Meanwhile, at Shrek Academy's Soul Guidance Department.
Fan Yu was showing Huo Yuhao around the Soul Tools.
"This is the Level One Soul Tool production area. It's mainly used to make the most basic Soul Guidance Rays, Soul Shields..."
Fan Yu pointed to a row of workshops on the left as he walked, explaining along the way.
Huo Yuhao followed behind him, his eyes wide.
Looking at the dazzling array of Soul Tools and precision instruments, he felt as if a whole new world had opened before him.
Meanwhile, in his Sea of Consciousness, Zhao Ze was reclining on a soft couch, his gaze quickly taking in everything outside and absorbing all the knowledge about Soul Tools.
He turned to Electrolux beside him and asked with a smile:
"What do you think? Do the Soul Tools on Douluo Continent resemble the special equipment from your world?"
Electrolux nodded, curiosity in his eyes:
"They do, indeed.
These Soul Tools are powered by Soul Power. Their underlying principles are much the same; only the energy systems differ."
He paused, looked at Zhao Ze, and asked in puzzlement:
"Why did you suddenly ask me that? Do you have something in mind?"
Zhao Ze sat up straight, his expression growing serious:
"That's right. I need your help. Let's make a one-of-a-kind Soul Tool together.
It'll be able to absorb both souls and Soul Power, then combine the two to unleash its power.
Let's call it the Ten Thousand Souls—no, the Human Emperor Banner."
Electrolux froze, then instinctively furrowed his brow and said warily:
"Using souls and Soul Power at the same time? What a bizarre design! What do you intend to use it for?"
"What are you thinking?"
Zhao Ze scoffed and waved a hand.
"I'm not some cruel monster.
This Soul Tool will only be used to absorb the souls and Soul Power of Evil Soul Masters.
Those people have committed countless atrocities and harmed countless innocents. Rather than let their souls dissipate between heaven and earth, we might as well use them as stepping-stones for ourselves. It's making use of waste, if nothing else."
At that, Electrolux breathed a sigh of relief and nodded:
"That makes sense.
After all, with your strength, if you truly wanted to do evil, this continent would have been laid waste long ago.
Rest assured. I'll do everything I can to help with the soul-power aspect."
By then, Fan Yu had finished showing Huo Yuhao around the entire Soul Guidance Department.
The two of them walked down a long corridor and reached a private workshop at the very end.
Fan Yu opened the door and gestured for Huo Yuhao to enter:
"The academy has specially assigned this workshop to you. All the tools and basic materials inside are brand-new. You can do your day-to-day assembly and Soul Tool production here."
Huo Yuhao stepped into the workshop and was instantly stunned.
The room was spacious and bright. Shelves along the walls were packed with all kinds of metal ores, Core Array blueprints, and precision tools.
"My goodness... There's so much stuff!"
Huo Yuhao couldn't help exclaiming. Before, he hadn't even known what a Soul Tool was, and now he had a luxurious private workshop all to himself.
"These are all basic necessities for Soul Tool research."
Seeing his delighted expression, Fan Yu's lips curved slightly.
"Once your Soul Engineer rank improves and you can make better Soul Tools, the academy will equip you with more advanced equipment.
"It's getting late. If you're interested in Soul Tools, you can look through the textbooks here and familiarize yourself with the fundamentals first.
"You can come here for lessons tomorrow evening."
Their Soul Guidance Department was short on people to begin with. They would do everything they could to recruit any student who showed interest!
"Thank you, Teacher Fan Yu!"
Huo Yuhao hurriedly replied with a respectful bow.
Fan Yu nodded, turned, and left the workshop, gently closing the door behind him.
Huo Yuhao was the only one left in the room.
The next moment, two faint figures slowly emerged from his Sea of Consciousness and appeared beside him.
"Master! Elder Yi!"
Huo Yuhao quickly bowed to them.
"No need for formalities."
Zhao Ze waved a hand, pulled a book titled Detailed Guide to Level One Soul Tool Core Arrays from the shelf, and opened it.
"Fan Yu and the others only teach the basics, and they go too slowly. Let's take a look at these materials ourselves first and get a basic understanding of how Soul Tools are constructed and how they work. Then you'll be ready to get hands-on tomorrow."
Electrolux also picked up a book and leisurely leafed through it:
"The heart of a Soul Tool is its Core Array. In essence, special runes are used to guide the flow of Soul Power.
"This is very similar to how magic arrays work. The only difference is the rune system. I'm sure I'll learn it quickly."
Huo Yuhao nodded, picked up a basic textbook, sat down at the table, and began to read attentively.
With Zhao Ze and Electrolux there to guide him, those abstruse theoretical concepts became incredibly simple in his eyes.
In a little over three hours, he had already grasped the basic theory behind Level One Soul Tools.
At that moment, outside the Soul Guidance Department's entrance, a pink-haired, blue-eyed figure was hiding behind a large tree, peeking inside.
She had followed Huo Yuhao out of curiosity about what he was doing at the Soul Guidance Department. She hadn't expected him to stay inside for so long without coming out.
"Hmph. He's pretty studious."
Wang Dong'er muttered under her breath, though for some reason she felt inexplicably irritated.
She stamped her foot and turned away in a huff, but couldn't stop herself from wondering:
Are Soul Tools really that interesting?
"Teacher, are you saying... someone really can suppress my Evil Fire?"
At Sea God Lake.
A graceful woman in a fiery red dress stood by the lakeside. Her waist-length red hair gleamed like burning flames beneath the moonlight.
She was stunningly beautiful, yet a trace of unmistakable anxiety and exhaustion lingered between her brows.
Seeing her eagerness, Yan Shaozhe smiled warmly and nodded:
"That's right. It's the new student, Huo Yuhao.
"He possesses an exceptionally pure Life Crystal. It can heal injuries, prolong life, improve one's constitution, and enhance Martial Soul quality.
"Yesterday, Xu Sanshi's Black Tortoise Shield evolved completely into the Basalt Shield thanks to his Life Crystal.
"Even Mu En's old injury, which had plagued him for years, was completely healed by that Life Crystal."
He paused, a hint of anticipation in his eyes:
"I think that if he uses his pure Life Crystal to nourish your Martial Soul and mend the flaws in your phoenix bloodline, it could permanently eliminate the effects of the Evil Fire, so you would never have to suffer its backlash again."
"Forever... The Evil Fire can be eliminated forever?"
Ma Xiaotao abruptly lifted her head. Tears filled her fiery red eyes, and her voice caught in her throat.
All these years, the Evil Fire inside her had been her worst nightmare. She feared that one day she might lose control, become an Evil Soul Master devoid of reason, and hurt the people around her.
Now that she had heard there was hope of eradicating it completely, overwhelming joy washed over her.
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