Chapter 21: Aren't You a Face-Con, Meng?
As Huo Yuhao successively took out the level 9 triggered soul guidance device, Hongchen's Blessing, and the level 9 storage soul guidance device, Starlight Ring, Tianmeng's gaze locked onto them and simply refused to move away.
For a long while, she examined the functions of both soul guidance devices before sighing in admiration.
"Yuhao, this so-called Hongchen's Blessing… even at my peak, I wouldn't be able to break it. The key is, this thing has no soul power requirement for the user. From now on, we have another life-saving trump card."
"Don't belittle yourself, Tianmeng. Your specialty is spiritual power—why are you always thinking about using those short legs of yours for physical attacks? Besides, you're a soul body now; you can't even trigger Hongchen's Blessing's passive ability."
Tianmeng felt a pang in her heart, but she was already used to it.
"And that Starlight Ring… the space inside is huge. It can even store living creatures! If I weren't your Wisdom Soul Ring right now, I'd want to go in and try it out myself."
"My original plan was to use my discarded shell, which became an external soul bone, to hide you when we reached the Extreme North. Now it seems the problem is solved—this level 9 storage soul guidance device's concealment effect can completely mask your aura."
Huo Yuhao knew why she was saying this and promised earnestly:
"Don't worry, Tianmeng. I promised you I'd accompany you to the Extreme North. We share honor and disgrace; our fates are bound together."
In the Spiritual Sea, Tianmeng squirmed and quietly turned her back to him, muttering softly:
"Yuhao, you… You're making me so touched I could cry."
"Alright, Tianmeng, enough with the sentimentality. Let's start our super-accelerated soul power cultivation."
"Yuhao, you're such a mood-killer. No girl will ever like you like this."
"Oh? Then you must be very liked by the Ice Empress, right?"
"Yuhao!!"
After some playful bickering, Huo Yuhao affixed Hongchen's Blessing to his body, then took out the Mystic Water Pill he had been rewarded earlier from the Starlight Ring.
There was only one month left in the semester, and he no longer planned to continue researching level 3 soul guidance devices. His training path was already set—to focus on raising his soul power level.
Besides, his earlier goal of attracting attention through soul guidance devices, showcasing his talent, and gaining resources and backing had already been achieved. From now on, soul master cultivation would take priority, with soul guidance device research as a supplement, ensuring his strength increased while also building a solid foundation in soul guidance device knowledge.
After all, soul guidance devices could never be abandoned. The current lack of power was only because he hadn't yet found the right path.
And for Huo Yuhao, that wasn't a problem at all. Once he obtained Life Gold and revived Electrolux, combining the Undead Demi-plane and necromancy with soul guidance devices… he couldn't even imagine how fun it would be.
So, while it wasn't urgent in the short term, it was crucial in the long run.
As for his cultivation plan, first take the Mystic Water Pill to further enhance his physique, then consume the Soul-Ascension Pill, and finally acquire Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber to strengthen his body.
Huo Yuhao estimated that after taking the Mystic Water Pill—plus the transformations from Tianmeng's origin soul power under the influence of [Strong Luck]—his innate soul power and cultivation speed would be on par with those born with full innate soul power.
The steps were all interconnected. After all, the soul power that the Soul Ascension Pill could raise was equivalent to Soul Elder Rank 30 to Rank 31. With the Mystic Water Pill on top, his Rank could go from 16 to 19. Then the Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber would greatly improve his body, solidifying his foundation.
And if he remembered correctly, his teacher also had a medicinal bath prepared. Even if the whale rubber didn't solidify his foundation or increase soul power, he wouldn't have to worry about unstable cultivation.
All in all, with these rare resources in hand, a month was more than enough for him to reach rank 20 before heading to the Extreme North during the break.
Of course, he'd need a good excuse when the time came—after all, the matter of the Ice Empress's sacrifice couldn't be allowed to worry his teacher.
Adjusting his mindset, he was about to put the Mystic Water Pill into his mouth when he suddenly remembered something and rushed to the private bathroom. He almost forgot—the pill could cleanse his marrow and expel impurities, and he didn't want to dirty his bed and have to clean it himself later.
—
While Huo Yuhao was hiding in his dorm, popping pills, a storm-like rumor swept through the entire Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy.
Teaching Department, First-Year Class Three
"What did you just say? That handsome guy Huo Yuhao became a Level 2 Soul Engineer in just three months and passed both assessments with full marks? Are you kidding me?!"
"Teacher Shi Xuan said so himself, and the teaching director was there too. No way it's fake."
"They say the soul guidance device—the lathe that has recently boosted our metal-shaping efficiency was all his creations."
"So he broke the record for the fastest promotion to level 2 soul engineer?"
"Damn, he's even more impressive than upperclassman Xiao Hongchen! No wonder we never see him after class."
"And to think he had never even touched a soul guidance device before!"
"Tsk tsk, the most talented soul guidance device researcher in a thousand years of the Sun Moon Empire has been replaced."
—
Sixth-Year Class
A white-haired, lively young girl looked at her sulking older brother and teased him on purpose.
"Hehe, remind me—how long did it take you to become a level 2 soul engineer? Nine months, wasn't it?"
"Now your record's been broken by an eleven-year-old junior. Don't you have anything to say, big brother?"
Xiao Hongchen's eyelids twitched as he looked at his sister's gloating expression.
"Hmph. That kid became a level 1 soul engineer in just one month. When he made that lathe, Grandfather already said his talent was no worse than ours. He'll be one of our best companions as we grow."
"I even met him once in secret and put my painstakingly written research notes in front of him—but he didn't even care."
Was there envy? A little.
Jealousy? Not at all.
It was laughable—Xiao Hongchen admitted the boy's talent was comparable to his own, but the title of "most gifted soul engineer of the past thousand years" wasn't for nothing.
Having a peer like this to grow alongside him was something he looked forward to. After all, walking the path to strength alone and gazing at the scenery in solitude was far too boring. A partner—or rival—like this would make the future far more exciting. This was the open-mindedness of the Hongchen family's descendants.
He then shot his sister a playful glance.
"Meng, Grandfather said, that the boy's only eleven. I've seen him once from afar in the library. Forget his talent—just in looks, even your big brother here can't compare."
"Aren't you a face-con, Meng? How about we go meet him tomorrow?"
—
End of Chapter