Douluo: Manifesting the Black Abyss and White Flower at the Start Chapter 185 - 184: Zhang Lexuan's Thoughts

"Teacher Xuan, if you're interested in the Holographic Strategy Room, our academy has detailed information about it. The library also has a wealth of soul tool technology resources. This exchange will last nearly five years, so you'll have plenty of ti to study in depth."

Zhang Lexuan smiled as she looked at Xuan Ziwen.

The importance of soul tool technology varies in the eyes of different factions.

For many powers on the Douluo Continent, these materials are indeed critical—mastering them could rapidly advance their soul tool technology.

But for Haiyuan City, which boasts a cosmic-level genius like Herta, the situation is quite different.

As long as they have enough resources, Haiyuan City has the capability to build space stations, planet-destroying cannons, spaceships, and even extinction-level weapons capable of annihilating star systems.

Therefore, so soul tool technologies simply aren't that important to Haiyuan City.

From their perspective, resources are the most crucial factor.

Moreover, as long as Herta wishes, any soul tool technology can be upgraded at any ti. There's no need to worry about others acquiring these technologies and posing a threat to Haiyuan City.

That's the imnse influence and value a cosmic-level genius brings.

In fact, it's the relatively scarce resources of the Douluo Continent that have limited Herta's progress—and so has Lu Jingming.

Otherwise, with Herta's capabilities, he might have long since lost interest in this little planet.

As a result, Herta's main focus now is on exploring parallel worlds and researching the mysteries of the God Realm.

To her, compared to the trivial affairs on Douluo Star, exploring parallel worlds and delving into the God Realm's secrets is far more captivating.

Because of this, Zhang Lexuan felt fully confident and saw no reason to restrict Xuan Ziwen's access to soul tool technology.

On the contrary, she thought this was a perfect opportunity to win Xuan Ziwen over.

After all, as Haiyuan City develops, it truly needs more research talents like Xuan Ziwen.

Many matters can't always rely on Herta alone; a diverse pool of talent is what allows Haiyuan City to grow and thrive.

People like Xuan Ziwen, who are completely obsessed with soul tools and single-mindedly devoted to research, are actually the easiest to recruit.

For him, as long as you can offer an irresistible condition, he'll willingly leave Mingde Hall and join Haiyan City.

And coincidentally, Haiyuan City has the ability to satisfy any of his demands.

Whether it's more advanced, cutting-edge soul tool technology, precious opportunities to interact with Herta, or even just a chance to see a Herta automaton, any of these would be enough to win him over completely.

After all, for soone obsessed with soul tool research, these temptations are simply irresistible.

Furthermore, the exchange students from Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy might not be impossible to win over either.

Zhang Lexuan's gaze shifted to the holographic strategy display, where Ji Juechen was fiercely battling a Black Tide Warrior, his iron sword slicing through the air with sword intent radiating in every direction.

Jing Ziyan wielded a whip-type soul tool, controlling smoke with agile movents, while ng Hongchen, clad in ice-blue soul armor and wielding twin swords, displayed a heroic figure.

All of them had a good chance of being recruited by Haiyuan City.

Ji Juechen is obsessed with the Sword Dao, and Jingliu is the teacher he dreams of studying under.

If Ji Juechen joins Haiyuan City, Jing Ziyan is unlikely to leave either.

After all, Zhang Lexuan could instantly see Jing Ziyan's feelings for Ji Juechen; the two are close, so if Ji Juechen stays, Jing Ziyan most likely will as well.

As for ng Hongchen, Zhang Lexuan had her own plans. She thought as long as Lu Jingming made a move—a handso man strategy—winning ng Hongchen over would be a piece of cake.

Once ng Hongchen is won over, Haiyuan City could leverage this to establish ties with the Hongchen family.

The Hongchen family is one of the oldest in the Sun Moon Empire, deeply rooted and with centuries of heritage.

Through ng Hongchen, forging a good relationship with the Hongchen family would be a huge boost for Lu Jingming's future plans to dominate the Douluo Continent.

In Zhang Lexuan's view, ng Hongchen's role is similar to that of Xu Jiujiu.

As long as it benefits Lu Jingming, she doesn't mind having more sisters. Wholeheartedly devoted to Lu Jingming, she's unknowingly beco an advocate for his harem—willing even to help push him along.

Before long, the battle in the holographic strategy room neared its end.

Except for Xiao Hongchen, ng Hongchen, Jing Ziyan, and Ji Juechen, the remaining six students had all been eliminated and were clutching their foreheads, imrsed in the aftereffects of simulated death.

Most were killed by the stealthy Black Tide Counselors.

These terrifying monsters could invisibly approach, and as soul engineers, the students rarely had ti to react before their throats were slit or even decapitated—grueso scenes.

At this point, among the six Black Tide monsters, only the Black Tide Warrior had been destroyed, its core broken.

Through the joint efforts of Ji Juechen and ng Hongchen—after sacrificing six classmates—they finally managed to kill one monster.

Suddenly, a flash of dark blade light. Xiao Hongchen's expression changed drastically, and he imdiately activated his life-preserving soul skill—Golden Devotion—his body instantaneously turning into golden liquid, narrowly dodging the Black Tide Counselor's deadly strike.

However, just as the golden liquid reford not far away, a black energy arrow shot out like lightning, piercing directly through his forehead.

"Brother!" ng Hongchen cried out in shock, watching helplessly as Xiao Hongchen's figure faded to light.

"Old Ji!" At almost the sa mont, Jing Ziyan's whip wrapped around Ji Juechen's waist, and with a forceful motion, flung him toward the Black Tide's Decrepit Bow.

But she herself was struck by a massive axe light.

With a deafening boom, the ground shook violently in a ring, a giant crater appearing instantly.

Amidst the swirling dust, scattered points of light appeared—the sign of Jing Ziyan's simulated death.

Ji Juechen didn't hesitate. His gray Sword Intent spread out, and with a silent yet deadly sword light—like a black lightning bolt—he pierced the Black Tide's Decrepit Bow's core, killing it in one blow.

Yet before Ji Juechen could catch his breath, a black claw wreathed in orange fla slamd down toward his head.

At the critical mont, as an icy flash appeared under the monster's feet, ng Hongchen instantly materialized, her twin ice-blue swords slashing down to block the Black Tide Corrosion Demon's fatal blow.

Looking at the monsters closing in from all sides—the Black Tide Corrosion Axe, Black Tide Counselor, Dark Sun Gryphon, and the nacing Black Tide Corrosion Demon—ng Hongchen couldn't help but twitch her mouth.

Ten entered the battle; eight were dead, and they'd barely managed to kill two monsters. The difficulty was unimaginable.

After intense fighting, ng Hongchen and Ji Juechen were both exhausted. Facing the monsters' encirclent, they had little strength left and were quickly eliminated, vanishing as lights from the holographic strategy simulation.

Thus, the team instance ended in the complete defeat of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy.

"Alright, your test is over for today. I'll take you to your dorms to rest," Zhang Lexuan said with a clap and a smile to ng Hongchen and the others.

"What's our rating?" Even pale and exhausted, Xiao Hongchen was still anxious to know their rating; the others also looked to Zhang Lexuan expectantly.

After such a tough battle, they were eager to know how they ranked in St. Freya Academy's evaluation system.

"ng Hongchen, Xiao Hongchen, Ji Juechen, Jing Ziyan: A-level students. The rest are B-level," Zhang Lexuan replied after glancing at the evaluation.

"Only A-level?" Xiao Hongchen's face darkened.

He knew from the mont he was eliminated that he'd missed out on S-rank; after all, how could soone who died in the test earn the highest rank?

"Correct. This rating considers all aspects of your performance, not just how many monsters you killed," Zhang Lexuan patiently explained.

Defeating all the Black Tide monsters in this trial is extrely difficult.

Xiao Hongchen, ng Hongchen, and the others are all top talents, but even at their best, they only managed to kill two monsters.

The ratings take into account age, soul power, combat intelligence, and more.

In terms of age and soul power, Xiao Hongchen and ng Hongchen are superior to Ji Juechen and Jing Ziyan, but in combat wisdom, will, and skill, Ji Juechen surpasses ng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen.

Thus, all four received A-rank evaluations; Ji Juechen's slightly older age didn't lower his rating.

Just comprehending Sword Intent alone was enough for Ji Juechen to earn A-rank.

After all, Sword Intent is a profoundly mysterious concept—many Titled Douluos never grasp it in their lifetis—yet Ji Juechen, as a Soul King, not only comprehended it but applied it in battle.

He didn't get S-rank mainly due to age, cultivation, and relative ordinariness of his martial spirit.

As for Jing Ziyan, her combat talent was also impressive, so she barely earned an A-rank as well.