Ideals

The days passed one after another like this. For Huo Yuhao, it was a rare chance to relax.

He attended classes during the day, taught three times a week after class, and visited the Library Pavilion when he had time. To his disappointment, however, there was nothing particularly valuable there. So he simply began coaching Gu Yuena and Gu Qiu'er in combat. Two months passed like this.

During that time, they also returned to the Star Dou Great Forest once to check on the tasks they had assigned. Before leaving, Gu Yuena left behind her study notes from this period and demanded that the Soul Beasts study them, saying she would check regularly. For a time, the Ferocious Beasts were plunged into unspeakable misery.

Originally, she had still been considering whether to make them study at all, since Soul Beasts were generally less intelligent than humans. But Huo Yuhao asked whether they truly could not learn or simply refused to use their brains. Soul Beasts could live for tens of thousands of years; however stupid they were, they ought to be able to learn in that time. That immediately dispelled Gu Yuena's concerns.

Huo Yuhao also left behind a set of plans for a metallurgical production line, though he withheld the core sections-after all, they would not understand them anyway-and demanded that they build it as soon as possible.

Shrek Academy's Soul Tool Department also learned that Huo Yuhao was teaching. However, they did not approach him directly, merely making things considerably easier for him.

After every lesson, He Caitou relayed what Huo Yuhao had taught to Fan Yu and Qian Duoduo, the Soul Tool Department's vice dean. This knowledge sent them wild with joy.

Another weekend arrived, and Huo Yuhao and the two girls gathered beside Sea God Lake. At Gu Qiu'er's strong urging, Huo Yuhao had agreed to cook for them once a week.

"Little Yuhao, we're here to cadge another meal!"

The moment Huo Yuhao heard that voice, he knew who had arrived.

"Xiaoya, I saved some for you."

This was how Tang Ya had asked Huo Yuhao to address her.

To Huo Yuhao's surprise, besides Tang Ya and Bei Bei, there were two others, one of whom was his roommate, Wang Dong.

"Huo Yuhao! You're the great chef Teacher Xiaoya was talking about?" Wang Dong asked in surprise.

"Huh? You know each other?"

"We're roommates, Teacher Xiaoya."

"Now that's quite a coincidence."

"As for this one," Tang Ya tugged at the blonde girl beside her, "this is my roommate, Jiang Nannan, known as the Outer Court's greatest beauty."

Hearing Tang Ya introduce her this way, Gu Yuena could not help looking up at her. Just then, Huo Yuhao held out a grilled fish to Gu Yuena. She promptly stopped paying attention to Jiang Nannan.

"That's just something people say. I think these two are much prettier than me."

"Yeah, no wonder you're never in the dorm unless you're sleeping, Huo Yuhao," Wang Dong said sourly from the side.

"Haha, it's only human nature," Bei Bei stepped in to smooth things over.

"Speaking of which, there are five Soul Elders in your year. That's a first in Shrek Academy's history."

"Five Soul Elders!" Tang Ya, Jiang Nannan, and Wang Dong were all astonished.

"Yes, and the two right in front of you are the most famous ones, the Golden and Silver Dragon Girls."

They were famous partly because of their powerful cultivation, and partly because of the two girls' stunning beauty.

The three stared at Gu Yuena and Gu Qiu'er in shock. They had never expected these two girls, who spent every day with Huo Yuhao, to both have Soul Elder cultivation!

It took quite a while for the three to accept this, but soon everyone was getting along comfortably again.

"By the way, little Yuhao, would you like to join the Tang Sect?" Tang Ya asked somewhat jokingly. "Our Tang Sect has grown stronger again, you know. Your roommate Wang Dong, and Tang Yin, who joined a little while ago, are both geniuses just like you."

Huo Yuhao merely shook his head in refusal.

"Ah, all right." Tang Ya was not discouraged. She knew the chances of Huo Yuhao joining were slim and had only mentioned it in passing.

"Heh-heh, that's right, I've already joined the Tang Sect," Wang Dong said from the side with a "fierce" expression. "With the Tang Sect's cultivation methods, I'll soon beat you until you're scrabbling all over the floor for your teeth."

"Pfft!"

Huo Yuhao did not laugh; he had excellent control over his expression. Gu Qiu'er, however, could not hold it in.

"What? You don't believe me?"

"Ahem, no, I choked on my food. I'll be waiting for that day." Gu Qiu'er replied with a very odd expression, wanting to laugh but forcibly holding it back.

"I was careless the last two times. Though my poor technique was part of the reason too.

"But once I've learned these, I definitely won't lose to you.

"My Soul Power is stronger than yours. In short, the advantage is mine."

"Haha, then I'll be waiting."

Huo Yuhao did not discourage him. For young people, having spirit was a good thing.

"Hoho, what's so amusing? Could you share it with an old man like me?"

An elderly dorm supervisor slowly wheeled himself over.

Huo Yuhao and Gu Yuena remained composed. During their trip back, they had asked Di Tian about him, so they already knew this old man's identity. He was one of the supreme experts of the age, the rank-99 Limit Douluo-Mu En.

"Elder Mu." Bei Bei hurriedly bowed.

"Elder Mu?" The others were surprised. They all knew this elderly dorm supervisor, but judging by Bei Bei's manner, he seemed to be someone quite extraordinary.

"Stand up!" Mu En said with a trace of anger.

Then he turned to the others. "Hoho, when you get old, you enjoy watching young people like you grow, step by step. Not only does it make me feel young again, it also gives me a sense of accomplishment."

Then he looked at Huo Yuhao. "You wouldn't mind an old man joining you, would you?"

Huo Yuhao smiled faintly. "Please."

"Elders often possess greater wisdom. You enlighten the young; how could I refuse?"

"Haha, you certainly have a way with words. This food tastes quite good. Your control of the heat is perfect."

As far as Mu En was concerned, the food Huo Yuhao made could only be described as perfect. Grilling it even a little more or less would affect the texture. Even the timing with which he sprinkled on the seasonings was perfect. Had it been just one or two skewers, that would have been one thing, but every skewer was like this. Mu En could not help marveling.

Originally, Mu En had come to approach Huo Yuhao because of the Soul Tool Department's affairs, but now, seeing his control over Soul Power, he found it an even more pleasant surprise.

"Child, I've heard about what you've been doing over at the Soul Tool Department." Mu En asked after all, "Could you tell me why?"

In fact, the way they treated Huo Yuhao had been at Mu En's instruction. After reading the notes He Caitou had taken, he had spent an entire night deep in thought.

With his experience, he could easily see that this was a system of knowledge entirely different from that of the Douluo Continent (Huo Yuhao had not taught astronomy). He realized that this knowledge was enough to surpass the Sun Moon Imperium in the field of technology, and was the key to Shrek Academy's resurgence.

What he did not understand, however, was why Huo Yuhao would teach them this knowledge for free.

Huo Yuhao raised his head and said with a resolute gaze:

"Learning is everyone's birthright. Knowledge should not be monopolized by a select few. Technology is meant to benefit all humanity."

Mu En fell silent at once.