[I told Teacher Jing Hongchen about the effects of my second soul skill. He was extremely excited and agreed that it was a divine skill.]
The dean's office.
After hearing Sun Moon Lin Qing's description, Jing Hongchen was completely stunned.
He sat in his chair, his fingers unconsciously tapping against the desk.
Once, twice, three times.
He remained silent for a full half minute.
He slowly raised his head and looked at Sun Moon Lin Qing, his expression indescribably complicated.
"Your second soul skill can copy three soul skills, fuse them into a new soul skill, and permanently solidify it!"
Jing Hongchen took a deep breath. He found it unbelievable.
[After returning to Sun Moon Royal Academy, Teacher Jing Hongchen asked me what soul skills I wanted to copy and what I had in mind.]
Scene shift.
Inside the Cultivation Room, master and disciple sat facing each other.
"Lin Qing, what three soul skills do you plan to copy with your second soul skill?"
Jing Hongchen looked at Sun Moon Lin Qing seriously.
"This is very important. Once they are selected, fused, and solidified, they cannot be changed."
"Teacher, I want to copy... Senior Xiao Hongchen's first three soul skills."
[The soul skills I chose to copy and fuse were Xiao Hongchen's Metal Control, Boiling Gold, and Gold Solidification.]
[In truth, the best choice should have been Huo Yuhao's two divine skills, Spiritual Detection and Spiritual Sharing. But I had little chance of meeting Huo Yuhao right now, and I needed time to develop and grow. I could not waste this period.]
Jing Hongchen froze.
"Xiao?"
Xiao Hongchen was his grandson, the leading figure of Sun Moon Royal Academy's younger generation and the core of the Golden Generation.
Jing Hongchen had not expected this little fellow to set his sights on his grandson's soul skills. And he had answered so quickly, clearly having thought it through long ago.
"Are you sure?"
"I'm sure."
Sun Moon Lin Qing nodded.
"Senior Xiao Hongchen's three soul skills are a perfect combination: Metal Control, Boiling Gold, and Gold Solidification. If they are fused together..."
The more he spoke, the brighter his eyes became.
"That would become a perfect soul skill made exclusively for Soul Engineers!"
Jing Hongchen stared at Sun Moon Lin Qing for several seconds.
Then he suddenly burst into laughter.
"Good! What sharp eyes! You brat really are a genius!"
He vigorously patted Sun Moon Lin Qing on the shoulder.
"That brat Xiao's three soul skills really are the best combination. I'll call him over right away!"
Lin Qing, watching this in reality, was somewhat surprised.
"Copying Xiao Hongchen's soul skills?"
He recalled the information from the original novel.
Xiao Hongchen's martial soul was the Three-Legged Golden Toad, a top-tier beast martial soul.
His soul skills had also been designed specifically for Soul Tools.
First Soul Skill: Metal Control.
Effect: strengthened control over metal, increased the quantity he could control, and improved his affinity with metal.
Simply put, it allowed a Soul Engineer to manipulate metal materials.
Second Soul Skill: Boiling Gold.
Effect: sent one's Soul Power into a boiling state, greatly increasing the power of soul skills and accelerating activation speed. It also enhanced metal control, absorbed metal elements from the air, and reduced Soul Power consumption when using Soul Tools!
For a Soul Engineer, this was practically a divine skill.
Third Soul Skill: Gold Solidification.
Effect: temporarily condensed controlled metal elements into solid metal. It could even use Spiritual Power to carve soul tool cores and create temporary Soul Tools!
"These three soul skills really are a perfect match!"
The more Lin Qing thought about it, the brighter his eyes became.
Metal Control was the foundation.
Boiling Gold was the burst.
Gold Solidification was creation.
If the three soul skills were perfectly fused, then combined with powerful Spiritual Power and Soul Tool crafting techniques, the results would be simply unimaginable!
Before long, Jing Hongchen summoned Xiao Hongchen.
[This proud genius, Xiao Hongchen, was initially a little unhappy when he heard that someone wanted to copy his soul skills. But after Jing Hongchen explained everything, he became exceptionally curious, especially shocked by my two beyond-limit purple Soul Rings.]
"Spirit Replication Fusion can really fuse my three soul skills into one?"
Xiao Hongchen stared at Lin Qing, his eyes full of curiosity.
"Yes."
Sun Moon Lin Qing nodded.
"Fine, then what do I need to do?"
"I need Senior to cooperate by releasing all three soul skills. I'll copy them in an instant."
Xiao Hongchen looked at Jing Hongchen.
"Xiao, cooperate with him."
"I understand, Grandpa."
Xiao Hongchen obediently walked to the center of the laboratory.
"Watch carefully."
He gave them a reminder.
Martial soul unleashed!
The phantom of a Three-Legged Golden Toad emerged behind him.
Yellow, yellow, purple—three Soul Rings in the standard optimal configuration.
"First Soul Skill: Metal Control!"
The metal components in the laboratory instantly rose into the air, as if countless invisible hands were controlling them.
"Second Soul Skill: Boiling Gold!"
Xiao Hongchen's Soul Power fluctuations suddenly intensified. A faint golden halo appeared around his body, and his manipulation of the metal components became more precise and faster.
"Third Soul Skill: Gold Solidification!"
Metal elements in the air began to gather, gradually condensing into a metal spear under Xiao Hongchen's Spiritual Power control.
Though crude, it truly was creating something from nothing!
"Now!"
Sun Moon Lin Qing's Heavenly Eye opened between his brows!
Second Soul Skill: Spirit Replication Fusion!
"Buzz!"
A beam of silver light swept over Xiao Hongchen, and the information of his three soul skills was instantly copied into his mind.
What followed was the fusion! Reorganization! Optimization of the soul skills!
To outsiders, the process lasted only an instant, but to Lin Qing, it seemed to stretch on for a long time.
Every detail of the soul skills appeared clearly before his eyes, and every change was precisely calculated in his mind.
At last.
"It's done."
Sun Moon Lin Qing spoke softly.
The silver light from the Heavenly Eye between his brows gradually faded.
[I successfully copied Xiao Hongchen's first three soul skills. After fusing them, I gained a second second soul skill—Metal Manipulation!]
In the scene, Sun Moon Lin Qing released his new soul skill.
All the metal components in the laboratory flew over, hovering and spinning above his palm as smoothly as if they were extensions of his limbs.
"This soul skill has two states: a normal state and a boiling state."
"Normal state effects: enhanced metal control, increased control quantity and compatibility, improved metal affinity, the ability to temporarily condense metal elements into solid objects, and even use Spiritual Power to carve soul tool cores and create temporary Soul Tools."
In the boiling state, Lin Qing's Soul Power fluctuations suddenly soared, and a dazzling golden aura appeared around him.
The floating metal components instantly accelerated, spinning at least three times faster.
"Boiling state: Soul Power boils, power increases, manipulation accelerates, metal control is greatly enhanced, and metal elements in the air can be absorbed."
"Most importantly..."
Sun Moon Lin Qing paused and walked over to a Soul Tool placed beside the testing area.
With a casual tap, he injected Soul Power into it.
The energy consumption display of that Soul Tool instantly dropped by thirty percent!
"In this state, I can reduce a Soul Tool's Soul Power consumption!"
"Perfect! Absolutely perfect!"
Jing Hongchen could not help slamming the table in praise. He excitedly paced back and forth through the laboratory.
"Metal Control and Gold Solidification are the normal effects, while Boiling Gold serves as the burst state. The three soul skills have fused perfectly without any conflict!"
"And..."
He turned to look at Lin Qing, his gaze blazing.
"This new soul skill has greater potential than the original, because it has been specially optimized for you and is completely suited to your Spiritual Power traits!"
Xiao Hongchen was dumbfounded as well.
He could not help muttering, "Why do I feel like you're even more of a monster than those people from Shrek Academy?"
Yet there was no jealousy in his eyes, only admiration.
After all, he had heard from Jing Hongchen that when Lin Qing faced the choice of having thousand-year first and second Soul Rings, it was equivalent to passing through the gates of death twice.
He definitely did not have that kind of courage.
"When you make Soul Tools in the future, remember to call me."
"I want to see just how far this soul skill of yours can go too."
Xiao Hongchen patted Lin Qing on the shoulder.
"Alright."
[I was extremely satisfied with this gain.]
"..."
Lin Qing himself was already speechless.
Anyone could see the potential of each of Lin Qing's soul skills.
"No wonder Jing Hongchen was so excited..."
Lin Qing finally understood completely.
With this kind of talent and these kinds of soul skills, in the Sun Moon Empire, he could be nurtured as the true cream of the Golden Generation!
Before you continue