Although Lin Xiao couldn't understand why Shangguan Qing had sought him out, he had only just entered the academy and had no clear way to investigate. For now, he could only set it aside.
After a night of meditation, he arrived early the next morning at the Soul Tool Research Hall, where he once again saw Lin Jiayi. The slightly portly figure was bent over his desk, a carving knife dancing at his fingertips as he traced intricate soul arrays onto metal plates.
As an eighth-level Soul Engineer, Lin Jiayi had naturally sensed Lin Xiao's arrival long before he entered the hall. Yet he didn't look up until he finished the pattern, setting his carving tool aside with a soft exhale.
"You're back?" His voice carried a weary tone.
"Yes." Lin Xiao nodded, his eyes drifting over the desk. The lines on the metal plate were so complex that, at his current level, he couldn't discern their function at all.
"The Hall Master said you had personal matters to handle. No trouble, I hope?"
"None. Teacher, you haven't rested?"
Lin Jiayi gave a tired chuckle. "Rest? Hardly. You know how unstable things have been in Radiant City lately. The new Hall Master has endless affairs to manage. But since you're back, I can take the chance to breathe a bit. You know how to use soul tools now, don't you?"
Lin Xiao nodded, following him toward the testing area.
"By the way, do you still have the soul tools I gave you before?"
Lin Xiao hesitated slightly. "Teacher, the others are fine, but… the soul cannon was damaged. I fought a soul beast, and it overloaded during battle."
Lin Jiayi turned sharply. "You rely more on your martial techniques. For the cannon to break, that beast must've been formidable?"
"It was manageable," Lin Xiao replied after a pause, recalling the Gold-Devouring Beast. "It went mostly as I expected. Teacher, if you tell me the price, I'll repay the academy."
"No need." Lin Jiayi studied him again. Seeing his stable aura and lack of serious injury, he relaxed. "Whether as a Spirit Master or Soul Engineer, growth always comes with battle. Damage is inevitable. The academy budgets for losses during training—I'll report it. No repayment required."
He smiled faintly. "Still, breaking a soul tool means you've already grasped its basic functions."
"It's simpler than using a spirit skill," Lin Xiao admitted, remembering the weapon's feel. "All I had to do was supply soul power and aim. Much easier than channeling a martial ability."
"Exactly. That's one of the Soul Engineer's greatest advantages," Lin Jiayi said approvingly. "But to unleash a soul tool's full potential, you must understand coordination—how different tools complement one another, and what each does best."
"There are parallels between Soul Masters and Soul Engineers. You already favor mid- to long-range combat, so you know basic tactics. What I'll teach you now is how to select the right soul tool for each moment—and how to identify your opponent's equipment and its function during battle."
"As for merging your martial spirit with your soul tools to form your own unique fighting style," Lin Jiayi continued, "that's something only you can discover. I can't teach it. Come—I'll show you at the test field."
Lin Xiao followed, watching his teacher's round figure move ahead of him. He couldn't deny it—whether because of the mention of Jing Hongchen or simply Lin Jiayi's genuine guidance, this man felt far more like a true teacher than the Nightmare Douluo ever had.
In the Holy Spirit Church, Lin Xiao had spent nearly ten years completing tasks just to earn scraps of cultivation resources. Yet under Lin Jiayi, in only a few months, he had already received a full soul tool set—and even an Invincible Barrier as a gift of initiation.
"This is the place."
The voice pulled Lin Xiao from his thoughts. Before him stretched a vast testing ground divided into separate zones. Some areas tested soul tools' power; others resembled wide dueling arenas over a hundred meters across.
A Soul Engineer's range was far greater than that of an ordinary Spirit Master, and they needed wide spaces to unleash their full might.
"You'll get used to this area," Lin Jiayi explained. "Whether for developing new tools or improving your combat control, you'll spend plenty of time here. Today will be your first practical lesson. Let's start simple."
He pointed to a distant target, barely a speck at the far end of the hall. "See that? You can't rely on eyesight alone to lock on at that range. Sometimes you'll need intuition—or rather, spiritual power."
"Your level-five soul cannon may be a standard academy model, but it's already a mid-grade tool. Once fired, the projectile can still be guided by your mental force. Most Soul Masters neglect spiritual cultivation, letting it grow naturally with their soul power."
"But for Soul Engineers, strong spiritual power means precision—greater focus when engraving formations, better control over the tool's mechanisms, even access to more advanced soul tools that demand a minimum level of mental strength."
He sighed softly. "That's one of the reasons I value you so highly. The academy has long sought ways to train students' spiritual power, but even now there's no perfect method—only a few external aids."
"What kind of external aids?" Lin Xiao asked, curiosity piqued. He knew well how vital spiritual power was, not just for manipulating soul tools but for combat and cultivation alike.
"There are only two known methods," Lin Jiayi explained. "First, consistent practice. Soul Engineers naturally strengthen their minds through the focus their craft demands, so at equal ranks, our mental strength usually surpasses that of a Spirit Master. Second, there are rare treasures of heaven and earth that enhance spiritual power—but those are nearly impossible to find."
"Still, don't worry. Even without a perfect method, the academy emphasizes nurturing this ability. You have exceptional talent—I won't let it go to waste." Lin Jiayi smiled and clapped him on the shoulder.
"Now, try it. The more you practice, the better you'll grasp how to merge spiritual power with your soul tools."
Lin Xiao nodded. Taking a few steps forward, he aimed the cannon and began his training—each strike, each burst of light guided not by his eyes, but by the growing pulse of his mind.
(End of Chapter)