Douluo Continent, Huo Yuhao, the villain from a parallel world

Jing Hongchen took the unassuming cylindrical soul tool with both hands and examined it carefully, turning it over and over in his palms.

At first, his expression was normal, but when he saw the structure of the two energy storage arrays on the outer shell, the smile on his face froze for a moment.

He stopped talking, but instead brought the energy-storing ray closer to his eyes, squinting as he traced it from the energy storage core all the way to the excitation circuit, and then moved it inch by inch from the guide array at the input end to the trigger device at the output end.

He looked at it more and more slowly and carefully, and his breathing became heavier and heavier without him even realizing it.

Energy storage soul guides are also one of the key research areas of Mingde Hall.

If it can be successfully developed, the Sun Moon Empire can train a large number of ordinary people without soul power into soldiers who can use soul tools, forming a massive soul tool legion.

At that time, all those Douluo Continent and Shrek Academy will be nothing but a bunch of chickens and dogs in the face of the overwhelming soul-guided rays.

Despite investing countless manpower and resources and conducting research for so many years, Mingdetang has made very little progress.

In their view, a breakthrough in energy storage soul tools would require at least several decades or even hundreds of years of accumulation before it could be achieved.

And now, the facts are right in front of him.

Jing Hongchen suddenly raised his head, his chubby face filled with disbelief, and his voice unconsciously rose a few decibels: "Master Kong... Master Kong, is this really designed by your student?"

Kong Deming remained calm, merely glancing at him indifferently before asking, "Are you questioning me?"

Jing Hongchen was startled and quickly waved his hand, his face full of a frightened smile: "No, no, how could this junior dare to question you, sir! It's just... it's just that this thing is too incredible."

"As you know, our Mingde Hall has been researching energy storage soul guides for many years but hasn't made any significant progress."

"I'm a bit slow to process what happened when a new student suddenly broke through my limits."

Seeing his surprised and embarrassed expression, Kong Deming didn't make things difficult for him. His tone remained calm: "When I first saw it, I was just as shocked as you were."

“But he did it all over again in front of me from beginning to end, and every step and every formation was impeccable. That’s why I decided to take him with me and teach him.”

After hearing these words, Jing Hongchen finally managed to suppress the shock surging in his heart, but a hint of disbelief still lingered on his chubby face.

He clicked his tongue, then couldn't help but ask, "Master Kong, may I ask how old that student is this year?"

“Eleven years old,” Kong Deming said calmly.

Jing Hongchen opened his mouth, but couldn't close it for a long time.

He stared blankly at the energy-storing ray in his hand, then looked up at Kong Deming's expressionless face, and for a moment he didn't know what to say.

At eleven years old, all the researchers under him who had been working diligently in Mingde Hall for more than a decade were over thirty.

A tough nut that a group of people had struggled with for so many years was cracked by an eleven-year-old boy.

Kong Deming ignored his lapse in composure and continued to instruct, "Don't make too much of a fuss about him. Just tell everyone he's my new student, and don't reveal any other information."

Jing Hongchen immediately understood and nodded repeatedly: "Don't worry, Elder Kong, I understand."

If the identity of a genius soul master who can independently develop an energy storage array at the age of eleven is exposed too early, it will be like a tall tree attracting the wind.

Spies from other empires are everywhere in Mingdu, and the evil spirit masters of the Holy Spirit Cult are even more ubiquitous. A slight mistake could lead to your death.

Kong Deming was taking precautions and providing the child with a protective layer.

Chapter 57 The Emperor's Attention (Please continue reading!)

Seeing that he should take this matter seriously, Kong Deming did not linger any longer.

He nodded to Jing Hongchen, then turned and walked straight out of the office.

The metal door closed silently behind him, leaving Jing Hongchen standing alone in the brightly lit room.

Jing Hongchen returned to his seat with the energy-storing ray gun in his hands, examining it over and over, his fingers repeatedly stroking the intricate array patterns. His eyes held both awe and an irrepressible joy.

The closer he looked, the more he was impressed by the ingenious design of the two energy-accumulating arrays. He couldn't help but mutter to himself, "Eleven years old... to be able to create something like this at only eleven years old, truly a prodigy."

He carefully recorded the energy storage array in the file, then stood up, carefully put the energy storage beam into his storage soul tool, and quickly left the office.

The advent of the energy storage array is of great importance. Whether it can be made public and in what form it can be made public are not decisions that he, as the head of Mingde Hall, can make on his own.

Such a significant matter must be reported to His Majesty the Emperor first.

The imperial palace of the Sun and Moon Empire is located in the very center of Mingdu. Unlike the modern appearance of Mingdu, the imperial palace still retains a large number of ancient architectural styles.

The red walls and golden tiles stretch out in a continuous line, with layers of upturned eaves extending towards the sky. The vermilion palace walls are carved with intricate dragon and phoenix patterns, and the solemn and majestic atmosphere is no different from that of hundreds of years ago.

However, upon closer inspection, one can discover traces of soul-guided devices hidden throughout this ancient palace.

At regular intervals along the palace walls stood an inconspicuous soul-guided detection tower, its top array scanning day and night for all soul power fluctuations within a radius of several miles.

Along the corridors between the palaces, soul-guiding lamps hang silently on the walls, emitting a soft and constant light that is far brighter than traditional candlelight palace lanterns.

On both sides of the plaza in front of the main hall, several soul-guided cannons, made entirely of alloy, lay silently on their bases, their muzzles gleaming coldly in the moonlight.

Led by a palace attendant, Jing Hongchen passed through several palace gates and finally arrived at the study outside a side hall.

After the waiter announced the arrival in a low voice, he straightened his robes and stepped inside.

The study was simply furnished, with bookshelves on all four walls neatly stacked with various classics and documents, and a faint scent of ink and medicine permeating the air.

Behind the desk sat a middle-aged man dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe.

He looked to be around forty or fifty years old, quite thin, with graying temples and an undeniable sickly appearance. His cheekbones were slightly prominent, and his lips were pale.

But his eyes remained bright and piercing, a sharp light shining from his deep-set sockets that made it difficult to look directly at him.

This person is none other than Xu Tianlin, the current emperor of the Sun Moon Empire.

Jing Hongchen stepped forward quickly and bowed respectfully: "Your subject Jing Hongchen greets Your Majesty."

Xu Tianlin put down the memorial in his hand, raised his head, and a gentle smile appeared on his lips: "Hongchen, why are you coming to the palace so late? Is there something important to report?"

Jing Hongchen straightened up, took out the energy-accumulating ray from his storage soul tool, and presented it with both hands.

He didn't beat around the bush and told the whole story of what had happened that night.

Kong Deming has taken on a new student. The student is only eleven years old, but he has independently developed an energy storage array and created a complete and usable energy storage soul tool.

Xu Tianlin had been casually leaning back in his chair, but when he heard the words "energy storage soul tool," the smile on his face slowly faded.

After Jing Hongchen presented the energy-storing ray gun to him and explained in detail the working principle of this soul tool,

Xu Tianlin straightened up from the back of his chair, holding the cylindrical soul tool in both hands and examining it closely, his eyes filled with undisguised shock.

“Hongchen,” he looked up, his tone tinged with suspicion, “was this really developed by Confucius’s student? Or did Confucius develop it himself and then give the credit to his student?”

He knew Kong Deming very well. This old master's expertise in soul tools was unparalleled on the continent. He wouldn't be surprised at all if Kong Deming himself had broken through the difficulty of the energy storage array.

But to say that it was made by one of his newly accepted students is simply too sensational.

Jing Hongchen replied decisively, "Your Majesty, Master Kong personally confirmed that it was independently developed by his student."

"Master Kong even called the student over for a test, and watched him do it again before deciding to take him under his wing and teach him."

Xu Tianlin remained silent for a moment, then slowly nodded. Kong Deming had served as the Grand Master of the Imperial Household for many years, remaining loyal and dedicated to the Sun and Moon Imperial Family.

Xu Tianlin knew his character all too well; he was a man of his word and would never stoop to lying about such matters.

Since Kong Deming confirmed it himself, it cannot be false.

"I never expected this." Xu Tianlin gently placed the energy-storing ray on the desk.

He then let out a long sigh, his tone full of emotion, "I thought this thing would be at least several hundred years away from being invented, but I never expected that a newly enrolled boy would solve it."

He paused, his expression becoming serious, and instructed Jing Hongchen, "Here's what you'd like to do: first, arrange the charging of the soul guide device within the Mingde Hall."

"Let a few core researchers come into contact with this formation on a small scale and try to apply it to other types of soul tools."

"As for whether or not it can be made public, and in what way, we should not act rashly."

Jing Hongchen bowed and accepted the order: "Your Majesty, I understand." He hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Your Majesty, what reward should be given to that student?"

Xu Tianlin waved his hand, leaned back in his chair, and looked thoughtful. "I will discuss this matter with Elder Kong personally. You go and do your work."

Upon hearing this, Jing Hongchen dared not ask any further questions. After bowing once more, she respectfully withdrew from the study.

The side hall returned to tranquility.

Xu Tianlin sat alone behind his desk, tapping lightly twice on the outer shell of the energy-storing ray with his fingers, his eyes flickering as if deep in thought.

A moment later, he took a wolf-hair brush from the brush holder beside him, spread out a blank scroll of imperial edicts, and began to write.

"Such a talented young man, it seems I must meet him."

Jing Hongchen left the study and hurriedly walked out along the corridor she had come from.

Xu Tianlin's orders were still echoing in his ears. His mind was filled with thoughts of how to conduct tests of the energy storage array on a small scale after returning, and how to come up with a feasible expansion plan in the shortest possible time.

As he was deep in thought, before he even stepped out of the long corridor outside the side hall, a figure blocked his way.

Chapter 58 Laughing at the Mortal World and Dreaming of the Mortal World (Please continue reading!)

To be precise, it was a wheelchair.

The wheelchair was made entirely of dark gold metal, with several high-quality gemstones inlaid on the armrests, and an exquisite soul-guided propulsion device on the back of the chair, making it clear that it was very expensive.

A man sat in the chair. He looked to be in his early thirties. He had a angular face and dark, healthy skin, without the paleness and haggardness often seen in people who have been ill for a long time.

He has broad shoulders, and even when he is in a wheelchair, he still appears upright. His hands are casually resting on the armrests, and his ten fingers are long and strong.

What's most striking about him are his eyes, with slightly downturned corners and a nonchalant smile on his lips.

He appeared gentle and refined, as if he had just happened to be passing by and stopped to admire the moonlight outside the corridor.

But the moment Jing Hongchen saw this person, she stopped abruptly.

He almost reflexively suppressed all unnecessary expressions on his face, straightened his robes, and respectfully bowed to the man in the wheelchair.

"Your subject, Jing Hongchen, greets Your Highness the Crown Prince."

The man in the wheelchair was none other than Xu Tianran, the Crown Prince of the Sun Moon Empire.

Xu Tianran smiled slightly, raised his hand in a gesture of support, and said in a gentle and approachable voice, "Master Jing, there's no need for such formalities. It must be important for you to come to the palace to see the Emperor so late at night."

Jing Hongchen straightened up, her expression unchanged, but her heart tightened slightly.

Xu Tianran asked the question casually, but he couldn't possibly miss the meaning behind it. It was probably no coincidence that His Highness the Crown Prince would appear on his usual route out of the palace late at night.

But he hesitated for only a moment before shaking his head, his face showing just the right amount of respect and apology.

He replied neither humbly nor arrogantly, "Your Highness, this matter involves His Majesty's personal instructions, and I cannot disclose it. If Your Highness truly wishes to know, please inquire with His Majesty."