Huo Yuhao murmured inwardly, then explained to the group, "Whether you run or not isn't the important part. Yesterday's exercise was just to help you find the right feeling. Once you experience it the first time, it becomes easier after that. You don't have to only meditate shallowly while running. You can also do it while walking, eating, or doing other things. You need to learn to use it flexibly."
"I call this training method the AFK Cultivation Technique. At its core, it's actually a method of dividing your attention."
"Alright, this isn't urgent. You can practice it in your own time. Now, come with me."
This time, no one hesitated. They all followed. However, after hearing Huo Yuhao's words, their expressions had changed—from admiration to respect.
The group followed Huo Yuhao to the lakeside. Huo Yuhao turned and glanced at everyone, simply saying, "Watch closely."
No one spoke; they stared fixedly at Huo Yuhao.
In the next moment, a white light sphere the size of an egg appeared in Huo Yuhao's hand. Then, he casually tossed it at a nearby half-meter-tall boulder.
However, the white light sphere vanished into thin air upon hitting the rock. The stone remained completely intact.
Without pausing, another white light sphere formed in Huo Yuhao's hand. This time, he didn't throw it right away. Instead, he looked at the others and said, "This was condensed purely from soul power—same amount as before. Pure soul power has limited lethality, but what if we compress it? Watch."
Then, everyone saw the light sphere collapse inward, finally becoming a thin disc. Huo Yuhao threw it at the stone once again.
Unlike before, the disc pierced right through the rock and embedded itself into the ground, as effortlessly as slicing through tofu.
"This could be considered a simple soul skill—or the prototype of a self-created one," Huo Yuhao continued calmly.
The others were stunned. The attack looked unimpressive, but that penetration was terrifying. Just imagining such an attack hitting a person was horrifying. None of them were deluded enough to believe their bodies were harder than stone.
"The key to creating soul skills is having precise control over your soul power. The same goes for learning the sect's combat techniques. Once your control improves, your use of soul rings and skills will also become more efficient. This gives you the ability to seize the initiative in combat. So, next up, I'm going to train your soul power control." After speaking, Huo Yuhao walked straight into the lake.
He strolled leisurely atop the water, sending ripples across the surface with each step. But he moved across it as if walking on solid ground.
"Like me, by concentrating soul power under your feet to form a repelling force, you can stand on water. When you're able to move freely on the lake surface, you'll be considered qualified."
"That's it. I've explained everything. You can train slowly. I'm heading back. Oh, and although this cultivation method isn't anything special, I'd still prefer you not spread it around. One more thing—girls wearing skirts should consider changing clothes if they don't want to risk exposure." With a hint of goodwill, Huo Yuhao reminded the female students before leaving.
Cultivation was a personal matter. He'd already shared the method—whether they practiced it or not was none of his concern. He wasn't about to waste his own cultivation time babysitting others.
After dinner, Huo Yuhao sat cross-legged on his bed, arcs of electricity flickering across his body. But that was just the surface—much more lightning was surging through his meridians.
This method was something Huo Yuhao developed by refining the Soul-Forging Technique, with the goal of strengthening his body.
The inspiration came from those overpowered lightning-tempered body techniques in fantasy novels. After obtaining the lightning attribute from the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger, he'd conceived the idea—but it wasn't until now that he completed a viable plan.
There was no other way. Huo Yuhao's body strength lagged far behind his spiritual power. That weakness had been painfully obvious during his spar with Wang Qiu'er, even forcing him to invent the soul skill Heavenly Barrier on the spot.
Right now, Huo Yuhao's brows were tightly furrowed. The pain from within his body nearly made him scream.
The lightning within him was becoming more and more uncontrollable.
Pfft!
A sweetness rose in Huo Yuhao's throat. He spat out a mouthful of blood as over a dozen arcs of lightning exploded from his body, wildly bombarding the room.
Huo Yuhao collapsed instantly.
In mere moments, the entire room was charred black. The commotion alarmed the others.
A second later, the door was kicked open. Song Ming rushed in, his face full of panic.
When he saw the condition of the room and the miserable state of his young master, his face turned ghostly pale. If something really happened to him, the sect master would kill him.
"Young Master, what happened to you?" Song Ming hurried forward and helped Huo Yuhao up, infusing soul power into his body to check his condition.
His face darkened even further upon examining it. Huo Yuhao's injuries were far worse than they appeared. Most concerning was the damage to his meridians. If not handled properly, this could severely impact his future cultivation.
"I... I'm fi—cough, cough!" Huo Yuhao tried to speak but was interrupted by a fit of bloody coughing.
Bitter thoughts filled Huo Yuhao's mind. Lightning was the most violent energy in nature and extremely hard to control—far more difficult than managing soul power.
He had also unleashed a bit too much lightning this time. Combined with the pain—like being gnawed alive by ten thousand ants—it was no wonder he'd lost control and ended up this injured.
Huo Yuhao gave a bitter smile. What the hell... The worst injury I've ever suffered, and I did it to myself. If word got out, I'd die of embarrassment.
"Young Master, don't speak anymore!" Song Ming was in full-blown panic.
This was bad. His young master was hurt too severely for an ordinary person to treat. They needed a professional healing-type soul master—wait, healing type! How could he forget that little girl?
Song Ming mentally cursed himself. Wasn't Ye Lingling, who stayed close to the young master, a ready-made healing-type soul master? And not just any—she had one of the best healing-type martial souls.
"Big brother!" a panicked voice called from the doorway. Ye Lingling and Lin Xi, who lived next door, had come running after hearing the noise.
"Little girl, you came just in time! Use your soul skill to heal the young master—quickly!" In his urgency, Song Ming didn't hold back. He released a burst of soul power to pull Ye Lingling over.
Ye Lingling was startled at first, but when she saw Huo Yuhao's weakened state, she quickly calmed herself.
Threads of soul power began to glow, accompanied by a faint fragrance. Pink begonia blossoms bloomed from Ye Lingling's hands. Petals and vines flowed down her arms, elegant and soft, swaying gently in the wind like a lady's hair draping over her face—graceful and tender, a sight to soothe the soul.
(End of Chapter)