Chapter 174: Mu En’s Observations In Xilu City
While Huo Yuhao was heading to Enthusiasm Headquarters, Mu En was leisurely rocking his wheelchair while strolling on the streets of Xilu City.
He curiously looked around at the surrounding shops with his gaze, marveling aloud.
Then he took pictures with Magic Net and sent them to the Shrek Soul Tool Department high-level group.
“Dark Dragon Emperor”: “Lin’er ah”
“What do you think of these soul tools?”
“I Am the Dean!”: “!”
“Teacher, the quality of these soul tools can only be said to be average, but this price, is it really not a joke?”
“How can it be so cheap?”
“Lin’er, You Will Regret It!”: “Good grief.”
“Although the soul tool levels are not high, this price is truly in a class of its own.”
“Mu Lao, is this real?”
“Dark Dragon Emperor”: “Let me take another look.”
“If there’s any news, I’ll tell you all.”
After closing Magic Net, Mu En continued looking at the dazzling array of soul tool goods on the commercial street.
Mu En’s Magic Net name was taken from Long Xiaoyao, as a commemoration.
Of course, what Mu En didn’t know was that Long Xiaoyao’s Magic Net name was “Light Dragon God”, one could only say it was worthy of being old friends.
The commercial street in Xilu City was full of soul tools hanging everywhere for sale, at extremely cheap prices.
A Soul Guiding Lamp only cost five Copper Soul Coins, it could be called cabbage price, and Mu En even suspected if this price covered the material costs.
He still had some understanding of soul tools and knew that making one cost quite a bit of money.
Material costs, labor costs, time costs, all made soul tool prices high.
Non-soul master groups simply couldn’t afford it!
Suddenly, Mu En stopped at the entrance of a shop, his eyes examining the soul tool hanging at the door.
This shop was different from the booming business of other shops, appearing extremely deserted.
Because this shop sold soul tool weapons, with large quantities of Soul Tool Cannons, Soul Tool Shells, and soul tool shields hanging inside.
Mu En’s spiritual power gently swept over, and he had a general understanding of the levels of these soul tools.
“Highest level five?”
Then, he picked up a very crude level four Soul Tool Ray Gun, examined it carefully, took a picture, and sent it to the Soul Tool Department group chat.
Then he checked the price, and Mu En’s eyes nearly popped out.
“Two hundred Gold Soul Coins?”
“This price isn’t messing with me, is it?”
The shopkeeper inside was bored scrolling Magic Net, and after seeing Mu En playing with the soul tool at the door, he came out and said:
“Customer, is there anything you want?”
“But I have to say in advance, in Xilu City, possessing a Soul Tool Cannon requires Enthusiasm certification.”
“Without proof, I dare not sell.”
Mu En gently shook his head, chuckling as he looked at the shopkeeper and said:
“I’m just browsing.”
“Just amazed at how cheap the soul tools are here.”
“Shopkeeper, can you tell this old man about it?”
The shopkeeper glanced at Mu En, thinking business was slow anyway, chatting with someone wasn’t bad.
“Of course, elder, come inside the shop.”
Mu En followed the shopkeeper into the shop.
The shopkeeper took a bottle of iced juice from the back room’s Soul Guide Refrigerator and handed it to Mu En, saying:
“Elder, you’re from outside Heaven Dou Plain, right?”
“Heaven Dou Plain now is completely different.”
Mu En took the juice, his eyes showing doubt as he said:
“I’m a teacher at Shrek Academy, but indeed I haven’t left the academy for a long time.”
“Why say Heaven Dou Plain has changed?”
Hearing that Mu En was a teacher at Shrek Academy, the shopkeeper’s face showed some excitement.
“You are a teacher at Shrek Academy?”
“Then do you know these two children, Bai E and Mademos?”
“How are they doing?”
“These two children used to come every day to help carry things, they were famous handsome young men in the villages around Xilu City.”
Mu En nodded inwardly, his face showing approval; this trip he had already heard quite a few stories about these children.
Xilu City’s residents were all praising these children, and once they started, they went on endlessly and couldn’t stop.
“Mm, these two children are currently very famous at Shrek Academy.”
“They can be considered my future students.”
“They are all true super geniuses.”
The shopkeeper scratched the back of his head, smiling as he said:
“I knew it.”
“These two children will make it big someday.”
“If even they can’t achieve something, this world really has no hope.”
Hearing that Mu En was Bai E’s teacher, the shopkeeper immediately opened up.
“To tell you the truth, since the new soul tool factories appeared, soul tool prices across Heaven Dou Plain have directly collapsed.”
“Large quantities of high-quality and cheap soul tools have flooded into Heaven Dou Plain.”
“A soul tool lamp that used to cost one hundred Gold Soul Coins, now outside you can buy one for five Copper Soul Coins.”
“All soul tools level five and below are now worthless.”
“I visited a soul tool factory when I went to stock up before.”
“Soul tools were made and assembled on the production line like flowing water.”
“Everyone who saw it had expressions of shock on their faces!”
“Right, I took a video, let me show you.”
The shopkeeper pulled up pictures of the soul tool factory from Magic Net, and Mu En leaned in to look, his eyes widening slightly.
He saw large groups of people sitting neatly on both sides of the production line, different batches handling different soul tool parts.
Everyone formed a tight whole, producing soul tools at astonishing speed; on the production line were some tools Mu En didn’t recognize cutting and processing rare metals.
Around were some unknown large soul tools humming, with soul tool cores engraved with Core Formation Arrays flowing out from them.
These large soul tools were simplified version Soul Tool Machine Tools personally designed by Huo Yuhao, with average engraving precision, highest capable of engraving level five Core Formation Arrays.
These machine tools, Huo Yuhao allowed buying and selling, but their cores were encrypted with alchemy to prevent technology leakage.
Mu En mentally estimated the speed of traditional soul engineers versus soul tool factories.
Without doubt, soul tool factories could easily crush traditional soul engineers.
Mu En just thought about using this production capacity for mass-producing Soul Tool Shells, and his body couldn’t help trembling.
“Let me tell you some insider news, I heard the factory north of Xilu City is researching high-precision Soul Tool Machine Tools.”
“Heard if the research succeeds, high-level soul tools can also enter factories for production.”
Mu En listened to the shopkeeper, staring intently at the video before him.
He felt like a country bumpkin; he’d only stayed at Shrek for a while, and upon coming out, discovered Shrek Academy was about to be left behind by the times.
“Is the entire Heaven Dou Plain like this now?”
“Also, how do ordinary people use soul tools? Don’t they lack soul power?”
Hearing Mu En’s question, the shopkeeper eagerly answered:
“Mm, Heaven Dou Plain is now full of soul tool factories everywhere.”
“It’s even started dumping soul tools to places outside Heaven Dou Plain.”
“Ordinary people can use Dream Coins to power soul tools; one Dream Coin can keep a Soul Guiding Lamp lit for half a year.”
“Ordinary people may lack soul power, but they still have spiritual power; a family can slowly accumulate ten days of spiritual power on Magic Net to exchange for one Dream Coin.”
“Moreover, wages here in Xilu City are famously high.”
“Other places are harder to say.”
Mu En realized Shrek Academy could no longer stick to the old ways; the outside world had begun a massive soul tool explosion.
Shrek was still clinging to traditional soul engineers, and even the Martial Soul Department was suppressing the Soul Tool Department.
Shrek was gradually falling behind the times.
He looked at the shopkeeper and said:
“Can you send me a copy of this video?”
The shopkeeper waved his hand and said:
“No problem, Enthusiasm hasn’t prohibited it anyway.”
After the shopkeeper sent the video to Mu En, Mu En transferred him one hundred Dream Coins as thanks, then said thanks and left.
On the way to Xilu City’s Orphanage, Mu En looked back deeply at this commercial street.
The large-scale use of soul tools made this place increasingly resemble a modern city, completely different from Shrek City.
Mu En gently shook his head, sending this video and his observations of Xilu City to the Shrek Soul Tool Department group chat.
Everyone in the group chat was shocked after watching the video.
“I Am the Dean!”: “This?!”
“How is this possible?”
“The outside world’s soul tools have started mass production?!”
“Lin’er, You Will Regret It!”: “Unbelievable.”
“But Lin’er, this may not be a bad opportunity for our Soul Tool Department!”
“Fan Yu”: “Exactly, this may be our opportunity.”
“It seems the outside world is undergoing an unprecedented Soul Tool Revolution.”
“Shrek Academy cannot be late to this feast.”
“Fortunately, this Soul Tool Revolution is happening in Heaven Soul Empire, not Sun Moon Empire.”
“We need to visit these soul tool factories, even cooperate!”
“We are all from Douluo Three Kingdoms, there shouldn’t be any difficulties in cooperation.”
“Once cooperation is reached, we will bear the money and resources, and build such factories in Shrek City too.”
“I Am the Dean!”: “Well said, let’s do it!”
“Qian Duoduo! We few will immediately contact Enthusiasm and go there to visit.”
“Lin’er, You Will Regret It!”: “On it!”
After reading the Soul Tool Department’s conversation, Mu En felt slightly comforted.
At least these high-levels in the Soul Tool Department were quite good, ambitious and able to read the situation.
If Xian Lin’er wasn’t a bit lacking in talent, she would be more suitable to lead than Yan Shaozhe.
Just thinking of Yan Shaozhe made Mu En angry! The outside world had started the Soul Tool Revolution, yet still clinging to the old ways.
Do soul tools conflict with soul masters? Can’t soul masters use soul tools?
Fortunately, Shrek Academy had welcomed new hope.
Mu En really didn’t want to hand Shrek over to Yan Shaozhe and Xuan Zi before dying.
If only Zhang Lexuan were a bit stronger, Mu En would dare to directly remove Yan Shaozhe.
One lacks the big picture, the other always stirs trouble; how could these two guide Shrek’s future?
Mu En thought as he rocked his wheelchair, soon arriving at Xilu City’s Orphanage.
Looking at the Orphanage’s gate, he used spiritual power to sense the overall building situation, and couldn’t help nodding.
“Really good.”
“Enthusiasm really values these orphans.”
“Hahaha! They live better than Shrek students.”
Mu En smilingly entered the Orphanage gate; Dean Zuo Man’er had been waiting for a while.
Huo Yuhao had told her in advance that Sea God Pavilion Master would come to visit the Orphanage.
Zuo Man’er bowed to Mu En upon seeing him and said:
“Dragon God Your Excellency, welcome your arrival.”
Mu En’s aged face bore a smile as he said to her:
“I know you.”
“Lin Huiyun told me, Xilu City Orphanage’s dean was formerly a Shrek student.”
“Seeing your vibrant energy, you chose the right path.”
“That’s good; the path of cultivation is most important to find the one most suitable for oneself.”
“Unfortunately, my disciple just can’t understand this truth.”
Zuo Man’er didn’t speak, listening to Mu En’s mutterings as a listener, then with his permission, pushed him around the Orphanage to visit.
Mu En’s attention was entirely on those children, seeing their rosy cheeks and healthy bodies, he couldn’t help saying:
“I’m old, so I’ll call you Little Zuo, hope you don’t mind.”
“These children at Xilu City Orphanage are living quite well.”
“Food is good, accommodations are fine.”
“If Shrek Academy students saw this, they’d be green with envy.”
“Hahaha!”
Thinking of Shrek Academy’s dorm conditions, Zuo Man’er’s face fell too.
“Dragon God Your Excellency, actually I think the students’ living environment could be better.”
“At least increase the showers.”
“Back then, four hundred of us fought over those few showers.”
Mu En felt the curious and lively gazes of the surrounding children, laughing heartily as he said:
“Yours was still good.”
“Back in my day, six hundred fought over one toilet.”
“Every time going to the toilet, had to activate martial soul to beat down a pile of people.”
“Right, is that the teaching building?”
“You even teach classes to these children?”
Hearing Mu En, Zuo Man’er warmly looked at the distant teaching building and said:
“Enthusiasm built it.”
“These orphans won’t stay here forever.”
“Enthusiasm sends people to teach life skills to children without soul power.”
“These basic skills like blacksmithing, mathematics; the smarter ones can learn soul tool design. Mastering these, not saying great wealth, but normal life in Xilu City is no problem.”
Hearing soul tool design, Mu En’s face showed some doubt.
“Children without soul power, how do they learn soul tools?”
Zuo Man’er didn’t speak, pushed Mu En to the teaching building, stopped by a classroom window, and said:
“This is the soul tool design class inside.”
“These children may lack soul power, but their brains are quite smart.”
“They draw Core Formation Arrays on paper, completing operational verification through theoretical calculations.”
“This was said by Enthusiasm Leader before.”
“Soul tool design actually doesn’t require soul power at all.”
“Ordinary people can completely use theoretical knowledge and mathematical formulas to replace soul power operation.”
“Complete soul tool design on a piece of paper.”
“They can’t manufacture soul tools, but they can design them!”
“To tell you the truth, these children who learn soul tool design are in high demand at soul tool factories.”
Hearing Zuo Man’er, surprise flowed in Mu En’s eyes, sincerely saying:
“Spirit Ice Douluo is truly brilliant.”
“Soul Tool Design, what a Soul Tool Design.”
“Shrek’s Soul Tool Department is not only behind in technology, but severely behind in teaching concepts.”
“Soul Tool Design, Soul Tool Manufacturing, and mathematics.”
“No wonder the Soul Tool Revolution exploded here!”
“Really opened my eyes!”
“Good!”
“Next time I see Spirit Ice, I must have a good talk with him.”
Light shone in Mu En’s eyes; seeing Xilu City’s teaching methods, he seemed to understand how to reform the Soul Tool Department.
Afterward, Zuo Man’er took Mu En to the Archive Room, handing him the archives of Bai E and others.
When Mu En saw that Bai E’s village was massacred by Evil Soul Masters, his eyes narrowed, thinking silently in his heart:
“Perhaps this is fate’s arrangement.”
“Didn’t let this child die under the Evil Soul Masters’ knives.”
“When old, really can’t wait any longer.”
“Bai E ah, Shrek’s future is entrusted to you and your partners.”
“Before that, let me personally clean up Shrek Academy; Martial Soul Department and Soul Tool Department reforms will start with my first cut.”
“Shrek’s ills won’t be left for you young ones.”
Another pile of work, nearly exhausted, thank you all for your subscription support, author OrZ
