Level 8.5 Soul Engineer

"I'll first show you around the Outer Court's Soul Guidance Department campus at Shrek Academy and give you a basic overview of its development. Then you can decide whether you want to join us," Qian Duoduo said.

Xia Linyuan nodded. "Then I'll have to trouble you, Vice Dean Qian."

Qian Duoduo led the way toward the Soul Tool testing area, and Xia Linyuan followed close behind.

At a glance, Xia Linyuan could tell that the partition walls between the various laboratories in the Soul Tool testing area were made from multi-steel alloy panels, forged from several different kinds of steel.

These panels were extremely resistant to explosions and could withstand the blast of six Level 7 fixed Soul Tool missiles. Even the Abyssal front deep in the Endless Mountains used them extensively.

Qian Duoduo flipped his wrist, and a silver, hexagonal token appeared in his hand. He pressed it against the door of Testing Area One. A slot opened in the door and took the token inside.

After a brief, faint ripple of Soul Power, the token sprang back out of the slot. A rumble followed as the door to Testing Area One slid open sideways.

Through the gap beside Qian Duoduo's burly frame, Xia Linyuan saw a group of young people in matching uniforms testing Soul Tools in one corner of the laboratory. Shells of all kinds flew everywhere.

"Our Soul Guidance Department has dedicated spaces where students can build and test Soul Tools. Every student has their own workbench, and the walls are fitted with the best soundproofing materials..."

As he led the way, Qian Duoduo introduced Xia Linyuan to the department.

"Our Soul Guidance Department currently has one Level 8.5 Soul Engineer, one Level 8 Soul Engineer, and several Level 7 Soul Engineers... I'm the Level 8.5 Soul Engineer, as well as the department's vice dean."

"Level 8.5 Soul Engineer? There are half-levels?" Xia Linyuan didn't remember ever hearing of such a thing.

Qian Duoduo sighed. "Although my cultivation has reached the Titled Douluo level, I still can't make a powerful Soul Tool that only a Titled Douluo can use. That's why I call myself a Level 8.5 Soul Engineer."

Hearing this, Xia Linyuan finally remembered.

One of the prerequisites for becoming a Level 9 Soul Engineer was creating a Level 9 Soul Tool of one's own design.

Even in the Sun Moon Empire, a powerful empire built on Soul Tools, there were only three publicly acknowledged Level 9 Soul Engineers. If Qian Duoduo hadn't had the support of Shrek Academy and its deep reserves, he would never have reached his current heights.

Both the Sun Moon Empire and the Douluo Three Kingdoms kept the blueprints for most Level 6 Soul Tools and all Soul Tools above Level 7 under tight wraps. As for blueprints for Level 9 Soul Tools, rarer than giant pandas, they were even more closely guarded.

That was why, beyond Level 6, advancing through the Soul Engineer ranks was practically impossible unless you had powerful resources and connections—the blueprints were simply too tightly controlled.

If Huo Yuhao hadn't come along, Shrek Academy could have had another ten thousand years and still wouldn't have been able to catch up to the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy in Soul Tools—not even their dust.

And as long as the Sun Moon Emperor and Jing Hongchen didn't suddenly lose their minds, the title of the continent's number one academy would have changed hands within twenty years. Shrek Academy would have vanished into the shifting sands of history.

Unfortunately, fate loved to take a sharp turn. Tang San, that old schemer, had the Son of Destiny in his grip, and Huo Yuhao ended up joining Shrek Academy. The Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy would never have a chance to surpass it.

Qian Duoduo showed Xia Linyuan around from Testing Area One all the way to Testing Area Twelve.

During the tour, Xia Linyuan spread out his spiritual sense and memorized the Soul Tool core formations the students were carving.

But there were simply too few students in the Soul Guidance Department, and lately most of them had been testing Soul Tools. Only a handful were carving Soul Tool core formations.

So Xia Linyuan turned his attention to the completed Soul Tools. With his spiritual sense, it was no trouble to peer through their casings and examine the core formations inside.

Qian Duoduo pointed to a middle-aged man about six feet tall, with broad shoulders, sharply defined features, and a steady, weighty gaze. "That's Fan Yu. He's the Level 8 Soul Engineer I mentioned. He's also your homeroom teacher's husband."

Fan Yu was a pretty good guy. It was just that he'd married a wife who wasn't much to speak of.

Xia Linyuan wore an awkward yet polite smile.

"Fan Yu!" Before Xia Linyuan could react, Qian Duoduo bellowed. A group of people at the edge of the room immediately turned to look their way.

Hearing Qian Duoduo's booming voice, Fan Yu paused in surprise, then strode over. "Vice Dean, what brings you here? And who's this?"

Qian Duoduo grinned and pointed at Xia Linyuan. "This young fellow's interested in Soul Tools, so I brought him for a look around. He might even become the first new student in this year's Shrek Academy class to join our Soul Guidance Department."

Xia Linyuan bowed to Fan Yu. "Hello, Teacher Fan Yu. My name is Xia Linyuan."

When Fan Yu heard that Xia Linyuan was interested in Soul Tools and might become the first new student in this year's class to join the Soul Guidance Department, he immediately took a liking to him. As a Soul Tool fanatic, Fan Yu found him much more agreeable.

At the same time, the name Xia Linyuan sounded familiar. Fan Yu studied him carefully for a while before suddenly remembering why. "You're the one from the Molong Duke Mansion..."

Before he could finish, Xia Linyuan gave a small, smiling nod, confirming what Fan Yu was about to say.

Fan Yu took the hint and didn't continue. Instead, he praised him. "Seeing you in person is better than hearing the rumors. You really are just as they say—a dashing young hero!"

Fan Yu didn't hold back his praise for Xia Linyuan.

"Teacher Fan Yu, you flatter me. I'm not as exceptional as people make me out to be. For all these years, I've only been a spectator at the front lines. At most, I've lent the soldiers a hand."

"Enough!" Qian Duoduo clapped him on the shoulder. "No need to be so modest, young fellow. You're making old guys like us, who were still lost at your age, wonder where to put our faces."

Xia Linyuan smiled without a word.

Fan Yu said, "Vice Dean, Linyuan, I still have a few tests to run, so I'll leave you to it."

"Go ahead," Qian Duoduo said with a smile.

"Linyuan..." Qian Duoduo turned to Xia Linyuan and rubbed his hands together with a scheming smile. "Old Qian here may not have achieved as much in Soul Tools as I have in Martial Soul cultivation, but I'm no slouch, either. I'm a Level 8.5 Soul Engineer, after all. I reckon I can show you the way when it comes to Soul Tools. If you..."