As the Hongchen siblings walked away, Ye Guyi leaned in closer to Zhou Sicheng and asked, "Those two from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy are really strong. Both are at the five-ring level. Judging by their age, they seem to be about the same as Beibei and the others. That kind of talent... it's truly terrifying."
Hearing Ye Guyi's words, Ma Xiaotao and the others nodded in agreement.
The Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy had always been known for its soul tools, but to think they now had Soul Masters this talented—Spirit King level at around fifteen years old. Such talent was on par with someone like Dai Yueheng under normal circumstances!
Zhou Sicheng nodded slightly. "It seems this generation from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy is quite capable. It's just a pity that our Shrek Academy is even stronger."
Hearing that, Ye Guyi and Ma Xiaotao exchanged a glance, then smiled without saying anything.
Yes, even if this year's Sun Moon Academy was stronger than previous generations, so what?
With the two of them—both Soul Sages—present, there was practically no chance of losing.
Even if, by some impossible chance, there were someone who could rival them, wouldn't Zhou Sicheng be there as the final trump card?
Besides, how could someone stronger than them even appear? If that happened, wouldn't all the protagonist buffs be for nothing?
As he watched the silhouettes of the Hongchen siblings disappear, Zhou Sicheng couldn't help but feel a bit regretful.
These two weren't just highly talented in martial soul cultivation. Xiao Hongchen, in particular, was a prodigy in the field of soul tools—arguably the most gifted individual in the history of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy.
Unfortunately, the original story had to forcefully nerf their intelligence just to make the main cast look stronger. In the end, their fate had been miserable and undeserved.
Thinking of the man behind the siblings—Jing Hongchen—Zhou Sicheng's eyes flashed briefly, but then he acted as though nothing had happened, happily helping Ye Guyi and the others pick out beautiful accessories again.
——
On the other side, Meng Hongchen followed her brother, still thinking about Zhou Sicheng and couldn't help but speak up. "Brother, that guy and the girls around him are really strong. No wonder they're from Shrek."
Hearing this, Xiao Hongchen frowned slightly. "At least you're not so infatuated that you've lost your mind. They didn't even bother to hide their strength, and I could feel that every one of them had soul power above mine. Judging by their aura, they must be core team members. Shrek... is still our greatest enemy."
Meng Hongchen nodded in agreement. "But we're only part of the preliminary team for now. Our true moment to shine will be five years from now. This tournament is just a stepping stone for us to gain experience."
A confident smile appeared on Xiao Hongchen's face. "If we can change the outcome of the tournament as reserve team members and bring glory to our academy now, wouldn't that shine even brighter than five years down the line?"
Meng Hongchen almost wanted to retort at his grand speech, but she had to admit, with her brother's strength, it might actually be possible.
Both siblings were Spirit Kings. Add in their Martial Soul Fusion Technique, and their true combat power could easily surpass that of the official team members. Even if Shrek was powerful, they might just be able to turn the tables!
Before they came, Teacher Ma had sworn a military oath. This time, they were here to defeat Shrek and seize the championship.
Meng Hongchen nodded firmly. "Brother, we will do it."
Xiao Hongchen's confidence only grew as he returned to the Star Emperor Hotel with Meng Hongchen. He was determined to study Shrek Academy's data in detail and deliver a heavy blow during the tournament!
——
Zhou Sicheng spent the entire day shopping with Ye Guyi and the others until each of them was fully satisfied. Only then did he leisurely return to the hotel.
He hadn't called everyone together today either. Instead, he let them all relax. After returning to his room, he closed the door and windows and sat cross-legged on the bed.
From within his soul tool, he retrieved the crystal box. Inside lay the Devourer Carving Knife, forged from the legendary Life Gold.
Within his spiritual sea, Elder Yi's eyes gleamed with excitement at the sight of such a large piece of Life Gold, unable to hide his inner exhilaration.
He couldn't help but marvel again. "Kid, your luck really is unparalleled. To stumble upon Life Gold—something formed by nature's own will. Once you absorb it, your spiritual sea will evolve into a Sea of Spiritual Life. Both your body and spiritual power will experience a tremendous breakthrough."
"The benefits to your future cultivation and spirit ring absorption are beyond imagination. Even your contracted soul beasts will benefit from it."
Skydream nodded excitedly. "Ah, yeah, yeah! Just like Elder Yi said! Once we absorb it, both Bing Bing and I can have our spiritual origins washed and renewed by the Life Gold. I can't even imagine what that'll feel like!"
"Come on, come on! Let's start already! If it's as amazing as Elder Yi says, then I have to give it a try today!"
Zhou Sicheng smiled faintly and gently opened the crystal box.
As soon as the crystal seal was lifted, a wave of sinister, violent energy surged outward. Zhou Sicheng calmly called out, "Elder Yi, I'll leave it to you."
Electrolux chuckled lightly. His eyes emitted a pale, deathly gray ripple as a tangible stream of spiritual power surged toward the Devourer Carving Knife.
Death. Holiness. Purification. These forces quietly unfolded.
The moment that gray spiritual energy touched the Devourer Knife, the blade—feared by Soul Engineers across the continent—began to tremble violently, as though it were a pot of boiling water. It emitted piercing screams like the final howls of a wicked soul facing divine judgment.
Electrolux snorted coldly. "To infuse a treasure like Life Gold with evil energy and curses… That creator had quite the imagination. But they completely misunderstood its essence. Life is the true core of Life Gold."
As Elder Yi exerted more power, the color of the light he emitted began to change. The earlier gray hue gradually turned pure white—flawless, jade-like, as pristine as fresh snow.
At the same time, the gray spiritual power transformed into a radiant purifying light.
"Return to your origin—Light of Purification!"
Electrolux fired a beam of sacred light. The Devourer Carving Knife suddenly burst into a thick, dark green mist that twisted and coalesced into a sinister, malevolent face.
A fragment of the evil soul of a dark Soul Master, once sealed within the knife, let out a furious howl and lunged toward Electrolux, trying to devour him like it had done to previous owners of the blade.
But no matter how thin that purifying light appeared, once it landed on the blade, it was like magma melting a mound of snow.
As Elder Yi intensified his efforts, the evil weapon began to shed its darkness and grow increasingly pure and serene.
In the face of the Saint of Necromantic Divine Law, all resistance was futile. The fragment of the dark Soul Master's soul was crushed with ease. In an instant, the once-twisted face dissolved halfway, and its malevolence became a blur.
The black miasma evaporated under the purifying light. The Devourer Carving Knife's pitch-black blade gradually took on a translucent cyan glow, like crystalline jade. The murderous aura vanished entirely, replaced by a vibrant and life-filled energy.
The powers of death, holiness, and purification quietly began to unfold.
The moment the gray spiritual energy entered the Soul-Devouring Carving Knife, this infamous blade that had long struck fear into the hearts of soul engineers began to tremble violently, like boiling water in a pot. Piercing, agonized wails emanated from it, as though the souls of countless sinners were releasing their final howls before annihilation.
Electrolux snorted coldly. "To infuse such a sacred material like the Gold of Life with evil power and curses... The creator had an interesting idea, but ultimately, he mistook the means for the end. Vitality is the very essence of the Gold of Life."
As Elder Yi released his power, the light he emitted began to change. The previous gray hue gradually turned into a flawless white—pure as jade, pristine as snow.
Simultaneously, the gray spiritual energy he had released also transformed into a brilliant, white light of purification.
"Light of Purification, return to the origin!"
A unique beam of light shot from Electrolux, and the Soul-Devouring Blade erupted with dense blue-black smoke, forming a hideous, twisted face of a man.
The evil spirit residing within the blade—left by an Evil Soul Master—let out a crazed screech and lunged toward Electrolux, attempting to devour him just as it had done to all previous owners of the blade.
Yet despite its seemingly faint glow, the Light of Purification fell upon the Soul-Devouring Blade like molten lava on snow—it melted through it effortlessly.
With Elder Yi exerting his full strength, the once sinister weapon began to grow increasingly purified and gentle in aura.
Before the Holy God of the Dead, all resistance was futile. The lingering strand of the Evil Soul Master's spirit was effortlessly suppressed. With a single strike, the ferocious face in the blue glow blurred, half of its grim features dissolving instantly.
The black aura dissolved in waves under the influence of the purification light. The once pitch-black carving knife gradually turned as clear as aquamarine crystal, with all its malevolent energy completely eradicated. Now, it radiated a wondrous vitality.
The purification process was brief. As the final trace of black smoke vanished, the knife's body emitted a tranquil, pure blue glow, entirely devoid of impurities.
Its dark body had been fully transformed into the crystal-like essence of Gold of Life.
The true nature of the Gold of Life had finally been restored.
Having completed the purification, Elder Yi continued his work. "This Gold of Life won't just reconstruct your body—it'll also leave behind a portion you can use later."
Zhou Sicheng pondered for a moment. "Elder Yi, since this is Gold of Life, could it possibly heal Elder Mu?"
Electrolux thought of the elderly teacher from Shrek Academy who was already in his twilight years and replied, "Your teacher's spine is shattered and his body is deteriorating. Besides those external injuries and internal toxins, there's also a particularly violent force inside him. What's kept him alive this long is that ancient Golden Tree."
"If we gave him just a single drop of Gold of Life, full recovery might be unlikely—but it could definitely extend his lifespan."
Zhou Sicheng nodded at that. With this, there was hope for prolonging Elder Mu's life—he might not even need to use the Yearning Heartbroken Red's fruit anymore.
He also wanted to see what Elder Mu, full of vigor again, might bring to the continent. Perhaps he'd cause quite a surprise.
Having made up his mind, Zhou Sicheng didn't hesitate. If the Gold of Life could help Elder Mu, he was more than willing to give up a drop.
Even putting aside their master-disciple relationship, that nearly 300,000-year-old top-tier spirit bone Elder Mu had given him was more than worth it.
Zhou Sicheng said, "Elder Yi, then please leave behind a portion of the Gold of Life."
Elder Yi smiled faintly. "Don't worry. I already planned for that. I'll reserve one drop for your teacher. After you absorb the rest, this Soul-Devouring Knife will remain intact and can assist you in crafting soul tools in the future."
With that, Elder Yi manipulated the Gold of Life, pressing it against Zhou Sicheng's forehead.
At the moment of absorption, Zhou Sicheng's entire body and spiritual sea were dyed a radiant cyan as the light of life illuminated everything.
An unprecedented sense of comfort flooded him. Within his spiritual sea, both Skydream Iceworm and the Ice Empress felt as though every cell in their bodies was moaning in joy. They, too, basked in the delightful sensation.
The life force nourishing the spiritual sea was also nurturing their spiritual essence.
Zhou Sicheng's body began to pulse rhythmically as he greedily absorbed the immense vitality emanating from the Soul-Devouring Knife. This vast and incomparable life energy flowed through him like a spring, washing over every inch of his body from the inside out.
His body took on a vivid jade-green hue, full of life. His meridians became more elastic, his organs tougher, and his bones denser—his entire being underwent a qualitative transformation.
Even after surviving the Ice-Fire Alchemical Body Tempering, this new transformation astonished him. The Gold of Life far surpassed the effects of even that.
Though it didn't boost his soul power, its impact on his life essence was profound and long-lasting—something that would show over time as his cultivation deepened.
As Zhou Sicheng absorbed the Gold of Life, the knife-shaped essence began to converge toward his left eye.
His eyes had previously undergone a secondary awakening, granting him the ability to perceive souls. Now, that ability underwent another transformation.
Under the influence of the Gold of Life, all the powers of the Soul Eye moved to his right eye. The ability originally in the left was transferred to the right by the energy of the Gold of Life.
When the transfer completed, his right eye turned pitch black with a dark red pupil.
Meanwhile, his left eye changed drastically as well. Its normal iris turned a brilliant gold, and the pupil became a cyan hue brimming with vitality. If one looked closely, the pupil had the exact shape of a carving knife.
Zhou Sicheng clearly sensed the changes. His right eye retained the Soul Eye's powers—only now it was concentrated in one eye rather than both.
Surprisingly, reducing the number of Soul Eyes didn't weaken the ability. On the contrary, it felt doubly powerful. Moreover, due to the Gold of Life, the Soul Eye now had unique, hidden effects.
As for his left eye, it had become the Eye of Life, formed from the very essence of the Gold of Life.
Through this eye, he could perceive his entire being as a living organism. Any creature with life couldn't escape its scrutiny, though he didn't yet have time to explore its specific uses.
With the Soul Eye's transformation and the formation of the Eye of Life, his spiritual sea underwent a tremendous upheaval.
What was once an empty void now turned into a real, tangible space—milky white in color and stretching endlessly. At its center lay a cyan lake, teeming with vitality. Its calm surface mirrored like a sheet of glass, nourishing his spiritual sea with dense life force.
Skydream and Ice Empress coiled beside the Lake of Life, greedily absorbing and comprehending its energy.
Above the lake hovered nine and a half golden suns—representing Skydream's spiritual essence. With their faint pulsing, Zhou Sicheng's spiritual sea continued to expand, growing more serene, beautiful, and boundless.
Amidst these golden suns, a pair of illusory eyes quietly opened—one pitch black with a crimson pupil, the other golden with a jade-green pupil.
These two eyes hovered within the spiritual sea, absorbing the power of the Gold of Life. They resonated and merged, hinting at some mysterious, indescribable new ability yet to awaken.
Even without fully understanding the potential of this Soul Eye and Eye of Life combination, Zhou Sicheng could already feel that his spiritual power would now grow at least three times faster than before.
Moreover, his spiritual sea was practically indestructible. His body, too, had been so transformed that as long as his brain remained intact, he could recover from almost any injury. Death had become nearly impossible.
This overwhelming vitality made him almost want to cut off a few fingers—just to test the limits.
Thanks to the Gold of Life, his entire physical condition had improved dramatically. His already fair and attractive body now gave off a faint, fragrant aroma.
If an Evil Soul Master were nearby, they'd probably lose control and mutter, "Damn, you smell amazing, bro," before trying to eat him!
Zhou Sicheng, who had already been tempered with countless rare herbs and top-tier resources, had long become a walking treasure.
Now, after being reconstructed by the Gold of Life, he was no longer just a walking treasure—he had become a peerless one.
Even soul beasts would gain incredible benefits just by devouring him.
To Evil Soul Masters and soul beasts with devouring abilities, Zhou Sicheng was now akin to a celestial delicacy.
His spiritual sea had expanded more than threefold, allowing it to hold much greater power. His control over soul skills and techniques became even more precise.
It felt as though he had been reborn. Though his soul power remained at Rank 55, he was confident that he could easily overpower three of his past selves from just thirty minutes ago.
He had ascended to a whole new level.
Feeling the wondrous effects of the Gold of Life, he couldn't help but develop a strong desire for the little tortoise and that impulsive silver dragon in the Great Star Dou Forest.
If a carving knife-sized piece of Gold of Life had such immense effects, then what sort of transformations would the full essence from those two bring?
****
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