The Soul Guidance Department's Divine Skill

The two-hour time limit ticked away, bit by bit, amidst the heavy panting echoing across the training ground.

By the time the majority of students had barely managed to complete 50 laps, Gu Yuan and Gu Yuena had already strolled to the finish line, while Jin Ruiqiu accompanied a slightly slower Huo Yuhao as they leisurely crossed the 100-lap mark.

The four of them moved with steady, rhythmic strides, their breathing long and even. There was only a thin sheen of sweat on their foreheads; far from looking disheveled, their composure remained entirely undisturbed.

To Gu Yuan and his companions, the twenty-kilogram weight was a trivial matter, and even for the current Huo Yuhao, it posed little challenge. Never mind one hundred kilometers—even if they had to run double that distance, they would not feel the slightest pressure.

Jin Ruiqiu hopped about as she shed her weighted gear, shaking her still-energetic legs before leaning toward Gu Yuan with a grin. "I told you this distance was nothing. Look at those people, they're all lying there like piles of mud."

She glanced toward the track, where the remaining freshmen were stumbling across the finish line in twos and threes. Their faces were deathly pale, their clothes soaked through with sweat. The moment they crossed the line, they collapsed directly onto the ground, gasping for air, lacking even the strength to lift a finger.

For these boys and girls, whose soul power at most reached the level of a Soul Grand Master, this hundred-kilometer weighted cross-country run had effectively drained every last drop of their soul power and physical stamina.

In the end, less than half finished within the time limit. The rest either gave up halfway or failed to arrive on time. Following the rules set by Zhou Yi, they were immediately slapped with a major demerit, and the shadow of expulsion instantly loomed over everyone's heads.

Zhou Yi stood by the finish line, roster in hand, checking off names without a flicker of expression on her face. She offered no praise to those who finished, nor did she berate those who failed; her sharp eyes remained fixed on Huo Yuhao, carrying an undisguised sense of scrutiny.

She had noticed this child long ago.

Throughout the entire hundred kilometers, this ten-year-old boy had stayed by the side of Gu Yuan's trio, his pace steady and his breathing controlled. Even in the final sprint, there wasn't the slightest sign of exhaustion.

For a level 23 Soul Grand Master to easily complete a weighted cross-country run of this caliber not only proved his tenacious willpower but also demonstrated that his control over his own soul power had reached a level far beyond his peers.

More importantly, he was a soul master with an ultimate spirit attribute.

Across the entire Douluo Continent, spirit-attribute soul masters were one in ten thousand, and those with an ultimate spirit attribute were rarer than phoenix feathers and unicorn horns.

Such talent was not only promising for martial soul cultivation, but it also made him a prodigy in another field—the Soul Guidance Department.

Seeing Huo Yuhao preparing to leave the training ground with Gu Yuan's group, Zhou Yi immediately strode over and called out to him, "Huo Yuhao, wait a moment."

Huo Yuhao paused, turned around, and bowed respectfully to Zhou Yi. "Teacher Zhou, are you looking for me?"

His attitude was respectful but not servile. His eyes were clear, and even after running a hundred kilometers, he remained full of spirit, showing no signs of fatigue.

Zhou Yi looked at him, her appreciation deepening. She nodded and got straight to the point. "Huo Yuhao, I ask you, do you have any interest in Soul Tools?"

Soul Tools?

Huo Yuhao was stunned for a moment, then shook his head in confusion. "Teacher Zhou, I don't know much about Soul Tools. I never had the chance to come into contact with such things before."

He had grown up in the woodshed of the White Tiger Duke Mansion, where even having enough to eat was a luxury, let alone touching something as expensive as a Soul Tool.

He had only heard Gu Yuan mention them briefly on the way to Shrek Academy, knowing that Soul Tools were the future trend of the continent, but he had never truly understood them.

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yi was not disappointed; instead, her eyes brightened. It was easier to paint a masterpiece on a blank canvas.

She softened her tone and explained to Huo Yuhao, "Soul Tools are special equipment crafted based on soul power and soul guidance arrays. They range from small storage devices to Fixed Soul Guidance Shells capable of world-shattering destruction. Soul masters with the spirit attribute are the most scarce and sought-after geniuses in the Soul Guidance Department."

"Your spiritual power can precisely control soul guidance arrays and provide the most accurate guidance for Fixed Soul Guidance Shells, achieving things ordinary soul masters could never dream of. While your talent would certainly make you a top-tier powerhouse in pure martial soul cultivation, with the addition of Soul Tools, your future achievements will only be higher."

Huo Yuhao listened intently, though he felt uncertain.

He instinctively looked toward Gu Yuan, who was not far away, his eyes filled with clear inquiry and a plea for guidance.

In his heart, Gu Yuan was like an older brother, the person he trusted most in this world. Whenever he was indecisive, Gu Yuan was always the first person he turned to for advice.

Following his gaze, Zhou Yi looked at Gu Yuan and understood instantly.

She had long since noticed that Huo Yuhao placed absolute trust in Gu Yuan, prioritizing his opinion in all things.

Gu Yuan walked over slowly. "Since it is a kind offer, the Soul Guidance Department is indeed very suitable for you. The compatibility between the spirit attribute and Soul Tools is the highest among all attributes. If you want to take a look, go ahead; don't have any concerns."

He had already known from his memories of the future about Huo Yuhao's destiny with the Soul Guidance Department; Soul Tools would become one of the sharpest weapons in Huo Yuhao's hands. Besides, the development of Soul Tools was an inevitable trend, and letting Huo Yuhao get an early start was a good thing.

Having received Gu Yuan's approval, Huo Yuhao felt much more at ease.

He turned back to Zhou Yi and nodded firmly. "Alright, Teacher Zhou, I will go with you to take a look."

"Let's go!" A rare smile appeared on Zhou Yi's face. She patted his shoulder, turned, and led him toward the exit of the training ground.

Watching their retreating figures, Jin Ruiqiu couldn't help but lean toward Gu Yuan, tilting her head as she asked, "Is This Seat really going to let that old hag take Yuhao away? What if she kidnaps him?"

"She won't." Gu Yuan smiled and shook his head, his gaze fixed on the direction of the Soul Guidance Department as he said calmly.

Beyond his trust in Huo Yuhao, he also wanted to see just how loyal the current Huo Yuhao was to him.

Gu Yuena, standing to the side, spoke slowly, her voice tinged with understanding. "In the future, Soul Tools will inevitably become mainstream on the continent. The Sun Moon Empire's soul guidance technology is already far superior to the Heavenly Soul and Star Luo Empires. Letting him come into contact with it early is better than being forced to react passively in the future."

Gu Yuan nodded slightly, saying nothing more.

On the other side, Zhou Yi led Huo Yuhao through the teaching area of Shrek Academy, heading toward the west side of the campus.

Unlike the bustling teaching area of the Martial Soul Department, the Soul Guidance Department's zone was much quieter. Independent laboratories were visible everywhere, and the air was filled with the faint scent of metal and ore. Occasionally, one could hear the sounds of forging and the humming of arrays from within the labs, all exuding an atmosphere of rigor and professionalism.

"Our Shrek Academy is divided into two major departments: the Martial Soul Department and the Soul Guidance Department. The outside world only knows that Shrek's Martial Soul Department is world-renowned, but they don't know that the strength of our Soul Guidance Department is also top-tier across the entire continent." Zhou Yi introduced as they walked, her words containing more than a hint of persuasion.

"It's just that the threshold for the Soul Guidance Department is too high, and the requirements for talent are too harsh—especially the requirements for spiritual power, which far exceed those of the Martial Soul Department. That is why its scale has never been able to match the Martial Soul Department."

Huo Yuhao listened while curiously observing his surroundings. He could see students in work uniforms in every laboratory they passed, focused intently on polishing soul tool components or carving soul guidance arrays, each person displaying absolute concentration.

That dedication, immersed in their own world, stirred a sense of inexplicable yearning in his heart.

Soon, Zhou Yi led him to the largest independent laboratory and pushed open the heavy alloy Space Gate.

The laboratory was vast, filled with various precision soul guidance instruments. Blueprints for all kinds of Soul Tools hung on the walls, the forging table in the corner still radiated residual heat, and the air was thick with the scent of metal.

In the center of the laboratory, a tall, middle-aged man was hunched over, focusing intently on polishing a small core array.

He wore black overalls stained with metal shavings, his face stern and his jawline taut. His eyes were deep and sharp, radiating a sense of efficiency and decisiveness even as he kept his head bowed.

Fan Yu, a core teacher at the Shrek Academy Soul Guidance Department, an eighth-level soul master, the mentor who would guide Huo Yuhao on his path in soul guidance in the original timeline, and the husband of Zhou Yi.

"Stop busybodying for a moment, I've brought you a fine seedling," Zhou Yi called out.

Fan Yu's hands paused, setting aside his carving knife and core magic circle before he turned around.

His gaze fell first on Zhou Yi, then shifted to Huo Yuhao beside her, his sharp eyes scanning the ten-year-old boy with scrutiny and inquiry.

"Is this him?" Fan Yu asked, his voice low and thick, carrying a metallic resonance like clashing iron.

"The freshman with the spirit attribute you mentioned, Huo Yuhao?"

"That's right, it's him." Zhou Yi nodded with a smile, nudging Huo Yuhao's shoulder.

"Yuhao, this is Teacher Fan Yu, the best soul master in the Soul Guidance Department. If you want to study soul guidance technology in the future, no one in the entire Shrek Academy is better suited to teach you."

Huo Yuhao immediately bowed respectfully to Fan Yu and said, "Hello, Teacher Fan Yu. I am Huo Yuhao from Freshman Class One."

Fan Yu watched him without speaking, his sharp eyes seemingly capable of peering into the soul, locked firmly onto Huo Yuhao.

With his strength as an eight-ringed Soul Douluo, he could sense an incredibly pure and vast mental power within the boy. Even though the youth was deliberately restraining it, the unique fluctuations of that spirit attribute were still palpable.

Yet, having taught soul guidance his entire life, he had seen too many children hailed as geniuses eventually fade into mediocrity.

Talent was merely a stepping stone; whether one could truly walk the path of soul guidance depended on the strength of their control over mental power.

"Zhou Yi told me you have a spirit attribute, your first soul ring is ten years, your second is a thousand years, and you are a level 23 Soul Grand Master," Fan Yu said slowly.

"I want to see your soul skills and your control over mental power with my own eyes."

"Teacher Fan Yu, I will cooperate with whatever you ask of me." Huo Yuhao did not show a hint of stage fright; he stood tall, his eyes firm.

"Good." A flash of approval crossed Fan Yu's eyes as he turned, walked to the laboratory wall, and pressed a switch.

With a soft hum, the laboratory floor slowly split open, and a circular testing platform ten meters in diameter rose up.

Twelve targets stood around the platform, each engraved with precise soul guidance arrays capable of accurately measuring the impact, precision, and coverage of soul skills.

"Do you see those targets?" Fan Yu pointed to the targets around the platform and said to Huo Yuhao.

"I want to see just how far your control over mental power has reached."

"Yes!" Huo Yuhao responded, immediately walking to the center of the testing platform.

He took a deep breath, composed himself, and instantly channeled the soul power within his body.

Hum—

A pale blue halo lit up from between his brows. His Spirit Eye martial soul activated instantly, a faint purple-gold light flashing in the depths of his eyes.

The next second, a platinum-colored million-year soul ring and a purple thousand-year soul ring rose slowly from beneath his feet. The two rings swirled with brilliant radiance, appearing exceptionally dazzling in the laboratory.

Seeing the white ten-year soul ring, Fan Yu couldn't help but shake his head. It was a pity the first ring was only ten years, though the second being a thousand years made up for it somewhat.

As the soul rings lit up, a vast and pure mental power spread out from Huo Yuhao like a tide, instantly covering the entire laboratory.

The positions of the twelve targets were clearly reflected in Huo Yuhao's mind. Even with his eyes closed, he could precisely perceive the center of every target, seeing the patterns of the arrays on them with perfect clarity.

"Spirit Detection Sharing!"

Huo Yuhao gave a low shout, releasing his first soul skill instantly.

His mental power acted like an invisible net, shrouding the entire laboratory; even the metal shavings floating in the air could not escape his detection.

Standing to the side, Zhou Yi and Fan Yu instantly felt their vision being shared. Every corner of the laboratory appeared clearly in their minds, even clearer than what they could see with their own eyes.

"A divine skill! A divine skill for the Soul Guidance Department!" Fan Yu couldn't help but exclaim, an unprecedented brilliance erupting in his eyes.