Mist surged over the calm surface of Poseidon Lake, the clear and cool lake water gently lapping at the shore, producing crisp splashing sounds.
Morning sunlight sprinkled into the mist, forming a bright pathway where tiny, crystal-clear water droplets could be seen.
Tang Ya, linking arms with Ning Tian, arrived at the shore. Gazing at the boundless Poseidon Lake, she was instantly stunned.
"How are we supposed to leave here?"
The excitement in her heart suddenly vanished; only now did she consider this problem.
"I've seen inner courtyard seniors and teachers several times using small boats to travel between Poseidon Island and the outer courtyard. There should be spare boats by the lake—let's look along the shore first," Beibei said with a smile.
Having grown up on Poseidon Island since childhood, he was more familiar with the place than anyone. But he feared putting too much pressure on Tang Ya and temporarily had no plans to reveal his relationship with Elder Mu.
Even though he had approached Tang Ya to join the Tang Sect under Elder Mu's instructions.
Xu Zihuang, beside Beibei, smiled warmly.
"Senior Brother Bei, Senior Sister Xiao Ya, there's actually no need to go to such trouble."
"Hm?" Tang Ya looked at Xu Zihuang in confusion, while Ning Tian and Beibei recalled a small detail from the finals of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament a month ago—Yu Tianhuang's match against Xiao Hongchen.
Xu Zihuang stepped forward to Tang Ya and Ning Tian's side, using actions to explain his words. His deep purple eyes instantly turned brilliant gold. Three purple and one black—four soul rings that could make anyone's heart tremble rose successively from his feet.
Fortunately, he deliberately restrained his aura, preventing Tang Ya and Ning Tian from being affected by his soul power pressure.
Magnificent purple light bloomed, and strange dark red ripples covered the space several hundred meters ahead. Thin, mirror-like dark red crystals condensed and formed in this space.
The dark red crystal mirrors seemed embedded in the space, descending extremely slowly.
This was, of course, the work of Xu Zihuang using his second soul skill, Mirror Destruction. This soul skill essentially transformed intangible soul power into tangible dark red crystals. Moreover, with his powerful mental strength, he could precisely control the skill's effects, freely adjusting the crystals' hardness and weight.
The weight of these condensed dark red crystal mirrors approached zero, but their hardness was enough to support an adult stepping on them without shattering.
The crystal mirrors were completely sealed, and during their descent, they encountered air resistance, creating this effect.
This was also the principle behind using his second soul skill, Mirror Destruction, to tread the air and fly.
Witnessing this scene, Tang Ya couldn't help but be slightly dazed. The sight before her was simply too beautiful—thin crystal mirrors refracting magnificent halos, the originally dark red color of the crystals dazzling enough. It was like a scene from a painting.
Ning Tian's reaction wasn't much better than Tang Ya's. Though her background made her far more mature than her peers, it couldn't erase the sentimentality inherent in a young girl's nature.
Only Beibei looked at Xu Zihuang with a strange expression. Just this astonishing control over a soul skill was far beyond his own capability.
Xu Zihuang took Ning Tian's hand and said gently, "I'll take you across."
"Mhm." Ning Tian snapped out of her daze, looked up to meet Xu Zihuang's gaze, and nodded lightly. Her beautiful eyes carried a hint of shyness and anticipation.
For a support-type soul master like her, using these crystal mirrors to cross such a wide Poseidon Lake would indeed be very difficult.
Xu Zihuang gently wrapped an arm around her waist and lifted her. He could clearly feel Ning Tian's soft body tense for a moment before slowly relaxing.
That night in Star Luo City, the two had intimately embraced, but this position was a first.
Ning Tian pressed down the skirt of her yellow uniform with one hand, her other jade-like arm resting on Xu Zihuang's shoulder, still holding the blue-purple iris he had picked for her.
"Tianhuang, Junior Sister Ning Tian, you two really know how to have fun," Tang Ya said with a giggling smile, her dark eyes holding no teasing—only good-natured banter.
But neither Xu Zihuang nor Ning Tian was the type to panic over such things.
Though a trace of shyness spread in Ning Tian's heart, she still responded to Tang Ya's banter calmly.
"Senior Sister Xiao Ya, in a bit, you can have Senior Brother Bei carry you too."
Hearing this, Beibei smiled and took over the conversation, opening his arms toward Tang Ya.
"Come on, Xiao Ya, I don't mind."
When it came to thick skin, Beibei was even worse than Xu Sanshi. But this was only when he was with Tang Ya.
Tang Ya's pretty face flushed, and she huffed, "Trying to take advantage of me? No way!"
"Senior Brother Bei, Senior Sister Xiao Ya, we'll go first. Just use the surfaces above for footing," Xu Zihuang said as he leaped into the air, his toes tapping consecutively on the crystal mirrors, his figure moving swiftly to demonstrate for Beibei and Tang Ya.
Tang Ya and Beibei's expressions turned serious, and they quickly followed. The Tang Sect's secret techniques were somewhat useful; both were battle soul masters with strong bodily coordination. They soon adapted to this method of movement.
Moreover, this novel sensation of soaring through the air made Tang Ya exclaim in excitement. The shy demeanor from earlier was completely gone, and she began chattering again.
Meanwhile, in the Shrek Academy Soul Guidance Department dormitory building.
Huo Yuhao, meditating cross-legged on his bed, had ended his cultivation early.
In Shrek Academy, the Soul Guidance Department had far fewer students than the Martial Soul Department. Since the Soul Guidance Department sold soul tools to the three original Douluo Continent empires and was very wealthy, each student was assigned a private dormitory.
These private dormitories were also to prevent Soul Guidance Department students from being disturbed while crafting soul tools.
Huo Yuhao washed up in front of the mirror in the bathroom. At twelve years old, he was just over 1.6 meters tall, thin and frail. At a glance, he didn't look like a soul master at all—many ordinary boys his age were even sturdier than him.
His long, untrimmed, messy black hair covered his eyes, faintly revealing a pair of icy, hatred-filled, deep blue eyes, the pupils surrounded by bloodshot veins.
The Soul Guidance Department's location in Shrek Academy was relatively remote, basically unaffected by Du Busi's terrifying spiritual pressure. This meant that last night, he hadn't lost consciousness and had personally witnessed the battle between Du Busi and Elder Xuan.
Relying on the powerful vision granted by his Spirit Eyes martial soul, he saw more details than other Soul Guidance Department students.
But precisely because he had witnessed the strength of Du Busi and Elder Xuan, he felt his own weakness and powerlessness even more acutely.
"I must stay and gain the strength for revenge. One day, I will cut off the White Tiger lineage, make him kneel before your grave, and repent!"
Huo Yuhao clenched his fists tightly. In that instant, his eyes were completely overtaken by blood-red, surging with overwhelming hatred.
The Soul Guidance and Martial Soul Departments had different standards. As long as he could break through to level 20 soul power and obtain his second soul ring by the end of third grade, he would have the chance to continue studying in the Soul Guidance Department at Shrek Academy.
After venting his bold words, Huo Yuhao still had to face reality and earn tuition for the next semester. Putting on his second-year Soul Guidance Department uniform, he spent one copper soul coin at the Soul Guidance Department cafeteria for a steamed bun as breakfast before hurrying toward Shrek Academy's east gate.
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