Chapter 47 Soul Guidance

“*Ahem*... Since classmate Dai Huabin cannot continue participating in the ceremony due to a sudden internal injury flare-up, we will proceed to the next agenda,” Du Weilen cleared his throat. “After intense discussions between the two deans, the academy has specially approved that a select group of students be trained as core disciples in the external departments, with resource allocation and privileges equivalent to those of the internal academy students!”

As expected, the six hangers-on who had followed Huo Yuhao and the other two to the forefront were not included. However, possessing this ranking meant they would receive some minor preferential treatment during their academy life in the coming years.

It wasn’t much, but perhaps it was enough to change their destinies.

“But why wasn’t Xie Huan Yue from the Third Ring selected? That fox spirit wasn’t either,” Huo Yuhao frowned, puzzled by the academy’s reasoning.

From his perspective, these two together could easily wipe out every team except his and Dai Huabin’s. Why then had the academy simply given up on cultivating them?

“Could it be because their soul rings are difficult to configure?” Although the powerful Shrek Academy’s concern seemed a bit far-fetched, after much thought, it appeared to be the only reasonable explanation.

Huo Yuhao tentatively tried to read their minds.

But what followed in the announcement made his brow furrow even more.

“...Additionally, one student’s performance in the competition was outstanding and demonstrated exceptional aptitude for soul-guidance technology. This individual is hereby granted priority training qualifications in the Soul-Guidance Department.”

“Let us congratulate classmate Huo Yuhao! Please proceed to the Soul-Guidance Department dean’s office after the ceremony for formalities!”

Congratulations?

Huo Yuhao’s face darkened.

He came here to cultivate, to level up, to study the knowledge of martial souls and soul beasts—not to waste time tinkering with soul-guidance devices!

...

“Yuhao? Are you okay?” Wang Dong’s worried gaze remained fixed on Huo Yuhao’s sour expression until the ceremony ended. Then, indignantly, he said, “Those old fogies are truly blind! You came second in the freshman competition and they say you’re not suited to cultivate in the Martial Soul Department? If you’re not suited, then I’m not either! What nonsense!”

“Is it possible that...” Xiao Xiao cautiously ventured, watching both their expressions carefully, “that the division into departments considers future growth potential rather than current strength...?”

From her perspective, Huo Yuhao’s physical body was strong enough to bear more soul-guidance devices.

His spirit was robust and perception keen; controlling two or three hundred soul-guidance rays simultaneously would be effortless. Paired with invincible spiritual attacks, he would be nearly unstoppable.

His eyes were his martial soul, so it seemed he had an advantage in crafting soul-guidance devices as well.

He was, in fact, a born genius in soul-guidance.

“Hey!” Wang Dong suddenly snapped, “Which side are you on?!”

Was that something to say when comforting someone?

“I just—” Xiao Xiao paused, wisely choosing to hold back the rest of her sentence.

She merely thought that soul-guidance might be a promising path.

Unlike Wang Dong, who inexplicably despised soul-guidance devices, fragile Xiao Xiao hoped to be fully armed with soul-guidance gear, turning her vulnerable body into an impenetrable iron fortress.

That way, coupled with soul-guidance devices that could regenerate spiritual power, she could safely stay inside and unleash seismic shocks without fear.

“Forget it, I’m fine,” Huo Yuhao suddenly relaxed after much inner turmoil and made peace with himself.

“The real priority now is how to take a long leave to travel to the Extreme North to obtain a qualifying soul ring for my second martial soul... Martial soul or soul-guidance, that’s not important.”

It had been a week since he broke through to level twenty spiritual power. After so many battles, his spiritual power was saturated and couldn’t be raised further.

Holding back longer would only waste cultivation time.

In the past two days, Huo Yuhao had been so bored that he was conjuring water balls out of thin air using Crane Control and Dragon Capture techniques, as well as magic power cultivation methods.

No real improvement in strength, but it helped him train his control a bit.

“I advise you to just stay put~” Tian Meng chuckled, “No matter what reason you give during the semester, Shrek will probably find a way to follow you around~ After all, you’re an unknown original martial soul! Leaving school suddenly would be too suspicious.”

“Then let them follow!” Huo Yuhao said, having come up with a plan. “But you have to be capable.”

“Me?” Tian Meng was surprised. “Alright~ Then I look forward to your plan.”

...

Half an hour later.

Huo Yuhao stood as promised before the dean’s office.

Though he had mentally prepared, being near this continent’s top expert still made him feel a profound pressure deep within his soul.

It was as if a beast lurked hidden inside.

His spiritual eyes, his martial soul, twitched under this vague threat, almost unable to restrain themselves from unleashing to provide protection.

‘Is this a deliberate display of aura to intimidate me? Or was the restraint on the battlefield just for show?’

Huo Yuhao narrowed his eyes and gently pushed open the door.

A tall, muscular figure sat behind the desk, quietly flipping through documents. Even from several meters away, a burning heat radiated from him.

“Hey!” Qian Duoduo suddenly dropped the papers and grinned at Huo Yuhao, “So you really sensed it!”

“With that keen perception not less than Fourth Ring, few can escape your eyes on the battlefield.”

As he spoke, Qian Duoduo’s intimidating aura suddenly vanished into thin air, completely undetectable. Even after Huo Yuhao activated spiritual detection, he could find no trace of it — truly invisible.

“Come, sit down,” Qian Duoduo smiled with satisfaction, gesturing to the chair. “If you have any questions or needs, feel free to ask or discuss!”

Shrek’s Soul-Guidance Department was originally a reluctant spin-off to keep up with trends, desperately short of staff to the point they had to constantly poach people from Yan Shaozhe.

Although Mu Lao’s allocated cultivation resources were limited, dividing them among the soul-guidance students gave them three to four times more per capita than neighboring departments. Usually, it was so empty you could walk for minutes underground without seeing a single soul.

Now, with such a naturally gifted soul-guidance saint joining, Qian Duoduo could hardly contain his excitement.

Before Huo Yuhao’s arrival, he had already made up his mind.

No matter what soul ring, soul bone, or specialized instruction this kid requested, he would approve it!

“Dean,” Huo Yuhao took a deep breath, “I want to continue cultivating in the Martial Soul Department, or at least apply for an auditing position there.”

*Crack—*

Qian Duoduo’s expression suddenly stiffened, and the chair beneath him emitted a desperate groan under the strain.

“W-what did you say?”