174: Gongzi Yu's Five Guards

Lan Fozi breathed a slight sigh of relief when Shen Guyan didn't ask further. "Gongzi Yu, you flatter me. Although my Spirit has some unique aspects, it still has a big gap compared to truly top-tier Spirits."

Shen Guyan shook his head slightly. "Young Lord, there's no need to belittle yourself. With your Aptitude, given time, you will surely become a powerful figure." As Shen Guyan spoke, he paid attention to Lan Fozi's reaction, trying to uncover more secrets about her and the Holy Spirit Cult from her subtle facial changes.

Lan Fozi smiled gently. Although her mind was simple, she was intelligent enough not to show too much emotion: "Then I'll take your auspicious words."

Seeing that her guard was not low, Shen Guyan did not continue on this topic. There were many ways to extract her secrets, besides directly putting the azure dragon mask on her face.

Besides checking the Cultivation progress of The Five Little Ones, Shen Guyan had many other things to do upon his return.

The first thing was to go to Tianhai City, and the highly anticipated Tianhai Alliance Grand Competition was scheduled to begin in about three days. Shen Guyan planned to go there to find someone.

With many thoughts in his heart, Shen Guyan paced to the Separate Courtyard where the five children lived and Cultivated. More than three months ago, he brought these five children from poor families to the Separate Courtyard. At that time, they were weak and naive, with eyes full of confusion and anticipation for the future.

Shen Guyan valued their ordinary Aptitude but also their rare simplicity and perseverance. Thus, he named them Yu Qin, Gu Qi, Tang Shi, Wu Hua, and Xiao Jian, after his five personal guards from his previous life.

However, they had not yet obtained spirit rings or Spirit Abilities, and their use of Soul Power was limited to the application of Cultivation Techniques, unable to condense objects like high-level Spirit Masters. But their eyes were full of longing and pursuit of power.

When Shen Guyan stepped into this small courtyard, he saw Nalali already inside, watching the children practice with great interest.

The five children were fully focused on practicing their Cultivation Techniques in the courtyard. Yu Qin, dressed in a light pink training suit, had a graceful posture and was performing the 'Fleeting Glory in Full Bloom' of the Tianxiang Sect. Her palms danced, and although there was no visible condensation of Soul Power, strands of Soul Power fluctuations emanated, as if a faint fragrance was indeed wafting.

Gu Qi, on the other hand, was concentrating on performing the 'Battle with Ones Back to the River' of the Shenwei Sect, striking poses that already showed some grandeur and ferocity. His muscles were taut, and Soul Power flowed within him, subtly exuding a magnificent Aura.

Tang Shi muttered incantations, performing the 'Torrential Pear Blossom Needle' finger technique of the Tang Sect. Soul Power flickered at his fingertips, producing faint sounds of air being torn, as if Hidden Weapons were whistling.

Wu Hua held a paintbrush, moving it swiftly as he performed the 'Hundred Insects Art' of the Five Poisons Sect. Although no actual poisonous insects were drawn, Soul Power flowed along the brush, outlining faint contours of poisonous insects in the air.

Xiao Jian wielded a long sword, making the 'Flying Swallow Chasing the Moon' sword move of the Taibai Sect formidable. The blade gleamed with cold light, and each sword strike carried the sharpness of Soul Power.

Shen Guyan ignored Nalali and walked directly towards the five children.

His gaze first fell gently on Yu Qin, and he said, "Yu Qin, your Tianxiang Cultivation Technique is light and graceful, but your control of Soul Power is a bit immature. The Tianxiang Cultivation Technique uses softness to overcome hardness; you need to delicately integrate Soul Power like silk threads into every movement, to feel the subtle resonance with the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi. Perform 'Fleeting Glory in Full Bloom' again, try to inject Soul Power into the surrounding air, and attract more Spiritual Qi to gather."

Yu Qin nodded obediently, gently closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly released her Soul Power. Shen Guyan stepped forward, gently held her hand, and guided the flow of Soul Power. "Feel the Veins of Spiritual Qi, let Soul Power blend with it, like a stream flowing into a river." Under Shen Guyan's guidance, Yu Qin gradually found the knack. Strands of Spiritual Qi in the surrounding air gathered towards her, and the originally faint Soul Power fluctuations became increasingly clear.

Shen Guyan then looked at Gu Qi and said, "Gu Qi, the Shenwei Cultivation Technique emphasizes the burst of power and control of rhythm. When you perform 'Battle with Ones Back to the River', you have enough power but lack rhythm. This move is not about brute force, but about unleashing the strongest power in a desperate situation. You need to learn to regulate your breathing, condense Soul Power in your Dantian, and when the time is right, release it with full force. Perform it again, paying attention to the coordination of breathing and Soul Power."

Gu Qi complied, took a deep breath, slowly gathered Soul Power in his Dantian, and as his breathing rhythm, Soul Power circulated within him. Suddenly, he let out a loud shout and performed 'Battle with Ones Back to the River'. This time, his power was more concentrated, his Aura became even more magnificent, the surrounding air vibrated, and shallow footprints even appeared on the ground.

Shen Guyan nodded with satisfaction, then looked at Tang Shi. "Tang Shi, Tang Sect Cultivation Techniques are renowned for Hidden Weapons and poisons. Your 'Torrential Pear Blossom Needle' finger technique is already proficient, but the condensation of Soul Power is not precise enough. Tang Sect Hidden Weapons emphasize a single fatal blow; the precision of Soul Power determines the power and hit rate of the Hidden Weapons. You need to condense Soul Power into extremely fine needles, imagining them shooting from your fingertips, piercing through the target."

Tang Shi listened intently and performed the 'Torrential Pear Blossom Needle' finger technique again. He concentrated, condensing Soul Power into tiny needles that shot out from his fingertips. The Soul Power needles flickered with cold light in the air, and although they did not hit a physical target, the sharp Soul Power fluctuations made the nearby branches tremble slightly.

Shen Guyan then looked at Wu Hua and said, "Wu Hua, your performance of the Five Poisons' 'Hundred Insects Art' shows commendable imagination. However, the Five Poisons Cultivation Technique not only seeks form but also emphasizes Spirit. You need to imbue the poisonous insects with Soul, giving them autonomous attack capabilities. Try to integrate your consciousness into the Soul Power outlines of the poisonous insects and control their actions."

Wu Hua closed his eyes, slowly integrating his consciousness into the Soul Power outlines of the poisonous insects. The outlines, which had only flickered in the air, now seemed to have life, beginning to move in different directions, adopting attacking postures. Although they had no physical form, the agility and killing intent of the Soul Power made one truly feel the uniqueness of the Five Poisons Cultivation Technique.

Finally, Shen Guyan came to Xiao Jian. "Xiao Jian, Taibai Sword Art emphasizes the agility of sword moves and the comprehension of Sword Intent. Your 'Flying Swallow Chasing the Moon' is proficient in sword moves but lacks Sword Intent. The sword is the king of all weapons; it needs to possess an arrogant Spirit and a nimble, elegant posture. You need to integrate emotion and will into your sword moves, imagining yourself as free as a flying swallow, yet not losing the sharpness of the sword."

Xiao Jian pondered, then performed 'Flying Swallow Chasing the Moon' again. This time, his sword moves had a touch more freedom and sharpness. Each sword strike seemed to contain an unyielding will, the sword wind whistled, and Soul Power flowed along the blade, bringing out streaks of Soul Power light.

Nalali watched silently from the side, her eyes full of curiosity and amazement. She had never seen such a unique way of Cultivating Cultivation Techniques, and her curiosity about Shen Guyan deepened.

After guiding their Cultivation Technique practice, Shen Guyan began to teach the children how to deeply integrate their Spirits with their Cultivation Techniques. "Yu Qin, when you perform the Tianxiang Cultivation Technique with your jade phoenix zither Spirit, you can use the zither's sound to guide your Soul Power, allowing the zither sound and the Cultivation Technique's power to resonate with each other, enhancing offensive and defensive effects. When performing 'Fleeting Glory in Full Bloom', use the zither sound as a guide, enveloping your Soul Power within it to strengthen its lethality."

Yu Qin lightly plucked the zither strings; the melodious zither sound, accompanied by the performance of 'Fleeting Glory in Full Bloom', intertwined with Soul Power fluctuations, forming an even more powerful force that spread outwards. Wherever it passed, the surrounding air seemed to be combed, forming ripples of Soul Power.

"Gu Qi, when your chessboard martial soul combines with the Shenwei Cultivation Technique, you can use the power of the chessboard to set up Formations. Before performing 'Battle with Ones Back to the River', use your chessboard martial soul to set up a defensive Formation to enhance your own defense, and at the same time, use the Formation to gather power for a concentrated burst."

Gu Qi nodded, summoned his chessboard martial soul, injected Soul Power into it, and laid out a complex Formation on the ground. Then, he performed 'Battle with Ones Back to the River' again. The Formation glowed, merging with his own strength, making his attack even more powerful, and cracks appeared on the surrounding ground.

"Tang Shi, your Heavenly Book Spirit combined with Tang Sect Cultivation Techniques allows you to integrate Tang Sect Hidden Weapons techniques into the Heavenly Book. When the Heavenly Book turns its pages, it not only casts Spells but also shoots Hidden Weapons from its pages. When performing 'Torrential Pear Blossom Needle', use the power of the Heavenly Book to increase the number of Hidden Weapons, speed them up, and give them a tracking effect."

Tang Shi opened the Heavenly Book, and Soul Power surged between the pages, instantly shooting out dense Soul Power Hidden Weapons. These Hidden Weapons split into several paths in the air, flying in different directions, accurately hitting several Soul Power targets in the distance. Small holes appeared on the targets, showing their power.

"Wu Hua, your paintbrush Spirit combined with the Five Poisons Cultivation Technique allows you to draw more powerful poisonous insects through the paintbrush. When performing 'Hundred Insects Art', use the paintbrush to draw poisonous insect patterns on the ground or in the air, inject Soul Power, and give the poisonous insects stronger vitality and attack power. In addition, you can also use the characteristics of the paintbrush Spirit to draw defensive patterns to block attacks."

Wu Hua excitedly picked up his paintbrush and drew a huge scorpion pattern on the ground. Then, he injected Soul Power into it, and the scorpion pattern glowed brightly. Although it had no physical form, the scorpion image condensed by Soul Power was lifelike, scuttling forward with bared fangs and claws. Wherever it passed, the Soul Power fluctuations on the ground were intense. Then, he drew a circular defensive pattern in the air. The pattern glowed green, protecting him within it, forming a Soul Power shield.

"Xiao Jian, your long sword martial soul combined with Taibai Sword Art requires focusing on the Fusion of Sword Intent and Soul Power. When performing sword moves, let the power of your long sword martial soul be released along the blade to enhance the power of the sword moves. When performing 'Flying Swallow Chasing the Moon', let the Spirit's power adhere to the sword body, making the sword moves more agile and penetrating."

Xiao Jian activated his long sword martial soul and performed 'Flying Swallow Chasing the Moon' again. The long sword flickered with a faint blue light, and the sword moves were sharper and faster. He swung a sword at a huge rock, and the sword move, carrying the power of his Spirit, left a deep sword mark on the surface of the rock. The edges of the sword mark were smooth, showing the powerful might after the Fusion of Spirit and sword art.

Under Shen Guyan's careful guidance, the strength of the five children gradually improved. Their understanding of Cultivation Techniques became deeper, and they also learned the integrated application of Spirits and Cultivation Techniques. Nalali watched all this, feeling a sense of envy, and also yearned for Shen Guyan's guidance.

Next, to further improve the children's proficiency in the Fusion of Spirits and Cultivation Techniques, Shen Guyan arranged for them to practice in pairs. Yu Qin and Gu Qi were a group, Tang Shi and Wu Hua were a group, and Xiao Jian practiced sword moves alone, constantly gaining insights during his practice.

Yu Qin and Gu Qi stood opposite each other. Yu Qin was the first to pluck the zither strings, performing 'Plain Hand Clear Lotus'. The zither sounds transformed into Soul Power fluctuations, like lotus flowers, drifting towards Gu Qi. Gu Qi looked solemn; he controlled his chessboard martial soul, setting up a 'Defense Formation'. The chessboard glowed, forming a Soul Power barrier that blocked Yu Qin's attack.

"Yu Qin, although the Soul Power fluctuations of your zither music are strong, the rhythm is too steady and easily predictable," Shen Guyan reminded her. Upon hearing this, Yu Qin's heart stirred, and she changed the rhythm of her music, causing the flight path of the Spirit Power Lotus Flowers to become erratic.

On Tang Shi and Wu Hua's side, Tang Shi used the Tang Sect's "Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track," his figure flickering as he quickly approached Wu Hua. Wu Hua, meanwhile, wielded his brush and executed the Five Poisons' "Jade Butterfly Lure." Soul Power-condensed jade butterflies flew towards Tang Shi. Several Soul Power-condensed Hidden Weapons immediately appeared in Tang Shi's hand, shooting toward the jade butterflies and scattering some of them.

"Wu Hua, although your Jade Butterflies seem nimble, your Soul Power is too dispersed, and their power is insufficient," Shen Guyan reminded him from the side.

Hearing this, Wu Hua concentrated his Soul Power, making the Jade Butterflies smaller but more solid. They flew toward Tang Shi again, and this time, Tang Shi found the evasion slightly strenuous.

Xiao Jian practiced his sword moves alone on the side. He continuously executed sword moves like "Return of the Falling Goose" and "Flying Swallow Chasing the Moon," while simultaneously trying to integrate the power of his long sword martial soul into them.

With every strike, he carefully sensed the compatibility between the Spirit's power and the sword moves, searching for room for improvement.

Shen Guyan observed the children's sparring from the side, offering guidance when appropriate. "Yu Qin, try adding variations to your zither music, using the sound to interfere with Gu Qi's Soul Power perception."

"Gu Qi, pay attention to the flexibility of the Formation. Don't just focus on defense; look for opportunities to counterattack."

"Tang Shi, the coordination between your Hidden Weapons and movement technique is not yet proficient enough. Strengthen your synergy."

"Wu Hua, control the movements of your Jade Butterflies to form effective attack combinations."

"Xiao Jian, your Sword Intent is not condensed enough. Imagine striking between life and death to unleash the maximum power of your sword moves."

Through daily sparring and guidance, the children's strength steadily improved. However, Shen Guyan knew that their current progress was only preliminary. To truly establish themselves in this challenging World, they needed more tempering.

To allow the children to adapt to different combat scenarios, Shen Guyan decided to take them to the valley behind the Separate Courtyard for combat simulations. The valley terrain was complex, featuring steep cliffs, dense woods, and winding streams. The children followed behind Shen Guyan, their eyes filled with excitement and nervousness.

After entering the valley, Shen Guyan began setting up the simulation scenario.

"For today's combat simulation, assume we are ambushed by a group of enemies. Yu Qin, use the valley terrain to find a hidden spot, use your zither music to interfere with the enemies' perception, and simultaneously assist your teammates in attacking. Gu Qi, you are responsible for setting up a defensive Formation in the open area to protect your teammates. Tang Shi, use the cover of the woods to deploy Hidden Weapons for long-range attacks. Wu Hua, draw Soul Power patterns to create traps and distract the enemies. Xiao Jian, you will act as the vanguard, taking the initiative to disrupt the enemies' Formation."

The children quickly acted according to Shen Guyan's instructions.

Yu Qin found a hidden crevice in the cliff wall, concealed herself inside, and gently plucked the strings, executing the "Phantom Dream Lure." The zither music echoed through the valley, interfering with the "enemies'" perception.

Gu Qi quickly set up the "Heavenly Dipper Big Dipper Formation" in the open area of the valley. Soul Power light flickered, forming a solid defensive barrier. Tang Shi moved like Gui Mei through the woods, continuously firing Soul Power Hidden Weapons toward the "enemies."

Wu Hua drew Soul Power traps along the valley path with his brush, including vine patterns that could restrain enemy movement and mushroom patterns that could release poisonous fog.

Xiao Jian, holding his longsword, charged toward the "enemies" and executed the "Heavenly Peak Five Cloud Sword." His sword moves were fierce, carrying powerful Soul Power fluctuations, and instantly broke into the "enemies'" Formation, disrupting their ranks.

During the combat simulation, the children fully utilized their abilities and cooperated with each other. However, some problems were exposed. Although Yu Qin's zither music could interfere with the enemies, she sometimes neglected her own safety due to excessive focus. Although Gu Qi's defensive Formation was solid, he was overwhelmed when facing attacks from multiple directions. Tang Shi's Hidden Weapon accuracy needed improvement, and he occasionally exposed his position while moving through the woods. Wu Hua's Soul Power patterns sometimes failed to maintain effectiveness due to rapid Soul Power consumption. After charging into the enemy Formation, Xiao Jian's coordination with his teammates was insufficient, making it easy for him to become isolated.

Shen Guyan observed the children's performance from the side. After the combat simulation ended, he gathered the children together.

"Everyone performed well in today's combat simulation, but there are still many issues. Yu Qin, you must remain vigilant at all times; do not focus solely on offense and neglect your own safety. Gu Qi, your Formation must be flexible and adaptable, adjusting promptly based on the enemies' direction of attack. Tang Shi, while improving the accuracy of your Hidden Weapons, pay attention to concealing yourself. Wu Hua, reasonably control your Soul Power consumption to ensure the continued effectiveness of your patterns. Xiao Jian, after charging into the enemy Formation, communicate with your teammates in time to coordinate your attacks."

The children listened carefully to Shen Guyan's teachings, gaining a clearer understanding of their shortcomings. They understood that becoming powerful Spirit Masters required a long journey, but under Shen Guyan's guidance, they were filled with confidence.

A day quickly passed. Under Shen Guyan's instruction, the children continuously overcame their deficiencies. Yu Qin learned to use her zither music to sense surrounding dangers while attacking, making timely evasive maneuvers. Through continuous practice, Gu Qi was able to quickly adjust his defensive Formation to cope with attacks from different directions. After extensive practice, Tang Shi's Hidden Weapon accuracy greatly improved, and he also mastered better concealment techniques. Wu Hua learned to allocate his Soul Power reasonably, drawing more lasting and effective Soul Power patterns. Xiao Jian's coordination with his teammates became increasingly proficient; after charging into the enemy Formation, he could adjust his sword moves according to his teammates' attack rhythm.

Through repeated tempering, the children gradually matured. They were no longer the five ignorant, poor children they once were, but were steadily moving toward the goal of becoming powerful Spirit Masters, carrying dreams and conviction.

Shen Guyan watched the children grow, his heart filled with satisfaction. He knew his efforts had not been in vain, and the futures of these children were filled with infinite possibilities.

On the second day, Shen Guyan decided to conduct a comprehensive assessment of the children. He set up various tests on the Separate Courtyard's Training Grounds, including Soul Power control, Cultivation Technique execution, Spirit Fusion, and teamwork.

The assessment began, and Yu Qin was the first to step forward. She sat in the center of the Training Grounds, gently plucking the strings of the jade phoenix zither, executing "Listening to the Wind in the Rain." The zither music was melodious, and Soul Power scattered through the air like fine rain, gradually condensing into nimble musical notes that spun around her.

Yu Qin not only had to precisely control the flight paths of these musical notes but also ensure they contained different Soul Power effects; some notes possessed offensive power, while others had defensive support capabilities. Her fingers moved nimbly, the music shifted, and the notes intertwined in the air, forming a beautiful yet dangerous tapestry.

Gu Qi was next. He summoned his chessboard martial soul and executed the "Heaven and Earth Reversal Formation."

The chessboard hovered in the air, radiating intense light. Lines of Soul Power extended from the chessboard, outlining a massive Formation on the Training Grounds.

Inside the Formation, the Soul Power fluctuations were intense. Gu Qi had to flexibly adjust the distribution of Soul Power within the Formation to simulate countering various attacks. At times, he strengthened the Formation's defense to block virtual enemy attacks; at other times, he changed the Formation's attack direction to counterattack the virtual enemies.

Tang Shi subsequently entered the stage, his figure like lightning as he moved across the Training Grounds. He continuously fired Soul Power Hidden Weapons from his hands; these Hidden Weapons flashed with cold light in the air, shooting toward their targets from various tricky angles. At the same time, he executed the Tang Sect's "Thousand Mechanism Transformation," cleverly changing his movement technique and attack methods between different Hidden Weapon attacks, making him elusive. Furthermore, Tang Shi had to use his Heavenly Book Spirit to cast Spells at critical moments, enhancing the power of his Hidden Weapons or interfering with the enemies' actions.

Wu Hua was not to be outdone. He wielded his brush and executed "Eternal Treasure Painting the World." Wherever the brush went, Soul Power scattered like ink, drawing marvelous patterns on the Training Grounds.

There were patterns of massive ropes that could restrain enemy movement, patterns of mysterious flowers that released poisonous fog, and patterns of Divine Beasts that could summon Soul Power beast Souls to assist in combat. Wu Hua needed to precisely control the Soul Power intensity and effect of every pattern to maximize its utility in battle.

Finally, Xiao Jian appeared. He held his longsword and executed the ultimate technique of the Taibai Sword Art, "Traceless Sword Intent." The longsword danced in his hands, seemingly casual, yet leaving behind invisible sword marks in the air. These sword marks contained powerful Soul Power; once an enemy touched them, they would be severely wounded. While executing his sword moves, Xiao Jian also had to coordinate with his teammates' attacks to form a cohesive whole.

Throughout the assessment, the children fully demonstrated their strength, showcasing the growth and progress they had made during this time. Their Soul Power control was more precise, their Cultivation Technique execution was more proficient, and the Fusion of their Spirits and Cultivation Techniques was more natural. In terms of teamwork, everyone cooperated and complemented each other's strengths, forming a powerful force.

Shen Guyan watched the children's brilliant performance on the Training Grounds, a thoughtful expression appearing on his face.

These five children had gradually gotten on the right track. As long as they continued to work hard in the future, they would inevitably carve out a place for themselves on the Douluo Continent. However, Shen Guyan now had to force them to grow up quickly.

After the assessment, Shen Guyan gathered the children and gave them detailed comments and encouragement regarding their performance.

As the children listened to Shen Guyan, their eyes shone with determination. They knew this was just the beginning, and their Young Master would certainly set up more trials in the future, but they were ready to bravely face everything to come.

"Alright... for the next year, you will undergo Hell Mode training in the Spirit Ascension Platform." Shen Guyan pondered for a moment, then pulled out his soul tool communicator from his pocket and dialed a number he hadn't contacted in a long time.

"Hello, is that Teacher Hong Ying?"