It was the seventh month since Shrek Academy started its term.
Tang Yin was very annoyed, not because he was severely injured by the crazy woman from the Inner Court, which slowed down his cultivation progress—he only reached level thirty two months ago; nor because he won the championship by using his trump card, only to end up without a core disciple status and ruin his reputation in the Outer Court; nor was it because Wang Dong officially broke ties with him after the last competition and requested a single dormitory.
It was because he had been in the lower realm for seven months and still hadn't met the Son of Destiny!
Logically, Wang Dong must have had some interaction with the Son of Destiny, but there was no sign of it. Was the Son of Destiny really at Shrek Academy?
The holiday was still more than two months away, so he had no excuse to follow Wang Dong around to see who she contacted next.
It seemed he had to use his backup plan.
Tang Yin snorted coldly, activated the God King Mark in Wang Dong's Sea of Consciousness, and made her destiny intersect with the Son of Destiny again!
If it was a male without any background, he might as well let him marry into the Tang Family and change his surname to Tang!
...
It was the seventh month since Huo Yuhao arrived at Shrek City, inside his Sea of Consciousness.
"Brother Tianmeng, my Soul Power is at the peak of level nineteen. I'm only one opportunity away from level twenty. My Sea of Consciousness also seems to have hit a bottleneck. How do I awaken my second Martial Soul?"
As Huo Yuhao's Soul Power gradually approached level twenty, Skydream Iceworm was no longer as lazy as before, becoming more excited day by day:
"That's great! I've waited for this day for a long time. Keep it up!"
From Huo Yuhao's perspective, amidst an excited shout, strands of golden light floated out from Skydream Iceworm's body. The golden light coiled and rotated, condensing into a thread of shimmering golden Chaos Qi that merged into the Sea of Consciousness.
The clear Sea of Consciousness suddenly changed color, its luster constantly shifting. Every thread of light seemed capable of shining into everyone's heart. The Sea of Consciousness, which was originally only the size of a large puddle, gradually expanded to the size of a small pond.
Then the luster retracted, forming a transparent and illusory eye, which slowly disappeared. The color of the Sea of Consciousness did not change much; it remained transparent.
Huo Yuhao recalled that eye and found that it seemed to have no connection to the Spiritual Eye.
Afterward, a lot of information arose in his mind.
Telepathist: This is a comprehensive upgrade of 'Observer.' His observation is no longer limited to surface details but delves into mysterious Domains like aura and etheric body. The combination of the two allows 'Telepathist' to grasp people's hearts with abnormal accuracy, seemingly capable of reading the opponent's thoughts. It is difficult to keep secrets in front of a Telepathist.
Every time an opponent's thought is accurately read, Chaos Qi can be condensed.
Chaos Qi: Can merge into the Sea of Consciousness to enhance the Sea of Consciousness's strength, evolve in a certain direction, and advance abilities to the next stage.
Telepathist! Huo Yuhao was shocked. What is an etheric body? Feeling waves of unfamiliar occult knowledge, he quickly focused on organizing it.
Inside the small room, the faint golden light in the tightly closed eyes of Huo Yuhao, who was sitting cross-legged on the small bed, dissipated into light spots. What was enhanced along with the Sea of Consciousness was the intensity of his Mental Power.
The increase in Mental Power then drove the Soul Power within his body to break through the bottleneck and reach the level twenty mark!
"Yuhao, we can go to the Far North now!" Skydream Iceworm laughed heartily. Bingbing, I'm coming to save you!
Huo Yuhao nodded: "Okay, I'll go persuade Brother Bujue, and we'll execute the plan we discussed."
Suddenly, the change in the Sea of Consciousness seemed to affect that small gray ball.
A strange soul fluctuation emanated from the small ball, followed by an ancient voice:
"Holding the sun and moon to pluck the stars, there is no one like me in this world!"
"Old fellow, who exactly are you? Why are you fighting me for territory?" Skydream Iceworm said angrily.
"Me, fighting you for territory? You are merely an insect." The ancient voice did not yield in the slightest, but it also did not attack Skydream Iceworm.
Skydream Iceworm was so angered that the ten balls of golden light surged continuously.
"May I ask who you are?" Huo Yuhao observed the small gray ball and asked respectfully. How did his Sea of Consciousness become so lively just by breaking through to level twenty Soul Power?
The ancient voice was clearly much gentler when facing him, "Boy, this wisp of my divine sense somehow remained and arrived in your world. Coincidentally, a drop of miraculous liquid fell into this world and merged into your Sea of Consciousness, giving the surroundings of your Sea of Consciousness a similar soul-nurturing effect, so this wisp of my divine sense moved into your Sea of Consciousness. Don't worry, I have no malice towards you. In the future, I probably won't be able to leave you either."
Skydream Iceworm suddenly realized: "No wonder I felt so comfortable after moving in!"
The ancient voice ignored him and continued: "I only have a wisp of divine sense left. My residual memories tell me my name is Electrolux. I need time to slowly repair myself next to your Sea of Consciousness to gradually recover all my memories. Just now, the moment your promotion caused the Sea of Consciousness to metamorphose, a strange wave of destiny awakened me from my slumber. You have likely been set up, and the person who set up this scheme has detonated their backup plan!"
"Set up? Backup plan?" Huo Yuhao was completely bewildered. He had been behaving himself since leaving the White Tiger Duke's Mansion and hadn't provoked anyone.
"Someone has interfered with your destiny," Electrolux said gravely. "This interference carries deep malice, but its manifestation might not be intense."
"Mr. Electrolux, how should I understand that?" Huo Yuhao became even more respectful.
"That means the person behind the move wants to establish a connection with you through certain means. These means often appear gentle initially, but later they will profoundly influence, control, or even change you to achieve their goal."
"You actually have such a profound understanding of destiny!" Skydream Iceworm swallowed hard.
"My Domain is not over destiny," Electrolux's ancient voice shifted as he explained, "It was the Sea of Consciousness reacting to the change in destiny that Huo Yuhao felt. I am merely stating my analysis and speculation."
"However, Yuhao, don't worry. At that critical juncture of destiny change, I will remind you."
"As for that drop of miraculous liquid, this old man doesn't understand it either, but its origin is so great that it might exceed everyone's imagination."
...
"Brother Bujue, what are you looking at?"
Huo Yuhao was about to go to Feng Bujue's dormitory to share the good news when he saw Feng Bujue standing in the courtyard of their residence, holding two newspapers with an uncertain expression.
Huo Yuhao leaned over to read them together.
"The Honest Man News: Why is the Sun-Moon Empire suddenly paying attention to the freshmen who failed to enter Shrek Academy?"
"The Shrek Post: Sun-Moon Empire immigration agents shake the Shrek narrative."
"The Shrek Daily: A human trafficker agent's 'abandoned piece' and 'harvesting three Empires' theory is part of the Sun-Moon Empire's propaganda offensive..."
Looking at the thick stack of newspapers in Feng Bujue's hand, Huo Yuhao swallowed hard:
"Brother Bujue, you're finished. It looks like you've gotten into big trouble!"
"Can't you say something nice?" Feng Bujue asked grimly, "Level twenty?"
Huo Yuhao nodded: "Brother Bujue, what do we do next?"
Feng Bujue rolled his eyes: "Of course, we take advantage of the fact that Shrek Academy hasn't fully reacted yet. The wind is tight, let's get out!"
Shrek Academy, the Academy-affiliated Guild, Low-Rank Soul Guidance Device Zone. Wang Dong held a First-Rank Compressed Ray Soul Guidance Device, his expression astonished:
This Soul Guidance Device didn't give her that disgusting feeling!
She quickly touched other Soul Guidance Devices, and physiological discomforts such as surging Soul Power, nausea, and mental confusion followed one after another.
After forcefully suppressing the discomfort, she felt slightly regretful, then carefully examined the only Soul Guidance Device that didn't make her nauseous.
"Sister, where did this Soul Guidance Device come from?" Wang Dong raised the Soul Guidance Device in his hand and asked.
"This Soul Guidance Device? It was given as a bonus when trading with a small guild under the Red Dust Guild." Speaking of which, that small guild is also in Shrek City."
... The next day, before dawn.
"Yuhao, why are you heading north first? You can't even confirm where you're going." Feng Bujue put Huo Yuhao's luggage into a storage Soul Guidance Device and looked at him doubtfully.
Running away early was something they had agreed upon, but there was a disagreement about where to go first.
"Brother Bujue, my Martial Soul seems to be giving me guidance in the dark recently, leading me toward the extreme northern frozen lands. If I don't go, something I will greatly regret might happen!"
The extreme northern frozen lands?
On the Douluo Continent, the only place that could be called the extreme northern frozen lands is the Far North.
Feng Bujue's brow furrowed. Guidance from a Martial Soul? This kind of thing was simply unheard of!
But upon careful consideration, it didn't seem too unacceptable to happen to Huo Yuhao.
Because there were already plenty of outrageous things happening around Huo Yuhao:
His monstrous Soul Guidance Device talent, and the ability to increase his Mental Power cultivation just by analyzing others' emotions.
So, of course, he chose to believe him!
"Forget it, I, a Fourth-Rank Soul Engineer, will go crazy with you for a bit." Feng Bujue gritted his teeth, "Let's leave Shrek City first, and after reaching a northern stronghold in the Heavenly Soul Empire, we'll purchase all sorts of cold-weather supplies."
"But let's make it clear first: we will explore the Far North for at most three to four hundred li. If we go any deeper, my strength won't be enough to rely on."
"Deal!"
Feng Bujue nodded. Before walking out of the outpost, he casually placed several failed First-Rank Core Formations on the experiment table in Huo Yuhao's small room.
The two hurried away, passing the workers who were busy moving goods. Huo Yuhao secretly activated his simulation, and no one noticed.
As soon as Huo Yuhao and Feng Bujue left, the guild was searched right behind them.
A squad of Shrek City constables sealed off the guild outpost. The person leading them shouted away the unloading workers and led his men straight toward Feng Bujue's dormitory.
After a thorough search, they found nothing.
"Damn it, when did they run off?"
"Captain, a manager said that Feng Bujue has been helping a boy learn about Soul Guidance Devices for seven months. These few failed First-Rank core formations were things found in that boy's room."
... At the Shrek City gate.
As soon as Huo Yuhao and Feng Bujue walked out of the city gate, a shout came from behind them:
"Steward Feng, please wait!"
"Yuhao, the degree of fate's interference has reached its maximum!" Electrolux's reminder in the Sea of Consciousness was very timely.
Huo Yuhao's pupils constricted slightly, then quickly returned to normal. He exchanged a look with Feng Bujue:
Brother Bujue, you handle this!
After giving the look, Huo Yuhao turned around and saw a handsome youth with blue-pink tinged hair. Huo Yuhao's attention landed on the piece of paper in his hand:
It contained not only Feng Bujue's guild position but also his portrait!
"Steward Feng, I am Wang Dong, a new student at Shrek Academy. I didn't expect to run into Steward Feng here. Where are you two heading as you leave the city?"
Feng Bujue didn't understand the look Huo Yuhao gave him, so he chose to avoid answering, trying not to make a mistake, and asked directly:
"Why are you looking for me?"
"Oh, do you still remember this Soul Guidance Device, Mr. Feng?" Wang Dong took out the First-Rank Compressed Ray Soul Guidance Device that Huo Yuhao was extremely familiar with from his storage Soul Guidance Device.
Wasn't that the first First-Rank Core Formation he had successfully inscribed? He still remembered that after making his first First-Rank Soul Guidance Device, he sold this practice item through Feng Bujue to recoup some losses.
The item he sold had actually become the lead for someone to seek him out!
Was this the power of fate?
"Yuhao, kill her, sever the tentacles of the schemer!" Brother Tianmeng snorted coldly. Regarding malice, he always felt that if one had the ability, they should fight violence with violence and return the favor.
Electrolux remained silent; he wanted to see how Huo Yuhao would handle this matter.
Huo Yuhao thought for a moment and replied:
"Brother Tianmeng, I know you mean well for me and hope to guide me with your experience to avoid detours."
"But this matter, I want to handle it more gently. What if he is also a victim? Before understanding the situation, casually using someone else's life as a tool for demonstration seems too arrogant."
If it were the Huo Yuhao who had just left the White Tiger Duke's Mansion, filled with resentment and paranoia, he might have gone all the way and done as Brother Tianmeng suggested.
However, ever since he gained the ability to observe the audience, seeing their desires, pursuits, and experiences from all sorts of people, he suddenly realized that every person he had met or spoken to was a living human being.
That struggling mother and daughter, Brother Bujue's kindness, and those outer-academy students who came to buy grilled fish...
There was certainly filth and wretchedness among them, but more often, there was hope and effort for a better life.
He believed it was inappropriate to destroy potential beauty and bring disaster to others purely for one's own selfish reasons.
Huo Yuhao looked deeply at Wang Dong. The keen vision granted by his Spiritual Eyes allowed him, in the pre-dawn light, to see Tang Yin following behind Wang Dong.
Tang Yin was here too?
Why did he always appear in front of me by coincidence?
Huo Yuhao remembered this detail and proactively reminded Feng Bujue:
"Brother Bujue, don't you remember that this Soul Guidance Device was part of the batch of low-rank Soul Guidance Devices distributed to our guild by the major guild? You are a Fourth-Rank Soul Engineer and couldn't be bothered with such trivial matters, so I signed for it on your behalf."
"Oh, now that you mention it, I remember," Feng Bujue smoothly picked up the conversation, "That batch of Soul Guidance Devices was sent by the Red Dust Guild, haha."
"Little Brother Huo, why are you here?" Tang Yin walked over from a distance, frowning, and asked.
Wang Dong was greatly surprised and asked in confusion, "Tang Yin, why are you here?"
"My Soul Power is level thirty, so I requested leave to hunt Soul Beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest," Tang Yin replied casually, his gaze never leaving Huo Yuhao's face.
In reality, after activating the God King's Mark, he had been secretly following Wang Dong until now, and he was also very surprised to see Huo Yuhao here.
Tang Yin certainly wouldn't think that this grilled fish seller was a Son of Destiny, but meeting Wang Dong at this critical juncture might also indicate a problem!
Huo Yuhao's eyes dimmed, and his expression was dejected: "Brother Tang Yin, aren't I selling grilled fish? I need to restock every day."
"Going outside the city to restock? And bringing a Fourth-Rank Soul Engineer along?"
"Aren't the goods from the farms outside the city cheaper? I asked Brother Bujue to come along to borrow his prestige and avoid being looked down upon."
So that's how it is. Tang Yin's expression softened slightly, and he smiled faintly, stepping half a pace forward to pat Huo Yuhao's shoulder encouragingly:
"Keep polishing your grilled fish skills. I must try it again the next time we meet!"
... At the Dean's Office of Shrek Academy.
Yan Shaozhe casually glanced at the "Sun-Moon Empire Undercover Investigation Report (Issue 48)" Du Weilun had sent over, then casually placed it in the bottom drawer of the filing cabinet. Tucked inside the report were relevant details about Feng Bujue and Huo Yuhao.
He tapped the desk and said seriously:
"Weilun, don't submit reports like this in the future. These constables write reports to be as sensational as possible just to claim credit."
"This Sun-Moon Empire immigration agent is interesting, brainwashing and kidnapping a kid who spent seven months and still couldn't become a First-Rank Soul Engineer?"
"The students Zhou Yi expelled are already beyond this level. Even a pilgrim who was eliminated is being taken away like a treasure."
"Heh, let them be!"
Five days later, the two replenished a considerable amount of cold-weather supplies in a major northern town of the Heavenly Soul Empire, focusing on purchasing a pile of long-lasting heating Soul Guidance Devices and plenty of food.
Since they were unsure how long they would stay in the Far North, Feng Bujue certainly bought extra of everything.
Several more days passed, and the two left the northernmost city of the Heavenly Soul Empire, heading over four hundred li deeper into the Far North.
This area featured terrain where coniferous forests intersected with icy plains. The cold wind whipped up snow that felt like sand, and the intense sunlight made it impossible for Feng Bujue to open his eyes, yet he felt no warmth at all. He said in a deep voice:
"Yuhao, if we go any deeper, this extreme cold will render many of the Soul Guidance Devices on my body unusable."
Huo Yuhao glanced at their location and sighed internally:
"Brother Tianmeng, let's stop here!"
"Good!" The Skydream Iceworm activated the golden ball of light in the Sea of Consciousness, giving it a slight shake. Feng Bujue instantly felt a wave of dizziness in his head and collapsed backward, falling unconscious.
Huo Yuhao caught him in time. Noticing the exhaustion on Feng Bujue's face, he said with a slight apology:
"Brother Bujue, if this matter didn't involve Brother Tianmeng, I wouldn't have lied to you, but even if I told you, it would be hard to believe. Sigh."
The Skydream Iceworm's voice echoed in the Sea of Consciousness:
"Stop dawdling. If you feel too guilty, just compensate him a bit more later."
"I already promised to wrap him in some of my remains and set up a mental barrier to prevent accidents. Even if we go thousands of miles deeper, he could sleep for a month without any issues!"
Huo Yuhao felt slightly relieved. He pulled out a shovel from Feng Bujue's storage Soul Guidance Device and started digging vigorously into the ice layer.
The ground in the Far North had a lot of permafrost, but since they hadn't gone too deep yet, the permafrost was far less hard than in the core region. Huo Yuhao only spent one afternoon digging out an underground ice house that was both concealed and spacious.
After dragging Feng Bujue into the ice house and surrounding him with multiple layers of long-lasting heating Soul Guidance Devices, Huo Yuhao, still uneasy, poured a large amount of nutrient solution into his mouth.
After confirming the stability of the mental barrier with the Skydream Iceworm several times, Huo Yuhao placed the storage Soul Guidance Device back on Feng Bujue, put a letter beside him, and took only some food with him.
"Brother Tianmeng, let's go."
The Skydream Iceworm observed this and sighed inwardly. Huo Yuhao was incredibly meticulous in his actions and placed great importance on relationships.
...
Several days later, the two found the Ice Empress.
"...Bingbing, I returned so that you can survive, so that we can truly be together."
Huo Yuhao's expression didn't change at all; he thought to himself,'So that's how it is.'
He wondered why the Skydream Iceworm would bring him, with only a mere twenty levels of Soul Power, to the Far North to take on such a huge risk, hoping to make the legendary Ice Jade Empress Scorpion his second Martial Soul.
It turned out there were emotional factors involved.
Although the Skydream Iceworm had concealed some information, the two had long been in a relationship where they shared glory and suffered misfortune together. He knew the Skydream Iceworm understood this.
Furthermore, after investigating the thoughts and notions of many people, Huo Yuhao knew he wasn't perfect, so he wouldn't demand absolute flawlessness from the Skydream Iceworm, who had helped him so much.
Therefore, he quietly circulated his Soul Power, doing his best to resist the extreme cold, waiting for the Skydream Iceworm to execute his plan.
...
The Skydream Iceworm said in a deep voice: "God creation."
"God creation?" The Ice Empress was startled, becoming even more curious. "What god creation?"
The Skydream Iceworm said gravely: "My dear, let me ask you, on our continent, which race has the greatest potential?"
Because the Ice Empress had already been drawn into the rhythm of the Skydream Iceworm's speech, she subconsciously followed its line of thought, even ignoring the term of endearment. "Are you referring to humans?"
When the Skydream Iceworm brought up the story of humans achieving godhood ten thousand years ago, the Ice Empress fell silent.
Seeing that she was moved, the Skydream Iceworm struck while the iron was hot, mentioning that only humans could become gods, and that life had a limit if one failed to ascend. The Ice Empress was finally stirred.
The Skydream Iceworm revealed its true purpose: "If I were to attempt god creation alone, the chance of success would not exceed thirty percent. However, if it were me plus you, then our chance of success would exceed fifty percent! An opportunity for eternal life greater than half—isn't that worth a gamble?"
The Ice Empress's pair of crystal-yellow eyes fell upon Huo Yuhao, revealing a strange gleam.
'I must say something,' Huo Yuhao took a slight breath, the cold invading his body causing him to shiver involuntarily. But he forced himself to meet the Ice Empress's gaze and said sincerely:
"Ice Empress, perhaps I am not strong right now. Perhaps you will be disappointed because my body is fragile. But I will definitely strive with all my might to grow, absolutely!"
Sincerity—that was all he could offer at this moment.
"Fine, I will believe you then." As one of the three great kings of the Far North, the Ice Empress was inherently decisive and ruthless. After a brief hesitation, she made up her mind.
The Ice Empress continued: "Your constitution is indeed too fragile, and you lack other Soul Bones as a medium. Even with my willing cooperation, the sequence of bone first, then Martial Soul, then ring, combined with Tianmeng's seal, you will endure unimaginable pain."
"Our power can protect your body, but it cannot protect your Martial Soul. If you cannot endure and your Martial Soul collapses, then everything will have been in vain."
Huo Yuhao nodded calmly: "I can hold on."
What gain comes without sacrifice? Over the past eight months, he had practically squeezed every minute to improve himself, even maintaining Soul Power circulation and observing others condense Chaos Qi while selling grilled fish, daring not to waste a single moment.
The opportunity was before him; no matter how intense the pain, Huo Yuhao would never retreat.
He wasn't just putting on a brave face either; he truly had something to rely on. After his Sea of Consciousness was continuously strengthened by Chaos Qi and underwent a transformation, if he couldn't endure it, then no Spirit Master at level twenty in the entire world could.
The Ice Empress said solemnly: "Huo Yuhao, are you prepared?"
Huo Yuhao closed his eyes: "Begin."
...
Huo Yuhao's body convulsed and trembled violently, completely out of control. The intense pain caused his bones to constantly crackle.
The Skydream Iceworm knew very well that at this moment, the Ice Empress was also enduring this pain, exactly the same as Huo Yuhao. Even the Mental Power of this Ice Empress, one of the three great kings of the Far North, was violently shaking and fluctuating. One could imagine how intense the pain was.
However, he didn't need to intervene. Huo Yuhao's thoughts flowed, memories repeatedly washing over his soul. He had only one thought now:
To rely on himself to hold on!
Nearly half an hour passed. The Ice Empress sighed: "Tianmeng, although you are a piece of trash, you have good judgment."
...
The cold wind was still biting, and vast swaths of snow covered the boundless ice plain.
Huo Yuhao looked at the blood-colored Spirit Ring with four golden stripes rising beneath his feet and muttered to himself:
"I succeeded."
"The second Martial Soul, the Ice Jade Empress Scorpion."
"The first Spirit Ring of four hundred thousand years, the defensive Spirit Ability Ice Empress's Protection and the body-strengthening Spirit Ability Ice Empress's Pincers."
"The four hundred thousand-year torso bone, the Domain Ability Eternal Frost Domain and the single-target burst Spirit Ability Ice Empress's Wrath
Huo Yuhao slowly woke up amidst Feng Bujue's anxious shouts: "Yuhao, wake up quickly!"
"Brother Bujue, what happened? Why did I suddenly faint?"
"I don't know either. It seems a powerful mental-type Soul Beast appeared on the outskirts of the Extreme North. Damn it, why did we run into something like this? Wait! Why is there a scorpion next to you?"
Huo Yuhao looked at the simulated thousand-year Ice Jade Scorpion next to him in astonishment. After fumbling around on his body for a moment, he exclaimed in shock:
"Brother Bujue, I... I seem to have awakened my second Martial Soul."
Huo Yuhao looked at Feng Bujue's expression, and the Chaos Qi representing disbelief, ecstasy, and surprise in his Sea of Consciousness was constantly condensing.
...This trip to the Extreme North, besides the second Martial Soul, the four-hundred-thousand-year Spirit Ring and Soul Bone, the gains were substantial.
Not only did he display powerful willpower during the process of fusing the Soul Bone and Spirit Ring, but he also profoundly analyzed himself using the Telepathist's ability, gaining a deeper understanding of this power.
The mind-reading ability had become instinctual; he could receive feedback from the Chaos Qi without needing to deliberately guess in his mind.
In the Sea of Consciousness, the Skydream Iceworm, which had taken the form of a young boy wearing a white hood, proudly introduced the Ice Empress, who had transformed into a young girl in a magnificent green dress:
"Bingbing, do you see those wisps of Chaos Qi hovering between reality and illusion? That is the 'audience' ability of Yuhao that I mentioned. Isn't it marvelous?"
"No wonder even I found the pain difficult to bear, yet he managed to endure it." The Ice Empress stared solemnly at those wisps of Chaos Qi that she couldn't understand at all.
"To be able to transform the Sea of Consciousness step by step and penetrate the soul... I wonder what kind of miraculous abilities will manifest later."
...The capital city of the Sun-Moon Empire was called Sun Moon City, also known as Mingdu. As the political and economic center of the Sun-Moon Empire, the sheer size of this city far surpassed Shrek City, which Huo Yuhao had seen before.
Unlike Shrek City, Mingdu had no city walls. Under Feng Bujue's guidance, Huo Yuhao passed smoothly through wide flagstone streets.
It was daytime. Huo Yuhao passed through large areas of tall buildings arranged neatly in various styles. These buildings faintly emitted not weak Soul Power fluctuations.
Not only that, but Huo Yuhao also seemed to faintly sense that the ground beneath the streets and alleys was permeated with traces of Soul Power fluctuations.
Without a doubt, this was a world of Soul Guidance Devices.
Huo Yuhao was invigorated. After seven months of diligent study, he had finally entered the threshold of the Soul Guidance Device field. How could he not be excited to now be able to advance his studies at the continent's top Soul Engineer Academy?
Soon, Feng Bujue brought Huo Yuhao to a massive school gate, comparable in scale to Shrek Academy. Someone was already waiting there.
"Cousin!" Feng Bujue walked over with a look of pleasant surprise and hugged the person. "Why did you come to the school gate to meet me personally?"
Huo Yuhao curiously observed this person. It was a middle-aged man dressed in formal attire, with meticulously combed hair, gentle eyes, and a refined, scholarly temperament.
This person was Feng Yu, a peak Seventh Rank Soul Engineer whom Feng Bujue had already mentioned to Huo Yuhao.
"I'm here to meet you? No, I'm here to meet Huo Yuhao!" Feng Yu shook his head with a wry smile. "I received the telegram. You, fellow, really gave me a difficult problem."
"Yuhao, hello. From now on, I will be responsible for all matters related to your enrollment. If you have any questions, you can ask me directly."
Huo Yuhao politely bowed: "Hello, Teacher Feng, I understand."
Feng Yu subtly avoided the bow.
Feng Bujue sensed something was wrong and quickly asked:
"Cousin, could it be that Yuhao's talent isn't good enough for your notice? Didn't we agree on this before?"
"The Ultimate Martial Soul and Twin Martial Souls are too rare. It's normal that you, a Fourth-Rank Soul Engineer, don't understand."
Feng Yu said with a mixture of laughter and tears:
"If I could be his teacher, I'd be willing to break through to Rank 8 Soul Engineer!"
"But this matter involves Twin Martial Souls, the Ultimate Martial Soul, and a genius Soul Engineer, so it's clearly not something I can decide. I have already reported it to my teacher. He instructed me to take Yuhao through the procedures and then go see him at the Tranquility Hall."
Tranquility Hall? Feng Bujue never expected that Feng Yu's teacher would be alerted—the current Hall Master of Mingde Hall, Jing Hongchen!
"Don't think you're off the hook either. Tingting is waiting for you ahead."
As he spoke, Feng Yu swiped his card and led the two into the school. After a few steps, they saw a graceful young girl holding a thick file folder.
"Brother! Teacher Feng!"
She first smiled and greeted Feng Bujue and Feng Yu, then glanced at Huo Yuhao and nodded slightly:
"Hello, Yuhao. My name is Feng Tingting. I am Teacher Feng's younger sister. You can call me Sister Tingting. Please take care of me in the future!"
Huo Yuhao nodded: "It should be Sister Tingting taking care of me."
Was that envy in her eyes?
And who was Feng Yu's teacher? Must be a Soul Engineer above Seventh Rank, right?
"Brother, you finally came back for a visit and stirred up such a big event! Hurry up and come with me to the Review Office. Writing up the materials will take you several hours!"
After Feng Tingting finished speaking, she pulled Feng Bujue away.
In the Sun Moon Empire Royal Soul Engineer Academy, the office and residence of Jing Hongchen in the Tranquility Hall.
Jing Hongchen, Xiao Hongchen, and Old Ma were all in the office.
Jing Hongchen, wearing glasses while reviewing documents, instructed Old Ma:
"Hongchen's Blessing has been completed. Compared to other Ninth Rank defensive Soul Guidance Devices, it firmly ranks among the best. Old Ma, please organize the delivery documents. The Ninth Rank Soul Guidance Device, 'Hongchen's Blessing,' will be delivered ahead of schedule in the first quarter this year."
"Be serious. We cannot afford any mistakes with the Imperial Family's things..."
Xiao Hongchen, standing by the desk, closed his book and licked his lips: "Grandpa, I want this one!"
Jing Hongchen was silent for two seconds, then fiercely knocked Xiao Hongchen's head, producing a crisp 'thud!' He sneered:
"You, a mere Spirit Ancestor, how can you use Hongchen's Blessing properly? Furthermore, how dare you reach for the Imperial Family's property? After this weekend's self-study session ends, you can leave."
Glancing at Xiao Hongchen's retreating back, Jing Hongchen continued reviewing documents. After a while, he asked without looking up:
"Has the person arrived yet?"
The Hall Master is really attentive. How could reviewing a document take ten minutes normally? Old Ma thought to himself, then took out a disc-shaped, crystal-like Soul Guidance Device and checked it:
"They are already in the final review stage."
...In a spacious and bright office, one side was occupied by a large Soul Guidance Device operating, whose volume took up half the room, and the other side had a simple desk.
A voluptuous female teacher gently asked Huo Yuhao questions while holding a clipboard, with Feng Yu standing by, hands behind his back, watching.
"Name?"
"Huo Yuhao."
"Gender?"
"Male."
"Place of Origin?"
"Star Luo Empire, Star Luo City."
"Martial Soul?"
"Spiritual Eye, Ice Jade Scorpion."
"Soul Power Level?"
"Twenty-one.
"Spirit Ring Configuration?"
"Spiritual Eye has two hundred-year Spirit Rings; the Ice Jade Scorpion has one thousand-year Spirit Ring."
"Are you a spy?"
"No."
"Did you have systematic study in the field of Soul Guidance Devices before contacting Feng Bujue?"
"No."
"Were you instructed by someone to come to Shrek City?"
"No."
"Do you hold negative views toward the Sun-Moon Empire?"
"Currently, no."
"Are you willing to pledge allegiance to the Sun-Moon Empire Royal Family?"
"I don't know."
"Please explain why the physique detection Soul Guidance Device reported an error on your torso bone."
"I don't know."
"Do you..."
The questioning ended. Feng Yu took the report printed by the female teacher from the large Soul Guidance Device, along with the "Blind Review Report from the Mental-Type Spirit Master Expert Group (Seven Rings, Group A)" delivered from the adjacent office.
Both reports had a pass rate of over 98%.
"Let's go, Yuhao. We're going to the Tranquility Hall."
Royal Soul Engineer Academy of the Sun-Moon Empire, Tranquility Hall, Office.
Elder Ma had already left. Since Huo Yuhao and Feng Yu arrived at the Tranquility Hall, their exchange of questions and answers had not ceased.
Feng Yu: "The last question: What are the basic requirements for integrating core formations?"
Huo Yuhao replied: "The fundamental principles for integrating core formations require adherence to four tenets: Homologous Inscriptions, Synchronized Soul Power, Compatible Carriers, and Complementary Primary/Secondary Roles. Furthermore, the resulting formation cluster must satisfy the requirements of 'No Conflict Among Base Modules' and 'Low Internal Energy Loss in Flow'."
Jing Hongchen closed the report and commented with a smile:
"Overall, it indeed reaches the level of a Second-rank Soul Tool Master, and the theoretical knowledge touches upon theories related to Fourth-Rank Soul Engineers and Third-Rank Soul Engineers, though the system is not yet entirely complete."
"As Feng Bujue said, you are an absolute genius in the field of Soul Guidance Devices."
"Looking at his report, it mentions you possess a Spirit Ability considered god-tier in the Soul Engineer Domain, called Mental Detection Sharing. Would you mind demonstrating it?"
"May I ask how I should address you?" Huo Yuhao asked respectfully.
"Just call me Dean Hongchen."
"Dean Hongchen, please open your mind.", Huo Yuhao stated solemnly as he activated Mental Detection and Mental Sharing.
Jing Hongchen found that his field of vision was constantly expanding; within a thirty-meter radius, everything was visible in minute detail, with absolutely no blind spots.
He tapped his finger lightly on the desk. It wasn't just auxiliary detection; it was more like having an extra brain that could make judgments. With this ability, it was as if he had countless eyes observing everything meticulously from every angle!
The more he experienced it, the more shocked he became. This Mental Detection Sharing continued, and Huo Yuhao looked relaxed, showing no signs of exhaustion. Within the Mental Detection Sharing, he could even sense some fluctuations in the Soul Power Huo Yuhao was exerting nearby.
Jing Hongchen shook his head in admiration. Looking at Huo Yuhao again, he was thoroughly satisfied:
"Simply heaven-blessed, truly remarkable. If I had this Spirit Ability, I wouldn't need a hundred meters; even just three to five meters, and I'd have a very high chance of breaking through to the Tenth Rank Soul Engineer!"
"Feng Yu, Yuhao is indeed an excellent prospect. Give him the list and let him choose one person to be his teacher."
Huo Yuhao took the stack of lists. The very first one was the person right in front of him: Dean Jing Hongchen!
It was less a list and more a collection of resumes.
Jing Hongchen: Top-tier Ninth Rank Soul Engineer, Hall Master of Mingde Hall, Dean of the Royal Soul Engineer Academy. Major achievements/titles include: Helmsman of Integrated Soul Guidance Devices, one of the top three Soul Engineers in the Empire, sole creator of seven Ninth-Rank Soul Guidance Devices, co-developer of over ten Ninth-Rank Soul Guidance Devices, cumulative personal research funding of 2.3 billion Gold Soul Coins...
The Skydream Iceworm in his Sea of Consciousness couldn't help but exclaim:
"Holy crap, 2.3 billion Gold Soul Coins?! Stacked up, that would be as big as a small mountain, right? How much stuff can that buy? This guy is too rich! Yuhao, flip through more; see if there are any other masters."
He didn't know what a Ninth-Rank Soul Guidance Device was, but from his experiences watching Huo Yuhao sell grilled fish over the past few months, he had a very deep understanding of the purchasing power of Gold Soul Coins.
While carefully flipping through the list, Huo Yuhao also felt a bit confused:
The list actually included Hall Master Hongchen! Didn't Brother Bujue say that the Hall Master announced years ago that he would no longer accept disciples, choosing instead to focus on training his grandson and granddaughter?
The second resume, Ye Yulin: Top-tier Ninth Rank Soul Engineer, Dean of the Military Soul Guidance Device Research Institute, holding a concurrent post at Mingde Hall. Major achievements/titles include: Helmsman of High-Altitude Soul Guidance Devices, participated in the development of several Ninth-Rank Soul Guidance Devices, cumulative personal research funding of 1.3 billion Gold Soul Coins...
The third resume... The sixty-seventh resume.
Huo Yuhao breathed a sigh of relief. A Seventh Rank Soul Engineer didn't even qualify to be on this stack of lists!
There were fourteen Ninth Rank Soul Engineers and fifty-three Rank 8 Soul Engineers in total!
All were high-level Soul Engineers holding key research projects, flush with funds, and active in front-line Soul Guidance Device research.
Although some held concurrent posts, one had to consider that the lists of some high-level Soul Engineers were omitted. This offered a glimpse into how terrifying the strength of the Royal Soul Engineer Academy and Mingde Hall truly was.
In the office, Jing Hongchen shot Feng Yu a look, signaling him not to say too much.
Feng Yu twitched his mouth. He didn't want to say anything at all. Clearly, the old man was acting out of concern.
The teacher announced years ago that he wasn't accepting disciples, yet today he specifically ordered his list to be placed at the very top. What was the intent behind that?
He was even engaging in one-upmanship, manipulating the data. Although Ye Yulin's publicly declared research funding wasn't as high as his, did he consider how many top-secret military research projects Ye Yulin was involved in?
The research funding and results for those projects would not be disclosed!
Furthermore, compared to himself, he added the title "Top Three Soul Engineers in the Empire." Hey, there are five people who are the top three in the Empire—that's quite reasonable, isn't it?
Of course, Feng Yu only dared to grumble this in his heart. If he actually said it out loud, he feared being expelled from the sect on the spot.
"Yuhao, how have you considered it?"
Huo Yuhao watched Jing Hongchen swiftly switch to a gentle expression, and his own lips twitched slightly.
Jing Hongchen also stopped being reserved and gave Feng Yu a look. Feng Yu quickly began to boast:
"Yuhao, cough cough, you might be unfamiliar with the achievements of high-level Soul Engineers for the first time. Well, the simplest metric is research funding. In the Sun-Moon Empire, this research funding is almost the standard for measuring a high-level Soul Engineer."
"The more money, the more subordinates you command, the more important your Soul Guidance Device projects are, and naturally, the brighter your future will be."
"Within and outside the Academy and Mingde Hall, the research funds under the teacher's name can definitely rank in the top three in the Empire!"
"Moreover, under the teacher's tutelage, well, I am just one of the less outstanding students.", Feng Yu said with a grim smile, steeling himself, "One Seventh Rank Soul Engineer, ten Rank 8 Soul Engineers, and one Ninth Rank Soul Engineer, who is my Eldest Senior Brother."
"He specializes in the field of linked Soul Guidance Devices and currently serves at Mingde Hall, also holding a concurrent post in the military."
"Oh, the grandson and granddaughter personally taught by the teacher are also included. They are currently fifteen years old and preparing to take the Fifth-Rank Soul Engineer certification exam."
Huo Yuhao pondered internally.
The list was frank; it contained all the information.
He looked at Xuan Ziwen's list twice more, because Xuan Ziwen's mentorship was openly listed: Hall Master Kong Deming of the Sun-Moon Empire's Hall of Worship (Silver Moon Douluo), the existence closest to a Tenth Rank Soul Engineer.
But first, this Teacher Xuan had five disciples whose ranks weren't high, meaning his energy would inevitably be divided. Second, his cumulative personal research funding was only one hundred million Gold Soul Coins?
Although that was a considerable sum, it was naturally inferior compared to the Ninth Rank Soul Engineers listed earlier, let alone Jing Hongchen and Ye Yulin.
Although Xuan Ziwen had the backing of a teacher who was the strongest Soul Engineer, that person was the Hall Master of the Hall of Worship, making him too distant from Huo Yuhao.
Jing Hongchen's lowest-ranked student was a Seventh Rank Soul Engineer, and he was also a Hall Master. If he wanted to learn something, the Hall Master could simply decree it, and others would have to think twice before objecting.
Resource allocation would also be much more generous. If he followed Xuan Ziwen or other Ninth Rank Soul Engineers, he would have to consider the moods of their other disciples.
Moreover, Feng Bujue and Feng Yu had brought him here. Feng Bujue had shown him great kindness. Based on both sentiment and reason, making a choice seemed extremely simple.
Huo Yuhao bowed deeply to Jing Hongchen:
"I choose you, Teacher Hongchen!"