"Junior, do you need your senior sister to take care of this matter for you? If he really tries anything shady, it could get troublesome."
This time, Dream Hongchen didn't giggle or joke. Instead, she looked at Huo Yuhao seriously.
Huo Yuhao smiled and shook his head.
"Senior sister, you're really kind. I know it would be easy for someone like you to deal with that person. But if I can't even handle something like this on my own, wouldn't I be letting down the Headmaster's expectations of me?"
He was well aware that Dream Hongchen and Laughing Hongchen must know he was specially admitted by Jing Hongchen. Otherwise, they wouldn't be paying him this much attention.
Dream Hongchen's eyes showed a trace of surprise as she looked at him.
"You've got backbone, junior. I like that. So, just what kind of abilities do you have that made Grandpa value you so much? Don't disappoint me, okay?"
"Of course not."
So the two of them walked and talked casually, and before long, the sun that had still been hanging high in the sky had slowly begun its descent toward the western horizon.
They ended up at a scenic overlook, facing the sunset over Mingdu. The breeze stirred their blue and white hair gently.
"It's really beautiful, the sunset here."
"Yeah... Mingdu's sunsets have always been lovely. Wait—did you say here?"
Dream Hongchen looked at him with a puzzled expression.
"Senior sister, did you know? I used to be from the Star Luo Empire."
As he said this, Huo Yuhao thought about the days he had spent in that dark, suffocating place at the Duke of White Tiger's manor. He felt a faint urge to talk about it, yet couldn't bring himself to say more.
'I'm already living the life I dreamed of. What's the point of holding on to the past?' Still, he couldn't help thinking: What if...
Dream Hongchen looked at his youthful face—only twelve years old—yet already showing signs of maturity and melancholy. She was curious. What kind of past had he lived through to become the boy he was now?
Huo Yuhao said nothing more, quietly watching the sun dip below the horizon.
"Will I get to hear your story someday, junior?"
"Of course, senior sister."
Once the sun had completely disappeared and darkness settled in, the two said their goodbyes and returned to their dorms.
"Looking forward to your good news from the qualification test, junior~"
Thinking about Dream Hongchen's bright smile and teasing tone, Huo Yuhao couldn't help but smile himself.
For the past three months, he had been immersing himself in studies. Other than Ye Wen, he hadn't made many friends. Now, he had one more—Dream Hongchen. And she was a girl, which made him feel quietly happy.
'Maybe in the future, Laughing Hongchen will become a friend too?'
They had at least formally introduced themselves. Things should go well from here on, right?
Back in his dorm, Huo Yuhao looked at the pile of rare metals stacked like a hill in the corner, satisfied. Then, he got right back to studying soul tools.
And so, several days passed. Finally, the day of the Soul Instructor Qualification Test arrived.
On this day, many students were visibly anxious. After all, if they failed to pass, they would be expelled.
Only by obtaining the corresponding rank of Soul Instructor could they gain access to the full support and resources of the empire's premier institution.
Outside Testing Room 3, a line of students stood nervously in queue, waiting for their turn to take the test.
Except for Huo Yuhao. Hands in his pockets, he casually counted the number of tiles on the ground.
"Next, Huo Yuhao."
Upon hearing his name called by one of the invigilators, Huo Yuhao calmly walked into the testing room.
Just like in the job interviews he remembered from Earth, there were three invigilators seated at a table, watching the test-taker as they worked at the crafting station. The examinee had to complete a soul tool of the appropriate level within a set time to pass.
As soon as he entered and saw one of the invigilators, Huo Yuhao's eyes narrowed slightly.
Wang Hai.
The Director of Academic Affairs was a certified Soul Instructor himself, which qualified him to be an examiner. But Huo Yuhao suspected this wasn't a coincidence.
Still, he didn't let anything show. He calmly took his seat.
'So, Wang Hai, what kind of tricks do you have up your sleeve today?'
Very quickly, he got his answer.
"Candidate, you may begin crafting your soul tool," Wang Hai said calmly.
Huo Yuhao frowned inwardly. 'Wait, where's the specification? What soul tool am I required to produce?'
Normally, before a test began, the invigilators would state what kind of soul tool was required to pass. But now, Wang Hai had conveniently skipped that part.
Without a clear target, no matter what kind of soul tool he crafted, they could simply say it didn't meet the unspecified standard.
Judging by the indifferent expressions of the other two invigilators, Huo Yuhao realized they had probably been bought off too.
'To go this far just to get rid of me? Director Wang, that's a bit much.'
He sighed mentally, but he didn't panic.
'As long as I produce something undeniably up to standard, they won't be able to deny it.'
Then, after a quick inspection of the materials on the table, he noticed something missing.
Refined iron.
It wasn't strictly necessary to create soul tools without refined iron, but for lower-tier soul tools, it was one of the best materials to engrave core formations on. Many beginner soul instructors couldn't even work without it.
'So this is trick number two, huh? Eliminating refined iron from the materials to block most students from making anything at all.'
'If someone else were taking this test, they might really have no way out.'
Ordinarily, if a student failed a qualification test due to materials or examiner bias, there was little recourse. Retesting was only allowed the following year. According to the school rules, anyone who failed would be expelled.
But Huo Yuhao didn't panic.
'Because I'm not just some average student.'
He picked up a carving knife and began to etch his soul formation.
Watching him remain calm, Wang Hai narrowed his eyes.
'Hmph. Let's see how long you can keep up that act, you brat.'
Two hours later.
"Time is up. Please stop working."
Just as the announcement came, Huo Yuhao appeared to finish his project—whether it was perfect timing or a lucky coincidence, no one could say.
"Please present and describe your soul tool."
Huo Yuhao stood up, holding a small, sleek soul tool.
"Dear examiners, as you can see, I've crafted a Level 1 soul tool—a laser gun."
He raised the weapon and fired a ray of soul power at one of the targets, striking it precisely.
"I don't feel like explaining further. Go ahead and evaluate it."
At this, Wang Hai's expression turned cold.
"Hmph. Candidate, just because you submitted a simple laser gun doesn't mean it meets the standards for a Level 1 Soul Instructor. I find your submission to be careless and substandard. I hereby rule that you fail the assessment. Do the other examiners have any objections?"
"No objection."
"N-no objection."
One of the other two seemed hesitant but ultimately gave in, remembering the bribe he had received.
Huo Yuhao sighed inwardly.
'Director Wang, you're being too hasty.'
"Who said... this is the only soul tool I made?"
From his pocket, he pulled out a second device—this one much smaller, shaped like a miniature cannon with a conical muzzle. Despite its size, it exuded a chilling aura.
Wang Hai blinked in surprise.
'Wait. He made something else? But I didn't notice him stash it—'
"This soul tool is of my own design. I call it a floating cannon. Its level? About Level 2."
Level 2? Impossible.
Just as Wang Hai was starting to relax, thinking Huo Yuhao was bluffing, he saw the cannon lift off the table and begin flying through the air. It zoomed around the testing room and fired off soul rays with pinpoint accuracy.
Of course, it didn't need a whistle to activate—but Huo Yuhao thought it would look cool, just like Yondu's arrow in that one Marvel movie.
Wang Hai stared, speechless. He was a Soul Instructor himself. He could tell this device wasn't just Level 2—it could even qualify as Level 3 based on its performance.
He stood up abruptly, pointing at Huo Yuhao.
"Impossible! This soul tool isn't your work! You must have cheated—this is cheating! I declare this candidate fails for academic dishonesty!"
Huo Yuhao chuckled, unable to hold it in.
It wasn't just Wang Hai's ridiculous accusations—it was the fact that...
"Director Wang, before you say any more, maybe turn around and take a look."
Wang Hai blinked. "Turn around?"
He turned... and froze.
Behind him stood a rotund, finely dressed old man, his face thunderous.
Jing Hongchen.
The other two examiners turned, saw him, and their faces went pale.
It was over.
"Headmaster, based on my submission... have I passed?"
Jing Hongchen turned to look at Huo Yuhao—his personally approved student. Seeing the powerful floating cannon Huo Yuhao had crafted, his dark expression lightened.
"Excellent soul tool. Crafting one with this functionality and cross-grade performance requires exceptional spiritual power. In my judgment, you qualify not just as a Level 2 Soul Instructor—but as Level 3. Continue working hard."
Huo Yuhao accepted this calmly. He knew he deserved it. His spiritual power had far surpassed his soul power, allowing him to craft Level 2 soul tools with ease. What limited him from Level 3 production was only his soul power.
"Huo Yuhao, with talent like yours, would you be willing to become my final disciple?"
(End of Chapter)
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