The next day, when Clara woke up and opened her eyes, she saw Wu Ling already waiting with breakfast prepared.
"So yesterday... was not a dream."
Clara looked at Wu Ling waiting for her to eat, and warmth flowed through her chest. Ever since her mother passed away, it had been a long time since anyone had cared for her like this.
"Teacher, I will help you..."
After breakfast, Clara obediently stood at Wu Ling's side while Wu Ling lowered his head and studied a map. The continent of this era was very different from the one he knew.
During the Peerless Tang Sect era, the Sun Moon Continent had already collided with Soul Land. The Star Stripe Empire still existed. The Polaris Empire had split apart. After the Sun Moon Empire failed in its invasion, it had hidden its fangs for a time.
After reading the map, Wu Ling decided their destination without hesitation: the Sun Moon Empire. There were three reasons.
First, Tang Sect and Shrek were absolutely off-limits. Clara could not even learn Tang Sect skills. The moment she touched those things, she would form karma with Tang San. The more that karma accumulated, the greater Tang San's ability to manipulate her would become. Once Wu Ling left, Clara's current foundation would not be enough to resist him. The immediate priority was to get as far away as possible.
Second, soul tools were the future. The Spirit Master profession had already reached its limit. Even the Spirit Pagoda Asher Vale created in the original path only extended the profession's lifespan a little. It improved the symptoms, not the root problem. Technology was the primary productive force. With Clara's first Spirit Skill from Tian Meng Iceworm, it would be a waste not to put her into research.
The final reason was Wu Ling himself. He held Magecraft arrays that could produce soulcraft tools, but in his own original Soul Land era, no one else knew how. More importantly, he did not have endless time to teach everyone slowly. Therefore, the already systematized soul tools of this Peerless Tang Sect era became his target.
After putting all those conditions together, the Sun Moon Empire became the obvious choice. As for whether Clara studying soul tools would delay her cultivation, Wu Ling was willing to stake one of Azure's lives on the answer. With the Sun Moon Empire's infrastructure and his dedicated guidance, she would absolutely grow better than she would under Shrek Academy's free-range teaching method.
"Right, I almost forgot something. Use your first Spirit Skill and let me see it. Even I have never personally seen a million-year Spirit Skill before."
Wu Ling put away the manual and turned to Clara. He was very interested in the ability known as God's Perspective.
"Yes, Teacher."
Clara nodded. Her first Spirit Ring appeared in front of her.
Rose jumped out of Wu Ling's shadow to observe the million-year golden Spirit Ring.
"Mm, mm, mm. So this is a million-year Spirit Ring? Because most of its power is sealed, the color has shifted from gold to platinum-white. If you did not look closely, you might mistake it for a hundred-thousand-year Spirit Ring. But the energy inside really is extraordinary."
As she spoke, Rose took out a small notebook and began recording.
Wu Ling had introduced Rose to Clara the night before, so although Rose's behavior was a little improper, it also deepened Clara's understanding of what Wu Ling meant by "research maniac."
"Teacher said he has six clones like this now," Clara thought.
Her first Spirit Skill activated silently.
In Wu Ling and Rose's eyes, their viewpoint began rising. They could now see behind themselves, and the field of view could rotate in every direction, a full three hundred and sixty degrees.
"This perspective... why does it feel like a third-person mobile game from my previous life?"
"And within the skill's range, this viewpoint can see through anything and rotate freely. If a girl were wearing a skirt, or if this were used outside a bathroom... cough, good thing Clara is female in this world."
Wu Ling carefully sensed the Spirit Skill while Rose recorded observations and questioned Clara.
"Clara, this should be more than one Spirit Skill, right? One is detection, and one is sharing. That makes two skills already. But a hundred-thousand-year Spirit Ring gives two skills. A million-year Spirit Ring should definitely have more."
"Eyes plus a spiritual-type Soul Beast. I would guess your other skills are probably spiritual impact or interference. Whether there are three or four total, use them on me. Only personal experience can reveal a Spirit Skill's true ability."
Clara was once again a little stunned by Rose, or rather by Wu Ling's knowledge. To infer her other Spirit Skills from so few clues, how broad did his understanding have to be?
Even Tian Meng Iceworm, who was eavesdropping inside Clara's spiritual sea, had to admit that this person's knowledge was truly rich. With his help, Clara's chance of becoming a god would rise again.
"Yes, Teacher. This million-year Spirit Ring gave me four Spirit Skills in total. One detection skill, one sharing skill, and two more: spiritual interference and soul impact."
As Clara spoke, she followed Rose's instruction and used spiritual interference and soul impact on her. The result was that the attacks vanished like stones sinking into the sea, leaving no trace at all.
Clara silently marveled at the vastness of Wu Ling's spirit and the stability of his soul, then stopped attacking so she would not embarrass herself further.
Rose stepped forward, cupped Clara's cheeks, and stroked the area around her eyes as if examining the most precious treasure in the world.
"Detection, sharing, interference, impact. Comprehensive. It is truly comprehensive. As expected of a million-year Spirit Ring. Judging only by auxiliary performance, these eyes absolutely qualify as Mystic Eyes."
"Ah, I want them so much."
Clara swallowed quietly. Rose's actions frightened her so badly that she did not dare move. She had gained a new understanding of the "maniac" in research maniac.
Then came a crisp smack.
Wu Ling appeared in front of Clara. As for Rose, she was crouching on the ground with both hands over her head, performing the so-called absolute defense known as the head-holding squat.
"Did she scare you, Clara? Rose is like this sometimes. The moment she encounters something she has never seen before, all she can think about is research. You will get used to it with time."
Looking at Clara, who was so frightened that she could only nod rapidly, Wu Ling was about to say more when the clear sky suddenly darkened.
A thunderous roar exploded high above. Wu Ling and Tian Meng Iceworm both looked up with strange expressions. They were familiar with this kind of situation.
A moment later, under everyone's curious gaze, a horse descended above them, trampling flame. Its entire body was covered in golden fur with red markings, and a crimson horn grew from its head.
"I am the Fiery Sun Unicorn. By my god's command, I have come. Are you the evil spirits I am to destroy?"