The title of "Class Monitor" was like a pillow sent to Huo Yuhao when he was sleepy, perfectly timed.
Not only did it mean he had nominal leadership in Freshman Class One, but more importantly, he gained an "official identity" that allowed him to openly access various academy resources and learn all kinds of information. This was undoubtedly a huge convenience for the implementation of his future plans.
Of course, this appointment caused quite a stir in the class.
Most of the students, after witnessing Huo Yuhao's terrifying intelligence, chose to acquiesce. After all, following such a clever "brain" was better than blundering around like headless flies.
But there were always a few who were unconvinced, especially those from prestigious families who thought highly of themselves. In their eyes, Huo Yuhao was just an ordinary person with a mediocre Spirit, who had won by luck with a bit of cleverness, and was completely unqualified to be their class monitor.
Unfortunately, the dissent of these individuals was suppressed by Teacher Zhou Yi's iron-fisted approach of "disagree and get out," without a ripple.
Thus, Huo Yuhao's position as "Class Monitor" was settled.
Back in the dormitory, the atmosphere became a bit subtle.
Wang Dong had been silent the whole way, his handsome face showing shifting expressions—at times annoyed, at times puzzled, and at times carrying a hint of… frustration that even he hadn't noticed.
He kicked open the dormitory door, threw himself heavily onto his bed, and covered his head with the quilt, in a "don't bother me" posture.
Huo Yuhao watched, secretly amused.
He knew that Wang Dong, this proud "Light Goddess Butterfly," was currently deep in self-doubt.
His carefully orchestrated "intelligence crushing" (intelligence crush) not only established his authority in front of the entire class, but also carved a deep crack in Wang Dong's Heart-Nature.
This crack would create a flaw in the "perfect script" Tang San had left in his Soul, planting the first seed for Wang Dong's future Awakening.
"Hey."
Wang Dong's muffled voice came from under the quilt.
"Class Monitor, now that you've been reinstated, shouldn't the dormitory rules be redefined?"
Huo Yuhao raised an eyebrow. Judging by his tone, this "little princess" wanted to regain some face?
He calmly walked to his bed, slowly tidying it, and said faintly, "Oh? What brilliant ideas do you have?"
Wang Dong suddenly sat up from the bed, his light blue hair a bit messy. He glared at Huo Yuhao and snorted, "Brilliant ideas? Not really. But since you're the class monitor, you should know how to use people well and leverage everyone's strengths, right?"
"So?" Huo Yuhao looked at him with interest.
"So, chores like cleaning should be left to the thick-skinned defense system Spirit Masters!" Wang Dong pointed to himself righteously, "And I, as an attack system Spirit Master, am responsible for the dormitory's safety and security. Isn't that reasonable?"
Huo Yuhao almost laughed in exasperation at his twisted logic.
This guy was truly a character.
He wasn't angry; he just nodded, and said earnestly, "Hmm, it sounds... indeed somewhat reasonable."
Wang Dong's eyes lit up, thinking Huo Yuhao was convinced. Just as he was about to gloat, he heard Huo Yuhao change the subject.
"However, as class monitor, my more important duty is to oversee the overall situation and allocate resources reasonably." Huo Yuhao walked to the center of the dormitory, pointed to the floor, "Look, this area is for you to sweep. That area is also for you to sweep. And the toilet, you also scrub. After all, your Spirit is the Light Goddess Butterfly, which comes with a self-cleaning and glowing effect, making it most suitable for cleaning. This is called 'making the best use of everything.'"
"You...!" Wang Dong was so angry he almost jumped up, his pretty face flushed red, "Huo Yuhao, you're holding a grudge!"
"I'm doing this for your own good." Huo Yuhao had a "heartfelt" expression, "Teacher Zhou Yi said that at Shrek Academy, we don't keep idlers. Your spirit power is high, your talent is good; doing more work can temper your Heart-Nature. So you don't act arrogant all day long, like a peacock displaying its feathers."
"You're the peacock! Your whole family are peacocks!" Wang Dong shouted in exasperation.
"I don't have family." Huo Yuhao's smile suddenly faded, and he replied indifferently.
The air in the dormitory instantly fell silent.
Wang Dong's anger froze on his face. He looked at Huo Yuhao's calm, unruffled eyes, and for some reason, a trace of guilt and… heartache welled up in his Heart-Nature.
Although he was arrogant, his nature wasn't bad. He had also heard some rumors about Huo Yuhao, knowing that he came from a difficult background. His remark just now had undoubtedly hit a raw nerve.
"I... I didn't mean that." Wang Dong explained incoherently.
"It's okay." Huo Yuhao waved his hand, regaining his calm and composed demeanor, "Rules are rules. One person a day, it's fair. Today it's my turn, tomorrow, it's up to you,'Security Guard.'"
After speaking, he ignored Wang Dong, picked up the broom, and began to clean on his own.
Wang Dong opened his mouth, wanting to say something else, but ultimately swallowed his words. He looked at Huo Yuhao's somewhat slender back, his gaze becoming unusually complex.
This guy, sometimes he was so annoying it made one's teeth itch, but sometimes, he would reveal a poignant loneliness.
What kind of person was he, exactly?
...The next day, theoretical class.
The lecturer was a somewhat disheveled old man named Fan Yu, who mainly taught the basic theories of Spirit Masters.
Most of the freshmen were drowsy, as they had already learned these theoretical knowledge countless times from their enlightenment teachers at home.
Only Huo Yuhao listened with exceptional seriousness.
He kept writing something in his notebook.
Wang Dong, sitting next to him, secretly glanced over and found that Huo Yuhao was not recording the basic knowledge Teacher Fan Yu was teaching, but rather some terms he couldn't understand at all.
"Core array," "energy conduction," "rare metal ratio," "spirit power compression technology"... These terms were more like... "Are you reading a book on spirit tools?" Wang Dong couldn't help but ask in a low voice.
Huo Yuhao didn't even lift his head, merely giving a faint "Hmm."
"What are you, a mental force Spirit Master, doing looking at these?" Wang Dong was even more puzzled, "The Soul Tool Department and our Martial Soul Department are two completely different paths."
In the current Douluo Continent, Spirit Masters were the mainstream, the absolute ruling class. While Soul Engineers were very popular on the Sun Moon Continent, at Shrek Academy, they had always been regarded as "heterodox" and even somewhat unprofessional.
"Who says a mental force Spirit Master can't study spirit tools?" Huo Yuhao finally looked up at Wang Dong and retorted.
His gaze was very strange, a profoundness that Wang Dong couldn't comprehend.
It was as if in his eyes, there was no hierarchy between Spirit Masters and Soul Engineers; both were merely forms of "power."
"My mental force allows me to have far greater calculation ability and control precision than ordinary people." Huo Yuhao calmly explained, "This gives me a natural advantage in the design and production of spirit tools. And..."
He paused, a meaningful curve appearing at the corner of his mouth.
"Who says Spirits and spirit tools can't be combined?"
Wang Dong was completely stunned.
Spirits and spirit tools combined?
This idea was simply a fantasy! It was unconventional!
Since ancient times, Spirit Masters fought relying on their Spirits and spirit rings, while Soul Engineers relied on precise spirit tools. Although both used spirit power, their systems were completely different and almost incompatible.
But for some reason, when these words came from Huo Yuhao's mouth, Wang Dong felt that it wasn't an empty fantasy, but rather a... prophecy about to be fulfilled.
He looked at Huo Yuhao's serious profile, and that familiar sense of powerlessness welled up in his Heart-Nature again.
He realized that he seemed to... never be able to keep up with this guy's way of thinking.
Just then, Teacher Fan Yu on the podium also noticed Huo Yuhao, who was "slacking off."
"That student." Fan Yu's voice was a bit displeased, "You, stand up and answer my question. What is the fundamental essence of a Spirit Master?"
Everyone's gaze turned to Huo Yuhao with schadenfreude.
Wang Dong's Heart-Nature tightened even more, and he instinctively wanted to remind him.
However, Huo Yuhao had already stood up. He didn't show the slightest panic, met Fan Yu's gaze, and clearly replied:
"Reporting, Teacher, I believe that the fundamental essence of a Spirit Master is not the Spirit, nor the spirit ring, but... the person himself."
"Only people are the subjects who wield power. Whether it's a Spirit or a spirit tool, they are merely tools we use to explore the World and change the World."
A bombshell!
The entire classroom once again fell into a deathly silence.
A never-before-seen brilliant light suddenly burst forth from Fan Yu's cloudy eyes
Fan Yu's gaze was like two searchlights, locked tightly onto Huo Yuhao. The excitement, admiration, and even a hint of fanaticism in his eyes seemed to raise the temperature of the entire classroom by several degrees.
"What… what's your name?" His voice trembled slightly, completely devoid of the laziness and displeasure he had shown earlier.
"Reporting, Teacher, my name is Huo Yuhao." Huo Yuhao remained calm, as if the astonishing remarks he had just made were merely casual everyday conversation.
"Huo Yuhao… Good, good, a fine Huo Yuhao!" Fan Yu slammed the podium, creating a loud bang that startled the entire class. "Well said! Extremely well said! The foundation of a Spirit Master is the person himself! Hahaha, I've spent my entire life researching spirit tools just to prove this principle, and I never expected that today, you, a young child, would articulate it in a single sentence!"
He looked at Huo Yuhao as if he were gazing at an uncarved peerless jade.
"After class, come to my office!" Fan Yu dropped this sentence, then took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his excitement, and continued his lecture.
But everyone could tell that his subsequent lecture was completely distracted. Eight out of ten times, his gaze would involuntarily drift towards Huo Yuhao, looking like a collector who had stumbled upon an invaluable treasure.
The atmosphere in the classroom became strange.
The students' gazes towards Huo Yuhao, besides shock, now held a hint of awe and… Jealousy.
Although they couldn't fully grasp the profound philosophy contained in Huo Yuhao's words, they could understand Teacher Fan Yu's attitude!
That was a teacher from Shrek Academy! To make a teacher lose his composure and show such admiration, just who was this Huo Yuhao?
Wang Dong's feelings were the most complex. On one hand, he felt a strange sense of shared honor that Huo Yuhao could gain the teacher's approval; on the other hand, he felt a deep… displeasure at Huo Yuhao's seemingly always in control, astonishing demeanor.
Couldn't this guy be a little more ordinary?
As soon as class was finally over, Fan Yu rushed to Huo Yuhao's side almost immediately, grabbed his wrist, and dragged him out without explanation.
"Quick, quick, come with me! I have many questions to ask you!"
He was so eager, as if afraid Huo Yuhao would run away.
"Teacher, please slow down." Huo Yuhao was a little helpless, but he didn't resist, allowing Fan Yu to lead him away.
Wang Dong watched their retreating figures, so angry that he kicked a table leg.
"What's so great about that! It's just a bit of glib talk!" he muttered resentfully, but deep within his powder-blue eyes, a hint of worry, which he himself hadn't noticed, flashed… Fan Yu's office, or rather, laboratory, was located in the basement of the teaching building.
This place was completely different from the ancient and elegant architectural style above ground, filled with the cold texture of metal and machinery. The walls were inlaid with unknown metals, carved with complex patterns, and the air was filled with a faint scent of metal intertwined with spirit power.
Various strangely shaped spirit tool parts were piled everywhere, and precise instruments were placed on the tables. The entire space was like a mad scientist's secret base.
"Sit." Fan Yu pointed to a relatively clean metal stool, then plopped down opposite Huo Yuhao, staring at him with burning eyes.
"Kid, you just said that Spirit and spirit tools can be combined. You weren't just talking nonsense, were you?" he asked straightforwardly.
"Of course not." Huo Yuhao shook his head. "I believe that the reason traditional spirit tools cannot perfectly combine with Spirit is because their design philosophy is fundamentally disconnected."
"Traditional spirit tools are more like 'peripherals,' and the Spirit Master is just a 'battery' providing spirit power. But what if we directly engrave the core array of the spirit tool onto the Spirit? Or, what if we design the spirit tool itself to be a special form that can 'resonate' with the Spirit?"
Fan Yu's breathing instantly became rapid!
The two directions Huo Yuhao proposed were like opening two doors to a new World for him!
Especially the first one, "engraving the core array onto the Spirit," this idea was incredibly insane, yet it held a fatal attraction!
"Theoretically… theoretically it's feasible!" Fan Yu paced back and forth excitedly, muttering to himself, "Beast Spirits can materialize, Tool Spirits are already material. If we can find a special metal that can carry a spirit power array, combined with precise control using mental force… My heavens! If this succeeds, it will be a revolutionary upheaval in the Soul Engineer World!"
He suddenly stopped, his eyes shining as he looked at Huo Yuhao: "Kid, are you… willing to join our Soul Tool Department?"
It's here.
Huo Yuhao's heart was as calm as still water; this was exactly the outcome he wanted.
The Martial Soul Department was the "broad road" Tang San had paved for him. He wanted to do the opposite, choosing this path of soul tool that Tang San considered an "Evil Path."
He wanted to use the most underestimated power in this World to overthrow that high and mighty God King!
However, on the surface, he still put on a flattered expression: "Teacher, I… can I? My Spirit is the Spiritual Eye, just a support system body Spirit, I'm afraid…"
"Who said a support system wouldn't work!" Fan Yu waved his hand grandly, saying He said domineeringly, "I just said, the foundation of a Spirit Master is the person! It's your wisdom! Your ideas are more valuable than a hundred attack system Spirits!"
He looked at Huo Yuhao, his eyes full of expectation: "Of course, ideas alone aren't enough. I need to see your practical operational ability. After all, the creation of spirit tools requires extremely high mental force control."
With that, he picked up a palm-sized piece of silver metal from the table and handed it to Huo Yuhao.
"This is deep silver, a metal with excellent conductivity for mental force. Now, use your mental force to try and construct the simplest 'energy gathering' array inside it. It doesn't need to be too complex, just make it glow."
This was Fan Yu's test.
A test of Huo Yuhao's mental force strength, and more importantly—the precision of his mental force control.
For an ordinary One-Ring Soul Master, this was an almost impossible task. Their mental force, if it could even be projected outwardly, was already quite good, let alone performing such delicate microscopic operations within metal.
But to Huo Yuhao, this was easier than eating and drinking.
His mental force had been nourished by the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's million years of cultivation; its strength and resilience had long surpassed the scope of ordinary Spirit Masters. Furthermore, he possessed the divine skill of "Spiritual Detection," which allowed him to understand the internal structure of the deep silver perfectly.
He took the deep silver and closed his eyes.
Vast and pure mental force, like invisible micron-sized probes, instantly surged into the interior of the deep silver.
The internal structure of the deep silver instantly formed an incredibly clear 3D 3D diagram in his mind.
He could even "see" the arrangement of every metal particle within it.
Next, it was time to construct the array.
The simplest energy-gathering array consisted of twelve nodes and thirty-six energy circuits.
Huo Yuhao carefully controlled his mental force, like a top-tier micro-sculptor, beginning to "carve" stroke by stroke within the deep silver.
Time passed, minute by minute.
Fan Yu stood by, holding his breath, his eyes fixed on the deep silver in Huo Yuhao's hand without blinking.
He could feel a stable and powerful mental force continuously flowing into it.
This kid's mental force… so strong!
Waves of emotion surged in Fan Yu's heart again. He had originally thought Huo Yuhao was only astonishing in theoretical knowledge, but he never expected his mental force talent to be so terrifying!
Buzz—!
Just then, a faint hum sounded.
The deep silver in Huo Yuhao's hand suddenly emitted a soft yet bright white light!
The light was stable, without any flickering.
This proved that the internal energy-gathering array was not only successfully constructed, but also… flawless!
Fan Yu's pupils suddenly contracted to the size of a needlepoint!
He succeeded!
He actually succeeded!
An eleven-year-old One-Ring Soul Master, touching spirit tool creation for the first time, perfectly completed the construction of an internal array!
What was this?
This wasn't a Genius!
This was a Prodigy! A monster! A God born for spirit tools!
"Teacher, is this… enough?" Huo Yuhao opened his eyes, handed over the glowing deep silver, his face showing a perfectly appropriate trace of "fatigue" and "uncertainty."
Fan Yu took the deep silver with trembling hands, as if caressing a rare treasure.
He looked up at Huo Yuhao, his gaze as if he wanted to devour him whole.
"Huo Yuhao!"
He said, word by word, in an unprecedentedly solemn tone:
"From now on, you are my Personal Disciple, Fan Yu's Personal Disciple!"
"All resources of my Soul Tool Department will be infinitely tilted towards you!
Becoming Fan Yu's Personal Disciple brought Huo Yuhao the most direct benefit: he gained a small, private, exclusive laboratory of his own.
Although not large in area and equipped with only the most basic instruments, this was undoubtedly an immense privilege. Here, he could freely consult all first and second-tier materials from the Soul Tool Department and ask Fan Yu questions at any time.
From then on, Huo Yuhao's life became exceptionally regular and fulfilling.
During the day, as the class president of Freshman Class One, he, along with all Martial Soul Department students, underwent Teacher Zhou Yi's devilish training, Cultivating spirit power and tempering his body.
At night, he would dive into his laboratory, studying spirit tool knowledge all night long.
This dual-track Cultivation method would likely have led others to a mental breakdown, but Huo Yuhao reveled in it, like a dry sponge, frantically absorbing knowledge from both systems.
His talent in the soul tool Domain was also fully revealed to Fan Yu.
He could memorize the blueprints for first-tier spirit tools after a single glance and could extrapolate from them, offering optimization suggestions.
He only needed a week to independently draw the core formations for second-tier spirit tools.
There was even one instance when Fan Yu was making a fourth-tier soul tool feeding bottle and encountered a problem with an energy circuit conflict, which stumped him for half a month. Huo Yuhao merely watched for a while and then incisively pointed out the crux of the problem, offering an incredibly ingenious solution.
Fan Yu followed his idea, and it actually succeeded!
From that day on, Fan Yu's gaze towards Huo Yuhao could no longer be described as 'admiration'; it was outright 'worship'. He even privately told other teachers in the Soul Tool Department, "Huo Yuhao isn't here to learn from me; he was sent by the heavens to guide our Soul Tool Department forward!"
Huo Yuhao's reputation as a "Prodigy" began to quietly circulate within the Soul Tool Department.
However, compared to his smooth progress in the Soul Tool Department, his situation in the Martial Soul Department began to become somewhat delicate.
The reason was that Teacher Zhou Yi announced that all new students must choose their future major direction—either the Martial Soul Department or the Soul Tool Department—one month after enrollment.
This choice would determine the allocation of resources and their developmental path within the academy.
To most students, this was not even a choice.
The Martial Soul Department was the orthodox path of Shrek, the broad road leading to becoming a powerful individual.
The Soul Tool Department, however, was merely an unorthodox path, a second-best option for those lacking sufficient talent.
Almost everyone unhesitatingly chose the Martial Soul Department.
However, when Teacher Zhou Yi asked Huo Yuhao, he gave an answer that astonished everyone.
"Reporting, Teacher, I choose... Martial Soul and soul tool, Dual Cultivation."
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire class erupted in an uproar.
"Dual Cultivation? Is this guy crazy?"
"Energy is limited; doesn't he understand the principle of not biting off more than you can chew?"
"Hmph, I think he's just achieved a Minor Achievement in the Soul Tool Department and now doesn't know his place!"
Even Teacher Zhou Yi's brows furrowed tightly.
She highly regarded Huo Yuhao's intelligence and mental force talent, but she also believed that the proper path for a Spirit Master was always to Cultivate their Spirit. For Huo Yuhao to divert his energy to spirit tools, in her view, was a deviation from the Righteous Path, a pursuit of the trivial over the essential.
"Huo Yuhao, I warn you," Teacher Zhou Yi's voice was somewhat cold, "the academy's resources are limited; it's impossible for you to have both. If you choose Dual Cultivation, the resources you receive from the Martial Soul Department will be halved."
This was an academy rule, and also a veiled warning.
"Student understands," Huo Yuhao's reply remained calm and firm, "but I still adhere to my choice."
Teacher Zhou Yi looked at him deeply, ultimately said nothing more, only giving a cold 'hmph,' which was considered tacit approval.
This matter quickly spread among the new students.
Huo Yuhao, this new class president who had just astonished everyone with his 'wisdom,' instantly became a negative example of 'not focusing on proper work' and 'aiming too high'.
Many people were waiting behind his back to see him make a fool of himself.
And this storm finally erupted completely one evening in Dormitory 108.
"Huo Yuhao, what exactly are you thinking?!"
Wang Dong cornered Huo Yuhao at the dormitory door, his handsome face for the first time showing undisguised anger and disappointment.
"Dual Cultivation? Do you know what that means? It means you're ruining your future!"
He simply couldn't understand why, with Huo Yuhao's talent, if he focused on Cultivating his Spirit, his future would undoubtedly be boundless. But why did he insist on touching those spirit tools that no one favored?
"I will be responsible for my own future," Huo Yuhao said calmly, looking at the agitated Wang Dong.
"You..." Wang Dong was so angered by his unyielding attitude that his chest heaved, "Do you think I'm concerned about you? I just... I just don't want my roommate to be a good-for-nothing who gives up halfway!"
"Good-for-nothing?" Huo Yuhao's eyes instantly turned cold.
That was the word he hated most.
"Wang Dong, take back your words," his voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable chill, "My Dao is not for you to dictate."
"I will say it!" Wang Dong's competitive Spirit was also roused. He took a step forward, almost pressing against Huo Yuhao's face, his pink-blue eyes full of stubbornness, "A Spirit Master should follow the Righteous Path of a Spirit Master! To pursue ultimate power, to become a Titled Douluo, or even a Divinity! That is the starry sky we should look up to! spirit tools are merely clever tricks and frivolous skills, toys for the weak!"
These words were like a needle, sharply piercing the most sensitive part of Huo Yuhao's heart.
Divinity?
Looking up at the starry sky?
How ridiculous!
In the eyes of pawns like Wang Dong, who were arranged by the'script,' a 'God' like Tang San, who was high above and arbitrarily manipulated the fates of others, was their lifelong pursuit.
But he, himself, was going to drag this 'target' down from the divine throne!
"Toys for the weak?" Huo Yuhao suddenly laughed, his laughter carrying a hint of icy mockery, "Wang Dong, do you believe that one day, your proud Light Goddess Butterfly will be shot by these 'toys for the weak' until it can't even lift its wings?"
"You dare!" Wang Dong exploded in rage, a powerful spirit power instantly erupted, a golden spirit ring rose from beneath his feet, and the magnificent butterfly wings on his back suddenly unfurled!
The dormitory was instantly enveloped by a powerful sense of oppression.
However, Huo Yuhao remained completely unmoved.
He just quietly looked at Wang Dong, his dark eyes as deep as the Universe.
Buzz—!
An invisible mental force pressure, far more terrifying than Wang Dong's spirit power, descended like a tsunami!
Wang Dong only felt as if his brain had been violently struck by an invisible giant hammer, his vision went black, the butterfly wings he had just unfurled instantly disintegrated, and he staggered back several steps, falling onto the ground.
His face was filled with shock and... disbelief.
Mental... impact?
This guy actually broke his Spirit possession with just mental force?
How is this possible! How powerful was his mental force?
"Wang Dong, I'll say it one last time," Huo Yuhao looked down at him, his gaze icy and devoid of emotion, "I will walk my own Dao. Whether you want to follow behind me and watch how I reach the end, or part ways now, is up to you."
"But, don't try to define me with your ridiculous 'Righteous Path' anymore."
After speaking, he no longer looked at Wang Dong, who was slumped on the ground, turned and walked into the dormitory, closing the door.
Only Wang Dong was left, sitting dejectedly outside the door, Huo Yuhao's last words echoing in his mind.
His Dao... for some reason, a strong premonition suddenly surged in Wang Dong's heart.
Perhaps, the path Huo Yuhao chose really... would lead to a future he could not possibly imagine
After the intense conflict that night, the relationship between Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong entered a delicate "cold war" period.
They lived under the same roof but could go an entire day without speaking a word.
Wang Dong no longer provoked Huo Yuhao as he used to; he became much more silent, often sitting alone on his bed, lost in thought, not knowing what he was thinking.
The way he looked at Huo Yuhao also became increasingly complex, with reluctance, confusion, but notably lacking the previous disdain and hostility.
Huo Yuhao, on the other hand, was happy with the peace.
He devoted all his energy to frantic study and Cultivate.
He never missed the Martial Soul Department's devilish training, and his spirit power Rank steadily increased under Teacher Zhou Yi's "pressure," already approaching Rank fifteen.
As for the Soul Tool Department, he was like a rocket.
After thoroughly understanding all the basic theories and blueprints of Rank one and two spirit tools, he began to craft his first spirit tool.
What he wanted to make was not those common spirit tool ray guns, nor the flashy but impractical spirit tool shields.
He wanted to create an auxiliary spirit tool that could maximize his inherent advantage—mental force.
After half a month of conceptualization and design, a brand new blueprint was born in his laboratory.
The appearance of this spirit tool was like a wristband, with its main body crafted from deep silver, densely inscribed with over three hundred core arrays.
Its complexity far exceeded the scope of a Rank two spirit tool, even reaching the standard of a Rank three spirit tool.
Its core function was only one—Spiritual Interference.
This inspiration came from one of the four Spirit Abilities the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm bestowed upon him.
Through the amplification and conversion of this wristband, Huo Yuhao could simulate his mental force into spirit power fluctuations of various different attributes, thereby causing fatal misdirection to the enemy's sensory System.
For example, he could simulate the spirit power aura of a thousand-year Spirit Beast to scare away enemies.
He could also simulate the spirit power fluctuations of a rare plant to lure Spirit Beasts into a trap.
Even in battle, he could instantly interfere with an opponent's spirit power operation, causing a delay of a few tenths of a second in their Spirit Ability release.
In a confrontation between experts, this delay of a few tenths of a second could determine Life or death!
When Huo Yuhao handed this design blueprint to Fan Yu, the dean of the Soul Tool Department was stunned for a full ten minutes, unable to speak.
"Kid... you... you call this a Rank two spirit tool?" Fan Yu pointed at the outrageously complex core array on the blueprint, his voice trembling, "This... this is simply a work of art! No, this is a war machine!"
The way he looked at Huo Yuhao had completely changed.
If he previously thought Huo Yuhao was a "Prodigy," now he thought Huo Yuhao was simply a "god"!
A Domain no one had ever ventured into!
To convert and amplify intangible mental force through a spirit tool—this was truly pioneering a whole new genre!
"Teacher, is it theoretically feasible?" Huo Yuhao asked.
"Feasible! Extremely feasible!" Fan Yu excitedly slapped his thigh.
"I'll provide the Materials! I'll give you the best equipment! If you have any problems during the manufacturing process, come to me anytime! No, I'll personally be your assistant!"
To personally participate in the creation of a work capable of subverting the common knowledge of the Soul Engineer world was the highest honor for a tech fanatic like Fan Yu.
Thus, over the next month, the Soul Tool Department's underground laboratory almost daily echoed with the sound of metal hammering and Fan Yu's excited shouts.
Huo Yuhao displayed a composure and precision completely unbefitting his age.
He personally polished every single component.
He meticulously inscribed every single array.
His terrifying mental control was fully demonstrated during the manufacturing process.
Those energy circuits, hundreds of times thinner than a strand of hair, were perfectly inscribed onto the deep silver under the guidance of his mental force, without the slightest deviation.
Finally, at dusk a month later.
Buzz—!
Accompanied by a crisp hum, a metal wristband, entirely silver-white and shimmering with mysterious blue patterns, quietly floated in the center of the laboratory.
It didn't look remarkable, but the terrifying energy fluctuations it contained made Fan Yu, standing nearby, feel waves of trepidation.
It was a success!
A hint of satisfaction flashed in Huo Yuhao's eyes.
He stretched out his hand, and the wristband, as if alive, automatically flew to his wrist, fitting perfectly.
"Give it a name," Fan Yu's voice was hoarse with excitement.
Huo Yuhao stroked the cool metal surface of the wristband, pondered for a moment, then slowly uttered two words.
"Let's call it... 'illusion god'."
...When Huo Yuhao returned to the dormitory with the "illusion god wristband," it was already late at night.
He pushed open the door and was surprised to find that Wang Dong was not asleep but sitting at the table, where a steaming meal was placed.
Seeing Huo Yuhao return, Wang Dong's expression was a little unnatural.
He snorted, turned his head away, and said indifferently, "Don't get the wrong idea, these are my leftovers.
If you don't eat them, I'll throw them away."
Huo Yuhao looked at the meal, which was clearly just brought back, and couldn't help but smile inwardly.
This guy was truly a tsundere with a tough mouth and a soft heart.
The cold war of over a month seemed not to have worsened their relationship; instead, it had taught this proud "little princess" to express her concern in an awkward way.
"Thank you."
Huo Yuhao didn't expose him.
He walked to the table, sat down, picked up his chopsticks, and quietly began to eat.
He was indeed starving.
The atmosphere in the dormitory became unusually warm and peaceful.
Wang Dong secretly observed Huo Yuhao from the corner of his eye.
He noticed that Huo Yuhao seemed somewhat different again.
His gaze had become deeper and more confident than before.
The silver wristband on his wrist, though ordinary-looking, subtly emitted a mysterious fluctuation that made him feel a sense of dread.
This guy seemed to have grown stronger again in a Domain he knew nothing about.
"Hey," Wang Dong finally couldn't help but speak, "Next week is the freshman promotion assessment.
How... how prepared are you?"
"Alright, I guess," Huo Yuhao replied without lifting his head.
"Hmph, alright?" Wang Dong pouted, "I'm telling you, this assessment isn't a small skirmish like last time.
We'll be having a confrontation match against the second and third-year seniors!
If you dare to hold me back, I... I won't let you off!"
"Oh?" Huo Yuhao finally looked up, a glimmer of interest flashing in his eyes, "Confrontation match? That's somewhat interesting."
He stroked the "illusion god wristband" on his wrist, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.
Perfect, I'll use those seniors to test the power of my new toy