Book 2: Academy of Monsters
Chapter 9.3: Radiant Butterfly Goddess
This question couldn’t be any easier for him. Wang Dong stood up and unhesitantly replied, “Naturally, assault, agility, and control system soul masters are inclined towards attacking, while auxiliary, food, and defense system soul masters are inclined towards defense.”
Zhou Yi spoke with no trace of politeness, “That was a stupid answer.”
Wang Dong was left blank. “Teacher Zhou, my answer-”
“Sit down.” Zhou Yi interrupted him, as she waved her hand in his direction, causing a strong burst of soulforce to hold back the words he was about to say. Then, it forced him to sit back down.
“If this were four thousand years ago—before the Sun Moon Continent had collided with our Douluo Continent—Wang Dong’s answer would’ve been correct. However, as of now, his answer couldn’t be any more incorrect. Huo Yuhao, tell me, why is this so?”
Huo Yuhao instantly thought to himself that Teacher Zhou really had a grudge against him and Wang Dong today. Fortunately, they hadn’t been expelled despite this. After some lightning-quick thinking, he came to an answer. He stood up and said, “Because of soul tools.”
The strictness present on Zhou Yi’s face finally became a bit gentler. “You aren’t considered that stupid; it’s no wonder that you were able to become a specially invited student. Correct. It’s exactly because of soul tools that the line between attack and defense has become blurred. This is also the topic that I want to talk about today. Sit down.”
“I believe that everyone very clear knows that the development of soul tools has been quite rapid during these recent few thousand years. That year, the Sun Moon Continent brought many precious materials with them, as well as the basic manufacturing techniques for soul tools. After a few thousand years of development, the quality of our manufactured soul tools has steadily become better, while their strength has in turn become steadily stronger. This has created a situation where even food system soul masters can have an attack power that’s equal to, or even surpasses, the attack of assault system soul masters—if they possess a sufficiently strong soul tool. Contrastingly, if agility system soul masters have a soul tool with a strong defensive capability, they can temporarily play the role of a defense system soul masters.”
“It could be said that the appearance of soul tools has enormously changed both the direction and current situation of soul masters’ cultivation. In reality, the usage of soul rings have been weakened. As long as you have sufficient soulforce, you can rely on soul tools to make up for the deficiency in your soul rings. This has caused many people to neglect the usage of soul rings, thereby creating the current situation in which the soul masters of the four great empires are cultivating with the sole aim of achieving a high amount of soulforce.”
“This sort of cultivation method is undoubtedly effective in the short-term; especially for soul masters below the fiftieth rank, where the effects of soul tools are extremely obvious. However, what I want to make clear to you is that our Shrek Academy doesn’t cultivate this kind of soul master. And that’s because, after surpassing the fiftieth rank, they’re all trash.”
“You don’t understand, right? Let me give an example. You’re a tool soul master that’s cultivated to the fiftieth rank, while I’m an agility system soul master who’s also cultivated to the fiftieth rank. However, you have a soul tool that’s strong enough to threaten my life, while I don’t have one at all. Who wins the fight?”
“The answer is very simple. I’ll definitely win. Why? Because with my speed, you basically won’t have the slightest chance of hitting me with your soul tool. Even if you have a peak-level soul tool, I can still rely on my speed to grind down your soulforce. The stronger the soul tool, the higher the drain on your soulforce. Because of this, although soul masters of the defense, auxiliary, and food systems can rely on soul tools to possess the attack power of a assault system soul masters, they still won’t have the combat strength of a real assault system soul master. You must remember this very clearly. Because of this, although soul tools can enormously strengthen defense, auxiliary, and food system soul masters, you’ll always be killed first on the battlefield if your body isn’t strong enough. Your opponents won’t let you off just based on the fact that you’re not an offensive soul master. On the contrary, people bully the weak. Your attack power might be very strong by relying on a soul tool, but your other aspects will be very weak in turn. What would your enemies choose to do in that case?”
“Likewise, if I’m extremely fit, my combat strength will be very strong in and of itself. Thus, having possession of a strong soul tool at the same time would be like adding wings to a tiger. This is a true expert.”
“The line separating attack and defense has been blurred; nowadays, anybody within a team of soul masters can fill the role of an attacker. However, only by raising your physical fitness can you increase your chance of surviving on the battlefield by a large degree. Unless soul tools develop to the point where they can completely replace your body, the level of both your physical fitness and your soul rings will still be the most important thing in your futures.”
Zhou Yi didn’t know this, but ten thousand years from now, soul tools would actually develop to the degree where they could actually replace one’s entire body, like she’d just said.
“During the next three months, most of my training for you will be focused on training your physical fitness. No matter who you are, what origins you have or how talented you are, if you can’t pass my test three months from now, you’ll end up just like those nine people. You can screw off.”
“Today’s morning class will end here. I recommend that you eat a proper lunch. Your training will start this afternoon. Huo Yuhao, follow me to the office for a bit.”
After speaking, Zhou Yi turned around and walked away without pausing. The lunch bell hadn’t even rung yet.
The class remained silent until Zhou Yi had walked out of the classroom. A majority of the people there were immersed in what Zhou Yi had said. Although this Teacher Zhou didn’t follow the rules of common sense, they had no choice but to agree that her words made a lot of sense.
Huo Yuhao stood up and followed Zhou Yi out. Besides the office buildings that were located behind the purple and black teaching buildings, there was also a simplistic office located within every school building.
Huo Yuhao followed Zhou Yi to the office, which was close to the classroom. Zhou Yi motioned for him to shut the door, while she proceeded to sit behind an office desk. Although she looked old, her movements didn’t appear elderly at all.
“Huo Yuhao, I don’t like to beat around the bush. Wang Dong’s martial soul astonished me a lot, but your martial soul has caused me to become very curious. Even with my experience, I was unable to sense what your martial soul was. Now, I want to know what exactly it is.” Zhou Yi’s power was undoubtedly manifested in her words.
There was naturally no need for him to conceal his martial soul from his teacher. Huo Yuhao replied, “My martial soul is the Spirit Eyes, a spiritual-type martial soul.”
When she heard Huo Yuhao’s words, Zhou Yi was visibly astonished. A trace of delight flashed through her bright eyes, which were inconsistent with her extremely aged face. “A body soul that has a spiritual attribute? Eyes?”
Huo Yuhao nodded his head.
Zhou Yi’s eyes furrowed slightly, as if she were deep in thought. After a short period of time, she asked Huo Yuhao, “Can you tell me what your first soul skill is?”
Teachers inquiring about their student’s martial souls was very common, but a soul skill was the most important ability of a soul master, as well as their most important secret. Even with Zhou Yi’s might, she’d still used an inquiring tone.
Someone else might’ve hesitated for a moment, but Huo Yuhao didn’t have this problem. His first soul ring had four skills, so only exposing two of them was still quite easy for him.