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Inside the room, Yuwen Tuo sat cross-legged in meditation, channeling the divine flame technique of his spirit separation cultivation method.
His soul power had been partially drained by Ma Xiaotao once again, but not as much as before. In the past, she would often drain him from Level 20 down to just Level 10.
This time, he had dropped only one level—from Level 19 to Level 18.
Perhaps it was because there wasn't much of the demonic fire left in Ma Xiaotao's body, so she no longer needed to absorb as much pure flame. Or perhaps it was because most of Yuwen Tuo's remaining soul power at Level 19 was now innate and thus harder for her to siphon away.
After meditating for about an hour, Yuwen Tuo finally got dressed and stepped out of his room.
Though he didn't have much freedom, as long as he stayed within the academy grounds, the people of Shrek's seemed content to leave him alone. Since he was already outside, he decided to take a stroll.
To his surprise, as soon as he descended the stairs, he was greeted by a little girl glaring at him with unmistakable anger.
"You, Yuwen Tuo! You've finally shown yourself!"
"Uh… Xiao Xiao? Why do you look so upset? Your lips are practically pursed enough to hold an oil bottle. Did I offend you somehow?" Yuwen Tuo asked, puzzled.
Xiao Xiao pouted. "How could you forget? We were supposed to have dinner together last night. I waited for you in the cafeteria for two whole hours, and you stood me up!"
Yuwen Tuo suddenly remembered. Yes, they had agreed on that. But then Ma Xiaotao had unexpectedly arrived and spent the entire night practicing with him. Given that he couldn't resist her, he had no choice but to break his promise with Xiao Xiao.
"I'm sorry, Xiao Xiao. I didn't mean to stand you up. I was practicing all night and lost track of time," Yuwen Tuo apologized.
"You practiced all night on your first day back? That's dedication," Xiao Xiao remarked. "But without any spirit rings, no matter how hard you practice, your level won't increase."
Yuwen Tuo gave an awkward smile. "Actually, it did change. I'm now Level 19."
Xiao Xiao blinked in confusion. "Level 19? But I thought you were Level 20 yesterday. Are you sure you're cultivating and not dispersing your power?"
"Could it be that something went wrong during your cultivation? Were you too eager, causing your soul power to go haywire and forcing you to dissipate some of your strength to save yourself?"
"Something like that," Yuwen Tuo replied vaguely, unwilling to reveal the embarrassing truth—that a woman had forcibly drained his soul power.
"Oh no! You seem so mature, yet you're actually this reckless! Cultivation requires gradual progress—it's one of the most basic principles. Are you feeling okay now?" Xiao Xiao had completely forgotten about being stood up; her concern now lay solely with Yuwen Tuo's well-being. If he truly dispersed part of his cultivation, it could damage his meridians or even weaken the foundation of his soul power. Worse still, if his mind became unstable, he might never be able to achieve deep meditation again.
Yuwen Tuo chuckled reassuringly. "Don't worry, I'll be fine."
He knew better than anyone whether there was an issue. Though his soul power was one level lower than yesterday, his foundation had become even stronger. Moreover, his actual combat strength hadn't diminished—in fact, the refinement and purity of his innate soul power far surpassed what most people achieved through ordinary cultivation.
"What do you mean 'should be fine'?" Xiao Xiao's eyes darted around thoughtfully. Finally, she made a decision, grabbing Yuwen Tuo's arm firmly. "Come with me!"
Without waiting for a response, she dragged him through the academy, deliberately avoiding crowded areas until they reached a quiet grove where no one else was around. "Here will do," she declared.
"Here… What exactly are we doing here?" Yuwen Tuo asked, slightly baffled. Surely this seemingly adorable Xiao Xiao wasn't planning anything untoward, was she?
"Yuwen Tuo, you must keep this a secret. This was originally my ace-in-the-hole for the freshmen assessment, but I'm exposing it early to help you." With that, Xiao Xiao flipped her palm, revealing a jade flute engraved with the emblem of a phoenix.
A yellow spirit ring began swirling around her.
So she intended to reveal her second martial soul—no wonder she'd acted so mysteriously.
Yuwen Tuo feigned surprise. "Xiao Xiao, you have twin martial souls?"
He already knew she had never planned to hide this secret. In the original storyline, she revealed it quite early on, even equipping her second martial soul with a hundred-year spirit ring in preparation for the freshmen entrance exam. Her goal was clear: to secure top results and become one of Shrek Academy's core disciples.
In truth, Yuwen Tuo disapproved of such tactics. It was a waste of potential.
"Hehe, that's right! Pretty impressive, huh? This is called the Nine Phoenix Salutation Flute!" Xiao Xiao said proudly. "Now, listen carefully. I'll play a tune for you."
She raised the Nine Phoenix Salutation Flute to her lips and began playing. A soothing melody flowed out, clearly meant to calm the listener's mind. Evidently, Xiao Xiao believed Yuwen Tuo had suffered internal damage and wanted to help stabilize his spirit.
While the method did have some merit, Yuwen Tuo hadn't truly suffered any instability, so calming his mind wasn't necessary. Besides, Xiao Xiao's musical skills left much to be desired—she missed at least three notes in the piece.
Amused, Yuwen Tuo plucked a leaf from a nearby tree and joined her in playing. He replicated the same tune she had attempted but performed it flawlessly, making it sound far more beautiful and moving.
Xiao Xiao stared at him in shock, clearly not expecting him to possess such mastery over music.
Instead of stopping, she continued playing alongside him, harmonizing with his melody. Under his guidance, she managed to play the second half of the piece perfectly, without missing a single note. The tranquil melody echoed throughout the grove, resonating beautifully.
After a long while, they played the final note together. Xiao Xiao lowered her flute, visibly excited. "Wow, Yuwen Tuo, your musical skill is incredible! And here I was thinking I'd help stabilize your mind with my music. Turns out, I was the one who needed improvement!"
Yuwen Tuo smiled warmly. "No, Xiao Xiao. I truly appreciate your intention to help."
Not everything should be judged solely by actions—sometimes, intentions matter more. Though Xiao Xiao might not have been able to assist him effectively, her genuine desire to help touched him deeply.
"Xiao Xiao, would you like to play another duet? Follow my rhythm, and I'll teach you a new piece."
"Yes, yes!" Xiao Xiao nodded eagerly. As someone with a flute-based martial soul, how could she not love music?
Unfortunately, she hadn't been born into nobility and lacked access to skilled music teachers, leaving her skills somewhat amateurish.
To master the Nine Phoenix Salutation Flute—a martial soul reliant on sound to unleash its techniques—musical proficiency was essential.
"Then follow me closely. This piece is one of the Six Spring Melodies: Mengchun Liuqu."
Yuwen Tuo began playing first, completing the entire piece smoothly. Xiao Xiao followed along after him, starting off shaky and prone to mistakes. However, under Yuwen Tuo's patient guidance, she quickly improved, eventually reaching a state of harmony.