The moment Lu Yu began circulating the Taiqing True Qi Manual, wisps of gentle warmth flowed through the pores all over his body and into his limbs and bones.
The sensation of Soul Power entering his body was exactly the same as when he had practiced the meditation method earlier. The only difference was that the Taiqing True Qi Manual absorbed it faster, the Soul Power was purer, and the nourishing sensation of it washing over his flesh was fiercer and more domineering.
Lu Yu could not help feeling a little puzzled. That point alone was enough to prove that the manual was genuine.
But Lu Yu had also practiced this manual diligently every day on Blue Star in his previous life. Back then, he had only been able to sense a faint, warm current, and had never experienced anything like this. Yet on Douluo Continent, he could absorb the Soul Power between heaven and earth.
Could Blue Star in my previous life really have been in the legendary age of the end of cultivation? Was the spiritual Qi of heaven and earth completely exhausted, unable to support cultivation at all?
As Lu Yu quietly pondered the differences between heaven and earth in the two worlds, he kept his mind steady and continued cultivating.
To others, sitting in meditation was dull and tedious, and each day dragged on. But to someone who had mastered a true method of cultivation, it was the ultimate pleasure.
Every long breath drew the Soul Power of heaven and earth into his body; every cycle of the technique tempered his meridians and nourished his flesh, steadily building the depths of his Soul Power.
The reassuring feeling of seeing his strength rise higher with his own eyes was utterly intoxicating, and he failed to notice the passage of time.
Night deepened, and the evening breeze turned cool. The campfire's flames had long since burned out, leaving only dark red embers scattered across the ground, flickering in the darkness.
"Brother, I'm sleepy..."
Lu Fei rubbed his heavy, aching eyelids. His little face was full of exhaustion as he spoke softly, breaking the stillness.
At his voice, Lu Yu slowly opened his mouth and exhaled a long breath of turbid air. His eyes snapped open, a faint, lustrous gleam flashing through them as the restrained fluctuations of Soul Power around him quietly faded.
Lu Yu looked up at the sleepy Lu Fei, then raised his eyes to the deep night sky, filled with stars. The night had already grown late.
"If you're sleepy, go inside and get some rest. I'll cultivate a little longer," Lu Yu said softly, his tone gentle.
Lu Fei nodded and obediently dragged his tired body into the dilapidated little hut. He fell fast asleep as soon as he touched the bed.
Lu Yu glanced back, then turned his attention inward and resumed cultivating cross-legged.
The night passed without incident.
At daybreak the next morning, the sky turned fish-belly white, and the faint morning light pierced the clouds, falling across the entire mountain forest.
Lu Yu woke early. A night of diligent cultivation had left him more refreshed than ever before. The meridians throughout his body were clear, and Soul Power flowed through them in abundance. Compared to when he had first awakened his Soul Power yesterday, his strength had advanced by a considerable margin.
Lu Yu simply washed his face with clean water, then woke Lu Fei, who was still fast asleep.
"Xiao Fei, get ready. I'm taking you to Nuoding City today."
Lu Fei rubbed his eyes and sat up, his face full of confusion. "Brother, what are we going to Nuoding City for?"
"To see Grandmaster Su Yuntao," Lu Yu said calmly, a clear plan in his eyes.
"If we want to cultivate properly, we can't stay at home all the time. I want to have a look at the Spirit Hall's library. Only by reading more can we become stronger."
Hearing that he could grow stronger alongside his brother, Lu Fei instantly lost all traces of sleepiness. His eyes lit up, and he nodded vigorously. "Okay! I'll listen to you, Brother!"
The brothers gave the hut a quick tidy, pulled the crooked wooden door shut, and set off at a brisk pace toward Nuoding City in the morning light.
By the time the brothers reached the gates of Nuoding City, the sun was already high overhead. It should not have taken them that long.
Now that they had become Soul Masters, they needed a great deal of nourishment every day. The brothers had been too hungry to bear it, so they had no choice but to hunt some game along the way, wasting a great deal of time.
Unlike the desolate mountains and wilderness outside the city, the streets within were bustling with voices and crowded with carriages and horses. Shops lined both sides of the streets, and signs of prosperity were everywhere.
Lu Yu led Lu Fei through the bustling streets with practiced ease, heading straight for the Spirit Hall Branch in the center of Nuoding City.
The solemn, pure-white Spirit Hall Branch stood in the center of the city. Above the main hall was a lifelike Angel Statue with its arms spread, sacred and imposing.
Holding Lu Fei's hand, Lu Yu walked straight toward the Spirit Hall's entrance. When they were still five or six meters away, two armored guards stopped them.
"Hold it, kids. This isn't a place to play. Go somewhere else."
Lu Yu obediently stopped where he was, unruffled. "Lords Soul Masters," he said, neither hurried nor slow, "we only awakened yesterday. We came specifically to see Grandmaster Su Yuntao today."
Hearing Lu Yu address them as Lords Soul Masters, both guards unconsciously straightened their backs a little. But the two were merely ordinary people who had not awakened any Soul Power. Still, what kind of place was the Spirit Hall?
It was a holy land in the hearts of commoner Soul Masters across the continent. As long as they said nothing, who would know that they were merely ordinary people without Soul Power? And who would dare question it?
Then they heard Lu Yu say that they had awakened their Martial Souls yesterday. The two guards were a little taken aback, and their tones softened considerably as they ventured a question.
"So, are you saying both of you awakened Soul Power?"
Lu Yu's expression barely changed as he nodded calmly. At the sight, both guards sucked in a sharp breath and exchanged a glance. The guard on the left coughed twice and spoke.
"You two wait here for a moment. I'll go inside and pass word along."
"All right, thank you!" Lu Yu nodded and watched the guard enter the Spirit Hall Branch. He patted Lu Fei's little hand to calm his unease.
A moment later, Su Yuntao walked out at a measured pace, dressed in silver-white robes and carrying himself with an approachable air. The guard who had gone inside followed behind him.
When Su Yuntao saw the brothers, his face lit up with pleasant surprise. "It's you two brothers."
He quickly took two steps forward and bent down slightly. "Well?" he asked excitedly. "Have you two discussed it with your family? Did you come to join the Spirit Hall today?"
Lu Yu bowed slightly, his manner humble and polite, and shook his head. "Grandmaster Su, we came today to ask for your help with another matter."
When Lu Yu shook his head, Su Yuntao froze, his face full of surprise and regret. It really was a pity that a genius with innate level-five Soul Power could not join the Spirit Hall. He had the makings of a Soul King.
It was not entirely for the Spirit Hall's sake, either. If he introduced a genius with innate level-five Soul Power into the Spirit Hall, the bonus would be substantial.
Su Yuntao pursed his lips and suppressed his disappointment. The excitement had gone from his voice, replaced by a businesslike tone.
"Go ahead. What did you two come to see me about?"
Having received permission to speak, Lu Yu stopped beating around the bush. "Grandmaster Su, my brother and I have only just set foot on the path of cultivation. We know very little about the Soul Master system, Martial Souls, or the circulation of Soul Power.
"I heard that the Spirit Hall Branch has a library with a large collection of basic cultivation texts. I would like to ask you to make an exception and allow my brother and me to enter the library, consult the texts, and learn orthodox Soul Master cultivation knowledge."
Su Yuntao was slightly taken aback by these words.
Most children who had just awakened Soul Power were simply excited to have become Soul Masters. They thought only of hunting for Soul Rings and raising their levels. Very few wanted to settle down and study books to build a solid foundation right away.
Lu Yu was young, yet his temperament was far more steady and clearheaded than that of ordinary people, and his outlook was altogether different.
A trace of appreciation flashed in Su Yuntao's eyes as he looked Lu Yu up and down. "You're a rare one," he said slowly. "At such a young age, you already understand the importance of building a solid foundation, and you're eager to learn. But the Spirit Hall Branch's library is open only to officially registered Soul Masters. Ordinary newly awakened Soul Masters aren't permitted to enter."
Hearing about the restriction, Lu Fei's eyes dimmed slightly, and his face fell.