Volume 18, Chapter 160.1: Enlightenment

The Unrivaled Tang Sect

Ke Ke was still infuriated, and made a few hand gestures at Ju Zi. Ju Zi shook her head and said, “Forget it. Don’t bother with him. Didn’t you say that he was an orphan?”

Ke Ke stuck her tongue out and said, “You’re the one with compassion. I’m the one who got whacked.”

Ju Zi laughed and replied, “He didn’t whack you! He only touched you. Come to think of it, Zimu was the only one who got hit. Even Wang Shaojie only got glared at. I wonder how he started bleeding and fainted.”

The two of them were feeling better now. They were also a little stunned as they recalled Huo Yuhao’s performance just now. Huo Yuhao’s abilities had left a deep impression on them.

“Oi!” Ju Zi called out to Huo Yuhao.

“My name is Huo Yuhao, not ‘oi.’” Huo Yuhao turned around, annoyed. He couldn’t focus on his thinking as the two of them stared at him. Furthermore, it seemed like Teacher Xuan wouldn’t be back in time for lessons. He was prepared to return to the dormitory to cultivate.

“Alright, Huo Yuhao. What’s your martial soul? Are the claws that you used just now your soul tool? What class is it? Zimu’s Class 5 soul tool barrier couldn’t even block it. That’s not normal!”

Huo Yuhao smiled and said, “It’s a secret. I’m leaving now.” As he spoke, he started to walk out.

“You’re not allowed to leave before answering me!” Ke Ke moved in front of him.

Huo Yuhao didn’t care, and continued to move forward. He said, “What? You want to get frozen again?”

Ke Ke didn’t dare to clash head-on with him, and seeing that they were about to knock into each other, she dodged to one side unwillingly. Huo Yuhao opened the laboratory door and walked out just like that.

“Idiot!” Ke Ke slapped a table hard and said angrily, “This fellow is too unreasonable. Hmph!”

“Forget it,” Ju Zi snapped at her, “He’s an orphan. Anyway, we’re the ones who provoked him first.”

“Hey! Ju Zi, how can you side with him? Are you into him because his abilities are great? It seems like he’s not even our age!”

“Pooh, pooh, pooh!” Ju Zi snapped, “Did you forget what my goal is? I swear that I’ll marry the best chef on the continent. That’s the only way my insatiable appetite can be satisfied.”

Ke Ke laughed and answered, “Your goal has tortured Zimu. He had the ability to enter the Illustrious Virtue Hall last year, but he delayed it for you. He even allocates some time every day to learn cooking. Honestly speaking, he treats you quite well. Why’re you so stubborn?”

Ju Zi rolled her eyes and said, “Forget it, I don’t want to find a guy who I have no sense of security with. I’m not into handsome guys! I’m not as obsessed as you. You can have him if you want.”

Embarrassed, Ke Ke retorted, “You’re the one who’s obsessed! See if I spare you!” As she spoke, she leapt towards Ju Zi. Their conflict with Huo Yuhao seemed to have been forgotten. Women’s hearts were really unfathomable!

…...

Huo Yuhao’s lifestyle back in the dormitory was simple, yet fulfilling. He engaged in meditation, thinking, cultivation, and sketching. Besides the short amount of time he allocated to eating, Huo Yuhao did all of these things in his room. It was only when He Caitou came to find him at night that they shared their findings over the past few days. That was the only time that he stopped cultivation.

“Bang, bang, bang!” the room’s door sounded.

Huo Yuhao and He Caitou looked at each other. Who was here so late? The sky was already completely dark, and the lights in the dorms were about to go out for the night.

Huo Yuhao opened the door. Xuan Ziwen was standing outside.

He looked ghastly. He didn’t enter the room, and only said from the hallway, “Yuhao, Wang Shaojie’s condition is not very good. Will he really recover in half a month’s time?”

It seemed like the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy had healing-type soul tools apart from healing-type soul masters. However, one’s mind and Spiritual Sea had always been forbidden ground. Soul masters and soul engineers were both limited in their research on Spiritual Seas. After all, it was too dangerous to venture into such an aspect, since it might lead to permanent impairment.

Wang Shaojie’s mind had suffered from a powerful shock. Although he was a five-ringed soul king, most of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy students relied on medicine and some soul tools to increase their cultivation when they were young. Just like Shrek Academy’s soul engineers couldn’t compare to the Sun Moon Empire, the Sun Moon Empire’s soul engineers were inferior to true soul masters in terms of defenses. Wang Shaojie’s spiritual power wasn’t strong, and he was critically injured after suffering from Huo Yuhao’s Spiritual Shock. The Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy’s healing-type soul masters didn’t dare to use invasive methods to heal him. They could only let him recuperate on his own, like what Huo Yuhao had suggested.

Huo Yuhao nodded and replied, “I held back. It won’t harm his life. He just needs a while to rest. After one’s mind suffers from shock, it’s best to recuperate on one’s own. External help may be counter-effective.”

Xuan Ziwen nodded his head and said, “That’s good. But…” as he spoke to that point, he became a little hesitant.

Huo Yuhao was puzzled as he asked, “Teacher Xuan, ‘but’ what?”

Xuan Ziwen sighed and said, “Wang Shaojie has some standing in the empire’s royal family. Thus, the royal family has already learned of his injury. They want me to hand you over. Even though I tried to keep matters under control, they’re still demanding that you be handed over. I’m afraid you’ll have to suffer for a few days.”

Huo Yuhao squinted and asked, “Teacher Xuan, what do you mean?”

Xuan Ziwen said, “Let’s put it this way. They didn’t test our newly-created soul tool properly the last time. Tomorrow, you shall follow Ju Zi and Ke Ke to test that newly-created soul tool. You’ll return in half a month’s time. If Wang Shaojie wakes up like you said, the problem should be resolved. Leave things here to me.”

Huo Yuhao could sense that Xuan Ziwen was protecting him. He felt a tinge of warmth in his heart, and bowed towards him, “Thank you, Teacher Xuan.”

Xuan Ziwen smiled and said, “You’re my student. I must be responsible for you. If you really want to thank me, you should invest more effort in the research of soul tools. I’m waiting for you to surprise me more. Alright, it’s no longer early. Have an early night. Tomorrow morning, wait for the two of them at the gate of the academy. They will bring you to a suitable testing area.”

“Yes.”

Xuan Ziwen left, and Huo Yuhao returned to his room. He Caitou was a little worried as he looked at him. He said, “Little junior, should I go with you tomorrow? Is this their scheme? If something happens while you’re out…”

Huo Yuhao shook his head and said, “It’s not a scheme. I believe Teacher Xuan. Second senior, you should know that I’m quite sensitive. If Teacher Xuan had been nervous when he was talking to me earlier, I would have been able to sense it immediately. Furthermore, I believe in my own judgment. If the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy wants to deal with me, they can only do so after the exchange is over. After all, Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen are still in Shrek. If something happens to me, will Shrek let them off? Let me follow Teacher Xuan’s arrangement. It’s also good for me to leave the academy. I can pass on all the sketchings I’ve made. At the same time, I can take a look at their new soul tool.”

He Caitou nodded and said, “But you must still be careful. If you’re attacked, don’t think too much, and escape. Safety is your first priority.”

The two of them looked at each other. They were still exploring, since they had just arrived. Although they had learned some things, they were still very far from the core of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy.

“Second senior, I can sense that Teacher Xuan is under a lot of pressure teaching me. Otherwise, he wouldn’t just be teaching me all the theoretical stuff, and not explaining the practical stuff to me. What about you?”

He Caitou laughed bitterly. “We did talk about practical stuff. But they’re all about Class 8 soul tools, which I can’t understand. I don’t have a memory like you, either. I can only memorize a little, and my sketchings are all incomplete. They’re obviously playing tricks on me. I believe that the rest are also learning the same things.”

Huo Yuhao chortled and said, “That’s normal. If they didn’t do this, I might even have suspected that something was wrong. It’s not early anymore. You should return to rest. I’ll be out for at least half a month this time. I hope that I can learn something.”

He Caitou left, but Huo Yuhao couldn’t enter his meditative state while laying on his bed. His emotions were a little messy.

He had already been in the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy for four days. He had learned quite a lot in the past four days. Although he hadn’t encountered anything important yet, the knowledge that he had acquired was definitely more than the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy expected.

However, he didn’t like the feeling here. Compared to the familial warmth that he felt in Shrek Academy, he always had to be on his toes over here. He had to be able to react at any time, and he was wary of everyone around him.