That evening, while I reviewed the basics of Soul Tool Development in my room, word reached me that Teacher Zhou Yi had taken Huo Yuhao to the Soul Tool Department for his formal introduction. Apparently, after a stern lecture, she'd given him an ultimatum: improve his cultivation by the time of the tournament or face expulsion. Alongside that, he'd been recommended to become a disciple of Teacher Fan Yu, one of the highest-ranking Soul Engineers in Shrek Academy.
Fan Yu wasn't just any mentor. He was a cornerstone of the Soul Tool Department—one of the key minds behind its advancement, working tirelessly to keep Shrek's soul tool technology on par with the rapid developments of the Sun and Moon Kingdom. Rumors whispered that the Sun and Moon Kingdom wasn't just innovating—they were actively sowing chaos across the continent, and secretly backing Evil Soul Masters. Against such threats, Shrek needed visionaries like Fan Yu. And now, perhaps, Yuhao would become one of them.
Later that evening, under the soft glow of twilight, Tang Ya led Yuhao down the bustling food street just off the Outer Academy plaza. There, stationed at the center, was something new—a sleek food cart bearing the Tang Sect emblem carved into its side in brilliant gold. Behind it was a cooking setup powered by basic soul arrays for flame and heat control. It had been built for one purpose: to give Yuhao a means to earn money for himself and for the Tang Sect.
He looked stunned. "This is... for me?"
Tang Ya winked. "Think of it as your first business venture. Tang Sect style. You cook. We eat. You make money. Everybody wins."
We all began setting up: lanterns, foldable benches, and enchanted warming trays for the food. By the time we finished, the air was filled with the delicious scent of grilled fish and stir-fried soul beast greens.
Yuhao, nervous at first, quickly found his rhythm behind the stove. As the first few passersby tried his cooking and spread the word, more students began to gather. Soon, a line had formed—Outer Court disciples, teachers, even some from the Soul Tool Department.
As the street lights glowed and the air filled with laughter, the rest of us arrived to support him: Tang Ya, Wu Feng, Jiang Nannan, Ning Tian, Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, and even Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao, who were introduced to the group by Yuhao as his new friends and classmates from Class One.
We gathered around a large table, each of us with a warm bowl or plate, devouring Yuhao's grilled spirit fish and stir-fried vegetables.
"This is incredible," Xu Sanshi said, mouth full. "If this is the Tang Sect's food standard, I might just sign up for the meal plan."
"How did you cook this so fast?" Ning Tian asked, clearly impressed.
Yuhao blushed but smiled. "It's nothing really... just something I used to do to help my mom."
Tang Ya clapped her hands and stood.
"Then it's settled," she announced, looking around the table. "Now that everyone's here, I'd like to make it official. We are reviving the Tang Sect—and I want each of you to join."
Everyone paused.
Wu Feng spoke first, crossing her arms but nodding. "If Xiao Tian's in, I'm in."
"You'll need healers and support," Ning Tian said, lifting her chin. "I accept."
Bei Bei placed a hand on Tang Ya's shoulder. "If the Tang Sect rises again, I'll be proud to be part of it."
Xu Sanshi raised his bowl like a toast. "Long live grilled fish—and the Tang Sect. I'm in."
Wang Dong didn't hesitate. Her eyes gleamed for a split second before she rolled them. "Tch. Fine. But don't expect me to wear some weird sect uniform."
In truth, there was a deeper reason for her decision. As the secret heir of the Radiant Butterfly Goddess bloodline and descendant of the Tang Clan itself, her connection to the Tang Sect ran deeper than anyone realized. The founder of the Tang Sect was once her clan's ancestral leader, and to join this rebirth was to honor her lineage.
Xiao Xiao raised her hand. "Can I bring my panda?"
Laughter erupted around the table.
Even Elder Xuan, seated afar with a jug of wine in hand, raised a brow and smirked.
Just like that, the Tang Sect had grown. What had started as a memory and dream was now becoming real—a team, a family, united by food, fire, and friendship.
Huo Yuhao looked up from his cooking station, eyes glimmering with pride and surprise. For the first time since arriving at Shrek Academy, he wasn't just surviving.
He belonged.
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Let's take a moment to introduce the group gathering around the table that night—those who would become the next generation of the Tang Sect.
🌊 Tang Ya – Age 12, Rank 32 (Just Obtained 3rd Ring)
Martial Spirit: Blue Silver Emperor - Plant Spirit
Soul Rings:
800-year Silver Vine Serpent – Binding Vines: Her vines become elastic and durable, capable of wrapping around enemies or objects, binding them tightly while slightly boosting her physical defense.
2,000-year Spirit Devouring Flower – Energy Absorption & Parasite: Vines attach to targets and siphon small amounts of soul power over time. With continued contact, she can temporarily weaken her opponent's strength and bolster her own.
6,500-year Snake-Spider Hybrid – Blue Silver Cage: Creates a dome-shaped trap of thick, barbed vines that lash out at intruders. Enhanced with razor-like edges and venom-neutralizing toxins, the vines act as both capture and punishment.
External Spirit Bone: Eight retractable spider legs (non-poisonous, strength-type) – These metallic limbs erupt from her back like dark silver spears, granting her explosive movement and climbing capabilities. They can block incoming attacks like shields, dig into surfaces for rapid repositioning, or act as extensions for offense when empowered with soul energy.
Background: Daughter of the fallen Tang Sect's last generation, raised alongside Xiao Tian and one of the three founders of the new Tang Sect.
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🐇 Jiang Nannan – Age 12, Rank 33 (Soul Venerable)
Martial Spirit: Vigorous Vajra Rabbit - Beast Spirit
Soul Rings:
900-year Ironhide Rabbit – Invincible Body: Drastically boosts her defensive capabilities and speed. Grants short bursts of invulnerability to physical attacks when activated.
2,100-year Earth Dragon Bear – Vajra Fist: Channels brute force into her limbs, allowing her to unleash explosive punches and powerful short-range shockwaves.
6,800-year Thunderclap Leopard – Thunderstep Blink: Grants her instantaneous movement in short-range combat. Activating it leaves behind a streak of electric afterimages and boosts her reaction speed for a few seconds.
Role: High-speed, close-combat burst fighter who overwhelms opponents with swift, heavy-hitting strikes.
Relationships: Lover of Xiao Tian. A pillar of offense in the team, known for her unwavering resolve and explosive strength.
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⚔️ Xiao Tian – Age 12, Rank 30
Martial Spirits:
Seven Kill Sword (Hidden) - Weapon Spirit
Clear Sky Hammer (Hidden) - Weapon Spirit
Heaven's Gate: A living subspace where soul beasts grow and evolve - Special Spirit
Soul Rings:
7,000-year Crystal Armored Beast – Crystal Dominion: Grants control over crystalline structures formed from condensed spiritual essence. Xiao Tian can form shields, spikes, platforms, or armor using high-density crystal. These constructs can either protect allies or impale enemies with precision. When paired with soul power infusion, they reflect elemental attacks.
10,000-year Shadow Dragon – Void Armament Manifestation:
Dark Attribute: Xiao Tian can telekinetically forge and control dark-element weapons from pure shadow essence—blades, spears, and arrows—that fly with deadly precision. Grants enhanced perception in darkness and allows him to strike from blind angles. The darkness aura also weakens the enemy's vision and spiritual resistance. With the Shadow Dragon spirit ring now reaching the 10,000-year level, Xiao Tian gains advanced control over the dark attribute itself—manipulating shadows freely, concealing his presence, and suppressing enemy soul power with the ambient aura of darkness.
Void Travel: He can slip through shadows with ease, vanishing from one location and reappearing behind or around his opponent. This technique allows near-instantaneous repositioning through shadow paths and consumes only minimal soul power.
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🧨 Wu Feng – Age 12, Rank 28
Martial Spirit: Red Dragon -Beast Spirit
Soul Rings:
1,400-year Inferno Scorpion Drake – Blazing Scale Armor: Covers her in hardened dragon scales that resist fire and enhance her strength. Her physical attacks become imbued with fire, igniting foes on contact.
7,000-year Firemane Berserk Lion – Raging Flame Roar: Releases a burst of explosive fire, knocking enemies back, burning obstacles, and temporarily boosting her speed and power.
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🌸 Ning Tian – Age 14, Rank 34
Martial Spirit: Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda – Support-Type Tool Spirit
The Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda is one of the strongest support martial spirits in the world. While it cannot attack directly, it excels at boosting allies and enhancing team performance across all fronts.
Soul Rings:
800-year Gentle Light Deer – Serene Bloom: Emits a soft radiance that envelops the injured, soothing both physical and spiritual strain.Heals minor injuries in the blink of an eye and major injuries slowly over time and restores soul power over time. Its effect improves with the user's soul power and control.
2,500-year Wind Jade Butterfly – Windlight Grace: Summons a faint breeze infused with glowing light, enhancing agility and spirit circulation. Increases movement speed and soul power recovery rate of the selected allies and herself.
6,800-year Light Essence Lotus – Triple Blessing Pulse: Emits a radiant pulse from the pagoda that resonates with the aura of allies, empowering them with sacred clarity and balance. Temporarily boosts the strength, defense, and agility of all nearby allies by 30 percent and will increase with the user's soul power and control.
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⚡ Bei Bei – Age 14+, Rank 38+
Martial Spirit: Blue Lightning Holy Dragon - Beast Spirit
Soul Rings:
1,500-year Stormclaw Electric Python – Thunderclap Talon: Claws charged with lightning deliver a powerful shock and paralyze targets.
4,400-year Skyhowl Tempest Drake – Lightning Surge Barrage: A barrage of lightning bolts arcs between multiple enemies, stunning them.
9,100-year Seraphic Thunder Dragon – Sky-Piercing Judgement: Bei Bei manifests a divine spear forged from condensed golden lightning. Upon hurling the spear at his target, it pierces through defenses and explodes in a burst of divine energy. Instantly afterward, a column of radiant thunder descends from the heavens at the point of impact, dealing massive damage, purging evil-aligned energy, and creating a temporary sanctified zone that boosts allies' defenses and weakens corrupted enemies within its radius.
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🐢 Xu Sanshi – Age 14+, Rank 37+
Martial Spirit: Xuanwu Turtle - Beast Spirit
Soul Rings:
1,200-year Steel-Shell Turtle – Mystic Deep Quake: Creates a giant shield with adjustable size. Emits black light that stuns and knocks back enemies, pulling them in to be battered.
3,700-year Earth Current Snake – Mystic Deep Gravity Shield: Forms a gravitational field that slows enemies and suppresses flight abilities.
8,300-year Water Armor Beast – Mystic Deep Power Shell: In Xuanwu form, enhances his physical attributes by 100% and generates a water-element domain that suppresses enemies and protects allies.
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🌈 Wang Dong – Age 12, Rank 28+
Martial Spirit: Bright Goddess Butterfly – Beast Spirit
Effects:
Manifests four ethereal blue butterfly wings laced with golden patterns. Grants aerial mobility and enhanced flight speed when channeling spirit power through the golden veins.
Soul Rings:
600+ Years 1st Spirit Ring – Guillotine Wings (Blade of Asura): Turns her front wings into bladed extensions that shine with golden-blue energy. These wing-blades can slice through armor, soul tools, and defenses, leaving radiant scars and destruction in their path.
1,000+ Years 2nd Spirit Ring – Light of the Butterfly Goddess: Launches a bombardment of golden light from her wings. Can be shaped into focused orbs or scattered as radiant beams. Ideal for wide-area suppression, distraction, or hindering opponent movement.
Background: A proud and mysterious genius who becomes Yuhao's roommate. Unknown to others, she is actually a girl dressed as a boy and carries a hidden lineage and ties to the Tang Clan's legacy.
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🐼 Xiao Xiao – Age 12, Rank 27Martial Spirits:
Three Lives Soul Sealing Cauldron – Weapon Spirit
Nine Phoenix Dancing Flute – Tool Spirit
Three Lives Soul Sealing Cauldron: A floating, three-legged artifact cauldron that can either merge into one for defense or split into three for versatile offense.
Unified Form: Superior defense and soul shock resistance.
Split Form: Increased attack power, multi-directional control.
Soul Rings:
500+ years Soundwave Turtle – Cauldron's Quake: Unleashes a thunderous boom that stuns enemies within a 1-meter radius around the cauldron.
2,600+ years Iron-Back Rolling Bull – Cauldron Sweep: Charges the cauldron forward like a spinning hammer, dealing powerful knockback and disruption.
Nine Phoenix Dancing Flute: A golden-blue flute that channels spiritual melodies to control the battlefield.
Soul Rings:
750+ years Mistwing Siren Swallow – Slow: Emits a melodic tone that reduces enemy movement speed by 20%, hindering agility-based opponents and setting them up for follow-ups.
Background: A calm and supportive member of the team, Xiao Xiao embodies balance between offense and control. She's clever in battle, kind in spirit, and adored for her gentle demeanor and unwavering dedication.
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🧊 Huo Yuhao – Age 11, Rank 14 (Late Soul Master)
Martial Spirit: Spirit Eyes - Body Spirit
Soul Ring:
1,000,000-year Sky Dream Ice Worm (Disguised as a 10-year White Ring)
Spiritual Detection (Mental Detection/Spirit Spy): Grants 360-degree vision, perception of soul power, motion vectors, and mental states. Allows Yuhao to perceive everything in a 30-meter range (scales with cultivation). Includes telescopic focus, mental probing, and precise environmental analysis. Nearly undetectable unless the enemy's spiritual power exceeds his own.
Spiritual Sharing (Mental Distribution): Allows Yuhao to share his spiritual perception and thoughts with teammates. Originally usable on up to 3 allies, it increases as his cultivation grows.
Spiritual Shock (Soul Assault): A spiritual pulse that stuns enemies and interrupts soul skills. Risky if the opponent's spiritual power is stronger.
Spiritual Interference (Mental Disturbance): Distorts enemy focus and balance. Causes momentary disorientation and disrupts concentration without any backlash.
Background: Recruited by Tang Ya and Xiao Tian. A humble but exceptional soul master with immense potential. Yuhao's Spirit Eyes and his contract with the Sky Dream Ice Worm mark him as a future legend of spiritual mastery.
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