him at the same time.

"Inside the Golden Ancient Tree. I'll tell Teacher about it later. I'll enter in three days. I don't know how long it'll take—maybe a month, maybe several."

Xian Lin'er frowned slightly. "Are you sure?"

"I am," Yan Jingzhe said. "The bottleneck at Rank 98 has held me back for too long. I've prepared two Immortal Herbs for myself this time. I should be able to break through in one go."

The office fell silent for several seconds.

Xian Lin'er and Feng Ling exchanged a glance, neither of them speaking. Of course, they hoped Yan Jingzhe would break through. Rank 99, a Limit Douluo—that was a realm countless Soul Masters could never touch even after exhausting their entire lives. But seclusion meant he would remain in the Golden Ancient Tree for a long time, unable to see the women he loved.

"What about Yuhao?" Feng Ling spoke first. "Once you leave, who'll teach him?"

"That's what I need to ask of you." Yan Jingzhe turned to Huo Yuhao. "Yuhao, from today onward, cultivate under your two mistresses. Lin'er will teach you the basic theory of Soul Guidance Devices and how to make them. Feng'er will teach you practical combat techniques and the use of spiritual power."

Huo Yuhao had only just wiped away his tears, but upon hearing this, he was so moved that tears nearly began falling again.

"Master, how long will you be gone?"

"I don't know," Yan Jingzhe answered honestly. "At the shortest, a month. At the longest, three or four months. While I'm gone, cultivate properly. Don't slack off."

Huo Yuhao nodded hard.

Feng Ling also walked over and handed Huo Yuhao a handkerchief. "Don't worry. Sister Lin'er and I will take good care of him."

Yan Jingzhe looked at them, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

"I trust you."

He stood and glanced at the sky outside the window. The afternoon sun was blazing, bathing all of Shrek Academy in brilliant light.

"Then it's settled. I'll enter the Golden Ancient Tree in three days. Yuhao is in your care."

Xian Lin'er and Feng Ling nodded at the same time.

After saying that, Yan Jingzhe was about to turn and leave when he suddenly stopped.

He had remembered something.

Something very important.

"Yuhao," he turned back, "close your eyes and relax. Don't resist. No matter what you feel, don't be afraid."

Huo Yuhao froze for a moment, but obediently closed his eyes.

Yan Jingzhe walked before him, raised his right hand, and gently pressed it against Huo Yuhao's head. A gentle stream of spiritual power flowed from his palm like a fine thread, probing into Huo Yuhao's Sea of Spirit.

Yan Jingzhe's spiritual power had long since reached its peak and was only one step away from the Divine Origin Realm. To a one-ring Soul Master, it was practically imperceptible. Huo Yuhao merely felt a faint dizziness, as though he had lightly swayed aboard a boat, and then felt nothing more.

But Yan Jingzhe "saw" it.

Huo Yuhao's Sea of Spirit was much larger than he had imagined. The Sea of Spirit of an eleventh-rank Soul Master should have been no more than a tiny puddle, but Huo Yuhao's was at least as large as a lake. Though it lacked depth, its breadth far surpassed that of his peers.

At the very center of the Sea of Spirit rested a cocoon of milky-white light.

This was the Skydream Iceworm.

A Million-Year Soul Beast of the spiritual attribute, it had sacrificed itself to Huo Yuhao, becoming his Soul Ring and Soul Bone while allowing its consciousness to reside within its host's Sea of Spirit. It was sleeping, but not completely asleep—it was waiting, waiting for Huo Yuhao to grow strong enough for it to truly "come alive."

Yan Jingzhe's spiritual power condensed into a humanoid figure. Standing high above Huo Yuhao's Sea of Spirit, he looked down at the light cocoon.

"Skydream Iceworm." He spoke, his voice echoing through the spiritual space. "I know you can hear me. Stop pretending and wake up."

The light cocoon trembled.

After several seconds of silence, a crack appeared on the cocoon's surface. A cloud of milky-white mist seeped out and condensed into a plump, round, pale Iceworm.

"How did you know I was here?" Skydream Iceworm's voice rang through the spiritual space, carrying obvious panic.

Yan Jingzhe looked at it calmly. "Huo Yuhao is my disciple. When you sacrificed yourself to him in the Great Star Dou Forest, I was watching nearby."

The Skydream Iceworm's phantom shook violently.

"Y-you were there then? Why didn't you—"

"Why didn't I stop you?" Yan Jingzhe took over. "Why would I stop you? You're a Million-Year Soul Beast of the spiritual attribute. Sacrificing yourself to him brings him nothing but benefits. I'd have to be out of my mind to stop you."

Skydream Iceworm fell silent.

It had lived for a million years and seen countless human Soul Masters, but it had never encountered anyone like this—someone who knew of its existence, yet was neither surprised nor greedy, and was even this boy's master. This man spoke as though he had known everything all along, as though everything was within his expectations.

That feeling made it deeply uncomfortable.

"W-what exactly do you want?" Skydream Iceworm asked.

"I need to tell you something," Yan Jingzhe said. "Yuhao is now Rank 15. I gave him Eight-Petal Orchid essence, so he'll reach Rank 20 within a few months. I also know your plan. I have only one request: once I emerge from seclusion, I'll protect his path and ensure his safety. As for how I know, you don't need to ask."

After a long while, Skydream Iceworm's voice sounded again. "How do you know my plan? I've never told anyone about it."

"More than you can imagine," Yan Jingzhe said. "After Yuhao reaches Rank 20, I know you'll take him to the Far North. And your target is the Ice Empress, one of the Three Heavenly Kings of the Far North, correct?"

Skydream Iceworm's phantom trembled violently, as if it had heard something utterly unbelievable.

"You even know that?"

"Don't worry. I'm his master, and I won't harm him. I also hope Yuhao can take that step. Don't tell Yuhao about what happened today," Yan Jingzhe replied calmly.

Skydream Iceworm said nothing further. Its phantom slowly rotated within the Sea of Spirit, as if deep in thought.

"Why should I trust you?" Skydream Iceworm's voice lowered.

"You don't have to," Yan Jingzhe's tone did not change in the slightest. "But you will do as I say, because you have no other choice. You sacrificed yourself to Yuhao. Your fate is already tied to his. If he grows strong, you can live. If he remains weak, you'll sink into ruin with him."

Skydream Iceworm's phantom shuddered and fell silent.

Yan Jingzhe knew it had listened.

"Then it's settled," he said. "After Yuhao reaches Rank 20, I'll take him there. As for persuading the Ice Empress, that will be entirely up to you."

He turned, preparing to leave Huo Yuhao's Sea of Spirit.

"Wait." Skydream Iceworm suddenly called out to him.

Yan Jingzhe stopped but did not turn around.

"You... really are just his master?"

Yan Jingzhe was silent for a moment before saying, "I am his master. That is enough."

His spiritual power withdrew from Huo Yuhao's Sea of Spirit.

Huo Yuhao's body swayed slightly. He opened his eyes and looked at Yan Jingzhe in confusion.

"Master, just now..."

"It's nothing." Yan Jingzhe withdrew his hand and patted his head. "Cultivate properly and reach Rank 20 soon."

Huo Yuhao nodded, half-understanding.

"I'll be going first. I need to make some preparations."

With that, Yan Jingzhe turned, pushed open the door, and walked out.

Sunlight shone through the corridor windows, stretching his shadow long behind him.

Huo Yuhao stood in the office, watching his master's back vanish at the end of the corridor. He clutched the small jade vial containing the Eight-Petal Orchid, a feeling he could not describe welling up in his heart.

He suddenly felt that following this master had made this life worthwhile.