Jing Hongchen Couldn't Be Bothered to Play Coy Anymore!

Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, Quiet Heart Studio, office.

Elder Ma had already left as well. Ever since Huo Yuhao and Feng Yu arrived at Quiet Heart Studio, their string of questions and answers had not stopped.

Feng Yu asked, "Final question: what are the basic requirements for interlocking core arrays?"

Huo Yuhao said, "Interlocking core arrays must follow four principles: inscriptions of the same origin, soul power at the same frequency, compatible substrates, and matching primary and secondary roles. The resulting array group must also meet the requirements of 'no conflicts between basic modules and low internal losses during energy circulation.'"

Jing Hongchen closed the report and offered his assessment with a smile:

"Overall, you've indeed reached the level of a Level 2 Soul Engineer. Your theoretical knowledge also touches on theories relevant to Level 3 and Level 4 Soul Engineers, though it isn't quite systematic yet."

"As Feng Bujue said, you're a top-tier genius when it comes to soul tools."

"His report says you have a soul skill that could be called god-tier in the soul engineering field, called Spiritual Detection Sharing. Would you mind demonstrating it?"

"How should I address you?" Huo Yuhao asked respectfully.

"Just call me President Hongchen."

"President Hongchen, please open your mind." Speaking in a steady voice, Huo Yuhao activated Spiritual Detection and Spiritual Sharing.

Jing Hongchen found his field of vision rising continuously. Within an area thirty meters in diameter, he could make out every last detail, without a single blind spot.

He tapped his fingers lightly on the desk. It didn't merely assist with detection; it was more like having an extra brain that could make judgments. With this skill, it was as though he had countless extra eyes conducting the most meticulous observations from every angle!

The more he experienced it, the more astonished he became. Spiritual Detection Sharing continued, yet Huo Yuhao looked perfectly at ease, showing no sign of exhaustion. Within Spiritual Detection Sharing, he could even sense some of the changes in Huo Yuhao's soul power as the boy used it beside him.

Jing Hongchen shook his head in admiration. When he looked at Huo Yuhao again, he was already thoroughly satisfied:

"Such extraordinary natural gifts. Incredible. If I had this soul skill, I wouldn't need a hundred meters-even just three to five meters would give me considerable confidence in making a push for Level 10 Soul Engineer!"

"Feng Yu, Yuhao really is a promising seedling. Give him the list and let him choose a teacher."

Huo Yuhao accepted a stack of profiles. The very first was none other than the man before him, President Jing Hongchen!

Rather than a list of names, these were more like résumés.

Jing Hongchen: top-tier Level 9 Soul Engineer, hall master of the Illustrious Virtue Hall, president of the Imperial Soul Engineer Academy. Major achievements/titles included: leading figure in integrated soul tools, one of the empire's top three soul engineers, independent inventor of seven Level 9 Soul Tools, joint developer of over ten Level 9 Soul Tools, cumulative personal research funding of 2.3 billion Gold Soul Coins...

Even the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm in his Sea of Consciousness couldn't help crying out:

"Holy crap, 2.3 billion Gold Soul Coins?! Wouldn't that make a small mountain if you piled it up? How much stuff could that buy? This guy's loaded! Yuhao, keep flipping through. See if there are any other experts."

He didn't know what a Level 9 Soul Tool was, but after watching Huo Yuhao sell grilled fish over the past few months, he had gained a very deep understanding of the purchasing power of Gold Soul Coins.

As Huo Yuhao carefully read through the profiles, he was also somewhat puzzled:

Hall Master Hongchen is actually on the list! Didn't Brother Bujue say the hall master announced a few years ago that he wouldn't take any more disciples, so he could focus on teaching his grandson and granddaughter?

The second résumé, Ye Yulin: top-tier Level 9 Soul Engineer, director of the military's General Soul Tool Research Institute, concurrently holding a post at the Illustrious Virtue Hall. Major achievements/titles included: leading figure in high-altitude soul tools, participant in the development of several Level 9 Soul Tools, cumulative personal research funding of 1.3 billion Gold Soul Coins...

The third résumé... the sixty-seventh résumé.

Huo Yuhao let out a breath. Level 7 Soul Engineers weren't even qualified to make it into this stack of profiles!

There were fourteen Level 9 Soul Engineers and fifty-three Level 8 Soul Engineers in total!

All of them were Advanced Soul Engineers with key research and development projects in hand, ample funding, and active roles on the front lines of soul tool research and development.

Although some only held concurrent posts, there were also Advanced Soul Engineers whose profiles hadn't been included. This glimpse of the whole through a tiny detail showed just how terrifyingly powerful the Imperial Soul Engineer Academy and the Illustrious Virtue Hall were.

In the office, Jing Hongchen shot Feng Yu a glare, signaling him not to say too much.

Feng Yu's mouth twitched. He hadn't intended to say anything at all. Clearly, the old man's concern had thrown him into disarray.

Teacher announced years ago that he wouldn't take any more disciples, yet today he specifically instructed us to put his own profile on top. What exactly is he trying to do?

He's even boosting himself by putting others down, playing games with the figures. Sure, Ye Yulin's publicly disclosed research funding isn't as high as yours, but aren't you going to consider how many top-secret military research projects he's participated in?

The research funding and results of those projects aren't made public!

And on top of that, he's given himself the title of "one of the empire's top three soul engineers." Heh, there are five people in the empire's top three. Perfectly reasonable, right?

Of course, Feng Yu only dared grumble inwardly. If he actually said any of that aloud, he feared he would be expelled from his teacher's tutelage on the spot.

"Yuhao, have you made up your mind?"

Watching Jing Hongchen swiftly switch to a gentle expression, Huo Yuhao's mouth twitched too.

Jing Hongchen couldn't be bothered to play coy anymore. He gave Feng Yu a meaningful look, and Feng Yu hurriedly began singing his praises:

"Yuhao, ahem, this may be your first time learning about the achievements of Advanced Soul Engineers. Well, the simplest thing to look at is research funding. In the Sun Moon Empire, research funding is practically the yardstick for measuring an Advanced Soul Engineer."

"The more money they have, the more people they have working under them, and the more important their soul tool projects are. Naturally, their prospects are brighter too."

"Whether inside or outside the academy and the Illustrious Virtue Hall, the research funding in Teacher's hands easily ranks among the empire's top three!"

"And among Teacher's disciples, well, I'm just one of the unremarkable ones." Looking as though he didn't know whether to laugh or cry, Feng Yu forced himself to continue, "There's one Level 7 Soul Engineer, ten Level 8 Soul Engineers, and one Level 9 Soul Engineer-my eldest senior brother."

"He specializes in linked soul tools. He currently works at the Illustrious Virtue Hall and also holds a concurrent military post."

"Oh, Teacher's grandson and granddaughter, whom he teaches personally, are included in that count too. Both are fifteen now and preparing to take the Level 5 Soul Engineer certification exam."

Huo Yuhao considered it inwardly.

The profiles were very forthcoming, with all sorts of information included.

He had taken a second look at Xuan Ziwen's profile, because even Xuan Ziwen's lineage was openly stated: Kong Deming, hall master of the Sun Moon Empire's Offering Hall, the Silver Moon Douluo-the person closest to becoming a Level 10 Soul Engineer.

But first, this Teacher Xuan had five disciples whose levels weren't very high yet, so his attention would inevitably be divided. Second, his cumulative personal research funding was one hundred million Gold Soul Coins?

Although that was no small sum, it naturally fell short of the Level 9 Soul Engineers listed earlier, let alone Jing Hongchen and Ye Yulin.

Although Xuan Ziwen had the strongest soul engineer as his teacher behind him, that man was the hall master of the Offering Hall, far too distant from Huo Yuhao.

The lowest level among those under Jing Hongchen was Level 7 Soul Engineer, and Jing Hongchen was also a hall master. Whatever Huo Yuhao wanted to learn, once the hall master gave the word, anyone who wanted to refuse would have to weigh that decision carefully.

There would also be ample resources to go around. If he studied under Xuan Ziwen or another Level 9 Soul Engineer, he would have to watch their disciples' expressions.

Besides, Feng Bujue and Feng Yu had brought him here, and Feng Bujue had shown him great kindness. Whether in terms of sentiment or reason, the choice seemed very simple.

Huo Yuhao bowed deeply to Jing Hongchen:

"I choose you, Teacher Hongchen!"