Sun Moon Hall of Worship, Kong Deming

Late at night.

Sun Moon Empire, Hall of Worship.

Jing Hongchen arrived here. After hesitating for a moment, he still walked inside. A genius like this had appeared at the academy. Although he had made a deal with him, he did not think he could make that genius, or the force behind him, value him so highly.

There was only one old man in the Hall of Worship. He was intently studying a new type of Soul Tool. He might have known Jing Hongchen had entered, or he might have pretended not to.

Seeing that the old man was studying a Soul Tool, Jing Hongchen chose to wait. The old man before him was the current foremost figure of the Hall of Worship, the former Hall Master of Mingde Hall. He possessed one-quarter of the Sun Moon Royal Family's bloodline, and even the current Sun Moon Emperor had to respectfully address him as Ancestor.

Most impressively, every Rank 9 Soul Engineer in the Sun Moon Empire had received his instruction, Jing Hongchen included.

He was the Hall Master of the Sun Moon Empire's Hall of Worship, Silver Moon Douluo Kong Deming.

After a long while, the old man slowly raised his head and looked at Jing Hongchen, who had been standing there for quite some time. He teased, "Little Jing, what wind blew a busy man like you over here?"

"Elder Kong." Jing Hongchen addressed him respectfully and told Kong Deming half of what had happened today. However, he chose to conceal the matter of Martial Soul Evolution.

Everyone had selfish motives, Jing Hongchen included. He only had those two grandchildren. What was wrong with him, their grandfather, securing benefits for them?

What Sun Moon Royal Family? How could it be more important than his own family?

"Radiant Gold Ancient Dragon, possessing Ultimate Power and a Gold Element close to Extreme Gold. Level 26 at ten years old, with a thousand-year second soul ring and a hidden force behind him."

Kong Deming was left stunned by what Jing Hongchen had told him. He did not even react when the carving knife in his hand fell to the floor.

After recovering for a while, Kong Deming looked at Jing Hongchen and asked tentatively, "Hall Master Jing, do you think their ability to help others break through to level ninety-five is real?"

"I think it is." Faced with Kong Deming's question, Jing Hongchen voiced his thoughts. His goal was to drag this man into the matter. Otherwise, he would not feel at ease making this deal!

Kong Deming was an old fox himself. How could he fail to see through Jing Hongchen's little scheme? This brat was definitely hiding something else from him, but it did not matter.

If they really could help someone break through level ninety-five, then he could give that little fellow a bit more of those Soul Tool materials and other things.

"Tomorrow, bring that little genius to see me. I'd like to see what a genius comparable to Shrek's monsters is like."

After hesitating repeatedly, Kong Deming decided to take a day off tomorrow and personally examine this genius. If he could secure a long-term partnership with the force behind him, it would be a wonderful thing.

He had been stuck at level ninety-four for far too long.

Level ninety-five was now his dream. It was also a necessary step on his path toward researching level ten Soul Tools. Otherwise, researching level ten Soul Tools would be far too difficult!

Jing Hongchen nodded in agreement. As for what he was thinking, only he himself knew.

"Then, Elder Kong, I'll be leaving first."

"Go."

Kong Deming stared at Jing Hongchen's departing back, lost in thought.

After leaving the Hall of Worship, Jing Hongchen's expression turned somewhat ugly as he walked down the deserted street. He had merely wanted to drag Kong Deming into this, yet he had ended up dropping a stone on his own foot.

Now things were troublesome. Jin Tianming was going to meet Kong Deming tomorrow, and what he had concealed today might be exposed.

Just as Jing Hongchen was considering how to handle tomorrow, he sensed danger approaching. He immediately turned around, summoned his Martial Soul, and activated his Rank 9 Soul Tool shield.

In the end, he was still too late. That person's claw had already seized Jing Hongchen by the throat.

Jing Hongchen clearly saw the fellow before him and the nine soul rings around him: white, yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black. Though the soul rings were not the optimal combination, this man was undeniably a genuine Titled Douluo.

But why could this man evade my senses and launch a sneak attack from behind me?

Jing Hongchen could not understand it. They were both Titled Douluo. No fluctuation of Soul Power should have been able to escape the other's perception. Even if he had reached this level through drugs, he still should have sensed it!

He should not have only noticed after being ambushed.

"Damn it!" Jing Hongchen cursed inwardly, though he remained calm on the surface. "Sir, is there some misunderstanding between us?"

"It is not a misunderstanding. You are already dead."

Moxie withdrew his Shadow Dragon Claw. When Jing Hongchen immediately retreated and pulled out a Soul Tool cannon to aim at him, his expression remained utterly calm. He merely cast him a cold glance and warned, "My young master will be in your care from now on. If anything happens to him, it will not be some insignificant nobody like me who comes next." With that, Moxie's figure swiftly vanished into the darkness, disappearing from Jing Hongchen's shocked gaze.

"He disappeared?" Jing Hongchen used his Spiritual Power to scan the surroundings again in shock. After confirming that the Titled Douluo was truly nowhere to be found, he fell silent for a long time.

What had just happened was simply too surreal.

A level ninety-three Titled Douluo had suddenly appeared, grabbed him by the throat, released him, said some inexplicable words, and left.

"What a freak!" Jing Hongchen cursed under his breath, but he still quietly put away the Soul Tool cannons around him. He already knew the answer in his heart. The young master that Titled Douluo mentioned is Jin Tianming. His soul rings may not be the optimal combination, but that concealment soul skill, which even Titled Douluo find hard to detect, is utterly terrifying!

After standing there for quite some time, Jing Hongchen finally left the deserted street.

He would not reveal today's events to anyone else. He vaguely felt that the Titled Douluo's words carried another meaning.

Inside the dormitory.

After receiving Moxie's reply, Jin Tianming asked curiously, "How did it go?"

Because his true body had used a secret technique to help Moxie break through to level ninety-three, and Moxie's Concealment Technique had advanced even further, he had allowed Moxie to frighten Jing Hongchen a little.

"Lord Golden Dragon, the technique bestowed by the Holy Lord is a divine skill!" Moxie answered truthfully. He was not exaggerating. Jing Hongchen had only discovered him after he entered the old man's shadow.

"What about the Dragon Transformation Technique?"

What Jin Tianming was more curious about was the Dragon Transformation Technique within that secret art. It allowed one to transform into a dragon at will without releasing one's Martial Soul, proving that it was anything but ordinary.

Upon hearing this, Moxie fell silent for a moment before answering truthfully, "Lord Golden Dragon, I fear Dragon Transformation is only useful below the Titled Douluo level. After becoming a Titled Douluo, I can transform into a dragon at will even without summoning my Martial Soul."

"I see." Jin Tianming propped his chin up with one hand while the fingers of his other hand tapped against the table. Dragon Transformation could temporarily strengthen one's body to a certain extent. He was considering whether, with this Dragon Transformation Technique and the strength of the Radiant Gold Ancient Dragon, he could absorb a ten-thousand-year soul ring as his third soul ring.

His second soul ring was not merely a thousand-year soul ring. It was a genuine five-thousand-year soul ring. Those people simply had not observed it carefully enough.

Moxie silently remained to the side, not disturbing Jin Tianming's thoughts.

"Moxie, you may go rest."

After thinking for a while longer, Jin Tianming allowed Moxie to leave. Next, he needed to quietly study Soul Engineer knowledge by himself.