Several hours later, Huo Yuhao, who had been invited to a high vantage point, performed the replication of that specific special component for the thirty-first time under the watchful eyes of a crowd of 8th and 9th-rank soul tool engineers.
"...Phew. That's it. Seniors, did you see it clearly this time?"
the 8th and 9th-rank soul tool engineers fell silent, exchanging looks and shaking their heads one after another.
To the side, Kong Deming silently offered his assessment:
"Micro-level soul power control... This kind of completely unreplicable innate talent... As long as this child has enough soul power and his knowledge base grows, he could easily surpass me."
"Hall Master Jing, you truly found yourself a fine disciple."
Kong Deming looked toward Jing Hongchen, who gave a dry laugh, not daring to talk back.
Kong Deming lapsed into silence. To be honest, he truly hadn't expected Jing Hongchen's disciple to be this exceptional.
First of all, the child's martial soul was a mental-type ultimate martial soul—the eyes. Simultaneously, it seemed a mutation had occurred, granting the child a passive innate ability: precision control.
Whether it was mental power or soul power, this child possessed a level of mastery that was unattainable for ordinary people.
This terrifying ability to control power was absolutely not something that could be compensated for through post-natal study.
He was young, possessed horrifying natural talent in the way of soul tools, and his talent as a soul master was equally impressive.
Kong Deming felt a stir in his heart; he felt as though he had found an excellent candidate for a successor.
No... let's observe a little longer.
"Elder Kong." An attendant suddenly spoke up.
"What is it?"
"The test subject has successfully absorbed the soul ring, and their cultivation has successfully broken through. However... no soul skill was born."
Although the attendant lowered his voice, everyone present—excluding Xu Tianran and Huo Yuhao—was at least an 8th-rank soul tool engineer.
One could say that virtually every single person there heard him crystal clear.
Kong Deming's brow furrowed. No soul skill? Isn't that equivalent to a wasted soul ring? Did it end in failure after all?
Kong Deming's expression shifted slightly.
They had gathered every 8th and 9th-rank soul tool engineer in the entire Sun Moon Empire to crack this "artificial soul ring device," yet a month had passed with nothing to show for it.
Finally, a genius youth appeared and successfully cracked it, but the reality was that such an operation could only be performed by this boy; no one else could replicate it.
Fine, that wasn't a huge problem—as long as it could be replicated, it was fine. But now you tell me the soul ring is okay, but it can't produce a soul skill?!
Kong Deming was silent.
Even though the Sun Moon Empire had many soul tool engineers, that didn't mean they didn't rely on soul skills in combat!
Compared to external objects, soul skills were indeed simpler and more convenient at times.
But now, the consequence of soul rings no longer attaching soul skills would be a rapid shrinking of the combat power of future generations.
However, in the next moment, a voice with a youthful tone rang out abruptly:
"Then why not try fusing the soul tool with the soul ring?"
"What?"
Kong Deming looked at the youth in the crowd, his expression carrying a hint of surprise.
"I said... why not try fusing the soul tool with the soul ring?
"I once read in a book that our Sun Moon Empire's 9th-rank soul tool engineers use secret techniques to fuse their own soul tools into their martial souls. So why not try fusing a soul tool into a soul ring?
"Letting a soul tool act as one's own soul skill is also a solution."
A flash of shock crossed Kong Deming's eyes, but it was quickly masked.
He took a large stride forward, coming to stand before Huo Yuhao. He placed a hand on the boy's shoulder and spoke:
"Child, if I told you the Empire hasn't been without such attempts, but they all ended in failure, would you still hold to your current idea?"
"Yes," Huo Yuhao nodded calmly. "The reason they failed might be the existence of a soul skill within the soul ring.
"It's like a bottle that can only hold so much water. If you've already added the last bit of water and try to add more, it will overflow. Or, if the bottle isn't strong enough, it might even burst.
"But now, there is no soul skill within the soul ring. It's like a bottle with no water. Why can't we try to fill it?"
Huo Yuhao spoke with supreme confidence, making no effort to hide his advanced thinking.
Huo Yuhao's goal was simple: to enter the field of vision of the Sun Moon Empire's top brass. But how to enter was the question.
After a period of thought and hesitation, Huo Yuhao had finally selected the route of: "Sun Moon Imperial Soul Tool Engineer Academy -> Hall of Enshrinement -> Kong Deming."
There had been a slight surprise—Jing Hongchen valued him so much that he chose to take him as a student without hesitation. This caught Huo Yuhao a bit off guard, but fortunately, it didn't affect his plan.
In the Sun Moon Empire, Kong Deming was unique. Under his leadership, the entire Hall of Enshrinement had become exceptionally distinct.
Kong Deming was a "royalist" in the truest sense; he was loyal only to the Emperor of the Sun Moon Empire, yet he didn't care who specifically sat in that seat.
This pure loyalty meant Kong Deming didn't care about any of the other princes, including Xu Tianran. It was this same loyalty that made the current Emperor trust him implicitly.
Because Kong Deming wouldn't favor any specific prince; he would only favor the person sitting on the throne.
Because of this, Kong Deming's status in the Sun Moon Empire was essentially "below one, above ten thousand." Even as the Crown Prince, Xu Tianran had to respectfully address this pillar of the state as "Elder Kong," not daring to show the slightest disrespect.
Similarly, under Kong Deming's management, although the Hall of Enshrinement was still involved in politics, military affairs, and commerce, it remained impartial and transcendent above all other factions in the Empire.
Joining the Hall of Enshrinement meant that Huo Yuhao, like Kong Deming, would only favor the person on the throne.
As long as Huo Yuhao could remain impartial like Kong Deming, then no matter what achievements he made, the first reaction of others in the Sun Moon Empire would always be to win him over, rather than to silence him. This was the convenience brought by a good identity.
The identity of Jing Hongchen's student was still too thin; at the very least, it was starting to fall short of Huo Yuhao's current needs.
Therefore, Huo Yuhao needed to demonstrate his worth.
Kong Deming looked deeply at Huo Yuhao, as if trying to see the true thoughts in the boy's heart.
However, looking into those azure eyes, Kong Deming saw only extreme confidence and a mind completely unfettered by convention.
This isn't unpolished jade... it's a piece of fine jade that has long since been meticulously carved.
"Child, would you like to become my final closed-door disciple? I will pass everything I have to you, without reservation."
"Ah... Me? But I already have a teacher." Huo Yuhao blinked, appearing shocked by Kong Deming's sudden decision.
"It's fine. You can have an extra teacher. And I believe your other teacher won't mind." Kong Deming looked toward Jing Hongchen and spoke "cordially": "Right, Hall Master Jing?"
Jing Hongchen was breaking into a cold sweat.
"Of... Of course not."