Time flew by. In the blink of an eye, Ji Xuan had been at Mingde Hall for almost a month.
During that month, he had led a life that looked enviably glamorous to outsiders, but was in truth fraught with undercurrents.
As the peerless genius personally recruited by Hall Master Jing Hongchen, Ji Xuan enjoyed the finest treatment Mingde Hall had to offer.
He had his own laboratory, equipped with the most advanced equipment, and the authority to freely access ninety percent of the nonclassified materials in Mingde Hall's database.
Jing Hongchen had also shared everything he knew, setting aside time almost every day to personally guide Ji Xuan in Soul Tool theory and crafting.
Such favor drew the attention of every researcher in Mingde Hall. Countless people were envious and jealous.
But Ji Xuan keenly sensed that an invisible wall always stood behind Jing Hongchen's "sharing everything."
Whenever Ji Xuan steered the conversation, intentionally or otherwise, toward the subject he was most interested in—the Humanoid Soul Tool—
Jing Hongchen would deftly change the subject with one excuse or another, never revealing the slightest bit of classified information.
"Ji Xuan, your concept for the Humanoid Soul Tool is nothing short of revolutionary. But this project is far too important. It's the empire's highest secret. With your current standing, you can't participate directly."
That was Jing Hongchen's favorite excuse.
Ji Xuan sneered inwardly. He knew that although the hall master seemed to favor him, his wariness and suspicion had never faded.
After all, Ji Xuan's origins were far too mysterious. He was like some monstrous genius who had appeared out of nowhere.
Until Jing Hongchen had thoroughly investigated his background, there was no way he would let Ji Xuan near the empire's real secrets.
The shrewd old hall master was using