Su Ming looked at Huo Yuhao, whose eyes were clear and full of curiosity. His voice was gentle but carried an undeniable certainty as he slowly began:
"Yuhao, I'm showing you all this because researching it alone is just too slow. So I'd like to invite you to join my research team, even though, at the moment, I'm the only one on it."
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the cold yet infinitely promising Armor Beast parts on the workbench. His eyes shone with hope and determination for the future as he continued:
"But I believe that with you on board, we can push this research forward together. One day, we'll help the common people live better and better lives."
"They won't have to suffer the oppression of the powerful anymore, or be left at the mercy of others just because they lack strength."
Huo Yuhao stared blankly at Su Ming, his heart giving a sudden jolt.
As long as he could remember, aside from his late mother, few people had ever trusted him so wholeheartedly. And no one had ever shared such a grand yet heartwarming wish with him.
In Su Ming's eyes, he clearly saw a blazing, confident light. It was pure and unwavering, as if Su Ming had already decided that he was up to the task.
As if he were certain Huo Yuhao could forge a light of his own on this path. It was as though Big Brother Su had seen his potential long ago and was convinced he would become an excellent Soul Engineer.
That wholehearted trust flowed into Huo Yuhao's heart like a warm current. He had tasted life's every hardship from a young age and was used to struggling on his own, but he had never before felt so firmly believed in.
His heart warmed. With hardly a moment's hesitation, he grew especially serious, nodded firmly, and spoke in a voice still tinged with a boy's youthfulness, yet utterly resolute:
"Okay, Big Brother Su. I'll work hard, and I won't let you down!"
Seeing Huo Yuhao readily agree, Su Ming was secretly delighted, but said nothing more.
After all, it was only their first day of knowing each other. Some things shouldn't be rushed; pushing too hard would only breed resentment. Taking things one step at a time was best.
After that, Su Ming set aside the subject of future plans and patiently introduced Huo Yuhao to the basics of Soul Tools.
From their core principles to the functions of basic components, then to how Soul Power worked in harmony with Soul Tools, Su Ming explained everything in clear, accessible terms. Knowledge that had once seemed obscure and difficult became easy to understand under his guidance.
Huo Yuhao listened with rapt attention, his eyes growing brighter by the moment. At first, he had merely been curious about the metal parts, but as he learned more, he was completely captivated by the world of Soul Tools.
Every combination of components and every flow of Soul Power seemed to open a new door, revealing a path unlike Soul Master cultivation, one filled with endless allure.
Only then did he fully understand what Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had told him in his sea of consciousness: that his innate spiritual power far surpassed that of ordinary people.
He had an exceptional gift for fine control over Soul Power and was the perfect person to walk the path of Soul Tools.
At that moment, Huo Yuhao's passion for Soul Tools burned like a wildfire. His heart brimmed with an urgent thirst for knowledge, and he could hardly wait to get hands-on, learn more, and delve into the advanced knowledge of Soul Tools.
Before they knew it, the sky had gradually darkened, and the setting sun's afterglow streamed through the laboratory windows.
It gilded the cold metal parts in warm gold. Seeing this, Su Ming stopped explaining and sent Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong back.
After leaving Su Ming's laboratory, Huo Yuhao walked alone toward his dormitory, replaying his discussion of Soul Tools with Su Ming over and over in his mind.
The fascinating new knowledge circled through his thoughts, impossible to shake. His heart brimmed with excitement and anticipation, and his steps grew lighter without him noticing.
Back in the dormitory, Huo Yuhao lay on his bed, but his mind was filled with Soul Tool knowledge, and he tossed and turned without the slightest hint of sleep.
He clenched his fists, his eyes full of determination, and silently resolved that after classes at the academy the next day, he would go to Big Brother Su right away.
He would keep learning about Soul Tools, catch up with Big Brother Su's research as soon as possible, and use his own strength to fulfill that wish of giving the common people better lives.
The next morning, Su Ming got up early and practiced Taiji Fist downstairs from the dormitory. The belt of the Snow Mastiff Armor bore a Taiji symbol, so the Snow Mastiff Armor was especially suited to Taiji Fist.
Though his personal fighting style was fierce and direct, breaking through with sheer force, moving like that all the time could easily make him restless and irritable.
The Snow Mastiff Armor certainly didn't grow stronger just because its summoner was fiercer, more violent, or more impulsive!
Unrestrained ferocity, frenzy, and mindless charges would only make the summoner lose control of his reason. They would clash with the Armor Beast's will and prevent resonance, causing the armor's power to run wild.
With openings everywhere, the summoner couldn't bring out his true strength and would be all too easily defeated. Only a summoner with steady emotions, an unwavering heart, a sense of justice, and an abiding commitment to protecting others could resonate perfectly with the Snow Domain Golden Mastiff Armor Beast.
Only then could he awaken the armor's full source power and reach the peak of its explosive force, defense, and combat prowess, unleashing its greatest strength.
Xi Zhao, the rightful summoner, was patient and composed, kind at heart, and steadfast in his sense of justice. He was in perfect harmony with the Armor Beast and commanded the armor's full power.
By contrast, Zexi, the substitute summoner, was rash and impatient, impulsive and competitive. He went against the beliefs of both the Armor Beast and its master, and was completely unable to wield the armor, making him weak.
Su Ming knew full well that he carried a grand plan to overturn the world's order, and the road ahead was riddled with thorns. One careless step could plunge him into ruin.
He couldn't let himself grow restless like Zexi and let his emotions control his mind. Only by staying calm and composed, gathering his thoughts to plan and strategize, could he advance steadily through the shifting, perilous situation.
Taiji Fist suited his needs perfectly. It wasn't a fighting art that sought to meet force with force.
It emphasized overcoming hardness with softness, cultivating the body through slow practice, and letting intention and breath move together. Each measured, rounded movement flowed without end, requiring not a trace of brute force. Its essence lay in relaxing and settling the sinews and bones, quieting the mind, and focusing the spirit.
It could both temper his character and nourish his body and mind, keeping him clear-headed and at peace.
For that very reason, Su Ming had made a habit of practicing every morning. No matter the weather, he would find a quiet place.
There, he would focus on completing a full set of Taiji Fist, calming his thoughts and restoring his body and mind, preparing himself for a day of research and planning.
On the secluded lawn behind the academy, Su Ming could always be seen practicing in the morning. Mu En, who sunbathed on a recliner nearby, had long since grown used to seeing the young man rise early to practice there every day.
As the bedrock of Shrek Academy, Mu En had lived for nearly a century and traveled throughout Douluo Continent. He had witnessed countless forms of boxing and martial arts.
He knew all manner of martial arts by heart, from the fierce and domineering to the nimble and changeable, and the soft and sinister. Yet he had never seen a style like the one Su Ming practiced.