The Sun Moon Empire, Mingdu, Sun Moon Imperial Soul Master Academy.
As far as the eye could see, towering buildings made from unknown metals reflected a silvery-gray sheen in the sunlight.
The Soul Tool Testing Ground.
It was an extremely spacious area, its ground paved with high-strength alloy and its perimeter lined with protective barrier generators that could absorb Soul Power impacts.
Xiao Hongchen walked at the front with his hands in his pockets and an air of arrogance, while Meng Hongchen followed lightly at his side.
Behind them, the three brothers, Huo Hao, Huo Yuhao, and Huo Yu, curiously surveyed their surroundings.
"We're here."
Xiao Hongchen stopped and lifted his chin slightly, pointing to a silver metal tube on the testing platform ahead.
It was about a meter long, with a streamlined design. A complex, precise Core Array was engraved on its surface, and it gave off an unsettling fluctuation of Soul Power.
"This is the latest Fixed Soul Cannon. It's only a Level 4 Soul Tool, but its structure has been specially optimized."
Xiao Hongchen casually picked up the barrel as if it were a toy.
"It has a very low threshold for use. A Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster only needs to pour in enough Soul Power to fire it after the Core Array converts it. Of course, if a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor activates it, it takes only a tiny amount of Soul Power to unleash its full power."
As he spoke, Xiao Hongchen turned around. His gaze swept over the three brothers, carrying a hint of provocation and boastfulness.
"Watch closely. This is the power of Soul Tools."
As soon as he finished speaking, Xiao Hongchen held up the barrel with one hand and casually channeled a stream of Soul Power into it.
Vmmm—
The Core Array on the barrel lit up in an instant, emitting a low hum.
Then a dazzling beam of white light burst from the muzzle, shrieking as it tore through the air toward a Metal Puppet a hundred meters away.
Boom—!
A deafening explosion rang out.
Dust billowed, and waves of heat rolled across the testing ground.
When the dust cleared, the pupils of the three brothers contracted sharply.
The upper half of the specially made Metal Puppet had vanished completely. Only two charred metal legs remained standing there, molten iron still dripping from the cut.
"Hiss—"
The three of them sucked in a breath together and exchanged stunned looks, each seeing the shock in the others' eyes.
The power was terrifying!
Xiao Hongchen hadn't used a single Soul Skill. He'd only channeled in some Soul Power.
If an ordinary Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster wielded this weapon, could he kill a three- or even Four-Ring Soul Master with a single shot?
It completely overturned everything they understood about Soul Master battles!
"Soul Tools... truly are extraordinary."
Huo Hao murmured, his eyes gleaming with a strange light.
Just then, an old, gentle voice suddenly rang out in all three brothers' minds at once.
"Though this power relies on an external object, one must admit that it has its own merits."
The speaker was Venerable Ilai, who lived in Huo Yu's Sea of Consciousness.
He paused, then continued:
"Yuhao, though you three brothers share the same origins and all have eyes for Martial Souls, your strengths lie in different areas."
"Huo Hao is steady by nature, with a strong spiritual foundation. He is better suited to the traditional control-type, hard-hitting path. Huo Yu is nimble and adaptable, with excellent control over the finer nuances of spiritual power, making him suited to reconnaissance and agility."
"And you, Yuhao."
A note of expectation entered Venerable Ilai's voice.
"Your spiritual power is the purest, and you have an exceptional ability to analyze and calculate. Of the three of you, you're the one best suited to develop along the path of Soul Tools."
Huo Yuhao froze and pointed to himself, asking in his mind, "Me?"
"That's right."
Before Huo Yuhao could react, another voice boomed in his mind, stern and domineering, with an air of absolute superiority.
It was King Ilai.
"Hmph! What do you mean, 'suited to it'? With such a natural advantage, you must take it to the limit!"
King Ilai's voice was filled with an unquestionable pressure.
"That brat Xiao Hongchen is arrogant, but he does have some ability. Still, in this old man's eyes, he's nothing special."
In the real world.
Seeing the three brothers' shocked expressions, Xiao Hongchen felt his vanity swell with satisfaction.
He gave a soft snort, brushed the hair from his forehead, and spoke with undisguised pride:
"Well? Scared?"
"Listen up. To become an outstanding Soul Engineer, you need talent, hard work, and resources. Not one of them can be missing."
He held up a finger and wagged it before the three brothers.
"From the day I first touched a Soul Tool to the day I became a Level 1 Soul Engineer, it took me only three months! That's the fastest record in the history of the Sun Moon Empire."
Xiao Hongchen tilted his head back and looked down his nose at them.
"As for you... Heh. Even though Grandpa arranged for you to come here, if you don't have the talent, you'd better give up on becoming Soul Engineers. You can still use Soul Tools, of course."
Huo Yuhao couldn't help admiring Xiao Hongchen's confidence. After all, he'd just seen the weapon's terrifying power. Becoming a Soul Engineer in such a short time was surely an impressive feat.
Just then, King Ilai's cold voice rang out in his mind again, carrying an aura of absolute supremacy.
"Three months? Pathetic!"
"Yuhao, I'm setting you a goal."
"Two months! You must become a Level 1 Soul Engineer within two months!"
"If you can't do it..."
King Ilai gave a cold laugh. He didn't say what would happen, but Huo Yuhao shivered all over, his face instantly crumpling into a bitter grimace.
"Two months? Th-that's impossible!"
He'd never handled a Soul Tool before, but he knew the field was vast and profound. Just engraving those Core Arrays was enough to make his scalp tingle. How could he possibly learn it all in two months?
"Heh, Yuhao, don't panic."
Venerable Ilai's gentle voice sounded at just the right moment, soothing Huo Yuhao's anxious heart.
"With your Spirit Eyes Martial Soul to assist you, and the guidance of King Ilai and me, two months will be enough."
"This is not just a test for you. It will also help you master your strength as quickly as possible and establish yourself in this unfamiliar country."
At Venerable Ilai's words, Huo Hao and Huo Yu, who had been silent until then, came over.
Huo Hao patted Huo Yuhao on the shoulder, his gaze firm.
"Yuhao, don't be afraid. We believe in you."
Huo Yu nodded. He didn't say much, but his stance was clear.
Seeing his brothers' trusting gazes and hearing the guidance of the two teachers in his mind, Huo Yuhao nodded. To become stronger, he had to surpass himself.
He couldn't let others bully him whenever they wanted anymore!
"Okay!"
Huo Yuhao clenched his fists.
"I'll do it!"
Not far away.
Seeing the three brothers suddenly encouraging one another—and Huo Yuhao looking so fired up—Xiao Hongchen couldn't help scoffing.
"Childish."
He sneered inwardly.
What a bunch of country bumpkins who had never seen the world.
Did they think shouting slogans would make them Soul Engineers?
Once they actually got started and faced the tedious, painstaking metal polishing and the maze-like Core Arrays, they'd learn what despair meant.
Then they'd understand that his genius was something ordinary people like them could never hope to match, even in a lifetime!
Xiao Hongchen shook his head. He couldn't be bothered to dampen their enthusiasm any further. Reality would teach them soon enough.
Just then, Huo Hao seemed to remember something. He turned to Xiao Hongchen and asked:
"By the way, Senior Xiao, we haven't seen Hall Master Hongchen since we arrived at the academy. May I ask where Hall Master Hongchen is?"
Xiao Hongchen answered as if it were obvious.
"Where else would he be but by That River? But that's none of your business. Grandpa only told us to show you around the academy and then get you started on your studies as soon as possible."
Anyone would know how important that river was. It was a small river that could affect the balance of power across the entire Douluo Continent.