Magic Tricks? Self-Created Soul Skills!

Tang Ya's invitation, along with a place at Shrek Academy without an entrance exam, was too good to refuse. Huo Yuhao joined the Tang Sect.

Watching it unfold, Lu Yi finally remembered the story from the original work.

Then he thought of the God King's schemes. Even under Tang Ya's expectant gaze, Lu Yi said he needed time to consider.

Tang Ya was reluctant to give up, but Bei Bei knew he could not rush Lu Yi. Instead, he arranged the next leg of their journey.

After a short rest, once Lu Yi had regained some strength, they set out on their Soul Hunting expedition.

Not long after they entered the depths of Star Dou Great Forest, Bei Bei stopped alertly and signaled for the others to halt.

A rustle came from the thicket ahead and to one side. The next moment, a peach-red shape burst out.

Everyone scattered, and it landed on empty ground.

"A Mandala Snake! Its Soul Ring would be perfect for me!"

Tang Ya spoke excitedly, and the others summoned their Martial Souls to fight.

Its ambush foiled, the Mandala Snake darted toward the grass, only for the dense vines Tang Ya unleashed to block its path.

It turned to face Bei Bei's scale-covered dragon claw. In desperation, it spat a cloud of purple poison mist, forcing him to stop his attack.

As the mist spread, the others lost sight of it. Bei Bei retreated several steps, suppressing the poison while scanning his surroundings.

Just then, a clear view appeared in his mind.

Huo Yuhao's eyes shone. A luminous white Soul Ring rose beneath his feet, and he shared a view of their surroundings with the others.

"Brother Bei, behind you!"

Before the words had left his mouth, a pair of venomous fangs sprang out, striking viciously for the back of Bei Bei's neck.

The attack came too fast.

Bei Bei reacted quickly, but he was still a fraction too late.

The fangs swelled in the corner of his vision. He could almost smell their foul stench rushing toward him.

"Leviosa."

Lu Yi spoke the incantation and flicked his wand. Invisible energy shot from its tip and struck the snake squarely.

As if it had lost all weight, the Mandala Snake floated upward like a balloon.

Its fangs were already within inches of Bei Bei, but no matter how wildly it twisted, it could not draw a fraction closer.

Thanks to Huo Yuhao's Spiritual Detection, Lu Yi's spell was almost instantaneous. He had not needed to anticipate the snake's movement.

And compared with his earlier Severing Charm, the Levitation Charm had clearly consumed far less energy.

Cold sweat soaked Bei Bei's back, but he did not hesitate to seize the opening.

The purple Soul Ring beneath his feet lit up. Electricity surged around his right arm, charring even his sleeve, and he drove a punch charged with all his strength into the Mandala Snake's vital spot.

The blow struck with tremendous force. The snake's body bent at an unnatural angle, twisting and convulsing beyond its control.

"Tang Ya! Finish it!"

Deep-purple Blue Silver Grass emerged from underground and climbed over the writhing snake, weaving tightly around it. Then it snapped back, pinning the creature to the ground in a crushing grip.

Cold light flashed. A dagger slid back into its sheath, and the snake's head rolled away.

A purple Soul Ring marking a thousand-year Soul Beast rose from the corpse. Tang Ya turned back in delight and looked between Lu Yi and Huo Yuhao.

"In that fight just now, you two—"

"That was my Spiritual Detection Sharing. It lets me sense what's around us and share that information with other people," Huo Yuhao explained first.

"Wonderful! Who would have thought a Ten-Year Soul Ring could have such an effect?"

Tang Ya praised her disciple. Bei Bei, having cleared the snake venom from his body, walked up to Lu Yi.

"Brother Lu, thank you for stepping in. Otherwise, I'd have been in for a world of pain today!"

"Of course. We're a team. We should look out for one another!"

Lu Yi nodded, but Bei Bei changed tack.

"But you're only level ten and don't even have a Soul Ring. What was that?"

"It's something I figured out myself... A magic trick, I suppose!"

Lu Yi had no way to explain wands and spells, so that was what he said.

A magic trick?

Bei Bei did not believe that for a second.

Lu Yi had made a Soul Beast float. How could that be a mere trick?

It was plainly a Self-Created Soul Skill!

Among the Tang Sect Secret Arts was a technique called Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon, which drew on Soul Power to seize or control a target from a distance.

Yet even after years of practice, Bei Bei had only just begun to glimpse its mysteries.

For someone of Lu Yi's age and cultivation to control a thousand-year Soul Beast—what kind of talent did that take?

If Lu Yi was telling the truth and had devised that Self-Created Soul Skill on his own, Bei Bei could think of only one comparison for such insight and creativity: Tang San, the ancestor who had founded the Tang Sect ten thousand years ago.

"A genius! He's a genius!"

Bei Bei's eyes lit up. He looked Lu Yi up and down as though he had found a piece of uncut jade.

That fervent gaze made Lu Yi shiver. He hurriedly changed the subject.

"It's getting late. Let Sister Xiaoya absorb the Soul Ring!"

Realizing he had gotten carried away, Bei Bei coughed lightly and turned to Tang Ya, lowering his voice. "Brother Lu is right. Xiaoya, absorb the Soul Ring!"

Tang Ya arched a brow. "You've forgotten what you're supposed to call me again?"

Bei Bei blushed. Fondness and resignation mingled in his voice. "Teacher Xiaoya... Please absorb the Soul Ring!"

"Hmph!"

Tang Ya turned away with an air of pride, a smug smile on her lips. She sat cross-legged beside the Mandala Snake's corpse and began absorbing its Soul Ring.

Bei Bei had the other two rest and keep watch while they recovered the Soul Power spent in the fight. He also took the opportunity to grow closer to Lu Yi.

Sensing once again that Bei Bei wanted to recruit him, Lu Yi held off on giving an answer. Instead, he asked about cultivation methods.

The magic system had no practice for cultivating internal energy. Magical power largely grew on its own.

That was why wizards generally became more powerful as they aged.

But Lu Yi could not count on his Soul Power growing naturally with age.

And in physical strength, wizards were almost no different from ordinary people. They fell far short of Soul Masters in that regard.

Lu Yi sighed at the thought. "Looks like I need to start training my body too!"

"What? You're saying you've never cultivated before? How is that possible?" Disbelief filled Bei Bei's face.

Surely someone who could create his own Soul Skill knew how to cultivate.

Bei Bei even suspected that Lu Yi coveted the Tang Sect Secret Arts but did not want to join the Tang Sect as Huo Yuhao had.

Yet Lu Yi's expression did not look false, leaving Bei Bei puzzled.

After a moment's thought, Bei Bei taught him the mnemonic for the Basic Meditation Method.

The Basic Meditation Method had a long history and was widely known. Ordinary Soul Masters without an inherited method usually cultivated with it.

It was easy to learn, but its efficiency was hardly impressive. It fell far short of the methods passed down by Shrek Academy and the Tang Sect's Mysterious Heaven Skill.

Lu Yi showed no disdain when he heard it. Instead, delight crossed his face, and he began practicing at once.

"He really has never cultivated!"

Lu Yi grasped the method as soon as it was explained, but when he began circulating his Soul Power, his movements had an awkward, unpracticed quality.

That awkwardness faded with time, though he remained cautious.

None of it escaped Bei Bei's notice.

The truth was clear: Lu Yi was a complete beginner.

"He's reached the level-ten bottleneck without ever cultivating. Could Lu Yi have Innate Full Soul Power?"

The thought filled Bei Bei with regret.

Someone who could devise a Self-Created Soul Skill and might even have Innate Full Soul Power had gone undiscovered for all these years!

Fortunately, he had met Bei Bei!

Bei Bei could see that Lu Yi was cautious about joining the Tang Sect. That was only natural.

After all, the Tang Sect had declined. Bei Bei could not blame Lu Yi for weighing the benefits and risks. But being its eldest disciple was not Bei Bei's only identity.

If he could bring Lu Yi into Shrek Academy, the result would be much the same!

As Bei Bei pondered, Lu Yi slowly guided his chaotic Soul Power through a full cycle. He ended his meditation only when Tang Ya was nearly finished absorbing the Soul Ring.

Lu Yi exhaled a breath of stale air and assessed how his body felt.

Having his Soul Power brought into order did not make him feel reborn, but the faint spiritual energy entering his body from the world around him left his mind clear and his strength restored.

The shackle on his body remained, yet the exhaustion left by casting spells had faded. His heartbeat was steady and strong, and his breathing deep and even.

"Brother Bei, there's something I'd like to ask you."

Lu Yi briefly explained his situation and asked what kind of Soul Beast would suit him.

"You're saying your Martial Soul can produce several kinds of magic tricks, and you want a Soul Ring that will amplify their power?"

Bei Bei thought he had misheard and checked with Lu Yi.

He had never heard of such a request. Lu Yi wanted a Soul Ring solely to strengthen his Self-Created Soul Skills?

The number of Soul Rings a Soul Master could have was limited, and every Soul Skill mattered immensely.

Lu Yi had neither a Beast Martial Soul nor a Body Martial Soul, so an increase in Soul Power would not directly strengthen his body.

Nor did he have a tool Martial Soul like a blade, sword, hammer, or axe, whose attacks an amplification could strengthen directly.

As Bei Bei thought it over, he remembered Shrek Academy's Soul Tool Department, which seldom attracted much attention.

Students in the Soul Tool Department generally had weaker Martial Souls. He had heard that many chose amplifying Soul Rings to increase the power of the Soul Tools they used.

That was somewhat similar to what Lu Yi wanted.

Seen that way, it might be a viable path.

"A Furious Dragon Lizard."

Bei Bei paused. This concerned Lu Yi's cultivation, so he chose his words carefully.

"The third Soul Skill I used against the Mandala Snake came from its variant, the Lightning Dragon Lizard. It amplifies my Soul Power and lightning attribute. I think a Furious Dragon Lizard without an elemental attribute would provide a strong Soul Power amplification. It might be what you're looking for."

Lu Yi's eyes brightened. "I'll take your advice, Brother Bei!"