Lin Xia nodded, fairly satisfied with her determination.
"One last thing, and the most important one."
"I'm taking you with me not so that you can become my subordinate or a burden."
"I want you to grow stronger, strong enough to take control of your own destiny, and perhaps, strong enough to change the things you wish to change. The process will be long and painful. Are you prepared for that?"
Zhu Zhuqing raised her head and looked directly into Lin Xia's eyes. Word by word, she answered clearly:
"I'm ready, Brother Lin Xia. I'll work hard and become stronger than everyone else!"
Looking at the fire burning in the young girl's eyes, Lin Xia seemed to see once again the small figure by the window of the cold Western Courtyard, stubbornly cultivating beneath the moonlight.
Perhaps that unyielding will was her greatest treasure.
"Good."
A trace of approval finally appeared on Lin Xia's face.
"Then we'll start from the very basics."
The following half-month of travel became the most important and fulfilling introductory lesson of Zhu Zhuqing's life.
Lin Xia did not rush to teach her profound Soul Skills or advanced cultivation techniques.
He understood the importance of fundamentals, especially for someone like Zhu Zhuqing, who had lacked systematic and healthy guidance since childhood.
First, he systematically organized the foundational knowledge of the Soul Master world for her.
He explained in detail that Soul Power was not created from nothing, but originated from the fusion of one's life essence and the energy of heaven and earth.
He introduced the common elemental attributes and how they complemented and countered one another. In particular, he emphasized the "shadow" and "agility" characteristics inherent in the Hell Civet Martial Soul, guiding her to think about how she could better harmonize with her own abilities.
As for Soul Ring theory, he explained everything from Soul Beast age, species, and characteristics to the limits of Soul Ring absorption, the importance of compatibility, and the various directions different Soul Rings could lead one's Soul Skills.
He seriously warned Zhu Zhuqing never to blindly pursue Soul Rings of higher age. The most important thing was finding Soul Rings that suited her own path of development.
When it came to Martial Soul application and development, Lin Xia focused on breaking free from the Zhu Clan's narrow combat model of producing "Star Luo brides."
He encouraged her to think about the greater possibilities of her Martial Soul.
Could the Hell Civet's shadow attribute only be used for assassination?
Could extreme speed only be used for offense?
Could it also be used for evasion, reconnaissance, or even the prototype of short-range spatial movement?
He encouraged her not to be constrained by fixed ways of thinking, but to carefully listen to the messages conveyed by her Martial Soul itself.
Lin Xia also placed great emphasis on the importance of a strong physique for Soul Masters, especially Agility-Attack System Soul Masters.
He taught her a body-tempering method that Lou Gao had improved specifically for building a solid foundation. It was not a profound Soul Skill, but rather a method that used specialized breathing techniques, stance training, and simple movement sequences to gradually and steadily strengthen the muscles, bones, and skin while improving strength, flexibility, and endurance.
Zhu Zhuqing trained with exceptional seriousness. Even the simplest movements were performed meticulously. Often, she would continue practicing until her entire body was drenched in sweat before finally stopping.
One night, while camping in a quiet mountain forest, Lin Xia motioned for Zhu Zhuqing to sit cross-legged.
"Close your eyes, focus your mind, and circulate the cultivation method you're most familiar with."
Lin Xia's voice was low and guiding.
Zhu Zhuqing followed his instructions and quickly entered a cultivation state.
However, the thin Soul Power present in the air made gathering it extremely difficult, causing her brows to furrow slightly.
At that moment, Lin Xia extended a finger and gently touched the center of her forehead.
Buzz!
A stream of pure, gentle, yet incomparably vast stellar energy flowed from Lin Xia's fingertip and slowly entered Zhu Zhuqing's body.
This power was not forcefully injected. Instead, it carried the qualities of guidance and nourishment.
Zhu Zhuqing's entire body trembled violently.
She had never felt such pure and high-level energy before!
This power was hundreds of times stronger than her own meager Soul Power, yet it was exceptionally gentle. Like a cool spring flowing through a dried-up riverbed, it instantly nourished her nearly exhausted meridians.
Under the guidance of this energy, her weak Soul Power seemed to find a pillar of support. It began circulating through her body at an unprecedented speed and along a far more optimized route.
Even more wondrously, this stellar energy seemed to possess a certain purifying and tempering effect.
Zhu Zhuqing could clearly feel that some extremely subtle stagnations and impurities hidden within her Soul Power—imperfections she had never noticed herself, accumulated from years of cultivation in a poor environment were gradually being washed away and dissolved by this cool and boundless energy.
This was an improvement and refinement at the most fundamental level.
Although the process was extremely slow and the effects were minimal, nowhere near as dramatic as when Lin Xia absorbed the Tear of the Star Core himself, for Zhu Zhuqing, whose foundation was weak and who had never encountered top-tier energy before, it was nothing less than a transformative baptism.
A faint, sacred silver radiance appeared on her delicate face.
Her body trembled slightly, not from pain, but from a comfort and satisfaction that came from the deepest instincts of life itself.
"Don't lose focus. Remember this feeling. Remember the path this energy takes as it flows through your body."
Lin Xia's voice sounded at the perfect moment, pulling her back from her astonishment.
Although this tempering session with stellar energy was brief and its effects limited, it opened a door for Zhu Zhuqing, a gateway to understanding a higher level of power. It also laid a foundation far more solid than that of her peers.
During the journey, Larvitar also became Zhu Zhuqing's companion.
The little fellow seemed to like this hardworking girl who carried a faint aura of shadow about her.
Whenever Zhu Zhuqing practiced the tedious body-tempering exercises beside their campsite, Larvitar would squat nearby, tilting its head as it watched. Occasionally, it would let out a few cheerful cries of "Larvitar! Larvitar!" as if encouraging her.
The carriage wheels rolled across the final stretch of bumpy dirt road, and the view ahead suddenly opened up.
The golden glow of the setting sun bathed a majestic and imposing city that looked as though it had been built from countless metal components, draping it in a warm golden radiance.
The signature gray-white steam clouds of Gengxin City, rising day and night from towering smokestacks, appeared less cold and industrial beneath the evening glow and carried more of the warmth of home.
"Wow..."
A soft exclamation of childish amazement came from beside the carriage window.
Zhu Zhuqing had practically pressed her entire face against the glass.
Her deep, dark eyes, usually as calm as a cold pond, now sparkled brightly as they reflected the steel forest before her, a place completely different from the environment in which she had grown up.
The splendor of Star Luo City was one of strict order and aristocratic elegance built upon deep foundations.
The grandeur of Gengxin City, however, was an overwhelming pulse of industry, power, and movement.
Massive metal gears mounted upon the city walls turned slowly. Shops lined the streets, their signs mostly shaped like hammers, anvils, or ores. The air carried a faint mixture of coal, metal, machine oil, and the enticing aroma of food.
"Brother Lin Xia, what's that? What a huge wheel!"
She pointed toward a gigantic transmission flywheel hanging outside a distant factory, her voice filled with childlike curiosity.
"That's a power flywheel used to drive forging hammers."
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