New story! Please support by adding to your collection! Thank you :)
------------------------
"Your physique is acceptable," Fan Yu said after a thorough once-over. Then he asked, "What's your martial soul?"
"Spirit Eyes."
"A Body Martial Soul? And spiritual-type?!"
Fan Yu's previously calm demeanor shifted instantly. At the word "Spirit Eyes," his eyes lit up with excitement—and when Huo Yuhao confirmed it, his expression brightened further.
He followed up quickly: "Are you from the Body Sect?"
As he spoke, his gaze flicked to Ning Tian and Chen Junting—he could tell these two were the leaders of the group.
Ning Tian merely smiled. Her right hand shimmered with seven-colored light—and a magnificent seven-tiered Glazed Tile pagoda materialized above her palm.
Before she could say a word, Fan Yu recognized it immediately.
"The Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda… You're from the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect."
Beside him, He Caitou's eyes widened in shock. He stared at the four freshmen, utterly stunned. 'I randomly bump into four new students—and they're from the legendary Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect?!'
"Good," Fan Yu said, relief in his voice. "But…"
He looked at Huo Yuhao again—satisfaction mingled with regret in his eyes. "It's a shame your soul power is so weak, and your innate talent isn't exceptional. Otherwise…" He sighed lightly, then shook it off, his expression returning to normal. He stood and walked toward the office door.
"You wanted to see soul-guided devices, right? Follow me." With that, he strode out.
He Caitou hurried after him, gesturing for the others to keep up.
Chen Junting's group followed without delay.
They walked to the end of the corridor, where a massive door—crafted entirely from dark brown metal—loomed before them. Above it, six bold characters declared: Soul-Guided Device Testing Zone.
As Fan Yu approached, the door slid open automatically, revealing a long horizontal hallway. The layout resembled the dormitory area—except every thirty meters, a numbered door lined the wall: Testing Zone 30, Testing Zone 29, and so on.
Led by Fan Yu, they stopped before Testing Zone 12. A flash from the storage-type soul-guided device on his wrist produced a hexagonal silver token. He pressed it against the door—and it slid open horizontally.
Inside, metal partitions divided the space into sections. Fan Yu guided them to a workshop-like area filled with raw metals and engraved soul-guided components.
"Caitou, show Huo Yuhao around first," Fan Yu instructed.
"Yes, Teacher," Caitou replied with an honest grin. After watching his teacher head toward another section, he turned to Huo Yuhao. "Junior, let me introduce you to soul-guided device crafting." He glanced at Chen Junting's group, scratching his head as if to say more—but Ning Tian gently waved him off with a kind smile.
"Senior He, just focus on Yuhao. Don't worry about us. We're not planning to major in soul engineering right now—just here to observe and learn."
"My apologies," Caitou said warmly. "If you have any questions, feel free to ask. I'll do my best to answer."
He then led Huo Yuhao toward the section displaying Grade-One soul-guided schematics. Wu Feng, meanwhile, wandered over to the half-finished devices—curious, but only superficially so.
On the other side, Chen Junting and Ning Tian examined the soul-guided components and raw metals with keen interest.
"This is a soul-guided component," Chen Junting murmured, picking one up. The soul-guided array engraved upon it was clearly visible. Though he'd studied soul-guided technology for over five years, this was his first time seeing the internal structure of a device.
His eyes drifted to the workbench nearby.
"Soul-guided devices are crafted by carving soul-guided arrays onto rare metals and gemstones, then assembling them into artificial tools. That means the core arrays ultimately determine a device's power. So if…"
He suddenly recalled the magical hexagram Electrolux had summoned days ago—etched with strange, intricate runes.
"What if… we combined soul-guided arrays with magical runes?" he whispered, more to himself than anyone.
"You could try it."
An ancient voice echoed in his mind.
Chen Junting's eyes flashed. His consciousness sank into his spiritual sea—and there stood Electrolux, now fully humanoid.
"Elder Electrolux—you're awake."
"Thanks to your Life Gold, young friend," Electrolux replied, a faint smile on his aged face. His silver-gray eyes, once lifeless, now held warmth. Long ash-white hair flowed down his back, and his tall frame was draped in a black robe shimmering with golden magical runes.
"We both gained what we needed," Chen Junting said with a light shake of his head—but his steady gaze never left Electrolux, who chuckled softly.
"No, no—I still owe you," Electrolux insisted. He gestured to the vast, vibrant expanse of Chen Junting's spiritual sea. "I dwell here as your guest. I'll carry that debt for as long as I remain—unless you evict me… or I manage to resurrect through this fragment of consciousness."
Chen Junting laughed. He never expected that he and Iliex had now become landlord and tenant, and it might even be a lifetime lease.
"Then… has Elder Electrolux come to pay 'rent' today?"
"Hah! An apt analogy," Electrolux boomed with laughter. With a wave of his hand, golden and gray runes swirled into existence before Chen Junting.
"Young friend, these are magical runes—the foundation of all magic arrays and spellcasting. Magic itself is the act of channeling spiritual energy to activate specific runes, which then…"
Electrolux gave only a broad overview—but crucially, he compared magical runes directly to soul-guided arrays.
At his level, insights came swiftly. In moments, he'd already identified the core similarities and differences between the two systems.
Chen Junting absorbed every word.
When Electrolux finished, Chen Junting's mind raced.
"So both magic and soul-guided devices rely on human energy as the trigger. But what if… they could draw power directly from the natural world? What if we carved these patterns not onto metal—but into the void, into the fabric of heaven and earth itself…"
"Wait!"
It struck him like lightning—
That's exactly what formations are!
"Elder Electrolux—do you think this idea could work?"
"Hmm…" Electrolux pondered, then nodded slowly. "It might be possible." His tone turned solemn. "If so… you'd be forging an entirely new path."
"Then I'll test it," Chen Junting declared, his gaze falling to his right hand. Resolve surged within him—alongside a quiet, burning ambition.
"The Way of Formations… can trap, can kill, holds infinite applications. If maintained yearly, it could endure for ages. And if I alone pioneer this new path… perhaps…"
------------------------------------------------------
Double Chapters Chapters Ahead: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)