Half a year passed in the blink of an eye. Wu Ling was now almost thirteen years old. By this point, he had completely adapted to life in Slaughter City, and his record in the Hell Killing Field had reached thirty-seven consecutive victories. During this period, he had killed people almost every day, yet strangely, his killing intent still looked the same as before. It did not seem to have increased at all.
Of course, it was impossible for it not to have increased. It was similar to how Tang San, in the original work, trained in Slaughter City and later tempered his mind in Moon Pavilion, ultimately compressing terrifying killing intent inward until it erupted only during battle.
With Vitrification, a skill that had accompanied him for seven years, Wu Ling did not need that mind-tempering stage at all.
In its setting, Vitrification was usually described as the ability to reach a state of still water and a clear mirror. It could completely neutralize Magecraft that caused confusion or terror in the opponent, as well as representative forms of mental interference. Wu Ling had inherited the skill and learned it through his own ability, so nullifying the effect of killing intent on himself was effortless.
While Wu Ling continued his day-after-day slaughter, Notting Academy welcomed its annual break.
"Tang San, you still have not packed? Are you not going home?" A girl in cute pink clothing, with a braid hanging past her hips, was carrying a box of carrots in both hands as she asked the boy sitting on the bed and reading.
"Home..."
Tang San fell silent for a moment, then replied, "I am not going back. I do not even know where Dad went. No one is there. I do not have a home anymore. Lyra, you do not need to worry about me."
Lyra snatched the book from Tang San's hands. "If you do not go back, how am I supposed to know where your home is?"
"You want to know where my home is?" Tang San looked up at Lyra, his thoughts unreadable.
"For all you know, your dad might already be back. Hurry up and pack."
In the end, pushed along by Lyra, Tang San packed his luggage and started on the road home. As he looked in the direction of home, he silently thought, "Dad... did you go home?"
Tang San's trip home was destined to be fruitless. Why? Because by the time he set out, his father Tang Hao had already arrived before Ethan Drake.
Knock, knock, knock.
When the knocking sounded, Ethan Drake called, "Coming," then walked over and opened the door.
"You are...?"
At first, Drake did not recognize the person before him. But when that person slightly raised his head, a face from his memory suddenly overlapped with the man in front of him.
"You... you are!"
Drake's eyes widened in fright. In the next second, the figure vanished from before him. When Drake turned around, the man was already inside the room.
Drake quietly glanced around. After confirming that no outsider was present, he carefully shut the door.
Tang Hao had only three reasons for coming here. First, to entrust Tang San to Ethan Drake. Second, to give Drake the Elder Token. Third, to give him a slight warning.
After Tang Hao left, Ethan Drake held the Elder Token in his hand and murmured, "I never thought the peerless talent of those days would become like this. Fate truly toys with people..."
That night, Tang San brought along Lyra, the new younger sister he had acknowledged, and left the village he would never return to again.
"Tang San, you are back. A teacher came by earlier and said you should go find him after you returned." Once Tang San returned to the dormitory, he heard the message from his roommate.
"All right. I will go now."
Under the night sky, Tang San arrived outside the room where a light was still burning. He raised his hand and knocked.
"Come in."
After Tang San pushed the door open, he saw Ethan Drake sitting at the wooden desk as always, studying something under the weak candlelight. "Teacher, you were looking for me?"
Drake turned his head and asked Tang San, "Yes. The break has started. Do you have any plans, or anything you want to do?"
Tang San lowered his head and thought. In the end, he shook his head. "Teacher, there is nothing in particular I want to do. As for plans, I will just keep studying as usual."
Drake nodded, turned around, took a book from the drawer, and handed it to Tang San.
After receiving the book, Tang San saw its title: Spirit Formula, Mystic Grade.
"Teacher, this is...?"
Facing Tang San's question, Drake put on a profound expression and said, "This is a Spirit Formula, a cultivation method that only mid-level members of Spirit Hall can practice. Its effect is to increase Spirit Power recovery and cultivation efficiency by a full ten percent."
This was what Tang Hao had given him earlier. According to Tang Hao, he had obtained it from the hall master of some branch hall.
"Ten percent!" Tang San cried out in surprise.
According to Tang San's own estimate, once his Mysterious Heaven Skill reached full mastery, it could improve his cultivation efficiency by about fifteen percent. But right now, he had only just reached the second layer. At most, it could improve his efficiency by a little over five percent. Yet this method could directly increase efficiency by ten percent, making it comparable to the fifth or sixth layer of Mysterious Heaven Skill. How could Tang San not be shocked?
Before this, he had always thought that the people of this continent simply circulated Spirit Power in a crude way to cultivate. Now, it seemed that he had been narrow-minded.
"Wait. Mystic Grade means there are other grades?" Tang San noticed the wording and asked Ethan Drake.
"Correct. There are four grades in total: Heaven, Earth, Mystic, and Yellow. Yellow Grade is the one I gave you before. Earth Grade can be practiced only by Spirit Hall's middle to upper ranks. Heaven Grade can be practiced only by high-ranking members.
"And the purpose of my upcoming trip is to obtain one of those two higher-grade methods, along with the method for cultivating your twin Martial Souls."
Tang San froze when he heard that, then reacted. "Teacher, you are leaving?"
Drake's eyes drifted. He knew very well where he was going this time, and he knew just as well who he would have to face.
Unlike the original story, where Tang San's identity was exposed before Ethan Drake went to plead for mercy and ask about twin Martial Souls, his main goal this time was only one thing: a Heaven Grade Spirit Formula. Even the solution for twin Martial Souls had been pushed to second place.
Drake understood the importance of foundation. His most talented disciple had to be matched with the highest-grade cultivation method.
Originally, he had planned to create one himself, but the Elder Token Tang Hao gave him showed him another possibility.
Spirit Hall only gave superior cultivation methods to high-ranking members? Then elders counted as high-ranking members, did they not? In that case, obtaining a Heaven Grade method would be perfectly reasonable.
"Yes. I need to make a long trip. The round trip should take a little over two months. During this time, cultivate this method properly."
Tang San did not know where Ethan Drake was going, but he understood the importance of a cultivation method similar to his Mysterious Heaven Skill. In his eyes, Drake's willingness to obtain such a method for him was exactly like what Tang San had done in his previous life. Because of that, Ethan Drake became even more important in Tang San's heart.
"Understood, Teacher. I will cultivate properly."