The morning sun rose gently over Shrek Academy, casting golden rays that filtered through the canopy of pine trees surrounding the courtyard. The grass still held traces of dew as Li Wei sat cross-legged beneath the familiar pine, eyes closed in meditation. He waited.
Before long, soft footsteps approached.
Zhu Zhuqing arrived first, silent and composed as always. Xiao Wu came next, humming faintly. Ning Rongrong trailed behind, rubbing her eyes and yawning, her messy hair swaying with each step.
Li Wei opened his eyes as the three girls took their positions.
They didn't begin immediately. A quiet tension hung in the air, different from the usual focused calm.
"Li Wei," Zhu Zhuqing said, her voice unusually hesitant. "Can I ask something?"
He nodded. "Go ahead."
Zhu Zhuqing glanced at the others before continuing, "This training method you've been teaching us… It's not ordinary. Is it okay for you to share it? It feels… clan-level. Or even more."
Ning Rongrong chimed in, her brow furrowed. "Yes. It's not just a training routine. My spirit power flows more smoothly every day. My body's changed too. This is a cultivation technique, isn't it?"
Xiao Wu stayed quiet, glancing sideways at Li Wei with a thoughtful look in her ruby eyes.
Li Wei was silent for a moment.
A soft breeze rustled the pine needles above as he finally replied, "It's not a clan manual. It doesn't come from any sect or family."
"Then where?" Zhu Zhuqing asked, eyes narrowing slightly.
"…It's something I created myself," Li Wei answered calmly. "A self-created soul skill focused on cultivation and body refinement. I call it that because it's the closest comparison."
He deliberately avoided mentioning the system—there were still too many unknowns. Too many risks.
A moment of stunned silence followed.
Zhu Zhuqing usually calm expression cracked, her eyes widening. "You… created it?"
Ning Rongrong gasped. "A self-created soul skill? That anyone can use?!"
She stared at him, as though seeing Li Wei for the first time. "Do you know what that means? Those are priceless, irreplaceable. Even the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan doesn't have anything like that."
Zhu Zhuqing added, "Self-created soul skills are rare enough. But to make one usable across different spirits… that's beyond rare. It's genius."
Li Wei looked away, pretending to adjust his sleeve. "It's not perfect. And it's not some secret divine scripture. I just… experimented. Found a path that worked for me. I'm sharing it because it can help you too."
Xiao Wu had been quietly listening the entire time, watching him with those bright red eyes. Now she stepped forward and crouched beside him.
"A self-created skill, huh?" she said with a small smile.
Li Wei glanced at her, and saw something in her gaze—understanding.
"You said something back then," Xiao Wu continued softly, "about a system that helped you until you awakened your martial spirit."
She didn't press him, didn't ask for more.
Instead, she looked up at the sky and whispered, "Even if something like that gave it to you, I'm still thankful you're willing to share it."
She paused, then added in her heart: If a spirit beast used this… they'd grow far faster than normal. Their cultivation would leap forward with every session.
This isn't just helpful for spirit masters. It's revolutionary for spirit beasts too.
But she said nothing aloud. That secret—about Li Wei mysterious "system"—was something only the two of them shared. And she intended to keep it that way.
Li Wei met her eyes for a second. He saw her silence, her understanding, and gave a faint nod.
Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong both looked at him, silently absorbing the weight of what he had done. Sharing a self-created method—something that could shift one's foundation as a spirit master—was a gesture of deep trust.
To them, it meant more than words could express.
Li Wei cleared his throat. "Enough talk. Back to training. You'll need clear meridians before we advance to the next stage."
They resumed their positions, but a new intensity shone in their eyes. Not out of obligation—but out of respect.
________________
Their session lasted longer than usual. The air grew hot with noon approaching, and the girls pushed themselves harder than before, spurred by the truth they'd learned. What they were being taught wasn't just effective—it was something one of a kind, born from Li Wei's own hands.
By the time they finished, sweat clung to their skin and their breaths came in short bursts, but their spirits felt lighter.
As they walked along the path back toward their dorms, the sound of panting and shouting caught their attention.
They turned a corner—and saw Team One.
Tang San, Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar were running in formation, their clothes soaked with sweat. Their bodies trembled with each step, clearly pushed past comfort. They weren't using spirit power at all—just pure physical stamina, legs pounding the academy's stone path as they ran lap after lap.
"They're... training?" Ning Rongrong blinked.
"No spirit power?" Xiao Wu tilted her head. "That's harsh."
Zhu Zhuqing's eyes paused on Dai Mubai, then shifted to Tang San at the front of the group.
Li Wei didn't stop walking.
He glanced at them once, eyes cool and unreadable.
Then turned away.
Running laps without spirit energy circulation... what are they trying to achieve? Strengthen willpower? Improve endurance? That's fine for soldiers—but for spirit masters, it's inefficient.
They're wasting time. And wasting potential.
He said nothing, letting the thought pass quietly through his mind.
Some people chose to temper themselves through grit. But grit without refinement was just self-inflicted wear.
Behind him, the pounding footsteps of Team One echoed faintly as they disappeared behind a row of trees.
Li Wei gaze turned to the horizon.
I don't have time to run in circles.