I Want Them All!

"Teacher, I've completed your task."

Kong Deming looked at his disciple, joy filling his heart.

He had been keeping track of Su Yu's progress over the past three months. Everything that happened today had been expected, but now that the moment had truly arrived, he still felt deeply moved.

Su Yu was a monster.

Whether it was Martial Soul cultivation or Soul Engineer training.

Back then, Kong Deming had also been required to master those Soul Tools in order to build a solid foundation.

And it had taken him a full four months.

A whole month longer!

No, more than that!

Back then, Kong Deming had studied Soul Tools day and night. How could he have been like Su Yu, who completed this task while keeping his Martial Soul cultivation perfectly on track?

"Your Soul Power broke through as well?"

"That's right. I reached Level Thirty-Five last night."

Twelve years and seven months old, Level Thirty-Five!

At this pace, Su Yu had a chance of reaching Level Forty by the time he was Thirteen Years Old.

Not a drug-fueled Soul Ancestor like Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen.

But one cultivated through real, solid training!

Su Yu had taken medicinal supplements too, but he had not neglected even the slightest refinement of his Soul Power. At every stage of his cultivation, he also had a thorough grasp of his own strength.

If mastery over one's own power were rated out of a hundred points...

Su Yu could score above ninety-five.

Meng Hongchen could barely reach eighty-five.

As for Xiao Hongchen?

Heh.

With all those Soul Guidance Cannons, he was decent enough, able to display ninety percent of his strength.

Without that pile of Soul Guidance Cannons, he would struggle to even use sixty percent of his power—the bare passing mark.

For Xiao Hongchen, Martial Soul Soul Power existed entirely to support his Soul Tools.

Meng Hongchen, on the other hand, focused more on Soul Tool crafting without abandoning her Martial Soul cultivation.

Xiao Hongchen might seem more prominent, but between the siblings, Meng Hongchen was actually the more gifted one.

"Teacher, what about the reward you promised?"

Su Yu had been looking forward to Kong Deming's reward for quite some time.

He did not actually lack much.

If he had to name something he lacked, it would be something to save his life.

"The reward, huh..."

Kong Deming stroked his beard and considered it carefully before speaking.

"I have prepared two treasures. One is related to Soul Tools, while the other is related to Martial Soul cultivation.

"You have passed my Soul Tool test. If your talent in Martial Soul cultivation can earn my approval, then both treasures will be yours."

Kong Deming stopped stroking his beard. As he spoke, he took two items from his Storage Soul Tool.

In his left hand was a metal sphere with complex patterns flowing within it. Su Yu guessed that it was some kind of Ninth Level Soul Tool.

The formations inside were even more complex than those of the Spirit Engraving Sculptor in Su Yu's possession.

Floating above Kong Deming's right hand was a snow lotus, white as jade.

"Nine petals... a Nine Petal Snow Lotus!"

A sharp glint flashed in Su Yu's eyes. After carefully counting the lotus petals, he cried out in surprise.

"That's right. I obtained it by chance while traveling through the Far North Land.

"Snow lotuses grow in the Far North Land and possess immense vitality. A Nine Petal Snow Lotus has undergone nine transformations and is exceedingly rare.

"Consuming a Nine Petal Snow Lotus is enough to trigger a transformation in one's Martial Soul.

"Especially for your Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul, it may further strengthen the Life Attribute of your Martial Soul."

The Nine Petal Snow Lotus was not comparable to an Immortal Herb. It did not possess the power to directly transform Su Yu's Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul into one with the Ultimate Life Attribute.

But it could absolutely raise Su Yu's Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul to the level of a top-tier Martial Soul.

Moreover, after undergoing nine transformations in the depths of the Far North Land, the Nine Petal Snow Lotus possessed extraordinary tenacity of life and resistance to the Ice Attribute. Refining it would greatly improve Su Yu's Blue Silver Grass in both aspects.

"This Soul Tool is called the Divine Light Cover. It is a simplified version of my Silver Moon Divine Light Cover. It has a trigger effect and can withstand three attacks from anyone below the level of a Super Douluo."

Su Yu stared at the two treasures, his breathing quickening.

If he had to choose only one, he would definitely choose the Nine Petal Snow Lotus. The earlier a Martial Soul transformed, the better.

But since there was hope of obtaining both treasures, naturally, he wanted them all.

Only children made choices.

I want them all!

"Teacher, what other test is there?"

Kong Deming nodded in satisfaction and put away the two treasures.

"The Sun Moon Empire's Soul Tools flourish, giving us the power to crush the Three Great Empires of the original Douluo Continent.

"Yet because of Shrek's obstruction, we still failed to unify the continent.

"I have long been thinking that Shrek refuses to make progress and looks down on our Soul Tools, but have we not made the same mistake ourselves?"

Su Yu nodded to himself.

As expected of a pillar of the empire. His vision was sufficiently far-reaching and broad.

"I heard that you once said Soul Tools were a way for Soul Masters to go further, and that combining Soul Tools with Martial Soul cultivation was the strongest path."

Su Yu nodded. Those were words he had spoken back in Xu Kun's office.

"Your idea is correct, but how many people can truly balance Martial Soul cultivation and Soul Engineer study without neglecting either?

"Not to mention taking both paths to the true pinnacle."

Kong Deming sighed, his tone heavy with the weight of time. He had made attempts himself, yet he had never even been able to find a suitable candidate.

Meng Hongchen had actually been a genius he thought highly of, someone with the potential to carry out his Extreme Battle Soul Engineer Plan.

But Su Yu's appearance had made him give up on Meng Hongchen.

"Su Yu, although your Martial Soul is only Blue Silver Grass, your talent and Comprehension are extraordinarily high. You can keep up with your Martial Soul cultivation while also not falling behind in Soul Tool research.

"You are the most suitable candidate for my Extreme Battle Soul Engineer Plan!"

Su Yu heard the expectation in Kong Deming's voice.

He nodded. "Teacher, I will do my utmost to take both paths to their peaks and fulfill your dream!"

"Good!"

Kong Deming was overwhelmingly excited as he gripped Su Yu's shoulders with both hands.

"Next comes my test of your Martial Soul cultivation."

Su Yu had not neglected his Martial Soul cultivation.

But in the end, his Martial Soul was only Blue Silver Grass.

How much combat power could he truly possess?

That was Kong Deming's final uncertainty.

"Your test is simple: defeat the siblings Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen!"

Hearing the task his teacher had assigned, Su Yu did not know whether to laugh or cry.

So after all that, he still had to fight those two siblings?

"Little Meng was the previous candidate for my Extreme Battle Soul Engineer Plan. Defeat her, and you will completely replace her as the one who carries out the plan!"

Xiao Hongchen: What about me?

Su Yu silently mourned for Xiao Hongchen.

It seemed Xiao Hongchen was just included as a bonus.

In truth, anyone who investigated carefully would discover that all the spotlight around the siblings had been concentrated on Xiao Hongchen. Meng Hongchen's strength and level were clearly not inferior, yet she had faded from everyone's sight.

Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen were not twins!

They were a year apart!

A one-year gap.

Yet there was not much difference in either their Soul Power cultivation or Soul Engineer levels!

First, let me clarify something about Meng Hongchen's characterization. Don't say I'm overhyping her or anything. The original work did not give her much characterization either, so this can be considered a fan interpretation. Strengthening Meng Hongchen a bit—no one objects to that, right? Right?