Douluo: The Rebirth of the Supreme King Dong'er

This time, Wang Dong'er had come to the Soul Tool Department with the genuine intention of learning.

After He Caitou showed them around the Soul Tool manufacturing area and demonstrated the use of some low-level Soul Tools, Huo Yuhao's eyes were already sparkling.

He had a feeling that he would definitely achieve something in the field of Soul Tools!

Compared to Huo Yuhao, Xiao Xiao was somewhat numb. She could not understand the manufacturing process of Soul Tools at all, but fortunately, Wang Dong'er had not required her to learn how to make them.

The Soul Tools on display included not only long-range cannons and shells, but also several Close-Combat Soul Tools, similar to the White Tiger Dagger Huo Yuhao carried.

Under normal circumstances, Close-Combat Soul Tools were stronger than ordinary weapons and more powerful within a certain range. Even without Soul Power, they could be used like normal weapons, though some of their special properties could not be activated.

Ranged Soul Tools, on the other hand, had to be infused with Soul Power to be used. The more powerful the Ranged Soul Tool, the more Soul Power it required to launch an attack.

Therefore, each increase in a Soul Tool's rank generally corresponded to each additional soul ring gained by a soul master.

After touring and explaining part of the area, He Caitou brought the three of them back before Wang Yan and Fan Yu.

"Are you still interested now?" Fan Yu asked.

"Our goal has never changed." Wang Dong'er said, "Huo Yuhao plans to learn how to make Soul Tools. Xiao Xiao and I will only learn how to use all kinds of Soul Tools, not how to make them."

"Only learning how to use them, not how to make them?" Fan Yu repeated. He did not think much of it. "In that case, I'll grant you a certain level of access. You can come to the Soul Tool Department after school each day and spend one shichen learning whatever you want."

Since they were already here, Fan Yu did not want to drive them away. Shrek Academy's Soul Tool Department had always taken in the students left over by the Martial Soul System. Now, three "core disciples" had come to study in the Soul Tool Department as well. That was a good thing.

Who knew? Maybe they would attract even more people.

"But before we officially begin your studies, I want to ask you a question."

"What do you think a Soul Tool is?"

Let Shrek Academy Be Great Again!

"Equipment powered by Soul Power is called a Soul Tool." Wang Dong'er said.

"Equipment? That counts, I suppose." Fan Yu's ideal answer had been weapons, but equipment was close enough.

In a sense, war and weapons were the ladder of technological progress. As the Soul Engineer most likely to become a Rank Nine Soul Engineer at Shrek Academy, Fan Yu also bore the responsibility of the Soul Tool Department.

Let Shrek Academy be great again!

One glance was enough for Wang Dong'er to tell that Fan Yu had not taken her use of the word "equipment" seriously.

But she had been completely serious.

These people had gone mad researching weapons. All they ever thought about were weapons.

Could Storage Soul Tools be considered weapons?

The Sun Moon Empire had already begun bringing household appliances to the countryside to benefit the masses, while the three great empires and Shrek were still engaged in an arms race—and losing badly at that.

"Now, let me explain the classifications of Soul Engineers and Soul Tools." Fan Yu became a little more serious.

After hearing Wang Dong'er's name, he knew she was the "problem student" who had made Zhou Yi come to him for comfort time and time again.

During the freshman assessment tournament, he had stood on the platform and only casually watched the matches. After that, he had paid no more attention to them.

Now, it seemed that Wang Dong'er truly possessed insights and knowledge regarding Soul Tools that ordinary soul masters lacked.

"The ranking system for Soul Engineers is actually not much different from that of soul masters. The difference lies in the rank of the Soul Tools."

"Special cases aside, Soul Tools that can be used by soul masters below Rank Ten are Rank One Soul Tools. This continues upward according to a soul master's rank, all the way to Rank Nine Soul Tools, which can only be used by soul masters at the Titled Douluo level."

"The highest-ranked Soul Tool a Soul Engineer can make and use generally represents that Soul Engineer's rank. For example, a Rank One Soul Engineer can only make Rank One Soul Tools."

The reason so few people studied both the Martial Soul System and the Soul Tool Department was that a person's energy was too limited. It was difficult to balance martial soul cultivation and the study of Soul Tools at the same time.

Thus, while Soul Engineers were not uncommon, high-ranking Soul Engineers became increasingly rare.

In Fan Yu's examples, he only mentioned that the Sun Moon Empire had three Rank Nine Soul Engineers, while the three great empires had only reached Rank Eight and a half at most—and that person was the dean of Shrek Academy's Soul Tool Department.

In truth, Fan Yu's understanding alone showed just how lacking the three great empires and Shrek Academy were in their knowledge of the Sun Moon Empire.

Based on the strength displayed by the Sun Moon Empire in the latter stages of the original story, it could practically have swept across the entire Douluo Continent.

This also showed that Shrek Academy had deeply infiltrated the three great empires, while they had almost no usable intelligence on the Sun Moon Empire.

"That is enough about Soul Engineers. Next comes the classification of Soul Tools." As Fan Yu spoke, he took three differently styled Soul Tools from his Storage Soul Tool and placed them before everyone.

Wang Yan also looked over curiously.

"Soul Tools are mainly divided into three types: Close-Combat, Ranged, and Fixed."

He Caitou had already explained the concepts of Close-Combat Soul Tools and Ranged Soul Tools earlier, but Fan Yu added something about the difference in their users.

Because the martial souls of most Soul Engineers were not suited for combat, they generally preferred powerful Ranged Soul Tools capable of fighting from afar.

Close-Combat Soul Tools, on the other hand, were more often used by battle soul masters.

Fixed Soul Tools were the most complex type of Soul Tool. Not only were they extremely difficult to manufacture, but the materials they required were also held to very high standards.

The three most important aspects of making a Soul Tool were materials, craftsmanship, and the core formation.

Materials went without saying. They were the "flesh" of a Soul Tool and determined the strength it could withstand as well as the minimum power it could produce.

Craftsmanship was the "clothing" of a Soul Tool. It was like an ordinary person going to a place such as the Extreme North without clothes—they would most likely freeze to death there. The more refined the craftsmanship, the more functions and stronger performance the clothing possessed.

Finally, the core formation was the soul of a Soul Tool.

The more powerful a Soul Tool's effects were, the more complicated its inscribed core formation would be, and the more Soul Power was needed to activate it.

Fixed Soul Tools were also a newly emerging type of weapon. Compared to Ranged Soul Tools, Fixed Soul Tools could not lock onto an opponent simply by injecting Soul Power. In exchange, however, they were even more powerful than Ranged Soul Tools and could even allow the weak to overcome the strong.

The three soul rings Wang Dong'er currently possessed were roughly based on the same principle.

Her first soul skill was equivalent to a Close-Combat Soul Tool, her second soul skill was a Ranged Soul Tool, and her third soul skill—which she had never revealed to the outside world—was the equivalent of a Fixed Soul Tool.

"Besides these three categories, there are some more detailed classifications, but I won't go into them for now." Fan Yu fastened one of the three Soul Tools he had displayed, a long metal box, onto his forearm. Then, amid a series of transformations, the metal box immediately shifted into another form.

Fan Yu extended his arm, and three tiny black cannon barrels emerged from the top of the metal box.

As Fan Yu's Soul Power surged, three beams of white light gathered at the barrels' openings before shooting out.

"Our Soul Power exists to serve our martial souls and carries all kinds of attributes. Soul Tools compress Soul Power through core formations and convert it into pure energy, thereby activating the Soul Tool."

"Alright, that will be all for today. If you are certain that you want to study in the Soul Tool Department as well, I will arrange another teacher to instruct you."

Fan Yu put away the Soul Tools, but Wang Yan beside him was deep in thought.

If he had heard correctly, Fan Yu had said that Fixed Soul Tools were more powerful but could not lock onto their enemies.

Then what if the soul master himself could lock onto the enemy?

Wang Yan could not help glancing at Huo Yuhao.

A spiritual-type Body Martial Soul soul master seemed to have plenty of potential.

"Teacher Fan Yu, do you think a spiritual-type soul master could control Fixed Soul Tools better than ordinary soul masters?" Wang Yan asked.

"A spiritual-type soul master?" Fan Yu did not know why Wang Yan had suddenly asked that, but he had imagined such a combination countless times before. He immediately answered, "I can't speak for anything else, but with me, he would definitely be able to control Fixed Soul Tools better than an ordinary soul master."

"Then Huo Yuhao meets that condition. He is a spiritual-attribute soul master." Wang Yan said.

"Spiritual attribute..." Only then did Fan Yu remember that the seemingly unremarkable Huo Yuhao was actually a spiritual-attribute soul master.

It was simply that Mu Jin's words had already occupied his mind, and he had not attended the class assignment assembly. He had only later heard that Du Weilun had been verbally crushed by a freshman.

Learning About Soul Tools

"Huo Yuhao, would it be convenient to tell me what your martial soul is?" Upon hearing Wang Yan's words, Fan Yu immediately became excited.

Huo Yuhao looked at Wang Dong'er. Seeing that she had no reaction, he answered, "My martial soul is Spirit Eyes."

"Spirit Eyes? Eyes? A Body Martial Soul?" Fan Yu's eyes immediately lit up.

A spiritual-attribute Body Martial Soul was even better than the conditions he had originally imagined.

Fan Yu placed one hand on Huo Yuhao's shoulder, frowned, and asked, "What rank was your Innate Soul Power?"

"Rank One." Huo Yuhao answered honestly.

"Rank One?" This time, not only Fan Yu, but even Wang Yan was somewhat shocked.

No wonder Huo Yuhao's first soul ring was merely a "ten-year soul ring."

But how could a Body Martial Soul in such an important area as the eyes awaken with only Rank One Innate Soul Power?

Wang Yan still could not understand it.

"With Rank One Innate Soul Power, how did you get into Shrek Academy?" Fan Yu asked.

"I was a specially admitted student from the Tang Sect this year."

"A specially admitted student? No wonder." Fan Yu nodded, then asked, "But I can see traces of Marrow Cleansing in your body. Have you taken something like a Mysterious Water Pill?"

"That's right. Big Sis gave me a Mysterious Water Pill to improve my aptitude. That was how I was able to establish myself at the academy." Huo Yuhao's tone was filled with gratitude. Fan Yu and Wang Yan could not help looking at Wang Dong'er.

After thinking for a moment, Fan Yu still shook his head and said to Wang Yan, "Although the Mysterious Water Pill improved his aptitude, Huo Yuhao is still far, far below my standards. I think it would be good enough if he became an ordinary Soul Engineer."

Huo Yuhao quietly clenched his fists.

Was my talent for Soul Engineering really this poor too?

"Alright, wait here. I'll arrange a teacher to instruct you in Soul Tools. Caitou, go invite Teacher Zou Mengyao, and have Teacher Zou bring three keys as well." Fan Yu instructed He Caitou.

"Teacher Zou is only an intermediate instructor, but her teaching quality is among the best in our Soul Tool Department. She has always been responsible for teaching Martial Soul System students from every grade who study in the Soul Tool Department as well. If you have any questions during your studies of Soul Tools, you can ask Teacher Zou directly."

After saying that, Fan Yu turned and left.

"In that case, I'll be leaving as well." Wang Yan said. "But remember, studying in the Soul Tool Department must not affect your cultivation in the Martial Soul System. You may only come here after school each day."

"If you want to join the Soul Tool Department completely, then you must first return your Martial Soul System core disciple badge to me. From then on, you will no longer receive the treatment afforded to core disciples of the Martial Soul System."

"Still, with your talent, I think joining the Soul Tool Department entirely would be rather wasteful." Wang Yan shook his head. "That is all I have to say. If studying both departments becomes too exhausting, then give up the Soul Tool Department."

After Wang Yan left the Soul Tool Department, He Caitou brought over a female teacher who appeared to be in her thirties.

"Hello, my name is Zou Mengyao. You can call me Teacher Zou from now on." Zou Mengyao looked at the core disciple badges on Wang Dong'er and the other two's chests, and she was somewhat surprised inside. She had not expected three core disciples of the Martial Soul System to want to study in the Soul Tool Department as well.

The last time had been a student named Bei Bei, who had come to study Soul Tools as well.

Then, three keys appeared in Zou Mengyao's hand. She handed one to each of them. "These are the keys to Trial Zone Twelve of the Soul Tool Department—the trial zone you are currently in. You will be able to enter in the future using these keys."

"If you wish to stop studying in the Soul Tool Department, you must return the keys. Remember not to lose or discard them."

"Alright, Teacher Fan Yu should have already explained some basic knowledge about Soul Tools to you. Now I'll take you to learn about the structure of Soul Tools."

With that, Zou Mengyao brought the three of them to an area divided by metal panels.

There was a long metal box-shaped Ranged Soul Tool there, the same type Fan Yu had displayed earlier.

"This kind of Soul Tool is called a Sleeve Cannon." As Zou Mengyao introduced it, she began taking it apart.

"The main body of a Soul Tool is generally divided into three structures: the outer shell, the inner shell, and the core."

"The outer shell is the outermost appearance of a Soul Tool. We generally choose hard metals with heat-resistant properties to make it."

After displaying the detached outer shell, Zou Mengyao picked up the inner shell and let the three of them touch it in turn.

"What you are touching now is the inner shell of the Soul Tool."

"Just as the materials for the outer shell have certain requirements, the requirements for the inner shell are even more specialized. It must be made from conductive metal."

"So-called conductive metal refers to special metals such as Crystal Silver, which can amplify and conduct Soul Power."

"With an inner shell made from conductive metal, we can consume less Soul Power to achieve the same effect when using a Soul Tool. This is also why Soul Engineers generally have better sustained combat ability than soul masters of the same rank."

"Finally comes the core. The materials used for this component are the most precious and special."

Zou Mengyao's explanations and teaching possessed a meticulousness not normally found at Shrek Academy.

Wang Dong'er felt that this was probably because the Martial Soul System had always been stuck in its ways, living off its old capital. For a full ten thousand years, it had clung to outdated ideas and refused to change. Even now, there were people like Zhou Yi dragging it backward.

Fundamentally, the Martial Soul System was living off Yu Xiaogang's old foundations—and most of those foundations were nonsense anyway.

But the Soul Tool Department was different.

As an "industry" that had been forced into existence because of the beating Shrek Academy had taken from the Sun Moon Empire, Shrek Academy's Soul Tool Department had been built entirely from scratch. All of its teaching relied on the Sun Moon Empire's advanced, scientific, and systematic theories.

With such a comparison, the difference in teaching styles naturally became obvious.

After explaining the core component, Zou Mengyao reassembled the Soul Tool she had just taken apart and said, "Teacher Fan Yu should have already explained the ranks of Soul Engineers to you."

"You also saw the core formation inscribed on the core component just now."