Bonus Chapter. Enjoy!
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A moment later, Princess Xu Jiujiu finally recovered from her immense shock.
She raised her eyes to look at Huo Yuhao; her beautiful eyes, usually as calm as water, were now surging with waves of astonishment.
Her voice trembled uncontrollably as she asked, "This Spirit Soul... is it truly as miraculous as you say?"
No matter how much Princess Xu Jiujiu trusted Huo Yuhao, she couldn't help but ask that question when faced with a system like the Spirit Soul that overturned everything she knew.
Huo Yuhao wore a calm smile. "Of course it's true. I am a living example standing right before you. Didn't you see that Rebirth Butterfly with your own eyes just now?"
Princess Xu Jiujiu took a deep breath, her chest rising and falling slowly as she tried to calm her heart, which was beating almost uncontrollably.
The Spirit Tool Huo Yuhao had previously produced, which could help the disabled return to normal, had seemed shocking enough to her at the time.
But compared to the words "Spirit Soul," that Spirit Tool now seemed utterly insignificant.
Princess Xu Jiujiu knew that if the Spirit Soul system Huo Yuhao spoke of was real, what would it mean?
It meant the number of Spirit Masters would explode, the path of Spirit Master Cultivation would be redefined, and the power structures that had remained unchanged for Ten Thousand Years would face a complete reshuffle.
Whichever Sect or Empire could be the first to master the secrets of the Spirit Soul would hold the key to a new era.
And Huo Yuhao was currently standing at the threshold of that door.
More importantly, Huo Yuhao was already in a partnership with the Star Luo Imperial Family, and now he was proactively revealing the secret of the Spirit Soul.
Princess Xu Jiujiu's heart hammered; the excitement she had just suppressed surged up again, even more intense than before.
A thought surfaced in her mind, making her almost catch her breath.
Is he... planning to join forces with Star Luo regarding the Spirit Soul?
If that's really the case...
Princess Xu Jiujiu clenched her fingers beneath her sleeves, her fingertips turning slightly pale. Her heart swelled with excitement and anticipation, as if she could see an unprecedented brightness ahead for the Empire.
However, the caution honed by years in the palace prevented her from asking immediately. She simply looked up again, her gaze fixed deeply on Huo Yuhao.
"Young Master Huo," Princess Xu Jiujiu's voice softened slightly as she asked, "This Spirit Soul system... was it created by you?"
She had to confirm one thing first: who exactly was behind this system that could change the landscape of the continent?
Huo Yuhao met her gaze and replied calmly, "The Spirit Soul system was created by my teacher."
Princess Xu Jiujiu understood immediately. She had already "known" that a powerful Class 9 Soul Engineer stood behind Huo Yuhao.
Hearing Huo Yuhao admit it himself, she wasn't surprised at all; instead, she felt it was only natural. Only such a being could break the ironclad laws of Ten Thousand Years and forge an unprecedented path like the Spirit Soul.
Huo Yuhao took in Princess Xu Jiujiu's changing expressions and knew the time had come.
He straightened up slightly and said to Princess Xu Jiujiu, "To be honest, my teacher and I plan to establish an organization called the 'Spirit Pagoda.' We will use it as a Foundation to gradually spread the method of the Spirit Soul across the entire continent."
"However, this is a matter of great importance, and it's difficult to achieve by the strength of just us, master and disciple, alone."
He paused for a moment and said word by word, "I wonder if the Star Luo Imperial Family would be willing to support us?"
Princess Xu Jiujiu's heart once again hammered wildly against her chest.
Establishing a brand-new organization to promote the Spirit Soul method?
Princess Xu Jiujiu's beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, her thick eyelashes casting a small shadow over her eyelids, hiding the rapid calculations and considerations swirling in her gaze.
A moment later, her red lips curled into a slight smile, one that carried the characteristic reserve and shrewdness of a princess.
"For such a significant matter, my Star Luo Imperial Family is naturally willing to provide support."
"I just wonder... what kind of support are we talking about?"
She didn't agree blindly, nor did she make empty promises. Instead, she caught the ball steadily and tossed it back lightly. Support is possible, but you must first clarify what I need to give and what I will receive in return.
Huo Yuhao's lips curled upward; he had been waiting for this sentence and was well-prepared.
"Currently, across the entire continent, only my teacher and I possess the complete Spirit Soul method."
"Truly spreading the Spirit Soul system is not something that can be done overnight; it requires careful, long-term planning."
Changing the subject, his gaze fell back on Princess Xu Jiujiu. "Therefore, the most urgent step right now is for the Star Luo Imperial Family to prepare a piece of land for me, and then we will build the continent's first Spirit Pagoda on that land."
With a casual wave of his hand, several blueprints appeared out of thin air on the table beside him.
"These are the construction blueprints for the Spirit Pagoda."
Princess Xu Jiujiu reached out, picked up the blueprints from the table, and unfurled them with both hands. Her eyes fell upon the complex and precise design patterns, and she began to study them seriously.
She was no expert in architecture; many of the dense technical terms and calculation symbols for load-bearing structures were beyond her full understanding.
Even so, the rigor of the overall planning and the thoroughness of the detailed considerations shown in the blueprints still made her heart skip a beat in secret.
With her discernment, she could tell that once built according to these plans, it would be a majestic eight-story pagoda-shaped building.
She knew these blueprints weren't something that could be produced on a whim. Before speaking to her, Huo Yuhao had already prepared everything to the utmost degree.
These blueprints were not from his teacher, Electrolux, but were specially commissioned by Huo Yuhao from the top Spirit Pagoda architects Ten Thousand Years in the future.
They ensured that every building material and every technology marked on the blueprints was something this World Ten Thousand Years in the past actually possessed and could realistically achieve.
Seeing Princess Xu Jiujiu's increasingly serious expression, Huo Yuhao continued, "Once this Spirit Pagoda is successfully built, it will be the first Spirit Pagoda on the entire continent and also the headquarters of the Spirit Pagoda."
"I can promise Your Highness that when the time comes, the Star Luo Imperial Family and the Spirit Masters of the Star Luo Empire will have priority in obtaining Spirit Soul Fusion."
Princess Xu Jiujiu's fingers tightened slightly on the blueprints. She didn't even need to think to understand what the words "priority Fusion" meant for an Empire.
Star Luo's Spirit Masters would be ahead of all others on the continent. Such a first-mover advantage, once accumulated, would be enough to change the power landscape of the entire continent within decades.
However, Huo Yuhao was not finished.
"After the Spirit Pagoda is established, it will be managed using a parliamentary system. Within the parliament, the Star Luo Imperial Family will hold two council seats."
Princess Xu Jiujiu's pupils contracted imperceptibly. His proactive promise of two seats meant the Star Luo Imperial Family could have a voice in the Spirit Pagoda's decision-making. This level of influence was far more valuable than simple gold or silver.
"Also, during the Spirit Pagoda's Early Stage, the necessary personnel will be prioritized from the Star Luo Empire."
Huo Yuhao never intended for the Star Luo Imperial Family to contribute for nothing. He knew better than anyone that there is no partnership where only one side gives. Since they were providing land, people, and resources, he would offer matching rewards.
As for whether the Star Luo Imperial Family would have other intentions in the future, wanting to seize power or sideline him in the Spirit Pagoda... Huo Yuhao's expression remained entirely unfazed.
Leaving aside the fact that his strength was already significant and would only grow in the future. As long as the source of the Spirit Soul method was in his hands, everything else was merely trivial.
Princess Xu Jiujiu listened very intently. As Huo Yuhao laid out each condition, though she remained calm on the surface, she was already calculating rapidly in her heart.
Asking the Star Luo Imperial Family to provide people, labor, and land certainly sounded like a significant investment.
But for an Imperial Family that held the power of a whole nation, compared to the rewards Huo Yuhao promised, this contribution was practically negligible.
Priority Spirit Soul Fusion, two council seats, and priority recruitment of Star Luo talent.
These three combined were equivalent to placing the Star Luo Empire firmly in the first tier of the new era.
Once the Spirit Soul system spread across the continent as Huo Yuhao described, every bit of effort Star Luo invested today could potentially yield hundreds or thousands of times the return for the Empire in the future.
If managed properly, riding this momentum, it wasn't impossible for Star Luo to become the number one Empire on the continent in the future.
The moment this thought surfaced from her heart, Princess Xu Jiujiu felt her fingertips tingling slightly.
However, Princess Xu Jiujiu was just a princess after all; no matter how excited she was, she didn't give an answer directly.
Princess Xu Jiujiu rose slowly and said seriously, "This is a matter of great importance; I still need to consult my Imperial Brother."
Huo Yuhao wasn't surprised. With a gentle smile, he nodded and said, "I understand. I will stay in Star Luo City for a few more days, waiting for Princess Jiujiu to bring back good news."
Hearing this, Princess Xu Jiujiu's red lips curled up. "It should... not disappoint Young Master Huo."
After saying this, Princess Xu Jiujiu didn't stay any longer and turned toward the door. As she reached the door, she suddenly stopped and glanced back at Huo Yuhao with a bright and sincere smile.
"Young Master Huo, please stay here at the Starlight Auction House for these few days. There's no need to look for other lodging. If you need anything, just tell the people here."
Huo Yuhao smiled, nodded, and thanked her.
Princess Xu Jiujiu's figure vanished at the end of the corridor outside, and the reception room fell silent for a moment.
Huo Yuhao withdrew his gaze and glanced at the dazed Gongyang Mo beside him.
Huo Yuhao reached out and snapped his fingers in front of him, shouting, "Snap out of it!"
Gongyang Mo's body jolted, his eyes still filled with shock as he looked at Huo Yuhao.
"You..." Gongyang Mo's Adam's apple bobbed, his voice a bit dry. "The power you said you wanted to establish... is it this Spirit Pagoda?"
Huo Yuhao crossed his arms, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "That's right. Do you regret boarding my 'thieves' ship' now?"
Gongyang Mo said nothing, but a moment later, the silence was completely shattered by a sudden burst of laughter.
"Hahaha!"
Gongyang Mo threw his head back and laughed so hard he doubled over, a hint of moisture even appearing at the corners of his eyes.
"What 'thieves' ship'!" He stopped laughing, but the glowing excitement on his face couldn't be suppressed, and his speech quickened with his agitation. "I thought you just made a decision on a whim, in the heat of the moment."
"Yes, I really did think that before, that you were just young and wanted to start a business." He took a deep breath, the light in his eyes growing brighter. "But now? You have the Spirit Soul technology! Once this Spirit Pagoda is built, why would we ever need to worry about the future?"
"In the future, among the top powers of the continent, the Spirit Pagoda will surely have a place!"
Gongyang Mo grew more excited as he spoke, pacing a couple of steps as if he had nowhere to vent his energy.
When he first agreed to join Huo Yuhao's faction, whether it was to "repay a debt" or out of "loyalty," he essentially didn't have high expectations for the future.
How far could a power formed on a whim by a youth go?
In his heart, he had even prepared for the worst—at most, it would be a brief burst of youthful passion that led nowhere.
But what was he seeing now?
A brand-new system capable of overturning the ten-thousand-year cultivation path of Spirit Masters!
Isn't he essentially holding the most precious "original shares"?
Gongyang Mo practically wanted to laugh out loud three more times. He had thought his life was set, but he hadn't expected such a World-shaking change after meeting Huo Yuhao.
His mood over the past few days had been like a roller coaster, and it had just reached its peak!
Huo Yuhao just smiled as he watched his excitement.
This is only the beginning!
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A/N:
5 Power Stones = 1 Extra Chapter
2 Reviews = 1 Extra Chapter
I hope all of you are enjoying this story so far. I would appreciate some Power Stones if you can spare any. Leave a review if you like the story. Thank you.