Zhen Hua hadn't figured it out yet when his thoughts were interrupted by Mu Ye, who chuckled, "Today, I might have taken in a disciple who is unprecedented and will remain unmatched in the future."
Hearing this, Zhen Hua's lips curled slightly, "So have I."
Mu Ye raised an eyebrow, "That little girl, right? She can inherit your Heavenly Forging?"
Zhen Hua's smile deepened, "Not just that. She might even surpass my Heavenly Forging!"
Listening to Zhen Hua's boastful tone, Mu Ye snorted, "My disciple will definitely surpass yours. He won't just exceed my achievements in soul master and body secret techniques but also in mecha! He'll become the first quasi-god-level expert in both mecha and battle armor professions!"
Zhen Hua was startled. He hadn't expected Mu Ye to hold Huo Yuhao in such high regard. But thinking about the soul tool array Huo Yuhao used to create alloys, it didn't seem all that surprising.
With that kind of talent, Huo Yuhao was indeed a prodigy. Zhen Hua wondered when he would get his hands on that technology.
From Huo Yuhao's intentions, it seemed he wanted Zhen Hua to give some advice and then find the right alloy combination for the Ice Extreme Divine Crystal.
Perhaps it was Huo Yuhao's filial piety towards the Snow Empress?
'It seems there's no hope of obtaining that soul tool array for now. But it's fine. I don't need it anyway. Isn't Gu Yuena here?'
Thinking of Gu Yuena and Huo Yuhao's interactions, Zhen Hua smiled slightly and, under Mu Ye's puzzled gaze, said, "She could also become a red-level mecha master and a four-word battle armor master."
Mu Ye raised an eyebrow, "Don't joke. I don't believe anyone can match Yuhao in mecha design and manufacturing."
"What if they're together? She becomes a divine blacksmith, providing Heavenly Forged metals, and Huo Yuhao handles the design and manufacturing. Wouldn't that work?" Zhen Hua hinted with a smile.
"..."
Mu Ye fell silent, then soon his eyes showed a teasing glint, "I didn't see it before, but they really are a perfect match."
One is a mecha designer and manufacturer, the other a divine blacksmith... indeed, a perfect match.
...While Mu Ye and Zhen Hua were boasting about their disciples, in the Spirit Pagoda's Heaven Dou branch, a burly man in a formal suit was pondering over the message he had received earlier on the soul tool screen, utterly confused.
The master wanted to observe the Heavenly Forging scene but didn't want him there... What was the meaning of this?
Why couldn't he go?
Considering human children, at the master's age... was there some secret she didn't want them to know?
Just as Xiong Jun was deep in thought, a knock on the door disrupted his musings.
"Come in."
A middle-aged man of average build and ordinary appearance walked in. Xiong Jun was familiar with him, Liang Xiaoyu, an agility-type Titled Douluo, assigned by Di Tian to assist him as the deputy Pagoda master of the Heaven Dou branch.
However, Xiong Jun felt Di Tian was judging him by old standards. With his strength and intelligence, could anything go wrong in a branch?
Whoever dared to cause trouble would face his Sky-Rending Claw... well, perhaps he shouldn't be so reckless.
Liang Xiaoyu reported, "Pagoda Master, Shrek Academy's final exams have started. A student tried to sneak onto a soul tool plane to quickly reach a major city but was caught by the inspectors... I've handled it and am reporting to you."
"...Can't Shrek change that bizarre exam? Even we spirit beasts don't act so recklessly!"
Xiong Jun picked up the soul tool screen, browsing through various information while speaking with righteous indignation.
Hearing Xiong Jun's words, Liang Xiaoyu's mouth twitched, but seeing the soul tool screen in Xiong Jun's hand, he chose not to comment.
Because, in a way, it was true.
It was the time for various academies' final exams, followed by a month-long vacation.
From what he knew, Shrek Academy's first-semester final exams had similar rules, with only slight differences in details.
Their rules were as follows—
Students had to leave their storage soul tools, communication soul tools, identification, and money at the academy, leaving with nothing.
During the fifteen-day exam period, Shrek students had to reach a major city.
Along the way, they had to pass through at least ten cities, including the destination, and defeat an opponent at least five levels higher than themselves in each city.
Teachers would secretly follow them, scoring their performance, but it was said they wouldn't intervene if students were in danger, to make them realize their limits and avoid challenging opponents they couldn't handle. Whether this was true or not, Liang Xiaoyu wasn't sure.
But recalling how ten thousand years ago, a Soul King had killed the Shrek Seven Monsters and escaped from a Shrek Academy's Super Douluo, Liang Xiaoyu thought Shrek's teachers might really not intervene...
Heaven Dou City and Shrek City were located in the center of the continent, not far apart, so Heaven Dou City often became a target for exam students.
Occasionally, there would be bold students like today's, trying to board soul tool planes without tickets or reservations to quickly reach other cities. Given their limited time and the importance of exam scores for entering the inner academy, some acted recklessly...
Due to the convenience of travel, soul tool planes often had federal councilors and high-level officials with reservations, making the checks strict. Couldn't they just follow the rules?
As Pagoda Master Xiong Jun said, what era is this? Why act so recklessly?
Even spirit beasts are more civilized. Get a clue!
Liang Xiaoyu continued, "I've already handed the student over to Shrek's secretly following teacher and sent a complaint letter to Shrek."
"It'll probably be ignored, right?"
Xiong Jun frowned, "Do you think we should suppress Shrek's arrogance? Because of that so-called 'Continental Number One,' Shrek Academy's influence on the continent is growing, and some of them are becoming more and more brazen... forgetting the pain once the wound heals. I should have made that claw strike on Long Yeyue even harsher!"
Liang Xiaoyu: "..."
Long Yeyue, the Shrek's Light and Dark Douluo, was a legend. She was the first in the last two hundred years to dare to storm the Spirit Pagoda headquarters due to conflicts with the pagoda!
Of course, she walked in but was carried out...
What exactly happened, people of his generation didn't know.
Now, it seems, Pagoda Master Xiong Jun was also at the headquarters back then and gave her a claw strike...
A fleeting thought passed, and Liang Xiaoyu looked at Xiong Jun, shaking his head slightly, "Pagoda Master Xiong Jun, let's handle it as before. If the federation doesn't speak up, we won't take the lead or get involved in those matters."
"...I understand." Xiong Jun raised an eyebrow but didn't insist. After all, these were just minor issues. "You didn't come just for this small matter, did you?"
Liang Xiaoyu nodded, handing his soul tool screen to Xiong Jun, "There's something I need your approval for. I might take in a disciple later, which could delay my duties. Could someone take over for me?"
"Xie Xie?" Xiong Jun took the soul tool screen, squinting as he read.
It contained Xie Xie's profile, his performance in the Raging Spirit Ascension Platform, and combat videos from the virtual battlefield...
After a while, Xiong Jun said:
"Innate full soul power, twin martial souls, agility-type... decent talent, and his development direction suits you well. But he hasn't even passed the black-level assessment. Aren't you rushing a bit?"
"I come from a commoner background," Liang Xiaoyu smiled. "Children from big families and those with extraordinary talent aren't for me. Those from small families or commoners are the best fit. His talent is already quite good. It's better to settle early before someone else snatches him."
"Alright, go ahead with your plan. I approve."
As Xiong Jun spoke, he swiped on Liang Xiaoyu's soul tool screen and saw another person's information, his brow lifting slightly.
Tang Wulin, ten years old, level three blacksmith.
Martial Soul: Blue Silver Grass and...
Dragon King bloodline?
Interesting.