Heart of Ice and Snow

"Ding, ding, ding..."

A series of crisp, rhythmic clanging sounds echoed throughout the spacious testing area.

The gazes of Xian Lin'er and the others were involuntarily drawn to Huo Yuhao.

He gripped a heavy forging hammer, each swing landing with absolute precision upon the silvery-white rare metal resting on the workbench.

As the hammer rose and fell, the rare metal began to change its form at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The internal structure of rare metal is never perfectly stable; this is true for every variety.

Therefore, when crafting Soul Tool components, a Soul Master must carefully observe the subtle changes within the metal during the forging process to achieve the desired optimal effect.

Yet, Huo Yuhao's technique defied common sense; every strike was decisive and steady, with almost no hesitation or pauses for observation.

What was even more astonishing was that he had not begun by crafting the core array of the Soul Tool, but had instead started with the relatively simple outer shell.

This approach was something even the experienced Xian Lin'er would never dare to attempt lightly.

For a Soul Master, the standard procedure for crafting a Soul Tool is always to meticulously carve the core array first, then construct the shell based on the array's dimensions and requirements.

This is because, even for high-level Soul Tools, the difficulty of crafting the shell is far lower than that of the core array.

The precision and complexity of the core array are the keys that determine the quality and grade of a Soul Tool.

Before long, amidst a series of increasingly crisp and rapid metallic clinking and scraping sounds, the metal was finally shaped into a delicate, snowflake-like form.

After finishing the shell, Huo Yuhao simply stretched his body. The pale golden light radiating from his eyes grew more intense as he swapped his hammer for a delicate carving knife in his right hand.

With a flick of his wrist, the knife seemed to come alive under his control, dancing like a dragon or snake across the snowflake-shaped metal with incredible speed and precision.

Fine metallic shavings peeled away continuously from the tip of the blade as a complex and profound core array was inscribed at an astonishing rate.

The entire process flowed like water, without a single pause.

About half a quarter of an hour later, Huo Yuhao ceased his movements.

He picked up the snowflake-shaped Soul Tool and slowly channeled his own soul power into it.

Hum—

A ring of crystal-clear blue light instantly radiated from the Soul Tool, gently enveloping Huo Yuhao's body.

From the initial forging to the final completion, the entire crafting process had taken less than a quarter of an hour.

Xian Lin'er subconsciously took the Soul Tool from Huo Yuhao's hand to examine it closely.

She had to admit that although this was only a Level 3 soul guidance shield, Huo Yuhao's crafting process had been like carving a piece of exquisite art.

The fluidity and precision were such that even if she were to do it herself, she might not reach this level.

She even noticed that while the basic structure of the lines forming the core array was familiar to her, many of the details seemed to have undergone some ingenious improvements, appearing to be more efficient.

Thinking back to when she was his age, let alone a Level 3 Soul Tool, she probably couldn't even carve the simplest Level 1 core array without it being crooked.

Reflecting on Huo Yuhao's earlier mention of "self-study," the Dean of the Soul Guidance Department, Xian Lin'er, felt her face grow hot.

"Teacher, is something wrong?"

Huo Yuhao looked at Xian Lin'er, who wore a complex expression and seemed somewhat shaken, and smiled slightly.

In his previous life, he had obtained his Level 2 Soul Master badge at the age of twelve. Showing the level of a Level 3 Soul Master now shouldn't be too shocking, right?

Xian Lin'er was snapped out of her thoughts by Huo Yuhao's address.

She coughed twice to hide her inner turmoil and spoke in a solemn tone:

"Yuhao, the Soul Tool you crafted is excellent. I will apply for a Level 3 Soul Master badge for you later.

As for the rare metal quota you requested earlier, I will also have it approved for you as soon as possible."

As she spoke, she handed the Soul Tool back to Huo Yuhao.

Huo Yuhao took the Soul Tool and turned to walk toward Xiao Xiao.

The petite girl, still immersed in the dazzling crafting process she had just witnessed, was startled by the figure suddenly approaching her. She shrank back slightly, her clear green eyes filled with obvious confusion.

"V-Vice Class Monitor, is something the matter?" Xiao Xiao's voice carried a clear note of nervousness.

"Xiao Xiao, I've named this Soul Tool the Heart of Ice and Snow."

With a gentle smile, Huo Yuhao insisted on placing the Soul Tool into Xiao Xiao's hands.

"It contains three core arrays: automatic trigger, shield, and storage. I've optimized this Soul Tool, so with your current cultivation, you should be able to use it."

Feeling the characteristic cold touch of the Soul Tool against her palm, Xiao Xiao looked down at the delicate snowflake, then up at the smiling Huo Yuhao, her little head feeling a bit dizzy.

Is this... a token of affection?

A charming blush quickly spread across her cheeks. She unconsciously rubbed her fingers against the cold, smooth surface of the Soul Tool and whispered:

"Yuhao, I will treasure it."

Huo Yuhao seemed completely oblivious to Xiao Xiao's shy and lovely appearance. Instead, he leaned in slightly, whispering into her ear at a volume only the two of them could hear:

"Xiao Xiao, you have Twin Martial Souls, and your daily cultivation time is likely already stretched thin, so don't waste any more time here at the Soul Guidance Department. Learning how to use a Soul Tool is already enough for you."

"Consider this Soul Tool a small gift from me for accompanying me here this time."

Xiao Xiao's face drained from red to white instantly; so, it wasn't a token of affection after all.

A massive sense of loss welled up in her heart, but she was even more curious about how the vice-monitor knew she possessed Twin Martial Souls.

Besides, he had been so close to her just a moment ago, and those words whispered in her ear, even the sensation of his warm breath brushing against her skin.

Subconsciously, Xiao Xiao gently rubbed her legs.

Ning Tian watched the "intimate" pair before her and frowned.

Could it be that what Huo Yuhao actually likes is this petite and cute type? Should she consider changing her own style to see if it works?

Standing beside Ning Tian, Wu Feng let out a disdainful cold snort in her heart.

As expected, this Huo Yuhao is just a scumbag who toys with girls' feelings.

First, he provoked the Young Mistress, and now he's out hooking up with this Xiao Xiao.

Hmph, surely the Young Mistress can see his true colors now!

Xian Lin'er watched this slightly ambiguous scene unfolding before her, and doubts began to stir in her mind.

This exceptionally gifted disciple she had just taken on shouldn't be the type of frivolous man who likes to flirt around everywhere, right?