Chapter 39: Self-Created Soul Skill, the Wind-Changing Pearl

"I hope it’s not another accident at the Gale Canyon," Mo Hui thought, feeling a sense of helplessness.

Although the area around Gale Canyon had been cleared by the Kamikaze Academy, the depths of the canyon remained an uncharted forbidden zone. One could never be sure what might emerge from below. The two-thousand-year-old Gale Bird he had encountered previously had ascended from the depths, accidentally colliding with his stone platform and nearly causing him to fall. That, however, was an exception; such incidents were rare, and patrol instructors usually intervened if anything occurred. In fact, when he had his previous accident, the academy’s instructors had responded in less than a minute—though Mo Hui had finished the fight even faster.

When Mo Hui caught sight of the figure approaching him, he was surprised. "Dean, why have you returned?"

Feng Qingcang had left less than fifteen minutes ago. Could the Dean be such a cultivation fanatic that he had rushed through his meal just to return to training?

"Ahem, well, Mo Hui, I have something I’d like to discuss with you. Shall we step out and talk?" Feng Qingcang’s face flushed slightly as he made the request in a solemn tone.

"Of course, but what is it you wish to discuss?" Mo Hui was puzzled. Other than his soul tool, he possessed nothing of great value—certainly nothing worth a Soul Saint coming to see him personally about. Could the Dean have discovered he possessed a soul bone?

Mo Hui’s heart tightened. If that were the case, his situation would be precarious. Few could resist the temptation of a soul bone; even a two-thousand-year-old one was a treasure beyond reach for countless soul masters, especially considering that even some Titled Douluo lacked them.

"It concerns your self-created soul skills," Feng Qingcang replied.

*Phew.* Mo Hui breathed a sigh of relief. As long as it wasn't about a soul bone, he felt much better. Soon, he followed Feng Qingcang away from the canyon and into a nearby teahouse.

After sipping some tea, Feng Qingcang got straight to the point. "Mo Hui, I would like you to trade the techniques for the self-created soul skills you used in your battle against Xiao Tian to the academy. In exchange, I offer you this: the Wind-Stilling Pearl."

Feng Qingcang pushed a cyan, ping-pong-ball-sized orb toward Mo Hui and began to explain its origin and utility.

"I obtained this bead after slaying an unknown ten-thousand-year-old soul beast. It has the ability to neutralize wind-attributed attacks, converting them into pure wind energy. I call it the Wind-Stilling Pearl. You enjoy cultivation, don't you? If you wear this, you can enter the deepest parts of the canyon’s core zone without fear of the storms or wind blades. Furthermore, because the pearl converts the wind into pure energy, your cultivation speed won't just be maintained—it will actually increase."

Mo Hui’s eyes lit up as he reached out to take the pearl. The moment he held it, he felt a surge of pure wind-attributed energy flow into his body, leaving him feeling refreshed.

Seeing Mo Hui take the bead, Feng Qingcang felt a pang of heartache—this was his prized possession. If the bead’s effects hadn't diminished significantly for him after reaching the Soul Emperor level, he never would have parted with it.

Mo Hui studied the bead for a moment before setting it down, his head bowed in thought. Seeing that Mo Hui seemed willing, Feng Qingcang struck while the iron was hot. "Of course, I know that one treasure for two self-created soul skills is a bit lopsided. If you have any other requests, feel free to ask. As long as the academy can provide it, I will do my best to satisfy you."

"Oh?" Mo Hui was stunned. He had simply been wondering if his "Wind Fist" and "Wind Leg" techniques—which he had debuted during the fight with Feng Xiaotian—could truly be considered formal soul skills. He hadn't expected the Dean to increase the offer. Since the Dean had opened the door, Mo Hui wouldn't be polite. "In that case, I do have one request."

"What is it?" Feng Qingcang asked eagerly.

Mo Hui paused, his gaze steady. "I want the highest level of access to the Kamikaze Academy’s library."

Although as a student he had access to the library, many books were restricted to ordinary students. Knowledge was exactly what Mo Hui lacked most. Ever since his "Pidgey Meditation Method" had evolved into the "Pidgeot Meditation Method," it had effectively overwritten the circuits he had previously modified. Without a deeper reservoir of knowledge, upgrading it further would be difficult.

It wasn't that he couldn't do it—Mo Hui was confident he could if given enough time to research—but time was a luxury he didn't have. He needed to raise his soul power rank and had no time for trial and error.

"You want the highest access to the library?" Feng Qingcang looked at him with a strange expression. He had expected a much more demanding request! "That is not an unreasonable demand. I grant it."

If Mo Hui had asked for the archives, he might have hesitated, but the library mostly contained knowledge about martial souls. While some of it was dangerous, with his supervision, Mo Hui should be fine.

A smile appeared on Mo Hui's face. He now had the means for cultivation and the access to knowledge; if he could eventually get his hands on ten-thousand-year whale glue to strengthen his body, that would be even better. But that wasn't urgent—the benefits of whale glue hadn't been discovered yet, so it was likely he could acquire some later with enough money.

After storing the Wind-Stilling Pearl in his soul tool, Mo Hui asked, "Dean, how should I submit these skills? Should I write down the principles and techniques in a manual?"

"That’s not enough. At the very least, you must teach them to me," Feng Qingcang said righteously. While one could learn from a manual, nothing beat personal instruction from the creator. With Mo Hui teaching him, his speed and depth of understanding would improve significantly.

"Ah?" Mo Hui’s expression became remarkably complex. A student teaching the Dean? Wasn't that turning the world upside down?