Ever since getting those books, Huo Yuhao had been immersed in them.
Low-rank Soul Guidance Devices correspond to First-Rank Soul Engineers through Third-Rank Soul Engineers in the Sun-Moon Empire's Soul Guidance Device knowledge system.
Compared to books like 'Introduction to Soul Guidance Devices,' which lay the theoretical foundation for Soul Guidance Devices, 'Principles of Low-Rank Soul Guidance Devices' leans more toward showcasing the various structures and the working principles of core formations in low-rank Soul Guidance Devices, deriving theorems and empirical formulas.
'Low-Rank Soul Guidance Device Design' focuses on rationally matching core formations, with the main content being how to calculate the stability coefficient using relevant theorems and empirical formulas, which is the key metric for judging whether a Soul Guidance Device is qualified.
Generally speaking, the higher the danger level of the field the tool is applied to, the higher the required stability coefficient.
'Principles of Low-Rank Core Formation Driving' discusses the thirteen types and eighty-three basic core formations. Many core formations used in advanced Soul Guidance Devices have also gradually evolved from these basic ones.
As for 'Key Points of First-Rank Core Formation Engraving,' it is a purely practical manual.
For Huo Yuhao, theoretical knowledge was a matter of course once he could enter the flow state at any time.
Occasionally, when he found conflicts or things he didn't understand between Feng Bujue's notes and the book content, he would ask Feng Bujue for clarification.
The days remained the same: stocking up and cultivating Soul Power in the morning, selling grilled fish in the afternoon, and using fragmented time to read, but now the entire evening was dedicated to self-study.
More than ten days passed, during which a small incident occurred.
While selling grilled fish, Huo Yuhao overheard some senior students from Shrek Academy who came to buy fish discussing in low voices:
"Did you hear? In the freshman boys' dormitory, four hundred people are fighting over two toilets. That scene..."
"I know. I heard many people were beaten until they wet themselves on the spot, scaring several people into quitting immediately."
"Sigh, that's nothing. Didn't Zhou Yi, that old hag, conduct another obedience test? In their class, one try-hard demanded to run two hundred laps, which ended up causing thirty or forty people to be expelled directly."
"I think his name was Tang Yin? That guy seems to be trying to promote something about restoring the glory of the Tang Sect. The old hag's goal of screening students was achieved, but luckily, Teacher Mu Jin and Teacher Wang Yan took in some of them."
"But there were still about ten people forced to withdraw. I heard one girl, who came from some small place in the Heavenly Soul Empire and spent a huge price to get a recommendation letter, had a complete mental breakdown and went mad."
"A pitiful soul. She thought coming to Shrek meant entering a Spirit Master paradise and that her life was about to get better, but she ran into those two lunatics, Tang Yin and Zhou Yi."
"Alas, is this kind of thing rare? Remember the incident with the Inner Court's senior disciple a few years ago? A team led by a ninety-eighth-rank Super Douluo on a soul hunting mission—a whole group of geniuses vanished just like that. Tragic!"
"Shh! Keep your voice down."
"I never planned on entering the Inner Court anyway. Most of the things taught in the Outer Court can be provided by my family. I'm only here to build connections. The graduation standard for the Inner Court is also bizarre—where are they supposed to find thirty Evil Soul Masters to kill? There must be so much shady stuff going on in there."
"Ahem, let's not talk about that..."
Huo Yuhao grilled fish expressionlessly, only sighing inwardly.
That evening, Huo Yuhao discussed the matter with Feng Bujue. Feng Bujue also sighed, his tone heavy:
"I know that girl. I heard the regional administrator in that area promised to support her, and she is currently being taken care of by her mother."
"There have been many such incidents over the years. How long can an administrator relying on integrity last? If that girl doesn't get better quickly, life will be very difficult for her and her mother going forward."
Huo Yuhao said, "Brother Bujue, aren't you an immigration agent? For someone in their situation, would immigrating to the Sun-Moon Empire be suitable?"
"Being a 'run-ren' also requires capital," Feng Bujue shook his head and exchanged a look with Huo Yuhao. "Just like how I never asked you if you wanted to 'run' to the Sun-Moon Empire right now."
"The act of 'running' requires a lot of money. That mother and daughter probably don't have much money, as they couldn't even afford a recommendation letter that could be bought directly with Gold Soul Coins."
"You are very similar to me when I was young—having no relatives but possessing a bit of... Soul Guidance Device talent. I hope you can get better. If your Soul Engineer talent isn't good enough, 'running' to the Sun-Moon Empire will also make it hard to gain recognition, and you might not live well."
"It's the same for that mother and daughter," Huo Yuhao replied.
"In this world, ultimately, the bigger the fist, the more say you have. Of course, geniuses who are future powerhouses also possess influence."
"..."
"The bigger the fist, the more say you have."
Huo Yuhao took a deep breath and maximized his Mental Detection. At this moment, he first observed himself like an audience member, adjusting any improper physical and mental states. His Martial Soul was highly concentrated, his breathing incredibly soft, and he fully controlled his Soul Power to adhere to the tip of his carving knife. On a flat metal plate, he precisely moved the knife, scraping out beautiful formation patterns that varied in thickness and depth.
Then, the tip of the carving knife paused, turned, and connected the preceding and succeeding patterns. The First-Rank Core Formation, 'Compression,' was successfully inscribed.
"Let me!"
Feng Bujue, who had been standing silently beside him, spoke softly. Seeing Huo Yuhao naturally step aside, he took a step forward and gently waved his right hand. A light breeze rose from thin air, gently sweeping away the metal shavings.
This was Feng Bujue's Martial Soul: Gentle Breeze.
A complete core formation was revealed on the metal plate. Feng Bujue injected a stream of soft cyan Soul Power into it. The core formation rapidly compressed the Soul Power, forming a thumb-sized ball of high-pressure Soul Power with a decent brightness, illuminating Huo Yuhao's small room even brighter.
"Success!"
Although Feng Bujue had personally experienced Mental Detection before and was astonished by this divine skill, he was still incredulous. Achieving this level in just over twenty days meant the subsequent difficulty of casing and sealing wouldn't be that great.
This meant that, without any prior Soul Guidance Device foundation, Huo Yuhao might become a First-Rank Soul Engineer in less than a month!
Even in the highly developed Sun-Moon Empire, this was unheard of for Feng Bujue.
Huo Yuhao's heart was also uneasy: "Brother Bujue, how is my Soul Engineer talent?"
Feng Bujue took a deep breath and said solemnly:
"Strong, extremely strong. Even without relying on Mental Detection, your talent is greater than that of my cousin, who has a research project at Mingde Hall."
"Yuhao, if you trust me, listen to my advice. First, improve to the Second-rank Soul Engineer level here in Shrek City. I guarantee you entry into the Sun Moon Empire Royal Soul Engineer Academy to study. My cousin will definitely be interested in becoming your teacher."
"Okay."
Huo Yuhao didn't understand the affairs of the Sun-Moon Empire, but from his perspective as an observer, Feng Bujue's sincerity was genuine.
"But I remember you said before, Brother Bujue, that a Soul Engineer who can have a research project at Mingde Hall must be at least a Seventh-Rank, yet my Innate Soul Power is only First-Rank..."
Feng Bujue smiled and explained:
"No matter. With the talent you've shown, even if you can only stably manufacture Soul Guidance Devices of the same rank, it's already terrifying. The pills you can obtain will definitely be higher grade and have fewer side effects than what I received back then."
"And for outstanding students at the Sun Moon Empire Royal Soul Engineer Academy, the most efficient way to obtain high-quality pills and top-tier resources is by climbing the Ranking List."
Huo Yuhao asked, "What is the Ranking List?"
"You'll know when you get there. Anyway, the rewards include items comparable to the Xuanshui Pill on the Three Douluo Empires side."
"But the competition is fierce, especially between the first and second ranks."
Huo Yuhao asked again, "Why?"
"Because there are quite a few geniuses from various noble and powerful families. These people often enter school already possessing the foundation of a Second-Rank or even Third-Rank Soul Engineer, but they suppress it and don't get certified, planning to fleece the academy's resources."
"So, in your first year there, you'll have to compete with these students who have family foundations. Even with extremely high talent, if you don't have the foundation of a Second-Rank Soul Engineer or above, it will be hard to gain an advantage, and the resources you can obtain will definitely be limited."
"It's better to improve yourself with me here in Shrek City, and go to the Sun-Moon Empire next year. As for age, that doesn't matter much."
"Don't look at me, Brother Bujue, being only a Fourth-Rank Soul Engineer. That's because I was stuck at fifty Soul Power; otherwise, I would have been a Fifth-Rank Soul Engineer long ago. Although that's not much, guiding you to systematically learn the basic theories, combined with my savings, is enough to get you started."
"I have one more requirement: during this stage in Shrek City, hide your Soul Guidance Device learning progress and your shared Spirit Ability, Mental Detection!"
"Trust the military strength of Shrek Academy, but don't trust the morality of Shrek Academy."
Huo Yuhao nodded firmly. The things he had seen and heard these past few days had completely stripped away his illusions about the continent's number one academy
In the Sea of Consciousness, the ten orbs of light were still circling above in a ring, while the small gray ball quietly hovered beside the Sea of Consciousness, emitting a strange rhythm.
Skydream Iceworm wiggled its plump body, looking at Huo Yuhao's spiritual body with amazement and saying:
"Yuhao, I must say, after you correctly interpreted the thoughts in others' minds through their actions and expressions, the Chaos Qi you obtained can actually enhance the essence of your Sea of Consciousness!"
"But, this little puddle only got a little bigger," Huo Yuhao looked down, puzzled.
"Not so, not so!" Skydream Iceworm snorted, "Your Brother Tianmeng is an unparalleled million-year Soul Beast, and one of the Martial Soul attribute type at that. Having lived for so many years, what haven't I seen?"
"However, a method that enhances the essence of the Sea of Consciousness like this, I truly haven't encountered before."
"You can't see it now, but I estimate that once you reach the Three- or Four-Ring level, and your Mental Power cultivation reaches Spirit Emperor or Soul Saint, you will be able to directly feel the qualitative change in your Sea of Consciousness. Perhaps it will grant you even more incredible abilities."
Huo Yuhao spread his hands regretfully, "It's a pity that the Spirit Masters I usually come into contact with generally don't have high cultivation levels, and those who are much higher than me, like Brother Bujue, even if I can grasp his thoughts, it's very difficult to condense Chaos Qi."
"Compared to that, I'm more worried about the progress of your cultivation." Skydream Iceworm's tone became distressed, "It's commendable that you can produce a First-Rank Soul Engineer in a month, but after this whole month, your Soul Power has only increased by half a rank."
"What can be done about that?" Huo Yuhao was also helpless. He used to rely on meditation to slowly grind his way up.
Skydream Iceworm suddenly had an idea, "That Feng Bujue seems to think highly of you. Why don't you find a way to get some pills from him?"
"But pills that help increase Soul Power cost hundreds or even thousands of Gold Soul Coins..." Huo Yuhao was tempted but still refused, "Brother Tianmeng, I've already caused Brother Bujue a lot of trouble. I don't want to deliberately plot against his money."
"Huh!" Skydream Iceworm's body shook as if it sensed something, and it exclaimed excitedly, "Although you think that way, it seems you've underestimated how much he values you!"
"Yuhao, are you meditating?" Feng Bujue's voice sounded from outside the door, accompanied by a gentle knocking sound.
Huo Yuhao opened his eyes and opened the door, feeling somewhat puzzled. After a month, he had basically gotten along well with the other members of the merchant guild and knew their work schedules.
At this time, before dawn, the guild was usually receiving supplies. Feng Bujue would normally still be fast asleep at this hour.
Why would he be knocking on the door now?
"Little Brother Huo, you're in luck!" Feng Bujue entered the room with a hearty laugh, closed the door, and then poured the contents of the small porcelain bottle in his hand onto his palm.
There were two deep blue pills, about the size of cherries, covered with many white patterns of varying shades. After being poured out of the bottle, a faint mist of water permeated around the pills. A hint of fresh fragrance lingered in the air; just inhaling a trace was refreshing and pleasing to the heart.
"Xuanshui Pill!" Feng Bujue thoughtfully introduced it.
"The Xuanshui Pill originates from the Xuanming Sect of the Heavenly Soul Empire. This thing is not only greatly nourishing and capable of increasing Soul Power, but its medicinal properties are also extremely gentle. Spirit Masters of any rank can absorb its medicinal effect very well. For Spirit Masters below Rank Twenty, it can increase their Soul Power by at least one rank. But its most precious aspect is not this; it's the effect of cleansing the marrow and transforming the tendons."
"For Spirit Masters with decent aptitude, it's mostly just an amplification or icing on the cake. But for Spirit Masters like us with terrible aptitude, it is immensely significant. One Xuanshui Pill can, at the very least, help an ordinary Spirit Master's potential increase by the equivalent of one rank of Innate Soul Power. This is an amplification and change to talent and physique."
"If I had obtained a gentle pill of this level when I first started cultivating, I might be a Sixth-Rank Soul Tool Master now and have been admitted to Mingde Hall."
Saying this, Feng Bujue sighed somewhat, put the pills into the porcelain bottle, and placed it in Huo Yuhao's hand, "They're for you."
Huo Yuhao found it hard to refuse. He took a deep breath, suppressing the sourness in his nose, "Brother Bujue, how much are these pills?"
"Only about a hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins, nothing much. Don't worry, I have hundreds of thousands in savings, it's just pocket change. Speaking of which, you're lucky. The major merchant guild behind this small merchant guild we're with actually acquired someone selling Xuanshui Pills in Shrek City. If we had been a bit slower, they would have been gone. Isn't that coincidental?"
"Otherwise, the pills coordinated from the Sun-Moon Empire side would not only take a month to arrive, but they also wouldn't have the effect of increasing potential."
Feng Bujue smiled casually, but the damned premium price still made him feel a pang of pain. He thought for a moment, "Don't feel any psychological burden, either. I have selfish motives too."
Huo Yuhao was somewhat confused. Did Feng Bujue have some aspect from which he could benefit?
Feng Bujue stated frankly:
"What I'm doing is also a form of investment. I've been in Shrek City for several years and still haven't found a way to help me break through to the Rank Fifty Soul Power level."
"In the future, you will definitely be able to go further and obtain better resources. Then you will have the ability to help me."
"Brother Bujue, you can invest in many people, yet you specifically chose me. No matter what, I will remember this kindness." Huo Yuhao said solemnly, "Great kindness requires no thanks. In the future, if I have meat to eat, you will have soup to drink!"
Isn't this exactly what Feng Bujue wanted to hear?
After a month of getting along, he was confident he understood Huo Yuhao's general personality: resilient, grateful, craving affection, and fond of observing others.
It was actually quite similar to his own childhood. The only difference was that Huo Yuhao's Soul Engineer talent was so dazzling that it was impossible to ignore.
"Alright, you better remember those words." Feng Bujue agreed with a smile, patted Huo Yuhao's shoulder, and turned to leave, "Eat one first, then eat the second one half a month later. That will have the best effect."
Huo Yuhao closed the door, sat cross-legged on the bed, took out one Xuanshui Pill, examined it carefully for a moment, and then swallowed it.
In the morning light, the faint blue glow emanating from Huo Yuhao's body was particularly obvious. A layer of faint water mist seemed to float on the surface of his skin. As the mist diffused, it emitted a faint, fresh fragrance.
His skin seemed to be gently fluctuating, and during the fluctuation, fine streams of air constantly escaped from his pores. The light blue water mist continuously flowed in and out through the pores. As time passed, the color of the water mist gradually deepened, but the fresh fragrance gradually faded.
And Huo Yuhao's Soul Power climbed steadily during this process:
Level Eleven Peak, Level Twelve, Level Twelve Peak, Level Thirteen!
...In Feng Bujue's dormitory, he pondered slightly, took out a piece of white paper, placed it on his desk, and began to write.
To Cousin: Greetings, Cousin.
Your foolish Brother Bujue has encountered a natural genius in Soul Engineering here in Shrek City. He is eleven years old. Although he knows very little about Soul Engineers, he possesses a Martial Soul attribute Martial Soul, extraordinary comprehension, and the divine skill of the Soul Engineer Domain. He went from being a Soul Engineer illiterate to the level of a First-Rank Soul Engineer in just one month—a rare, unpolished jade indeed. Considering that Elder Brother is a senior researcher at Mingde Hall with profound attainments in Soul Engineering, among all those I know, only Elder Brother is qualified to guide this child.
I intend to personally teach and refine him first. Once he has the foundation of a Second-rank Soul Tool Master, I will bring him to our academy and request your meticulous cultivation.
This matter concerns this child's future and will also add talent to our academy. I hope you will grant my request.
Your brother, Bujue, bows his head in respect.
The Grilled Fish Stall.
Tang Ya, Tang Yin, Beibei, and Xu Sanshi sat around a small table. Xu Sanshi instructed Huo Yuhao:
"Little Huo, four more grilled fish!"
"Alright!" Huo Yuhao scanned the four of them, placed four fish on the grill, sprinkled various spices, and then buried his head in grilling.
"Sigh, I didn't expect Little Brother Huo to end up like this." Tang Ya looked at Huo Yuhao's busy back and sighed. "Back then, Beibei and I asked him to join the Tang Sect to help us guard a stronghold, but he refused."
"Eating fish won't shut your mouth?" Beibei helplessly poured her a drink.
"Then he really missed out on a good opportunity," Xu Sanshi said indifferently.
He was loyal and friendly to people, but that was based on friendships where everyone was of equal standing, or had the potential to be so in the future.
For someone who couldn't even get admitted to the academy and had to sell grilled fish, he didn't believe they existed in the same world.
"More than a good opportunity? The Tang Sect will rise again under my leadership; the earlier one joins, the more benefits one reaps." Tang Yin took a bite of grilled fish, satisfied. "However, his grilling is quite good; we can hire him as a full-time grilled fish vendor for the Tang Sect later."
Tang Ya said, "Didn't he cause trouble with your homeroom teacher when he first enrolled?"
"How could Teacher Zhou stoop to the level of arguing with someone like that?" Tang Yin waved his hand, then changed the subject. "Teacher Zhou agreed to take me to the Soul Guidance Department to see around tonight."
"That's great, Brother Tang Yin. Although you started late, your progress with the secret techniques of the Tang Sect is rapid. The Purple Demon Eye is a very good auxiliary secret technique for the Soul Tool Domain. As long as your talent in soul tools is decent, you will surely achieve something!"
"Naturally," Tang Yin's tone was confident, yet he seemed a bit distracted.
A month had passed. He had checked Beibei, Xu Sanshi, and even Dai Huabin, who had decent talent, using a secret method; none of them were the Son of Destiny. Furthermore, among those close to Wang Dong, there was still no Son of Destiny.
It shouldn't be like this.
Did the interference the main body previously exerted on the Son of Destiny cease to be effective?
Or is the Son of Destiny female? Is it Xiao Xiao, who is quite close to Wang Dong? Although she has Twin Martial Souls, are the strengths of her two Martial Souls a bit too low?
It's a pity that I have already been shielded by the world's consciousness and cannot directly contact the main body; otherwise, it wouldn't be this troublesome.
The four's casual talk was not loud, but under Huo Yuhao's Mental Detection, every move was completely exposed.
From body language to undisguised expressions, and even words and tone, Huo Yuhao could read many things.
Brother Beibei's gaze toward his back just now carried a hint of apology.
When Xu Sanshi mentioned "good opportunity," there seemed to be an emotion of looking down upon or even indifference—looking down on the Tang Sect, disregarding my existence?
Huo Yuhao's lips curled up. If he hadn't met Feng Bujue before, or discovered his own decent talent in Soul Guidance Devices, perhaps he would have been struck by such an attitude.
But now, he didn't care about Xu Sanshi's thoughts.
Tang Ya's tone held a faint hint of showing off and mockery. When mentioning Tang Yin, she often directed her gaze over, and her chin would often lift slightly—a typical small gesture of pride.
Did she want to prove to me that giving the exemption spot to Tang Yin was the right choice?
Or was it that seeing me currently busy making a living and seemingly having no time for cultivation, while they were all top students of Shrek Academy, future Spirit Masters renowned across the Continent, she felt a sense of superiority from the comparison?
Tang Yin's response to Tang Ya was perfunctory; his eyes were often unfocused, and his fingers unconsciously rubbed together.
He had something on his mind, and it was something very difficult for him to solve?
What worries could a new genius of Shrek Academy possibly have?
Huo Yuhao shook his head and flipped the grilled fish on the rack.
Brother Beibei was as devoted as ever to his affection for Teacher Tang Ya; his eyes barely left her.
Huh?
Why did Tang Ya look at Tang Yin more often than she looked at Beibei?
Huo Yuhao paused while holding the seasoning bottle. Not only that, but the look in her eyes when she looked at Tang Yin seemed softer, and calling his name was more intimate.
If that was the case, then her sitting posture was even more telling. Although Brother Beibei was directly across from her, her legs seemed to lean slightly more toward Tang Yin.
Based on the feedback from the continuously condensing Chaos Qi in his Sea of Consciousness, his deductions were basically correct.
Of course, the thoughts and attitudes deciphered from subtle details might not be things a person has already determined and insisted upon internally; they cannot completely summarize a person's true thoughts.
But the details naturally displayed must reflect certain subconscious thoughts, even if many people would deny them if they were spoken aloud.
As expected, observing others while selling grilled fish had indeed honed his observational skills.
Huo Yuhao sprinkled seasoning on the grilled fish and then brought them to the four seated there, smiling:
"The geniuses of Shrek, your grilled fish are ready."
Tang Yin snapped back to attention, his gaze focusing on Huo Yuhao's clothes, and asked hesitantly:
"Why are there metal shavings on your clothes?"
Such sharp observation—is this the Purple Demon Eye of the Tang Sect? But why didn't Beibei and Tang Ya notice?
Huo Yuhao's smile remained unchanged:
"After I finish selling grilled fish, I help out the Soul Engineers in the merchant guild inside, sneaking a peek at knowledge about Soul Guidance Devices."
"Sneaking things from others is not a good habit," Tang Yin frowned, then added after thinking of something, "Of course, that's if you're interested."
"However, Soul Guidance Devices are ultimately external objects and do not help in improving one's own strength. Delving into this is putting the cart before the horse."
Huo Yuhao put down the grilled fish, his smile fading slightly:
"As far as I know, doesn't your Tang Sect also have Hidden Weapon?"
Tang Yin's brow furrowed slightly: "Can that be the same?"
What kind of logic was that? Soul Guidance Devices, no. Tang Sect Hidden Weapon, yes?
Huo Yuhao shook his head: "They are different. Soul Guidance Devices have creativity; their power is not limited to destructive power. They have the potential to change the world."
Tang Yin scoffed: "Martial Soul is the foundation of a Spirit Master. Only Spirit Masters have ascended to godhood; no Soul Engineer has."
Huo Yuhao said: "But in ten thousand years, not a single person has ascended to godhood. So many powerful Spirit Masters could not become gods. Doesn't that suggest the path of a Spirit Master is not as easy as it seems?"
Tang Yin: "..."
Tang Yin certainly knew the reason, but he couldn't say it.
Could he say that in the last ten thousand years, since the main body took control of the God Realm's core, no god could perceive the situation on Douluo Star, which is why no one had become a god?
He couldn't.
"I don't think much of Soul Guidance Devices either," Xu Sanshi said calmly. "The Sun-Moon Empire boasts the Continent's top Soul Guidance Devices, yet they were still crushed by our Shrek Academy leading the Three Douluo Empires. What good are they?"
"Little Huo, your Brother Sanshi and Beibei are the twin stars of the Outer Court, designated as the next Shrek Seven Devils. Stop bragging about Soul Guidance Devices in front of us."
"Go grill your fish properly. You don't understand Spirit Master matters."
He curled his fingers, flicking out two silver coins. The coins made crisp 'clinking' sounds on the table:
"This is what you should be paying attention to."
...
Night, Shrek Academy Fourth-Year Boys' Dormitory.
Beibei said earnestly to Xu Sanshi: "Sanshi, Little Brother Huo didn't mean it. He's just trying to make a living selling grilled fish; don't go cause trouble for him."
Xu Sanshi was speechless:
"Why would I bother with him? A person like that will just be like that for his whole life. The next time he hears our names, it might be when the news spreads throughout Shrek City that we won the championship in the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Duel Tournament."
Soul Guidance Department.
"Brother He, what's so difficult about repairing a Soul Guidance Device gun barrel?"
Tang Yin smashed the gun barrel flat with a hammer and continued hammering, making loud 'bang bang' sounds that made it shine brightly. Then, he rolled the sheet metal into a cylindrical tube—the Soul Guidance Device gun barrel was repaired.
He Caitou was so exasperated he almost laughed: "A Soul Guidance Device gun barrel isn't made like that. I'll teach you."
Tang Yin's face instantly darkened. You're teaching me how to do things?
Just because I call you Brother He, you think you're something
After completely digesting the first Xuanshui Pill, Huo Yuhao's Soul Power reached the peak of Rank Thirteen, and he immediately took the second Xuanshui Pill.
After consuming the second Xuanshui Pill, Huo Yuhao's Soul Power increased by a full rank, moving from the peak of Rank Thirteen to the peak of Rank Fourteen.
Approaching Rank Fifteen Soul Power, it could already converge into a white stream of qi within his body. His entire body felt clear, his meridians warm, which was not only comfortable but also marked a significant improvement.
Huo Yuhao vaguely felt that under the effect of the two Xuanshui Pills, his meridians had widened considerably, becoming extremely elastic and tough. In terms of physique, he was now comparable to most Shrek Academy students he had met.
However, in terms of progress, the improvement in Soul Engineer knowledge was even more pronounced.
In over half a month, he had not only mastered the inscription of various Rank One core formations but had also self-studied the relevant material for Rank Two Soul Engineers.
Although the total amount and complexity of the knowledge were increasing, for him, once he grasped the basics, progress became systematic.
For the occasional points he didn't understand, a slight pointer from Feng Bujue allowed him to grasp the concept instantly.
The biggest difficulty was feeling that a day was too short; there were too many things he wanted to do. Every night, as soon as he opened his eyes after meditation, it was time to get busy.
It was extremely fulfilling.
During this time, Feng Bujue also suggested he stop selling grilled fish, as the money earned was too little. He might as well use that time for meditation.
But for now, the money earned from the grilled fish stall was secondary. The main benefit was that the identity of 'Little Huo the Grilled Fish Seller' made him easily overlooked, allowing him to more easily observe the various behaviors and micro-expressions of passersby and customers from an observer's perspective to analyze their true thoughts, thus condensing Chaos Qi and enhancing the essence of his Sea of Consciousness.
The enhancement of the essence of the Sea of Consciousness also drove an increase in his Mental Power strength.
After communicating with the Skydream Iceworm, Huo Yuhao decided to tell Feng Bujue that his ability to observe others' thoughts could enhance his Mental Power, presenting it as a characteristic of his Spiritual Eye Martial Soul.
Firstly, Feng Bujue had helped him so much, and being open-minded, he was trustworthy.
Secondly, if Huo Yuhao's ability were to evolve in the future, he might need to engage in this kind of activity to continue evolving. Doing it frequently would be hard to conceal. Rather than having a strange ability suddenly appear and cause suspicion later, it was better to reveal it early.
Upon learning this, Feng Bujue expressed his understanding and lamented that Huo Yuhao had suffered too much hardship as a child. Otherwise, how could the Spiritual Eye, possessing such a potent Martial Soul characteristic, only have Innate Soul Power at Rank One?
Although he had learned in recent days that Huo Yuhao came from the Star Luo Empire, Huo Yuhao remained reluctant to elaborate on his specific background.
To him, Dai Hao was not his father by any means, and he would eventually settle accounts with Dai Hao over his mother, and Dai Huabin wouldn't escape either!
... The grilled fish stall.
"Yuhao, have you taken the Xuanshui Pills? How effective were they?" Feng Bujue saw that there was no one around and handed Huo Yuhao a small wooden box.
"My Soul Power is just a hair's breadth away from Rank Fifteen! My meridians have widened and become tougher, and my cultivation speed has increased by about tenfold."
Huo Yuhao chuckled, taking the wooden box and asking, "Brother Bujue, what is this?"
Feng Bujue also chuckled, looking around to ensure no one was nearby, and whispered to Huo Yuhao:
"Soul Ascension Pill."
"Ah?" Huo Yuhao was shocked. After over a month of Feng Bujue's 'pill-popping' education, he had some understanding of pills.
The main effect of the Soul Ascension Pill was to increase Soul Power, refined using several heavenly treasures as medicinal guides. Every Spirit Master could only take one in their lifetime, and the Soul Power increase was roughly equivalent to what a Spirit Master needed to advance from Rank Thirty to Rank Thirty-one. Taking too many would affect one's future cultivation potential.
Furthermore, the Soul Ascension Pill shared a similarity with the Xuanshui Pill: since its primary function was to stimulate potential and provide more nutrients, its medicinal properties were relatively gentle. Any Spirit Master above Rank Ten could consume it.
Huo Yuhao was most curious about the fact that reportedly, only a very small number of plant-type Spirit Masters could create Soul Ascension Pills, with an annual output of no more than twenty. How did Brother Bujue, a 'peak Rank Four' Soul Engineer, manage to acquire one?
Feng Bujue saw his doubt and smiled proudly:
"You underestimate me, don't you? Although the merchant guild I belong to is small, it is backed by a large merchant guild, cough, cough..."
Seeing Huo Yuhao's unconvinced expression, Feng Bujue cleared his throat and told the truth:
"My cousin is a peak Rank Seven Soul Engineer, just half a step away from becoming an Rank 8 Soul Engineer. The large merchant guild we rely on has the background of Mingde Hall. My cousin put in a word to get this Soul Ascension Pill allocated; otherwise, my words wouldn't carry much weight."
"Moreover, the claim of only producing twenty a year is just a marketing tactic. Otherwise, wouldn't the price be driven sky-high? We only spent a hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins through internal channels."
Huo Yuhao put away the Soul Ascension Pill, watching Feng Bujue's departing back, and sighed inwardly that he owed Brother Bujue more and more.
The Skydream Iceworm in his Sea of Consciousness also became excited:
"Yuhao, this guy is truly good to you, first the Xuanshui Pill, and now the Soul Ascension Pill. With this Soul Ascension Pill, you can reach Rank Twenty Soul Power even faster."
"Brother Tianmeng, why are you so fixated on me reaching Rank Twenty Soul Power?"
"Do you remember the second Martial Soul I bestowed upon you?"
"I remember. Could it be that I can awaken it at Rank Twenty? What kind of Martial Soul is it, Brother Tianmeng?"
"Since you put it that way, Brother Yuhao, wouldn't it be perfect if I gave you an Ultimate Martial Soul?"
"What is an Ultimate Martial Soul?"
"It's a term I'm guessing at. An Ultimate Martial Soul is a Martial Soul possessing an ultimate attribute. Ultimate attributes are extremely rare even among Soul Beasts, but every Soul Beast possessing an ultimate attribute has the potential to become an absolute powerhouse among Soul Beasts."
"On the list of the Ten Great Fierce Beasts ranked by you humans, there are three explicitly possessing ultimate attributes."
Ultimate Martial Soul! Huo Yuhao clenched his fists. Tang Ya choosing to give the interview spot to Tang Yin, Zhou Yi's mockery, Xu Sanshi's disregard... The root cause was simply that his Spiritual Eye Martial Soul wasn't impressive enough in their eyes. If he possessed an Ultimate Martial Soul as his second Martial Soul, who would dare look down on him?
His inner excitement did not affect Huo Yuhao's action of selling grilled fish. He smiled at two male regulars from Shrek Academy:
"You two haven't been here for two days. How many grilled fish today?"
"Brother Yuhao, give us four first!"
The two familiarly found a table and sat down, immediately starting to gossip:
"While you were on leave, a major incident occurred at the academy. A Fire Attribute Spirit Emperor in the Inner Court went crazy for some reason and flew out of Sea God Lake, almost burning two disciples from Zhou Yi's class half to death in broad daylight. It's outrageous."
"Damn, I probably know who that Spirit Emperor is, but I don't dare say it."
"Even though a healing-type Titled Douluo intervened, their cultivation progress will definitely be delayed."
"How will they handle this?"
"How else? They compensated each person with one Soul Ascension Pill, it's terrifying."
"What was the reaction of those two?"
"Heh, one person was quite satisfied, while the other hasn't stopped cursing the path to death."
"They are both extraordinary people."
Because there were many witnesses, only the name of the unknown Spirit Emperor was omitted, and the matter clearly couldn't be completely suppressed, causing a huge stir in the Outer Court.
Huo Yuhao also inferred more information from the discussions of many customers.
The incident was largely true. One of the injured was Tang Yin, whose Inner Court Spirit Emperor background was extremely high, suspected to be a direct disciple of a high-ranking academy official.
The compensation of one Soul Ascension Pill per person was also true.
But the detail was that if other witnesses hadn't intervened at the time, those two might have been reduced to charcoal on the spot.
Huo Yuhao felt a slight chill. According to Shrek's logic, could one Soul Ascension Pill, which could increase a Spirit Elder's Soul Power by one rank, compensate for such a near-fatal danger?
Pills are good, but one must be alive to use them.
So I should be grateful to Zhou Yi?!
Filled with emotion, Huo Yuhao consumed the Soul Ascension Pill that very evening, and his Soul Power directly broke through to Rank Seventeen
In the blink of an eye, autumn gave way to winter, and three and a half months had passed since Huo Yuhao arrived in Shrek City.
Inside the small room, Huo Yuhao gently brushed away the metal shavings from the refined gold plate with his hand, revealing an incomplete Second-rank Core Formation Array, the 'Energy Gathering,' missing only a few crucial strokes.
He gazed at the seemingly sharp tip of the fine iron carving knife, then shook his head and removed the refined gold plate secured to the workbench by clamps:
"Brother Bujue, I know how to inscribe the next part, but my Soul Power intensity isn't enough to support it."
Feng Bujue, standing beside him, swallowed hard:
"To go from knowing nothing about Soul Guidance Devices to almost qualifying as a Second-rank Soul Engineer in just three months. This talent can only be described as astonishing. If you had been born into a noble family in the Sun-Moon Empire and received focused attention, you would likely already have a Third-rank Soul Engineer certificate by now."
"What is your Soul Power level now?"
Feng Bujue was currently hesitating whether he should just take Huo Yuhao and run, but after gritting his teeth, he managed to restrain himself.
"Seventeen, peak."
Huo Yuhao thought seriously for a moment, then said uncertainly, "I feel like reaching Soul Power level twenty, even if I cultivate day and night without stopping, it would take at least three months, right?"
"That's not slow either. Don't forget, you took quite a few potions. From now on, just cultivate steadily. However, Soul Guidance Device theory knowledge isn't restricted by Soul Power levels, so you can start preliminarily studying the knowledge for Fourth-Rank Soul Engineers."
Feng Bujue waved his hand and left Huo Yuhao's small room. As soon as he stepped out, a clerk shouted:
"Steward Feng, you have mail!"
"Coming!"
Feng Bujue took the letter back to his dorm, tore open the anti-counterfeit strip, and began to read:
"Why are you writing so formally? Have you changed your ways? I saw the follow-up letter you added, and I coordinated a Soul Ascension Pill that same day. You all should have received it long ago."
"This year has been busy, so the reply is late. The project I've been researching for several years hasn't yielded results, and the deadline has been postponed three times. Teacher is also greatly disappointed, and the project is being prepared for conclusion and archiving. Relying on research results to advance to Rank 8 Soul Engineer is truly difficult."
"But I'm unwilling to become merely a craftsman who only builds Soul Guidance Devices; it would disgrace our lineage."
"Oh right, that kid you mentioned who mastered the First-Rank Soul Engineer level in a month—surely he isn't an undercover agent planted by Three Douluo Empires or Shrek, is he? Even my Senior Brother back then didn't show such exaggerated talent."
"I heard many undercover agents have entered through your channels over the years; you should be mindful of that."
"With the project failure wasting massive resources, Teacher probably won't approve any major projects for me for the next few years. Rank 8 Soul Engineer is still far off, so I'll be free soon enough."
"When that little friend officially becomes a Second-rank Soul Engineer, bring him back to the academy for me to see. If his background is clean and his talent is good, I will consider taking him as a disciple."
"My little sister Tingting has already obtained her Fourth-Rank Soul Engineer certificate. I plan to hire her as a teaching assistant through the academy's academic affairs management system to keep her close and cultivate her. Rest assured."
"—Feng Yu"
Feng Bujue slowly let out a breath and murmured:
"Cousin, Little Brother Huo's talent probably surpasses what you and I can imagine."
...
The next day, the finals of the Shrek Academy freshman assessment.
Dai Huabin led Zhu Lu and Cui Yajie to temporarily suppress Tang Yin, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao.
Seeing the situation was unfavorable, Tang Yin decisively retreated a few steps to create distance, taking out various Hidden Weapon from Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges—it was time to use his trump cards!
Instantly, various Willow Leaf Darts, throwing knives, flying locust stones, as well as Plum Blossom Needles, both poisoned and unpoisoned Hidden Weapon, were thrown by Tang Yin using various techniques toward the three opponents.
Dai Huabin was slightly shocked:
"What country bumpkin is this, still using trash Hidden Weapon!"
It was important to remember that before the Douluo Continent collided with the Sun Moon Continent, various Hidden Weapon from the Tang Sect had already been sold on the Douluo Continent for six thousand years.
No matter how profound the Hidden Weapon, it was susceptible to targeted research.
Common hand-thrown Hidden Weapon had already been thoroughly studied by major powers. No matter how exquisite the technique, unless the poison applied reached a certain level, it was hard to pull off anything spectacular.
Therefore, Dai Huabin was completely unafraid. Once his White Tiger Body Protection Barrier and White Tiger Demon God Transformation activated, he used a certain technique with both claws to swat away the incoming Hidden Weapon.
Upon closer inspection, his technique bore some similarity to Tang Yin's.
"Tang Yin, you idiot, stop it quickly!" Wang Dong shrieked, as Dai Huabin shielded Zhu Lu and Cui Yajie behind him and charged toward her!
Both Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao had their positioning space squeezed by Tang Yin's sudden barrage of Hidden Weapon, hindering their movement.
Tang Yin roared, "How dare a mere brat steal my Tang Sect's ultimate skills?! But you only learned the superficial form!"
His eyes were bloodshot, like a gambler who had gone all-in. He was throwing Hidden Weapon with his Mystic Jade Hand so fiercely that sparks were nearly flying.
He refused to believe that the methods he used to dominate the continent ten thousand years ago couldn't deal with this Three-Ring Spirit Elder from the Dai family!
Dai Huabin sneered, defeating Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao one by one, using his actions to tell him:
You truly can't handle it!
"I was wondering why our Dai family's special training included such a useless segment," Dai Huabin looked at Tang Yin with an expression of realization, sighing, "It turns out it was specifically researched to guard against scoundrels like you."
"You forced me!" Tang Yin's voice was chilling. He slapped Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges with both palms, holding the Zhuge Divine Crossbow in his left hand and the Shadow-Piercing Sand in his right.
He had gotten both from Tang Ya; they were coated with potent poison that even a Soul King would struggle to suppress.
"Mechanical Hidden Weapon!" Dai Huabin was slightly startled, then looked curiously at the unmoved referee and the academy higher-ups on the rostrum, scratching his head and muttering:
"Cui Yajie, you should step down first; you can't withstand these two Hidden Weapon."
Cui Yajie took the opportunity to leave the assessment area. Dai Huabin kept his eyes fixed on Tang Yin's hands, showing no weakness. After embracing Zhu Lu, a massive figure, over eight meters tall and more than two meters high, appeared in the center of the assessment area. It was the Martial Soul Fusion Skill of the two: Netherworld White Tiger!
The giant White Tiger's body looked somewhat transparent, an entirely illusory existence. Its massive body crouched slightly, and in the next instant, it generated a transparent ripple, pouncing toward Tang Yin with terrifying speed.
Tang Yin first test-fired the Hidden Weapon twice, found they couldn't penetrate the defense, and then quickly threw a batch of heavily poisoned Dragon Beard Needles.
The Dragon Beard Needles, specialized for armor-piercing, flashed with a cold light like fine silk threads, piercing through the Netherworld White Tiger's Soul Power defense!
Next, he only needed to use Ghost Shadow Perplexing Tracks to kite, occasionally harassing with the Zhuge Divine Crossbow and Shadow-Piercing Sand. A Martial Soul Fusion Skill could never last long!
Tang Yin's eyes lit up. He activated Ghost Shadow Perplexing Tracks and engaged the Netherworld White Tiger in a guerrilla battle.
On the rostrum.
Dean Du Weilun looked troubled: "Headmaster, this..."
"Because the Tang Sect declined too quickly, the clause in the school rules prohibiting the use of mechanical Hidden Weapon in internal competitions was deleted long ago!" Yan Shaozhe flipped through the school rule handbook, also speechless, "Looking at that kid, he might actually drag it out until the Martial Soul Fusion Skill ends and win the championship."
Du Weilun asked: "What should we do then?"
"Exploiting a loophole in the rules can be considered his skill, but this loophole must be fixed. There's no reason to restrict Hidden Weapon while only restricting the crafting of Soul Guidance Device cannons. But... Tang Yin's Martial Soul is Blue Silver Grass, right?"
"I revere Ancestor Tang San, but cultivating core disciples requires a substantial financial investment. Let's observe him a bit longer."
...
"Freshman Class One: Tang Yin, Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao win!"
The students watching below erupted in boos.
Wang Dong looked at the strange eyes of the surrounding students and couldn't help but cry. It was too stifling; if the championship was won under these circumstances, she would rather not have it!
She hated the arrogant and sinister scoundrel Tang Yin to death.
On the rostrum, Du Weilun opened the folder in his hand and read aloud: "Based on the freshmen's performance in the assessment, the final core disciples approved are: Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, Dai Huabin, Zhu Lu, Zhou Sichen, Cao Jinxuan, Lan Susu, Lan Luoluo, Ning Tian, and Wu Feng."
Tang Yin looked utterly stunned:
I led the team to win the championship, but I am not a core disciple.
The system of Shrek Academy has degenerated to this extent?