Ling Zichen slammed a stack of documents in front of Huo Yuhao with a "smack," the papers sliding halfway across the desk. She crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow, "I've finished all the tasks you assigned me. Are you satisfied now?"
Huo Yuhao glanced at the documents and nodded slightly, "Hmm, good. The new task list is ready. You can check it on the soul guidance screen."
Ling Zichen slammed her hand on the desk, causing the documents to rustle loudly, and roared, "Huo Yuhao, do you think I'm a perpetual motion machine? Is it fun to make things difficult for me?! I refuse to follow orders!"
Someone who can live from now until ten thousand years later... and has become a high-level mecha pilot, isn't that almost like a perpetual motion machine?
Thinking this, Huo Yuhao said indifferently, "You'd better look at the task content before deciding whether to refuse."
Ling Zichen frowned, unhappily taking out the soul guidance screen and looking at the content. When the task title came into view, she felt a wave of confusion.
This is... a mecha design blueprint? Just a blueprint designed by a Level 6 mecha designer, what's so special about it? Hasn't she seen it before?
Thinking this, a stream of data flashed in Ling Zichen's eyes, her mind quickly analyzed the special features, and gradually, a look of surprise appeared on her face.
Is this a mecha that combines the advantages of battle armor and mecha?
According to this design, it seems even ordinary people can wear and use it...
After waiting quietly for a moment, Huo Yuhao continued, "It's quite challenging. Do you want to participate in the research? If you can complete it, I'll prioritize equipping you with this mecha."
Since he accepted Mu Ye's legacy, he has naturally been researching super god-level mecha. What he gave Ling Zichen now is a derivative of that research, but it's still just a theoretical design. To actually manufacture it, many technical hurdles need to be overcome.
"Hmph, the research projects you gave me aren't enough to stump me... but this one is quite interesting."
Ling Zichen looked at the blueprint for a while, licked her lips, and looked at Huo Yuhao with interest, "You're giving me such an interesting research project?"
"That's just the design blueprint. Whether a finished product can be made depends on subsequent research. If you can do it, you can claim it as your own achievement."
Ling Zichen looked Huo Yuhao up and down for a moment, crossed her arms, "I'm not that shameless. After the research is completed, I'll add your name as the designer."
At this point, she could no longer contain her excitement.
"Can ordinary people fully utilize this mecha once it's developed?"
Ten thousand years ago, because of the Illustrious Virtue Hall's significant breakthrough in energy storage soul guidance devices, the use of soul guidance devices was no longer limited to soul masters.
With the development of the times, now, equipped with advanced soul guidance batteries, ordinary people can also pilot mecha, but there are still many limitations.
White-level and yellow-level mecha are challenging, but for stronger mecha to unleash their full power, a soul master is needed as the core driver, involving combat capabilities, energy issues, and more...
The design blueprint Huo Yuhao gave her... from her observation, although it's still in its infancy, it's definitely aiming to surpass red-level mecha. If ordinary people can fully control it, the implications are extraordinary.
Huo Yuhao nodded, "Yes, you're not a soul master, so you might not have noticed. Look at the energy device structure in the center."
Hearing this, Ling Zichen examined it carefully, and her pupils suddenly contracted, her fingertip hovering three inches above the design.
This is... a soul core?
Simulating the operation of a Soul Sage's soul core through a soul guidance array, absorbing external world energy for use... an artificial mecha soul master?
Ling Zichen murmured, "So that's the principle... but is this possible?"
She had actually considered the idea of ordinary people becoming strong through soul guidance devices, but that would require the completion of the Origin Core research, using terrifying energy amplification to design a super mecha that ordinary people could wear.
At that time, with the individual positive cycle Origin Core as the energy supply, it's not impossible for ordinary people to possess strength comparable to Title Douluo. Huo Yuhao's research path is similar to hers but different, more like making the mecha wearer a different kind of soul master.
Huo Yuhao said indifferently, "Why not? After all, soul cores can be condensed outside the body and then absorbed into it. Now, the Spirit Pagoda's research on spatial power is comprehensive enough, creating a simulated soul core is not…"
Seeing Ling Zichen's confused look, Huo Yuhao stopped.
Oh, that's knowledge from ten thousand years ago.
In that era, soul core condensation technology wasn't perfected. Some people without teachers to guide them in soul core condensation would experiment with spatial power themselves. They would condense a soul power vortex outside their bodies, watching it absorb world energy, grow, and explode, studying the method of soul core condensation.
Now, the soul core condensation method is perfected. Soul Sages can directly condense a soul power vortex inside their bodies, with no experimental process. Few people study the history of soul core development, let alone Ling Zichen, who is an ordinary person with even less knowledge in this area.
But Huo Yuhao has gone through the process of technological development and perfection, so his understanding is deeper, knowing that simulating a soul core is achievable.
Huo Yuhao returned to the original question, "In short, I think this is achievable, but since you're not familiar with soul cores, you can learn about it before deciding."
"No, I'll participate." Ling Zichen gave Huo Yuhao a complex look, took a deep breath, "Putting everything else aside, your technical level is truly admirable. I trust you."
Huo Yuhao's research is from the perspective of a soul master, while hers is from the perspective of an ordinary person. The two completely different research directions intersect at a certain point, yet collide with more sparks of inspiration due to their different perspectives.
If a simulated soul core is really developed, many technologies could break through bottlenecks.
'Even the individual positive cycle Origin Core could utilize this technology...'
Putting away the blueprint, Ling Zichen looked directly at Huo Yuhao for the first time with a serious gaze, the sharpness in her eyes softening slightly.
Regardless of the person, technically, they can complement each other.
After a moment of thought, she said softly, "The previous invitation still stands, but this time it's a personal one."
Huo Yuhao met her gaze, "If it's just a visit, I can go when I have time."
"Suit yourself."
Ling Zichen snorted slightly but didn't say more, turning and walking towards the experimental platform, her back exuding a rare sense of drive.
At this moment, Huo Yuhao's voice sounded in her ear, "Any research needs to be well-prepared. I don't want to hear one day that the headquarters was blown up by an internal experiment."
Ling Zichen paused, glancing back at Huo Yuhao in surprise, but seeing him already lowering his head to draw a new blueprint, she could only frown and leave.
There's something behind his words... does he know something?
On the other hand, Huo Yuhao, long after she left, took out a piece of rare metal, extracted its origin using a siphon inscription soul guidance array, felt its energy, and narrowed his eyes.
The principle of the individual Origin Core is to guide the fusion of metal origins, causing the energy contained in the metal origin to explode thousands of times, similar to nuclear fusion. The individual positive cycle Origin Core makes this explosion controllable, allowing for continuous recycling.
The energy of unprocessed rare metals is moderate, not very strong, but take celestial forged metal as an example. If someone could make celestial forged metal undergo such energy fusion, the power it would unleash... is equivalent to a full-force strike from a peak third-level god without a divine position, not much different from the Eternal Heaven.
No one has achieved this yet. The Federation's god-killing soul guidance cannon is made by extracting the origin of a large amount of ordinary rare metals, but it also shows the potential and danger of origin technology.
Originally, Ling Zichen's parents died in an explosion during origin research, and Ling Zichen herself was deeply affected. A rare research talent, don't get yourself killed by being reckless...
His thoughts paused, and Huo Yuhao thought of something else.
"The third soul core...should I try using the individual positive cycle Origin Core?"
The reason Ling Zichen can live until ten thousand years later is that she implanted an individual positive cycle Origin Core made of god-level metal into her body, providing her with a continuous energy supply, forming a positive cycle, equivalent to implanting a continuously regenerating god-killing soul guidance cannon as an energy source.
But this method is too dangerous. Not to mention it's like implanting a divine bomb in the body, just the implantation difficulty is no easier than becoming a god.
According to the original development, after the Douluo Star absorbed the Abyss Plane, many Limit Douluo broke through level 100. With the talent of the strong like Xie Xie and Xu Xiaoyan's generation, even if they didn't achieve it at the time, they will eventually become level 100 true gods.
But even after becoming gods, their fates were quite tragic.
Speaking of this, we have to mention an absurd thing. The lifespan of true god-level strongmen in this era and beyond is only a thousand years at most... similar to the limit twenty thousand years ago.
If we follow the original story, some of the strongmen of Xie Xie's generation reached their lifespan limit. Led by Ling Zichen, they wanted to implant individual positive cycle Origin Cores like her to transform themselves and continue living, but the results were not ideal.
Those strongmen ultimately couldn't endure the pain, lost control, and were eventually hunted down and killed by Ling Zichen's team...
Even true gods could fail, showing the difficulty. In the end, only Ling Zichen and Yi Zichen successfully completed the individual positive cycle Origin Core implantation.
"But the benefits are obvious. If I can use the individual positive cycle Origin Core to complete the third soul core, accumulating strength comparable to a second-level god under the suppression of the plane will be easier."
Huo Yuhao's mind moved, and his fingertips traced complex guidance soul patterns in the air. The metal origin in his palm suddenly vibrated, its atoms jumping frantically, a dazzling white light flowing on the metal surface, its energy level continuously rising, until—
Boom!
A blinding white light suddenly erupted, a violent energy torrent surging out like an angry dragon, but it was enveloped in a starlight sphere, unable to spread out.
Seeing this, Huo Yuhao's expression remained unchanged.
Breaking through technical bottlenecks always takes time.
"Let's keep this plan for now. Whether it's Ling Zichen's side or mine, completing the individual positive cycle Origin Core will take time... Even combining the research results from both sides won't be easy."
...
At noon the next day, the blazing sun shone on the Spirit Pagoda square, where everyone was gathered, ready to take a soul guidance vehicle to the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy.
Xie Xie walked up to Huo Yuhao and asked in a low voice, "Boss, who are they?"
His gaze drifted towards the two beautiful figures chatting and laughing with Gu Yuena in the distance, his eyes full of admiration and confusion.
Standing next to Gu Yuena was a tall, golden-haired woman wearing a well-tailored white outfit that accentuated her perfect figure. She was slightly tilting her head as she spoke to Gu Yuena, a faint smile on her lips, exuding an elegant aura.
Next to her was a blue-haired girl. The girl had an even more outstanding figure but seemed a bit nervous, her hands clasped in front of her, occasionally glancing at Gu Yuena and Huo Yuhao, looking like a startled rabbit.
The three women together formed a beautiful sight, but Xie Xie was more confused than impressed.
The blue-haired girl wasn't important, probably someone Boss Yu and Sister Na had dealt with before. (Lan Fuzi: ...You're right.)
What mattered was the golden-haired, red-eyed girl. She actually suppresses Sister Na!
Xie Xie was sure he wasn't mistaken. Sister Na, although still expressionless, had a look of despair and was gradually seeking help from Boss Huo.
'As expected of the Spirit Pagoda headquarters, there's someone who can suppress Sister Na.'
Xie Xie sighed inwardly.
"The person next to Na'er is her... sister, the reserve Spirit Envoy, Gu Ruiqiu."
Seeing Gu Yuena's gaze, Huo Yuhao helplessly explained as he walked over.
"The other one is Lan Fuzi, my colleague at the soul guidance research institute. She's been assigned a high-level task and will accompany us to the Illustrious Virtue Hall to participate in a collaborative research project."
Lan Fuzi shivered upon hearing this, her heart weeping.
That high-level person is you, isn't it, Lord Huo Yuhao?
Xie Xie and the others instantly understood.
No wonder she could suppress Gu Yuena... it's natural bloodline suppression.
After listening to what concerns her most, Xu Xiaoyan's gaze involuntarily turned to Lan Fuzi.
The girl looked about eighteen, her tight white dress accentuating her impressive figure, her slender waist cinched by the fabric, making her assets even more prominent...
Squinting and examining her for a moment, Xu Xiaoyan looked down, immediately seeing her own toes, and her face fell, secretly determined.
No, I need to supplement with more nutrition. From now on, breakfast will have three fried eggs instead of two!
On the other side, Gu Ruiqiu was chatting happily when she saw Huo Yuhao approach and naturally took Gu Yuena's hand. Her lips twitched imperceptibly, then she revealed a perfect, elegant smile.
"Let's stop here. Na'er, do your best when you enter the Illustrious Virtue Hall."
With that, she smiled and waved to Xu Xiaoyan and the others before turning to leave.
That's enough. If I continue, the Lord will ask Huo Yuhao for help, and I'll get beaten.
Gu Yuena stared expressionlessly at her disappearing figure in the Spirit Pagoda.
Suddenly, she turned her head to look at the nervous Lan Fuzi, who immediately took half a step back like a startled deer, her chest heaving, causing the pearl decorations on her light blue dress to tremble.
Clearly, she was so nervous she didn't notice Gu Yuena's earlier embarrassment at being teased by Gu Ruiqiu.
Seeing this, Gu Yuena's expression softened, and she smiled at Huo Yuhao, who had come to her rescue, "Yuhao, let's go."
"…Hmm." Huo Yuhao's gaze lingered on Lan Fuzi for a moment, then he nodded with mixed feelings and walked with her onto the vehicle that had landed on the square.
Lan Fuzi was stunned for a moment, then quickly followed.
...
As the vehicle began to, a visually striking cluster of buildings gradually came into view.
"Is this the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy?" Xu Xiaoyan pressed her entire face against the window, her nose squishing into a cute circle against the glass.
Xie Xie stroked his chin and commented, "Hmm... it really matches the cold, mechanical aesthetic of Mingdu."
Six silver-gray metal buildings were arranged in a radial pattern, connected in the center by fully transparent soul guidance energy channels that refracted colorful lights in the sun. In the center of the main building, the words "Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy" shine brightly under a special coating, clearly visible even from miles away.
But more than the buildings, everyone's attention was quickly drawn to the several statues in the center of the academy square. In the middle is the image of an old man, with the words "Silver Moon Douluo" engraved on the base in bold, flowing calligraphy.
Behind him, two youthful figures stood out the most.
A young man and a young woman.
Seeing them, Huo Yuhao's eyes rippled with emotion.
Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen…