Joining the Research Team

Su Ming looked at Huo Yuhao, whose eyes were clear and filled with curiosity. His tone was gentle yet carried an unquestionable certainty as he spoke slowly:

"Little Yuhao, I'm showing you these things because my own research is simply too slow. That's why I want to invite you to join my research team, even if, for now, the team is just me."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the cold yet infinitely promising parts of the armor beasts on the workbench. A longing for the future and a sense of determination flickered in his eyes as he continued:

"But I believe that with your addition, if we push these research projects forward together, we will surely be able to help the common people in the future."

"They will be able to live better and better lives, no longer oppressed by the powerful, and no longer slaughtered simply because they lack power."

Huo Yuhao stared at Su Ming, his heart trembling violently.

In all his years, aside from his late mother, rarely had anyone trusted him so unconditionally, and certainly no one had ever shared such a grand and warm aspiration with him.

In Su Ming's eyes, he clearly saw a beam of fiery, confident light—a light so pure and firm that it seemed as if he had already determined that Huo Yuhao was capable of this research.

He was certain that Huo Yuhao could carve out his own path of brilliance, as if Su Ming had long since seen through his potential and concluded that he would become an outstanding Soul Engineer.

This total trust flowed into Huo Yuhao's heart like a warm current. Having tasted the coldness of the world since childhood and grown accustomed to struggling alone, he had never felt such firm recognition from another person.

His heart warmed, and without the slightest hesitation, his expression became exceptionally serious. He nodded forcefully, his voice carrying the raw, youthful quality of a boy, yet sounding incredibly firm:

"Alright, Brother Su! I will definitely work hard and will never let down your trust!"

Seeing Huo Yuhao agree so readily, Su Ming felt a secret joy, but he did not say anything more.

After all, they had only met that day; some things were better not rushed. Overly eager indoctrination would only cause resentment, and a gradual, step-by-step approach was the best way.

Following this, Su Ming set aside the topic of future plans and patiently began introducing Huo Yuhao to the basic knowledge of Soul Tools.

From the core principles of Soul Tools to the function of basic parts, and then to the way soul power and Soul Tools synchronized, Su Ming explained things in simple terms. Knowledge that was originally obscure and difficult to understand became easy to grasp under his guidance.

Huo Yuhao listened with extreme focus, his eyes growing brighter the more he heard. Originally, he had only been curious about these metal parts, but as he delved deeper, he became completely captivated by the world of Soul Tools.

The combination of every part and the circulation of every strand of soul power felt like opening a brand-new door, showing him a path different from that of a Soul Master—a path filled with endless charm.

Only now did he fully understand what Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had said in his spiritual sea—that his innate spiritual power far exceeded that of ordinary people.

He possessed a unique talent for the subtle manipulation of soul power, making him the person most suited to walk the path of a Soul Engineer.

At this moment, Huo Yuhao's passion for Soul Tools burned like a prairie fire. His heart was filled with an irrepressible thirst for knowledge, and he wished he could start hands-on practice immediately to learn deeper, more advanced Soul Tool knowledge.

Without realizing it, the sky gradually darkened, and the afterglow of the setting sun spilled in through the laboratory windows.

It plated the cold metal parts in a layer of warm gold. Seeing this, Su Ming stopped his explanation and let Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong return first.

Leaving Su Ming's laboratory, Huo Yuhao walked back to the dormitory alone, his mind replaying the scene of discussing Soul Tools with Su Ming over and over again.

Those novel pieces of knowledge swirled in his mind, refusing to fade. The boy's heart was filled with excitement and longing, and his steps became unconsciously lighter.

Back in the dormitory, Huo Yuhao lay on his bed, but his mind and eyes were filled with nothing but Soul Tool knowledge; he tossed and turned, unable to sleep.

He clenched his fists tightly, his eyes filled with determination, and secretly made up his mind: after finishing his academy classes tomorrow, he would go find Brother Su at the first opportunity.

He would continue to learn knowledge related to Soul Tools, catch up to Brother Su's research pace as quickly as possible, and use his own strength to fulfill that wish of helping the common people live better lives.

The next morning, Su Ming rose early to practice Taiji Fist downstairs at the dormitory building. The belt of the Snow Mastiff Armor featured a Taiji pattern, making the armor exceptionally well-suited for Taiji Fist.

Although his personal fighting style was fierce and relied on breaking through with raw power, doing so often led to a restless and agitated state of mind.

The Snow Mastiff Armor was definitely not a case where the more ferocious, irritable, or impulsive the summoner was, the stronger the combat power!

Blind ferocity, mania, and mindless charging would only cause the summoner to lose their reason, contradicting the will of the armor beast and preventing resonance, which would lead to the armor's power spiraling out of control.

Full of openings and unable to unleash true strength, such a user would easily be defeated by enemies. Only when the summoner's emotions were stable, their character firm, their heart filled with justice, and their original intention of protection held fast, could they achieve perfect resonance with the Snow Domain Golden Mastiff Armor Beast.

Only then could the armor's full primordial power be awakened, with explosive force, defensive capabilities, and combat power reaching their peak to unleash the strongest strength.

The orthodox summoner, Xi Zhao, was patient, steady, kind-hearted, and upheld justice, allowing him to communicate with the armor beast and control the armor's full power;

Whereas the substitute summoner, Zexi, was irritable, reckless, impulsive, and competitive, violating the philosophy of the armor beast and its master, leaving him completely unable to control the armor and resulting in weak strength.

Su Ming knew well that he carried a grand plan to overturn the world's structure. The road ahead was filled with thorns, and a single misstep could lead to total destruction.

He could never be as restless as Zexi, letting emotions control his mind. Only by remaining steady and calm at all times, and by planning and laying out his strategy with a settled heart, could he move step-by-step through the treacherous and unpredictable situation.

Taiji Fist happened to fit his needs perfectly. This style of boxing was never a pursuit of head-on, hard-hitting combat.

It emphasized overcoming hardness with softness, cultivating the body through slow practice, and coordinating intent with breath. Every move was slow, rounded, and lively, flowing continuously without using a shred of brute force. Its core lay in relaxing the bones and muscles while calming the mind and focusing the spirit.

It could both temper one's character and nourish the body and mind, allowing him to always maintain a clear and peaceful state.

It was precisely because of this that Su Ming had developed the habit of practicing boxing every morning. Regardless of the weather, he would find a quiet place.

He would focus on performing a complete set of Taiji Fist, using it to settle his thoughts and nourish his spirit, preparing himself for a day of research and planning.

On the quiet lawn behind the academy, Su Ming's morning exercise figure could always be seen, and Mu En, who lay on a lounge chair nearby soaking up the sun, had long since grown accustomed to watching this little fellow practice boxing there every morning.

As the pillar of Shrek Academy, Mu En had lived for nearly a hundred years, traveled across the Douluo Continent, and witnessed countless boxing styles and martial arts in the world.

He was well-versed in all kinds of martial arts—those that were fierce and domineering, those that were agile and varied, and those that were sinister and strange—yet he had never seen the kind of boxing Su Ming practiced.