Chapter 35: Research on Soul Bone and Soul Guidance Device Fusion
Four months later.
Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy – Research Department.
On the rooftop terrace.
Xiao Hongchen walked up with a smile plastered across his face, licking his lips nervously as he sat down next to Huo Yuhao, who was perched casually on the edge of the parapet alongside his sister.
"Yuhao, what are you planning to make as your Level 3 Soul Engineer project?"
That's right—Xiao Hongchen, usually so proud and aloof, was speaking to Huo Yuhao with a hint of flattery.
But he had no choice. Yuhao had taken only three months to reach Level 2 Soul Engineer. And now, just five months later, he was about to become a Level 3 Soul Engineer.
And that was with a whole month spent obtaining a new soul ring instead of researching soul guidance devices! In total, he had spent just nine months on this path, and his progress was nothing short of monstrous.
Xiao Hongchen had always believed himself to be a genius. Yet, when standing beside Huo Yuhao, he had no choice but to admit—catching up to this freak of nature was already becoming a struggle.
Especially when he thought of the recent advancements: the mass production of soul cars, and the unmanned soul aircraft prototype Yuhao had designed—though not made public, Xiao Hongchen had personally seen it. Not only was Yuhao's talent far superior, but even his vision and understanding of soul guidance devices were on a level Xiao Hongchen couldn't match.
At least he hadn't been idle. By now, Xiao Hongchen was already a Level 5 Soul Engineer, and his soul power had reached Rank 49, just shy of Rank 50. His sister, Meng Hongchen had also passed her Level 5 Soul Engineer assessment, with her soul power close behind his own.
He was confident that before the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament, both siblings would become Soul Kings. At the very least, this would slow Yuhao's terrifying pace of catching up.
Yuhao pushed Meng Hongchen's pretty face aside, smiling faintly as he turned to Xiao Hongchen.
"My Level 3 Soul Engineer project, huh? Well, these past few months I've been studying under a teacher, and I came across something quite… interesting. Remember that thousand-year soul bone I bought the other day?"
Meng Hongchen, just pushed aside, froze for a moment, her expression filled with surprise.
"Yuhao, don't tell me… you're planning to work on soul bone and soul guidance device fusion? You're not saying your Level 3 Soul Engineer project will be of that type, are you?"
"You could say that."
Seeing Yuhao nod so casually, Meng Hongchen couldn't help but suck in a sharp breath of cold air.
A soul guidance device crafted with a soul bone as its material—also called a soul bone–featured a soul guidance device—was one of the crowning achievements of Illustrious Virtue Hall. Was Yuhao aiming to challenge something like that for his Level 3 Soul Engineer assessment?
This was no stranger to them. Long ago, Illustrious Virtue Hall had even created a Level 8 close-combat soul guidance device, the Tyrannical Tiger Soul Blade. Its blade had been fused with the right arm bone of a ten-thousand-year-old Tiger Beast. It was breathtaking.
But due to the scarcity of soul bones in the Sun Moon Empire—and the necessity of high-grade soul bones for crafting high-grade soul bone soul guidance devices—such projects had gradually disappeared from public view.
For Yuhao to attempt it as a Level 3 Soul Engineer project was beyond astonishing.
Yuhao naturally understood what they were thinking and smiled in explanation.
"Don't get the wrong idea. Even if I wanted to, my soul power is only at Rank 29 right now. I'm not using rare metals, and the soul bone is only a thousand-year-old one. There's no way I could create the kind of thing you're imagining."
In truth, soul bone soul guidance devices sounded lofty, but there were many limitations. They weren't as convenient as directly fusing a soul bone, which enhances a Soul Master's physique while granting new abilities. Fitting them into soul guidance devices was cumbersome.
Most of the time, the effect gained was merely the solidified soul skill of the bone itself—nothing extraordinary. From a certain perspective, it was almost tasteless.
The only real advantage was that they could significantly reduce soul power consumption.
But Yuhao's choice wasn't about immediate results. He wanted to lay the groundwork for the future. By researching the relationship between soul bones and soul guidance devices now, he could later attempt to fuse soul guidance devices directly into his soul bones.
That way, the soul guidance devices could be stored inside his soul bones, forming the prototype of battle armor. If he could one day cover himself in soul bones, he might forge a full set—an emperor's armor of divine equipment. That would truly defy reason.
And if he combined it with Necromancy…
"Even so, that's already incredible enough, okay?!"
Meng Hongchen stared at Yuhao's calm face and felt her little heart take another blow.
At this moment, she suddenly asked with a smile, "Yuhao, you're almost at Rank 30, aren't you? Time to get your third soul ring soon?"
The thought made her jaw drop again. Over break, he had only been a Rank 20 Soul Grandmaster. When he returned, he was already Rank 27. Now, in just four months, he had advanced another two levels. Even overdosing on medicine wouldn't produce results like that.
If not for her grandfather's explicit warning to keep Yuhao's secrets, she would've already pinned him against a wall and demanded to know how in the world he cultivated.
"Mm. The tournament is three months away. I plan to reach Rank 30 before then and secure my third soul ring."
With weekly medicinal baths, a top-tier meditation technique, and the boosts from Tianmeng and the Ice Empress, two levels in four months wasn't strange at all.
Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen exchanged a glance, their eyes burning with fighting spirit.
They weren't far from Rank 50 themselves. If they worked hard these next few months, becoming Soul Kings before the tournament and obtaining their fifth soul rings wasn't impossible.
"Oh, right." Meng Hongchen suddenly recalled something.
"One week from now, the academy will be holding selections for the tournament's reserve team. Yuhao, make sure you're in good shape."
After all, he still had to take his Rank 3 Soul Engineer assessment. If the timing clashed, it could be troublesome.
"Got it."
The mood eased again.
"Yuhao, want to take a look at my Level 5 Soul Engineer project? It's an array of floating cannons, made of hundreds of miniature hover cannons. They can be controlled with mental power to deliver multi-angle saturation strikes—though the energy consumption is huge."
Meng Hongchen giggled.
"Brother, you just want another chance to experience Yuhao's Spiritual Detection Sharing, don't you?"
"…Well, yes." Xiao Hongchen admitted shamelessly.
Since their relationship had grown closer, both siblings had already experienced Yuhao's soul skills. The Spiritual Puppets were beyond comprehension, but after trying Spiritual Detection Sharing once, Xiao Hongchen had become addicted.
That sense of controlling soul guidance devices with pinpoint accuracy, with the entire battlefield under his grasp, was unforgettable.
Yuhao patted Xiao Hongchen on the shoulder. "Next time. When the reserve selection happens, the three of us will give them a big surprise. Then you'll experience it properly."
This also meant bringing the siblings onto his side. If a chaotic melee like that against Shrek broke out, at least he wouldn't risk being instantly eliminated.
"Nice!"
Meng Hongchen was even happier than her brother. The thought of standing shoulder to shoulder with Yuhao in battle filled her with excitement.
"Also," Yuhao added thoughtfully, "you two should spend more time practicing your Martial Soul Fusion Skill. In the tournament, that could become the deciding trump card."
"No problem!"
(End of Chapter)