Douluo Continent: Ink Bamboo as a Cauldron to Break Through Ten Thousand Heavens

After finishing another fish, a smile spread across the girl's eyes, bright and warm, completely unlike the demeanor of an ice-attribute soul master. However, even after eating two or three grilled fish, she still stared longingly at Huo Yuhao, as if she was still not full.

Chen Cheng greeted her, "Miss, if I may ask, which spirit ring are you aiming to acquire this time?"

The girl first glanced back at the old man, noticing his calm expression and a slight smile on his lips, and then said, "My grandfather and I came out this time to help me obtain my fifth spirit ring. In consideration of the grilled fish you provided, after we obtain the spirit ring, my grandfather can help you find a suitable spirit beast as well."

"If we asked Jing Hongchen to help us find it, we'd probably scare people to death! Who would have thought we came here to find the Ice Emperor? However, with the Ice Emperor's martial soul amplification, Huo Yuhao should be able to absorb a soul ring of about 5000 years, which is a significant increase compared to the original story. Tempering the physique is ultimately useful."

"However, it's good to take this opportunity to build a good relationship with Jing Hongchen. At least, during those three years as an exchange student, we shouldn't let him always target us."

Although he thought this in his heart, Chen Cheng certainly wouldn't dare say it aloud. Moreover, given Jing Hongchen's personality, praising him directly wouldn't be as effective as praising his two juniors: "Wow, young lady, you are truly gifted! You're already on your way to becoming a Soul King! I knew your appearance was extraordinary! To have achieved so much at such a young age, your future is sure to be bright and you will achieve great things! Senior, you are truly blessed to have a granddaughter like you!"

Many people in the academy often praised Meng Hongchen, but Chen Cheng was the first to praise her like this in front of her grandfather. After all, most people's first reaction upon seeing Meng Hongchen was to compliment her, and when she was with her brother, she usually cared more about him. Such praise was rare.

Therefore, even though Chen Cheng's words sounded insincere, she did not refute them, and a blush rose on her fair cheeks.

"You're quite the smooth talker, but I see you're quite skilled in soul weapons. How about bringing your junior brother to our Sun Moon Royal Soul Guidance Academy to study? I'll make the decision for you!" Jing Hongchen appeared serious on the surface, but he was probably very pleased inside.

These words further convinced Chen Cheng that the two people before him were indeed Jing Hongchen and his son. Making a good impression now would make future encounters easier. In any case, Chen Cheng didn't want Huo Yuhao to have any grudges with the Sun Moon Royal Soul Guidance Academy, lest, even after ten thousand years, the academy's walls still be covered with murals depicting Huo Yuhao humiliating them.

  

"Thank you for your kind offer, senior. However, we are both orphans and have received much nurturing from the academy. It would be rather unkind of us to leave without saying goodbye. If you don't mind, senior, we will definitely come to find you when we have the opportunity in the future!"

"I might be going there as an exchange student in less than a year, so we won't be separated for long. However, I personally feel that the Sun Moon Royal Soul Guidance Academy is somewhat at a disadvantage in this exchange. Shrek Academy has a lot of problems, big and small, and they won't easily reveal their core confidential research. Perhaps, after three years of the exchange, this batch of students will indeed be able to obtain a few soul rings from the Star Dou Great Forest, and then purchase some resources from Shrek Academy, and learn some soul master cultivation techniques and methods. But the soul master profession has been developing for tens of thousands of years, and the Sun Moon Royal Soul Guidance Academy hasn't just been working in isolation, has it?"

"The education at Shrek Academy isn't as miraculous as people imagine. Initially, recruits needed a letter of introduction from the city lord and met certain qualifications. These recruits were generally talented nobles whose families could afford to raise a Soul Master. Take Wang Dong and Ning Tian, ​​for example; their sects nurtured them from a young age, and they probably ate rare and precious treasures like they were nothing. Other students, even if they didn't reach that level, were probably not far off. Attributing all the results to Shrek Academy's education would be a biased view."

Seeing Chen Cheng deep in thought, Jing Hongcheng assumed he was wavering in his decision and inwardly admired him. A person's talent was irrelevant; what mattered most was their character. If he recruited a traitor who would betray him for three lifetimes, who could guarantee he wouldn't turn against him if a more powerful force offered a higher price later?

Moreover, in Jing Hongchen's view, Chen Cheng and Huo Yuhao should only come from ordinary small academies. After graduation, if they want to travel on the continent and have better development by virtue of their status as Soul Masters, they still have to come to his side.

Therefore, Jing Hongchen smiled and patted Chen Cheng on the shoulder, saying nothing more. She and her granddaughter once again immersed themselves in the warmth of the grilled fish.

Of course, Huo Yuhao wasn't in a relaxed mood. Originally, he only needed to roast enough for two people, enough for two more trips. Now, he had already gone down into the river twice more to fish for food. He was thinking to himself, "Are these two starving ghosts?"

When Master Huo finally got to rest after a busy half-day, he felt so exhausted he could barely stand up straight. However, he still mustered his spirits and, together with Chen Cheng, said goodbye to the two men. From Chen Cheng's words, it was clear that this old man was no ordinary person, and Chen Cheng intended to befriend him.

Despite Chen Cheng's repeated refusals, Jing Hongchen finally had no choice but to leave with her granddaughter.

Just kidding! If people really found out that we were going to get a second martial soul, who knows if this opportunity would be snatched away?

"Brother Chen Cheng, you seem to know those two people from earlier."

Huo Yuhao and his companion had finished resting and resumed their journey. However, Jing Hongchen was, after all, a Title Douluo-level cultivator and a ninth-level Soul Master. In the time it took them to rest, he had already flown far beyond their sight.

Faced with Huo Yuhao's questions, Chen Cheng did not choose to hide anything and directly told him about Jing Hongchen's identity as the head of the Mingde Hall and that Meng Hongchen was his granddaughter. However, at this time, Huo Yuhao's sense of belonging to Shrek Academy was not that strong. As a freshman, he had not been exposed to the power struggle between the two academies. Therefore, he was more curious and respectful of a strong person.

After all, the two of them who became disciples of Qian Duoduo were at most level eight and a half soul mentors, and that was self-proclaimed.

Since the journey was long and arduous, Chen Cheng decided to share some of his views with Huo Yuhao, not expecting him to accept them entirely. As an orphan, it was understandable that he would side with his own academy in the future. However, to drop bombs on the largest city of the opposing country for the sake of the academy's position was absolutely inhumane; the civilians who died were completely innocent!

It's even possible that the souls Ye Xishui consumed when she first appeared at the Tower of Death came from Huo Yuhao's attack on Mingdu!

The reason why evil spirit masters are evil may be because they indiscriminately kill innocent people and use any means necessary. But if they become powerful and then turn on the unarmed and weak, how can that be considered justice?

After thinking for a moment, Chen Cheng asked, "Yuhao, what are your impressions of the Sun Moon Empire?"

"I'm an orphan. Before coming to Shrek Academy, I had never been anywhere else. If I had to give an impression, it would probably be that there are more Soul Masters there, and the Soul Tool technology is more advanced. However, most Soul Masters take drugs to boost their cultivation, which makes their foundation unstable."

Hearing Huo Yuhao's answer, Chen Cheng sighed inwardly: Shrek Academy subtly cultivates a sense of rejection towards the Sun Moon Empire even in its new students.

"In the future, if war breaks out on the mainland, do you think it's better for the mainland to be unified, or for everyone to take up arms and fight to the death, thus maintaining the division?"

Huo Yuhao's body trembled upon hearing this. If the high-ranking officials of the three great empires were to hear these words, Chen Cheng would likely disappear without a trace one night. However, upon closer reflection, Huo Yuhao seemed to have grasped a bit of Chen Cheng's thoughts.

"From the perspective of the nation and its people, everyone should take up arms and fight to defend their country. This is a matter of righteousness, and it embodies the noble spirit of sacrificing one's own family for the greater good."

"But ultimately, a nation belongs to its people. Now, the three great empires are utterly corrupt, with nobles and upper-class rulers complacent and exploitative. The only path for Soul Masters to change their fate—awakening their Martial Soul—is also monopolized. To awaken one's Martial Soul, one must seek connections with the city's nobles. But even if one awakens it, what good is it? Without access to the resources monopolized by powerful families, even with talent, one can only remain mediocre for life. Then, talented individuals from the common people are absorbed by these families again, making it even harder for ordinary people to change their fate. This class monopoly, without a radical reform, may never be broken!"

"You might not believe it, but even Shrek Academy is at least a century behind the Sun Moon Royal Soul Guidance Academy in terms of soul tools. This is only after our academy has vigorously promoted soul tools. What about the three great empires? How much capacity do they have to promote soul tools? When the Sun Moon Empire truly bares its war fangs, the technological and strength gap will absolutely shock the entire continent."

"When that day comes, what do you think those corrupt rulers of the three great empires will do in order to resist the earth-shattering war of soul tools? They will do anything to maintain their rule! They will use the lives of soul masters to make up for the technological gap. And in these struggles, how many civilians will die from the cannon fire of soul tools? They will use their bodies to intercept those shells, but their names will never be remembered by those guys in the upper class."

"Personally, I despise war, regardless of my stance, just from the perspective of an ordinary citizen. Please think about how many ordinary people, like you when you were a child, have their own families, their own loved ones, and their own hopes and dreams..."

"But when war comes, home ceases to be home; war is merciless, leaving homes broken and incomplete. How many people will fall into hatred like you? Their hatred will only become fuel for war again, propelling the war machine forward!"

"In my view, a unified world can only be beneficial, whether for ordinary people, Soul Masters, or Soul Mentors. A stable nation can promote technological and productivity development, facilitate political structural reforms, and improve the lives of ordinary people. When productivity develops to a certain stage, corrupt rule will inevitably be reformed or overthrown. The power of the people, or the people themselves, can both support and overthrow the nation."

"If that day ever comes, then children like you will no longer have to carry the burden of hatred."

Chen Cheng glanced down. Huo Yuhao didn't react much after hearing his words, but his unpredictable expression proved that he must be in turmoil.

"Of course, what I'm saying is just my side of the story. Everyone has their own beliefs and pursuits. You're still young, so it's normal that you don't have much of a concept of these metaphysical things. However, I'm telling you this to remind you not to blindly pursue power without knowing what you can do with the power you have. What should you do with it?"

"A strong person who lacks the ability to think critically often becomes a sharp weapon in the power struggles between various factions."

"Only a person with inner strength truly understands: with great power comes great responsibility. Their power is not for bullying the weak, nor for serving any particular force. Simply because they know that it is enough for them to follow their conscience and do good!"