Recalling Xu Yu's identity, Ling Xiao felt a surge of excitement.
He hadn't expected that upon arriving at Spirit Hall, he would successively encounter Bibi Dong, Hu Liena, and the others—and now, even a Support System soul master like Xu Yu. Come to think of it, based on what he knew from his past life, he wasn't sure what Xu Yu's eventual fate was.
After all, Spirit Hall lost many people in that final war. Moreover, Tang San was fond of using his strength to assassinate innocent people within the Spirit Hall Branches; surely Xu Yu wouldn't be that unlucky.
"What is it?" Xu Yu asked, feeling a bit confused.
Ever since Ling Xiao saw his Martial Soul, his gaze had become somewhat strange. Was it possible he thought the Martial Soul was too good?
"It's nothing, nothing," Ling Xiao brushed it off with a laugh, giving a casual explanation.
This was something he couldn't explain.
After chatting for a long time, Xu Yu grew more familiar with Ling Xiao, and the feeling of friendship deepened. He asked in turn, "Ling Xiao, what is your Martial Soul?"
"Mn, my Martial Soul is the Profound Sky Axe. Look." Ling Xiao released his Martial Soul for Xu Yu to see, though he didn't manifest his soul ring.
Showing it off felt a bit like flaunting his cultivation and talent, so he decided against it.
"As for soul power... well, it's about the same as yours. Roughly the same."
Xu Yu nodded.
Sensing that Ling Xiao didn't want to go into detail, he didn't press further. Since there was still some time before dinner and he had just arrived at Spirit Hall today after an exhausting journey, he climbed onto his bed, intending to take a good nap to rest.
Right then, a knock sounded at the door. Ling Xiao was surprised.
"Someone else is coming? That's strange."
Opening the door, he found Wang Ying, the vice-captain of the Judgment Team who had accompanied him to hunt for his first soul ring.
Wang Ying had changed into a clean, crimson robe and looked quite sturdy and dignified. He was carrying a food container. Ling Xiao's nose twitched; he caught a scent so incredibly fragrant that it instantly whetted his appetite.
"Captain Wang, what brings you here? And this is...?" Ling Xiao asked in surprise, though his eyes couldn't help but stray toward the container as a guess formed in his mind.
"Hehe, Ling Xiao, you're in luck. This is stewed bear palm made from that Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear. Elder Chrysanthemum said that while the body of the beast belongs to the Judgment Hall, you deserve a share."
"This portion is yours. Given its lineage, its effectiveness in strengthening the physical body and increasing soul power is something no ordinary Hundred Year Soul Beast can compare to."
Wang Ying spoke with a booming voice as he handed the container to Ling Xiao.
When his guess was confirmed, Ling Xiao felt a touch of emotion. He hadn't expected that in addition to the Dark Gold Terror Claw Bear's soul ring, he would receive a portion of its palm.
A bear palm!
Forget this life—he hadn't even eaten such a thing in his previous life, let alone a soul beast version. Swallowing his saliva, Ling Xiao cupped his fists and smiled.
"Many thanks, Captain Wang. Please thank Elder Chrysanthemum for me as well. Would you like to stay and have some?"
"Haha, you're a good kid. But no thanks. If I stayed, you probably wouldn't get more than a few bites. Besides, with my cultivation, this stuff isn't of much use to me other than satisfying a craving. I have to head back. Kid, cultivate hard."
"In the future, I believe there will surely be a place for you in the Judgment Hall."
Wang Ying spoke heroically before turning to leave.
With this mission completed, he expected to rest for a few days and planned to go home to spend time with his wife and child.
Looking at the heavy container in his hands, Ling Xiao couldn't resist opening it. Inside, a massive bear palm had been stewed until it was visibly tender and gelatinous, surrounded by a ring of vegetables he didn't recognize.
The aroma and appearance made his mouth water.
However, looking at the sheer size of the palm, Ling Xiao gave a wry smile.
"The smell is amazing, but this portion is way too big. I can't finish this alone; it's more suited for two people."
Thinking of someone to share it with, Hu Liena immediately came to mind.
After all, at Spirit Hall Academy, she was the person he had interacted with the most. She was the perfect candidate. But then, Ling Xiao realized something. He had no idea how to find Hu Liena.
He hadn't asked where she lived or which class she was in.
"I didn't ask her anything! No wonder she was angry when she left," Ling Xiao shook his head with a bitter smile.
He decided not to dwell on it—things would work themselves out. For now, since Hu Liena wasn't an option, his roommate Xu Yu was a great choice. Xu Yu had just arrived, and it was almost dinner time. The two of them finishing this bear palm together would be perfect.
Ling Xiao turned back into the room and smiled.
"Xu Yu, look! Tonight, the two of us will eat this!"
Xu Yu tried to decline at first.
From what he had just gathered, Ling Xiao seemed different from him—someone was actually delivering Soul Beast meat to him.
Placing the container on the table, Ling Xiao pulled Xu Yu up.
"I said we can, so we can. I can't finish this alone anyway, and I'm not the type of person who likes to eat alone."
He practically pushed Xu Yu out of the room. Carrying the container, the two headed for the cafeteria. Ling Xiao had noticed during lunch that students were allowed to bring their own food inside.
In the blink of an eye, three days passed.
Ling Xiao opened his eyes and ended his meditation.
For these past three days, except for going out to eat, he had stayed in the dormitory. Most of his time was spent in meditative cultivation. It was worth mentioning that although Xu Yu had an Innate Soul Power of Rank 8, he wasn't like Ling Xiao.
The deacon who brought his group to Spirit Hall hadn't taught them how to meditate because there were simply too many of them. This allowed Ling Xiao to play the role of a teacher for a bit, instructing Xu Yu on how to meditate and cultivate.
Once he learned, Xu Yu's drive for cultivation was even higher than Ling Xiao's. While Ling Xiao spent almost all his available time cultivating, his mindset remained peaceful and calm.
Xu Yu, however, was fighting for every second.
In his words, the difficulty for a Support System soul master to cultivate was higher than that of a Battle Soul Master, and their progress was slower, so he had to work even harder.
Glancing at Xu Yu's bed, Ling Xiao saw that he was indeed still immersed in cultivation. Ling Xiao smiled; he didn't feel his own progress was slow. In his understanding, the path of cultivation should involve a balance of work and rest while maintaining a peaceful state of mind.
Being too obsessed with speed and time would actually be counterproductive.
Moreover, during these few days of cultivation, he could feel a sense of smoothness; his cultivation was progressing visibly. To avoid disturbing Xu Yu, Ling Xiao stood up carefully and left the dormitory, intending to take a walk outside.
Stepping outside, as evening approached, the sky had begun to darken.
There weren't many people walking about. Ling Xiao wandered aimlessly.
Considering that classes started tomorrow—specifically Martial Soul related courses—he subconsciously walked toward the teaching buildings. After walking for a while and passing an artificial lake, Ling Xiao suddenly heard a sigh.
He looked toward the source of the sound and saw an elderly man in white standing by the lakeside. His large sleeves fluttered in the breeze, giving him an otherworldly, transcendent appearance.
"Huh?" Ling Xiao couldn't help but feel curious.
He stopped to observe the old man.
The elder gave him a very special feeling; his aged appearance and attire perfectly matched the image of a hidden master from his memories. However, there was a sense of mourning and desolation around the man, making him appear somewhat late in his years.