Level 8 Soul Grandmaster, Zhao Ze!

"Is this student Huo Yuhao?"

Jing Hongchen said with a smile.

"I have heard much about you. I heard that you defeated all the elites of the Shrek Academy outer courtyard single-handedly; you are truly a hero among youths."

"Dean Jing is too kind."

Huo Yuhao replied neither servile nor overbearing.

Jing Hongchen smiled and said nothing more, though his mind was already busy calculating.

If such a gifted soul engineering genius could be kept in the Sun Moon Empire and put to his own use, the soul engineering technology of the Sun Moon Empire would surely reach an even higher level.

"Alright, let us set off."

Jing Hongchen turned and said to the group.

Huo Yuhao looked up toward the south, in the direction of Ming Capital.

The sunlight spilled onto his face, and the youth's eyes were filled with anticipation for the future.

Sun Moon Empire, I have arrived.

Traveling by day and resting by night, three days later, the vast procession finally arrived at the capital of the Sun Moon Empire, Ming Capital.

Completely different from the natural style of Shrek Academy, which relied on mountains and rivers, the entire city of Ming Capital exuded a strong atmosphere of soul engineering technology.

The Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy was located in the central area of Ming Capital, occupying a vast expanse of land.

The academy was filled with sophisticated soul engineering laboratories and training grounds, and the air was permeated with faint traces of metal and energy fluctuations.

"This is the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy."

Jing Hongchen turned around and said to the ten students from Shrek.

"You will first follow Teacher Lin Jiayi to collect your ID cards, uniforms, and dormitory keys.

Starting tomorrow, you will attend classes alongside our academy's students.

Remember, you must abide by the academy's rules here; you are not permitted to enter the core area of Mingde Hall without authorization."

"Yes, Dean Jing."

The group responded in unison.

Lin Jiayi bowed slightly to the group and gestured for them to follow:

"Students, please come with me."

Huo Yuhao followed the group forward, his gaze curiously examining everything around him.

Looking at those soul engineering devices that were far more advanced than those at Shrek, his eyes shone with excitement.

This place was truly a paradise for soul engineers.

At the same time, Jing Hongchen turned and walked into his office.

He had just sat down and had not yet had a chance to drink his tea when the office door was knocked upon.

"Come in."

Lin Jiayi walked in quickly, his expression somewhat grave:

"Hall Master, there is a gentleman outside claiming to be an eighth-level soul engineer, saying he wants to apply for a teaching position at our academy."

"What? An eighth-level soul engineer?"

Jing Hongchen raised his head abruptly, his eyes full of shock.

Eighth-level soul engineers were as rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns throughout the entire Douluo Continent. There were only a dozen or so in the entire Sun Moon Empire, and every one of them was a core member of Mingde Hall whom he knew personally.

How could a strange eighth-level soul engineer suddenly appear?

Jing Hongchen frowned, his fingers tapping lightly on the desk.

An eighth-level soul engineer—this was a massive stroke of luck.

If such talent could be kept in the academy, the soul engineering technology of the Sun Moon Empire would surely ascend to another level.

However, the sudden appearance of an unknown eighth-level soul engineer with an unclear background necessitated caution.

"Could he be from another empire?"

Jing Hongchen muttered to himself, then shook his head.

"That's impossible; why would he come to the Sun Moon Empire?"

He stood up and straightened his robes:

"Let's go, take me to see him."

The two walked quickly to the academy's reception room.

Pushing open the door, they saw a man dressed in a black robe sitting on the sofa, leisurely drinking tea.

He looked to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with handsome features and a composed temperament. There was not the slightest fluctuation of soul power around him, yet he gave off an unfathomable feeling.

Hearing the door open, the man looked up and smiled slightly at Jing Hongchen.

Jing Hongchen's pupils contracted slightly.

He had lived for so many years and seen countless powerhouses, yet he could not see through this man before him at all.

Moreover, he was certain that he had never met this person before.

He knew every famous Soul Master in the Sun Moon Empire like the back of his hand, but he had absolutely no impression of this man.

"Are you the Level 8 Soul Tool Master who applied for the position?"

Jing Hongchen stepped forward and asked in a deep voice.

"May I ask your name? Why has this old man never seen you in the Soul Tool circles?"

The man set down his teacup, stood up, and said with a smile:

"Hall Master Hongchen, my name is Zhao Ze. I come from a secluded sect and have spent years in seclusion studying Soul Tool technology. I rarely travel in the outside world, so it is only natural that you do not recognize me."

"A secluded sect?"

A trace of doubt flashed in Jing Hongchen's eyes.

"May I ask which secluded sect?"

"The name of my sect is not something to be spoken of to outsiders."

Zhao Ze smiled faintly.

"What the Hall Master should be concerned about is this humble one's Soul Tool cultivation, is it not?"

As he spoke, he flipped his hand, and a palm-sized, silver-white Soul Tool appeared in his grasp, which he tossed casually to Jing Hongchen.

"This is a little trinket I made while idle; the Hall Master may take a look."

Jing Hongchen hurriedly caught it and began to examine it closely.

The Soul Tool was exquisitely crafted, its surface covered in dense, miniature magic arrays with smooth, elegant lines that resembled a work of art. He attempted to inject a trace of soul power, and the Soul Tool instantly lit up with a pale blue glow as an invisible barrier appeared out of thin air, enveloping his entire body.

Jing Hongchen was shocked.

This was actually a Level 8 defensive Soul Tool! Yet its size was only one-tenth that of a standard Level 8 defensive Soul Tool!

He hurriedly began to study the core array, and the more he looked, the more alarmed he became. The design of this Soul Tool's core array was incredibly ingenious.

It utilized a compression technique he had never seen before, condensing functions that would normally require dozens of arrays into just three.

He found some of the key rune structures difficult to even decipher.

"This... did you really make this?" Jing Hongchen looked up, his voice trembling slightly.

"Naturally."

Zhao Ze nodded.

Jing Hongchen was astonished.

To be able to craft such an exquisite Level 8 Soul Tool, with core technology far exceeding the current standard, this was definitely a genuine Level 8 Soul Tool Master—perhaps one who had even touched the threshold of Level 9!

Jing Hongchen's face instantly broke into a smile, his attitude becoming incredibly enthusiastic:

"Mr. Zhao Ze, please forgive my rudeness! It is the honor of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Master Academy that a talent like you is willing to come and teach at our institution!"

He hurriedly invited Zhao Ze to sit and poured him a cup of tea himself:

"I wonder what position Mr. Zhao would like to hold? We can discuss the compensation; as long as the academy can provide it, there will be no objections!"

Zhao Ze picked up the teacup, took a sip, and said with a smile:

"The position is of no consequence; I have no interest in power. I only want an independent, top-tier Soul Tool laboratory, and I want to personally mentor students."

"No problem!"

Jing Hongchen agreed without the slightest hesitation.

"The vacant top-tier laboratory next to Mingde Hall will be cleared out for your use by tomorrow.

As for the students, you may take whichever class you wish, even the core disciple class!"