The warm water cascaded over Wu Tong's body, sluicing away the grime of travel. Stepping out, he donned the academy's new uniform—navy blue
The warm water cascaded over Wu Tong's body, sluicing away the grime of travel.
Stepping out, he donned the academy's new uniform—navy blue fabric, smooth under his fingers, carrying a hint of lavender. The color pleased him; in Yanhuang culture, it symbolized depth and wisdom, virtues he now needed more than ever.
Dressed, Wu Tong cut a striking figure in the dusk light, the uniform's crisp lines giving him an air of quiet dignity.
Instead of returning to the dormitory, he headed straight for the library.
Crossing the threshold was like stepping into another world.
Silence enveloped him, thick as velvet. The cacophony of campus life faded, replaced only by the occasional rustle of pages or the soft creak of a chair.
Sunlight slanted through high windows, painting dappled gold across the shelves. Row upon row of books stood at attention, their spines whispering promises of forbidden knowledge.
Near closing time, the space felt expansive, almost sacred. A handful of students sat absorbed in their reading—bent spines, furrowed brows—while the scent of aged paper and polished oak hung in the air.
Wu Tong moved to the soul beast section, plucked a volume at random, and settled into a corner.
"Soul Beast Atlas: Soul Hunting Forest Edition."
He flipped it open. Time was a currency he couldn't waste.
These past three days, Wu Tong had sketched the blueprint for his martial soul's evolution.
The "heaven-defying comprehension" talent from Earth's novels was his holy grail. Now, he needed to reverse-engineer it—with only nine soul rings to spare.
Every choice mattered. Especially the first ring.
He recalled Tang San's Blue Silver Grass, how it gained mandrake snake's toughness after absorption. A small mutation, but pivotal.
My first ring must grant absolute memory—to hoard knowledge without wasting years gathering scraps.
His enhanced mind devoured the text, cross-referencing entries at dizzying speed:
Dream Butterfly: Induces dreams. Useless. (But noted for future study.)
Nine-leaf Star Luo: Boosts mental power. Edible. (Too passive.)
Moon-mang Bitter Bamboo: Soul power enhancer. (Irrelevant.)
Brain Devouring Ape: ...No. (Disturbing name aside, wrong traits.)
Page after page, hope dwindled.
One week later.
A strangled cry shattered the library's tranquility.
Wu Tong trembled, clutching a tome to his chest like a lifeline.
There, in smudged ink:
"Heart-Eye Golden Fox."
Type: Fox soul beast (golden-blooded)
Traits: Military strategist of soul beasts. Peerless intellect. Long-term memory so precise it plots revenge across decades.
Recorded Case: A thousand-year fox, once wounded by a soul master, returned years later as a ten-thousand-year beast to ambush its attacker mid-hunt. Only intervention spared the human's life.
Wu Tong's vision blurred.
This. This was the key.
A week of sleepless nights, of dead ends—and now, vindication. The fox's vengeful memory mirrored the perfect recall he craved.
He wiped his eyes, smearing dust and exhaustion.
The hunt could begin.
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