Chapter 27: Realm Within
Dragging the shadow leopard's body to a secluded corner of the forest, hidden by thick vegetation, Ye Wen scattered scent masking powder to avoid drawing attention and sat down to begin absorbing the soul ring. That familiar pulling sensation surged through him again, but this time it felt surprisingly easy almost effortless, as if his body had long surpassed the pressure this ring could exert. Like the simple physics of a siphon effect, his physical strength easily accommodated the soul ring.
He knew his body could have absorbed a 10,000 year soul ring by now, allowing him a rare yellow purple purple black configuration. However, he was wary of any impact on his soul. While the World Consciousness had fortified his being, tampering too aggressively with his spirit could be disastrous. Without Snow Empress by his side or guidance from a master in spiritual training, he decided to err on the side of caution. After all, one wrong step could turn him into a simpleton an outcome he'd rather avoid.
Unlike Tang San, who boldly risked his spirit on a 10,000 year fourth ring and needed the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to assist him, Ye Wen had no such resources. Safety was paramount; after all, on the path of cultivation, self preservation came before advancement.
As his body absorbed the ring's energy, Ye Wen felt his strength doubling once more, giving him a sensation of boundless power. "With this soul ring's boost, my strength has increased to around 21,000 jin." Taking stock, he summoned his Naboo martial soul.
Yellow, purple, purple, and purple four dazzling rings revolved around him, and Naboo's space had expanded dramatically to 50 cubic meters. However, when Ye Wen opened his eyes, he noticed something unexpected: a silver patterned cloak draped over his right shoulder and back, bearing a mysterious design.
"A true form armor?" Ye Wen muttered, surprised.
Previously, none of his soul rings had manifested this "true armor." He had assumed that he might be like support type soul masters such as Ning Rongrong or Oscar, whose martial souls didn't visibly manifest such armors early on. Apparently, it was Naboo's unique nature that delayed this feature. Ye Wen had envied Ah Yin's blue gold arm guard, and now, finally, he had his own manifestation.
Ye Wen consciously willed the armor away and felt the difference; while it conserved his soul power, the armor also limited his martial soul's responsiveness. He recalled that true armor not only bolstered a soul master's strength but also increased their soul power expenditure, functioning as a kind of strength boosting buff.
With the novelty fading, Ye Wen focused on examining the new ability embedded in his fourth ring.
"Fourth Soul Skill: Realm Within."
The ability allowed him to enter a shadow like state for three seconds, with an additional second gained for every ten levels. Each use cost about 10% of his soul power, but the technique could also be transferred to a comrade, wrapping them in his "shadow cloth" to achieve the same effect.
Ye Wen was thrilled. This skill was like Xiao Wu's coveted Invincible Golden Body, but instead of absorbing attacks, he could enter a shadow state that allowed him to phase out temporarily. The ability to share it with allies was a tremendous bonus.
After stowing the shadow leopard's body into his Naboo space, Ye Wen marveled at his good fortune. Soul beasts' bodies were valuable, and whether it was hide, blood, or bones, everything could be repurposed. Without Naboo's storage, most soul masters had to discard valuable parts, as storage tools were rare and expensive.
With an intact, nearly 10,000 year old shadow leopard, he estimated he could make at least 1,000 gold soul coins from selling it. The original Shrek Academy's poverty made even less sense now; as two Soul Sages, Flender and Zhao Wuji should have been able to secure plenty of valuable resources without resorting to extorting a mere ten gold coins from students. After all, they were far from harmless or inexperienced, and neither had a spotless reputation.
After securing the leopard's remains, Ye Wen headed back to his birthplace. Watching the villagers laboring in the fields for the harvest, he felt both a sense of peace and a swell of determination. He was ready to face the future, not as a savior but as a protector.
"I'm not the savior of the world, but I have things I wish to protect. If the gods seek to disrupt that, then I will fight even if they are gods themselves."
With these thoughts, Ye Wen took the next step in his plans. Over the following months, he purchased a small mountain near Saint Soul Village. Since it wasn't arable land and had no special resources, the officials in Nuoding sold it to him without much hassle for 1,000 gold soul coins.
Soon, he hired construction teams to build walls, classrooms, a dining hall, and other school facilities. With even the workers benefiting from the enhancement their martial souls provided, the job was finished in less than six months. What now stood before him was a pristine new academy, with white walls gleaming under the sun.
At the academy's center, a massive yellow stone bore four large characters:
Tianxing Junior Academy
Below, in smaller font, was the academy's motto:
"Observe the way of heaven, and follow its path."
A grand and imposing spirit seemed to radiate from the place.
"Master, what does 'Observe the way of heaven, and follow its path' mean?" a young boy, a head shorter than Ye Wen, asked respectfully.
(End of Chapter)