The Hongchen Siblings

Kong Deming waved with a chuckle. "No need for such formalities! Learn well from your teacher. Though the Original Douluo Continent Three Kingdoms look down on the path of Soul Tools, this is the true future!"

Huo Yuhao nodded. "This disciple-grandson understands!"

"Alright, let's talk business." Kong Deming turned to Jing Hongchen, who was seated to one side. "Hongchen, how are the preparations coming along?"

Jing Hongchen said to Kong Deming, "Everything is ready. Tomorrow, this disciple and three Titled Douluo plan to set out for the Far North to conduct low-temperature testing on the Soul-guided Satellite."

Kong Deming cautioned, "The Far North is an unknown region humanity has never set foot in. Snow Empress and Ice Empress, two of the Ten Great Ferocious Beasts, live there as well. Be careful in all things."

The experiment they were about to conduct in the Far North would cause quite a commotion, inevitably affecting the Soul Beast populations there. That was why Kong Deming wanted Jing Hongchen to personally lead the team, with three Titled Douluo accompanying him.

In Kong Deming's view, four Titled Douluo, along with the appropriate Rank Nine Soul Tools, should be enough to contend with Snow Empress and Ice Empress.

While Kong Deming and Jing Hongchen spoke, Huo Yuhao's expression shifted. He heard Sky Dream Ice Silkworm shouting within his Spiritual Sea of Consciousness.

"What are they going to the Far North for? Are they trying to hunt my Ice Empress?!"

Huo Yuhao frowned slightly and soothed Sky Dream Ice Silkworm within his Spiritual Sea of Consciousness. "Brother Sky Dream, Senior Brother and the others are going there to conduct an experiment."

"What kind of experiment needs four Titled Douluo to go all the way to the Far North? The Far North is so far away, and they're making a special trip there just for an experiment? It has to be a cover!" Sky Dream Ice Silkworm said indignantly.

To Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, the idea of four Titled Douluo mobilizing solely for an experiment was simply too unbelievable.

Jiang Shengyu also asked from the side, "Are we really that short on manpower? Even Senior Brother has to personally lead a team out?"

When Jiang Shengyu said that, Kong Deming, Jing Hongchen, and Xuan Ziwen all looked at him, their gazes seeming to ask whether he was seriously asking that question.

Jing Hongchen chuckled twice. "That's all thanks to Junior Brother!"

Xuan Ziwen explained, "Isn't it because you proposed so many research projects? Mingde Hall ran out of manpower long ago. Senior Brother only returned from the border this morning."

"Cough, cough... the capable should do more work." Jiang Shengyu coughed, unable to suppress his smile.

"Shengyu, don't keep provoking your Senior Brother."

Kong Deming looked helplessly at Jiang Shengyu's rather punchable expression. He cleared his throat and announced the end of this small gathering between master and disciples. "That's all for today. Hongchen, stay behind."

"Yes!"

The others nodded. Jing Hongchen remained behind, while Jiang Shengyu and the others bade Kong Deming farewell and left the meeting room.

The group had just reached the courtyard when they ran into a pair of silver-haired siblings. They were Jing Hongchen's grandson and granddaughter, Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen.

"Hey! Jiang Shengyu, where's my grandpa?" Xiao Hongchen called from where he stood.

Jiang Shengyu pointed inside, then said, "Your grandpa and I are of the same generation. Show some manners. Come on, call me Grandpa Jiang!"

"Stop taking advantage of me!" Xiao Hongchen looked at Jiang Shengyu with disdain. "I'm two years older than you, and you want me to call you grandpa? Aren't you afraid of falling into a pit the moment you step outside?"

Meng Hongchen pulled Xiao Hongchen, who stood in front of her, back a little. Looking at Jiang Shengyu, she smiled and asked softly, "Shengyu, is Grandpa still in a meeting with Silver Moon Crown?"

"Yeah." Jiang Shengyu nodded.

Xiao Hongchen added, "If you hadn't proposed so many research projects, Grandpa wouldn't have been so busy that he couldn't return home for over half a year! Jiang Shengyu, are Soul Tools really that great? With your talent, if you put all your effort into cultivation, you wouldn't still be only a Soul Grandmaster after all these years! I'm almost a Soul King already!"

Xiao Hongchen was absolutely an anomaly within the Sun Moon Empire. His talent in Soul Master cultivation was no less than his talent as a Soul Engineer, and he was no inferior to Shrek Academy's so-called monstrous geniuses. He was one of the Sun Moon Empire's rare dual-cultivation prodigies.

With his formidable talent and his status as Jing Hongchen's grandson, Xiao Hongchen held himself in high regard. Few people caught his eye, and Jiang Shengyu was one of them.

Hearing Xiao Hongchen's words, Jiang Shengyu retorted, "I'm developing comprehensively in morality, intelligence, physique, aesthetics, and labor."

"Comprehensively?"

Xiao Hongchen looked Jiang Shengyu up and down, then raised a hand. "Come on, fight me! Let's see whether you're really that well-rounded! Don't worry, I'll only use my first two Soul Skills. Besides, your Soul Rings are high quality, so it won't count as bullying you."

"Brother!"

Meng Hongchen tugged at Xiao Hongchen and looked apologetically at Jiang Shengyu. "Shengyu, sorry. My brother is just that kind of person. We came to find Grandpa, and since he's busy, we'll leave first."

"No!"

Xiao Hongchen shook free of Meng Hongchen's hand and said to Jiang Shengyu, "Come on! Do you dare spar with me?"

Jiang Shengyu's mouth twitched. He stepped forward. "Fine, let's fight! Come on, to the Arena."

"Why did they suddenly start fighting?" Huo Yuhao looked utterly bewildered.

Jiang Shengyu patted his shoulder and said earnestly, "This is the Douluo Continent!"

At the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy's combat Arena, Jiang Shengyu and Xiao Hongchen stood at opposite ends. Meng Hongchen, Huo Yuhao, and the others watched beneath the Arena, while students continuously rushed in from outside to fill the Audience Stand.

Some students had even skipped class after hearing the news just to watch.

Classes could be attended anytime, but the headmaster's grandson and the headmaster's junior brother were about to fight. A sight like this only came around a few times in a lifetime!

Looking at the two people onstage, Huo Yuhao asked Xuan Ziwen beside him, "Teacher, who do you think will win, Cousin or Mr. Xiao Hongchen?"

"Hard to say."

Xuan Ziwen shook his head and said to Huo Yuhao, "That kid Xiao Hongchen is a rank forty-eight Battle Soul Ancestor, while Junior Brother is only rank twenty-five. The gap in Soul Power is too great. But Junior Brother's Soul Rings are of high quality, so it's not as though he has no chance of winning."

"I believe Shengyu can win."

Meng Hongchen suddenly spoke from the side. She looked at Huo Yuhao and said, "I'll tell you a secret: my brother and Shengyu have fought several times in private, and my brother has never gained any advantage."

"Then why is he still fighting? Isn't that..." Huo Yuhao blinked, not saying the final words: asking for a beating.

The more setbacks he suffered, the braver he became? That was a kind of resilience too.

Meng Hongchen smiled. "That's just how my brother is. He likes getting beaten up."

Hearing Meng Hongchen describe Xiao Hongchen that way, Huo Yuhao looked surprised. Weren't they biological siblings? What younger sister talked about her brother like that? Or was this how siblings got along?

Huo Yuhao had never experienced how siblings interacted, so he did not really understand.

On the stage, Jiang Shengyu and Xiao Hongchen faced each other. Jiang Shengyu asked, "Should we exchange a few threatening words before we start?"