"Very good, Huo Yuhao. Your fundamentals are solid. Please take your seat."
"Next, I'd like to ask you all this—now that you've begun studying core formations, what do you think are the foundational array types used in fixed soul-guided artillery shells?"
In truth, complex core formations are always formed by combining numerous basic array foundations. These foundations serve different functions and, when combined, can support an endless variety of soul tools.
It's just like amino acids. With 21 types of amino acids, the ways they arrange—by order and spatial structure—create an astronomical number of proteins with all sorts of functions. In this context, soul tools are the proteins.
For instance, the essential formations for a soul power replenishment bottle include the "Absorb" and "Release" foundations, which allow it to both collect and supply soul power.
As Huo Yuhao flipped through the textbook his teacher had given him on core formations, he saw these explanations on formation foundations.
The way these foundations combined to form a variety of core formations immediately made him think of the relationship between amino acids and proteins.
At that moment, a scholarly-looking boy wearing round glasses raised his hand.
"Ye Wen, go ahead and answer."
Ye Wen adjusted his glasses and stood up confidently.
"The foundation is 'Explosion,' Teacher."
Yu Qi nodded.
"That's correct. Please have a seat, Ye Wen. However, while 'Explosion' is indeed a fundamental array, I believe your answer could use some additions—things your textbooks haven't yet covered."
Hearing that there was more to the answer, Ye Wen shook his head helplessly. He didn't know.
"Hmm? Huo Yuhao, you raised your hand? Then please, go ahead and answer."
Yu Qi was surprised that Huo Yuhao wanted to respond to a question even Ye Wen, the class's top theory student, couldn't fully answer. But recalling his status as a special recruit handpicked by Dean Jing, he allowed it without hesitation.
The other students glanced at Huo Yuhao with suspicion. After all, even the class genius Ye Wen couldn't complete the answer.
Ye Wen stared intently at Huo Yuhao—not out of pride, but because as someone who loved studying soul engineering theory, he was eager to hear the answer.
"Alright, Teacher. As we all know, the method of using fixed soul-guided artillery shells is quite simple. You place the crafted shell on a launcher or barrel, and then the soul engineer activates the device to fire the shell, which eventually explodes upon impact."
"But the explosion is just the end result. There's a lot more that happens in between."
"For example, how do we make sure the shell only explodes after hitting the target? How do we improve the shell's accuracy? These are just a few of many challenges."
"So yes, 'Explosion' is the foundation, but there also needs to be a more advanced combination of formations. Arrays like 'Propel' and 'Detection' must be integrated to solve these other problems. That's part of why manufacturing artillery shells is so difficult."
"As such, the textbooks for beginning soul engineers don't cover these complicated mechanics. Fixed soul-guided artillery shells may seem simple, but in reality, they are the culmination of hundreds of years of soul engineering development within the Sun Moon Empire. That's all I have to say. Teacher, was I correct?"
Truthfully, Huo Yuhao had simply pieced this together from what he already knew. He spoke on a whim, curious to try answering the question.
When he finished speaking, the classroom was dead silent. Most students sat with their mouths agape, not even sure what he had just said, while the few academic-minded students frowned, deep in thought.
Clap. Clap. Clap.
In the quiet room, Yu Qi began clapping.
"Excellent, truly excellent. What Huo Yuhao said is absolutely right. While the primary force behind a soul-guided shell is the 'Explosion' array, it's far from enough to just have something that blows up. Although this may be beyond your current curriculum, since you're Class One, today's lecture will cover one of the most commonly used array combinations found in fixed soul-guided artillery shells."
And just like that, spurred by Huo Yuhao's brilliant answer, Yu Qi launched into an extended and passionate lecture.
After class.
Still engrossed in taking notes, Huo Yuhao sat at his desk, but the girls sitting nearby could no longer contain themselves.
"Hey, hey! How do you know so much?"
"No wonder you're a special admit. You're amazing!"
"…"
Huo Yuhao leaned his cheek into his hand and cast a sideways glance at the growing cluster of early-blooming girls crowding around him, chatting away non-stop, feeling somewhat helpless.
It wasn't that he was a socially awkward guy or emotionally numb around girls—it was just… they were way too young.
To him, they weren't girls—they were just children. So, he felt no particular emotion in response.
Granted, they were all good-looking—most came from upper-class Sun Moon Empire families, and all were soul masters.
But what gave Huo Yuhao a bigger headache was the sight of several boys now glaring daggers at him from across the room.
While he was trying to figure out how to deal with the crowd of girls and the simmering hostility from some of the boys, the scholarly Ye Wen suddenly squeezed through the group and stood by Huo Yuhao's desk.
Amid the girls' disapproving glares, Ye Wen spoke excitedly:
"Huo—Huo Yuhao, let's have a chat!"
His voice was so loud it silenced the chattering girls. In an instant, the area around Huo Yuhao became quiet.
Huo Yuhao lowered his hand and looked at Ye Wen in confusion. Why did that sound like… a pickup line? What exactly are we chatting about?
Realizing he'd been too loud, Ye Wen flushed and cleared his throat.
"Ahem, I mean, let's talk about what Teacher Yu lectured on just now. There were a lot of things I didn't understand."
The moment he said that, all the girls around them rolled their eyes.
Seriously? Who talks about that kind of thing? You're ditching us to go nerd out with this guy? Do you have no social sense? So boring!
But the next thing Huo Yuhao did instantly shut them all up.
He looked Ye Wen in the eye.
What he saw was the genuine thirst for knowledge from a fellow learner.
So, Huo Yuhao smiled—a radiant, devastating smile that hit those girls right in the heart—and said something that hit even harder:
"Sure. It's a bit noisy here. Let's go outside and talk."
(End of Chapter)
---
This Fanfiction Has Been Completed on Patreon, Go Check It Out.
Support me if you like this Fanfiction.
Patreon,com/Fallen_Archangel_
(Remove comma for dot.)
Leave a 5 star Review and a Power Stone.