In the sky screen on the left, the image of Huo Yuhao practicing diligently was deeply etched into the eyes of every viewer.
Black World, Douluo Continent.
In the tavern, the commoners looked at the small yet stubborn figure on the sky screen, whispering among themselves.
"This child can really endure hardship. Training during the day, studying spirit tools at night, and practicing when he returns—how many hours can he sleep in a day?"
"This is what they mean by 'poor children grow up early.' He has no background, no resources, and can only rely on himself to struggle."
"But have you noticed? He only studies spirit tools because his Spirit Ability met Fan Yu's requirements, and he was allowed to go. What about the Huo Yuhao from that other World? He became a first-rank Soul Engineer in two months, and teachers were fighting to teach him."
"Sigh... This is the gap. One is begging to learn, the other is being fought over to be taught."
Someone sighed: "The Huo Yuhao on our side has it too hard. Even though he has the strength, he is never recognized."
"Exactly. Except for Fan Yu encouraging him, everyone else has to hide it, afraid that the Martial Soul Department will snatch him away. Under these circumstances, how can he accelerate his growth?"
"True, Shrek Academy's previous development was already distorted, severely favoring the Martial Soul Department. Who knows if it's any better now!"
Shrek City, Inner Court.
Xuan Zi looked at the youth on the sky screen, rushing between the training ground and the Soul Tool Department, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.
"This child... is truly able to endure hardship."
Yan Shaozhe nodded: "Indeed. If it were anyone else, not being given the status of a core disciple after coming first in the freshman assessment would have caused an uproar. But he just stays silent and does what he needs to do."
Qian Duoduo sighed: "But the problem is, does what we give him at Shrek match his efforts?"
Xuan Zi was silent.
Does it match?
Not even giving him the status of a core disciple, only giving him one year of 'enjoying the treatment.'
On the Soul Tool Department side, he was only allowed to enter after his Spirit Ability met the requirements. From beginning to end, this child has been chasing after opportunities himself, rather than opportunities chasing him.
"The Sun Moon Empire in that World..." Xuan Zi suddenly spoke, "What is the reward they give to the top-ranked freshman?"
Yan Shaozhe was stunned for a moment, then answered truthfully: "Points, premium nutritional supplements, foundation-strengthening pills, spirit tool blueprints... and, he can choose his own teacher."
Xuan Zi gave a bitter smile.
Choosing his own teacher.
He remembered the scene on the sky screen just now, where that World's Huo Yuhao stood on the podium, his gaze sweeping over all the teachers below, then firmly saying: "I choose Teacher Xuan Ziwen."
What level of confidence, what level of composure that was.
And what about this Huo Yuhao of their Shrek?
He even had to wait for his Spirit Ability to meet the standard just to enter the Soul Tool Department.
"Both are innate rank one, both are working their lives away..." Xuan Zi said softly, "One is chasing opportunities, the other is being chased by opportunities. This gap isn't in the children; it's in us."
Yan Shaozhe and Qian Duoduo looked at each other, seeing the bitterness in each other's eyes.
They had long wanted the academy to accelerate the development of the Soul Tool Department, but it had always been rejected.
Although they are developing the Soul Tool Department now, wanting to catch up to the Sun Moon Empire is still too difficult!
[In the blink of an eye, the end of the first year arrived.]
[Seven months of arduous cultivation finally brought Huo Yuhao's spirit power to rank 20. Although it still couldn't compare to those talented classmates, for him, this was already a huge improvement.]
[What made him even happier was that he hadn't fallen behind in spirit tools. Seven months of study had given him an increasingly deep understanding of spirit tools. According to Fan Yu, his spirit tool level had already reached level one and a half—if not for his spirit power being stuck at rank 20, unable to craft second-rank spirit tools, he could have completely challenged becoming a second-rank Soul Engineer.]
["What a pity." Fan Yu looked at his work, rarely showing a look of regret, "If your spirit power were just a little higher, you would already be a second-rank Soul Engineer now."]
[Huo Yuhao shook his head and said calmly: "Teacher, it's fine, let's take it slow."]
[But he knew in his heart that as long as he obtained his second spirit ring and broke through to the second ring, his spirit power would experience a leap. By then, becoming a second-rank Soul Engineer would just be a natural outcome.]
Black World, Douluo Continent.
"Rank 20? From rank 11 to rank 20 in a year, that's not slow at all!"
"Indeed, although it can't compare to those geniuses, it's already very rare. Don't forget he is innate rank one; to get to this point, how much hardship has he endured?"
"Level one and a half in spirit tools is also very impressive. In one year, training and studying spirit tools, to achieve this is really not easy."
"But listen to what that Fan Yu says? 'What a pity,' 'If your spirit power were higher'... Is he praising him or insulting him?"
"He is speaking the truth. If the spirit power isn't enough, you really can't make second-rank spirit tools."
"But what about the Huo Yuhao from that World? He made a first-rank spirit tool at rank 11 spirit power; is that called not enough spirit power?"
"That's because his spirit power was too low, he could only make first-rank ones. If he had rank 20 spirit power, he might have been able to make third-rank ones!"
The crowd discussed spiritedly, but their tone always carried an undefinable sense of injustice.
Shrek City, somewhere in a corner.
The Black World Huo Yuhao stood alone in the shadows, looking at his first-year self on the sky screen, a bitter smile appearing at the corner of his mouth.
Rank 20. Level one and a half.
At that time, he was quite satisfied with himself.
Feeling he was working hard, feeling the future was promising, feeling that as long as he persisted, he would eventually be recognized.
But what about his other-World self?
A first-rank Soul Engineer in three months, what about seven months? Probably already second-rank or even third-rank?
He suddenly remembered the scene on the sky screen just now—that self standing on the podium, calmly choosing Xuan Ziwen as a teacher. What level of confidence, what level of certainty that was.
And what about him?
Standing in the shadows, watching another version of himself shine.
"If..." he muttered.
But he didn't continue.
Because on the sky screen, the picture on the right began to shift.
[White World, Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy.]
[Under Xuan Ziwen's guidance, Huo Yuhao's spirit tool level advanced by leaps and bounds. Like a dried sponge, he tirelessly absorbed knowledge. In less than half a year, he became a second-rank Soul Engineer, and now, he had already begun trying to craft third-rank spirit tools.]
[With the help of those foundation-strengthening pills, his spirit power also reached rank 20 by the end of the first semester. It was time to add his second spirit ring, and the target for his spirit ring was none other than the Far North Land, which had a great connection with the Heavenly Dream Ice Worm.]
[More importantly, Huo Yuhao's reputation as a genius not only spread throughout the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, but he also became known in the Bright Capital.]
[Based on this, in order to win over this future powerhouse, the Sun Moon Empire royal family and the Holy Spirit Cult also began to appear.]