Looking at the three names.
Before Lu Heqiu could respond,
Ma Xiaotao beside him took the initiative and voiced her doubts.
"Huh?"
"Why are the Inner Academy teachers Elder Gong and Teacher Fan Yu, the candidate for head of the Soul Tool Department?"
"Is the little guy supposed to study Soul Tool knowledge too?"
Yan Shaozhe nodded slightly and took the initiative to explain to the two of them.
"Mm."
"Although I don't know whether Heqiu has any talent with Soul Tools,"
"it certainly can't hurt to learn a little about them."
"Besides,"
"Fan Yu teaches the basics. He might not come in person and could send one of his disciples to teach instead. This is only the preliminary list, but I don't think Qian Duoduo will refuse."
"Not to mention that this is Mu En's idea. Qian Duoduo would love nothing more than to poach the little guy."
"The Extreme Single Soldier Plan they proposed is short on suitable candidates. At the moment, only one student even comes close to meeting their criteria. They're practically desperate for a few more options!"
As Yan Shaozhe spoke, a sly glint flashed through his eyes. He wasn't worried in the slightest that Qian Duoduo would take a liking to Lu Heqiu. Lu Heqiu was already a core student of the Martial Soul Department—and Yan Shaozhe's disciple.
After all, the little guy was someone Ma Xiaotao had picked up.
Even if he had more talent with Soul Tools than anyone else,
that miser Qian Duoduo still couldn't poach him. He was already one of the Martial Soul Department's people!
"The Extreme Single Soldier Plan?"
Ma Xiaotao had heard bits and pieces about the plan too. It was a secret project the Soul Tool Department had been preparing for years. Even Yan Shaozhe knew little about it; the Soul Tool Department kept all the details under its own control.
But just from the name...
Wasn't Lu Heqiu the real ultimate single soldier?
At most, the Soul Tool Department could turn someone into an all-purpose arsenal. But Lu Heqiu...he was his own weapon. In the future, his Hundred Thousand Year Soul Rings alone would give him at least eighteen Soul Skills, and his Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones would add another twelve.
He'd have at least thirty Soul Skills all by himself!
And if he got lucky,
he might even obtain an External Soul Bone...
Wouldn't that make him a walking killing machine?
"Mm, the Extreme Single Soldier Plan. That fellow Qian Duoduo keeps its details under lock and key. Even at the Sea God Pavilion Meeting, all he revealed was a few vague hints."
"But...it has nothing to do with us."
"As long as they can't take Lu Heqiu away, that's all that matters."
Yan Shaozhe gave a brief explanation, then turned his gaze back to Lu Heqiu. He had carefully chosen all three teachers. Their lessons were practically tailor-made for Lu Heqiu.
The Outer Academy teacher would cover some basic knowledge, just as Mu En had said, helping Lu Heqiu gain a more systematic understanding of the world.
Elder Gong of the Inner Academy would teach him about Soul Beasts, helping him learn to recognize more kinds of Soul Beasts and understand their habits, so he could better survive in the wild.
And Fan Yu's part was even simpler.
He would teach him about Soul Tools.
At the very least, Heqiu would learn what Soul Tools were and how to deal with Soul Masters who used them.
"No problem."
"I'll leave it to you, Teacher."
Lu Heqiu respectfully addressed Yan Shaozhe as his teacher.
Yan Shaozhe had indeed treated him well.
He had helped him hunt Soul Beasts and spoken up for him at the Sea God Pavilion Meeting. Even this list showed how sincerely he had considered things.
He had more than earned the title of teacher.
Ma Xiaotao's lips curled up slightly at his words.
She was Yan Shaozhe's disciple too.
Now that Lu Heqiu had become his disciple, she was naturally his senior sister—and had a much better excuse to take him out to have fun.
"Good boy."
"You don't have to be so formal."
"If you'd rather not call me Teacher, Dean Yan is fine too."
Yan Shaozhe clearly wasn't as excited as Ma Xiaotao. He simply waved to the two of them, signaling that they could leave.
He had only drawn up the preliminary list.
For the details, he would need Mu En to speak with the teachers.
He could decide on Su Qingzhu, the Outer Academy teacher, but Elder Gong and Fan Yu would need Mu En's approval.
Ma Xiaotao took Lu Heqiu's hand and flew toward the Inner Academy.
"Junior Brother!"
"I'll take you to meet those guys in the Inner Academy!"
"Dai Yueheng looked down on you last time. Show him your Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring and scare him to death!"
Lu Heqiu followed behind her without saying anything.
Going by what Yan Shaozhe had said,
the earliest all these teachers could get together to teach him was tomorrow.
He could take it easy and rest today.
Ma Xiaotao seemed to know where Dai Yueheng usually spent his time. Once she took to the air, she flew straight toward the Soul Dueling Arena without the slightest hesitation.
Dai Yueheng had only recently broken through to Soul Emperor. He was surely at the Soul Dueling Arena these days, looking for people to help him practice his new Soul Skill.
Combat was always the surest way to improve one's strength.
When Ma Xiaotao brought Lu Heqiu down at the Soul Dueling Arena,
Dai Yueheng had just finished a match.
Ling Luochen, Xixi, Yao Haoxuan, and Gongyang Mo were there too.
When they saw Ma Xiaotao come in holding the hand of a child who looked about three or four, curiosity immediately filled their eyes. Yao Haoxuan couldn't help asking, "Captain, where'd you pick up this kid now?"
"Ling Luochen said you'd picked up a baby a while ago. What, are you planning to open an orphanage?"
At his words, Ma Xiaotao shot back at him without an ounce of patience.
"If you don't want to lose your tongue, you'd better say more."
Yao Haoxuan promptly shut his mouth. Only Ling Luochen kept studying Lu Heqiu.
"Why does this little guy look kind of familiar?"
"Could he be..."
Ma Xiaotao snapped her fingers.
"That's right!"
"He's the baby you saw a while ago. He's grown up now. What's wrong with that?"
Ling Luochen's expression stiffened. She stared at Ma Xiaotao in disbelief, but there wasn't the slightest hint of a joke on Ma Xiaotao's face. Instead, she turned to Lu Heqiu with a perfectly serious expression.
She pointed toward Dai Yueheng.
"Heqiu."
"Go! He was the one who picked on you last time. Show him what you've got!"
Lu Heqiu was speechless. Ma Xiaotao had been getting way too carried away lately. What was this, training a dog? "Go" and all.
Lu Heqiu ignored her.
He stood there, looking toward the other platforms in the Soul Dueling Arena,
watching how the other students fought.
Ling Luochen walked up to Lu Heqiu. Her cool eyes kept sizing him up, and she clearly couldn't believe it. She could accept that some people were exceptionally gifted and grew quickly.
But wasn't Lu Heqiu growing a little too fast?
It hadn't even been half a month.
He'd gone from a swaddled baby to a boy of three or four. Was that even possible?
Dai Yueheng came over too, studying Lu Heqiu with a look just as curious as Ling Luochen's.
"This little guy..."
"Is he the one from a while ago!?"
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