The First "Lesson"

"Understood." Lu Yuan crumpled the piece of paper between his fingers, the ashes scattering. He waved to Li Wangye, "Tell Mo Chen to continue observing, but don't actively inquire. Keep the activity at the workshop to a minimum."

Li Wangye nodded and left.

Lin Xiao was still standing by the stone slab, his amber eyes fixed on the map. "Is the plan changing?"

"Change what?" Lu Yuan countered. "Let them investigate, we'll do what we're doing." He paused, "Perfect timing, it's time to open the 'lecture hall'."

Two days later, in a newly opened stone chamber deep within the mine tunnel.

The rock walls had been roughly polished, and a layer of fine sand had been laid on the ground. A large section of the wall facing the entrance had been painted black, serving as a makeshift blackboard. Several more Soul Guidance Lamp were hung, providing just enough light.

A dozen or so stones were used as stools, arranged in three rows. In the front row sat Su Yan, Li Wangye, and two local boys who had arrived earliest, all sitting upright. In the middle row sat five Imperial cadets in gray short-sleeved shirts, each with a different posture. One burly soldier's son had his arms crossed and his lips turned down. The one at the very end wore patched old clothes, his fingers unconsciously twisting the hem of his shirt.

In the back row, leaning against the wall, Shen Moxin opened her laptop. Mo Chen squatted in the corner, fiddling with parts. Lin Xiao didn't sit; he stood with his back against the stone wall.

The air was a little tense.

Lu Yuan walked in, holding a piece of charcoal in his hand. He didn't look at the audience, but went straight to the blackboard and drew a circle in the upper left corner.

"We won't be discussing Soul Skill today," he said, his voice low. "And we won't be talking about how to fight either."

The soldier's son snorted.

Lu Yuan ignored him and wrote two words next to the circle on the charcoal stick: Soul Power.

"What do you think Soul Power is?" He turned and scanned the room.

After a few moments of silence, a tall, thin student raised his hand and recited as if from a memorized textbook. "Soul Power is the source of Soul Master's strength. It is absorbed from the world through meditation, stored in the dantian, and when circulated, it can strengthen the body and unleash Soul Skill."

"That's right, that's what the textbooks say." Lu Yuan nodded, "But why can Soul Power strengthen the body? Why are the effects different for different attributes? Why do some people absorb it quickly while others absorb it slowly?"

The tall, thin man was stunned.

"To put it another way," Lu Yuan drew a wavy line on the blackboard, "Imagine Soul Power as water."

He pointed to the line: "Water flows, moving from high to low. Soul Power also tends to 'flow' within the body. Traditional meditation methods only teach you to desperately pour water into the 'pool'—that is, the dantian. The more you pour, the higher your level, that's true."

He then changed the subject. "But few people tell you that if a pool is filled too full, the water pressure will increase. If the pipes—your meridians—are not clear enough, or are too thin and brittle, they may burst or become blocked under high water pressure. This is why some people experience disordered Soul Power or even demonic possession later in their cultivation."

The stone chamber fell silent. The commoner student who was fiddling with the corner of his clothes stared wide-eyed.

"Therefore, cultivating Soul Power is not just about 'accumulation'," Lu Yuan drew an arrow next to the wavy line, "But also about 'guiding' and 'controlling' it. You need to be familiar with the path of the 'water flow' in your body, knowing where it's wide, where it's narrow, and where it's prone to blockage. Then consciously guide it, making it flow more smoothly and efficiently."

He put down the charcoal sticks.

"This sounds more troublesome than simply filling the tank with water, right?" He looked at the audience. "But the advantage is that the same total amount of Soul Power, in your hands, can exert 20-30% more power than others. Moreover, with a solid foundation, the risk of breaking through bottlenecks in the future is much smaller."

The tall, thin man frowned. The soldier's son muttered under his breath, "Fancy and frivolous."

Lu Yuan ignored him and walked to the other side of the blackboard, writing down the second word: Martial Soul.

"Having discussed Soul Power, let's talk about Martial Soul." He turned around. "When you awakened, what did the deacon say? ' Tool Martial Soul,' ' Beast Martial Soul,' graded by quality: top-tier, high-tier, low-tier, and... Trash Martial Soul."

The last three words were emphasized a bit.

"It seems your Martial Soul soul inherently determines your ceiling." Lu Yuan said calmly, "Blue Silver Grass is useless, while the Clear Sky Hammer is top-tier. Among Beast Martial Soul, cats are inferior to tigers, and tigers are inferior to dragons. Isn't that right?"

No one spoke.

"I don't see it that way," Lu Yuan said.

Several gasps were heard from inside the stone chamber.

"What is Martial Soul?" he asked himself, answering, "It's the manifestation of Soul Master's life essence and energy characteristics in the external world. It's connected to your body, spirit, and even emotions." He pointed to his chest, "It's not a 'tool' that falls from the sky, nor is it 'possessed by a beast.' It's a part of you, an externalization of your inner characteristics."

The civilian student began to breathe rapidly.

"So, a ' Trash Martial Soul ' might just be a 'specialized Martial Soul.'" Lu Yuan paused. "For example, Blue Silver Grass has poor Soul Power conductivity and low strength. But think about it from another angle—it has strong vitality, grows quickly, and can adapt to various environments. If Soul Power control is precise enough, could it be used to sense underground water flow and soil composition? Could it be used to quickly weave ropes and traps in the wild?"

Su Yan straightened his back. He thought of the Soul Condensing Grass in the backyard.

"For example," Lu Yuan looked at the commoner student, "Your Martial Soul is 'Rusty Short Sword,' right?"

The boy looked up abruptly, his face flushed. "Yes, yes, sir."

Did others say, "It's just a piece of scrap metal?"

The boy lowered his head, his fingers twisting the hem of his clothes even tighter.

"Stand up and unleash your Martial Soul so I can see."

The boy hesitated for a moment, then stood up. His Soul Power fluctuations were very weak, and a phantom image of a short sword less than a foot long appeared in his palm. The blade was dull and covered in rust.

Several Imperial students let out low snickers.

Lu Yuan went over to take a look. "Inject Soul Power into the tip of the blade, just a wisp, and try to make that wisp of Soul Power rotate."

The boy hesitated for a moment, then tried to do as instructed. Sweat beaded on his forehead, and the phantom of the short sword trembled slightly. After a few breaths, a faint gray mist swirled around the tip of the sword, slowly rotating.

"Stop," Lu Yuan said. The gray mist dissipated.

"What do you feel?"

The boy shook his head blankly.

"I saw it," Lu Yuan said. "When that wisp of your Soul Power spun at the tip of the blade, the surrounding air distorted very subtly. It was weak, but it definitely existed." He looked at the boy. "Your Martial Soul might possess hidden traits like 'energy erosion' or 'armor penetration.' It's just that because your Soul Power is too weak and your control is too rough, it doesn't show up."

The boy froze, his eyes wide.

"When you get back, don't rush to increase your Soul Power Level," Lu Yuan said seriously. "First, focus on improving the purity of your Soul Power and developing control over it until you can make it rotate and vibrate at any point on your Martial Soul Power will. Once you can do that, try touching a stone with the tip of a knife and see what happens."

The boy's lips trembled, and his eyes reddened.

Lu Yuan patted him on the shoulder and walked back to the blackboard.

"Therefore, there are no absolutely 'useless' Martial Soul," he concluded. "There are only 'specializations' that haven't been properly understood and developed. The key isn't what it is, but how you understand it and how you use it."

He put down the charcoal sticks.

That concludes today's lesson. Feel free to ask questions if you have any; otherwise, go back and work on 'water flow' and 'specialization'.

The stone chamber was silent for a moment, then exploded with a loud hum.

"Nonsense!" a soldier's son jumped up. "According to him, there are no Trash Martial Soul anymore? Then what's the point of having Innate Soul Power tests?"

"But what he said seems to make some sense..." The tall, thin man frowned. "My uncle cultivated too hastily; his meridians were damaged when he reached the Soul Elder, and they haven't healed yet."

"Does that dagger really have any 'armor-piercing' properties? I don't see it."

"Your Soul Power perception is more refined than others?"

Several Imperial students argued heatedly, their faces flushed. Su Yan and Li Wangye silently got up to tidy up. Shen Moxin closed her notebook, pushed up her glasses, and a faint smile appeared in her eyes. Mo Chen muttered, "Interesting." Lin Xiao leaned against the wall, a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth.

The commoner student lingered before Lu Yuan, bowing deeply. "Thank you for your guidance, sir," he said, his voice trembling. "I will definitely practice diligently."

Lu Yuan nodded. "Control is fundamental."

The boy nodded vigorously, turned and ran out, his steps light and quick.

People gradually dispersed. Only Lu Yuan, Shen Moxin, and Lin Xiao, who was leaning against the wall, remained in the stone chamber.

Shen Moxin walked over. "Well said. Although some of your points... are quite unconventional."

"The truth often sounds like madness," Lu Yuan said.

Shen Moxin smiled, picked up her notebook, and left.

Lin Xiao then walked over, his eyes somewhat somber. "Just received a message," he lowered his voice, "The Cloud Mist Sect is offering a bounty on the black market for someone 'proficient in the patterns of ancient Soul Tool ' and 'skilled at setting up traps and mechanisms.' The reward is substantial."

Lu Yuan narrowed his eyes.

"Also, the patrol teams along the ' Mute Pass ' have increased from two to three, and the intervals between them have been halved. Some hunters have spotted several unfamiliar faces loitering on the cliff face; their movements are nimble, unlike those of people from the mines."

"The tracker," Lu Yuan said.

"Most likely," Lin Xiao licked his canine teeth. "A professional at dirty work. Has a keen nose, good patience, and isn't easy to shake off."

Lu Yuan remained silent for a moment, his gaze sweeping across the empty stone chamber, the writing on the blackboard still unerased. He then looked at the intelligence brought by Lin Xiao.

"The plans need to be changed," he said softly.

How to change it?

Lu Yuan didn't answer immediately. He walked to the blackboard, picked up a rag, and slowly wiped away the words. Charcoal ash fell down in a soft rustling sound.

"This operation can't just be a quick grab and run." He wiped away the last traces and turned around. "We need to make them feel the pain, so much so that they won't dare to lay a hand on us again for a while. We also need to..." He paused, "To add a few more usable 'bricks' to our 'lecture hall'."

Lin Xiao raised an eyebrow. "What do you want to do?"

Lu Yuan looked at him, his eyes calm.

"If we're going to fight, we should fight to the fullest."