Xuan Ziwen stroked his chin thoughtfully, gazing intently at Huo Yuhao. " Yuhao, your words just now were indeed thought-provoking. However..." He changed the subject, a probing glint in his eyes.
Despite having already reached the cultivation level of Four-Ring Soul Ancestor, his Martial Soul has yet to be equipped with Soul Ring. It's important to know that stagnant Soul Power is a major taboo for us Soul Engineer.
He stood up, brushed off non-existent dust from his robes, and said in a more relaxed tone, "How about this, I'll go with you to hunt for a suitable Soul Ring sometime?"
Huo Yuhao chuckled softly upon hearing this, a subtle, complex emotion flashing in his eyes. "I appreciate Teacher Xuan's kindness. However..." he shook his head slightly, "I'm confident in my abilities. Besides..." he paused, "I prefer to act alone."
"Is that so?" Xuan Ziwen looked Huo Yuhao over meaningfully, his gaze lingering on him for a moment before he nodded and said, "Very well, judging from the aura emanating from you, I really don't need to worry about you."
As he spoke, he slowly walked towards the still-sleeping Ju Zi, a sly glint in his eyes. Suddenly, he raised his voice and shouted, "Dinner's ready! Dinner's served!"
The shout exploded like thunder in the laboratory. Ju Zi, who had been dozing off, sprang up as if electrocuted. Her long hair drew a graceful arc in the air, and her sleepy face was filled with eagerness. "Ah! Time to eat!"
She hurriedly straightened her clothes, muttering to herself, "I have to hurry, or the shrimp and eel noodles will be sold out!"
To Huo Yuhao's astonishment, the girl who had been as languid as a cat just a moment ago was now as agile as a rabbit, rushing out of the laboratory door in the blink of an eye, her speed as if she had installed propellers on her shoes.
"Hahaha!" Xuan Ziwen couldn't help but burst into laughter at the sight, tears welling up in his eyes.
However, the good times didn't last long. Soon after, Ju Zi stormed back, furious. Her pretty face flushed red, and a bright orange Ju Zi suddenly appeared in her hand. Without a word, she grabbed the Ju Zi and threw it at Xuan Ziwen: "You tricked me again! Take this!"
One after another, golden Ju Zi flew towards Xuan Ziwen like a barrage of bullets.
"Hey, hey, just kidding!" At first Xuan Ziwen could calmly catch a few, but he quickly lost his composure under the dense "firepower" of Ju Zi. While frantically dodging, he called out to Huo Yuhao for help, " Yuhao! Don't just watch, come and help!"
Seeing this, Huo Yuhao smiled slightly and flashed into the battle. Unlike Xuan Ziwen's disheveled state, his attacks were as smooth as flowing water. Although he did not release his Martial Soul, it was as if he had generated the supernatural power of the Thousand-Hand Guanyin.
He caught every flying Ju Zi with precision, and they slid down his sides to the ground, none of them able to break through his defenses.
Xuan Ziwen adjusted his glasses, panting, and laughed, "See that? This is a true master of 'catching Ju Zi '."
Huo Yuhao bent down and picked up an Ju Zi, his slender fingers gently stroking the peel. "Senior Ju Zi's technique is very precise, but the pressure..." He paused deliberately, "Is still a bit lacking."
Ju Zi stomped her foot in anger, but as she turned around, she accidentally stepped on the scattered Ju Zi and slid forward.
Just at this critical moment, Huo Yuhao suddenly appeared in front of her. His movements were so fast that he almost became a blur. His left hand steadily supported Ju Zi's slender lower back, while his right hand gently grasped her waving wrist.
"Be careful." His voice was soft, but it instantly silenced the entire laboratory.
The two remained like this, Huo Yuhao's gaze seemingly piercing through the vast expanse of time. Ju Zi suddenly felt a tightness in her chest, a strange sense of familiarity welling up inside her, as if... they had met somewhere before.
"You..." Her voice trembled slightly.
"It seems..." Xuan Ziwen said meaningfully, "You two are quite destined for each other."
Ju Zi stormed up to Xuan Ziwen, her pink cheeks puffed out slightly. " Teacher Xuan! If you lie to me like this again, I'm going to apply to change my advisor!" She stomped her foot, her hair swaying gently with the movement, shimmering like satin in the sunlight.
Xuan Ziwen casually pushed up his glasses, a sly glint in his eyes behind the lenses. "Who can blame us for being Ju Zi gourmets? (I originally wanted to write about an irresistible little glutton, but that seems a bit odd.)"
He deliberately replaced "foodie" with a more polite term, saying, "If you hadn't reacted so dramatically, you wouldn't have been so easily fooled."
"Hmph!" Ju Zi turned her face away, but her eyes unconsciously glanced at Huo Yuhao standing to the side.
"Alright, you two haven't officially met yet, have you?" Xuan Ziwen changed the subject at the opportune moment, giving Huo Yuhao a wink. " Yuhao?"
Huo Yuhao took a step forward, sunlight streaming through the window casting dappled shadows on his handsome profile. "Hello, Ju Zi," he said softly, yet with a peculiar rhythm. "My name is Huo Yuhao."
Ju Zi turned around, a complex emotion flashing in her obsidian-like eyes. The profound insights Huo Yuhao had shared about war and peace seemed to still echo in her ears. "Hello, I'm Ju Zi." She tried to make her voice sound calm, but couldn't hide the slight tremor at the end.
This brief exchange ended quickly.
Ju Zi waved her hand, her tone returning to its usual languidness. "I need to get back to my research." She patted her flat stomach and muttered, "But I need to find something to eat first, I'm starving... I completely forgot to eat this morning."
Before she finished speaking, she had already turned and walked towards the door.
The lab door closed softly, Ju Zi leaned against the corridor wall, her chest rising and falling slightly. She couldn't understand why the boy she had never met looked at her with such... peculiar eyes.
The tenderness and familiarity in his gaze seemed to transcend time, stirring a strange flutter in her heart. But she quickly shook her head and hurried away.
Xuan Ziwen also quickly took his leave, and in the blink of an eye, only Huo Yuhao remained in the huge laboratory.
Huo Yuhao stood alone in front of the sun-drenched workbench. Instead of chasing after the Ju Zi to the cafeteria, he casually picked up an Ju Zi and peeled it.
The glistening flesh shimmered enticingly in the sunlight. He tasted a segment, and a smile involuntarily crept onto his lips. The sweetness of the flesh blossomed on his tongue, and he chuckled softly, "It's quite sweet."
His gaze swept over the Ju Zi scattered on the ground, and he muttered to himself, "Come to think of it, I haven't had breakfast either."
Looking at the mountain of Ju Zi piled on the table, he chuckled, "With so many Ju Zi, there's enough to fill my stomach."
Huo Yuhao completed the Soul Tool assignment given by Xuan Ziwen almost without hesitation. Those Soul Tool, which were obscure and difficult for ordinary students, were as simple as building blocks for a child in his hands.
Long, slender fingers traced the metal surface, each engraving so precise it seemed as if measured with a ruler.
"This level of assignment..." He shook his head, a hint of helplessness flashing in his eyes. Even if he were asked to make a level Class 9 Soul Cannon now, as long as he had all the materials, he could easily complete it with his current Soul Power Level.
After all, his experience from his previous life had already made him a master of Soul Tool, far surpassing the limitations of his time.
After confirming that no one was around, Huo Yuhao's consciousness sank into the Lotus Sea of Divine Soul.
P. S.: Please feel free to comment! Everyone seems to have become quiet lately.