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

Seeing her like this, Xiao Hongchen's heart skipped a beat, and he almost buried his face in the plate in front of him.

He patted his forehead and sighed deeply.

Oh no, his sister is probably really going to fall for that guy.

As Xiao Hongchen was sighing, a sudden inspiration struck him, and he instantly perked up.

He sat up abruptly, his eyes shining as he stared at his sister who was still in a daze, a strange smile unconsciously curving his lips.

Meng Hongchen is his sister. If Huo Yuhao really gets together with Meng Hongchen, wouldn't Huo Yuhao become his brother-in-law?

Huo Yuhao would be a generation younger than him, so no matter how much Huo Yuhao showed off in front of Kong Deming, he would still have to respectfully call him "brother" when he saw him.

"Hey, thinking about it that way, it's actually quite good."

Xiao Hongchen stroked his chin, and the pent-up frustration he felt from being utterly crushed by Huo Yuhao in class dissipated considerably at that moment.

However, he had no intention of giving up completely so easily.

What gets crushed in the classroom is only the theoretical knowledge level; when it comes to actually making a soul tool, the outcome is still uncertain.

He is, after all, a genuine level 5 Soul Master, capable of independently completing even some simple level 5 Soul Tools.

No matter how strong Huo Yuhao's theoretical knowledge is, he is still only a one-ring Soul Master. His cultivation level is limited, and making high-level Soul Tools requires real Soul Power.

In this regard, Xiao Hongchen firmly believed that he had an absolute advantage.

He was already planning in his mind when to find an opportunity to have a face-to-face competition with Huo Yuhao in making soul tools.

So that his grandfather and Master Kong could see who truly had the best hand skills.

In the afternoon, Huo Yuhao came to Mingde Hall again.

Kong Deming never teaches in the afternoons, reserving them entirely for his own research, so he headed straight for the public research area.

After becoming Kong Deming's student, he was naturally assigned a dedicated laboratory table.

This table is located towards the back of the hall, and most of the surrounding tables are empty, making the environment much quieter than other areas.

He took out the ID card that Kong Deming had prepared for him, and swiped it lightly on the identification device on the side of the experimental table. Immediately, a row of densely packed buttons lit up under the table, roughly counting at least fifty.

Each button has a small icon, each a different color, corresponding to a different material used to create a soul tool.

This is the most enviable configuration of Mingdetang, where each experimental table is a miniature material library.

Simply press the corresponding button, and the appropriate type and quantity of metal will pop out from a hidden compartment under the desktop.

The quota varies depending on the rarity of the material.

For example, the monthly limit for the use of mithril on his experimental table is 100 grams.

The usage limit for titanium crystal is 50 grams, and for the rarer core alloys, the quota is calculated in grams.

These quotas are astronomical figures for ordinary students, but for Huo Yuhao, they are just enough.

With such abundant resources, Huo Yuhao naturally wouldn't waste them.

He would arrive at Mingde Hall every afternoon on time to make various soul tools at this experimental table.

He would keep some of the finished products for future use, but he would sell the vast majority to Mingdetang in exchange for points.

Mingde Hall has always been generous with the research results provided by its members, especially high-quality soul tools, which are purchased at prices much higher than those on the black market.

For him, this is currently the most stable and lucrative source of income.

"The patent fees for the energy storage array should be coming down by now."

As Huo Yuhao inscribed the first array pattern on the metal, he pondered to himself.

Several days have passed since Jing Hongchen applied for a patent for the energy-storing ray, and there has been no news yet, which is indeed quite unusual.

However, he is not worried that his patent fees will be embezzled.

With Grand Elder Kong Deming in charge, apart from the shady rats of the Holy Spirit Cult, probably very few people in the entire Sun Moon Empire would dare to lay a hand on him.

It seems there's a temporary problem with the program.

He quickly put those thoughts aside and focused all his attention on making the soul tool in his hands.

The carving knife flew between his fingers, and the patterns on the metal surface flowed smoothly like swimming fish. The whole afternoon passed quietly in this focused and orderly rhythm.

Around the lab tables, the researchers gradually stopped what they were doing and left in twos and threes.

Huo Yuhao also completed the final circuit sealing and put the finished soul tool into his storage ring.

Just as he was about to get up and go to the cafeteria for dinner, he looked up and found that Kong Deming was already standing in front of his lab table.

Huo Yuhao was slightly taken aback, then called out, "Grandmaster."

Kong Deming stood with his hands behind his back, nodded slightly to him, and a rare smile appeared on his face.

His gaze swept over the unfinished soul tools that Huo Yuhao hadn't yet put away on his lab table, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes. He then looked away and asked casually, "So you're planning to go back?"

"Yes. I plan to grab a bite to eat first, then head back to my dorm," Huo Yuhao replied truthfully.

"Then don't go back yet." Kong Deming waved his hand, his tone still as calm as if he were talking about something trivial. "Come with me to the palace, the emperor wants to see you."

Huo Yuhao showed a hint of surprise on his face at the right moment, but he almost instantly understood the key point.

The energy storage soul tool is of great importance; on a smaller scale, it can enable ordinary people to use soul tools.

On a grander scale, it could completely alter the war landscape across the entire continent.

Even the future development direction of soul tools will undergo a major change.

It was quite reasonable for the Sun and Moon Emperor to want to meet the developer in person after learning about this.

“Alright, Grandmaster, I will go to the palace with you.” Huo Yuhao did not hesitate for a moment, put everything on the table into his storage ring, and stood up.

Chapter 64 Reward: Soul Bone (Please continue reading!)

Huo Yuhao spoke calmly, showing no signs of panic despite the impending meeting the emperor.

Seeing his calm reaction, Kong Deming's eyes showed even greater satisfaction.

He patted Huo Yuhao on the shoulder, his tone reassuring: "Don't worry, it's nothing serious."

The way he said it was so casual, as if he were just taking his grandson out for a meal.

In the entire Sun Moon Empire, only this old man, who had lived for nearly 150 years, could speak of meeting the emperor so casually.

The two left the academy and headed towards the palace along the widest central avenue in Mingdu.

Night had fallen, and the streetlights cast soft glows on both sides of the street, casting long and short shadows of an old man and a young man.

Before long, the continuous vermilion palace walls came into view.

The imperial guards, upon seeing Kong Deming from afar, bowed in unison and made way for him without even checking his token.

Led by a palace attendant, the two passed through several palace gates and corridors, finally arriving at the study in the side hall.

After the waiter went in to announce their arrival, Xu Tianlin's voice soon came from inside: "Please invite Elder Kong and Huo Yuhao in."

Kong Deming straightened his robes and led Huo Yuhao inside.

The furnishings in the study were exactly the same as when Jing Hongchen last visited. The books on the shelves were neatly arranged, and the air was filled with a faint scent of ink and medicine.

Xu Tianlin remained seated behind the large desk, dressed in a bright yellow dragon robe, his temples streaked with white as snow, and his face still bearing the lingering signs of illness.

But today he seemed to be in better spirits than last time. When he saw the two of them come in, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, revealing a warm smile.

Kong Deming bowed slightly, and Huo Yuhao followed suit with a bow.

Before the two could finish their formalities, Xu Tianlin waved his hand with a smile, his tone gentle and casual: "Elder Kong, there's no need for such formalities. You are my Grand Tutor, and this young genius is the star of the day. Please sit down and talk."

Huo Yuhao straightened up as instructed, his gaze calmly meeting that of the man who held the reins of the strongest empire on the continent.

Xu Tianlin's face was even paler than he remembered, his cheekbones were high and prominent, and the color on his lips was so faint that it was almost invisible.

The medicinal smell emanating from him was even stronger than when Jing Hongchen had visited last time.

Huo Yuhao secretly understood that if things continued this way, the emperor would fall seriously ill in five or six years.

At that time, Crown Prince Xu Tianran will take over all military and political power of the Sun Moon Empire as regent.

In his past life, he witnessed the undercurrents of that power transition, but none of that was relevant to him at the time.

"You must be Yuhao?" Xu Tianlin's voice pulled Huo Yuhao back to reality.

His Majesty the Emperor was looking at him with great interest, his eyes filled with a mixture of amazement and curiosity. "Master Kong praised you to the skies in front of me."

"To be able to independently develop an energy storage array at the age of eleven—such talent is rare even in the entire Douluo Continent. Truly, heroes emerge from among the young."

Huo Yuhao bowed slightly, his expression neither humble nor arrogant, his tone carrying just the right amount of modesty: "Your Majesty flatters me."

"The energy storage array was not created out of thin air. It was only by chance that I was able to draw upon the research of my predecessors and make connections with them."

Upon hearing this, Xu Tianlin laughed heartily, his laughter echoing in the quiet study.

He pointed at Huo Yuhao and smiled at Kong Deming, "Elder Kong, your grand-disciple is not only highly talented, but also so humble. He is far superior to those young people in my palace who get arrogant as soon as they have a little ability."

He paused, his smile slowly fading, and his expression became serious. "However, Yuhao, you don't need to be so modest. The advent of the energy-accumulating soul tool is a great thing that benefits the country and its people."

"If this technology can be widely adopted, it will have an immeasurable impact on the entire Sun Moon Empire and the entire continent's格局 (geju, a concept encompassing overall structure, overall situation, and overall dynamics)."

His tone grew increasingly serious, his deep-set eyes fixed on Huo Yuhao as he spoke, word by word: "But precisely because this matter is of such great importance, I must proceed with extreme caution."

"The matter of the energy storage soul tool cannot be made public in the short term, and your name, as the developer, cannot be made public either."

"I know this is not fair to you, but for your safety and for the long-term benefit of the empire, I have no choice but to make this difficult for now."

Huo Yuhao remained calm and nodded almost without hesitation, saying, "I fully understand Your Majesty's concerns. I agree to Your Majesty's arrangement."

He genuinely understood; it wasn't just politeness.

There was already a deep chasm between the Sun Moon Empire and the original Douluo Three Kingdoms, and hostility and vigilance had long been deeply rooted.

If the Star Luo, Heavenly Soul, and Fighting Spirit Kingdoms were to learn that the Sun Moon Empire had mastered the technology that allowed ordinary people to use soul tools, they would certainly not sit idly by and wait for their doom.

By then, the outbreak of war would be almost a certainty.

As the developer of this technology, he would inevitably become the primary target of the other three kingdoms and various forces.

Although the Sun Moon Empire could provide him with comprehensive protection, that protection also meant that he would be firmly confined within the high walls of Mingdu, unable to move an inch.

This price of losing his freedom is something he absolutely does not want to pay.