A few days after the Soul Tool Experimental Class opened, quite a few students transferred over. This was certainly good news for Xian Lin'er, except...
"Why is forging metal the only thing you know how to do?"
"Huh?"
Wang Dong's hammering technique had clearly been decent just now, but the moment she reached the array-engraving stage, her mind went blank, and she had no idea what to do.
Looking at the utterly bewildered Wang Dong, Xian Lin'er pressed a hand to her forehead with a helpless, wry smile. For some reason, this heir to the Clear Sky Sect was only any good at forging. Everything else was simply painful to watch.
Was this a Clear Sky Sect tradition too?
Wang Dong grew a little uncomfortable under Xian Lin'er's gaze. She secretly wondered, Could someone as great as me really be an idiot?
"What's wrong with forging metal? At least the metal I make is better quality."
"What good are blanks alone?"
Xian Lin'er sighed and pointed at the demonstration Soul Tool components on the table. "Forging is only one step in the process. You can't just handle the forging and leave everything else to other people, can you?"
Huo Yuhao, who had been engrossed in engraving an array, suddenly raised his head at Xian Lin'er's words, as though something had occurred to him.
Divide up the work? That actually seemed possible!
"Huo Yuhao, come with me."
Xian Lin'er led Huo Yuhao through the Soul Tool Department's research facilities for an unknown length of time before they reached a small room.
Somewhat curious, Huo Yuhao looked up at Xian Lin'er. "Teacher, what's this?"
"You'll find out in a moment."
Xian Lin'er opened the door. Huo Yuhao peered inside and found two people sitting there, seemingly discussing something.
One wore the research institute's work clothes, had a sharp-featured face, and looked very composed.
The other wore a reddish-brown fitted outfit, had an enormous build, and hair that looked as though it had exploded upward.
When the door opened, both naturally turned their attention to Huo Yuhao beside Xian Lin'er.
"Dean Xian, is this the exceptionally gifted student you mentioned?"
"Mm, he looks full of energy! His looks even give mine in my younger days a run for their money!"
"..."
"Don't just stay silent!"
"These two are our Soul Tool Department's vice dean and chief instructor, Qian Duoduo and Fan Yu."
After a brief introduction, Xian Lin'er explained the two men's Ultimate Soldier Plan.
"An Ultimate Soldier is someone who can single-handedly change the outcome of a localized war. Anyone with that capability is an Ultimate Soldier."
"An Ultimate Soldier exists for war. Not only must they possess great individual strength, but they must also excel at using and making all kinds of Soul Tools, concealment, infiltration, and sabotage. They must be able to keenly identify the pivotal points of a war and either disrupt or support them."
"But a candidate for the Ultimate Soldier Plan needs extraordinary talent and learning ability, so we haven't found anyone suitable so far."
Fan Yu looked at Huo Yuhao with gratification. "Your arrival has given us hope. Judging by your current performance, there's at least a ninety percent chance of making you an Ultimate Soldier!"
After listening to their ideas, Huo Yuhao lowered his head in thought for a while before slowly saying, "If you used those resources to train a Limit Douluo, shouldn't they be able to do this too?"
"..."
They were somewhat embarrassed. Although his words did make sense, putting it that way was practically denying the Soul Tool Department's highest theory. Besides, they still needed this plan to keep "conning" research funding out of the Sea God Pavilion.
Seeing that no one spoke, Huo Yuhao added to ease the atmosphere, "Actually, I have a few other ideas."
"Oh? You have a plan too?"
Huo Yuhao nodded. "Yes. I think that, given the current standard of Soul Tools, most Soul Masters only need to learn how to use them. That would make high-level Soul Masters less of a strict requirement."
"So we could absolutely pair Soul Masters with Soul Tools to create a new kind of team."
Fan Yu nodded in agreement but still pointed out a problem. "I've heard that the Sun Moon Empire is already implementing this approach. But Soul Tools have a much stronger presence there. Here on our continent, we still focus on traditional Martial Soul development. I'm afraid it would be difficult to accept in the short term."
"You have a point, Dean. What I actually want to pursue more is something else: making a Soul Tool completely tailored to our Martial Souls."
"Tailored to Martial Souls?"
"Exactly. I want to create a Soul Tool that can temper a Soul Master's body over the long term, while also aiding defense and increasing attack power in combat. It's only an idea for now, but that's the direction I want to develop in."
The room instantly fell silent. Xian Lin'er's fingers unconsciously rubbed her palm as she rapidly worked through the feasibility of such a Soul Tool in her mind.
Current Soul Tools were the sort that any Soul Master could use as long as they had enough Soul Power. A Soul Tool made specifically for a Martial Soul's characteristics, however, seemed to be unprecedented.
Fan Yu spoke in a deep voice. "According to what you're saying, a Soul Tool would no longer be an external object, but would become one with the Soul Master and their Martial Soul."
"Looking at it that way, it would indeed have more advantages than an Ultimate Soldier in terms of level, and there would certainly be more people."
"But I imagine this approach would require perfection in several different areas. People like that are just as rare..."
Huo Yuhao had naturally thought of this as well. The corners of his lips lifted slightly. "For that, I have to thank my teacher."
"Me? Me?"
Xian Lin'er froze slightly and pointed at herself, her eyes full of confusion.
Had she ever taught Huo Yuhao anything like this?
"Yes. Teacher, you just told Wang Dong that one person could handle only one part, so I thought the manufacturing steps wouldn't need to be completed by one person either. Instead, multiple parties could work together, producing things in batches. I think this method would work perfectly well for ordinary Soul Tools too!"
The instant he finished speaking, Xian Lin'er's pupils sharply contracted, and she understood it all in a flash.
That's right. Why insist that a Soul Engineer master every procedure at once-forging, array engraving, and adjustments?
At the same time, Fan Yu abruptly came to the same realization. He slammed a hand onto the table, his eyes blazing. "Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!" "We've been trapped in our old ways of thinking, believing that a single Soul Engineer had to complete a Soul Tool independently. We ended up binding our own hands and feet."
He stared fixedly at Huo Yuhao and said, "You really are a genius!"
After some discussion, the Soul Tool Department retained the Ultimate Soldier Plan for now, because they needed it to con funding out of people.
However, they had already begun researching Huo Yuhao's manufacturing theory. Huo Yuhao's level was still insufficient, so he planned to leave and continue studying.
He simply hadn't expected his idea to actually be viable. At the thought, Huo Yuhao felt a little inexplicably delighted.
Returning to his seat, Huo Yuhao saw that a petite girl with dark green twin ponytails had joined Wang Dong. He had seen her before. She seemed to be from that earlier time in the Star Dou Great Forest...
Looking at Huo Yuhao as he returned, Wang Dong called, "What are you looking at over there?"
"Nothing. Wang Dong, this person beside you..."
"Oh, let me tell you-"
"Long time no see!"
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