After waving goodbye to Feng Wuyu, Yun Xian made his way home. Though he now went by the name Xian Yun, a distant relative of the late Elder Ye, he hadn't yet officially enrolled in the academy. Because of that, very few people in Shrek Academy knew about him—only a handful within the Inner Court were aware of his identity.
The Inner Court of Shrek Academy was home to true monsters. Every student who earned a place there possessed at least the potential to become a Title Douluo. With the academy's abundant resources, some even had the chance to reach the Demi-God realm. However, the number of Inner Court students was always small, and they were rarely seen during ordinary times.
After walking for a while, Yun Xian finally reached home.
"Mom, I'm home!" he called out, dropping onto the sofa in the hall. He waited for a while, but Ya Li didn't appear. Realizing she must have gone out for something, he sighed softly.
He headed into the kitchen, took out some food, and began to eat. From morning till now, he had only eaten breakfast—and it was already noon. Ever since awakening his Martial Soul, his appetite had increased significantly. When he mentioned it to his parents, they reassured him not to worry; after all, his body was still growing and needed more energy to replenish his strength.
After finishing his meal, Yun Xian washed the dishes and carefully placed them back on the table. Once done, he stepped out of the hall and into the courtyard garden.
Taking off his shirt and tying his long hair behind him, he stood in the middle of the courtyard. From his storage ring, he drew out a wooden sword—a western-style, two-handed blade. The moment he assumed his stance, his entire temperament shifted. His calm aura turned sharp, like a drawn blade.
He began to swing the sword. Each movement was steady and powerful, and with every arc through the air came the sound of the wind howling—whoosh, whoosh—as though the air itself yielded before his strikes. He wasn't just moving his body; his mind, spirit, and intent were all focused entirely on the blade in his hands.
From what he knew, in this world, every weapon art and the cultivation of its intent followed four stages.
For the sword, the first was Sword Consciousness—the point at which the practitioner's awareness merged with the blade, allowing them to wield it as naturally as their own limbs.
The second was Sword Soul. Few ever reached it. At this stage, a sword's soul began to take form, and the practitioner's power multiplied beyond comprehension.
The third was Sword Spirit, a realm shrouded in mystery. It was said that once this level was reached, the sword itself would gain a will of its own, capable of assisting its master independently.
And the final stage—the realm few dared to even dream of—was Sword God. Those who attained it would stand as the supreme sovereigns of all swords.
After obtaining his Spirit Soul, his parents had given him clear instructions to focus on three things: his secondary profession, his Martial Soul and Soul Skill mastery, and practical combat.
The first, his secondary profession, was crucial because it would one day allow him to craft his own Battle Armor or even a Mecha.
The second, mastery over his Martial Soul and Soul Skills, was equally important—once perfected, he could wield his power with greater ease and efficiency in any situation.
And the third, practical combat, was the most essential of all. Without true combat experience, even the strongest Martial Soul or the finest Battle Armor would be meaningless.
Though he couldn't use his second Martial Soul openly, he could still take inspiration from it. Since the Seraphim wielded a Holy Sword, he chose to practice the sword as well. His father, Yun Ming, had initially wanted to teach him the spear, but Yun Xian showed little talent for it, and eventually, Yun Ming gave up on that idea.
As for why he was only swinging his sword instead of practicing any specific sword technique—there was a reason.
Coming from another world, Yun Xian understood one truth very well: the basics are everything. Mastering the fundamentals of swordsmanship would serve as the firmest foundation for his future progress. That was why, for nearly half a month, he had done nothing but swing his sword—again and again, day after day.
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The summer season was at its peak. Even after sunset, the air remained heavy and hot, refusing to cool down. For ordinary people, it was suffocating—but for soul masters, such discomfort could be eased by circulating a bit of soul power to cool the body. Of course, that only worked when one was resting. During training, no amount of control could stop the sweat from pouring.
Yun Xian, who had been practicing his sword for half a day, was drenched in sweat. His breath came in rough, uneven bursts, yet his eyes still shone with focus and determination. Finally, he stopped swinging, took a long sip from his water bottle, and walked toward his room.
Instead of resting, he went straight to the bath.
Cold water cascaded over his body, washing away the dirt and stickiness left by sweat. The refreshing chill made his tired muscles feel alive again. When he looked into the mirror, his reflection stared back—his physique still lean, the faint outline of abdominal muscles beginning to form.
What made him sigh, though, was his face. Despite all his training, he still looked more like a girl than a boy. Just a few days ago, he had run into a senior sister from the Inner Court who had mistaken him for a girl and nearly dragged him off. If he hadn't shouted in time, that senior sister would've actually dressed him up, claiming that he'd look "even more beautiful in women's clothes."
Just thinking about it made Yun Xian feel utterly humiliated.
After bathing, Yun Xian changed into a fresh set of clothes. But even then, he didn't rest. Though he appeared calm on the surface, his body was deeply exhausted. Still, he sat cross-legged on his bed and began to cultivate his soul power.
When he had contracted his Spirit Soul, Xiao Qing, his soul power had already reached Level 23. A few days ago, he managed to break through to Level 24. At this pace, he could probably reach the Soul Master level within a year. But Yun Xian knew very well—it wouldn't be that simple.
Shaking his head, he pushed such thoughts aside and focused on the task before him.
As he closed his eyes, faint soul power particles began to gather around him, slowly entering his body through his navel area. They flowed along his meridians in a precise pattern, completing one full circulation before converging in his dantian. Though the process appeared slow, compared to most others, his cultivation speed was remarkably fast.
This was the Soul Power Cultivation Method refined and perfected over generations by countless experts of Shrek Academy. While it wasn't as mystical as the Tang Sect's Mysterious Heaven Technique, its efficiency far surpassed most cultivation methods developed by other organizations.
After cultivating for nearly an hour, a loud growl came from Yun Xian's stomach, breaking his concentration. Reluctantly, he opened his eyes. He wasn't satisfied with the short cultivation time, but he had no choice but to yield to his hunger.
Rising slowly, he walked out of his room and made his way to the kitchen. Taking out the meal his mother had prepared—mostly soul beast meat and special grain rice—he sat down at the dining table. Just as he was about to start eating, his gaze fell upon a note lying beside the dishes.
He picked it up and read softly:
"Xiao Xian, today Mom and Dad won't be able to come back. We might not make it until tomorrow.
I'm sorry for leaving you alone, but please wait for us. We'll definitely eat dinner together tomorrow.
—Your Mom, Ya Li."
After finishing the note, Yun Xian sighed quietly. He didn't dislike his parents' care—in fact, he cherished it—but his mother was always especially attentive and would never leave him alone without a good reason. The only explanation was that the task they were handling must be truly important.
Placing the note aside, he began to eat in silence.