Nearby, the others paid no attention to the upcoming itinerary, leaving everything entirely in the hands of their team leader, Gu La.
They were all curious about Bai Yuan's martial soul ability.
"Bai Yuan, how does it feel?" Gu Yue asked softly.
Bai Yuan patted his stomach and smiled contentedly. "About seventy percent full. The energy purity of Tang Sect's soul-guided cores is quite high—it must be soul power input by a single soul master."
Na'er rolled her eyes, amazed to meet someone who could eat even more than her. "Three mechas only got you seventy percent full? The academy will have a headache dealing with you."
"The academy won't mind my appetite," Bai Yuan shrugged nonchalantly, but added regretfully, "Pure energy alone doesn't satisfy me. Especially the soul-guided core energy—it feels too 'empty' and lacks freshness."
He couldn't wait to join the Blood God Legion. Then he could finally taste the delicious Abyssal Power.
"Just shut up, will you?" Wu Sido crossed her arms, still shaken by Bai Yuan's martial soul. His overwhelming devouring ability had almost made her feel as if her own soul power was being sucked away during the battle—an experience that sent chills down her spine.
"We should get going. The Tang Sect people might come chasing after us soon."
Bai Yuan ignored Wu Sido's outwardly tough but inwardly nervous demeanor. The six of them chatted casually as they headed to a restaurant recommended on the Soul Net for a meal. After some sightseeing, they moved on to the next city.
---
Three days later.
Gu La stood before the grand gates of Tian Ding Starry Sky Soul Academy, his fingertips lightly brushing over the soul-guided communicator on his wrist. A holographic screen lit up as he dialed a pre-stored number.
"Hello, yes, we've arrived. We're right outside the academy gates." Gu La's voice was calm and steady.
On the other end of the communicator came the sound of chairs scraping against the floor, followed by an excited young man's response: "Oh, juniors, hold on a moment—we're coming right away!"
Before the call even ended, hurried footsteps and overlapping shouts could be heard from the other side, clearly indicating how seriously the other party took this exchange.
A faint smile curved Gu La's lips as he turned to look at his teammates chatting behind him.
Bai Yuan was leaning against an ancient tree, sunlight filtering through the leaves and casting dappled shadows on his pale face.
Over the past three days, they had passed through three cities, and Bai Yuan had indulged in a feast of various "soul power flavors." Without harming the opponents' foundations, he had managed to break through to Level 50. All he needed now was a suitable spirit soul to ascend to Soul King rank.
"What are you spacing out about?" Na'er nudged Bai Yuan's ribs with her elbow, interrupting his reminiscing.
Her silver short hair shimmered brightly under the sunlight, her violet eyes filled with playful mischief.
As an avatar/clone herself, she was particularly intrigued by Bai Yuan, who shared a similar situation. Realizing that Gu La didn't object, she approached Bai Yuan, curious about his condition.
"You're not thinking about food again, are you? Don't you ever feel full?"
Bai Yuan lazily straightened up, his black hair shifting slightly with his movement. "I'm wondering if the starlight energy that Starry Sky Academy gathers can be consumed."
"This time, you'd better be careful," Wu Sido interjected. "Don't scare people off again. Ordinary soul masters don't have our level of tolerance."
In their previous battle, Bai Yuan's devouring ability had nearly branded him as an evil soul master. Thankfully, the prestigious reputation of Shrek Academy had helped avoid any major misunderstandings.
Gu Yue stood quietly to the side, observing her teammates' interactions. Her gaze lingered especially on Bai Yuan, her curiosity piqued by this "comrade" with terrifying devouring abilities.
How exactly was he created…?
The academy gates slowly opened, interrupting everyone's thoughts.
A middle-aged man wearing a navy-blue teacher's uniform led a group of over a dozen students toward them. A name tag on his chest read "Li Zhilong—Dean of Teaching," and his face was adorned with an enthusiastic smile.
"Welcome, juniors, to Starry Sky Academy for this exchange!"
Li Zhilong's voice was loud and powerful. He quickly scanned Gu La's group, pausing briefly when his gaze landed on Bai Yuan—the black-clad youth gave him a strange sense of danger, like facing a sleeping predator.
This startled him greatly. After all, he had never slacked off in his cultivation since graduating years ago. Now, as a Soul Sage and two-word Battle Armor Master in the most suitable environment of Starry Sky Academy, he couldn't help but treat this group with heightened caution.
Gu La stepped forward, extending his hand politely. "Dean Li, thank you for your warm welcome."
Li Zhilong shook Gu La's hand, noticing the extraordinary composure in the golden-haired youth's eyes that surpassed his age. "Zhou He has already informed us of your situation. We've selected the academy's finest students to exchange with you—you won't be disappointed."
As they walked toward the observatory, Li Zhilong enthusiastically introduced the academy's history and unique features.
Gu La appeared to walk casually at the front of the group, but in reality, he discreetly sensed the flow of energy in the surrounding environment. As the altitude increased, he felt a cool, clear energy permeating the air—starlight energy. Though faint, it was unmistakably present.
"Interesting." Bai Yuan muttered softly, unconsciously licking his lips. This energy was completely different from the fiery soul power of Tang Sect's mecha cores—it was purer, cooler, like a gentle breeze on a summer night.
Wu Sido, who had somehow moved beside him, lowered her voice in warning: "Don't get any funny ideas. We're here for an exchange, not to dismantle their school."
Bai Yuan blinked innocently. "I was just thinking how beautiful the starry sky here must be."
Wu Sido rolled her eyes, clearly not buying his excuse. Sometimes she regretted applying to join Gu La's team. Now she had to endure these nerve-wracking days, constantly worried that her teammates might end up "eating" the entire academy.
The observatory was built at the highest point of the academy—a white circular structure with a special transparent material at the top, surrounded by precision optical instruments. Even during the day, one could feel the faint starlight emanating from within.
"This is our academy's pride."
Li Zhilong proudly introduced, "The observatory's internal structure has been specially designed to gather and store starlight energy. Even on cloudy days, the stored starlight is sufficient for the students' cultivation."
Gu La nodded. "That's precisely why we chose your academy for this exchange. Some of my teammates have star-related martial souls, and I hope they can gain some insight from this opportunity."
Li Zhilong's smile widened. "Of course! According to the agreement, you'll have three days of usage rights after the exchange matches. But for now…"
He clapped his hands. "Let's begin with a friendly sparring session, shall we? The interior of the observatory also serves as our main dueling arena."
Upon entering the observatory, they indeed saw a standard circular dueling arena, surrounded by tiered spectator seats.
The most striking feature was the dome—made of transparent material, it allowed sunlight to gently filter through, while tiny points of light flickered overhead, resembling real stars.
------------------------------------------------------
40+ Chapters Ahead: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)