"Ling, you have improved a great deal lately. You have nearly absorbed seventy or eighty percent of the technique from your first Spirit Skill, haven't you?" Bibi Dong asked casually as she looked at her increasingly handsome disciple.
"Teacher sees clearly. I have understood about seventy percent of the swordsmanship from my first Spirit Skill, but I still cannot fully learn the strongest secret sword or his mental state."
Wu Ling calmly admitted something that would shock anyone else: in only two and a half years, he had learned seventy percent of a martial art someone else had spent a lifetime perfecting.
Learning seventy percent of what Sasaki Kojiro had practiced for decades in only two and a half years was only possible because of his Martial Soul. The ability to let a Heroic Spirit shadow possess him and grant him all of that Heroic Spirit's abilities, including technique, was simply too absurd.
Wu Ling's learning state was like working through a problem while someone handed him the entire train of thought, the method, and the formulas, then kept demonstrating how to use them.
In that kind of state, even an ordinary person could learn with half the effort and twice the result, let alone someone talented like Wu Ling.
As for the remaining thirty percent he had not learned, part of it was because his physical quality still could not support a deeper use of the secret sword. Another part was because Wu Ling's mind could not yet match Kojiro's state after quietly cultivating in the forest.
In game terms, Wu Ling's retained skills, Mind's Eye, Vitrification, and Knowledge of the Sowa, were currently only around D rank. They were useful, but their effects were not impressive.
"No need to be modest. You are already very strong. With your current ability to force out Ghost's first Spirit Skill, even an ordinary three-ring Spirit Elite would not be your opponent. And from what I can see, your spirit power is almost level twenty, correct?"
"Yes, Teacher. I can sense it. If I train another three or four days, or set aside an entire day for spirit power refinement, then my spirit power will reach level twenty."
Bibi Dong was not too surprised by Wu Ling's increase in spirit power. She had possessed innate full spirit power herself, so she understood how quickly innate full spirit power could progress in the early stages.
Bibi Dong stepped forward and toyed with Wu Ling's black hair. A thread of gentleness spread across her face. This had become her favorite way to relax over the past two years.
"Good. Do not rush over a few days. Keep cultivating with a steady mind. Although I now control more than ninety percent of Spirit Hall, the remaining fraction still has a few restless Worships standing behind it.
"Even with Ghost and Yue Guan protecting you, if you show yourself now, you may still draw concentrated fire. So cultivate quietly for now. After you reach level twenty in a few days, have Ghost accompany you to the Star Soul Forest to hunt for your ring."
Wu Ling endured Bibi Dong's hair playing and answered, "Understood, Teacher."
Once Bibi Dong had played enough, she turned and sat back in her chair. Ghost Sage concealed himself, and Chrysanthemum Sage stood appropriately behind Bibi Dong.
"Come, Ling. Today I will test your knowledge of top-tier Martial Souls."
Ten minutes later, under Bibi Dong's satisfied gaze, Wu Ling passed the questioning.
"Yue Guan, you have taught him well."
Standing behind Bibi Dong, Yue Guan covered his mouth and smiled.
"Not at all, Your Holiness. You praise me too much. It is all because Wu Ling is both talented and serious. The way he studies is almost draining me dry. In another year or two, his knowledge reserve may catch up to mine."
Although Yue Guan's way of praising him was a little strange, praise was still praise. Bibi Dong comfortably ignored part of his wording.
"Good. Show me Swallow Reversal again today."
Wu Ling nodded. He opened his palm, summoned his Unregistered Spirit Origin, and used his first Spirit Skill to merge with Sasaki Kojiro's shadow.
In an instant, Wu Ling's entire presence changed. Bibi Dong could clearly sense the calm within him, the kind that would not change even if a mountain collapsed before his eyes.
"Every time I see Wu Ling in this state, I cannot help praising that swordsman. A mind like still water and a polished mirror is not something talent alone can achieve."
Under Bibi Dong's praise, Wu Ling called, "Swallow Reversal," and three slashes from different directions appeared before her almost simultaneously.
After using Swallow Reversal, Wu Ling was in terrible condition. The possession faded, his whole body ached, his limbs went weak, and he could not even sweat.
"Teacher, that third slash... is harder than the first two combined."
Wu Ling spoke in broken breaths, swaying as he stood. Bibi Dong only waved a hand. Vast spirit power lifted him directly into the wooden tub prepared in advance.
"Good. In that case, I will not disturb your rest. After you return from the Star Soul Forest in a few days, come see me and give me the good news."
"Respectfully sending off Teacher."
From inside the tub, Wu Ling bowed toward Bibi Dong's departing back. Before Yue Guan left, he threw Wu Ling a flirtatious wink. After two and a half years of this, Wu Ling was already used to it, so he only smiled in response.
Four days passed in the blink of an eye. After cultivating through the night, Wu Ling finally raised his spirit power to level twenty.
He got out of bed, stretched, and stepped to the door just in time to see a half-round sun slowly climbing into the sky.
Then, quite naturally, despite the servants' attempts to stop him, Wu Ling insisted on entering the kitchen and cooking breakfast for himself.
After enjoying breakfast, Yue Guan arrived. When he sensed Wu Ling's undisguised level twenty spirit power, he was somewhat surprised.
"Innate full spirit power really is impressive. Even though you only spend a third of each day cultivating, it still took you only two and a half years to reach level twenty.
"If you ignored theory and combat experience and devoted yourself fully to refining spirit power, you probably would not even need two years to reach level twenty."
After Yue Guan finished sighing, he went out and called Ghost over.
"Wu Ling has reached level twenty. According to the Pope's instructions from a few days ago, I will leave him to you now."
"Mm. Do not worry. Nothing will happen."
That day was the only day in two and a half years when Wu Ling had no lessons.
Spirit City stood between the Star Stripe Empire and the Polaris Empire, so it was very close to the Star Soul Forest. With Ghost Sage, an agility-attack type, leading the way, Ghost and Wu Ling reached the edge of the Star Soul Forest by evening.
The closer Wu Ling came to the Star Soul Forest, the more he felt the humidity in the air rising and the temperature falling.
When Wu Ling stood outside the Star Soul Forest and looked into that darkness, his still low-level Mind's Eye reacted. In that forest, where not even light could penetrate, lay a great danger capable of threatening his life.
So he made a decision.
"Grandpa Ghost, let us go. We enter the Star Soul Forest tonight!"