The Meaning of Effort!

Upon hearing Elder Ma's words, Ye Luochen fell into a momentary silence.

Seeing this, Elder Ma spoke up again:

"What, do you think I am merely speaking empty words, and you find it hard to believe?"

"Child, it may sound somewhat pathetic, but for us people of the Sun Moon Empire, the quality of our martial souls is generally inferior."

"In the eyes of the original Douluo Three Kingdoms, there is almost no difference between us and an inferior race; even now, many still harbor discrimination against us."

"No one understands the pain of innate deficiency better than we do."

Listening to Elder Ma, a look of deep emotion appeared on Ye Luochen's face.

Although he understood that the other party's words were intended to win him over, he knew clearly that these words were not false.

It was common knowledge across the entire continent that the people of the Sun Moon Empire possessed inferior martial souls.

It was precisely because of this that the Sun Moon Empire rarely produced powerhouses at the Title Douluo level, falling far behind the other three kingdoms of the continent in terms of numbers.

Innate deficiency...

The pain of innate deficiency!

"But!"

Elder Ma let out a sharp shout, snapping Ye Luochen out of his thoughts.

"So what if our martial soul quality is poor? Does that mean we are destined to be inferior to the original Douluo Three Kingdoms?"

"Does it mean we cannot catch up?"

"Of course not!"

"We, the people of the Sun Moon Empire, understand the importance of hard work better than anyone else in any other empire."

"We have poured in countless efforts and the lifeblood of countless people to create soul guidance technology."

"Soul guidance technology powerful enough to allow us to bridge the gap in martial souls!"

As he spoke, a look of intense pride appeared on Elder Ma's face.

It was not just him; the other teachers in the hall were the same, their faces filled with passion and fervor as they listened to Elder Ma.

"Child, you are from the Star Luo Empire, so the following example might not be entirely appropriate for you."

Elder Ma continued.

"But you must know that it is precisely us, the people of the Sun Moon Empire with our insufficient martial souls, who relied on countless efforts to create this soul guidance technology."

"We have beaten those people from the original Douluo Three Kingdoms, with their powerful martial souls, into a steady retreat!"

"If not for the three kingdoms joining forces, coupled with those old immortal things from Shrek stepping in together..."

"Then this continent would have long ago ceased to be called the Douluo Continent and would have been renamed the Sun Moon Continent!"

"In this world, no one understands the importance of acquired effort better than we people of the Sun Moon Empire!"

"Innate martial souls cannot determine everything!"

Hearing Elder Ma's passionate and stirring words, Ye Luochen's own emotions were stirred as well.

It was as if a flame that had been suppressed for a long time in his chest began to rise and burn fiercely!

Yes, if everything were determined by birth.

Then were those like them, with weak innate martial souls, destined to be trampled underfoot for their entire lives?

No!

The many instructors of Mingde Hall before him were all telling him so.

No!

Beside him, Elder Ma continued:

"Child, perhaps coming to our Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy from Shrek, you might feel a sense of disparity."

"But we can guarantee that here, every bit of your effort will receive a fair and just reward."

However, before he could continue, a strange voice suddenly rang out.

"Heh, Shrek? What is there to feel a disparity about?"

Everyone turned to look at the source of the sound.

They saw a slightly plump old man who had appeared, heaven knows how, inside the hall that was guarded by layers of security.

"The world says Shrek is the number one academy on the continent, producing countless outstanding students every year."

"But why don't they mention that Shrek only recruits geniuses?"

"By their admission standards, as long as you can cultivate steadily and don't die halfway, where could you not achieve success?"

As he spoke, the plump old man cast his gaze toward Ye Luochen.

"It's not as if I haven't been to Shrek, and you have come from Shrek as well; we both know the teaching content of Shrek very well."

"How much of those students' achievements is truly related to Shrek?"

"At fifteen years old with thirty-eight levels of soul power, do you really think that is something Shrek gave you?"

Although he did not know who the slightly plump old man before him was, the other party's words seemed to possess a natural aura.

After a moment of contemplation, Ye Luochen could not help but shake his head decisively.

"Kid, that's right."

Watching Ye Luochen's reaction, the slightly plump old man nodded in satisfaction.

"What era is this? Their teaching content is still just running, yet they actually have the nerve to attribute a student's achievements to their own instruction. They really know how to gild their own faces."

"Shrek, oh Shrek, tsk tsk tsk..."

"Alright, this kid is quite good. Mingde Hall will take him."

"Lin Yuan, you take him to complete the enrollment procedures and arrange his accommodation first."

Hearing this, Lin Yuan responded respectfully:

"Yes, Hall Master."

Listening to Lin Yuan's words, Ye Luochen was stunned for a moment.

Hall Master?

In this place, to be able to use this title...

Could this slightly plump old man before him be the Hall Master of Mingde Hall?

Seeing Ye Luochen's dazed expression, Lin Yuan quickly patted him to remind him:

"Kid, why aren't you thanking the Hall Master yet? For the Hall Master of Mingde Hall to personally speak up and want you, if word gets out, the entire academy, and even the entire empire, will be shaken."

Upon hearing this, Ye Luochen finally snapped back to reality and quickly said:

"Thank you, Hall Master! Luochen will definitely work hard in the future and not let down the Hall Master's cultivation."

The Hall Master of Mingde Hall—this was a big shot who only existed in rumors.

His status in the Sun Moon Empire was likely on par with the Elders of the Sea God Pavilion in the original three kingdoms.

To think that such a big shot had actually come to the scene.

Most importantly, he had recognized him!

One had to know that back at Shrek, Yan Shaozhe and the other Elders had not cared about him, Ye Luochen, in the slightest.

Their attitude toward him was that Shrek was never short of a Ye Luochen; if one left, there would naturally be another.

"Then... Hall Master, how should Ye Luochen's instruction be arranged?"

Lin Yuan asked again.

According to standard practice, a new student would definitely have to start in the first grade.

But given Ye Luochen's current situation, it was undoubtedly impossible to handle him by standard practice.

This kid had been able to carve a first-grade soul guidance core array on his first attempt, and his spiritual power intensity was already close to the standard of a fourth-grade soul engineer.

Furthermore, with the Hall Master of Mingde Hall personally speaking up to grant him special approval to enter Mingde Hall, it would certainly be unreasonable to make Ye Luochen start from the first grade.

"Instruction..."

Jing Hongchen pondered for a moment, then replied:

"Do this: arrange for him to be in the same class as Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen. He will attend classes with the group in the morning and come to Mingde Hall in the afternoon."

"Yes."

Lin Yuan replied respectfully.

He then led Ye Luochen away from the area.

After the two had left, Elder Ma could not help but ask in the hall:

"Hall Master, isn't it a bit too hasty to place Ye Luochen directly into Xiao Hongchen's class?"

"Although his talent is remarkable, he is still a blank slate when it comes to soul guidance devices. Will he be able to keep up?"