Appreciating Technology, and Even More So, Talent

Morning.

Huo Yuhao had just finished cultivating the Heavenly Origin Art when Ju Zi led him into an empty room.

A metal table stood in the center of the room, holding carving knives, metal plates, and several neatly cut pieces of rare metal.

He looked at the items on the table, curiosity appearing in his eyes.

"Ju Zi, are you going to teach me how to make soul tools?"

"Yes."

Ju Zi pulled out a chair for Huo Yuhao, then took out a palm-sized metal plate herself.

After confirming that Huo Yuhao could cultivate the Heavenly Origin Art normally, she had made this decision.

Huo Yuhao's mind was simply too useful.

Pill refining, deducing cultivation methods, analyzing medicinal properties.

Every one of those things required an exceptionally strong ability to comprehend. It would be such a waste not to use that talent to study soul tools.

Besides, what Ju Zi lacked least was soul tool knowledge.

Although she had not truly become a ninth-rank soul engineer in her previous life, she had encountered a great number of high-level soul tool blueprints and was extremely familiar with all kinds of core formations and theoretical formulas.

Teaching a beginner like Huo Yuhao was more than enough.

"The foundation of soul tools is the core formation."

Ju Zi picked up a carving knife and slowly drew a line across the metal plate.

"When carving a formation, your soul power must remain stable. An error in depth anywhere can cause the entire core to be ruined."

Huo Yuhao sat very straight, his gaze fixed on the carving knife.

As Ju Zi explained, she completed the most basic soul power storage formation.

The entire process took half an hour.

"Did you see it clearly?"

"I did."

"Then repeat everything I just explained."

Huo Yuhao thought for a moment, then began with the properties of the metal and fully recited the seventeen nodes of the core formation, the order of soul power input, and the angle of the carving knife.

He did not miss a single word.

Ju Zi fell silent.

She had only wanted to see how much Huo Yuhao had remembered.

Now, it seemed that question had been unnecessary.

"Ju Zi?"

"It's nothing."

Keeping her expression calm, Ju Zi set down the metal plate and took out a basic textbook.

"Read the first two pages first."

Huo Yuhao accepted the book and lowered his head to read.

Not long after, he looked up.

"I'm done."

"So quickly?"

"I read some of the later parts too."

Ju Zi took the textbook and casually asked him a few questions.

Not only did Huo Yuhao answer every one correctly, he also pointed out that one of the formulas contained a redundant soul power circuit. In his understanding, that circuit would not improve stability, but would instead cause soul power loss.

Ju Zi recalculated it.

He was right.

That circuit could indeed be removed.

However, for beginners, the extra circuit reduced the difficulty of carving, which was why it had always been retained in basic textbooks.

Ju Zi looked up at Huo Yuhao, her emotions suddenly becoming complicated.

Had she been teaching things that were too simple?

An hour later.

Huo Yuhao picked up the carving knife and began making his first soul tool core.

First soul skill, Clear Mind.

A cool aura spread outward, and every tiny pattern on the metal plate clearly appeared within his perception.

He made the first cut.

He infused soul power.

The carving knife glided steadily over the metal surface without the slightest tremor.

Ju Zi stood beside him, originally prepared to correct his mistakes at any moment. Yet until the final stroke fell, she never found a chance to speak.

A faint white light lit up.

Success.

"It doesn't feel that difficult."

Huo Yuhao picked up the metal plate and carefully inspected it.

Ju Zi said nothing.

When she had first carved this formation, she had ruined seven entire metal plates.

Back then, her teacher had praised her as a soul tool genius because she had only failed seven times.

Looking at it now, that title seemed rather watered down.

"Try another soul power release formation."

"Alright."

The second metal plate was completed quickly.

Next came a soul power conversion formation.

A stabilization formation.

A simple activation formation.

Huo Yuhao went from being cautious at the start to gradually becoming proficient. By the fifth metal plate, he could complete every step independently without needing Ju Zi's reminders.

Ye Guyi walked in from outside with a short sword in hand.

She glanced at the metal plates on the table, then looked at Ju Zi.

"How is he learning?"

Ju Zi remained expressionless.

"Not bad."

Huo Yuhao, however, smiled.

"I haven't failed even once."

Ye Guyi stopped in her tracks.

Though she was not a soul engineer, she knew that failure was normal when making a core formation for the first time.

"Really?"

"Of course."

Huo Yuhao picked up several metal plates, then suddenly seemed to think of something.

The functions of these formations were not complicated.

One stored soul power, one released soul power, one handled activation, and another maintained stability.

What if he connected them together?

He lowered his head, rearranged the metal plates, then picked up the carving knife and began carving a new metal plate.

Ju Zi did not pay much attention at first.

But after watching for a few moments, her expression gradually turned serious.

"Yuhao, what are you doing?"

"Connecting them."

"Who taught you that?"

"No one did."

Without looking up, Huo Yuhao said, "They can work together in the first place. As long as I adjust the soul power nodes, they shouldn't conflict."

Ju Zi opened her mouth, but in the end, she did not interrupt him.

Half an hour later.

Huo Yuhao set down the carving knife and placed an Azure Jade Pill into the newly completed metal box.

He infused soul power into the core.

A gentle blue light rose, and the medicinal power within the Azure Jade Pill was slowly drawn out, turning into a thin layer of mist.

The concentration of soul power in the room rose along with it.

Huo Yuhao closed his eyes to sense it, then nodded in satisfaction.

"This way, I won't have to eat pills directly when cultivating."

"If the medicinal power is released more slowly, it should reduce waste too."

Ye Guyi stared at the metal box, not knowing what to say for a moment.

Ju Zi picked up the core formation and examined it over and over again.

The four basic formations were linked together. Its structure was somewhat immature, but it already possessed the beginnings of a composite core.

Someone who had studied soul tools for only half a day had made a composite core formation by himself.

Ju Zi suddenly felt a little defeated.

Without the accumulation from her previous life, at this age, she probably would not even have Huo Yuhao's foundation.

Her genius was fake.

Huo Yuhao was the real thing.

"What's wrong?"

Seeing Ju Zi remain silent, Huo Yuhao could not help asking, "Did I do something wrong?"

"No."

Ju Zi placed the metal box back on the table and reached out to rub his head.

"You did very well."

"Then shall we continue tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow, someone else will teach you."

Huo Yuhao froze.

"You're not teaching me anymore?"

"I can't teach you."

Ju Zi answered very calmly.

She had originally thought she could at least teach Huo Yuhao for a few years.

The facts proved that she had overestimated herself.

A true soul tool genius like this was better entrusted to a true professional.

The next day.

A man around thirty arrived at the small courtyard.

He looked ordinary, and his clothes were somewhat disheveled, but his eyes were exceptionally focused. From the moment he entered the room, his gaze had remained on the composite core on the table.

"Did you make this?"

"Yes."

Huo Yuhao nodded.

The man picked up the metal box and examined it carefully for a long time.

"The structure is crude, the soul power loss is considerable, and the positions of several nodes are completely reckless."

Huo Yuhao listened attentively without arguing.

Then the man changed his tone.

"But the idea is good."

"My name is Xuan Ziwen. From today onward, I'll teach you soul tools."

Huo Yuhao blinked and turned to look at Ju Zi.

He truly had not expected Ju Zi to bring Xuan Ziwen over in advance.

Only later did Huo Yuhao learn the reason from Xuan Ziwen.

Three months ago, Xuan Ziwen had been stuck at rank seventy-nine, and every attempt to break through had ended in failure.

It was then that Ju Zi found him.

Three Profound Water Pills, one Soul Ascension Pill, and a large supply of Red Jade Pills, Blue Jade Pills, and Azure Jade Pills.

She had forcibly pushed Xuan Ziwen into the Soul Douluo realm with pills.

More importantly, Ju Zi could understand his research, and she knew just how valuable those seemingly useless soul tool technologies truly were.

So Xuan Ziwen agreed.

After hearing everything, Huo Yuhao looked at Ju Zi, who was drinking fruit juice in the courtyard, with only one thought remaining in his mind.

She understood technology, appreciated technology, and appreciated talented people who mastered technology even more.

So you—I'm investing in you!