Xuan Ziwen, Level 8 Soul Engineer [Please Follow and Vote]

Not far away, a burly man in his thirties strode forward. A badge hung on his chest.

The Sun Moon formed its base, with stars suspended above it.

Eight stars represented his status as a Level 8 Soul Engineer!

The man walked to the edge of the Competition Platform. His expression was hard and cold, his gaze sharp as a blade as he looked at the loudly clamoring youth. His voice was icy.

"What do you want to examine?"

"My ears..."

The youth had just been about to accuse the person questioning him of being deaf.

Then he suddenly saw the eight stars on the man's chest and instantly wilted like an eggplant struck by frost.

He silently lowered his head.

"I asked, what do you want to examine?" the man asked.

"...I want to check whether there's something wrong with my ears."

The youth sniffled.

Under the cold man's questioning, his emotions rose and fell wildly, and tears actually welled up in his eyes.

He obediently stepped off the platform and hid in the back.

Xu Tinglan looked at the man, surprise appearing on his face.

This man was so young, yet he was already a Level 8 Soul Engineer.

Xuan Ziwen walked over to his younger sister and asked with some confusion, "This is the difficult student you mentioned?"

The woman pursed her lips. "Try it without wearing a Level 8 badge."

Seeing the two speaking quietly and seeming very familiar with one another,

Xu Tinglan formed a guess in his heart.

The man's face remained cold and hard as he casually walked over to the youth under everyone's gaze.

He tilted his head. "Let's talk outside."

"Okay."

Xu Tinglan and Jiang Nannan followed him outside.

They stood in the corridor of the Experimental Zone.

Other than the three of them, there was no one else here.

Xuan Ziwen clasped his hands behind his back and looked into the distance.

"You're not from the Sun Moon Empire, are you?"

Xu Tinglan had not expected the man's first question to be this.

He did not hesitate either, since it was not something he could easily conceal.

"I was born in the Dou Ling Empire."

The corners of Xuan Ziwen's mouth lifted as he turned to look at the youth.

"People of the Sun Moon Empire generally have rather ordinary cultivation talent. There are practically none who reach Soul Elder at twelve."

"But why did you come here?"

"Because of my interests. I believe Soul Tools are humanity's true strength," the youth said.

Xuan Ziwen saw his own reflection in the youth.

Because of Soul Tools, and because of the pursuit in his heart,

he had come here at thirteen.

The man's brows lifted slightly.

The youth's words happened to coincide perfectly with his true thoughts.

The man firmly believed that in the future,

humanity could use Soul Tools to conquer any race, even worlds beyond this world.

"My name is Xuan Ziwen."

"I won't hide it from you. I'm not from the Sun Moon Empire either."

He concealed his eagerness in his eyes.

"Your ideas are very interesting. Would you be willing to join my research group?"

Xu Tinglan's azure eyes lit up.

He had not expected to catch Xuan Ziwen's attention so quickly.

This big shot was exceptionally formidable. A Level 8 Soul Engineer in his thirties, he was the personal disciple of Kong Deming, the Father of Soul Tools.

He had also invented the Sealed Milk Bottle.

Its original purpose had been to benefit the continent, but in Xu Tinglan's eyes, it had undoubtedly accelerated the direction of warfare.

The youth thought for a moment and did not agree rashly.

"Teacher Xuan, may I learn about your research projects before making a decision?"

Xuan Ziwen stroked his chin and nodded approvingly.

"My research topic is how to bring the convenience of Soul Tools to ordinary people. Besides that, there is also the Soul Tool Armor assigned to me by my teacher."

Xu Tinglan understood.

The former referred to Sealed Milk Bottle technology.

"What I want to learn is how to use Soul Tools to improve my own combat strength."

Xuan Ziwen smiled and shook his head.

"I think I'm qualified enough to lay your foundation."

He paused. "Once you break through to become a Level 6 Soul Master, I'll take you to meet my teacher."

"Your speculations about the future of Soul Tools are exactly the same as my teacher's."

Xu Tinglan unconsciously clenched his fist, his heart surging with excitement.

Xuan Ziwen's teacher was Kong Deming.

That man's combat strength was absolutely comparable to a Limit Douluo.

If he could take Kong Deming as his teacher, he would practically be able to walk sideways beneath the heavens.

Even his eldest uncle was only a Soul Douluo.

But as long as he joined Xuan Ziwen's research group now, he would already have a firm foothold in the Sun Moon Empire.

"Please guide me in the days ahead, Teacher Xuan."

A relieved smile appeared on Xuan Ziwen's face, and he nodded happily.

"Good!"

The man took a crystal card from his storage Soul Tool.

The Sun Moon pattern formed its base.

The card was forged from the rare metal Sun Moon Crystal Stone. Its material was extraordinarily expensive and served as a symbol of his status.

"My laboratory is in Experimental Zone Five. Just swipe this card."

"Come find me tomorrow after the competition."

Xu Tinglan accepted the card.

After Xuan Ziwen left,

Jiang Nannan said to the youth, "This teacher is a very good person. His goal is to bring Soul Tools into ordinary people's homes."

Hearing this, the youth's thoughts churned endlessly. He could only nod and say, "Mm."

Sealed Milk Bottle technology had indeed allowed more ordinary people to experience the convenience of Soul Tools, but it had also facilitated large-scale warfare.

He only hoped that, through his own intervention, this technology would not be exposed to the military too early.

Perhaps that could delay the arrival of war.

On the third day of the competition,

they came to Experimental Zone One for their matches.

Although Sun Moon Academy had over fifteen hundred students, five times as many as Shrek, very few had two-ring cultivation.

There were probably fewer than three hundred.

Xu Tinglan estimated that it was because these students were generally too young and had not used medicine.

During the first two days, everyone had fought at least six matches.

According to Xuan Xingyue's reminder, five groups would advance.

Those ten people would receive the reward of choosing rare metals for themselves, while the champions would receive the championship prize.

And his opponents should be the Xiao Hongchen siblings.

At the drawing ceremony,

Xu Tinglan and Jiang Nannan saw familiar faces—their roommates, the Xiao Hongchen siblings.

Both sides waved in greeting.

Xiao Hongchen was beaming with excitement, while the silver-haired girl beside him covered her face, unable to bear watching.

After the drawing ended,

Jiang Nannan gripped her lot with both hands, her eyelashes trembling slightly with nervousness.

Only when her gaze fell upon the number

did she finally sigh in relief. Raising the tag in her hand, she said with a bright smile, "We're so lucky. We got a bye!"

Xu Tinglan took the numbered token.

"You really do have good luck with draws."

"Of course." The girl raised her chin.

The other four groups sat in the front row of the spectator stands, pairing off and fighting simultaneously.

The silver-haired siblings' opponents gave them no trouble. In less than five minutes, the entire battle ended in a crushing sweep.

The youth knew very well

that Xiao Hongchen's First Soul Skill was Metal Control.

Within a certain range, if an opponent's Soul Power was far inferior to his, it could even interfere with their use of Soul Tools.

In an internal battle between Soul Engineers, its effect was exceptionally domineering.

If Xu Tinglan had not guessed wrong, the Level 4 Soul Tool centered on that hundred-year soul bone had been prepared for Xiao Hongchen.

However,

the youth looked at Xiao Hongchen on the field as he lazily stretched.