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When Huo Yuhao was sweating profusely on his tenth lap, Wang Dong, who was in the lead, had already outpaced him by three laps, and the other students had at least surpassed him by one. Many even cast disdainful glances at him, as they all knew that his soul power cultivation was the weakest among them.
However, by this time, the students running ahead began to slow down. The longer the time passed, the more evident the effect of the metal shirts became. Even Wang Dong was covered in sweat.
The few boys who had started out following closely behind Wang Dong were now lagging, even being overtaken by those behind them.
Droplets of sweat began to dampen the ground of the track. When the time passed half a "shi chen", a female student with a slight figure fell to the ground with a thud, struggling to get up but failing to do so.
Just as Wang Dong ran past her, he helped her up and gave her an inquiring look. The girl shook her head, sitting down on the square, refusing to get up again. She couldn't even speak anymore.
With the first one down, a second soon followed. Perhaps because Huo Yuhao was bringing up the rear, even though the students tried hard to persevere, their willpower was not very strong.
Running with the heavy metal shirts indeed posed a huge burden, especially since they started at full speed and quickly exhausted their soul power. Relying solely on their physical strength to bear the weight of the metal shirts was somewhat too demanding for their age.
By the end of a whole "shi chen", at least half of the students had collapsed on the ground. Zhou Yi stood there, her face expressionless, without urging them to continue.
Huo Yuhao also began to falter. Though he maintained a steady pace throughout, conserving energy, his soul power was indeed the weakest of all, and his physical strength wasn't much better. The fact that he had managed to last this long was already quite an achievement. In terms of laps, because he had persevered for so long, he was no longer in last place.
His vision darkened intermittently, his chest felt as if it was burning with flames, his mouth parched, his entire body uncomfortably sticky with sweat. The metal shirts chafed against his skin through his school uniform, sending waves of burning pain.
I can't, I can't keep going. A voice in Huo Yuhao's head kept repeating, as he barely managed to channel the soul power in his body into his spirit eyes.
A coolness from the spirit eyes made him slightly more alert.
No, I absolutely cannot fall here, I must keep going. Watching the many students still running ahead and recalling the accelerated improvement in his cultivation after exhausting his physical strength in the morning, Huo Yuhao bit the tip of his tongue fiercely to stay spirited and keep running.
It was at that moment that he felt a warm sensation in his lower abdomen. Although his soul power was nearly depleted, this warmth slowly flowed to his limbs, slightly alleviating the soreness in his muscles.
Is this…
The power of the Mystic Sky Method?
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Huo Yuhao quickly recognized the source of the warm current. After cultivating the Mystic Sky Method, it ultimately converged in the lower abdomen. Although Yuhao had not practiced the Mystic Sky Method for long, he had a foundation in soul power. Having converted his original soul power into that of the Mystic Sky Method, he had managed to cultivate the first layer of the technique.
The Grandmaster and the Skydream Ice Silkworm had both told him that the Mystic Sky Method was very suitable for him and could nourish his meridians. Was it now playing its role?
While thinking, Yuhao's consciousness naturally followed the trajectory of the Mystic Sky Method's operation to feel it, and to his surprise, the warmth in his lower abdomen followed the movement of his consciousness through his meridians.
Yuhao saw a faint trace of soul power from the Mystic Sky Method, which was slowly dispersing into his meridians as it operated, which was also the reason he felt the warmth.
What surprised him even more was that his meridians were absorbing this soul power very smoothly. This was also the source of the comfortable sensation that was alleviating his fatigue.
Huo Yuhao was born with a weak constitution, but he was smart. He could absorb the Mystic Sky Method when his body reached its limit, meaning he could operate the Mystic Sky Method while in action, and not just during meditation. Operating it this way differed from normal cultivation, the speed of soul power increase was not significant, but it integrated more closely with the body.
With this discovery, Yuhao hurriedly concentrated, slowing down his pace while quietly starting to operate the Mystic Sky Method.
The Mystic Sky Method of Tang Sect was brought to this world by the first generation Sect Master, Tang San. In a sense, it did not belong to Soul Land, but it was definitely a top-level technique, extremely beneficial for nourishing one's health.
In a serendipitous mistake, Huo Yuhao began to create a method to operate the Mystic Sky Method outside of the meditative state, in which the main effect of the Mystic Sky Method turned into nourishing the body and meridians with soul power.
Since the Mystic Sky Method gradually recovered during operation, a marvelous circulating state formed within his body. It could be regarded as a type of cultivation while in action.
Yuhao was unaware that even the first-generation Sect Master of the Tang Sect, Tang San, had not accomplished this, because he alone had a unique advantage. His cultivation was weak, which was why he could reach the limits of his body, and his strong mental power, along with his Spirit Martial Soul, was the fundamental reason he could sense this peculiarity and manipulate it.
Many strong practitioners had emerged from Tang Sect, but none of them had the conditions Yuhao possessed at that moment. After becoming powerful, they wouldn't easily experience a state of limit, nor would they carefully sense the faint warmth in their Dantian. It could be said that the Mystic Sky Method had evolved in Huo Yuhao's case.
With the regulation of this warmth, Yuhao's body, which had already reached its limit, was somewhat relieved. This not only firmed his willpower but also enabled him to invest more energy in guiding this warmth.
The warmth followed the route of the Mystic Sky Method's operation, and when it completed a cycle, the trace of subtle warmth was nearly exhausted. It was at this moment, upon completing the circuit, that the warmth seemed to grow a bit stronger, continuing its journey.
His body grew increasingly weary, yet Yuhao's spirit became more and more excited. The nourishment the Mystic Sky Method provided to his meridians was exactly what he needed at the moment! Some of the delicate meridians, which usually needed great care, became more elastic under the nourishment of this warmth and even widened a bit. Everywhere the warmth passed, an unprecedented sense of openness told Yuhao that what he was doing was completely correct.
Around Shrek square, more and more students fell, even those running in the front were gradually unable to sustain themselves, and the sound of metal shirts hitting the ground could be heard from time to time.
Wang Dong passed Huo Yuhao once again, and by now, he too was finding it increasingly difficult to move. To his surprise, he noticed that Huo Yuhao's eyelids were slightly closed, leaving only a sliver open, through which a faint golden light seemed to flow. Huo Yuhao's pace was slow, but he was still steadily moving forward. Those students with far higher cultivation than him had fallen, yet he persisted stubbornly. Each step he took even left a watermark on the ground, formed by his sweat.
"If you can't do it, don't push yourself," Wang Dong said in a low voice before continuing on. He had already taken the lead by a wide margin, but his body was also nearing its limit.
One and a half hours had passed, and the end-of-class bell was drawing ever closer. Only nine students on the outer ring of Shrek square were still running, and Huo Yuhao, who had been trailing from the start, was surprisingly one of them.
Zhou Yi had been paying close attention to Huo Yuhao the whole time. When one hour had passed, she was already astonished. Given her assessment of Huo Yuhao's physical and soul power, he should have reached his limit by now. Yet, he had just kept going. Although his consistent pace gave him some advantage, his cultivation level and physical condition were obvious!
Could a person's willpower really be so strong? And he was still so young.
"Thump, thump..." Two more students collapsed. And as they did, it was like knocking over domino bones, with several more falling one after another. One of them even bumped into Wang Dong as he was passing by.
Wang Dong stumbled, and his already sore legs could no longer hold up, causing him to sit down on the ground. The resolve in his heart also crumbled in that instant. He had run the most laps and it was already impossible for anyone to surpass him now.
Three remained, including Huo Yuhao.
Five minutes later, the other two students also collapsed one after the other, leaving Huo Yuhao, the weakest of the freshmen in class one, as the last one standing on the field. Even though his steps were staggering and his pace barely faster than a walk, he persisted when everyone else had fallen. This caused many students to look at him with amazement.
Yes, Huo Yuhao had already reached his limit. The warmth brought by the Mystic Sky Method could certainly nourish his body and alleviate fatigue to an extent, but it couldn't make him truly stronger!
Time and again, he reached his limit, and time and again, he gritted his teeth and bore it. Huo Yuhao knew very well that he was the weakest in this freshman class. If he wanted to stay till the end, he had to put in two hundred, even three hundred percent of the effort of others. And now, this extreme physical training could actually help expand his meridians and increase his soul power, so no matter what, he had to persist a bit longer.
Persist, hold on. Huo Yuhao kept shouting to himself inside. By now, he didn't even have any soul power left to pour into his spirit eyes to keep his mind more alert.
Gradually, a chant to support himself emerged from his throat.
"Mom, mom..." For his mother's last wish, for the day when he could proudly retrieve his mother's body from that place, to cleanse her of dishonor and avenge her. He had to persist, no matter what.
"Bang, bang..." Huo Yuhao's footsteps landing were extremely heavy, and his legs and body were shaking uncontrollably. Yet, he did not fall, and in such a hard situation, he still mechanically repeated the motion of lifting his foot, setting it down, then lifting it again, and setting it down again.
Gradually, the teasing glint in the eyes of those students who had collapsed disappeared. The power of an example is great. They began to get up from the ground one by one, watching Huo Yuhao's persistence in a daze.
Wang Dong was stunned for a moment, then he was the first to run up, following behind Huo Yuhao, but this time, he did not surpass him.
With Wang Dong taking the lead, a second and a third person began to follow, and gradually, all the freshmen of Class One clenched their teeth, lifted their already stiff legs, and reluctantly moved to get back on the track.
Zhou Yi was moved. Since becoming a teacher, she rarely got emotional over her students' performance, but this time, she truly was moved. It was because of Huo Yuhao, as well as the ninety students who got up and followed behind him. This was no longer just a mere physical training; it was a test of their spirit as well! On the faces of these children, only eleven or twelve years old, Zhou Yi saw a determination amidst their exhaustion.
This lesson had been far more effective than she had imagined.
"Dinglingling—"
Finally, the bell signalling the end of the class rang.
Crash, crash, this time, it truly was like domino bones toppling over, as the piercing sound of the bell knocked down a large number of students.
The sound of metal shirts clashing with the ground echoed as the fallen freshmen of Class One stirred up dust.
Huo Yuhao at the very front finally fell too, as the bell allowed him to fully release the persistence and tenacity in his heart. However, he did not crash directly to the ground. As he fell, Wang Dong grabbed his metal shirt from behind, and then the two of them rolled to the ground together, both gasping for air.
Looking up at the sky, Huo Yuhao's vision darkened, yet strangely, his meridians were warm and comfortable, indescribably so. His soul power was depleted, and his physical strength was long overdrawn, but his meridians still gave him a pleasant sensation. He had a hunch that, after this ordeal, he must have made substantial progress in all aspects.
Wang Dong lay beside Huo Yuhao; his physical condition and cultivation were much stronger, and although he was also exhausted, he was not immobilized like Huo Yuhao.
"I really don't know what strength is supporting you to hold out until now. You, a Soul Master with only a 10-year soul ring, actually lasted longer than I did, a Grand Soul Master. You are really an oddity."
Huo Yuhao let out a silly chuckle but lacked the strength even to speak.
Zhou Yi slowly took a deep breath and waved towards the distance. A man dressed in Bai Se clothes glided over, seeming to only touch the ground a few times before reaching her side. After nodding at her, he turned to the students.
A series of dazzling soul rings rose from his feet, two yellow, two purple, and three black, totalling to seven.
A Soul Sage, this was a Soul Sage level expert above level 70. Among Soul Masters, he was nearing the peak! And yet, he appeared to be only in his thirties, with eyes that revealed a wisdom that belied his youthful exterior.
Raising both hands, a soft green light began to grow from his palms. His seventh soul ring's black light swirled around him, and with a shake of his body, he simply vanished. The green leaves grew wildly, and in the blink of an eye, that powerful existence with seven soul rings transformed into a towering tree.
It seemed as though a breeze had passed, and exactly ninety-one green leaves fluttered down from that enormous tree with a vast canopy, landing delicately on each of the ninety-one freshmen of class one.
Everyone felt an indescribably comfortable coolness that instantly spread throughout their bodies. Whether it was their muscles aching to the extreme or their wounds chafed by metal shirts, all were healing at an astonishing speed. Even their physical strength was gradually recovering bit by bit. Only their soul power remained empty, unaffected by the green leaves.
Wang Dong had the highest cultivation and was the first to recover. He flipped over and sat up, staring at the towering tree with blazing eyes, and he inhaled sharply, "This, this is one of the pinnacles of plant-class martial souls, the Life Tree Martial Soul! Level 70, Martial Soul True Body. Teacher Zhou actually brought a plant-class Tool Soul Sage above level 70 to restore and heal us."
The tree shrouded in jade light, after releasing those ninety-one leaves, quickly receded and transformed back into the white-clothed man from before. He nodded at Zhou Yi, who bowed respectfully to him in return. The man left as if carried by the wind, just like when he had arrived. From beginning to end, he did not even exchange a word with Zhou Yi.
The students got up from the ground one after another. Although they still felt tired, their bodies, having pushed beyond their limits, now also experienced an indescribable sensation of pleasure.
Huo Yuhao also came to from his semi-conscious state, refreshed by the divine tool's soul skill from just before. The cooling sensation made the fatigue in his muscles disappear without trace, and the channels within his body were still immersed in the warm and melting sensation brought by the Mystic Sky Method. It was truly a clash of fire and ice worlds; ever since his Martial Soul Awakening at the age of six, he had never felt so comfortable during cultivation.
He managed to get up, his body filthy but his spirit eyes shining brighter by the moment. Subconsciously, he stimulated the soul power inside his body to circulate along the Mystic Sky Method's path, and indeed, it was possible. The method subtly nourished his channels and, since it was no longer being consumed, the Mystic Sky Method's internal strength even had a bit left over after traversing and nourishing the channels to return to his dantian and start circulating again.
Zhou Yi looked at the students who were standing up one by one and said indifferently, "I must say, you've provided me with a surprising answer. Today, no one will be eliminated."
Upon hearing this, the students couldn't help but cheer, especially a few who were lagging behind in the number of laps they had run; they felt as if a huge burden had been lifted.
Zhou Yi continued, "You should thank Huo Yuhao. Originally, I had prepared a punishment for you all. The task I set was to have you run until the end-of-class bell rang before counting the laps, but apart from Huo Yuhao, not a single one of you ran from start to finish. However, seeing that you were able to ignite a bit of fighting spirit in the end under his lead, I will no longer punish you. Wang Dong, step forward."
"Teacher," Wang Dong took a step forward.
Zhou Yi said indifferently, "As the class leader, you only cared about yourself and did not fulfill your role as a leader. From now on, I'm revoking your position as class leader, and it will be taken over by Huo Yuhao. Until the next physical training class, Huo Yuhao will be the class leader of class one. If anyone wants to challenge him, Wang Dong, you will be responsible for the fight."
Upon hearing Zhou Yi's words, Wang Dong was slightly stunned.
Zhou Yi's voice turned cold, "What? Do you have an objection?"
Wang Dong then came to his senses, shaking his head vigorously, "No. Teacher Zhou, I am completely convinced."
Zhou Yi nodded and said, "Dismissed. Everyone, take your metal shirts back with you. Tomorrow, other teachers will give you theoretical lessons, and I suggest you meditate well to fully assimilate the improvements and significance of today's physical training. The day after tomorrow afternoon is my class again. By then, I hope not to see any more weaklings."
"Yes," the students answered with a roar, but instead of dispersing, they collectively rushed towards Huo Yuhao and threw him high into the air.
For these teenagers, excitement and joy were very direct. Because of Huo Yuhao's effort, no one was eliminated and punishment was avoided. At this moment, Huo Yuhao was their hero.
Moreover, after the grueling and painful physical training, Teacher Zhou had summoned that miraculous plant-class spirit Tool Soul Sage to collectively restore and heal them, allowing them to truly feel the power of a high level Soul Master. As the physical pain disappeared, their animosity towards Teacher Zhou also diminished significantly.
The students made a fuss for a good fifteen minutes until the students from the other classes were also let out; only then did they stop and each returned to their dorms to clean up. They were looking a bit too disheveled.
Unbeknownst to these ninety-one students, it was precisely because of this lesson that a sense of collective pride had gradually begun to take root in their hearts. The class had been established for only one day, and they still couldn't call each other by name, but to have a collective pride appear was undoubtedly due to Zhou Yi's effective teaching. Coupled with a bit of luck from Huo Yuhao's last performance, Class One of the freshmen was already leading. And Huo Yuhao had become the weakest class president.
Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong went straight back to their room in their metal shirts, as they had to use the bathrooms located on either side of the hallway to clean themselves. Wang Dong let Huo Yuhao go first, while he washed himself with a basin of water in the dormitory.
Huo Yuhao was still immersed in his unique understanding of the Mysterious Heaven Method and didn't think much about it before going to wash up, and the Mysterious Heaven Method had been constantly active inside him. However, he noticed that the warm currents that had been continuously produced were beginning to weaken.
Why? Because my physical strength has recovered? Huo Yuhao was greatly puzzled in his heart, and it was not until he had finished cleaning himself that he vaguely guessed some reasons. It seemed that the warmth only appeared when his soul power was exhausted and his body was extremely tired. Now, with his body mostly recovered through healing, and his soul power slowly regenerating, the warm currents would no longer emerge.
If I had known, I would not have undergone the healing, Huo Yuhao thought somewhat helplessly. In that case, maybe his meridians could have benefited even more.
However, since the teacher left the metal shirts with us, I can try again by myself later. Thinking this, he couldn't help but feel excited again.
"Huo Yuhao." Just then, a calling voice woke him from his excitement.
Huo Yuhao silently cursed himself for forgetting about her and quickly shouted in the hallway, "Teacher Xiao Ya, I'm coming out right away." Then he hurried back to the dormitory, planning to change into a fresh uniform and go out.
Because he was anxious, he didn't think to knock before returning to the dormitory; he just pushed the door open and froze when he entered...
What he saw was a vast expanse of white... back.
Shoulders not broad yet rounded, tracing a gentle curve at the waistline, bulging slightly at the hips, with thighs that were straight and slender, a bit longer in proportion than normal. Nothing was exaggerated due to age. The skin, still with droplets of water on it, seemed translucent and sparkling, the visual impact was simply too strong.
"Ah—," a somewhat shrill cry rang out. Immediately after, the white in front of Huo Yuhao turned into a dazzling blue.
A pair of huge wings suddenly opened, and then he saw the letter V composed of individual golden rings on the wings suddenly light up, turning the treasured blue wings into a blue-purple color. A strong soul power fluctuation burst forth, as if it would devour him.
Fortunately, the wave-like soul power ultimately came to a halt.
"What are you doing? Why didn't you knock?" Wang Dong's voice rose, full of anger. The blue glow receded, and when Huo Yuhao looked again, Wang Dong had already dressed in school uniform, charged over furiously, but in the end did not lay hands on Huo Yuhao. Huo Yuhao had just cleansed his body and was only wearing trousers; his skin was clean and slick. However, compared to the fair skin of Wang Dong, his own bronze color was far less eye-catching…
"I... Someone outside was calling me, and I was in a hurry. Sorry!" Huo Yuhao didn't know why, but his heart was beating particularly hard, and he quickly put on a clean school uniform and ran out of the dormitory.
Wang Dong stood there, dumbfounded, not stopping him until after Huo Yuhao had closed the door and fled. Only then did he come to his senses, his face alternating between red and white, not knowing what to say.
Rushing out of the dormitory, Huo Yuhao's mood calmed down a bit, but the previous blinding whiteness still lingered in his mind, especially the already slightly substantial and perky buttocks…
What am I even thinking about! Huo Yuhao internally despised himself for a moment, hastily shifting his attention to the Mystic Sky Method.
Suddenly, his ear hurt, and Huo Yuhao cried out in pain, "Ouch."
Tang Ya's playful voice sounded, "You actually remembered to come out? I've been waiting for half the day."
Huo Yuhao pleaded pitifully, "Teacher Xiao Ya, please let go first. We just sweated a lot during the physical training class. I went back to the dormitory to take a shower, and then I came out, right?"
Tang Ya let go, frowning slightly as she looked at Huo Yuhao's somewhat pale face, saying, "Has that Abnormal Old Witch Zhou Yi been hard on you guys again? You need to be careful around her, she's always been known for her impartiality. If you offend her, if not dead, you would be skinned. How are you feeling? If you're not feeling well, let's forget it and talk about it tomorrow."
Huo Yuhao hurriedly shook his head, saying, "Teacher Xiao Ya, I am fine. Let's go." Today's physical training made him further realize the need for nutrition, a lot of nutrition. The warmth from the Mysterious Heaven Method inside him had disappeared, but a strong hunger had risen. Without money, what would he use to buy food?
Tang Ya giggled, saying, "Just grilling twenty fish, I've prepared everything for you. It won't take much of your time. It will definitely be less than the time you waste working for the school."
"Teacher Xiao Ya, where should we go to sell?" Huo Yuhao asked.
It was clear that Tang Ya had already thought it through, "Right outside the school entrance! The main gate of our Shrek Academy is also the east gate of Shrek City, and there have always been many vendors outside the east gate, including students from our academy doing business. We'll sell there too. With your grilled fish skills, we won't have to worry about not being able to sell them. Even if they don't sell, we can enjoy them ourselves."
Huo Yuhao followed Tang Ya out of the academy, and upon exiting, he was taken aback. There were no students registering now, and indeed, a large number of merchants had gathered on both sides of the road outside the east gate. There was everything for sale, dazzling to the eyes, and among them, those selling various foods were the most numerous. The cries of the vendors were endless. Obviously, they had all gathered here to do business with the students of Shrek Academy.
Tang Ya seemed to be a bit impatient, setting up her prepared items not far from the city gate, even occupying a bit of the big road. She took out all the things she had prepared.
She really was ready, having specially commissioned a craftsman to make a metal grill, complete with grill racks and various seasonings; the green fish were already killed and cleaned. She quickly took out all these things. And to place these items, she even brought a small table.
Huo Yuhao helped her set up the grill, and couldn't help but laugh in his heart, Teacher Xiao Ya's resistance to good food really is low!
Tang Ya also took out some charcoal and placed it on the ground, saying, "Alright, my task is done. It's all up to you now. I'll go buy something else to eat. Remember, there are two fish in there for me. Selling for five copper coins each is fine. In the future, if you need to buy ingredients, just go to Aunt Lin in your canteen."
After she finished speaking, she'd already run off excitedly.
Huo Yuhao first checked the seasonings, then started preparing the green fish. Tang Ya had really thought of everything, even finding some perilla leaves. Huo Yuhao tore up the perilla and mixed them with other seasonings, then stuffed them into the bellies of the green fish and skewered them with bamboo sticks.
The physical training class that day gave him a lot of insights, and he was eager to return and cultivate, naturally not wanting to waste too much time here.
Starting a fire was even easier for him, and in a short time, the grill was glowing with several red-hot charcoals. The grill was not small, able to hold four fish simultaneously. He started grilling right away.
It must be said that Huo Yuhao was truly exceptional at grilling fish. In no time, the rich aroma had already drifted out. This was even better than any advertising. Not to mention the students coming out from the academy, even the nearby vendors couldn't help but cast curious glances his way.
"Hey, buddy, how much for your grilled fish?" A male student in a yellow uniform came over and asked.
Huo Yuhao replied politely, "Senior, the grilled fish are five copper soul coins each."
The student responded with straightforwardness, "Smells good, let me try one." While saying so, he handed Huo Yuhao five copper soul coins.
This was Huo Yuhao's first successful transaction, and he couldn't help feeling excited. After receiving the coins, he grilled the fish even more seriously, even using the soul power that had just recovered a bit through Spiritual Detection to observe the perfect moment to take the fish off the grill.
With the first interested person, naturally, more people crowded around. However, since Huo Yuhao was appearing there for the first time, no one knew how good the taste was based on the smell alone. Almost all those who gathered around were students who had just finished classes at Shrek Academy.
When Huo Yuhao handed a well-grilled green fish to the yellow-clad student, the others couldn't help but focus their attention on him.