Apprenticing to Kong... Oh, Jing Hongchen Works Too...

"Grandpa Sect Master, which master are you planning to have me study under?"

Chen Ming knew the Dragon Elephant Sect's customs as well, so he took the matter of taking a master extremely seriously.

If the person Chen Li had chosen truly did not suit Chen Ming's wishes, or if Chen Ming believed they would be unable to play any role in the major future conflict between the Three Douluo Kingdoms and the Sun Moon Empire, then Chen Ming would firmly refuse to become their disciple.

"Do you know Mingde Hall?" Chen Li knew that Chen Ming definitely knew of Mingde Hall, but he brought it up anyway.

"The first master of Mingde Hall was Silver Moon Douluo Kong Deming, who lived nearly a century ago. He was the person with the greatest cultivation talent in both Soul Mastery and soul engineering in the entire history of the Sun Moon Empire."

"At first, the Imperial Family merely established Mingde Hall so he could make use of his abilities. But as Silver Moon Douluo's talents became increasingly apparent and his research advanced, Mingde Hall became the foremost soul tool academy on the Sun Moon Continent."

"Hiss... Grandpa Sect Master, you're so capable and so well-connected that you can actually have me apprentice myself to Silver Moon Douluo?"

Chen Ming sucked in a cold breath. He had not expected his family to have connections this powerful.

Kong Deming was currently the strongest Soul Engineer on the Sun Moon Continent—a Rank 10 Soul Engineer who possessed his own Level 10 Soul Tool, a monster capable of suppressing the Level 99 Chicken Leg Douluo with his Level 95 cultivation. Although the potential of his Twin Martial Souls had largely gone undeveloped, he was still a top-tier prospect.

If he could become that big shot's disciple, then in the Sun Moon Empire, forget walking sideways—he could walk twisted like Donquixote Doflamingo, and no one would dare provoke him.

"You little brat, are you dreaming? Back then, I wanted to become that lord's disciple, but he refused to take me in. He wouldn't even let me become a nominal disciple. Now he's been living in seclusion for decades. Unless it's a life-or-death crisis, even the Imperial Family can't invite him out. Where would I get that kind of connection?"

"If I had that ability, would I have been stuck at Level 94 for over twenty years without moving a single step?"

Chen Li was so angry that his beard bristled and his eyes widened. For once, he failed to control his emotions in front of Chen Ming.

Though he was now a relatively mild-mannered old-school figure, Chen Li had been an extraordinary prodigy in his youth.

He had Innate Soul Power of Level 9. After steadily honing himself through countless hardships, he became a Titled Douluo at sixty-three and a Level 94 Titled Douluo at seventy-five. He had been regarded as one of the few people on the Sun Moon Continent most likely to become a Super Douluo.

Yet twenty-two years had passed. Chen Li was ninety-seven this year, and he was still a Level 94 Titled Douluo, unable to take that step forward for over two decades.

Of course, for a Titled Douluo, ninety-seven was still an age for making one's mark. Breaking through at that age was perfectly normal.

But then again... by the same logic, being stuck at Level 94 until death at this age was perfectly normal too.

Yet before Chen Ming could say anything, Great Elder Chen Ping suddenly reached out and smacked Chen Li hard across the back. A wave of flesh rippled across his thick body as he viciously cut in.

"Was the sect inadequate back then? Or were you the inadequate one?"

"Your innate Level 9 Soul Power was decent enough, but what the hell was your talent for soul engineering? You started studying soul tools at six under the guidance of a Level 8 Soul Master, and you even received instruction from a Rank 9 Soul Engineer. Even if you only cultivated it as a secondary path, with your cultivation, after more than ninety years you should at least have reached Level 8, shouldn't you?"

"But what are you? A Level 7 Soul Engineer—the kind with no strengths, no weaknesses, and no innovative ability, the most forgettable sort of Level 7 Soul Engineer."

"Back then, the sect had already placed you under that lord's wing. Didn't you still perform poorly? Wasn't it because your talent for soul tools was too poor that lord politely turned you down?"

"If this old man had gone back then, although my innate Soul Power of Level 8.5 was weaker than yours, my talent for soul tools was better! If I'd gone, maybe I would have made it!"

Having his shortcomings exposed in front of a junior, Chen Li did not hold back as he fired right back.

"Old Apple, sure, sure, you're impressive. You've cultivated for nearly ninety years too, but aren't you still only a Level 8 Soul Engineer? And think about it—I'm four years older than you. I took that assessment when I was eight, while you were only four. By the time you awakened your martial soul, Elder Kong had already gone into semi-seclusion. What the hell could you have accomplished?"

"Fine, you haven't cultivated for ninety years, but you've still cultivated for eighty-five, haven't you? Aren't you still some Level 8 Soul Engineer who rides neither horse nor donkey? Forget everything else—with talent like yours... if you'd gone back then, did you think you would've succeeded?"

"I..." Chen Ping tugged at his beard, his whole face flushing red.

"This old man, this old man is only stuck below Rank 9 Soul Engineer because my White Armored Earth Dragon martial soul isn't suited for spiritual power! If I could raise my cultivation another two or three levels, or find a decent ten-thousand-year head Soul Bone to absorb, I would definitely become a Rank 9 Soul Engineer."

Chen Li and Chen Ping had originally wanted to keep arguing and exposing each other's shortcomings, but perhaps Chen Ming's gaze between them was simply too scorching. In the end, both took a step back and stopped airing each other's dirty laundry in front of Chen Ming, a junior.

"Xiao Ming, let's get back to the point. Mingde Hall is currently the Sun Moon Empire's finest academy, one of its best soul tool development centers, and one of its most powerful armed institutions. Mingde Hall enjoys considerable privileges and resources throughout the empire. It is an organization second only to the Imperial Family."

Chen Li shot Chen Ping a glare before beginning his detailed explanation.

"Although the hall masters who succeeded Kong after him were all inferior to Elder Kong, every one of them was an outstanding figure."

"Especially Mingde Hall's current master, Jing Hongchen. He came from the Hongchen Family within the empire, and he himself possesses tremendous talent in both martial souls and soul tools. He is considered the most gifted Soul Engineer in the Sun Moon Empire besides Elder Kong."

"Now that Elder Kong is advanced in years and has long ceased appearing in public, Jing Hongchen is considered the person most qualified to inherit Elder Kong's legacy and become the next strongest Soul Engineer in the Sun Moon Empire."

"Our Dragon Elephant Sect has certain personal ties with both the Hongchen Family and Mingde Hall. When Jing Hongchen's father was young, he was once ambushed and nearly killed by other families. In the end, our Dragon Elephant Sect rescued him and sent him back to the Hongchen Family."

"Although nearly all the people involved back then are dead, the matter truly happened. Jing Hongchen owes our Dragon Elephant Sect a great favor. After all, if the Dragon Elephant Sect hadn't saved his father, his father might not have returned home, spent several peaceful years too scared to leave the house, and stayed cooped up making children. Then there might not even be a Jing Hongchen today..."

"What I mean is, Xiao Ming, I want you to take Jing Hongchen as your master. Skip all the twists and turns outside and directly enter Mingde Hall, the Sun Moon Empire's foremost academy, where you can develop your talents."