NOVEL NEXT Chapter 29: Decision
The knowledge gained from books always feels shallow; true understanding of a matter comes from hands-on experience.
No matter how much theoretical knowledge one possesses, it is merely a foundational requirement to become a soul engineer. Only those who can independently create a soul tool can truly be called a soul engineer.
Without a solid grasp of theoretical knowledge, it is challenging to become a soul engineer.
However, one cannot become a soul engineer without the ability to make soul tools!
Therefore, while theoretical assessments are important, practical skills are the fundamental determinant of whether one can become a soul engineer.
For freshmen who do not perform well in written exams, the practical exam is their second chance.
If the soul tools they create meet the requirements, they still have a good chance of advancing to the second year.
Now, all the freshmen are determined to excel in creating soul tools. After all, who among them is not a prodigy to have become a first-level soul engineer before the age of twelve? No one wants to fall behind or be demoted to the first year.
The testing area is not far from the teaching building, and there are clear warning signs separating the two.
Soon, everyone arrived within the testing area. Under Ran Ruobing's guidance, the group successfully entered.
This was also the first time Su Luoheng had come here, as the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy had a rule: students from the first to fourth years needed to be led by a teacher to enter the testing area.
From what he had learned over the past few days, this rule did not exist before.
It was established after an incident caused by a student's improper operation.
As for the details of the incident, no one knew for sure.
Every school rule has a story behind it, after all.
Speaking of which...
The most obvious difference between the buildings in the testing area and those in the teaching area is that most here are single-story structures.
Even the taller buildings are no more than three stories high, appearing very solid. They are not only constructed with bricks and stones but also have surfaces with metallic luster in many places, likely incorporating a lot of metal materials.
Each testing area occupies about the same space as a football field. Inside the buildings, there are often low, rumbling noises, which occasionally cause slight vibrations underfoot.
Ran Ruobing led the freshmen to a testing field on the left side.
A metal door bore the label: "Assessment Testing Field."
Ran Ruobing took out a badge from her chest pocket and waved it in front of the door. A light flashed, and the door slid open to both sides.
"Let's go."
The group of freshmen followed her inside the testing field.
Upon entering, Su Luoheng immediately noticed that the entire soul tool testing area was made of metal. The metal had a dark brown hue, likely to stabilize the testing field.
Inside the door was a long horizontal corridor, resembling a dormitory area. However, there was a door every thirty meters on one side, labeled "Second-Year Assessment Area 1," "Second-Year Assessment Area 2," "Second-Year Assessment Area 3," up to "Sixth-Year Assessment Area 1," and so on.
Ran Ruobing seemed familiar with this place and led the freshmen southward along the corridor without hesitation.
As they walked, they encountered several other groups of students from other grades also taking their promotion exams.
Every year, when freshmen enroll, students from other grades simultaneously undergo their promotion assessments.
The freshmen looked around curiously like excited children.
Su Luoheng was no exception, as it was his first time in the testing area, and he was curious about all the facilities around him.
Ran Ruobing noticed the freshmen's reactions, but she did not rush them. Instead, she quietly slowed her pace.
This ice-cold beauty of a teacher, who seemed stern and unapproachable, wasn't as unfeeling as she appeared.
Before long, Ran Ruobing stopped in front of a door deeper inside, labeled "Freshman Assessment Area."
With a flick of her wrist, a crescent-shaped silver token appeared in her hand. She pressed the token against the door to the Freshman Assessment Area, and after a brief fluctuation of soul power, the token ejected from a slot.
Immediately following this, accompanied by a clattering sound, the door to the Freshman Assessment Area opened horizontally to both sides.
"Let's go," Ran Ruobing called out, and the freshmen eagerly stepped into the assessment area.
Having waited for this moment, the freshmen were filled with curiosity and were captivated the moment they laid eyes on the interior.
The assessment area was quite spacious and was roughly divided into two main sections by metal panels.
One section, the soul tool crafting area, contained over fifty tables, each about six square meters. These tables were already equipped with the necessary materials for making soul tools: metal materials, carving knives essential for inscribing the core formation of the soul tools, and a small soul furnace for smelting the outer casing of the soul tools.
The larger area behind it was designated as the testing area for the soul tools.
The soul tools crafted by the students would be tested and graded here.
Ran Ruobing walked calmly to the podium, unfazed. The reaction of these freshmen was not much different from how she and her peers had reacted the first time they entered the testing area.
After allowing them a moment to let their excitement subside, she finally spoke.
"Alright, everyone, quiet down. Each of the workstations is labeled with your names. You have two minutes to find and stand by your respective stations."
Ran Ruobing's voice wasn't particularly loud, but her calm tone caused the once noisy and bustling hall to quiet down immediately.
In no time, the freshmen were standing in front of their assigned workstations.
Ran Ruobing announced, "The upcoming soul tool crafting assessment has a time limit of three hours. Like the written exam, all of your crafted soul tools must be submitted. Within the allotted time, you are to use the materials provided at your workstation to create a first-level soul tool. The type of soul tool is up to you, but it must be successfully crafted. If it fails to pass the inspection, it will be considered a direct failure."
"Is that clear?"
Her gaze swept over the crowd, pausing briefly when it fell on Su Luoheng.
"Yes, understood," everyone responded in unison.
"Good, the assessment begins now."
As soon as Ran Ruobing finished speaking, the hall was filled with the sound of clinking metal as many freshmen began selecting suitable metal materials.
Su Luoheng was no exception.
The materials provided for the assessment were comprehensive, allowing for a wide selection of first-level soul tools to be crafted.
Mithril, fire rock iron, ice cold iron, heavy silver, and so on—all of these were suitable materials for first-level soul engineers to use for engraving. They were also suitable for inscribing the core formations of most first-level soul tools. Su Luoheng, with his current mastery, had more than a dozen first-level soul tools to choose from.
While others were hesitating because they didn't know what to make, he was hesitating over what to choose to make.
He hadn't been idling away his time on the streets these past few days. Now, he had so many options for first-level soul tools that he felt almost overwhelmed by the abundance of choices.
After a moment of thought, he made up his mind!
A model of a longsword formed in his mind: the Ice Rain Sword.