118: Chapter 118 Furnace Flame Cannon
In the office of the Dean of the Eastern Martial Soul Academy.
Dean Zhou Qingyuan looked at the mission evaluation on the computer screen, a satisfied smile appearing on her face: "Hehe, not bad. Your mission this time was rated 98 points, and you even achieved the primary merit."
This result is a tremendous honor for the entire academy.
It will not only improve the academy's Aptitude but also allow us to secure more resource allocation from the official authorities.
She looked up at the group, her tone filled with praise: "I have also heard that this mission had many twists and turns; it is not easy for all of you to have returned unscathed."
As the Dean, seeing her own students possess such ability and luck made her feel exceptionally proud.
"This time, it is all thanks to Lin Mo," Teacher An Nuolan admitted candidly. "If it weren't for his strong sense of vigilance and setting traps in advance, we probably would have suffered."
Dean Zhou Qingyuan nodded, her gaze lingering on Lin Mo for a moment: "Very well, you may all go back and rest. Once the higher-ups settle the mission rewards, they will be deposited directly into your personal accounts."
The group responded and left, but just as Lin Mo reached the door, he was called back by Dean Zhou Qingyuan: "Lin Mo, stay behind."
When only the two of them remained in the office.
The smile on Dean Zhou Qingyuan's face vanished instantly, and her expression became incredibly serious: "Lin Mo, be honest with me, what exactly did you do during this mission? A few days ago, just after you had set off, people from the Special Operations Group came looking for you."
"What? The Special Operations Group?" Lin Mo looked bewildered. "I didn't do anything! Why are they looking for me?"
"Think again. Otherwise, why would the Special Operations Group come looking for you?" Dean Zhou Qingyuan was skeptical.
After all, Lin Mo's background was plain to see.
"Uh, this..." Before Lin Mo went on the mission, he did indeed do a few things.
Could it be about the Cultivation Method? Or perhaps the matter on the patent website?
Lin Mo felt helpless and had no choice but to briefly explain the situation to Dean Zhou Qingyuan.
"Wh-what? The Cultivation Method from the auction a while ago, and those Cultivation Methods on the patent website, were all created by you?"
Dean Zhou Qingyuan was stunned speechless.
What kind of Prodigy is this kid?
The new formula incident was enough to shock her, but now he can even create Cultivation Methods?
How could her mere second-rate academy be worthy of possessing such a Prodigy Genius?
Dean Zhou Qingyuan swallowed hard:
"You are truly shocking..."
Lin Mo chuckled: "It's alright, they were just some things I didn't need."
Dean Zhou Qingyuan rolled her eyes. What a thing to say.
She was currently only using the 1.2x multiplier Cultivation Method available in the academy.
However, hearing Lin Mo's tone, he had even better Cultivation Methods.
Her heart couldn't help but itch with curiosity.
She had a mind to buy one from Lin Mo.
But now was not the time to bring it up.
"It seems the Special Operations Group came looking for you because you suddenly brought out so many Cultivation Methods, attracting the attention of the higher-ups."
"What are you planning to do next? Do you want to meet with them? I feel like they really have an urgent matter to discuss with you."
"It's already come to this, what else can I do? I'll meet them, sure."
Lin Mo shrugged indifferently.
Anyway, they were just low-end versions of Cultivation Methods. If the higher-ups wanted them, he could just whip up a few dozen more.
"Alright, that makes sense. I will reply to them later, and I'll notify you when they are coming."
"Sure. Anything else? If not, I'm heading back." Lin Mo stretched and prepared to leave.
"Wait a moment, I'm a bit interested in the matter of the Cultivation Methods."
...
In the evening, after finishing a seafood feast with his squad members, Lin Mo went alone to Dean Zhou Qingyuan's villa.
On the terrace of the villa, the evening breeze carried a slight chill, causing the wind chimes by the railing to tinkle softly.
Lin Mo sat cross-legged on a soft mat, with a pile of jars and bottles arranged in front of him, filled with various medicinal herbs and soul crystals, all Materials prepared for the Awakening of his final second-Rank Soul Skill.
Dean Zhou Qingyuan was dressed in a purple silk nightgown, which accentuated her full and graceful figure.
She held a glass of red wine, leaning against the wall in the corner of the terrace, watching the busy Lin Mo with great interest.
"You kid, you don't go back to your dormitory but insist on running to an old woman like me to perform your Soul Skill Awakening. Aren't you afraid of people seeing you and gossiping?"
She took a sip of red wine, her tone tinged with teasing.
Lin Mo was bowing his head, organizing the Materials.
Hearing this, he didn't even look up and said casually:
"Let them gossip, I'm not afraid. Besides, with a pretty boy like me stirring up rumors with you, you should be secretly happy!"
Dean Zhou Qingyuan was instantly amused, teasingly saying: "So, it's actually my gain?"
"Isn't it? Of course, the main reason is that the Soul Skill I'm Awakening tonight will probably create quite a commotion. The dormitory is crowded, and I'm afraid of disturbing others."
This immediately piqued Dean Zhou Qingyuan's interest.
"Are you going to Awaken a Heaven-Rank Soul Skill?"
"I don't know yet, but if everything goes smoothly, that should be the case."
This statement made Dean Zhou Qingyuan's heart pound wildly.
Awakening a Heaven-Rank Soul Skill at the third Rank—nobody would believe this news if it got out.
Yet Lin Mo was so certain.
"Alright, just drink your wine and don't get in my way."
Dean Zhou Qingyuan gave him a charming, sidelong glance and drank her wine, saying nothing more.
Lin Mo skillfully prepared the Materials, Soul Power flowing from his fingertips.
In less than half an hour, the phantom of the alchemy furnace above his head suddenly lit up with a golden glow.
A groove on the side of the furnace body lit up in response, emitting a gentle light.
This was the sign of a successful Soul Skill Awakening.
Immediately following this, a ripple of Soul Power spread out from him as the center, and his Aura clearly climbed by a few degrees.
"Earth Rank Intermediate Soul Skill 'Furnace Flame Cannon', Awakening successful!"
Lin Mo opened his eyes, exhaling a breath of turbid air scented with medicine, his eyes flashing with irrepressible excitement.
This Soul Skill was a long-range killing move tailored by System AI, based on the principles of a rocket launcher and the Exploding Furnace Soul Skill.
After manifesting his Martial Soul, he would aim the furnace opening at the target and blast out a Pill Furnace bomb compressed with Soul Power and elemental energy, with power comparable to a small aerial bomb.
The key was that the Soul Power consumption was extremely low, and it could be released continuously.
It was a high-powered attack method he had carefully selected.
"Heh, my Rank has also pushed to level 30."
He scanned his status and lowered his head to check the newly opened Soul Skill slots.
A moment later, a satisfied smile spread across his face. "Not bad, not bad, it actually opened four slots, and two of them have a Heaven Rank Intermediate limit!"
"Heaven Rank Intermediate limit?!" Dean Zhou Qingyuan, who had just put down her wine glass, looked up sharply upon hearing this, her face full of shock.
She stared fixedly at the alchemy furnace phantom above Lin Mo's head.
Could this seemingly ordinary fire furnace really be just a C-Rank Martial Soul?
She herself possessed an S-Rank Martial Soul, yet only had one Heaven Rank limit; his broken furnace popped out two at once.
This completely defied the theory of Martial Soul grading.
However, before she could digest this shock, she saw Lin Mo taking more Materials out of his storage soul guidance device.
This time, they were rare Materials, and one bottle of fiery red liquid shocked her.
Because she knew the value of this item.
That was the essence blood of an eighth-Rank fire-attribute King Beast; this tiny bottle alone was worth over a billion.
Dean Zhou Qingyuan's heart skipped a beat: This kid... he wouldn't really try to strike while the iron is hot and Awaken a Heaven-Rank Soul Skill, would he?
She had also Awakened a Heaven-Rank Soul Skill, so of course, she knew what Lin Mo intended to do.
The next second, Lin Mo's actions gave her a definitive answer.
Lin Mo opened the bottle cap and swallowed the King Beast essence blood in one gulp.
Then, clutching two sixth-Rank ice-attribute soul crystals in his hands, he began to absorb them.
A wave of heat surged out from Lin Mo's body.
Dean Zhou Qingyuan subconsciously took half a step back, gripping the wine glass in her hand.
In the turbulent waves of her eyes, a trace of imperceptible anticipation was hidden.
A third-Rank Soul Master, about to Awaken a Heaven-Rank Soul Skill...
Perhaps this kid really could create a miracle.