After taking care of Huo Yuhao's situation, You Jie spent some more time with Qian Duoduo studying how Thousand-Refinement improved metal strength and the possibilities of using it in the Duel Runner and other Soul Tools. Then, at sunset, he left the Soul Tool Department and returned to the inner courtyard.
The appearance of Thousand-Refinement metal meant stronger materials for Soul Tools. It also meant that more Core Arrays could be engraved onto those materials, making the tools' functions even more powerful. At the same time, it made it easier for most people in Shrek Academy's Soul Tool Department to churn out Soul Tools by brute force, further improving their success rate.
"Once that's done, the Soul Tool Department will be able to produce more results and earn more, so it'll have more confidence when dealing with the Martial Soul Department.
"Besides, once the Soul Tool Department's standards improve, I'll be able to turn more of my ideas into reality."
While they were eating together, Zhang Lexuan asked about the Soul Tool Department, and You Jie gave her a brief explanation.
Ever since the Supreme Elder of the Holy Spirit Cult had tricked her, Zhang Lexuan had become interested in Soul Tools.
Of the four inner-court disciples who survived among the twelve who had been harmed by Xuan Zi, one was from the inner-court Soul Tool Department.
Judging by Soul Power alone, he was the weakest of the twelve. But with a Soul Tool arsenal at his disposal, he had somehow managed to cling to life and survive the Supreme Elder of the Holy Spirit Cult.
The others hadn't noticed this. They'd simply thought the Soul Tool Department student had gotten lucky and barely escaped with his life. But Zhang Lexuan had noticed what the Soul Tool had done for him.
However, Zhang Lexuan was the inner-court's senior sister and the future head of the Martial Soul Department. With Yan Shaozhe above her, along with the Supreme Elder of the Holy Spirit Cult—a smiling tiger and a horned shark—keeping her in check, she obviously couldn't openly show her interest in Soul Tools.
So it was only in front of You Jie that she could express her interest in Soul Tools and discuss them with him.
"But if you add more Core Arrays, won't they consume more Soul Power, too?"
Zhang Lexuan casually placed a freshly peeled Deep Sea Red Shrimp in You Jie's bowl and asked, puzzled.
"Sister Lexuan, it's not just functional Core Arrays that can be added. There are Auxiliary Arrays, too. And by adjusting the position of each Core Array, we can save some Soul Power as well."
You Jie just as casually peeled a shrimp and placed it in Zhang Lexuan's bowl, then replied with a smile.
"As long as we can improve the strength of the materials, Soul Tools will become more and more effective. It wouldn't even be impossible to use a Level 8 Soul Tool to defend against a Titled Douluo's full-power attack."
"...But even high-level Soul Tools can't threaten the life of a Super Douluo or even a Limit Douluo, can they? Apart from Fixed-Projectile Soul Tools, I mean.
"If they only have better defensive and mobility capabilities, does that mean a Level 9 Soul Engineer can't threaten a Limit Douluo?"
"That's hard to say... If there were a Soul Tool that could store Soul Power in advance, or one that could gather the Soul Power of many Soul Engineers without requiring a Martial Soul Fusion Skill or an extremely complicated group Martial Soul combination, then even a Limit Douluo could very well be overwhelmed by sheer numbers."
Zhang Lexuan was stunned by You Jie's answer. She was interested in Soul Tools, but she didn't have the truly forward-thinking perspective You Jie did, nor had she personally visited the Sun Moon Empire like Mu En had.
Apart from Fixed-Projectile Soul Tools, she really couldn't imagine how a Soul Engineer could defeat a Soul Master in a fair fight.
You Jie's reminder had practically opened the door to a whole new world for her.
"By the way, You Jie, when you go to the outer court, be a little wary of that perverted old hag.
"Dean Yan was the one who decided to make her a homeroom teacher, so I can't take that authority away from her. But I made sure you weren't assigned to her class.
"Still, if you run into her students during the Freshman Assessment—especially the top students she's trained—you'll need to be careful.
"That perverted old hag's students will do absolutely anything to win."
After they'd happily finished dinner, Zhang Lexuan suddenly warned him as they cleaned up the dishes together.
"Oh, you mean that freak who sold her 'thirteen' for a good price, and whose reports were so pretty that the Evil Soul Master creator took a liking to her and went out of his way to protect her?
"I really wonder if she's been cheating on Director Fan Yu. Otherwise, with the damage she's done to Shrek Academy's students, it makes no sense that she can still teach here. It's as absurd as Xuan Zi.
"Don't worry, Sister Lexuan. She can't do anything to me herself, let alone her lackeys.
"Ugh, I wonder which poor souls will have to bear the brunt of her fury this time."
Hearing Zhang Lexuan mention Zhou Yi, You Jie's imagination—which had already been running wild during his discussion of Soul Tools with Qian Duoduo—went into overdrive.
It was a known fact that Zhou Yi was actually very beautiful, and that even when she was angry, people only found her adorable.
It was also a known fact that Yan Shaozhe was extremely lecherous. Even though Zhou Yi had done all sorts of outrageous things in the Martial Soul Department, he'd still protected her, and she'd received hardly any real punishment.
So was he doing it purely out of respect for Fan Yu, or was there something more to it...?
Before You Jie could think any further, a sharp pain shot through his head as someone rapped him on it.
"Enough, You Jie. Why let your imagination run so wild? Dean Yan may be... but he can't be that depraved, can he?"
Although Zhang Lexuan was telling You Jie to stop letting his thoughts run wild, she clearly hadn't immediately dismissed his theory.
After all, Yan Shaozhe had once blasted a Holy Spirit Cult vice-leader into existence, and he had a whole history with Xian Lin'er. He really might have done something like that.
And as for why Zhou Yi didn't just dump Fan Yu and openly throw herself into Yan Shaozhe's arms...
Xian Lin'er and Cai Mei'er: You think I'm as easy to manipulate as Mu Jin?
"Class Seven, huh... That's a rather intriguing number. If it were the Seventh Master without a limp, he might've been a pretty reliable teacher, right?"
Looking at the sign beside the classroom door, You Jie couldn't help thinking of a certain limping man. Then he entered and sat by the window in the second-to-last row, the standard seat for a light-novel protagonist.
You Jie had already been enjoying the privileges of a core disciple in both departments, so naturally he didn't need to join the rush for food. He didn't have to claim a seat by the door first and then fight the other students in the cafeteria, where there weren't even any tables or chairs.
"Twin sisters... Are those the sisters with the hair Martial Soul?"
As You Jie surveyed the classroom again, two girls walked in together and immediately caught his eye.
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