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"So… this is Life Gold."
Chen Junting retracted his Dark Gold Terror Claw and grasped the purified blade in his hand.
As he examined the carving knife—now crystalline green, like jade infused with life—a surge of immense vitality suddenly peeled away from it, flowing gently toward Electrolux's hazy silhouette.
In the next instant, the room blazed with emerald light!
Electrolux's form solidified—no longer a wisp, but a presence of undeniable substance. An indescribable pressure washed over Chen Junting, yet it carried no malice, no harm.
"My hand grasps the sun and moon and plucks the stars from the sky; this world has no one else like me!" Electrolux's voice boomed with restored grandeur. "I remember now… I am Electrolux, the Calamity Necromancer, the Necromantic Holy Magic God!"
"Boy… I owe you a debt."
"Elder, it is I who should thank you."
"Hahahaha! Fascinating… truly fascinating."
Electrolux laughed, though his expression held a trace of wry humility.
"Don't call me 'Elder' anymore. Such a gentle title makes this old warlock feel… oddly ashamed. Just call me Elder Electrolux."
Then, his tone shifted. "As a parting gift, I shall give you one more."
With a swift motion, Electrolux traced a sigil in the air. The Life Gold carving knife leapt to life, darting toward Chen Junting's forehead. In a flash, it etched a vertical mark between his brows—like a third eye.
Before Chen Junting could react, the knife shot into the mark!
A torrent of boundless vitality flooded his body and spiritual sea.
The gray wasteland of his spiritual realm was instantly overrun by emerald radiance—conquered, transformed, and expanded at a staggering pace. Every nerve, every meridian, every cell in his body sang with unprecedented euphoria.
His meridians grew resilient.
His bones hardened.
His organs strengthened.
His cells thrummed with vigor.
He was undergoing a fundamental metamorphosis.
Chen Junting could feel it—his blood essence surged with vibrant life, his spiritual sea turned lucid and vast, his body purified like unblemished jade. His capacity to withstand soul power surges soared, and his cultivation speed—once slowing—returned to the pace of two years prior.
Even his peak Level 33 cultivation broke through effortlessly, as if destiny itself had cleared the path.
When the absorption finally settled—
"Hah…"
A breath laced with life essence escaped his lips.
Joy lit his face.
"This Life Gold… was absolutely worth it!"
"Heh," Elder Electrolux's amused voice echoed in his spiritual sea. "Life Gold is a divine treasure born of heaven and earth. No matter the price you pay, it will always exceed your expectations."
"Now, Junting," Elder Electrolux continued, "because of this Life Gold, my memories are slowly returning. I must take time to sort through them." With a wave of his hand, a strange gray hexagram appeared in midair—and a small orb dropped from its center.
Chen Junting caught it instantly.
Bound by Elder Electrolux's power, the malevolent aura within the orb couldn't stir. Only when Chen Junting extended his spiritual sense into it could he make contact—ensuring his safety during future experimentation.
"This is what you asked me to preserve," Elder Electrolux said. "I'll take my leave now. If you need me, reach out through your spiritual sea."
He drew a symbol before him. The mark on Chen Junting's forehead split open, transforming into the Eye of Life—which then projected a shimmering green portal. Elder Electrolux's phantom stepped through… and vanished.
"I didn't expect Elder Electrolux to leave so soon," Chen Junting murmured, watching the empty space with mild regret. He'd just realized—as a master of magic, wouldn't he know techniques to enhance spiritual power? Especially with his profound expertise in souls and spirit?
"Ah, well… I'll ask next time."
He sealed the orb containing the malevolent aura back into the Soul-Sealing Device that once held the Soul-Devouring Knife, then stored it in his soul-guided storage ring.
Now wasn't the time for experimentation—after all, Ning Tian was still waiting outside.
The moment he opened the door—
Ning Tian practically threw herself into his arms!
Before he could speak, she pulled back, eyes scanning him frantically—up, down, left, right—until she was certain he was unharmed. Then, with a soft sigh of relief, she asked simply:
"How did it go?"
"Completely resolved."
…
Days later, Shrek Academy's enrollment period neared its end.
Bathed in morning light, four figures arrived at the eastern gate of Shrek City—the only official registration site.
Despite the late stage of admissions, thousands still crowded the area, a sea of hopeful faces.
"Lots of freshmen here!" Wu Feng remarked, eyes darting around. Her striking beauty and confident posture drew more than a few admiring glances from young men—glances that quickly shifted to awe when they spotted Ning Tian beside her.
Wu Feng noticed—and shot them all a glare sharp enough to cut steel.
"Hey, Sword-jerk! Aren't you gonna do something about this?"
"Beauty attracts admiration—it's only natural," Chen Junting replied evenly. "Eyes belong to others. What can I do?"
Yet the very next moment, he took Ning Tian's hand in his.
As she covered her mouth to stifle a giggle, an aura of "do not approach" radiated from Chen Junting like an invisible wall.
"Tch! Hypocrite," Wu Feng muttered, turning to Huo Yuhao. "Right?"
Huo Yuhao merely smiled—saying nothing.
'Whatever I say now would be trouble.'
Indeed, Huo Yuhao had changed dramatically since the Star Dou Forest.
His cultivation had reached Level 15—meeting Shrek's requirement—and his once-frail frame, nourished by Thousand-Year Whale Gelatin and rigorous conditioning, now matched the physique of a same-level assault-type soul master.
Eventually, their turn came.
After verifying their ages and submitting four recommendation letters from the mayor of Nine Treasures City, the Shrek disciple began testing their soul power levels.
His expression shifted like a rollercoaster:
- Huo Yuhao: Level 15
'Ah—the bottom tier of freshmen.'
- Wu Feng: Level 26
'Stronger than I was at her age.'
- Ning Tian: Level 31
- Chen Junting: Level 34
'Monsters! Both of them!'
And one bore the surname Ning, with a letter from Nine Treasures City…
'They must be from the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect!'
Instantly, the disciple's demeanor turned deeply respectful—both for their backing and their terrifying talent.
"Welcome to Shrek, juniors."
"Thank you, senior," Chen Junting nodded politely, then led his group through the gates.
Inside, the crowd thinned drastically. Most applicants had already been turned away by Shrek's infamous criteria.
They passed the founder's statue, skirted the shimmering Sea God Lake, and walked alongside its shores for nearly the time it took to burn an incense stick—until they reached Shrek Plaza.
Before them stood five teaching buildings, each painted a distinct color: white, yellow, purple, black, and gray. The gray one, however, stood far apart from the others.
"Yuhao—see that?" Chen Junting pointed toward the gray structure. Huo Yuhao followed his gesture.
"That's Shrek's Soul Engineering Department—where you'll spend much of your time."
Huo Yuhao nodded instinctively—then froze. He sensed three pairs of eyes fixed on his back.
Turning, he met the gazes of Chen Junting, Ning Tian… and a pouting Wu Feng (who'd just been ignored).
"Brother Junting, Sister Xiao Tian, what's this about?" he asked, scratching his head in confusion.
Wu Feng bristled—until Chen Junting clamped a hand on her shoulder. Under his stern look, she instantly quieted.
"Yuhao," Chen Junting said seriously, "answer me this: do you want to become a soul engineer… or a soul master? I need your true intention. It'll decide where you register."
Huo Yuhao opened his mouth—ready to say "soul engineer."
But Chen Junting's eyes held him, piercing straight to his core.
In his spiritual sea, Tianmeng urgently whispered: 'Choose soul master! Only soul masters can ascend to godhood!'
But this time—Huo Yuhao ignored him.
He lifted his head, meeting Chen Junting's gaze squarely.
"Brother Junting… I want to pursue both!"
Ning Tian and Chen Junting exchanged a knowing smile.
Back in Shrek City, they'd debated this very issue: should Huo Yuhao join the Soul Engineering Department full-time… or enroll in the Martial Soul Department while dual-cultivating soul engineering? His first soul skill—Spiritual Detection Sharing—was simply too extraordinary, even giving Ning Tian pause.
In the end, Chen Junting had insisted: Let Yuhao choose.
If he picked soul engineering, they'd support him.
If he chose to cultivate both, soul engineering couldn't be neglected—if it was, the sect would reassign him to focus solely on becoming a soul engineer.
Chen Junting had made this clear to Huo Yuhao.
And Huo Yuhao had readily agreed.
After all—the sect had always intended for him to become a soul engineer. Now, they were honoring his wishes and giving him an extra path. Gratitude swelled in his heart; he could never repay them enough.
"Then let's register," Chen Junting said. "Once we've settled into our dorms, I'll take you to tour the Soul Engineering Department."
The four headed toward the white teaching building—though by now, only a handful of latecomers remained for registration.
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