Xuan Ziwen glared at him and said, “Don’t you think I sounded very noble in front of others when I said that? Do you really think that I’d be unaffected? It’s an embarrassing thing for a teacher to ask his student for his research products.”

Huo Yuhao’s lips twisted a little. He didn’t expect Teacher Xuan to have such a side to him.

“Alright, I’ll give them to you now. However, there’s a lot of content. It’s not early, either.”

Xuan Ziwen glared at him and asked, “What? Are you planning to sleep tonight? It’s a waste of time to sleep on such a beautiful night. Cut the crap and hurry up.”

To Huo Yuhao, he had no choice but to burn the midnight oil. However, Xuan Ziwen was very eager. As they discussed more about soul tools, Huo Yuhao also entered the same zone. They didn’t sleep for the entire night.

------

When the first ray of sunlight shone into the Tang Sect the next morning, the entire the Tang Sect was dyed with a layer of dim gold.

A youth was standing not far away from the Tang Sect, pacing up and down. There was a slightly nervous expression on his face, but it looked more like enthusiasm.

“Am I too early?” The youth muttered to himself. “Let me wait for a while.”

As he spoke, he raised his head to look at the sky. His eagerness was evident.

Finally, he couldn’t take it any further as the sun rose further. He walked a few steps to the gate before knocking with the door clapper.

Even though the Tang Sect had made significant developments in soul tools, they still used the most traditional and ancient gate.

Knock, knock, knock. The crisp sound of the clapper rang out.

It wasn’t long before the door was opened. A youth in white poked his head out.

“Who are you looking for?” The Tang Sect disciples were divided into official disciples and disciples-in-name. Official disciples didn’t have any specific regulations for their attire, but disciples-in-name had to wear white warrior robes. They looked very neat and tidy.

The youth outside replied, “I’m looking for Huo Yuhao. Is he around?”

The Tang Sect’s disciple-in-name nodded and answered, “Senior Huo is around.”

The youth was jolted, and said, “I’ll have to trouble you to inform him that Mo Xuan is looking for him.” In order to garner more respect from this disciple-in-name, he added, “I’m from Shrek.”

Indeed, the disciple-in-name started to act more prudently. “Please wait a minute. I’ll inform him now.”

While Huo Yuhao was still young, the Tang Sect was founded by the seven of them. The disciples that had entered the sect later all called him ‘senior’, apart from some special situations.

The youth who was pacing up and down outside the gate was Mo Xuan, who had entered and risked his life in the Great Star Dou Forest with Huo Yuhao not long ago. He was one of the inner courtyard disciples valued and nurtured by Shrek Academy.

Ever since he had returned, he had not felt calm. The all-terrain self-driving fort had left an extremely deep impression in his mind.

On the way back to the academy, Huo Yuhao had taught him a few control methods. Mo Xuan also tried them out himself. It was his first time feeling that he didn’t need anyone to protect him.

In fact, even Huo Yuhao didn’t know how important Mo Xuan was to Shrek Academy.

In terms of abilities, an advanced student from the outer courtyard was able to easily defeat Mo Xuan. However, his abilities were too special.

At that point in time, Zhang Lexuan and Cai Mei’er had only briefly mentioned how his auxiliary capabilities could be unleashed at long range. However, they didn’t specifically state how great that range was. Even Huo Yuhao had neglected this point.

With Mo Xuan’s fighting strength, or rather, the lack thereof, how did he manage to enter Shrek Academy? Apart from Huo Yuhao, who had entered the academy by pulling strings, he had been the one who passed the test the most easily. He only had one ring then, and had only exhibited one soul skill before he was admitted by the academy.

He only demonstrated an ordinary enhancement soul skill, which was called Halo. How strong could his soul ring be? Its effect was naturally very average. However, it covered a circle a kilometer wide!

This also meant that Mo Xuan could enhance everyone within this area if he was willing to. What kind of concept was that?

The enhancement was very negligible if only one person was enhanced that way. However, what if there were ten thousand people? If a certain aspect of everyone’s abilities were enhanced by ten percent, it would make for frightening numbers.

As a result, he was greatly valued by the academy as soon as he exhibited his first soul skill. Not only was he directly admitted to the academy, but he was even immediately nurtured as a core disciple of the outer courtyard.

Over the years, Mo Xuan’s cultivation had increased steadily under the special care of Shrek Academy’s teachers. Although he couldn’t compare to some other students of the same age from the inner courtyard, the rate of increase of his cultivation was faster than other soul masters outside of the academy. His innate talent was also slowly realized under such circumstances.

Every soul ring he added would increase the region that he could cover with his Halo. It was terrifying! After he obtained six soul rings, his soul skills could be used within a circle that spanned six kilometers!

Shrek Academy had once formed a research group to discuss his special martial soul further. Their conclusion was that Mo Xuan’s martial soul had mutated, and created something that couldn’t be duplicated. When he exhibited his soul skill, the Halo that he unleashed would resonate with the various elements in the air before assimilating them. His Halo would be turned into a domain-type ability that was very weak, but covered a huge area.

If he fought in a war, how much would the overall abilities of those on his side increase?

Mo Xuan’s Halo’s enhancement effect was very ordinary to soul masters. It couldn’t compare to an outstanding tool soul like the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda. However, his strength became more and more evident when there were more and more people around. His martial soul was born for war.

As a result, Shrek Academy didn’t value him any less than Huo Yuhao. They had even decided to allow him to enter the Sea God’s Pavilion when he gained eight rings.

However, Mo Xuan had his own ideas after he was valued by the academy.

He was still a youth, a passionate youth! As a soul master in Shrek Academy, how could he possibly not yearn to fight?

Whenever he went out to train with his partners, he was always protected. He would practically do nothing as his partners went out to fight and kill. He could only unleash his Halo that wasn’t too effective for his partners.

Mo Xuan often imagined how he would charge his way into the enemies’ fortresses along with the other inner courtyard students. However, could he do so? No, he couldn’t. Among soul masters at the same level, he was one of the weakest. He didn’t even possess any fighting soul skills. How could he charge into enemy territory? How could he fight his enemies?

This was the biggest pain that Mo Xuan held in his heart.

However, he saw a glimmer of hope when he was in the Great Star Dou Forest, something that could change his life.

Huo Yuhao’s words moved him greatly. The shock that he received from learning about the all-terrain soul fort was also unprecedented.

Under Huo Yuhao’s guidance, he had released a soul ray with a button and chopped down a thick tree. At that point in time, Mo Xuan was so excited that he almost screamed. This was the first attack that he had ever unleashed as a soul master.

Soul tools. Yes, I can try soul tools! Soul tools wouldn’t clash with his Halo, either.

After being back for two days, his heart felt as if it were being scratched by a cat’s claws. He spent the entire night without sleep. Finally, he couldn’t take it anymore. In the morning, he went to find Huo Yuhao with black rings around his eyes, but he found out that Huo Yuhao wasn’t in the academy.

Mo Xuan knew that Huo Yuhao and the rest of Shrek’s Seven Monsters were from the Tang Sect. He also found out the exact location of the Tang Sect from the other inner courtyard students before he made his way over. However, he didn’t inform Cai Mei’er about his intentions. After all, he didn’t know how the academy would react if they found out he wanted to learn about soul tools. What if they weren’t agreeable?

Mo Xuan had always been very grateful towards the academy for nurturing him. However, it was always his dream to become a warrior on the battlefield! Eventually, his dream trumped his rationality, which was why he was here. He first wanted to ask Huo Yuhao whether he could become a soul engineer, and what kind of soul engineer he could become.

Just as Mo Xuan was formulating his approach, Huo Yuhao walked out. Huo Yuhao also had black rings around his eyes, which were also slightly red.

“Senior Mo Xuan, what you are here for? Please come in.” Huo Yuhao was confused by Mo Xuan’s sudden appearance. If he were in his normal state, he might have been able to guess. However, he was too tired now. The entire night of discussion had turned his voice slightly hoarse.

Mo Xuan was a little embarrassed as he said, “Yuhao, apologies for coming so suddenly. If the Tang Sect isn’t convenient, we can speak outside.”

Huo Yuhao dragged him in and laughed, “What’s there to be inconvenient? There is no difference between the Tang Sect and the academy. Senior Mo Xuan, you don’t have to be so formal. Come on, let’s talk inside. Ah——” As he spoke, he couldn’t help but yawn.