Experiment Building.
The first floor.
Lin Jiayi led everyone in the new Class One inside in single file.
They passed through a long corridor lined with experimental stations. Quite a few first- and second-year students were there; some had come on their own to research and experiment after class, while others had been brought in for lessons, just like the new Class One.
As everyone rounded the corridor,
Lin Jiayi stopped at Experimental Station 14.
He directed everyone into Experimental Stations 14 and 15.
Each experimental station was equipped with twenty low-tier workbenches for younger students, and most classes had forty students...
Xiao Hongchen pulled Xu Cheng along with practiced ease, and the two stood at adjacent workbenches.
The former had already begun adjusting the machinery-the metal grinder, testing bench, molds, and so on.
Seeing this, Xu Cheng followed Xiao Hongchen's example, copying his adjustments.
Apart from Xu Cheng, whose movements were a little clumsy, the students from the new Class One all worked as deftly as Xiao Hongchen. Clearly, they had done this countless times.
Of course, although Xu Cheng was a step behind, no one thought to look down on him. Quite a few girls, in particular, would probably have come over to guide his hands themselves if Xiao Hongchen had not kept "hogging" him...
The sight left Xu Cheng marveling.
Still, by starting them young, the Sun Moon Empire truly deserved its title as the foremost nation of Soul Tools.
"A Soul Tool consists of a Core Array, external connecting circuits, and a metal casing."
As everyone adjusted their equipment, Lin Jiayi paced behind them, speaking slowly.
"First, the external connecting circuits. These are the channels linking the Core Array to the metal casing. Once you can replicate a Core Array, you will understand where it connects to the metal casing, as well as all its nodes. The simplest node is the activation node, which every Level 1 Soul Engineer must master."
"If even the activation node is wrong, the entire Soul Tool is a failure!"
"Other nodes include Soul Power storage buffers, as used in the Milk Bottle, safety mechanisms, preheating mechanisms, and so on. Of course, those are taught in the higher years. A Level 1 Soul Engineer only needs to master the activation node to qualify."
"Next comes the external metal casing. It determines a Soul Tool's durability and how much power it can withstand, so it is also crucial. Without a tough metal material to support it, a powerful Soul Tool will have melted before it even fires. The consequences of that are extremely frightening!"
"..."
Xu Cheng listened to Lin Jiayi as he spoke.
He looked at the thoroughly bored Xiao Hongchen and whispered, "You're already a Level 3 Soul Engineer. Isn't staying here a total waste of time?"
"You think I want to?" Xiao Hongchen complained. "But Grandpa ordered me to follow the curriculum. I'm only allowed to do my own stuff after class or during breaks."
"You're already at the level of a Level 3 Soul Engineer. Just take the exam to skip ahead."
"Grandpa said I have to wait at least half a semester before he'll let me take the exam to skip ahead." Xiao Hongchen looked utterly dejected.
Xu Cheng, however, grew thoughtful.
Looks like that old man Jing Hongchen was aiming for me all along.
Placing his bet early, huh.
Does he really have that much confidence in me?
Or... does he know something?
"But it's fine. I'll teach you! I'm bored anyway." Xiao Hongchen leaned forward against his workbench and turned toward Xu Cheng with an easygoing smile.
"Sure." Xu Cheng accepted with a grin.
"Here, take this Level 1 Core Array and analyze it first. As long as you can analyze it successfully, Soul Tools are actually pretty simple. Grinding the metal casing and connecting the circuits afterward are just a splash of water—nothing to it. With my guidance, becoming a Level 1 Soul Engineer within five months will be a breeze."
Xiao Hongchen picked up a small piece of metal from his workbench and handed it to Xu Cheng.
"So this is a Core Array."
Xu Cheng took it and studied the relatively uncomplicated patterns on its surface.
Of course, only after Soul Power was injected and circulated through those patterns would it unleash the power of a Soul Tool.
"Analysis..."
As Xu Cheng examined it, a wondrous sensation suddenly flooded his mind. It was as though the intricate patterns on the metal had been dismantled one by one, rising from its surface like symbols and floating in the air. Their operating principles and the flow of Soul Power were all laid out clearly before him.
So this is what it feels like to have cheats...
Knowledge entered his mind in an entirely different way.
Within a few dozen seconds, the analysis was complete.
It really lives up to being a mastery-level skill. Xu Cheng smacked his lips, marveling inwardly.
His earlier charity work had also earned him quite a few skills, including Mental Perception (beginner): could detect all living creatures within a hundred-meter diameter, with a 3D view. Sensory Enhancement (beginner): amplified perception through the eyes, nose, and mouth threefold, adjustable. Cellular Immunity Enhancement (beginner): increased cellular activity within the body, providing greater resistance to toxins, and so on.
But most were beginner-level, and quite a few were as useless as chicken ribs-hardly worth keeping, yet a shame to discard.
Only the skill he had gained from saving Tang Ya could be called a miracle. Once he had Tian Meng's mental power supporting it later on, it would practically be a game-breaking bug.
It really does have to involve the main-story characters of Douluo II.
Those quest rewards, tsk, tsk...
"Don't rush. Take your time. Back when I first encountered Soul Tools, it took me over two months to successfully analyze a Level 1 Soul Tool."
Xiao Hongchen rested an arm on Xu Cheng's shoulder and reassured him, seemingly worried that he might get discouraged.
"Once the analysis is done, the next step is replication, right?" Xu Cheng suddenly asked.
"Yeah. As long as you replicate it successfully, you're basically not far from becoming a Level 1 Soul Engineer. Back when I..."
Xiao Hongchen's voice gradually faded, and the corner of his eye twitched. He had just seen Xu Cheng pick up a fresh piece of metal from the workbench, secure it in a clamp, then lift an engraving knife and start replicating...
Although he really wanted to tease Xu Cheng a little,
he still carefully moved his arm off Xu Cheng's shoulder, afraid of disturbing his replication. He knew better than anyone that replication consumed a Soul Engineer's mental power at a tremendous rate. Outside interference could disrupt their state of mind...
Even when students nearby succeeded in their replications, they remained quiet, celebrating cautiously on their own for fear of disturbing others.
"..."
"Take a look. Does this count as a success?"
Xu Cheng nudged Xiao Hongchen awake.
The latter stretched at length. Level 1 Core Arrays were painfully boring; to him, they did not even count as a warm-up. He could handle them as easily as reaching out and grabbing something. With everything so quiet around him, drowsiness had crept up, and he had slumped over the workbench for a nap.
"Let me see. You... huh?"
Xiao Hongchen's drowsiness vanished, and his pupils abruptly contracted.
A piece of metal sat on Xu Cheng's workbench, patterns engraved across its surface, with metal shavings beside it. Clearly, this was the very piece Xu Cheng had been replicating before Xiao Hongchen fell asleep.
But...
He had been exposed to Soul Tools since childhood, and his grandfather was the head of Mingde Hall as well as a veteran Level 9 Soul Engineer. He could hardly have been more familiar with Core Arrays, especially Level 1 Core Arrays.
Yet at first glance, he genuinely could not spot a single problem!
Before you continue