When Xu Zihuang returned to the dormitory, Tuoba Yu was sitting on his bed, leaning on the desk between the two beds while reading a detailed book about distinguishing soul beast types and ages.
Shrek Academy had always been famous for cultivating well-rounded talents. Although it placed more emphasis on actual combat ability, that didn't mean theoretical courses were neglected.
The book Tuoba Yu was reading was exactly the one required for tomorrow's theory class.
In terms of diligence, he definitely surpassed most of the students in Freshman Class Nine.
Seeing Xu Zihuang's hair soaked, Tuoba Yu looked up in surprise and asked, "What happened to you?"
"Caught in the rain, what else?" Xu Zihuang shrugged and set the small jade bottle Xu Sanshi had given him earlier on the desk.
Tuoba Yu's bed was by the window, so he casually lifted the curtain.
The dormitory's soundproofing was excellent, and immersed in his book, he hadn't even noticed it was raining outside.
Soul lamps along the road lit up all of Shrek Academy.
Raindrops pattered on the glass windows. In the distance, the teaching buildings were shrouded in misty drizzle. It was early spring, and washed by the rain, the flowers, grasses, and trees scattered throughout Shrek Academy all seemed fresher and more vibrant.
Turning back, Tuoba Yu saw Xu Zihuang already carrying his clothes toward the bathroom at the end of the hall. As he was about to return to his reading, his gaze fell on the delicate jade bottle.
He stared blankly for a moment. Though his family had long since declined, they still retained some heritage. Well-read and knowledgeable, he clearly recognized the pill inside.
It was a dark-blue pill, as large as a walnut. Many white patterns of varying depth covered its surface. Even through the jade bottle, one could see a faint mist of water surrounding it. Just the trace of aura it leaked gave off a refreshing fragrance.
The Xuan Shui Pill? No way.
Tuoba Yu's heart trembled.
The Xuan Shui Pill was a special kind of pill capable of altering a soul master's constitution. Saying it was worth ten thousand gold soul coins was no exaggeration. At auctions across the continent, its price never fell below fifteen thousand gold soul coins.
If he had taken such a pill in his childhood, perhaps his achievements today would have been far greater.
After all, when he awakened his martial soul, his innate soul power had only been rank seven. There had still been much room for improvement.
He couldn't help wanting to open the bottle for a closer look, but he forcibly restrained himself. Touching another's belongings without permission was simply wrong.
Since Yu Tianhuang trusted him enough to leave it there, he couldn't betray that trust.
Of course, this was purely Tuoba Yu's own assumption.
Though precious, how could someone like Xu Zihuang not have taken such pills before? He hardly cared about this one. Even before awakening his martial soul, his father had obtained ten Xuan Shui Pills for him to cleanse his body and strengthen his foundation.
The effects of the Xuan Shui Pill could stack, though the more one consumed, the weaker the results.
To treat them like candy, as Xu Zihuang once had—there were truly few like him on the entire continent.
"Click—" The dormitory door opened.
Xu Zihuang entered, bare-chested, his refined, compact muscles perfectly proportioned, his skin white as jade, like a flawless work of art.
Noticing Tuoba Yu's strange gaze, his teasing words carried a hint of seriousness.
"Why are you looking at me like that? Just so you know, I don't have that kind of special hobby."
"Come on, I don't like men either." Tuoba Yu cursed with a laugh.
Though they hadn't known each other long, the two got along very well.
"That jade bottle you brought back—it's holding a Xuan Shui Pill, isn't it?" Unable to resist, he voiced his suspicion.
Drying his medium-length hair, Xu Zihuang casually nodded.
"Senior Brother Xu from fifth year gave it to me."
"Why do all the good things fall to you? Just because you've got talent, you think you can do whatever you want?" Tuoba Yu rolled his eyes in mock annoyance, snapping his book shut with a thud.
Clearly, he had no mind to keep reading. But his tone was joking.
"Sorry, but having talent really does mean I can do whatever I want." Xu Zihuang shook the jade bottle with the Xuan Shui Pill inside.
At this moment, he allowed himself a rare display of youthful mischief. Though he usually suppressed his emotions, human nature was not so easily erased.
He was rational, not heartless.
That was why he had asked Bei Bei earlier what it felt like to like someone.
Though extravagant, deep down he too longed to meet someone who could move his heart—someone he'd be willing to give himself to.
But he didn't believe there truly existed anyone for whom he would devote his entire heart, willing to give up everything.
Humans were complicated beings.
After chatting for a while, the two quietly sat cross-legged on their beds and began to cultivate.
This Xuan Shui Pill was indeed useless to Xu Zihuang now, but he also had no reason to forcefully give it to Huo Yuhao like some kind of lapdog.
If Huo Yuhao's temperament remained as it was now, his future achievements would at most reach the Soul King level.
Not even worth a direct glance.
—
Soul Tool Department, Experimental Area No. 12.
This was an open space of about two thousand square meters.
A tall, broad middle-aged man was fiddling with a dark metal tube.
He stood nearly 1.8 meters tall, with wide shoulders. Wearing simple cloth clothes, his thick, muscular arms were bare, like granite. His face was sharply defined, his eyes heavy and resolute. Just by standing there, he gave off the sense of a towering mountain.
Not far away, a series of heavy metal plates opened with clanging sounds. An old woman with white hair walked toward him.
"Zhou Yi, what brings you here?" the man asked in surprise.
The newcomer was none other than Zhou Yi, Class One's homeroom teacher. The middle-aged man opposite her was Fan Yu, second only in status within the Martial Soul Department to the two deans.
Zhou Yi said crossly, "Remember the little one I brought at noon? Today, during a spirit battle, he used a soul skill to interfere with the fight and got reported to the Academic Office. Always causing trouble. Do you think he has potential or not? If not, I'll just expel him. Anyway, he has almost no chance of passing the year-end advancement exam."
"His martial soul and soul skills are fine, but his physical fitness and soul power cultivation are far too weak."
Fan Yu frowned, falling into thought.
"Forget it. For now, keep him. If it really doesn't work out, next year you can transfer him to our Soul Tool Department and let him study soul tool crafting."
"You mean let him try your Ultimate Soldier Plan?" Zhou Yi was shocked.
Fan Yu shook his head with a wry smile. "What are you thinking? Becoming an Ultimate Soldier isn't that easy. Only the very top talents among soul masters give me any chance at success. I'm only asking you to keep him as a test subject before we attempt the real plan. Anyway, it's better than letting him get expelled from the Martial Soul Department with no future."
Unconscious, Huo Yuhao had no idea his future had already been decided by a few words between Zhou Yi and Fan Yu.