"Wow, so this is the capital of the Sun Moon Empire? It is so prosperous, and so advanced!"
On the streets of the Sun Moon Empire's capital, Clara Vale, now completely different from how she had been two months earlier, looked excitedly at the way soul tools had transformed daily life around her.
During those two months, Wu Ling had taken Clara through many large cities, including the capitals of the other three empires and Shrek City. The Sun Moon Empire's capital was the final stop of that journey.
During that time, Wu Ling taught Clara a cultivation method. Since she was his disciple, he did not hesitate to bring out a heaven-grade method focused on spiritual power. With Tian Meng Iceworm's help, he modified it again according to Clara's spiritual traits, pushing it beyond the normal thirty percent improvement of a heaven-grade method and raising Clara's cultivation efficiency by forty percent.
Of course, because Clara's current foundation was too poor, Wu Ling also used the last of his Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass medicine and Yearning Heartbroken Dew medicine to research a special potion for her. A single sip surpassed the Mysterious Water Pill Asher Vale had eaten in the original path. It not only whitened her skin, but forcefully raised Clara's innate Spirit Power from rank one to rank eight.
As for the remaining two ranks, those would be filled in once she rose another level and obtained the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion Martial Soul. After both compensations, Clara's Spirit Power level should be able to match those born with innate full Spirit Power.
After cultivation came theory. In those two months, Clara had grown from someone who barely understood cultivation into someone who could speak at least a little about the vast majority of Soul Beasts, Martial Souls, treasures, and medicinal herbs.
This change also meant that Clara, now wearing different clothes, with fair skin, beautiful features, and a hint of scholarly air, did not look like a country bumpkin when she curiously looked around. Instead, she gave people the impression of a scholar filled with curiosity toward unknown things.
Wu Ling was not surprised by her transformation. Back then, he and Rose alone had been able to sustain the logistical operation of the entire Spirit Hall, including pills, soulcraft tools, cultivation methods, and more. Now that the resources of an entire faction were being poured into one person, even a pig could have been turned into a ten-thousand-year Soul Beast, let alone Clara, who was a protagonist-type existence.
In the original path, Asher Vale had taken twenty years from awakening his Martial Soul at six to becoming a god at twenty-six. But his real starting point had been meeting Tian Meng Iceworm at eleven. In other words, from a rank-ten Spirit Master to the God of Emotion, he had only taken fifteen years. Aside from her early cultivation talent, Clara's other qualities were absolutely first-rate.
Looking at the advanced surroundings, Wu Ling could see that compared with the original residents of Soul Land, who treated soul tools mostly as weapons, the Sun Moon Empire, after who knew how many years of research, had already integrated soul tools into every part of daily life.
In Wu Ling's eyes, this level still could not match twenty-first-century modernization, but in certain areas it was already capable of surpassing the twentieth century. It was also much more advanced than the Spirit City he had modified. After all, even though Rose was a genius, she still could not compare with ten thousand years of accumulation.
Or perhaps it was better to say that after ten thousand years, only reaching this stage made Wu Ling sigh again that gods were truly harmful things.
Using what she had learned from Wu Ling, Clara began observing her surroundings the moment she arrived in a new place. Finally, her gaze stopped on a bustling restaurant. Ignoring the luxurious hotel not far away, Clara pointed at the restaurant and said, "Teacher, Teacher, that restaurant looks good. Let us eat there."
In these two months, besides enormous progress in cultivation and knowledge, Clara's personality had also changed quietly.
In the original path, early Asher Vale had thought only of revenge. Everything he did and everything he persisted through was for the sake of avenging his mother.
Now, because of Wu Ling's help, Clara had already seen the possibility of revenge. Her dream was no longer only a dream. It was something she could reach as long as she worked hard. Because of that, part of Clara felt hollow, and Wu Ling had filled that space as the elder who gave her help, support, and someone to rely on.
So in front of Wu Ling, Clara would occasionally reveal a little of the liveliness appropriate for her age, especially when food was involved.
Wu Ling brought Clara to the restaurant. After ordering four dishes, he listened to the surrounding diners while waiting and caught certain pieces of information.
"Oh, Damian Sterling became a fourth-level soul engineer a month ago? And a village was slaughtered by evil Spirit Masters."
"Mingde Hall and the Holy Spirit Cult. One bright and one dark. They really are the Sun Moon Empire's two faces. More importantly, the future Clara will be connected to both forces."
"Mingde Hall is not a problem. With Russell Sterling's vision, as long as Clara displays her talent, he will definitely focus on cultivating her."
"The Holy Spirit Cult is more troublesome. If I could directly meet Ye Xishui, it would be easier, but this matter cannot be rushed. If those people learn that I know about their collusion, even I will have trouble enduring the consequences."
"And honestly, aside from those two forces, there is not much else worth staying for in the Sun Moon Empire. The imperial family's complexity is even worse than Polaris and Star Stripe."
Wu Ling calculated the next step in his mind while Clara had already begun eating.
"So this is three-treasure stir-fry? Potatoes, peppers, and eggplant. The salt is about one spoon. The MSG..."
As she ate, Clara softly muttered the ingredients and seasonings needed for the dish.
This was also something Wu Ling had taught her. Whenever she encountered something unfamiliar, she should analyze it first. Wu Ling had already tested her. Perhaps because her eyes were connected closely to her brain, Clara's attention could become extremely focused. This was one reason she could learn so much knowledge so quickly. If Clara studied any of the countless trades, she could probably become a top expert in every line.
After the meal, Wu Ling led Clara along the street to help digestion while explaining the functions of the various soul tools they saw on the road.
As they walked, Wu Ling and Clara arrived outside the Sun Moon Imperial Spirit Engineer Academy.
Wu Ling stood outside the academy gates and continuously looked it over. Clara also watched the academy from beside him. She knew Wu Ling's plan. This academy was probably where she would study in the future. But since it was not enrollment season, how were they supposed to enter?
While Clara was wondering, a guard at the gate noticed the two of them.
"You two! What are you here for?"
Wu Ling did not answer the guard. He directly released the Dragon Frame.
As the Dragon Frame appeared, an aura comparable to a Venerate Titled Sage erupted, scaring the guard so badly that he fell to the ground.
At the same time, Wu Ling's resonant voice spread through the Dragon Frame and echoed across the entire academy.
"Russell Sterling, you have guests!"