At the agreed meeting spot, Shi Yu waved with a smile."Jiang Nan Nan!"
"Shi Yu!" Jiang Nan Nan jogged over, smiling. Her eyes widened in surprise when she noticed another figure waiting with him—Senior Apprentice Sister Zhang Lexuan.
Shi Yu explained quickly, "Senior Apprentice Sister happened to have some free time, so she kindly offered to supervise our combat practice."
Jiang Nan Nan's expression softened with concern as she looked at Zhang Lexuan's pale appearance. "Senior Apprentice Sister, are you feeling alright?"
"I'm fine," Zhang Lexuan replied with a small shake of her head. She didn't intend to reveal the details of her injuries.
Jiang Nan Nan glanced questioningly at Shi Yu, but he also stayed silent.
They headed together to the usual sparring grounds. Zhang Lexuan sat at the side, watching quietly.
As the battle began, Shi Yu continuously sought openings against Jiang Nan Nan. Compared to before, his attacks had grown sharper, and his mastery of spatial abilities more refined. His tactics expanded day by day, forcing Jiang Nan Nan onto the defensive.
Zhang Lexuan observed with a critical eye. Even though she had already reached the level of a Soul Douluo, she could still spot mistakes from both sides—subtle flaws that might go unnoticed by others. Interestingly, Jiang Nan Nan, though older, committed slightly more errors than Shi Yu.
The duel dragged on for nearly half an hour. Both fighters were exhausted and drenched in sweat, their soul power heavily depleted, yet neither sustained serious injuries. After all, these were practice bouts, not life-or-death battles.
When they stopped, both students approached Zhang Lexuan. She patiently and seriously pointed out their flaws. Shi Yu listened carefully, nodding frequently, and upon reflection, realized just how accurate her guidance was. Jiang Nan Nan also felt enlightened, secretly admiring her Senior Apprentice Sister's keen insight.
As expected of an Inner Courtyard disciple. Her understanding of combat is sharper than many Outer Courtyard teachers, she thought.
Most Outer Courtyard instructors at Shrek Academy were Soul Emperors or Soul Saints, with only a rare few at the Soul Douluo level. In the Inner Courtyard, however, Soul Douluo-level teachers were the norm, with even Title Douluos serving as part-time instructors. It was a privilege unique to Shrek Academy, unmatched by any other school in the world.
"See you tomorrow, Jiang Nan Nan." Shi Yu waved as he helped Zhang Lexuan return to the Inner Courtyard. On the way back, the two continued discussing the battle in detail until they reached their residence. Shi Yu, still reluctant to stop, finally said goodbye and returned to his room.
From then on, Zhang Lexuan made it a habit to supervise their sparring sessions every day. Her critiques were sharp and professional, helping Shi Yu progress at an astonishing pace. Each session felt like he gained twice the benefit for half the effort.
Books, training, sparring, cultivation—his days during the short holiday were packed and fulfilling.
A week later, Shi Yu once again offered a vial of blood, thick as a middle finger, in exchange for another Blood Nourishing Flower. Though the amount looked alarming, it hardly affected him. With the flower and his nutrient-rich meals, he recovered in just a day or two.
But to Zhang Lexuan, this was no small favor. Without Shi Yu's blood, her injuries might never have healed so smoothly. She didn't dare imagine a future where her cultivation became stagnant—such a fate would be unbearable. That fear made her gratitude toward Shi Yu immeasurable.
Of course, Shi Yu himself remained unaware of her thoughts. To him, his blood only hastened her recovery and saved her some medicinal resources. He never imagined how much weight Zhang Lexuan placed on it.
The day before the new semester began, Shi Yu arrived at a Soul Guidance Device workshop. The air smelled faintly metallic, and the room was crowded with specialized tools.
Though it was his first time stepping inside, the place felt oddly familiar. Thanks to his extensive reading, he could recognize every tool at a glance—each name and function surfacing in his mind as though automatically identified.
"If this is your first time working with Soul Guidance Devices, let's start simple—with component polishing." The workshop belonged to an Inner Courtyard Senior, Wang Yuan, who personally stayed by Shi Yu's side to guide him.
"Alright," Shi Yu agreed readily, following the instructions with focus.
Since Zhang Lexuan had introduced him, Wang Yuan was especially patient and polite.
The first component he handed Shi Yu was the most basic type used in beginner-level devices. Though theoretically simple, polishing it still posed a challenge for those with little practical experience.
But Shi Yu had already studied the process thoroughly in books. His hands moved steadily, and within minutes the component was polished to perfection.
Wang Yuan's brows lifted in surprise. "Have you practiced this before?"
"No, this is my first time," Shi Yu answered honestly.
"Then try this one." Wang Yuan passed him a new component along with its diagram.
Again, Shi Yu's movements were precise and confident, producing a flawless result in mere minutes.
"You're a natural at this," Wang Yuan praised sincerely.
Encouraged, Shi Yu polished all seven components required for a beginner-level Soul Guidance Device. Once complete, he eagerly moved on to the next stage—engraving the Soul Guidance arrays.
Using a beginner's engraving knife, he carefully carved the simple but intricate patterns. His hand never wavered; every array was etched smoothly, thanks to his solid memory and preparation.
Over an hour later, the engraving was complete. Now came the second-to-last step—assembly. Compared to engraving, this part was straightforward, and Shi Yu quickly pieced the device together with steady hands.
The beginner-level Soul Guidance Device was complete.