Chapter 41: Soul Power Vortex

Riding up to her, he called out, "Gu Yue, where are you headed? Let me give you a ride!"

"Hmph!" Gu Yue glanced at him, scoffing lightly before disappearing in a flash of silver light. Jing Shaoyu could only shake his head in confusion, unable to fathom the mindset of this centuries-old being who still acted as impulsively as a child.

Left with no choice, he continued home alone.

Not long after Jing Shaoyu left, Gu Yue reappeared where she had been. Her beautiful eyes shimmered with a rainbow hue as she murmured, "Child of Nature... but why?"

Unaware of Gu Yue's musings, Jing Shaoyu soon arrived home.

"Mom, Auntie, I'm back!" he called as he pushed his bike through the gate.

As expected, Jing Ziyuan and Lin Xin were both at home. Jing Ziyuan greeted him with a smile, "The academy let you off early because of the typhoon, huh?"

"Yup!" Jing Shaoyu replied with a nod. "After all, even Soul Masters have their limits!"

"True enough," Jing Ziyuan agreed with a chuckle.

That evening, with the typhoon fast approaching, Tang Wulin made his way alone to Mang Tian's forge in Eastsea City. Before him lay three spirit materials: a fiery, red fruit radiating intense heat, a cool, blue-hued fruit, and a vial of dark purple dragon blood. These were the Century Flame Fruit, Century Ice Crystal Fruit, and Century Dragon Blood.

"I'm ready, Old Tang!" Tang Wulin took a deep breath.

A faint, golden figure appeared before him, calmly guiding, "Then let's begin."

Following Old Tang's instructions, Tang Wulin immersed the two spirit fruits in the dragon blood, waiting for the reaction. Once ready, he drank the entire mixture in one gulp. He sat cross-legged as his body began to radiate intense heat, and he trembled uncontrollably as a faint network of golden lines spread across his skin, his whole form turning red like a boiled shrimp.

In that small forge, Tang Wulin began his first transformation.

Elsewhere, in the depths of Eastsea Park, Gu Yue walked through the Soul Beast sanctuary, her steps leisurely and composed, seemingly unaffected by the gusty winds and falling rain.

She approached a giant camphor tree, gently placing her hand on its broad trunk before closing her eyes, as if sensing something. After a moment, she smiled slightly, her eyes glinting with a colorful light. "Almost a millennium… Not bad, not bad!"

Then, she turned and left, leaving behind a group of trembling plant Soul Beasts.

At home in his room, Jing Shaoyu sat cross-legged on his bed, eyes closed and hands resting near his dantian. A faint red and blue light alternated at his brow, while in his dantian, a soul power vortex spun ceaselessly, dense and almost akin to a soul core.

Soul cores were essential for advanced Soul Masters and typically formed only upon reaching the Soul Sage level. Yet Jing Shaoyu, still a Great Soul Master, had managed to compress his soul power into a vortex, something rarely seen even once in thousands of years.

The soul power vortex was a prerequisite for forming a soul core. Once it reached a certain density, it could develop into a soul core upon attaining three rings—a possibility well within Jing Shaoyu's reach. The prospect of a Soul Elder with a soul core was nothing short of miraculous.

Yet, Jing Shaoyu wasn't focused on his soul core. Reflecting on his earlier match with Gu Yue, he sensed an unusual resonance in his spirit with her. It felt akin to a soul fusion skill—an ability unique to certain Spirit Masters that allowed their spirits to synchronize at a fundamental level.

Though intrigued, he couldn't quite comprehend it. As the Silver Dragon King, Gu Yue's spirit was essentially fabricated. Even if a fusion was possible, wouldn't it make more sense with the Golden Dragon King? Resolving to investigate further after the typhoon, he turned his focus back to his cultivation.

That same evening, in the Eastsea Academy principal's office, Director Long Hengxu reported on the day's events to Principal Yu Zhen.

"…It appears we've gathered quite a few prodigies this year!" Yu Zhen said, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

"Indeed, Principal," Long Hengxu replied before adding, "Which brings me to a suggestion. Perhaps we could establish a special class in the first year?"

"Oh? Go on," Yu Zhen encouraged, his interest piqued.

"As you can see, this year's first-year students are exceptionally gifted. We have seven Great Soul Masters already—an unprecedented number. Even compared to upper-year students, their abilities are exceptional," Long Hengxu explained. "For talents like these, ordinary teaching methods won't suffice. My proposal is to create a special class just for these students, providing them with the academy's best resources and guidance. With proper training over the next eight to nine years, they'll undoubtedly bring glory to Eastsea Academy, possibly across the entire Federation."

Yu Zhen's expression grew thoughtful. He was clearly swayed. Establishing a specialized class with a concentrated talent pool could elevate the academy's reputation, leading to higher enrollment rates and greater resources. And historical precedent existed: Shrek Academy.

Despite Eastsea City's status as a premier metropolis within the Federation, Eastsea Academy had remained a second-rate institution with limited allure. Most students were local, a limitation that dampened the academy's potential. The talent pool they had now might finally provide the opportunity to break free from this stagnation.

"And how would we handle staffing?" Yu Zhen asked, grounding himself in the realities of the plan.

Long Hengxu responded without hesitation, "Appoint Teacher Wu Zhangkong as the head instructor. His capabilities are beyond question, and his teaching skills were on full display during the promotion matches. Moreover, his background with Shrek Academy ensures he's more than qualified for the role."

"Understood." Yu Zhen, nodding, said, "I agree with the proposal in principle. I'll bring it before the academy board. That'll be all for now."

With a respectful bow, Long Hengxu responded, "Thank you, Principal." Then, he quietly took his leave.

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