Tang San leaned back against the hard wooden chair with a deep sigh, feeling a dull ache pierce through his fingers stiff from constant tension. For over two long months, he had spent hunched over the heated anvil and intricate blueprints, trying to embody in durable metal the complex vision left by Fu Huang's father with jewel-like precision. Nearby, in the aura of a faint greenish glow emanating from numerous glass flasks, Fu Huang intently guided a quill pen across the scribbled pages of a thick tome, carefully recording the results of another experiment. In a quiet corner of the laboratory, Yue, immersed in her own world, cautiously sorted through the worn leather spines of ancient books, occasionally running her fingers over the yellowed pages, as if trying to catch the whisper of long-gone eras. Time itself seemed to have lost its swiftness in this laboratory, which had become their voluntary refuge for long weeks, where each was absorbed in their part of a shared, ambitious task. Two and a half long months had passed since the day Fu Huang first presented the time-yellowed blueprint of the spiritual catcher. During this time, the rest of Shrek Academy seemed to have almost forgotten the existence of its most talented students, entirely engrossed in painstaking, almost maniacal work and an endless series of experiments that had finally reached their culminating moment. And now, assembled from rare materials so painstakingly acquired at a distant auction, and carefully developed alchemical analogs, shimmering with a faint but promising internal light, the spiritual catcher was ready for its first, crucial test.
In the center of the laboratory rose the complex structure of the spiritual catcher, reaching almost three meters in height and about two in diameter. Its sturdy frame was made of interwoven tubes of meteor iron. From the base upwards, thin conductors, tightly woven with glowing crystals from Star Dou Forest, radiated a soft internal light. At the apex, the entire system converged to a central cascade lens, consisting of several skillfully cut crystals set in a metal frame.
"The principle of this device is based on the complex interaction of crystals and metals," Fu Huang began, her tone both scientific and full of anticipation as she gestured towards the intricate structure. "It's not just an amplifier, but rather... an accumulator. Imagine a sponge with microscopic pores that slowly but steadily absorbs moisture from the surrounding air. The spiritual catcher works on a similar principle. Its internal crystal lattice possesses a unique ability to attract and absorb the tiniest particles of spiritual energy scattered in space, which are usually too small and unstable to be effectively utilized by spirit masters."
She pointed to the thin, interwoven tubes of matte meteor iron wrapping around the device's frame.
"These conductors made of meteor iron, possessing high spiritual energy conductivity, guide the collected particles towards the central cascade lens. This lens, consisting of several specially cut and arranged crystals, doesn't just focus the absorbed energy into a narrow beam, like an ordinary lens focuses light. It structures it in a special way, arranging the energy particles into a denser and more ordered field, creating a kind of reservoir of concentrated spiritual energy within a radius of approximately four hundred meters from the device. Within this field, the concentration of spiritual energy will gradually increase due to continuous absorption from the surrounding environment."
Fu Huang walked to a small control panel located at the base of the catcher. Her fingers touched several glowing runes.
"The intensity you see on this panel regulates not the power of any radiation, but the speed and efficiency of the absorption and structuring processes within the device. The higher the set level, the faster the catcher will 'absorb' scattered energy and the denser and more saturated the energy field around it will become."
She carefully turned one of the runic keys, setting it to the first notch on the scale. A soft, barely noticeable bluish light, emanating from the center of the cascade lens, became slightly brighter, as if the device had taken its first breath.
"Now the catcher has begun the process of initial absorption. For us to feel a tangible effect from the increased energy concentration in this area, it will take some time. Imagine slowly, drop by drop, filling a large pool."
Yue, whose ruby eyes were intently focused on the device, frowned slightly, listening to her internal sensations.
"I feel... how very fine, almost invisible threads of energy are drawn towards it from all sides, like tiny streams flowing into a lake. It's barely noticeable, like a gentle breeze, but the process is definitely happening. The air around the device is becoming... denser, somehow, as if it's electrified."
Tang San, carefully observing the changes in the lens's glow and Yue's reaction, nodded, confirming her words.
"This is fully consistent with Fu Huang's theory. The device doesn't generate energy out of nothing but merely collects and concentrates what is already present in the environment. Over time, as energy accumulates, training in this zone should become significantly more effective due to the higher density of spiritual particles."
"Well, my dear spiritual comrades?" Fu Huang shifted her gaze from the shimmering lens of the catcher to Tang San and Yue, her usually calm eyes brimming with genuine excitement mixed with timid hope. "Ready for the first, truly serious test of our invention?"
Seeing their affirmative nods and encouraging glances, Fu Huang nodded decisively to herself.
"Then... it's time to check how this thing will affect our training in real conditions. Moving it here was tiring, but I think it's worth it. Let's move the spiritual catcher to the large training hall. There we will have enough space for more illustrative and large-scale tests."
Moving the rather massive structure of the catcher turned out to be no easy task. Its frame of dense meteor iron had considerable weight, and the fragile glowing crystals entwining it required extreme caution during transport, filled with curiosity and desire to see the fruits of their long work. By combined efforts, carefully carrying the device by hand and meticulously coordinating their actions under the guidance of the composed and responsible Tang San, they finally installed the spiritual catcher in the very center of the academy's spacious training hall. Fu Huang wiped the sweat from her brow with relief and carefully connected the device to a pre-prepared source of magic energy.
"So," she announced solemnly, addressing the rest of our monsters, who were eagerly awaiting the results of the experiment. "Before you is the spiritual catcher. Its main function is to concentrate scattered spiritual energy within a certain radius, creating a more saturated energy environment. Now we will check how effectively this will affect your regular training."
She took a deep breath and cautiously turned the runic key on the control panel, setting it to the second notch of the intensity scale. A soft, but now noticeably brighter bluish light filled the training hall, emanating from the center of the catcher's cascade lens, as if an unusual lamp had been lit in the room.
"Note," Fu Huang added, gesturing towards the glowing device. "According to calculations, the most noticeable effect of increased energy concentration should be apparent within a radius of approximately four hundred meters from the catcher. Given the academy's total area, this is only a relatively small, but potentially extremely valuable area for conducting the most intense training and meditations."
Dai Mubai was the first to volunteer to test the device's effect on himself. He stepped a few paces away from the catcher and began performing some basic exercises for concentrating his spiritual power, which he usually used at the beginning of every training session.
"Strange..." he said thoughtfully after a while, furrowing his thick eyebrows. "Usually, it takes me much more time and effort to enter a state of deep mental concentration and feel my spiritual power start circulating faster. Now it's happening surprisingly quickly and easily, as if some invisible force is helping me from outside, pushing my energy."
Two long weeks had passed since the spiritual catcher was installed in the center of the training hall. The device worked tirelessly, emitting a barely audible, soothing hum and filling the space around it with a soft, diffused bluish glow. During this time, Shrek Academy's students not only got used to its constant presence, which had become an integral part of the training process, but also began to feel its increasingly noticeable influence on the most important aspect of their development – the speed of spiritual cultivation.
Dai Mubai, discipline-bound to his daily morning meditation, noted with growing surprise that the state of deep inner concentration, which previously required significant effort and time from him, was now achieved much faster and with less energy expenditure. The flow of spiritual energy he absorbed from the surrounding space seemed more saturated, dense, and crystal clear, as if he were near a powerful natural source of power. Zhu Zhuqing, who usually felt strong fatigue after exhausting training sessions, found with satisfaction that her depleted spiritual power recovered noticeably faster, and her mental clarity returned much more easily, allowing her to return to new training sessions sooner. Even Oscar, whose spiritual power directly depended on the clarity of his mind and the sharpness of his imagination, felt that his mental concentration had become unusually sharp, which directly and positively affected the speed and quality of creating his peculiar mushrooms.
Soon, the striking accelerated progress in the students' cultivation became evident not only to themselves but also to the attentive academy masters. Flender, who often observed their morning and evening meditations, rubbed his hands with satisfaction, his face spreading into a pleased smile.
"Incredible! Their spiritual power is growing at simply astonishing rates! What have you done there, Fu Huang? This... catcher of yours is a real treasure, a priceless find for our academy! By all accounts, the speed of their spiritual development has increased, I think, by sixty, maybe even eighty percent! This is simply a huge leap forward!"
Fu Huang, quietly observing the meditating students alongside the focused Tang San and sensitive Yue, exchanged a tired but satisfied smile with them.
"It seems our efforts were not in vain, and we really found that coveted key to significantly accelerating their spiritual progress," she said quietly, feeling a pleasant fatigue from the successfully completed work. "Concentrated spiritual energy makes the process of absorption and assimilation itself much more effective."
Tang San, carefully analyzing the invisible energy flows surrounding the meditating students, nodded, confirming her words.
"The ordered energy field created by the catcher acts as a kind of catalyst, creating a more favorable and stable environment for their spiritual assimilation. They absorb a much larger volume of pure, structured energy in significantly less time."
Yue, whose natural perception of spiritual energy was particularly keen, added, closing her eyes and listening to her sensations:
"This zone around the catcher has become like a miniature, artificially created analogue of those rare places on the continent where nature itself favors spirit masters, creating an abnormally high concentration of natural spiritual energy. And now such a source of power is right here, in our academy."
In the evening, after the general meditation ended, all the main students of the academy, feeling a surge of strength and enthusiasm from the first noticeable results of the spiritual catcher's work, gathered together with the tired but satisfied Fu Huang, Tang San, and Yue to share their personal impressions and observations.
"My spiritual power..." Oscar theatrically waved his hands, his face spreading into a wide smile, and his eyes shone with genuine delight, "is like a hungry, wild beast that after long wanderings has finally stumbled upon an abundant, inexhaustible source of nourishment! I literally feel that my next spirit master rank is much closer than ever before! Just a little more training like this, and I'm sure I can overcome this barrier!"
"And me," quietly added the usually reserved Zhu Zhuqing, but there was an unusual note of excitement and surprise in her voice. "It takes me significantly less time to fully recover my depleted spiritual power after the most exhausting training sessions. Before, I felt like a squeezed lemon for a whole day, and now after just a few hours, I'm full of energy again and ready for new classes. This allows me to train much longer and with greater intensity, without fearing rapid exhaustion."
The powerful Dai Mubai, the group's leader and owner of impressive spiritual power, nodded in agreement, supporting his comrades' words.
"This is truly a revolutionary invention, Fu Huang," he said seriously, looking at the girl with respect. "What you've created can fundamentally change our training process. Now we can reach new, previously unseen heights of mastery much faster than we could have imagined just a few weeks ago. This opens up completely new horizons for us."
In the evening, after all the students had dispersed to their rooms, carrying with them a pleasant feeling of progress and enthusiasm from the unfolding prospects, Fu Huang and Tang San presented Director Flender with a detailed report on the operation of the spiritual catcher and the first impressive results in significantly accelerating the students' spiritual cultivation. The Director, after carefully listening to their report and studying the presented data, was beside himself with joy.
"This is simply fantastic!" he exclaimed, rubbing his hands with satisfaction and pacing his office. "The rate of our students' progress has increased by sixty to eighty percent! This is incredible! This gives Shrek Academy a huge, undeniable advantage over all other educational institutions! What are your thoughts regarding the further use of this priceless invention? How can we maximize its potential effectively?"
Fu Huang thoughtfully looked at the barely audible humming catcher, which was still radiating a soft bluish light in the adjacent laboratory, filling it with a sense of quiet but powerful energy. The first, most difficult step had been taken. Their joint invention didn't just work – it proved its effectiveness, albeit so far in the limited space of the training hall. Ahead lay much more painstaking work: thorough study of the long-term effects of concentrated spiritual energy on the development of spirit masters, searching for optimal settings, and, of course, tireless attempts to improve the catcher's design, perhaps even creating new, more powerful and effective versions capable of covering the entire academy's territory. But even now, on this quiet evening, one thing was clear: Shrek Academy had acquired a priceless tool capable of elevating the training of young spirit masters to a completely new, previously unseen level. And this was just the promising beginning of their great journey, full of new discoveries and achievements.