Inner Court Recommendation Quota, Sea God Yuan Hua

Fan Yu said gently, "It's nothing. I just wanted Huo Yuhao to learn more about the Soul Guidance Department and the wonders of Soul Tools."

Huo Yuhao nodded, looking curious.

Fan Yu carefully explained, "After the Sun Moon Empire collided with Douluo Continent, the Sun Moon Empire's advanced Soul Tools spread throughout Douluo Continent, allowing Soul Tools there to develop rapidly."

"And giving rise to the concept of 'Soul Engineers' on Douluo Continent."

"..."

Fan Yu explained the origins of Soul Tools and shared some knowledge about their classifications.

Soul Tools were divided into seven types according to their functions.

Melee Soul Tools.

Ranged Soul Tools.

Storage Soul Tools.

Auxiliary Soul Tools.

Flight Soul Tools.

Defensive Soul Tools.

And the seventh type of Soul Tool researched by Fan Yu: Locating Soul Tools.

"Have some tea."

Zhou Yi gently placed two cups of hot tea on the table.

Fan Yu picked up his cup and took a sip. "The knowledge of Soul Tools and Soul Engineers is far too vast. Even now, I haven't finished learning it all."

"Huo Yuhao, what do you think of Soul Tools?"

Huo Yuhao smiled and answered, "They're quite novel. They can assist combat-type Soul Masters in battle, while also improving the self-defense abilities of Auxiliary System Soul Masters."

"You could say they greatly raise the upper limit of Soul Masters across the continent."

Fan Yu nodded in agreement. As expected of the genius Vice Dean Qian Duoduo personally requested. With this level of insight, he was practically born for Soul Tools.

"However..." Huo Yuhao paused.

Fan Yu asked, "However what? Just say it."

Huo Yuhao smiled. "Soul Tools are expensive and cannot be popularized among Soul Masters across the continent."

"If the price of Soul Tools could be lowered so that Soul Masters across the continent could afford them..."

"Then..." Huo Yuhao paused before saying, "Both Soul Masters and Soul Tools would enter a new era."

"An era of rapid development."

Soul Tools were useful, but their inability to be widely used put them in an awkward position.

High-level Soul Masters had no use for them, while low-level Soul Masters could not afford them.

In the end, it was because the artisan class had not yet risen. Like in Douluo 3, once the artisan class rose—

Soul Tool forging techniques became much easier.

The continent easily entered an era of comprehensive and widespread Soul Tool use.

To make an analogy, it was like an ancient workshop and a modern factory producing the same item.

The things they produced might be identical, but their output and quality were worlds apart.

Fan Yu fell into thought. After a moment, he said:

"This problem is not only known to me. Even the Soul Tool-developed Sun Moon Empire knows about it."

"But no one can change this situation."

"The manpower and resources required to produce Soul Tools determine that they will be expensive."

"Could it be that Soul Engineers should pay out of pocket to make Soul Tools?"

During the Douluo 2 era, Soul Engineers were divided into two kinds: Soul Engineers who fought and Soul Engineers who forged Soul Tools.

Both were collectively called Soul Engineers.

There was no further distinction.

Huo Yuhao smiled faintly. "This problem is not difficult to solve at all."

Fan Yu shot to his feet, his tone turning slightly heavy. "Huo Yuhao, don't make wild claims."

Zhou Yi, beside him, advised, "All right, Fan Yu. That's just his personality. Calm down."

Fan Yu sat back down, and his impression of Huo Yuhao worsened considerably.

No matter how talented someone was, if he was full of arrogant nonsense—

Such a person did not deserve to join the Soul Guidance Department.

Huo Yuhao remained calm. "Let me tell you a story."

"Ten thousand years ago, there was a man who was vile and shameless. He secretly learned his sect's ultimate arts, and when the sect discovered it afterward, he was scared out of his wits, pissed himself in terror, and finally staged a hypocritical death to prove his resolve by jumping off a cliff."

"But he did not die. He drifted to Douluo Continent, then used his sect's ultimate arts to make a name for himself there."

"Later, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect purchased a large number of Soul Tools from that thief."

"At the time, only that thief could make those Soul Tools."

"But there was only one thief. Even if he worked himself to death, he could not forge that many concealed weapons."

"So..."

Fan Yu and Zhou Yi were intrigued and hurriedly asked, "So what happened?"

Huo Yuhao smiled. "So, the thief had a large number of artisans make the other Soul Tool components, while he only needed to make the core components himself."

"Not only did he fulfill the order, but he also kept the most crucial parts of the Soul Tools secret, preventing others from stealing his knowledge."

"He even founded an organization under the name of his former sect. Later, to prevent his own people from secretly learning his arts, he passed down a simplified version of a simplified version of those ultimate arts."

"He did not pass down much of the Soul Tool production methods either. To this day, the sect has fallen into ruin, yet its remaining disciples still worship that thief."

Zhou Yi and Fan Yu were utterly shocked.

Zhou Yi said disdainfully, "That thief's actions were utterly selfish, vile, and disgusting."

"No wonder someone like that had to rely on stealing to obtain his sect's ultimate arts."

"If someone like that enrolled at Shrek Academy, forget teaching him ultimate arts. I'd strip him naked and throw him out to parade through the streets for a year!"

"By the way, what was that thief's name?"

"Someone like that deserves to have his name remembered and be reviled by millions!"

Zhou Yi asked angrily.

Huo Yuhao smiled lightly. "His name was Sea God Yuan Hua!"

Zhou Yi froze for a moment.

"Sea God Yuan Hua?"

"Oh my god, is there no justice in this world? No law?"

"Trash like that could become a god?"

Unlike Zhou Yi, Fan Yu fell into deep thought.

Then he suddenly came to a realization. "I understand! I understand! So that's how it is..."

Seeing the unusually excited Fan Yu, Zhou Yi hurriedly asked:

"What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing!"

Fan Yu looked excitedly at Huo Yuhao. "I apologize for my ignorance just now."

"I sincerely hope that you, Huo Yuhao, can join the Soul Guidance Department."

Huo Yuhao was not surprised. He merely asked, "What are the benefits?"

Fan Yu froze for a moment, then stated his terms. "The status of a Core Disciple, my guidance as a Level-8 Soul Engineer, and an Inner Court Recommendation Quota!"

Zhou Yi sprang to her feet in disbelief. "Fan Yu, have you lost your mind? That's the Soul Guidance Department's Inner Court Recommendation Quota!"

The status of a Core Disciple and the guidance of a Level-8 Soul Engineer were both incomparably precious.

But neither could compare to an Inner Court Recommendation Quota.

It was a quota that allowed someone to enter the Inner Court directly without undergoing assessment.

The Martial Soul Department and Soul Guidance Department were the two major departments of the Outer Academy.

They could each obtain only one quota almost every three years.

It was an extremely important Outer Academy resource.

It could not only be exchanged for vast amounts of money and materials, but could also earn favors and connections from certain major powers.

Its importance was self-evident.

Just how outstanding was Huo Yuhao's talent for Fan Yu to offer a recommendation quota as a benefit?

"An Inner Court Recommendation Quota?"

Huo Yuhao was slightly shocked inwardly.

He remembered that in the original story, after Huo Yuhao revealed his Body Martial Soul, Twin Martial Souls, and Ice Jade Scorpion Ultimate Ice Martial Soul—

He had also obtained a recommendation quota. No, it was a promise made by Yan Shaozhe, the Dean of the Martial Soul Department.

He would not even need a recommendation quota. As long as he joined the Martial Soul Department, he could enter the Inner Court directly.

He had also promised many benefits, such as a complete set of Soul Bones suitable for Huo Yuhao and a Hundred-thousand-year Soul Ring.

Compared to that, the benefits Fan Yu offered were hardly worth mentioning.

But the current Huo Yuhao did not possess Twin Martial Souls or the Ice Jade Scorpion Ultimate Ice Martial Soul.

The benefits Fan Yu offered were a heaven-sent opportunity to any genius of Shrek's Outer Academy.

"Say no more. As long as Huo Yuhao joins the Soul Guidance Department, none of the benefits I mentioned will be missing."

Fan Yu looked at Huo Yuhao with unwavering eyes.

Originally, Huo Yuhao was not worth Fan Yu offering such generous terms.

The main reason was the story Huo Yuhao had just told.

It allowed Fan Yu to see the glorious future of Soul Tools through Huo Yuhao.

Huo Yuhao shook his head with a faint smile. "Sorry, but I'm still hesitant about whether to join the Soul Guidance Department."

"However, I would like to look through the Soul Guidance Department's books. Perhaps I can find my answer there."

Zhou Yi and Fan Yu were both stunned.

Such generous terms had actually been rejected?

"Huo Yuhao, do you know what you just refused?"

"That was a recommendation—"

"Enough!" Fan Yu interrupted Zhou Yi and looked at Huo Yuhao.

"I was too impatient. I hurried to invite you before letting you learn more about Soul Tools."

"Come with me. I'll take you to see the Soul Guidance Department's collection of books."