The Road Is Right Beneath Your Feet

He had seen countless spirit-type spirit masters, yet never had he encountered one whose spirit skill possessed such miraculous efficacy. Could this truly be the result of a ten-year spirit ring?

Furthermore, to achieve such wide-range, high-precision detection at the level of a Soul Grand Master was astounding. Even more terrifying was that his Spirit Detection Sharing could be transmitted into their minds without the slightest obstruction; such penetrative power and compatibility were simply unheard of!

Before they could recover from their shock, Huo Yuhao's second spirit skill was already unleashed.

"Spirit Shock!"

Twelve nearly invisible shockwaves, like precision arrows, instantly shot forth from between Huo Yuhao's brows, whistling toward the twelve targets.

Puff, puff, puff...

Twelve soft sounds rang out almost simultaneously.

The twelve shockwaves struck the dead center of the twelve targets without the slightest deviation.

The Soul Guidance Array on the targets lit up instantly, and a string of numbers flashed across the screen, displaying the intensity and precision of the Spirit Shock—precision: one hundred percent!

The entire laboratory fell into absolute silence.

Fan Yu stood where he was, staring at the numbers on the screen, then at Huo Yuhao, who was standing in the center of the platform with his spirit aura now calm and retracted. He was completely stunned.

He had been teaching soul guidance for over twenty years; for a ten-year-old Soul Grand Master to control his spirit power to such a degree was the work of a genius among geniuses, and to possess such a divine skill on top of that was unheard of.

To execute twelve perfectly precise Spirit Shocks simultaneously—even spirit-type Soul Kings or Soul Emperors might not achieve such perfection, yet this ten-year-old boy had done it with fluid ease, appearing as if he hadn't expended any effort at all!

This was no mere freshman; this was a heaven-sent prodigy tailor-made for the Soul Guidance Department!

Fan Yu's heart hammered wildly. He looked at Huo Yuhao as if gazing upon an unpolished, peerless piece of jade, his eyes filled with fervor and a deep appreciation for talent.

His greatest wish in life was to cultivate a top-tier soul master capable of surpassing Mingde Hall, and the Huo Yuhao before him was the seedling he had dreamed of!

"Good! Good! Good!" Fan Yu repeated the word three times, strode up to Huo Yuhao, and looked at him, his voice brimming with irrepressible excitement.

"Huo Yuhao, are you willing to join the Soul Guidance Department, take me as your master, and learn soul guidance technology from me?"

His tone was filled with absolute sincerity: "As long as you are willing to come to the Soul Guidance Department, I will immediately petition the academy to grant you the status of a core disciple! You will receive the highest-spec treatment for all cultivation resources, soul guidance materials, and laboratory access! I will teach you personally, and I will impart everything I have learned in my life to you!"

These words were enough to drive any freshman on the continent mad.

To be a core disciple of the Shrek Academy Soul Guidance Department, a personal student of Fan Yu, with the highest level of resource allocation—this was an opportunity countless people would break their heads to obtain.

Yet Huo Yuhao was merely slightly taken aback, and then he felt conflicted.

Before he came, Gu Yuan had only told him to take a look, not to agree immediately. Moreover, he knew clearly that he didn't even understand what a Soul Tool was yet; to agree so muddledly to join the Soul Guidance Department and apprentice under Fan Yu would be far too rash.

More importantly, he did not want to be tied down by someone he was unfamiliar with.

But looking at the anticipation and fervor in Fan Yu's eyes, he couldn't bring himself to refuse directly, fearing he would hurt this teacher's heart.

Huo Yuhao's mind raced, and he soon had an idea.

He bowed deeply to Fan Yu, his tone respectful yet clearly evasive: "Teacher Fan Yu, I am very grateful for your recognition, and thank you for being willing to give me this opportunity. It's just that I have only just enrolled, and I know nothing about the Soul Guidance Department or Soul Tools; I don't even understand the basics of Soul Tools. To rashly agree to join the department and take you as my master now would be irresponsible to myself, and irresponsible to you and the Soul Guidance Department."

"Could you give me some time to first understand Soul Tools and the Soul Guidance Department before I make a decision? Besides, I am still young, and there are many things I need to discuss with my family before I can give you an answer."

These words were watertight; they expressed respect and gratitude toward Fan Yu while providing a reasonable excuse. By neither refusing directly nor agreeing immediately, he perfectly deflected the matter.

Hearing this, the fervor in Fan Yu's eyes faded slightly, but he was not angry.

Although this boy was young, he was steady and calm, neither arrogant nor rash, and would not lose his head over a little temptation; this temperament was even more rare.

"Very well, I will give you time to consider," Fan Yu nodded and said to Huo Yuhao.

"The doors of the Soul Guidance Department will always be open to you. Whenever you have made up your mind, you can come find me. My laboratory welcomes you to visit and study at any time."

"Thank you, Teacher Fan Yu," Huo Yuhao bowed again to express his thanks, secretly breathing a sigh of relief.

After staying in the laboratory for a while longer, Fan Yu gave Huo Yuhao a brief introduction to the basic principles of Soul Tools and took him to visit several core laboratories. Zhou Yi added a few words from the side from time to time, her tone clearly intended to persuade him to join the Soul Guidance Department.

Huo Yuhao maintained a respectful attitude throughout, but he never relented, merely smiling and agreeing without ever giving a definitive answer.

Seeing that it was getting late, Huo Yuhao used the excuse of needing to return to cultivate to bid farewell to Fan Yu and Zhou Yi. He left the Soul Guidance laboratory and headed toward the core dormitory area.

Walking back to the dormitory, Huo Yuhao's mind remained in a chaotic state.

Fan Yu's enthusiasm, the prospects of the Soul Guidance Department, and those sophisticated soul guidance instruments all stirred a sense of longing within him.

Yet he feared taking the wrong path, feared neglecting one thing for another and delaying his spirit cultivation, and feared failing to live up to Gu Yuan's expectations.

The more he thought, the more confused he became. He quickened his pace, wanting only to return to the dormitory quickly and ask for Gu Yuan's opinion.

When he returned to the dormitory courtyard, the sky had turned completely dark.

The lights in the courtyard were on, and Gu Yuan was sitting by the stone table, holding a book and reading quietly.

Two cups of hot tea were set on the stone table, the curling steam rising and dissolving into a faint white mist in the night air.

Hearing footsteps, Gu Yuan looked up. Seeing Huo Yuhao walk in with a conflicted expression, he smiled, put down his book, and pointed to the stone stool opposite him: "You're back? The tea was just brewed."

Huo Yuhao walked over quickly. After sitting down, he picked up the teacup and took a sip of the warm tea, the panic in his heart settling down quite a bit.

He set down the teacup, looked up at Gu Yuan, and told him everything that had happened in the Soul Guidance Department, point by point.

After finishing, he looked at Gu Yuan, his eyes filled with confusion and a plea for help: "My mind is a mess right now. The Soul Guidance Department is indeed very attractive to me, but I'm afraid that if I learn Soul Tools, it will delay my spirit cultivation. I'm afraid of putting the cart before the horse and ending up learning nothing well. Should I join the Soul Guidance Department or not?"

He looked at Gu Yuan expectantly, waiting for him to make the decision. In his heart, Gu Yuan could see through the essence of things at a glance and provide him with the most correct guidance.

Gu Yuan looked at his confused expression, but instead of giving him a direct answer, he asked a question in return: "Yuhao, let me ask you first: what is your original intention for cultivating? What are you striving with all your might to become stronger for?"

Huo Yuhao was stunned, blurting out almost instinctively, "To avenge my mother, to ensure those who bullied me never dare to look down on me again, and to protect the people I want to protect."

"Exactly," Gu Yuan nodded.

"Your original intention is to become stronger, to possess enough strength to accomplish what you want to do. Whether it is martial soul cultivation or Soul Tool technology, they are merely means for you to grow stronger."

"Soul Tools are the inevitable trend of the continent's future. The Sun Moon Empire's Soul Tool technology is developing at a terrifying speed, and high-level Fixed Soul Guidance Shells can threaten powerhouses at the Titled Douluo level. Learning Soul Tool technology is equivalent to gaining an extra trump card, another means to defeat your enemies. Your Ultimate Spirit attribute and Soul Tools are a match made in heaven; you have the talent, and it would be a pity not to learn."

Huo Yuhao listened intently, the confusion in his eyes dissipating significantly as he hurriedly asked, "Brother Yuan, does that mean I can join the Soul Tool Department to learn Soul Tool technology?"

"You can learn, but you must maintain a sense of proportion," Gu Yuan looked at him, his tone becoming more solemn.

"I want you to remember that Soul Tools are tools and aids; your foundation will always be your martial soul, your soul power, and your own strength."

"No matter how powerful a Soul Tool is, it still requires sufficient soul power and spiritual power to activate. Without enough strength to support it, even the best Soul Tool is just a tree without roots or water without a source."

The relationship between the two is like a fine sword; it must be held by a strong person to unleash its power. If held by an ordinary person, it would not only fail to harm others but would likely harm the wielder instead.

"You can join the Soul Tool Department and learn Soul Tool technology from Fan Yu. He is indeed a good teacher who can teach you many genuine skills. But you must remember, you cannot neglect your own cultivation because of Soul Tools. You must not put the cart before the horse or lose sight of the big picture."

"Your path should be decided by you, not confined to a small world by my expectations or the expectations of others."

Gu Yuan's words were like a lamp, instantly illuminating all the confusion and conflict in Huo Yuhao's heart.

He had been struggling with whether he should choose, whether to pick A or B, but Gu Yuan told him that he could choose both. As long as he could distinguish between the primary and secondary and control his own pace, there was nothing he couldn't do.

Huo Yuhao was suddenly enlightened, his eyes brightening instantly as all his previous hesitation and panic vanished into thin air.

He stood up and bowed deeply to Gu Yuan, his voice filled with gratitude, "Brother Yuan, I understand! I know what to do now!"

He could learn Soul Tool technology and join the Soul Tool Department, but he would not give up his cultivation in the Martial Soul Department, nor would he tie himself completely to the Soul Tool Department.

He would cultivate both paths; with his martial soul as the root and Soul Tools as his wings, he would walk both roads together to make himself stronger.

Gu Yuan looked at the rekindled light in his eyes and nodded with a smile, "It's good that you've figured it out. The path is yours to walk; as long as you maintain your sense of proportion, I will support you no matter what you choose."

The night grew deeper, and the moonlight spilled into the small courtyard, gently enveloping the two people by the stone table.

Huo Yuhao picked up his teacup and drank the remaining hot tea in one gulp, feeling his whole body warm and his heart incomparably at peace.