A faint smile appeared on Gu Yuena's usually cold and aloof face. Her lips parted slightly as she uttered a single word:
"Alright."
Seeing her agree, Qi Lin skillfully took hold of her wrist, which was as smooth and cool as mutton-fat jade.
"Nana, I'll guide my soul power through your body first. Focus on the sensation and memorize the soul power's path."
As Qi Lin gripped her wrist, Gu Yuena felt the warmth of his palm seep into her skin. A strange feeling flickered in her heart, but she offered no resistance.
"Here I go."
With that, Qi Lin injected his soul power into her body.
In an instant, Gu Yuena felt a gentle warmth spreading inside her.
The sensation was cozy and pleasant—especially as the warm current moved within her body.
"How does it feel? Comfortable?"
"Mmm. Very comfortable," Gu Yuena nodded.
"Then I'll teach you the basics first."
Qi Lin controlled his soul power, guiding it to gather at the soles of her feet, repeating the process several times.
After about ten minutes, Gu Yuena suddenly said, "I think I can feel it now. Let me try on my own."
Hearing this, Qi Lin reluctantly gave her wrist a light squeeze before withdrawing his hand.
Her hand was cool to the touch, soft like fine jade. Just holding it was a pleasure.
He didn't notice that, at the moment he squeezed her hand, a faint blush flashed across Gu Yuena's cheeks.
"Nana, give it a try."
"Alright."
Gu Yuena closed her eyes and recalled the feeling of Qi Lin's soul power coursing through her. Following the path he had demonstrated, she began to guide her own soul power through a complete circulation cycle, concentrating it at her feet.
Her soul power radiated a rainbow-like glow, gently spreading beneath the soles of her feet.
"I can feel a strong adhesive force. If I try climbing a tree like the others, I shouldn't fall easily."
As she spoke, her figure vanished.
In the next moment, she reappeared beneath a towering tree, walking vertically up eight or nine meters before lightly leaping from the top and reappearing beside Qi Lin.
Qi Lin gave her a thumbs-up and smiled. "As expected of you, Nana. That was amazing."
Gu Yuena gave a faint smile in response to his praise.
Elsewhere, Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing, and Xiao Wu, who were training, stared wide-eyed at the scene in disbelief.
"Did she... really just learn to climb trees like that?"
"She must've practiced before. No way someone could pick it up instantly otherwise."
As the trio speculated, Gu Yuena suddenly said from Qi Lin's side, "Someone's coming this way."
Qi Lin was stunned for a moment before following her gaze.
A middle-aged man in black, with a buzz cut, was hurrying toward them.
Who else could it be but Yu Xiaogang?
Qi Lin waved dismissively. "Ignore him."
"Alright."
On the other side, Yu Xiaogang's eyes gleamed with anticipation as he approached the small hill where Qi Lin's group trained.
As for his own team, he had left the training supervision to Tang San.
In the Master's view, with Tang San in charge, it was enough to manage Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun's basic training. After all, their routine wasn't complicated—physical conditioning, combat drills, rotating opponents, and finding their weaknesses through real combat.
When he arrived at the training slope, Yu Xiaogang, aware of his strained relationship with Ning Rongrong and the others, didn't get too close. Instead, he chose a spot with a good view and began observing.
He even brought a notebook and pen to record their training process in detail for later analysis.
That's what it means to be professional.
Just how meticulous could Yu Xiaogang get when studying Qi Lin's training methods?
Let's put it this way—he recorded every detail: how Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing climbed the trees, where they concentrated their soul power, how much they used, how far they walked after climbing—all of it.
He had originally planned to observe Xiao Wu's training as well, but her techniques were clearly more advanced and complex, so he decided not to rush it.
After learning of Yu Xiaogang's observations, Gu Yuena asked curiously, "He can't possibly understand your training method just by watching, can he?"
Qi Lin smirked. "Of course not. Without someone guiding him, he'll never truly grasp it."
"If he just mimics the surface, he might gain nothing at all."
"But once it involves internal circulation of soul power—if he tries to practice it blindly—he could seriously hurt himself."
---
Later that morning, after training ended—
Yu Xiaogang didn't even stop to eat. He rushed back to his dorm, eyes burning with excitement.
In his mind, Ning Rongrong and the others' training wasn't all that complicated. It was just repetition—attaching soul power to a specific body part and training that movement until it became second nature.
That much he could try on his own.
Without hesitation, Yu Xiaogang activated his soul power. A faint yellow glow appeared across his body.
This was his soul power.
Being a researcher, he immediately recognized the fundamental difference between himself and the others.
His soul power was diffuse—he couldn't gather it at his feet like Ning Rongrong and the others did.
In fact, he could barely release it, let alone control it with precision.
He quickly realized he had missed a crucial step—learning how to guide his soul power internally to the soles of his feet, just like they had.
If external control failed, what about internal manipulation?
His eyes lit up.
He immediately entered an introspective state, focusing on the soft yellow glow flickering like stars in his dantian. He guided the power through his body using mental intent.
(Note: Even though the original novel rarely mentions the dantian, it does imply soul power is stored there, and even a level 10 soul master can perform introspection.)
Though it was still difficult to control, it wasn't impossible.
"It works!"
"Hahaha, so it's that simple after all?"
"It's tough, but if I keep practicing, I'll get better at it."
"However…"
Yu Xiaogang stared at the tangled network of meridians in his body and hesitated.
How should he guide his soul power through these?
Surely... this can't be dangerous, right?
Qi Lin's group didn't suffer any harm while training.
"Whatever. I'll try it first."
He furrowed his brow, then immediately guided a small mass of soul power to flow through the meridians in his legs toward his feet.
"It actually works!"
Yu Xiaogang was overjoyed.
But his expression quickly darkened. He muttered to himself:
"Why does it feel like my meridians are swelling in pain?"
"Could I have used too much soul power?"
"And..."
When he finally managed to concentrate the soul power at his feet, he found it rapidly dissipated on its own.
He couldn't maintain the concentration at all, unlike Ning Rongrong and the others.
Let alone changing the shape of the soul power!