Chapter 430.1. Selection

“Yuhao has already described the importance of a soul engineer legion on a battlefield. Shrek Academy doesn’t lack soul masters, but we lack high-tier soul tools. We need to put more effort into this aspect. At the same time, should we also contact the Great Star Dou Forest?”

Xian Lin’er’s eyes widened and she asked, “Regarding? Tell them that there’s an internal conflict between humans? So that they can exploit this opportunity?”

Yan Shaozhe furrowed his brow. If this were the past, he would have rebuked Xian Lin’er. However, he felt very guilty every time he saw her after they resisted the last beast tide. He opened his mouth, but didn’t manage to say anything.

Elder Xuan said, “Lin’er, what’s your suggestion then?”

Xian Lin’er replied, “I agree that we should increase our focus on the Tang Sect and developing the Soul Tool Department. I also agree that we should monitor the situation at the front line. However, we have to send capable people to do these things. If we wait for the Heavenly Soul and Star Luo Empires to pass information to us, it’ll be too slow.

“At the same time, we have to intensify the training of the Shrek City Defense Army. The army is mainly divided into soul engineers and normal soldiers. After the Spirit Pagoda was constructed, we now have three thousand soul masters and soul engineers in the army. Among them, most are graduates that we’ve recalled from various places, as well as the original crew of soldiers. There are also a few strong soul masters that came from different empires. I believe that we should intensify their training and equip them with soul tools so that they’ll be prepared to support the front line.”

“Yes.” Elder Xuan nodded his head and looked at Bei Bei before saying, “Bei Bei, how’s the production of soul tools in the Tang Sect? Especially Zhuge Divine Crossbow Cannons and All-Terrain forts, as well as more advanced soul tools.”

Bei Bei said, “We’ve been developing very smoothly with the resources of the Academy and other empires. We’ve managed to deploy soul engineers in the Shrek City Defense Army to help in simple soul tool production. At the same time, we’ve also increased their knowledge of soul tools and taught them how to better use soul tools, among other things.”

Elder Xuan said, “If we enter the war now, how many packages of soul tools can the Tang Sect provide?”

Bei Bei thought for a moment before replying, “If you’re talking about fully equipping the soldiers, I think we’re able to fully equip two hundred soul engineers right now, which is our current limit. This includes Self-Driving Forts and human-shaped soul tools, as well as some accessory stuff, surveillance soul tools, etc. We can form a small legion. If we maximize our production and training, I believe we can equip five hundred people within three months.”

Elder Song furrowed her brow and commented, “Only five hundred people? That seems too little. Why did I have the impression that the Tang Sect’s Self-Driving Forts could already arm hundreds of people? It’s already been so long, but only so few people can be armed?”

Bei Bei said, “Elder Song, arming the soldiers now is different from before. We need to fully equip them. Teacher Xuan will be the one customizing the class of soul tools that our soldiers will be equipped with, and it’s definitely not inferior to the standard of the Sun Moon Empire’s soul engineer legions. Given Shrek City’s financial strength and the support of the other three empires, this is the speed that we can proceed with. If we go any faster, we can’t ensure the quality of the soul tools produced. In addition, we must try our best to tap into the advantages of this legion we’re arming. I believe that we should equip the strongest soul masters, and not soul engineers. Through countless experiments, we’ve discovered that what Yuhao said was right. Asking soul masters to use soul tools is in fact better than asking pure soul engineers to use soul tools. After all, they just need to learn how to use soul tools to complement their martial souls. In many instances, this can bring about unexpected results.

“For example, Yuhao is able to use his Spirit Eyes to aim, which allows him to be more adept at using long-range soul tools. Positioning and firing are his strengths. That’s why we can’t just teach this batch of soul masters how to use soul tools as we nurture them. At the same time, we must equip them with soul tools that are most suitable for them. This will require more time. As for Self-Driving Forts, they don’t suit this legion we’re trying to form. They are more useful for city defense, as well as group attacks and defense. We’ll continue to produce them, but we won’t equip this legion with self-driving forts.”

After hearing Bei Bei’s explanation, Xian Lin’er’s eyes brightened. “Does this mean that you have a brand new concept for this legion? How about counting me in?”

Bei Bei laughed bitterly. “We’d also like someone as strong as you to join. However, the problem is that we can only equip Soul Emperors, given the quantity of soul tools that we’re trying to produce. If we let more advanced soul masters use our soul tools, I’m afraid the soul tools will not be strong enough. However, Teacher Xuan has also started producing Class 9 soul tools. After receiving the full support of the Academy, his cultivation is getting closer and closer to a Titled Douluo.”

The Sun Moon Empire had medicine that could increase one’s soul power. How could Shrek Academy not possess such stuff, too? In terms of martial soul research, Shrek Academy had thousands of years of experience and accumulation. Many sects, academies and empires couldn’t compare to Shrek Academy in this area.

It was just that Shrek Academy didn’t encourage using medicine to increase one’s soul power. Using medicine restricted the future development of a soul master. He wouldn’t be able to become a Transcendent Douluo in the future.

However, it was already almost impossible for Xuan Ziwen to become a Transcendent Douluo, anyway. Part of his cultivation was achieved through medicinal help when he was still in the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy, so it didn’t matter to him anymore. Through the medicine that Shrek Academy had specially customized and concocted for him, his soul power had achieved an increase, and he was now at Rank 89.

Given his importance, Qian Duoduo and Xian Lin’er would often accompany him during his research, and learned a lot from him. They were partly there to protect him, and also taught him about the principles of cultivation that some soul masters in Shrek Academy had adopted.

If Xuan Ziwen could become a Titled Douluo, it would be very significant to Shrek Academy. Xuan Ziwen’s foundation already gave him the potential to be a Class 9 soul engineer. If his cultivation continued to increase, his class as a soul engineer would also rise. When that happened, there would finally be a Class 9 soul engineer that belonged to the Douluo Continent. This was extremely important to the future development of Shrek Academy’s soul tools!

Xuan Ziwen was definitely the busiest man in Shrek Academy and the Tang Sect. Not only did he have to create his own soul tools, but he also had to come up with a syllabus to teach the students. At the same time, he controlled the entire Soul Tool Hall. He was extremely busy, but he enjoyed this feeling. He was already a workaholic. Here, he was the core of all resources. Whatever he wanted, the Academy would do their best to satisfy. It was much better compared to when he was in the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy, where he was supervised all the time!

Xian Lin’er laughed, “After hearing you, I’m becoming more and more curious. This soul engineer legion should have a name, right? Elder Xuan, why don’t you give it a name?”

Elder Xuan laughed slightly and replied, “Let’s call it the Tang Sect Soul Engineer Legion. We’ll name it after the Tang Sect.”

Bei Bei and Huo Yuhao were both stunned. Bei Bei hurriedly said, “Elder Xuan, how can you do this? Our soul engineer legion completely relies on the support and resources of the Academy. The name of the soul engineer legion should be related to the Academy. How can we use the Tang Sect to name it?”

Elder Xuan smiled as he shook his head and replied, “A name is just a designation. As long as you can give this soul engineer legion extremely great fighting strength, it doesn’t matter what it’s called. Furthermore, the Tang Sect has also poured in a lot of effort to build this soul engineer legion. Although we provided the resources, you are the ones doing all the work, especially Teacher Xuan. His influence on this soul engineer legion is something we can’t replicate. Don’t be too bothered about this. Let’s just call it the Tang Sect Soul Engineer Legion. It’s a simple name, but let’s hope it’ll exist forever. In the future, we’ll depend on all of you to turn the tide.”

Bei Bei and Huo Yuhao looked at each other, and neither of them continued to say anything. However, both of them subconsciously clenched their fists. The Tang Sect had only managed to progress so quickly with the support of the Academy. When Shrek City was fully constructed, and the Tang Sect Soul Engineer Legion was fully established, the Tang Sect would finally be able to compare to some of the bigger sects.

There was a deep significance behind Elder Xuan’s decision to name this soul engineer legion after the Tang Sect. This meant that he was passing the authority over this soul engineer legion to the Tang Sect. His trust in them was invaluable!

Elder Xuan looked at Xian Lin’er and Qian Duoduo before saying, “I think we can pass the Ultimate Soldier Plan to them too, and they’ll be in charge of nurturing these soul masters in all aspects. Since the soul tools produced by the Tang Sect can equip Soul Emperors, we should start picking Soul Emperors out. I don’t think we’ll really need five hundred people. Quality trumps quantity. Let’s use all the Soul Emperors we’ve got, and start from the inner courtyard. After that, we’ll start choosing from the army.

“This is the Academy’s decision. Whoever is unwilling to listen to orders will be punished according to the Academy’s rules. If soul masters from the other three empires are willing to join, they must first sign a pact with the Academy, and they’ll need to undergo a series of tests first. Lin’er, Duoduo, the two of you will be in charge of this matter. Shaozhe, coordinate with them, too. Send some teachers to the Tang Sect to help them train this soul engineer legion. If I remember correctly, the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Legions seem to only consist of Soul Kings. They aren’t even real soul masters. Since we’re going all-out, we must nurture a soul engineer legion that surpasses theirs!”