In the Star Luo Empire, the vacant lot on the east side of the imperial palace was as bustling as ever.
Hundreds of craftsmen and laborers shuttled busily across the construction site; just over a month ago, this place had been nothing but ruins where the old prince's mansion had just been leveled.
Now, however, the foundation, several zhang deep, had been completely poured. Massive bluestone pedestals rose from the earth like the bones of a giant beast, and the crisscrossing load-bearing columns had taken shape, outlining the prototype of a magnificent building.
The builders were gathered around large blueprints, directing the craftsmen to build walls and erect beams and columns according to the detailed design plan provided by Huo Yuhao.
At the current pace, within a year, the first Spirit Pagoda on the continent would surely rise from the ground, standing proudly beside the Star Luo Imperial City.
Meanwhile, the three-story stone building in the southeast corner of Star Luo City had also undergone a complete transformation.
A brand-new plaque with gold lettering on a black background hung above the main entrance, inscribed with three vigorous characters—Spirit Transmitting Hall.
In the first few days after the plaque was hung, passersby only glanced at it out of curiosity, but as time passed, many well-informed merchants and Spirit Masters began to develop a keen interest in this unassuming little building.
Some tried to get close to investigate, but were stopped by guards before they could even reach the entrance.
The more mysterious it was, the more it sparked speculation. Now, in the streets, alleys, restaurants, and teahouses of Star Luo City, many people were earnestly analyzing what exactly this Spirit Transmitting Hall, which had appeared out of nowhere, was all about.
Some said it was a new type of Spirit Tool workshop secretly organized by the imperial family; others said it was a contact point set up in Star Luo City by some reclusive Sect; still others claimed with certainty that it contained a Heaven And Earth Treasure capable of raising a Spirit Master's Aptitude out of thin air.
Opinions varied, and no one could agree, yet not a single person could guess what kind of stormy waves this Spirit Transmitting Hall would stir up across the entire continent in the future.
At this moment, on the third floor of the Spirit Transmitting Hall, a spacious room that had originally served as a storage closet had been completely renovated; the windows were bright and clean, the walls had been repainted, and the floor was paved with smooth stone slabs.
Dozens of brand-new desks were arranged neatly, and behind each desk sat some young Soul Engineers. Their eyes were bright and focused as they stared ahead, their pens moving rapidly across their notebooks to record every point, fearing they might miss a single word.
On the podium, Huo Yuhao had just put down the chalk in his hand, his fingertips and sleeves still dusted with white powder. He rested his hands on the edge of the podium and leaned slightly forward. His clear voice was not loud, but it reached the ears of every Student present with perfect clarity.
"For Spirit Tools of the same grade, their power ultimately depends on three core elements: the precision of the manufacturing process, the grade and compatibility of the Materials, and the design and engraving standard of the core Spirit Tool Formation..."
Although Huo Yuhao was younger than all the Soul Engineers present, over the past month or so, he had completely conquered everyone in the room with his Spirit Tool technology.
In the circle of Soul Engineers, everything else was superficial; whether you were capable or not only required crafting a Spirit Tool by hand, and who was stronger or weaker would be immediately clear.
Not to mention Huo Yuhao's hands, which were steady to the point of being abnormal, and his fluid, effortless crafting techniques, the many Formation structures and energy circuits contained in the few new Spirit Tools he had casually demonstrated were things none of those present had ever seen in any classic text.
It could be said that each piece was enough to make these Soul Engineers—who could be considered elites in the Star Luo Empire—eyes shine with excitement, as if they had obtained a precious treasure.
Therefore, facing such "unreserved" teaching from Huo Yuhao, these Soul Engineers were naturally studying diligently and tirelessly.
There was no need for Huo Yuhao to nag them every day; their drive was even greater than it had been when they were in the Soul Engineer academy trying to pass their graduation exams.
"Knock, knock, knock!"
A knock on the door came from outside the classroom, interrupting the essential technique for engraving a core Formation that Huo Yuhao was explaining.
He put down the chalk in his hand, and with a sweep of his invisible mental force, he already knew what was happening.
The corners of his mouth curled up slightly, and he wrapped up his lesson with a nonchalant tone, facing the dozens of pairs of focused and eager eyes below.
"I have some matters to attend to, so let's stop here for today."
"You can study the few Formation key points I just explained on your own after you go back, and if you have any questions, we can address them together in the next class."
After saying this, he turned and walked toward the door.
The dozens of Soul Engineers below, who had been immersed in the ocean of knowledge, stood up almost simultaneously in perfect unison, clearly following an established rule.
They watched Huo Yuhao's slender figure walk to the door and shouted in unison, "Thank you, Hall Master!"
Huo Yuhao pushed the door open and saw a short-haired woman leaning against the windowsill in the corridor, waiting for him.
She was Xi Xi from the Shrek Inner Court, one of the first core members Huo Yuhao had recruited. Now, she was also the head steward of the Spirit Transmitting Hall, and she managed everything, big and small, with perfect order.
"Senior Sister, let's go." Huo Yuhao nodded slightly at her, not even asking why Xi Xi had come to find him.
Xi Xi was not the least bit surprised, simply following half a step behind him in a natural manner. She knew that with Huo Yuhao's unfathomable mental force, he had likely already probed the identity of the visitor clearly and had no need for her to waste her breath.
The two of them stepped down the wooden stairs to the first floor one after the other, walked through a corridor covered with a plain-colored carpet, and arrived in front of the reception room at the end of the hall.
Xi Xi hurried a few steps ahead to open the door for him, and as soon as Huo Yuhao stepped inside, he saw two familiar figures.
His gaze first fell upon a tall young man who was rising from a chair. This person was burly and sturdy, with dark, shining skin, and standing there, he looked like an iron tower. Despite his rugged and bold appearance, his honest face currently wore a slightly shy smile.
A genuine smile also bloomed on Huo Yuhao's face, and his tone held a hint of surprise: "Senior Brother He, why are you here?"
The person who had come was none other than He Caitou, a Genius Student from the Shrek Academy Soul Tool Department.
He Caitou grinned: "I have officially graduated from Shrek Academy. Dean Qian sent me here; he said that I would be able to learn new things by following you."
"The Dean also said that if you need manpower in the future, he can recommend some graduates from the academy's Soul Tool Department to come over."
Upon hearing this, Huo Yuhao's clear eyes flickered slightly, and in an instant, he had processed the information hidden behind these words in his mind.
He was no stranger to the two Deans of Shrek Academy.
The Dean of the Spirit Hall Department, Yan Shaozhe, had initially treated him so well that he wanted to hold him in the palm of his hand. He spoke of cherishing talent, but deep down, it was merely to bind Huo Yuhao firmly to the great ship of Shrek Academy.
Later, when Huo Yuhao proposed leaving the academy to develop on his own, Yan Shaozhe's enthusiastic mask was torn to shreds; when bribery failed, he turned hostile and resorted to threats, the speed of his change chilling to the bone.
As for the Dean of the Soul Tool Department, Qian Duoduo, although he was also a notoriously shrewd person with a belly full of schemes and never took a loss, at least he acted openly and honestly, with clear pricing for trades, leaving a rather good impression on Huo Yuhao.
That He Caitou could rank among the Shrek Seven Devils in the original historical trajectory as a pure Soul Engineer showed just how stunning his talent and attainments in Spirit Tools were.
To think that Qian Duoduo would be willing to send such a top Genius from the Soul Tool Department over; he had truly made a heavy investment.
He could be almost certain that the commotion the Spirit Transmitting Hall had stirred up in Star Luo City during this time had likely already seen some information leaked back to Shrek Academy through certain channels.
Huo Yuhao's judgment was spot on; among the Soul Engineers he had recruited, not all were from the Star Luo Empire; some were graduates of the Shrek Academy Soul Tool Department.
When Huo Yuhao was at Shrek Academy, although Qian Duoduo knew the boy had quite a bit of talent in Spirit Tools, he actually didn't have much of a concept of to what extent.
After all, during his time at the academy, Huo Yuhao's main energy had been focused on his Spirit Cultivation.
But the information that had recently been sent back to the academy had given Qian Duoduo a great shock.
That Student had not sent back any specific Spirit Tool blueprints, but according to his description, the Spirit Tool knowledge Huo Yuhao possessed was completely ahead of this era.
Not to mention Shrek Academy, even the Sun Moon Empire, which claimed to have the most advanced Spirit Tool technology on the continent, would likely be unable to catch up.
Now, Qian Duoduo could no longer sit still. He immediately put down all his work and, in his capacity as the Dean of the Soul Tool Department, urgently convened a Sea God Pavilion meeting.
It could only be said that Shrek was still Shrek; it was never just Yan Shaozhe alone who was the problem.
At the Sea God Pavilion meeting urgently convened by Qian Duoduo, he detailed the shocking talent and strength Huo Yuhao had displayed in the realm of Spirit Tools.
However, after he finished speaking, even with these elders knowing that a Limit Douluo stood behind Huo Yuhao, someone still proposed sending people to infiltrate the Spirit Transmitting Hall to steal the Spirit Tool blueprints at any cost!
And this proposal was not only not rejected on the spot, but actually received nodding support from several of the elders present.
In the end, it was the Master of the Sea God Pavilion, Elder Mu, who spoke up and directly vetoed this ridiculous proposal. Subsequently, he instructed Qian Duoduo to exchange sincerity for sincerity and to show genuine intent to cooperate with Huo Yuhao.
That was why He Caitou had come, and why Qian Duoduo had made the promise that "graduates from the Soul Tool Department can be recommended here in the future."
Although Huo Yuhao was not aware of the undercurrents within the Sea God Pavilion, he had never been afraid of others stealing his techniques from the very beginning when he decided to publicly recruit Soul Engineers in Star Luo City.
"Those who learn from me live, those who mimic me die!"
Possessing technology that is Ten Thousand Years ahead—this was Huo Yuhao's confidence.
So, he smiled and patted He Caitou's thick, powerful arm, saying in a hearty tone: "That's great; I'm just short of people here."
After chatting warmly with He Caitou about recent events, Huo Yuhao finally slowly turned his gaze toward the other figure in the reception room.
Huo Yuhao's gaze fell upon that person, but his brows furrowed slightly: "Why are you here?"
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A/N:
I hope all of you are enjoying this story so far. I would appreciate some Power Stones if you can spare any. Leave a review if you like the story. Thank you.