"Excellent!" Jing Hongchen laughed heartily in satisfaction, rose, and helped Huo Yuhao up. "You will be my final disciple, and the youngest junior brother to Feng Yu and the others."
"Let your teacher test you. Do you know how Soul Engineers are classified?"
Without betraying anything, Huo Yuhao activated his Telepathist ability, concentrating his mind to observe closely. He faintly saw Jing Hongchen's etheric aura, its outline distinct and its substance dense enough to seem solid, without the slightest blurring or dissipation.
Deep within it was a dawn-like color that gave a sense of warmth and peace.
His teacher did not seem particularly intent on testing him, so Huo Yuhao simply shook his head.
"I don't."
Jing Hongchen smiled.
"In combat, Soul Masters are divided by role: the control system excels at directing tactics in team battles; the power attack system is strongest in single combat; the defense system offers good defense against opponents of the same level; the support system excels at enhancing allies in team battles; and the agility attack system excels at diving into the enemy ranks."
"Soul Engineers aren't nearly so complicated. In combat, there are only two kinds: those with money, who are Hexagonal Warriors, and those without money, who are useless at absolutely everything."
"That shows just how important resources are to Soul Engineers."
The six star lines on the Starlight Sapphire Storage Soul Tool on Jing Hongchen's right hand flashed, and a black card appeared in his hand.
"The gift your teacher is giving you today to mark your apprenticeship is this card."
Huo Yuhao accepted it. There was not a single word anywhere on the square card, nor any distinction between its front and back.
Its surface had both the matte texture of metal and the warm smoothness of the finest jade, making its material utterly impossible to identify.
"Teacher, what is this card?"
"This is a supplementary card linked to mine. With it, you can draw on any resources except medicinal pills from the academy's Self-Run Commerce. There is no limit on gold coins or the rare metals held within the academy."
"You can also visit the Teachers' Canteen and eat the advanced Soul Engineer set meals supplied exclusively to Level 7 and Level 8 Soul Engineers."
"The reason you cannot withdraw medicinal pills is that, although they look like a shortcut, with your talent as a Soul Master, they are something you need to exercise restraint with."
"If you want to use them, earn them yourself. For any medicinal pills awarded for your academic achievements, I will reward you with twice their value in Gold Soul Coins!"
Huo Yuhao was utterly stunned by Jing Hongchen's generosity. There was so much to look forward to in this life!
Used wisely, this apprenticeship gift might be worth tens of millions of Gold Soul Coins, and those resources were the sort that were difficult to buy outside!
In other words, all his cultivation and living expenses for the next several years were covered.
He, Huo Yuhao, had found himself a sugar daddy!
Compared with Tang Yin, who had nearly been burned to death and received only a Soul Ascension Pill in compensation, Huo Yuhao could only feel that refusing the Tang Sect and not being admitted to Shrek had been excellent choices.
"Thank you, Teacher!"
Jing Hongchen smiled, then changed tack and asked:
"After all that, do you know what I want to see?"
Huo Yuhao discerned Jing Hongchen's thoughts and answered considerately:
"Study with everything I have, distinguish myself in the academy, use the resources only on myself, and waste absolutely nothing!"
"Talking to clever people really is convenient. Feng Yu, learn a thing or two from your junior brother."
Ignoring the embarrassed Feng Yu, Jing Hongchen turned to find several books on the office bookshelf and handed them to Huo Yuhao.
"These are books from my early collection, all works by great masters. They explain their subjects progressively, from the simple to the profound, and contain notes and insights I wrote when I was young. They are very well suited to your studies."
"From now on, bring your books to my office on weekends for self-study."
"Your theoretical knowledge is already approaching that of a Level 3 Soul Engineer. My research duties are heavy, and I usually stay at the Illustrious Virtue Hall. I only come to the academy during the daytime on weekends to handle official business."
"You can ask me questions on weekends. For now, let your senior brother Feng take you to your dormitory and introduce you to what the academy's various areas are used for along the way."
"Teacher, my Martial Souls..." Huo Yuhao asked.
"Your Twin Martial Souls and the Ultimate Martial Soul you awakened later must not be exposed yet. Although you are already quite safe within the academy, the underhanded methods of the Soul Masters of the Douluo Three Kingdoms, including Shrek, go beyond your imagination."
"Given Shrek Academy's way of doing things, they may well be excessively possessive of anyone with an Ultimate Martial Soul. You registered at Shrek Academy before, and they might use that to stir up trouble."
"It is all for your safety."
Huo Yuhao readily accepted the advice and left the Quiet Heart Studio with Feng Yu. Along the way, Feng Yu also reminded him to attend his first lesson in Year Two, Class One tomorrow.
After getting Huo Yuhao settled, Feng Yu returned to the Quiet Heart Studio.
"Teacher, you told me to learn from my junior brother, but you never gave me the dean's supplementary card back then." After expressing his shock and envy, Feng Yu said with a wry smile, "Teacher, isn't this a little too extravagant?"
Jing Hongchen flung Feng Bujue's report onto the desk and said with a frown:
"Feng Yu, you don't even measure up to your younger cousin! Even he knows that when you bet, you bet big, yet you are so small-minded."
"What's the point of squeezing out toothpaste a little at a time? If I'm going to pour money into someone, I'll pour enough to produce a peerless genius and a world of clear skies!"
You weren't this generous when reviewing my project, Feng Yu grumbled inwardly.
"Teacher, what I mean is, giving my junior brother your supplementary card after meeting him just once-if... couldn't the repercussions be too great?"
Jing Hongchen shook his head. "You still don't understand what I mean. Do you know what Twin Martial Souls and an Ultimate Martial Soul signify?"
Without waiting for Feng Yu to answer, Jing Hongchen rapped on the desk without ceremony.
"They mean that even if he grows through his Soul Master talent alone, he will inevitably change the balance of the continent and will certainly be able to shelter the Illustrious Virtue Hall for two hundred years!"
"What's more, his talent for Soul Tools is also among the finest on the continent. At present, I even believe he will become a Level 9 Soul Engineer before you."
"And now you're quibbling with me over a mere black card? I know what you're worried about. You're afraid your cousin has brought a super spy into the Illustrious Virtue Hall, one who will cause incalculable losses."
"But let me tell you today: never mind that the Douluo Three Kingdoms could not possibly send a top Soul Master prodigy who is still young and possesses both Twin Martial Souls and an Ultimate Martial Soul to act as a spy."
"Even if he really is a spy, he's only twelve, after all. Even if I have to bury him in resources, I'll keep pouring them into him until I win him over! Understand?"
Feng Yu did not dare wipe the flecks of spit from his face. "I understand."
"Oh, you understand again. Everyone who knows about this must sign a confidentiality agreement." Jing Hongchen snorted and pushed the open report in front of Feng Yu. "Take a look at what your cousin wrote."
Feng Yu carefully read the page the report was open to and sighed inwardly.
Jing Hongchen's tone softened.
"He knew your research project had failed, so he wanted to give you all the credit for recommending a good disciple to me and help you through this difficulty."
"Since that's the case, I'll grant his wish. Go, finish wrapping up the project, then seal it away. In the second half of the year, I'll give you a key research project."
"Whether you can seize that opportunity will depend on you."
"Thank you, Teacher!" Feng Yu bowed slightly and withdrew.
In the office of the Quiet Heart Studio, Jing Hongchen sat in his chair, unconsciously tapping his fingers on the desk.
Although he had decided to nurture Huo Yuhao, he still decided to thoroughly verify his background.
Although the admissions process had already screened him according to the Illustrious Virtue Hall's standards, with a pass rate as high as 98%, far above the average of 87%, falsifying things was not entirely impossible.
Huo Yuhao had no obvious hereditary noble Martial Soul; his Martial Soul had probably come from a mutation. Nobles everywhere had their share of dirty affairs, and what had happened went without saying.
A very ordinary Martial Soul would actually be difficult to investigate, but Body Martial Souls were rare to begin with, and the Spirit Eyes Martial Soul was rarer still.
The Star Luo Empire had issued the Martial Soul Record Decree a hundred years ago. It might have been difficult to enforce in impoverished places, but Star Luo City's Martial Soul records were certain to be the most complete. They would surely be able to find it.
With nothing more than the Illustrious Virtue Hall's standing in the continent-wide Soul Tool economy, something like this could easily be done without arousing suspicion.
Before you continue