"We'll leave it there for today. You can all rest for a while at noon. This afternoon, I'll test your practical combat abilities."
The morning classes ended with Zhang Lexuan's brief explanations. Huo Yuhao had listened attentively. This knowledge was key to understanding the Soul Master system and reflected the Douluo Continent's development over the years. To him, this information was incomparably precious.
He had already learned some of it from Di Tian, but Di Tian's account had lacked any system. How could you dare not understand your opponents! Huo Yuhao truly could not understand it. By contrast, the two beside him had listened very carefully, especially Gu Yuena. As for Gu Qiu'er, hers was purely a curiosity about new things. Keeping a sense of curiosity was a good thing, as long as she did not spend three days fishing and two days drying her nets.
Soon, everyone else had left the classroom. Just as the three were about to leave, Ning Tian approached, followed by a thoroughly reluctant Wu Feng.
Ning Tian spoke first. "Would the three of you do me the honor of joining me for a meal?"
"Certainly." Huo Yuhao did not refuse Ning Tian's invitation. She came from the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, one of the Douluo Continent's foremost powers. There was no harm in being on good terms with her. Moreover, its financial resources ranked first across the continent. There would be many opportunities for cooperation in the future.
Before long, the group arrived at a restaurant owned by the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect in Shrek City, not far from Shrek Academy. It had to be said that it lived up to the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's name: compared with the other restaurants around it, it looked even more luxurious. Once they entered, its lavish beauty immediately caught Gu Qiu'er's eye, a detail Ning Tian also noticed.
"Arrange a private room for me," Ning Tian instructed a server directly.
"Yes." A server who worked here naturally recognized this young lady. Without any unnecessary words, the server led the five straight to a private room reserved exclusively for members of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.
"I'm here to invite you to join us," Ning Tian said, getting straight to the point. There was no need to beat around the bush with geniuses. Being direct instead made her seem sincere.
"You're very direct, but that isn't a bad thing."
Hearing Huo Yuhao's reply, Ning Tian breathed a sigh of relief. She could tell that Huo Yuhao led the three of them. Although she did not know why these two gifted sisters favored Huo Yuhao alone, as long as she could persuade him, the other two would be easy enough to approach.
"What do you think of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect? If I'm not mistaken, you haven't joined any faction."
Her judgment naturally came from the details she had noticed about Huo Yuhao. That someone with a Body Martial Soul-and eyes, a relatively important kind of Body Martial Soul, at that-would actually come to Shrek Academy already said a great deal.
As a direct-line member of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect in the Heaven Dou Empire, she knew very well how desperately the Body Sect, also based in the Heaven Dou Empire, desired disciples with Body Martial Souls. Although the Body Sect was a secluded sect, any faction on the continent with even a little inherited knowledge could not possibly be unaware of it.
If Huo Yuhao belonged to some faction, then as long as its people had functioning brains, they would certainly have sent him to the Body Sect. Unless Huo Yuhao was unwelcome there-but he was a genius, after all. If that were truly the case, he should not still be alive.
"The Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect would make a very good partner."
Huo Yuhao could not possibly join another faction unless he had founded it himself. However, maintaining a good cooperative relationship with it was still necessary for him at present.
"The young mistress was kind enough to invite you..." Wu Feng interjected from the side, though she was actually somewhat pleased. Huo Yuhao and the others had not agreed, which meant the young mistress would not become too close to them.
"Be quiet, Wu Feng!" Ning Tian, however, was somewhat angry.
"I'm sorry you had to see that. Feng and I grew up together, and we're as close as sisters. She only offended the three of you for my sake."
"It's all right." Huo Yuhao smiled faintly. "I actually appreciate that sort of straightforward personality. But as the older sister, you should guide her more, or she'll easily get into trouble."
Then Huo Yuhao changed the subject. "Could you tell us what you think of Soul Tools?"
Beside him, Gu Yuena quietly pricked up her ears. She had heard Di Tian say that the little gadgets humans had invented over the years could actually harm Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts!
"Huh?" Ning Tian had not expected Huo Yuhao to ask this so suddenly, but she quickly collected herself and replied, "Ever since the Sun Moon Continent collided with the Douluo Continent four thousand years ago, Soul Tools have been shaking up the Douluo Continent's existing order.
"To a certain extent, Soul Tools have blurred the distinctions between traditional Soul Masters. For instance, they allow support-type Soul Masters like us to possess considerable combat power. In the past, we could only rely on the Tang Sect's Hidden Weapons.
"However, at the higher levels of strength, we traditional Soul Masters are still stronger. So even though the Sun Moon Imperium has progressed rapidly over the years, it isn't enough to be feared.
"Besides, the original Douluo Three Kingdoms have also begun taking Soul Tools seriously. Shrek Academy's Soul Tool Department is the best place on the Douluo Continent for Soul Tool research and development.
"Although there's still quite a gap between us and the Sun Moon Imperium, we can absolutely make up for it."
"That's quite an official line. Then could you tell me your own opinion?"
Ning Tian gave a bitter smile. "I really can't hide it from you.
"In truth, the Douluo Three Kingdoms don't take Soul Tools seriously at all. Although Shrek has the highest-ranking Soul Engineers on the Douluo Continent, there is still an enormous gap between it and the Sun Moon Imperium.
"What's more, I've heard from my family's elders that Shrek Academy's Martial Soul Department suppresses the Soul Tool Department very harshly.
"The Star Luo Empire, on the other hand, has been making determined efforts to grow stronger over the years. Its current emperor has great foresight and is a formidable ruler. Ever since taking the throne, he has encouraged Soul Tool research. Unfortunately, a gap built up over so many years isn't so easily closed.
"Our Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect has also been training Soul Tool specialists over the years, but unfortunately, the results have been very limited."
With that, Ning Tian looked at Huo Yuhao with eyes that seemed to shine. Mental-type Soul Masters had a very easy time studying Soul Tools. Perhaps he had come to Shrek Academy precisely to study them?
That was not impossible! After all, his Soul Power was only rank 17. He had no competitive edge in the Martial Soul Department at all, whereas he might achieve something by taking the Soul Tool path.
"Yuhao, I want to take a look at the Soul Tool Department."
Startled, Ning Tian looked over. It was Gu Yuena! A genius of the Martial Soul Department was interested in Soul Tools? In Ning Tian's mind, she had already taken it for granted that these two belonged to the Martial Soul Department.
Gu Yuena did not care what Ning Tian thought. She had come precisely to learn from humans, and she had already heard about the direction of Soul Tool development over the years. Fortunately, she had awakened now. Otherwise, would there truly still be a place for the Soul Beast Clan ten thousand years from now?
"Me too," Gu Qiu'er said.
"Then we'll go take a look after classes this afternoon."
Huo Yuhao also wanted to know exactly what level of technology this world possessed. As for the Sun Moon Imperium having a higher level, Huo Yuhao did not care. Could it possibly compare to the Imperium? For some things, a glimpse of one spot through a tube was enough to discern the leopard.
For Huo Yuhao, who possessed the technology of the Old Ones, one of his conditions for helping the Emperor repair the Webway back then had been unrestricted access to study the forbidden knowledge left behind from the Dark Age of Technology.
As for the temptations of the Warp? As a Primarch, unless he willingly joined Chaos, even the four gods could not corrupt him.
After the Emperor found him and learned that Huo Yuhao possessed the technology of the Old Ones, the Emperor had kept him at his side, even after the Ullanor incident. The gods of the Warp had never had a chance to corrupt him.
Even Huo Yuhao's Dawn Stars had not been part of the Emperor's plans. Coupled with the terrible stability of their Gene-seed itself, his legion had numbered fewer than a thousand even when Huo Yuhao died.
He had not even possessed a single Gloriana-class Battleship. Since their numbers were too few and replenishing their ranks was difficult, the Dawn Stars had simply been assigned to defend Terra rather than participate in the Great Crusade.
Pulling his thoughts back, Huo Yuhao decided to see for himself. He would not trust one person's account. Only by seeing it in person could he form an objective and impartial view.
Before you continue