Level 8.5 Soul Engineer

"I will take you on a tour first, show you around the Soul Guidance Department of our Shrek Academy outer courtyard, and then introduce you to our basic development situation. Finally, you can decide whether or not you want to join our Soul Guidance Department," Qian Duoduo said.

Xia Linyuan nodded slightly, "Then I will have to trouble Vice Dean Qian."

Qian Duoduo led the way toward the soul guidance testing area, and Xia Linyuan followed closely behind.

At a single glance, Xia Linyuan could tell that the partition walls of the various experimental zones within the soul guidance device testing area were made of multi-steel metal plates synthesized from several different types of steel.

This type of multi-steel metal plate had formidable blast-resistant capabilities, capable of withstanding the explosion of six level-seven fixed-shell soul guidance missiles; even the Abyss front lines of the Endless Mountains used these multi-steel metal plates in large quantities.

Qian Duoduo flipped his wrist, and a hexagonal silver token appeared in his hand. He pressed the token against the door of Experimental Zone No. 1, and a gap immediately opened on the door to receive the token.

After a faint, brief fluctuation of soul power, the token popped up from the gap, and immediately following a clattering sound, the door to Experimental Zone No. 1 slid open horizontally.

Looking through the gap in Qian Duoduo's burly frame, one could see a group of youths in uniform attire in a corner of the experimental zone, testing soul guidance devices with various projectiles flying about.

"Our Soul Guidance Department provides dedicated venues for students to craft and test soul guidance devices. Every student has their own individual workbench for crafting, and the soundproofing design of the walls also uses the best materials..."

Qian Duoduo introduced the situation of the Soul Guidance Department while leading the way.

"Our Soul Guidance Department currently has one level-eight-and-a-half soul engineer, one level-eight soul engineer, and several level-seven soul engineers... Among them, I am that level-eight-and-a-half soul engineer, and I am also the vice dean of our Soul Guidance Department."

"Level-eight-and-a-half soul engineer? Is there really a distinction of half-levels?" Xia Linyuan did not recall such a classification.

Qian Duoduo sighed and said, "Although my cultivation has reached the Title Douluo level, I cannot craft the powerful soul guidance devices that only a Title Douluo can use, which is why I call myself a level-eight-and-a-half soul engineer."

Hearing him say this, Xia Linyuan finally remembered.

One of the prerequisites for becoming a level-nine soul engineer was to craft a level-nine soul guidance device designed and completed by oneself.

Even in the Sun Moon Empire, a powerful empire based on soul guidance devices, there were only three publicly known level-nine soul engineers on the surface. If it weren't for the support of Shrek Academy, which had a deep foundation, Qian Duoduo, who had come from behind, would never have reached his current height.

Whether it was the Sun Moon Empire or the Douluo Three Kingdoms, most level-six soul guidance devices and design blueprints for level-seven and above were kept under tight wraps, let alone the level-nine soul guidance device blueprints, which were rarer than giant pandas.

Therefore, after level six, promotion in the soul engineer profession was a pipe dream unless one had powerful resources and connections, because the design blueprints were guarded too strictly.

If not for the appearance of Huo Yuhao, even if Shrek Academy were given another ten thousand years, they wouldn't even be able to catch the dust behind the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy in terms of soul guidance devices.

And as long as the Sun Moon Emperor and Jing Hongchen did not suddenly lose their minds, the position of the continent's number one academy would completely change hands within at most twenty years, and Shrek Academy would disappear into the rolling sands of history.

It was just a pity that fate loved to be stubborn; the Child of Destiny was manipulated by that old fox Tang San, causing Huo Yuhao to join Shrek Academy, and the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy would never have the possibility of surpassing Shrek Academy again.

Qian Duoduo took Xia Linyuan from Experimental Zone No. 1 all the way to Experimental Zone No. 12.

During this period, Xia Linyuan expanded his divine sense, memorizing the soul guidance core arrays being carved by the students.

However, because there were so few students in the Soul Guidance Department, and most of the time was spent testing soul guidance devices, there were only a few carving soul guidance core arrays.

Then, Xia Linyuan set his sights on the completed soul guidance devices. With his divine sense, it was not difficult to penetrate the outer shells of the devices and observe the soul guidance core arrays within.

Qian Duoduo pointed to a middle-aged man who was about 1.8 meters tall, with very broad shoulders, distinct facial features, and a heavy, steady gaze, and said, "That is Fan Yu. He is the level-eight soul engineer I mentioned, and he is also the husband of your class teacher."

Fan Yu was actually a decent person; it was just a pity he married a mediocre wife.

Xia Linyuan wore an awkward but polite smile on his face.

"Fan Yu." Before Xia Linyuan could react, Qian Duoduo shouted, immediately causing a group of people at the edge of the field to look toward them.

Hearing Qian Duoduo's resonant voice, Fan Yu was stunned for a moment before striding over to them, "Vice Dean, why are you here? And who is this?"

Qian Duoduo chuckled and pointed at Xia Linyuan, saying, "This little guy is interested in soul guidance devices, so I brought him for a tour. Perhaps he will become the first new student of our Soul Guidance Department among the freshmen of this year's Shrek Academy."

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

Hearing Qian Duoduo say that Xia Linyuan was interested in soul guidance devices and was very likely to become the first soul guidance student among the freshmen, Fan Yu, a soul guidance fanatic, immediately found him much more pleasing to the eye.

At the same time, the name Xia Linyuan also sounded very familiar to him. After looking him up and down carefully for a long while, Fan Yu suddenly remembered where he had heard the name, "Are you the one from the Molong Duke Mansion..."

Before he could finish, Xia Linyuan smiled and nodded slightly, confirming what he was about to say.

Seeing this, Fan Yu tactfully stopped speaking and instead exclaimed, "Hearing of you is not as good as seeing you; you are truly as the rumors say, a dashing and spirited youth!"

Fan Yu did not skimp on his praise for Xia Linyuan.

"Teacher Fan Yu is too kind. I am not as outstanding as the outside world claims. Over the years, I have merely played the role of a spectator on the front lines, at most lending a hand to the soldiers."

"Enough!" Qian Duoduo patted him on the shoulder and said, "Don't be so humble, little guy. You make us old fellows who were still lost at your age feel ashamed."

Xia Linyuan smiled silently.

Fan Yu said, "Vice Dean, Linyuan, I still have a few experiments to conduct here, so I will take my leave first."

"Go ahead," Qian Duoduo laughed.

"Linyuan," Qian Duoduo turned to Xia Linyuan and rubbed his hands together with ill intent, "Although I, old Qian, haven't achieved as much in soul guidance devices as I have in martial soul cultivation, I'm not doing too badly, being a level-eight-and-a-half soul engineer. I believe I can still guide you on this path of soul guidance devices. If you were to..."