Gu La had once attempted to understand and decipher soul tools using the technology from the Pokémon world.
As expected, he failed.
The principles behind the two technological systems were completely different. The technology of the Pokémon world primarily relied on electricity as its main energy source, supplemented by a few special energy types.
Soul tool technology, however, was built upon the soul power inherent in soul masters, incorporating elements of fantasy theories.
At the heart of soul tools lay the soul arrays, but without the relevant theoretical knowledge, it was nearly impossible for Gu La to crack them on his own.
To put it bluntly, the time required to decipher them exceeded the maximum extent of Gu La's ability to peer into the future—otherwise, he would have already "cheated" his way through.
The allure of time lies in its elusiveness and infinite possibilities.
Unfortunately, Gu La's current abilities were limited, leaving him no choice but to postpone further research for another day.
Returning to the topic at hand, Xu Xiaoyan's arrival did not disrupt Tang San and the others. After their initial curiosity waned, everyone returned to their grueling training regimen.
The morning mist had yet to fully dissipate, and tiny beads of dew glistened like jewels on the blades of grass in the training field behind Shrek Academy.
Gu La reclined in his wheelchair, maintaining a gravity field that applied varying levels of gravitational force to different individuals. Occasionally, he released Grassy Terrain to ensure no one suffered hidden injuries.
From three hundred paces away, the sound of metal clashing echoed from the circular track. Xu Xiaoyan had dropped the dumbbells onto the cobblestone ground for the third time.
Her pale purple training outfit was drenched in sweat, and droplets clung to her hair, falling softly as she bent over to retrieve the equipment, leaving dark spots on the dry earth.
Xu Xiaoyan rubbed her wrist, her delicate face revealing a look of frustration.
This wasn't the academy life she had imagined!
"This is no place for a proper lady!"
She gritted her teeth and kicked a pebble at her feet. Before leaving her sect, she had envisioned a serene campus life under a clear blue sky, completing her sect's missions smoothly, meeting a handsome older boy, and enjoying a sweet romance filled with pink memories.
Instead, here she was, running under the scorching sun with dumbbells, bearing triple gravity. In just three days, her skin had already tanned.
Xu Xiaoyan fretted endlessly, glaring at Gu La with ill intent, imagining herself beating him up. "He may be handsome, but the training plan he devised is pure evil. No wonder he went insane."
Feeling Xu Xiaoyan's intense gaze, Gu La opened his eyes. He glanced up to see her sneaking peeks at him, her slender waist bent under the weight of the gravity like a frail reed.
When she noticed him looking, Xu Xiaoyan quickly ducked her head, appearing even more timid than Xiao Wu.
"Why are you staring at me? Have you gotten used to triple gravity? Next, we'll move on to quadruple gravity."
"Wait!"
Xu Xiaoyan hastily stopped him, knowing full well that she'd collapse in an undignified heap on the ground if he increased the gravity further.
"Can I ask you a question?"
A glimmer of mischief flashed in Xu Xiaoyan's eyes, revealing her mischievous side.
"Ask."
"Hehe…" Xu Xiaoyan leaned closer to Gu La, her soft hands resting on his shoulder as she gently massaged it, her eyes brimming with curiosity for gossip. "I noticed that Xiao Wu and the others seem to like you. Who do you like the most?"
"You're two years older than Xiao Wu. Why do you call her 'Sister'?"
Gu La's focus was elsewhere.
"So what? Xiao Wu and the others look much more mature than me."
Xu Xiaoyan glanced down at her white sneakers, now speckled with grass stains, and huffed, "Don't change the subject! Answer my question!"
Gu La rolled his eyes. "What does this have to do with you? Are you here to study or to gossip?"
"Answer honestly!" Xu Xiaoyan enunciated each word firmly.
"Why choose? A capable person knows to take everything."
Gu La could clearly see the feelings budding in the hearts of the young girls. Not only was his appearance striking in this life—thanks to Groudon's essence enhancing him—but he was practically a divine descendant, his essence aligned with the laws of heaven and earth, ensuring his looks were far from ordinary.
Even after exposing his innate talents and extraordinary character, they became irresistible allurements to those around him.
And he wasn't some saint devoted to monogamy; he possessed all the desires of a man and naturally wouldn't let any of them go.
"Scum!"
Xu Xiaoyan spat softly, wanting to punch Gu La on Xiao Wu's behalf but remembering his injuries. She sneered instead, "You're just like Dai Mubai—not a good person!"
"I'm telling Xiao Wu about this!"
Xu Xiaoyan ran off to spill the beans.
Gu La remained unfazed, continuing his tranquil cultivation.
At the other end of the training field, Xu Xiaoyan shouted dramatically while maintaining an air of propriety, "Sister Xiao Wu! Gu La said he wants to take all of you…"
Gu La watched the girls frolic, the crimson patterns of Groudon glowing faintly in his palm. The red energy surged within him, and the tingling sensation of healing reminded him that it was time to move on to the next step of his plan.
"Twenty visualization methods… The Sea God Island is likely promoting the Sea God's visualization diagram, and the Silver Dragon King will probably enlist ferocious beasts to spread hers."
"My advantage lies in the Spirit Hall Newspaper. It can spread across the continent in a matter of days. The only thing to guard against is the Spirit Hall tampering with the diagrams."
"But since they've allowed the dissemination of Body-Fortifying ointments, which enhance physical strength, they'll likely overlook something as complex and difficult to grasp as these visualization methods."
Gu La made his deductions and summoned paper with his telekinesis.
Eighteen sheets of parchment hovered in mid-air as Gu La multitasked, simultaneously transcribing three visualization diagrams.
These "parchments" were crafted from a sheep-type soul beast, capable of preserving ink and energy traces for a thousand years without damage. Their exceptional quality made them extremely expensive, typically reserved for royal ceremonies—a true luxury item.
Yet Gu La spared no expense. Any visualization diagram not personally transcribed by him would lack the effectiveness of the original.
The completeness of the visualization diagrams directly affected the efficiency of practicing them, so Gu La aimed to create an original template for future replication.
"Let's hope it doesn't disappoint me."
---
While Gu La planned for the future, the girls found themselves lost in worries.
"Take them all? How dare he say such a thing."
One of the girls buried her face in her knees, recalling Xu Xiaoyan's exaggerated imitation of calm determination. Her heart felt heavy with grievance, aching with suppressed emotions.
As dusk deepened, she finally mustered the courage to approach the girls' dormitory. Her skirt swept over the steps, startling a few sleeping fireflies.
"Zhu Zhuqing, you're still awake?"
Ning Rongrong forced a smile, greeting Zhu Zhuqing, who was practicing with fireflies. After having her feelings exposed by Xu Xiaoyan and hearing about Gu La's ambitions, the atmosphere between them grew awkward.
Zhu Zhuqing's claw-like gestures tore through the fireflies, extinguishing their beautiful glow, mirroring the unspoken turmoil in the girls' hearts.
"Mm."
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