After lunch, Xu Cheng turned down Meng Hongchen's invitation to some welcome party.
Something about being her dance partner.
Compared with girls, he still found soul tools more interesting.
His missile concept, for instance.
If the current Sun Moon Empire could develop ballistic technology and precision long-range strikes-like a certain "Wind" missile-a trip around the globe would instantly silence the whole world.
If the Sun Moon Empire could likewise guide a Level 9 Fixed Soul Guidance Cannon precisely onto any inch of the continent, surely Shrek Academy would never have gotten to show that ugly face at the Soul Engineer Tournament, with Xuan Zi brazenly throwing his weight around and openly snatching people away...
Of course, short-range automatic tracking technology had long since been developed in the Sun Moon Empire. When Huo Gua went to the Sun Moon Imperial Academy on an exchange, students there had used it during his challenges.
It hardly counted as a technological barrier.
But making a Level 9 Soul Cannon strike a target tens of thousands of kilometers away with precision was on an entirely different level from short-range tracking within a hundred meters. At the very least, it would require a Level 7 or Level 8 Soul Tool, if not higher.
And it would need radar evasion too, slamming a Level 9 Fixed Soul Guidance Cannon into the target before Mu En or Xuan Zi noticed. That put the difficulty in a whole different league.
Of course, this idea had come from Soul Tool Analysis that morning.
Within the level 1 soul tool core formation.
Thanks to [Analysis Mastery], Xu Cheng had analyzed it with exceptional thoroughness, including how the entire formation operated. Its components only activated accordingly when combined and supplied with soul power.
And each of those runes had appeared before Xu Cheng like lines of code.
After studying them, Xu Cheng had noticed a clue: the Sun Moon Empire seemed to have put points into the wrong branches of its tech tree. It focused too heavily on explosions and the power of soul tools, neglecting guidance technology.
In the original story.
The Sun Moon Empire's Level 9 Soul Engineers all carried Level 9 Soul Cannons with them. When they actually wanted to strike a target, they used flying soul tools to transport themselves there, then played the role of World War II aircraft, dropping their payloads and running.
How cumbersome. How embarrassing...
It always felt like a train being pulled by horses instead of powered by steam.
"Xiao, what class do we have this afternoon?"
Coming back to his senses, Xu Cheng asked Xiao Hongchen, who was strolling lazily beside him with both hands behind his neck.
The two were walking along a tree-lined path on campus.
They were heading toward the teaching area.
"History. I think it's about how the continents changed..."
Xiao Hongchen replied.
"Why? Want to skip?"
"No need. Doing my research tonight makes no difference," Xu Cheng said thoughtfully.
Missile guidance was, of course, still only a concept.
For now, his first task was to lay a solid foundation rather than reach for heights beyond his grasp. He needed to understand the principles behind most Level 1 Soul Tools first.
At least he could already foresee that his future achievements in soul engineering would be considerable, and that they could greatly enhance his combat strength. He had already pushed his martial souls as far as he currently could. With level-thirty twin martial souls, he would absolutely count as a once-in-a-millennium genius even among Shrek's pack of violence addicts.
So what he needed to do now was work on both fronts...
"Holy shit, you're the king of grinding... Never would've guessed," Xiao Hongchen exclaimed dramatically. "Quit pretending! You said you'd never touched soul tools, then finished analyzing one in ten minutes. Even at my current level, I'm not as fast as you!"
"..."
An elderly man wearing glasses stood at the lectern, looking distinctly scholarly.
"Come in..."
He smiled at the sight of them.
Only after everyone had taken their seats did he tap the blackboard.
His expression gradually grew solemn.
At the same time, the entire classroom fell quiet.
"Four thousand years ago, the Sun Moon Continent collided with the Douluo Continent. This was a turning point in history. At the same time, the three nations, equipped with Tang Sect Hidden Weapons, immediately entered a state of war with our Sun Moon Empire. The facts proved that, although Tang Sect Hidden Weapons were intricate, they still fell far short of our nation's soul tools. In that campaign, we drove the old three nations back, defeat after defeat..."
The old man clasped his hands behind his back, a trace of wistfulness in his eyes.
"But Shrek Academy truly deserved its title as the foremost academy. Its dean at the time issued a call, and hundreds answered. He gathered over sixty Titled Douluos to join the battlefield, then turned the tide of the war. Our Sun Moon Empire's Sun Moon Continent was also forced to take the name Douluo Continent..."
At this, the seated students visibly bristled with righteous indignation, itching to take to the battlefield themselves and win it all back...
The renaming was also an everlasting wound in the hearts of the Sun Moon Empire's people.
No matter how many times they had learned about it before, they could never let it go when it was brought up again.
"..."
The old man's voice sank.
He slowly recounted that "humiliating" history. As the defeated nation, they had naturally been forced to pay reparations, along with accepting a series of treaties.
Although those treaties had become largely irrelevant as the Sun Moon Empire's national strength increased, it remained a humiliating history written in blood and tears.
"Damn it, once I get strong enough, I'm chucking a few Level 9 Fixed Soul Guidance Cannons over there and blowing Shrek sky-high!" Xiao Hongchen said bitterly.
"That'll probably take at least thirty years," Xu Cheng said, flipping through his textbook and pouring cold water on him.
"Hey, you're a member of the Sun Moon Imperial Family, aren't you? Why do you look like you don't feel anything?" Xiao Hongchen poked Xu Cheng's arm and lowered his voice.
"What should I do?" Xu Cheng raised his eyebrows and looked at Xiao Hongchen.
"At least... hmm, show some righteous indignation. At least look furious about this humiliating history." Xiao Hongchen propped his chin on his hand and pondered.
"That's all empty posturing. What good does anger do? Can it flatten Shrek Academy? Can it erase that humiliating history?" Xu Cheng returned his gaze to his textbook. "Better to quietly research soul tools, then hit them with something big..."
"Holy shit, that's sneaky!" Xiao Hongchen drew his neck back.
"Besides, if you want revenge, won't there be a perfect opportunity in the next few years...?" Xu Cheng smiled.
"You mean... the Continental Academy Soul Master Tournament?" Xiao Hongchen's eyes lit up.
"Xiao, stand up and answer this question."
A voice from the lectern interrupted their conversation.
Xiao Hongchen slowly stood, scratching the back of his head awkwardly. He lightly kicked Xu Cheng's stool, then lowered his head and whispered, "What did the teacher ask?"
"Discuss why the Sun Moon Empire lost that campaign, along with your reflections and thoughts on the defeat."
Xu Cheng transmitted the words directly through his spiritual power.
His expression remained perfectly calm. Even with the entire class watching, he betrayed nothing.
"Ahem, about the defeat, um... what I mean is, nothing can really be called, you know, absolutely this or that. Personally, I think it's still... hmm, this matter..." Xiao Hongchen spouted meaningless waffle with a perfectly composed face.
"All right, sit down." The old man shook his head helplessly.
"Xu Cheng, you're his deskmate. Stand up and tell us your thoughts."
"Yes."
Xu Cheng rose.
His expression remained unruffled.
He looked at the old man before him, whose face held a hint of anticipation.
Did anyone really think he wanted to attend this history class?
He had no choice. The teacher was one of the Sun Moon Empire's few Level 9 Soul Engineers, with immense seniority and an equally lofty reputation throughout the military.
So, to win this man's favor.
Xu Cheng silently offered an apology: Sorry, Xiao. I actually noticed him looking our way ages ago, but I didn't warn you...
But now...
It's time for me to show off.
Before you continue