Time passed day by day, and Huo Yuhao's cultivation entered a completely absorbed stage. Forging was somewhat difficult for him, after all, he had never encountered these things in his previous life, and it was obviously impossible for him to learn them instantly.
Twenty days later, on the day before school started, Huo Yuhao suddenly had a whim and asked Fan Yu if he could try inscribing a core magic array.
Fan Yu initially disagreed, because in his view, one must take things one step at a time, but remembering what Qian Duoduo had told him, he finally agreed.
He spent five days teaching Huo Yuhao the techniques and process of inscribing a core magic array.
Bright but not glaring light shone on the desk, and Huo Yuhao stood to one side, his gaze fixed on a piece of metal in his hand.
The metal surface was light gray, with white stripes on it, and its size was about the size of an adult's fist.
Huo Yuhao held a slender, long knife in his hand, "carving" on this piece of metal.
Meanwhile, He Caitou and Fan Yu stared intently at the metal, their breathing heavily suppressed, afraid to make a sound.
Someone who had only studied forging for twenty days, plus five days of learning to inscribe core array patterns, was actually starting to inscribe a real core array.
This was absolutely unbelievable even in the Sun Moon Empire.
Huo Yuhao's movements were as steady as a surgeon's, immediately brightening their eyes.
One of the most important conditions for inscribing a core array was stability.
Looking at the strange and complex patterns that had appeared on the metal, Huo Yuhao felt a connection. His inscription knife moved slowly and deliberately, scattering metal fragments as he recalled a relatively simple core inscription pattern recorded in his book.
It was the core array pattern of a level one and a half soul guide rays, not particularly difficult.
And this is where the power of his spiritual attribute soul master shone through; he had grasped almost every detail of the core array pattern taught in the textbook with precision.
During carving, the force applied, the depth, and the weight all affect the power and efficiency of the core array.
In fact, before reaching the third level of Soul Master, most people can achieve the task of inscribing the core array pattern through rote memorization and continuous learning.
The requirements for the inscription error of the core array pattern are not strict for Soul Tools below the third level.
However, for core arrays above the third level, the requirements are much higher.
The difficulty lies in whether the soul lines related to soul power transportation in the inscribed core array pattern are smoothly, evenly, and firmly connected.
When soul power is input into the array eye through the soul lines, the array eye will transform and compress this soul power before outputting it. This transformed and compressed soul power is similar to a Soul Master's upcoming Soul Skill; if the soul lines are not smooth or evenly connected, it may reduce the power of the Soul Tool.
As for firmness, a Soul Tool cannot be made as a one-time use item.
Therefore, a firm soul line extends its lifespan.
Even for one-time use Soul Tools, the firmness of the soul lines is paramount.
Meanwhile, the error in the width and thickness of the soul lines drawn with the carving knife cannot be too large. The smaller the error, the greater the power and efficiency when made from the same materials.
It can even allow the core array to break through one level and reach a higher level.
This is why a steady hand is essential when carving.
Whether the engraved array eye can support the operation of the entire core array and the conversion of soul power is also a key point.
When the soul lines and array eye can be stably combined, the input and output of soul power can be extremely fast and smooth. This is the true core array pattern, which is why the engraved pattern looks relatively complex but exquisite.
It is never enough to simply engrave a few lines to call it a core array pattern.
Just like the mobile phone you use, it is composed of different components that make up a mobile phone. The components cooperate with each other, which is similar to the pattern of a core array.
As he carved, wisps of silvery-white soul power flowed slowly into the pattern that was not yet fully formed, along with Huo Yuhao's hand holding the carving knife.
Visibly, a peculiar grayish-white light suddenly shone. Although not intense, it was very stable. The lack of intensity was mainly due to the incomplete connection of the soul lines.
The soul lines were divided into two parts.
One part was responsible for inputting soul power into the array eye, and the other part was responsible for outputting soul power into the array eye. These were two separate entities.
But what did it mean that it could light up?
It meant that the input of soul power between the soul lines carved by Huo Yuhao and the array eye was successful. Otherwise, if soul power could not be input into the array eye, it would mean that the core array pattern had failed.
After completing the first stage of outlining the soul lines used to input soul power, Huo Yuhao suddenly increased his speed and began to carve out the soul lines used to output soul power as well. Finally, a vortex-shaped core array pattern was carved out by him.
The array eye was in the middle of the vortex.
From its appearance, this core array was somewhat similar to some kind of magical rune.
Without the slightest hesitation, Huo Yuhao quickly injected soul power into it again.
The next second, the pale gray metal suddenly shone brightly, a white beam of light rising a foot high, even penetrating the metal, giving it a somewhat crystal-clear appearance.
"Success!"
Beside him, He Caitou and Fan Yu stared in astonishment at the core magic array in Huo Yuhao's hand.
Because of its rather unsightly shape, Huo Yuhao had also embellished the metal used to carve the core magic array, transforming it into a cube.
Due to his less-than-ideal forging skills, Huo Yuhao had previously asked He Caitou to help forge the inner and outer shells.
Soon, Huo Yuhao assembled the three parts one by one, ultimately creating a cylindrical soul tool that covered his forearm.
"Teacher Fan, would you like to try it?"
Holding the assembled Level 1.5 soul tool, Huo Yuhao approached Fan Yu and handed it over.
Fan Yu took it immediately and put it on his arm.
As he channeled his soul power into it, a slender metal tube emerged, flashing a pale gray light. The next moment, a thin beam of light shot out, instantly striking a sign in the distance.
Seeing the sign pierced through, Fan Yu felt a surge of excitement.
He Caitou, on the other hand, stood frozen in place, seemingly lost in thought.
Huo Yuhao looked at the gap in the sign and nodded in satisfaction.
Now, all that was left was forging his skills; once those were perfected, he could manually manufacture a level-two soul tool.
This was the result of his powerful mental strength.
"Yuhao, could I keep this soul tool?"
Fan Yu asked Huo Yuhao earnestly.
Huo Yuhao smiled. "Of course. The materials were all from you, and the outer and inner shells were made with my senior. I only carved the core array."
Fan Yu put away the soul tool and said excitedly, "Do you know what it means that you successfully carved a level one and a half core array in just five days?"
"What?" Huo Yuhao asked, puzzled.
Fan Yu said, "Even in Mingde Hall, I dare say no one could successfully inscribe a core magic array from scratch in just a few days. Although the core magic array you carved is a pattern left by predecessors, you can just copy it."
"But that sounds good. Even if you copy it, the techniques involved are your own. It's like painting. Some simple paintings seem easy to others, but when you actually try them yourself, the same steps only produce a crooked and messy result. That's the key."
"You're practically a born soul master!"
"I just benefited from the advantages of mental attributes, it's nothing." Huo Yuhao's face showed humility; he was self-aware.
Fan Yu simply patted Huo Yuhao's shoulder and praised, "You don't need to be modest. There's still some time this morning, why don't you chat with Cai Tou? I have something to take care of."
After saying that, Fan Yu hurriedly left, not knowing where he was going.
"Junior Brother Huo, you're really amazing." He Cai Tou gradually calmed down and gave a thumbs up.
"It's mainly because of your excellent teaching, Big Brother and Teacher Fanyu," Huo Yuhao said with a smile.
Hearing this, He Caitou's eyes lit up, and his gentle expression became even more pronounced.
"By the way, do you want to further solidify your forging skills?"
"I'm afraid I can't now. School starts tomorrow, and I need to go back and prepare."
"Alright, take these cigars. Just ask me if you need any."
"Thank you."
...
Fanyu, with a look of urgency, quickly went to Qian Duoduo's office. Although he was the vice dean of the Soul Guidance Department, Qian Duoduo usually handled affairs in the outer courtyard, not the inner courtyard.
When Fanyu arrived at Qian Duoduo's office, Qian Duoduo was calculating the money-making plan for the new semester and recruiting students for the upcoming departmental division.
Elder Mu had previously spoken, and Yan Shaozhe was not allowed to obstruct the Soul Guidance Department's recruitment. Therefore, starting this year, Qian Duoduo could make offers for any students he fancied. Whether he could recruit them was another matter, but at least he had a chance now.
"Dean Qian,"
Fanyu called out excitedly.
Qian Duoduo abruptly stopped writing. He looked up and saw Fan Yu. A smile played on his lips as he said, "What's wrong? You're in such a hurry; this isn't like you."
Fan Yu didn't waste any words and quickly took out a soul tool from his storage soul tool and placed it in front of Qian Duoduo.
A hint of confusion appeared between Qian Duoduo's brows. "What's this?"
"Dean Qian, just now, Huo Yuhao completed the inscription of the Level 1.5 core array on his own. However, the outer and inner shells of this soul tool were made by Cai Tou," Fan Yu explained excitedly.
"What?" Qian Duoduo couldn't sit still any longer. He stood up abruptly, grabbed the penetrating soul tool, and quickly dismantled it.
When he picked up the faintly glowing cube with its exquisite patterns, a look of amazement flashed in his tiger-like eyes.
Although the core magic array wasn't of a high level, the inscription technique was exceptionally excellent; many level-three soul masters probably couldn't achieve such smooth lines.
In fact, neither Qian Duoduo, Fan Yu, nor even Huo Yuhao knew that the inscription patterns of the core magic arrays of soul tools in Douluo Continent bore a resemblance to the magic arrays of the Ilex Holy Demon Continent.
Huo Yuhao had received instruction in two ice-attribute magics from Ilex, and when inscribing the core magic array, he always felt a sense of familiarity, which explained his precise technique.
"What a pity, what a pity." The more Qian Duoduo watched Huo Yuhao's performance, the more troubled he became.
"What's wrong, Dean Qian?" Fan Yu couldn't help but ask.
Qian Duoduo said helplessly, "When Lin'er and I learned that this child has a mental attribute, we guessed that he would have an extremely strong talent in soul tool manufacturing. It's a pity that he became Yan Shaozhe's apprentice early on and didn't care much about soul tool manufacturing."
"We have always advocated the Extreme Individual Soldier Project that we plan to research, but this child is also a staunch opponent."
"Ah?" Fan Yu was shocked. The Extreme Individual Soldier Project is their lifeline.
"Forget about that." Qian Duoduo waved his hand, his gaze becoming serious.
"Fan Yu, I'm giving you a task. Elder Mu has planned to cooperate with the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy on a student exchange program after the new competition. I require you to train Huo Yuhao to become a Level 2.5, or even a Level 3 Soul Master, before the competition starts."
"Can you do it?"
"Yes!"
Fan Yu said without hesitation that he could do it.
Even though there were less than two months left before the start of the Soul Battle Competition, judging from Huo Yuhao's talent, he was fully confident that he could do it.
Qian Duoduo nodded slightly. "Very good. In my capacity as the vice dean of the Soul Guidance Department, I hereby announce that Huo Yuhao will be secretly granted the status and treatment of a core disciple of the Soul Guidance Department, but this must not be leaked."
Fan Yu nodded heavily. "I understand." "Go ahead, and let me know immediately if there are any new developments," Qian Duoduo said.
"You're busy, I'll go down first," Fan Yu turned and left.
Walking to the window, Qian Duoduo could overlook most of the outer courtyard and even see the scenery of the inner courtyard from the height. He shook his head inwardly, "Was the Ultimate Individual Combat Technique the right or wrong?"
After leaving the Soul Guidance Department, Huo Yuhao walked on the wide road. Because the new school year had begun, he could see many freshmen with excited expressions on their faces. They were also being led by senior students to the flat ground in front of the Martial Soul Academy to register.
Thinking back to a year ago, he, like many freshmen, looked left and right, feeling quite excited.
"Found you."
Suddenly, just as Huo Yuhao was watching a group of freshmen go to the Martial Soul Academy to register, a clear and cold voice rang out behind him.
He turned around and his eyes widened immediately.
The person who came was none other than Zhu Lu.
Two months had passed, and Zhu Lu's figure had become even more voluptuous, her waist-to-hip ratio incredibly alluring. Perhaps due to growth, her looks had also improved, though her skin had lost its former snow-white hue, acquiring a healthy tan.
Her gaze also held a newfound detachment, like a truly elusive, shadowy cat.
Sensing the stability of Zhu Lu's aura, it was clear she had been diligently cultivating these past two months.
"It seems you have a choice," Huo Yuhao said with a smile, arms crossed.
Zhu Lu looked at Huo Yuhao, her beautiful eyes flickering slightly, a hint of curiosity in her heart. Had Huo Yuhao taken hormones? How had he suddenly become so tall?
"I've said it before, I don't want to be a mere appendage of the Zhu family to the Dai family. I want my own life,"
she said in a cool voice.
"Of course, I understand, otherwise you wouldn't have come to me,"
Huo Yuhao chuckled.
"Since you have a choice, I'll take you somewhere later to fulfill my promise. However, before fulfilling the promise, I need to sign a contract with you."
"What contract?" Zhu Lu asked.
"You can think of it as a contract of servitude," Huo Yuhao said cheerfully.
In an instant, Zhu Lu's pretty face froze.
Just then, another group of people approached from a distance. They were all freshmen who had overheard Huo Yuhao's words and were immediately startled.
Good heavens!
Everyone, male and female students alike, stared blankly at Zhu Lu and Huo Yuhao.
Was Shrek Academy's school spirit really this fierce?
"This isn't a good place to talk. Let's go, let's find somewhere else to chat,"
Huo Yuhao said casually, ignoring the stares of his juniors, and walked towards a quiet spot.
Zhu Lu's chest, far exceeding her years, heaved, but she finally bit her red lips and followed.
"Hiss."
Behind them, the male freshmen gasped, inexplicably envious of Huo Yuhao.
Although they hadn't seen Zhu Lu's face, they had seen her back—that figure, cough cough.
"Senior, who is that male senior?" a
freshman immediately asked.
The male student in the black school uniform smiled and said mysteriously, "His name is Huo Yuhao, a second-year student. Back when he was a freshman, he left behind a legendary story that will never be forgotten in the academy." "
What story?"
All the students' attention was immediately drawn to him.
The senior student laughed and said, "On the first day of school, he got into an argument with his roommate and used some kind of special ability, summoning a 100,000-year spirit ring, which scared dozens of freshmen so much that they wet themselves. From then on... oh crap, I forgot I can't say that."
Suddenly, the senior student's expression changed, and he quickly changed the subject, "Alright, alright, everyone, come with me to register, stop talking nonsense."
The freshmen looked at each other, their faces full of shock.
A 100,000-year spirit ring?
Scared dozens of freshmen to death?
Senior, are you making up a story here?
If this is true, I'm going to eat a pound of shit in the toilet!
On the other side, Huo Yuhao and Zhu Lu arrived near the Sea God Lake.
"The indenture you mentioned isn't what I think, is it?" Zhu Lu bit her red lips lightly, her pretty face showing a hint of shyness.
"Definitely not," Huo Yuhao said. "You've pledged allegiance to me, and I'll help you, but I don't trust you, at least not now. So I plan to sign a contract with you."
"You can rest assured, this contract isn't about sleeping with me. It means that if you dare betray me in the future, your soul will be torn apart by the contract and you will die."
"That's why I'm explaining the situation to you beforehand."
"Stop talking, I'll sign."
Almost simultaneously, as soon as Huo Yuhao finished speaking, Zhu Lu firmly agreed.
Huo Yuhao's eyes flickered. He noticed Zhu Lu's expression and made up his mind.
Yes, it had come to this point; Zhu Lu's choice was no longer a question.
"Teacher, thank you for your trouble," Huo Yuhao murmured to himself.
"Mm," Electrolux said softly.
"Just stand where you are," Huo Yuhao told Zhu Lu.
Zhu Lu nodded, standing there slightly nervously, her delicate body trembling slightly.
Huo Yuhao stepped forward, coming to Zhu Lu's side. He slowly extended his finger, and under Zhu Lu's surprised gaze, touched her brow.
In an instant, Huo Yuhao's eyes turned a deathly gray, and he slowly uttered an obscure and incomprehensible phrase. Finally, the gray light merged into Zhu Lu's brow and entered the depths of her brain.
A short while later, Zhu Lu's surprised gaze became dull, and a gray glint appeared in her eyes.
Soon, Huo Yuhao released his fingers, and Zhu Lu woke up simultaneously.
Under Huo Yuhao's gaze, a trace of a magical rune appeared in Zhu Lu's eyes, eventually disappearing.
"Is it alright?" Zhu Lu touched her brow.
"Of course." Huo Yuhao nodded. "Let's go, I'll take you to the inner courtyard and introduce you to my senior sister."
"The inner courtyard? How do we get there?" Zhu Lu glanced at Sea God Lake. There were no boats here; they couldn't possibly swim across.
"Whoosh."
However, in the next moment, a large amount of cold air emanated from Huo Yuhao's palms, landing on the lake surface, instantly freezing it.
Huo Yuhao slowly walked up.
Zhu Lu froze, staring intently at the scene.
"Aren't you coming?" Huo Yuhao turned his head.
"Right away." Zhu Lu was startled and quickly followed. It had only been two months, how come Huo Yuhao seemed to have evolved, even possessing ice-attribute abilities?
"Ugh."
Perhaps due to her haste, she lost her balance as soon as she stepped onto the icy path and fell headlong towards Sea God Lake.
Huo Yuhao reacted quickly, catching her by the back and helping her regain her footing.
"Don't rush, walk slowly."
Huo Yuhao's tone was gentle as he released his arm and continued walking forward.
Zhu Lu stared blankly at Huo Yuhao's back, subconsciously touching her back. Seeing Huo Yuhao walk away, she quickly shook her head and followed.
Upon arriving at the inner courtyard, compared to Huo Yuhao's composure, Zhu Lu was greatly amazed. She knew that the inner courtyard was the true center of Shrek Academy.
Gazing at the beautifully landscaped inner courtyard, the two walked through the woods and finally arrived at Ma Xiaotao's residence.
No need to call out, Ma Xiaotao was already outside, watering the newly planted flowerbeds with a watering can. Dappled sunlight shone on her, highlighting the vibrant red of her long hair. Her slightly bent back perfectly showcased her figure.
"Sister," Huo Yuhao called out.
Hearing this, Ma Xiaotao turned around, a smile immediately spreading across her face. But then she saw Zhu Lu beside Huo Yuhao and instantly understood what was going on.
"You must be Zhu Lu?" Ma Xiaotao asked.
"Yes, senior," Zhu Lu replied respectfully
, immediately becoming more deferential to Ma Xiaotao. "Sister, I'll be entrusting her with your guidance from now on. By the way, Zhu Lu is one of us now,"
Huo Yuhao said with a smile, but also revealing a crucial piece of information.
One of us?
Ma Xiaotao instantly understood. "I don't have time these few days. When the opportunity arises, I'll come to you for special training at night. Whether you can persevere depends on yourself."
"Thank you, senior. I can definitely do it." Zhu Lu's face showed a hint of surprise. She had been cultivating desperately for the past two months. Having already broken with her family, she had no way out.
Huo Yuhao took out two boxes from his storage soul tool and said, "I told you, you won't suffer if you follow me. Take these."
Zhu Lu looked down and noticed the boxes in Huo Yuhao's hand.
"What's this?"
"A Soul Ascension Pill and a Tiger Body Pill. They can directly help you increase your cultivation level by one level and also improve your meridian strength. The former is a pill without any side effects. You should recognize the latter." Huo Yuhao tossed it over.
Zhu Lu caught it, her beautiful eyes wide with shock.
"By the way, sister, I heard from teacher that you broke through?" Huo Yuhao walked to Ma Xiaotao's side.
Ma Xiaotao nodded. "I'm going to the Star Dou Great Forest tomorrow to get my seventh spirit ring. Speaking of
which, if it weren't for your help in absorbing the evil fire, I'd probably only be level 67 now, and I'd even have to endure the erosion of the evil fire. Thank you." "What kind of relationship do we have? Do you need to thank me?" Huo Yuhao shook his head.
"Oh? Then what kind of relationship do we have?" Ma Xiaotao ignored Zhu Lu's presence and leaned close to Huo Yuhao's ear, whispering the question.
The tables had turned.
This time, Huo Yuhao didn't answer the question about the relationship between his senior sister and junior brother, but simply smiled.
Ma Xiaotao smiled and moved away. She had made her point clear; it was up to him to decide what to do next.
Only Zhu Lu remained behind. She always felt that the relationship between the two senior sister and junior brother was a bit off, giving off a vibe of being more than friends but not quite lovers.
Outside the east gate of Shrek Academy.
"Uncle, Uncle, I'm leaving now." Wang Dong waved to the two gentle-looking middle-aged men and then excitedly ran towards the academy.
Hmph, Huo Yuhao, oh Huo Yuhao, this young lady has broken through to the Soul Master level. Let's see how you manage to surpass me this time.
Fully Completed English PDF of this fan-fic on my Patreon shop if you want to support and own the full fan-fic in one go. Just grab the PDF and binge the entire story from start to finish!
Brothers I've uploaded some High Quality english translated fanfic on my Patreon shop! recently Feel free to check it out—if you're interested, you can grab a copy and support me there.
Here are a few titles of recently uploaded fanfics:
" Douluo 2: Martial Soul Wish Tree — Wang Dong Got Addicted (18+) "
" BTTH: Writing Up a Diaries, Xiao Yan Became My Fanboy "
" Douluo 3: Adopting Gu Yuena at the Start "
" Douluo: The Transmigrator Judgment System"
" Douluo: The Power of Support "
" Douluo: Transmigrated as the Second Young Miss of Spirit Hall "
" Douluo Dalu 3: Legend of the White Fox "
" Douluo: Master of Body Techniques "
" Douluo: The Holy Emperor Dragon King"
" Douluo: Ranking the Top Ten Peerless Goddesses at the Start "
" Douluo: Transmigrated as Huo Yuhao "
" Douluo 2: I, Huo Yuhao, Refuse to Be Tang San's Son-in-Law "
many more up to 130+ are available.
Your support means a lot—thanks in advance, legends!
Patreon.com/UIGOD
—— (End of Chapter) ——