The golden light wings flashed across the high sky, and the golden glow suddenly intensified.
It was like observing the outside world through the water's surface from underwater. Xu Zihuang, inside the golden membrane, only felt the surrounding scenery instantly become illusory. However, the people from Shrek Academy within the light membrane felt no discomfort at all.
They couldn't even hear the sound of the wind. If not for the rapidly passing scenery outside, they might not have realised they were flying at high speed in the air.
Experiencing such wonders up close, Fan Yu's expression grew increasingly grave. Beyond the gravity, there was more helplessness and bitterness.
The gap in soul tool technology between them and the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy was simply too vast.
Fortunately, Elder Mu had decisively ordered Shrek Academy to fully develop soul tools, giving them a chance to catch up. If they had continued to cling to old ways, they would inevitably be eliminated one day.
The future belonged to soul tools.
Xu Zihuang also fell into deep thought.
Relying on the dynamic vision granted by his Golden Eyes martial soul, he could roughly estimate the speed at which Jing Hongchen was flying with them. It was surprisingly faster than when Elder Xuan had flown with them, and it was even more stable.
One must know that Jing Hongchen's soul power cultivation was only at level 93, while Elder Xuan was a level 98 super powerhouse. The gap in their cultivation was like heaven and earth.
This was the advantage of soul tools.
He was certain that when he was young, the Sun Moon Empire's technology in flying soul tools was definitely not this advanced.
But nearly a decade had passed, and soul tool development had progressed rapidly, so technological breakthroughs were only natural.
If flying soul tools were like this, then those used for war, with powerful, destructive capabilities, were even more formidable.
Thus, what best served his current interests was to make the continent's situation turbulent, but not allow the Sun Moon Empire to unify it so easily.
Facing a fully unified nation single-handedly was too unrealistic.
As he had always believed, he needed more time to enhance his strength.
"Everyone, are you comfortable?" Jing Hongchen's voice came through. This flying soul tool, at its current stage, still couldn't allow him, the user, to be inside the light membrane with everyone else.
But even so, it was enough to make Fan Yu genuinely admire it.
"The flying soul tool demonstrated by Hall Master Hongchen is astonishing. I never imagined your academy's research in soul tools had reached such a level," Fan Yu said sincerely.
"It's still far from enough," Jing Hongchen laughed heartily.
"Although our Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy leads in soul tool technology, when it comes to top-tier talent, we are far behind your Shrek Academy. I heard from Meng that in the finals of the last Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Duelling Tournament, it was your academy's Yu Tianhuang who single-handedly defeated both her and Xiao."
As soon as Jing Hongchen said this, except for Fan Yu and He Caitou, who were already aware, the other eight inner court soul tool students all looked at Xu Zihuang in shock.
Because Xu Zihuang and He Caitou were secretly carrying out the Ultimate Soldier Plan, these eight inner court soul tool students didn't know much about them.
Undoubtedly, the "Meng" and "Xiao" Jing Hongchen mentioned were Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen, the sibling leaders of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy's team.
The specifics of the last Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Duelling Tournament hadn't been widely publicised by Shrek Academy. However, they had a general understanding of the Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen siblings.
In the last tournament, those siblings were already Soul Kings and level 5 soul engineers.
No wonder Dean Yan and Teacher Fan Yu valued him so highly.
"Hall Master Hongchen is correct. In terms of top-tier talent, your Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy indeed can't compare to our Shrek Academy, whether in the past, present, or future," Xu Zihuang replied calmly, his words devoid of much emotion but brimming with unmistakable pride.
During the two-and-a-half-year study at the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy, Elder Mu's advice was to showcase his talent as a soul master as much as possible while moderately concealing his abilities as a soul engineer. The exact balance was up to him.
There was no need to hold back too much. As long as he didn't blow up the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy, Elder Mu would ensure his safety.
Of course, those weren't Elder Mu's exact words, but the meaning was the same.
Xu Zihuang's original personality was extremely proud, so this was, in a way, him staying true to himself.
Fan Yu understood this inwardly but showed a helpless expression on the surface, playing along with Xu Zihuang's act.
"Hall Master Hongchen, in truth, your academy's Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen are also rare talents," Fan Yu said.
Jing Hongchen's expression remained unchanged, but his gaze deepened. Fan Yu's words seemed to praise his grandchildren, but anyone with discernment could hear the underlying meaning.
The implication was that Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen's talents were inferior to Yu Tianhuang's.
But in the face of facts, he had to acknowledge this.
"That's why I've arranged for Xiao and Meng to visit your academy for this exchange, hoping they can grow," Jing Hongchen sighed lightly. He couldn't help but lament inwardly why a talent like Yu Tianhuang wasn't from the Sun Moon Empire.
The Sun Moon Empire had abundant rare metal resources, allowing their soul tool technology to develop rapidly. But for some reason, when it came to top-tier soul masters, the Sun Moon Empire always seemed less favoured by the heavens.
"However, as their grandfather, I must thank you on Xiao's behalf for showing mercy back then. I can promise now that from the moment you enter the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy until the exchange ends, you can study in the Mingde Hall at any time," Jing Hongchen said.
Jing Hongchen's personality wasn't fundamentally different from Xiao Hongchen's, perhaps even more prideful, yet he could be considered upright and honourable.
As long as Yu Tianhuang didn't access the Mingde Hall's most core research, he could let him study freely.
The Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy's soul tool technology was centuries ahead of the original Douluo Continent's three empires. What could Yu Tianhuang, alone, possibly do?
This decision wasn't just about repaying a favour, as he claimed. It also stemmed from his own pride.
Hearing this, the eight inner court soul tool students couldn't hide their envy.
Even Fan Yu and He Caitou were momentarily stunned by this unexpected boon.
They were all here to cover for Yu Tianhuang. They hadn't expected to achieve their goal so easily before even arriving at the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy.
"Hall Master Hongchen, I think it was just a match. There's no need to make it a life-or-death matter," Xu Zihuang said frankly.
"But is Hall Master Hongchen truly so confident in letting me study at the Mingde Hall?"
"Though I'm not one to make grand promises, since I've said it, I won't go back on my word. As for how much you can learn, that depends on your own ability," Jing Hongchen smiled, his eyes full of appreciation. Pride was never a flaw, provided you had the capital and ability to back it up.
Yu Tianhuang was very much to his liking.
"Alright, everyone, we need to pick up the pace."
The capital of the Sun Moon Empire was called Sun Moon City, also known as Mingdu. As the capital, Mingdu's scale could only be described as majestic.
Even the combined capitals of the Heavenly Soul, Dou Ling, and Star Luo Empires couldn't match half of Mingdu's size.
When they could faintly see Mingdu's outline, it was already late that night. Looking out, there was a vast expanse of buildings stretching endlessly. Most were over five stories tall.
Buildings over ten stories were also common. Thanks to advanced soul tool technology, the Sun Moon Empire's architectural achievements far surpassed those of the original Douluo Continent.
Above Mingdu, Jing Hongchen slowed the flying speed, allowing everyone to clearly appreciate the city's vibrant nightscape.
Countless soul guide lamps adorned the boundless city, illuminating it brightly, with lights and stars reflecting each other. Amid the myriad lights, there were faint fluctuations of soul power.
Looking down at Mingdu, Xu Zihuang's gaze flickered slightly.
Since being exiled overseas at age five, nearly a decade had passed.
Back then, his father, the most powerful prince of the Sun Moon Empire who controlled the military, naturally had a mansion in Mingdu. Though Xu Zihuang usually stayed in the imperial palace when visiting Mingdu, he was quite familiar with the city.
After flying for over a quarter of an hour, a hexagonal area outlined by lights finally appeared in the distance.
The area enclosed by the hexagonal lights was comparable to an average mid-sized city. It contained various buildings, but most of the space was open land.
This hexagonal area was the territory of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy.
The golden light descended, and Jing Hongchen landed with everyone on a wide square.
Over a dozen people were already waiting to greet them.
Leading them was a short, stout middle-aged man who looked slightly younger than Jing Hongchen.
The man quickly stepped forward and respectfully saluted Jing Hongchen.
"Hall Master, everything is arranged."
Jing Hongchen chuckled, "Let me introduce you. This is Lin Jiayi, the dean of education at our Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy. For the next two and a half years, your studies and daily life will be closely tied to him. Jiayi, arrange things for the students. Teacher Fan Yu, come with me."
With that, Jing Hongchen took Fan Yu and left. Before leaving, Fan Yu didn't even glance at Xu Zihuang or He Caitou.
He trusted that the two students he had trained knew what to do next.
Lin Jiayi watched Jing Hongchen disappear before turning his attention to the group. With a wave of his right hand, the flesh on his face jiggled.
The teachers from the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy who had come with him handed trays to Xu Zihuang and the others, one by one.
"Welcome to the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy. For the next two and a half years, we will provide you with the best learning environment. Like our other students, you all have the opportunity to take the Mingde Hall assessment. If you pass, you can officially become a member of the Mingde Hall until the exchange ends."
"The trays contain our academy's map, student handbook, and the keys to your accommodations. To help you get fitted for our academy's uniforms as soon as possible, we'll need you to follow me for a simple physical test to record your physical condition. If you need any assistance in the future, feel free to come to me."
Lin Jiayi didn't rush to take them for the physical test, giving them some time to adjust.
Though Jing Hongchen's flying soul tool was highly effective, spending eight or nine hours in the air could still require some acclimation.
Xu Zihuang and He Caitou, with their superior physical conditions, had the steadiest steps.
Among the other eight, the one who performed just behind them was a student named Ye Xiaosheng. He and He Caitou were the only two level 6 soul engineers in Shrek Academy's team, at least on the surface.
Before arriving at the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy, everyone wore badges indicating their soul engineer level on their chests, making them easy to identify. Xu Zihuang wore a level 5 soul engineer badge.
Even so, it had initially caught Jing Hongchen's attention.
Taking advantage of the break, everyone studied the academy's map.
Though Xu Zihuang knew a bit about the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy, he couldn't show anything unusual.
The academy was divided into three main areas: the teaching area, the dormitory area, and the testing area.
The testing area alone accounted for over two-thirds of the total space. The Mingde Hall was located in the central part of the testing area, marked with a red circle.
The teaching and dormitory areas were roughly equal in size.
Like Shrek Academy's outer court, the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy was divided into six grades. The teaching area had twelve teaching buildings, meaning each grade occupied two buildings.
In terms of scale, the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy admitted far more students than Shrek Academy.
The academy's entry requirements were low: students only needed a soul power level above 10, one soul ring, and to be under twelve years old. Other factors were irrelevant.
After enrollment, age was no longer a strict criterion for grade division.
At the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy, as long as your soul engineering skills reached level 1, you could advance to the second grade, and so on. Compared to Shrek Academy's harsh elimination system, the learning atmosphere here was much more relaxed.
Of course, there were still age limits. If you couldn't become a level 3 soul engineer by age eighteen, you'd have to leave and fend for yourself. But if you met that goal, you could stay until age twenty-five. If you became a level 5 soul engineer before twenty-five, you could qualify for the Mingde Hall assessment.
Because of this, the lower grades had the most students. For example, the first grade had thirty-two classes, each with forty students, totalling over a thousand. The higher the grade, the fewer the students.
By the sixth grade, there were often only a few dozen students. Sixth-grade students no longer attended classes but trained and studied under their respective mentors.
Seeing that everyone had adjusted, Lin Jiayi clapped his hands.
"Alright, boys, follow me. After the physical test, you can return to rest. Each dormitory building has its own cafeteria, open all day. If you need to eat, you can head there."
With Dean Yan Shaozhe and Fan Yu's high regard for Xu Zihuang, and Jing Hongchen's promise to let him study at the Mingde Hall, the group subtly began to see him as their leader, even if Xu Zihuang himself didn't care.
The inner court soul tool students from Shrek Academy weren't fools. Befriending a genius of this calibre could greatly benefit their future. Moreover, Yu Tianhuang was also a level 5 soul engineer, which eliminated much of their reluctance. Strength was always the ultimate truth in the Douluo Continent.
When in doubt, show respect; no hesitation needed.
Even Ye Xiaosheng, who had wanted to take the lead, stayed silent. After all, He Caitou, a level 6 soul engineer, seemed very close to Yu Tianhuang. He wasn't about to make a fool of himself.
Reluctantly, Xu Zihuang had to walk at the front with He Caitou.
Lin Jiayi led them to a spacious room at the far east end of the first floor of the first-grade teaching building, labelled "Physical Testing Room" above the door.
The moment they stepped inside, the soul guide lamps on the ceiling lit up automatically.
Soft soul guide light poured down, revealing numerous large soul tools in the room.
These soul tools were familiar to Xu Zihuang and He Caitou, who had used them frequently in childhood to monitor their physical condition. This allowed them to use treasures suited to their bodies for nurturing and to find soul beasts with the most suitable age and attributes for their soul rings.
But for Ye Xiaosheng and the others, these were quite novel.
Lin Jiayi turned to face them. "This is our academy's physical testing room. Don't be nervous; these soul-testing devices won't harm your bodies. Let's get started. Who's first?"
As he spoke, he pointed to a cylindrical device, about two and a half meters tall, with a blue crystal column at the back and a circular platform in front.
Xu Zihuang, standing at the front, stepped onto the platform without hesitation.
A teacher behind Lin Jiayi understood and stepped forward, placing a hand on a palm-shaped indentation. Another teacher immediately took out a notebook and pen, ready to record.
"It's starting. Relax your whole body," the teacher reminded, then injected soul power. A fan-shaped white light lit up at the top of the soul-testing device, scanning Xu Zihuang's body from top to bottom.
The other teacher began recording and reading out the results.
"Physical strength, level 85. Physical toughness, level 80. Soul power fluctuation, level 54. Height, 1.85 meters. Weight, 120 kilograms. Left arm length… Bone age, 14.5 years…"
The teacher recording and reading the data didn't immediately realise, but everyone else, including He Caitou, was stunned. The testing room echoed with only the teacher's voice.
"Stop, stop, stop! Did you get that wrong?!" Lin Jiayi interrupted, his face full of disbelief.
What was this?
A fourteen-year-old with level 54 soul power was barely acceptable. The Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy's Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen had both reached Soul King at that age. He could understand if a Shrek Academy genius was slightly stronger than them.
But what was this level 85 physical strength and level 80 physical toughness?
Didn't that mean this kid could absorb a 100,000-year soul ring for his next one? Many Title Douluo-level, level 9 soul engineers at their academy didn't even have such physical strength.
And that absurd 120-kilogram weight? This kid looked lean. How could he weigh so much?
There must be something wrong with the soul testing device.
As soon as Lin Jiayi spoke, the soul testing device suddenly made strange noises.
"Beep, beep, beep, beep, beep…"
The recording teacher snapped out of it, staring at the notebook's data, then at Xu Zihuang in stunned silence.
"Data error. The soul-testing device has malfunctioned. Director Lin, this kid's a monster!"
Xu Zihuang calmly met Lin Jiayi's gaze, unsurprised by the reported data. His physical strength was indeed extraordinary. As for the terrifying weight, it was purely because his bones and muscles were far denser than normal.
Lin Jiayi swallowed hard.
"Young man, the device might have malfunctioned just now. Why don't you test again?"
Xu Zihuang said calmly, "Director Lin, isn't the purpose of this test to tailor our academy uniforms? I believe you already have the necessary data. My physical condition is special, and retesting will only yield the same results."
"Uh…" Lin Jiayi paused, then seemed to realise something. Though his eyes still held a trace of astonishment, he quickly regained his composure.
A fourteen-year-old Soul King.
This kid must be the Yu Tianhuang who defeated Xiao and Meng.
Lin Jiayi apologised, "Sorry, young man, I was just too shocked. As expected of a top student from Shrek Academy. Let's continue."
Next was He Caitou.
He Caitou's unique skin colour drew some attention from Lin Jiayi and the others, but still reeling from Xu Zihuang's shocking results, they didn't dwell on it.
Dark skin didn't necessarily mean royalty or nobility in the Sun Moon Empire.
"Physical strength, level 60. Physical toughness, level 64. Soul power, level 51. Height, 2.02 meters. Weight, 110 kilograms. Torso soul bone attached. Overall evaluation…"
He Caitou's data still far exceeded that of soul masters of the same level, but it was within Lin Jiayi's acceptable range.
Lin Jiayi's gaze burned as he looked at He Caitou. Besides Yu Tianhuang, this student definitely warranted extra attention. Soul King-level soul power, level 6 soul engineer, and seventeen years old, these three points were enough.
After this test, Ye Xiaosheng and the others looked at Xu Zihuang and He Caitou with renewed awe.
Their own test results were noticeably inferior.
Lin Jiayi said, "Alright, it's getting late. We have two more tests, so let's speed up. The second test is for your maximum strength."
The soul guide strength testing device was much larger than the previous one, with a central striking area covered in leather. The test was simple: just hit it with full force. The results were also measured in soul power levels.
Xu Zihuang and He Caitou exchanged a glance before stepping up to the strength testing device.
His movement instantly drew everyone's attention.
Xu Zihuang took a deep breath, calming his breathing. A flash of sharpness crossed his eyes, and he threw a punch lightly, as if barely using any force.
But this punch created a powerful gust in the room.
Boom—
A massive shockwave echoed, and the entire room trembled. Under everyone's horrified gazes, the incredibly heavy soul guide strength testing device was sent flying dozens of meters by Xu Zihuang's punch, crashing heavily into the wall.
A faint golden light shimmered on the wall, forming a soul power shield that prevented the wall from collapsing under the impact.
With a clang, the massive strength testing device fell from the wall, its crystal screen displaying the results shattered into powder.
The first teacher to react rushed to check the device. Fortunately, the strength testing device was sturdy and sustained no major damage, but it couldn't be repaired immediately.
Lin Jiayi stood frozen, his eyes blank, his mind reeling as he listened to the teacher's report. This strength testing device was designed to withstand a full-force strike from a level 70 soul master without martial soul enhancement, specifically a strength-type level 70 soul master.
Yet Yu Tianhuang had sent it flying with one punch. In that moment, an absurd thought struck him: all the data from the previous soul-testing device was accurate.
Such physical strength was beyond reason.
He Caitou scratched his bald head with a simple grin.
"Director Lin, do we still need to continue testing?"
"Test my foot!" Lin Jiayi blurted out, then coughed lightly, realising his outburst was inappropriate.
"Alright, that's enough for today's tests. We'll make up the rest next time. The teachers will take you to your dorms. I hope you all come to like it here over the next two and a half years."
As the teachers led Xu Zihuang and the others away, Lin Jiayi gave Xu Zihuang a deep look before hurrying toward the Mingde Hall.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Here are the chapters for today (づ￣3￣)づ╭～
"Don't forget there are 40 early chapters available on Patreon
[email protected]/facficmax10--------(@→a)