Luo Ye?

His thoughts raced, and Lin Yan could not help but feel a headache coming on.

It would be fine if this was just the butterfly effect he had caused. What he feared was another transmigrator or reincarnator suddenly popping up. Now that would really be something.

With that in mind, Lin Yan no longer had the mood to watch Yan Shaozhe and Qian Duoduo argue.

Stepping between them, Lin Yan spoke up to interrupt them. "Two Deans, please stop!"

"First, thank you both for thinking so highly of me. But I know what I need for my future cultivation."

"As for which department I will ultimately join, it is still too early to discuss that. We can talk about it later."

With Lin Yan giving them an out, Yan Shaozhe and Qian Duoduo could hardly keep arguing in front of a "junior." Both reined in their tempers and fell silent.

However, Yan Shaozhe quietly began to feel a trace of regret.

When Lin Yan had asked to borrow Soul Guidance Arrays yesterday, all Yan Shaozhe had thought about was how to make it happen and fulfill his agreement with Lin Yan.

He had never imagined that Lin Yan's martial soul talent was already so extraordinary, yet he still wanted to study Soul Tools.

Wasn't that straying down the wrong path and wasting his talent?

In truth, Yan Shaozhe had misunderstood Lin Yan. What interested Lin Yan was only the system of Soul Guidance Arrays, which contained the laws governing energy circulation on Douluo Continent.

As for the production and improvement of the mainstream combat and utility Soul Tools of the present era, he had little interest in them.

The ceiling of the current Soul Guidance system was simply too low. Even with the Prajna Heart Lamp, if he wanted to raise it to the standards of Douluo Three or Douluo Four by himself, who knew how many years it would take?

With that effort, he would have become a god long ago!

That was why Lin Yan had only asked Yan Shaozhe for Soul Guidance Arrays, not blueprints for every Soul Tool.

As for Soul Guidance technology, at most, Lin Yan would see whether he could develop things like Battle Armor and Artificial Soul Spirits in the future. As for other civilian and military Soul Tools, he would leave them for the people of Douluo Continent to solve themselves.

Once the two had fully calmed down, Lin Yan immediately looked at Qian Duoduo and asked the question that concerned him most. "Dean Qian, I heard you mention that the Sun Moon Empire has developed Mecha. What is that? Could you tell me about it?"

Seeing the deliberate curiosity on Lin Yan's face, Qian Duoduo scratched his head awkwardly. "Actually, I do not know much about Mecha either. It is still classified as a top-secret project over there."

"However, based on the intelligence we currently have, it should be a large Soul Tool that can be piloted by Soul Masters and amplify their strength."

Lin Yan then casually pressed on, "Do you know who proposed this 'Mecha' project?"

Qian Duoduo frowned slightly and pondered for a moment before answering uncertainly, "It seems to have been proposed by someone named Luo Ye."

Luo Ye?!

Hearing that unfamiliar name, the doubt in Lin Yan's heart did not fade. Instead, it grew even heavier.

It seemed that he would have to find an opportunity to investigate what exactly was happening in the Sun Moon Empire. Hopefully, the situation was not too bad...

Temporarily suppressing his doubts, Lin Yan turned to Yan Shaozhe and asked, "Dean Yan, how are things on your end?"

At that, Yan Shaozhe cast a sidelong glance at Qian Duoduo beside him. "Little Lin, my teacher said he wants to meet you. If you can gain his approval, then there definitely will not be any problem with your reading privileges at the Inner Court Library."

"At that point, the only obstacle left will be the Soul Guidance Department~"

Hearing Yan Shaozhe's smugly barbed words, Qian Duoduo immediately shot back, "Yan Shaozhe, who are you taking shots at? If Elder Mu agrees, do you think I would deliberately make things difficult?"

After Qian Duoduo finished speaking, Yan Shaozhe looked at Lin Yan and said slowly, "Mm, Vice Dean Qian has agreed now as well."

"So next, it depends on whether you can earn my teacher's approval. If you cannot, then it truly will be impossible for the time being."

Qian Duoduo's face immediately darkened. That old bastard Yan Shaozhe!

Later, led by Yan Shaozhe, Lin Yan arrived at the Sea God Pavilion.

Once they reached the entrance, Yan Shaozhe first bowed toward the Sea God Pavilion, then said solemnly, "Teacher, Lin Yan has arrived."

As soon as his words fell, an elderly voice slowly rang out from within the Sea God Pavilion.

"Let him come in."

At Yan Shaozhe's signal, Lin Yan nodded slightly. A fitting mixture of nervousness and anticipation appeared on his face as he raised a hand, pushed open the door, and stepped into the hall.

The first floor of the Sea God Pavilion was ancient and solemn. In the center of the spacious hall stood only a long table.

At the far end of the table, within the shadows, a hazy and gentle figure reclined quietly in a lounge chair.

Lin Yan knew that the person sitting there was Shrek Academy's pillar of strength, the rank ninety-nine Limit Douluo—Mu En!

"Junior Lin Yan greets Senior."

Mu En lightly beckoned to Lin Yan, his aged yet gentle voice slowly echoing through the hall.

"Do not be nervous, child. Come here."

"Yes, Senior."

Lin Yan stepped forward. When he clearly saw Mu En's familiar face, filled with a kind smile, he appropriately revealed a trace of surprise.

Mu En caught that subtle shift in expression completely. He smiled gently and asked softly, "Child, do you recognize me?"

Lin Yan nodded lightly and replied in a clear voice, "Are you the old grandpa who is always sunning himself in front of the dormitory building?"

Mu En nodded slightly. Like an ordinary elder, his smile was warm and simple. "It is me. When one gets old, one likes to look more at lively young people like you. You are the future..."

Lin Yan stood quietly to one side and listened without interrupting.

After a moment, Mu En's gentle gaze settled on him as he asked warmly, "Child, can you tell this old man why you wish to enter the Library Pavilion?"

Faced with the question, Lin Yan answered frankly without hesitation, "To learn."

"Only to learn?"

Lin Yan nodded, then continued, "I have always believed that the knowledge left behind in books by those before us is the most precious wealth passed down to future generations."

Mu En smiled and nodded, sighing with emotion. "Yes, knowledge is the most priceless wealth. It may seem useless, yet it nurtures all things silently... Sadly, most people do not value it."

Lin Yan had thought Mu En would continue asking questions, but Mu En suddenly changed the subject. "Child, this old man watched your battle a few days ago."

"Though you did not use your 'Intent' during the battle, I could sense its existence. Would you let this old man experience your 'Intent'?"

Hearing that, Lin Yan secretly sighed. As expected of Mu En. His perception was terrifying.

Thanks to the boost in comprehension from the Prajna Heart Lamp, comprehending an Intent was naturally no difficult task for him.

But Zhou Yi had been far too useless before. Why use a butcher's knife to kill a chicken? She was not worthy of making him use his Intent at all.

Yet even so, Mu En had still caught a trace of it and seen through him.

At the same time, Lin Yan understood that since Mu En had deliberately brought this up, whether he could gain Mu En's approval today depended on this.

Lin Yan nodded slightly, and a streak of nine-colored light appeared in his eyes.

In an instant, a blazing Fire Intent erupted, carrying the overwhelming force to burn all things to ash as it filled the entire Sea God Pavilion hall!

Sensing Lin Yan's Intent, the smile on Mu En's face deepened.

The next moment, dazzling golden light burst forth from his aged body!