The next afternoon, Lu Chen, Xiao Wu, and Zhu Zhuqing, who had just obtained her Spirit Ring, followed Meng Shenji to a teacher's office.
Meng Shenji turned to Lu Chen and asked, "Lu Chen, are you sure you want to choose Qin Ming as your teacher?"
Lu Chen nodded.
The teachers at Heaven Dou Royal Academy were ranked the same way as the students.
Teachers above Level Forty but below Level Fifty were Tianwei Level teachers.
Those between Level Fifty and Level Sixty were Tianzhi Level teachers.
Those above Level Sixty were Tiandou Level teachers.
Although Qin Ming wasn't the strongest Tiandou Level teacher at Heaven Dou Academy, he had the cleanest background.
Most of the other Tiandou Level teachers had already taken sides with the Heaven Dou Imperial Family.
Lu Chen had no desire to deal with that crowd.
Meng Shenji knew what Lu Chen was thinking. After all, Lu Jinnian had written in his letter that he didn't want Lu Chen caught up in the turmoil surrounding the Heaven Dou Imperial Family.
Meng Shenji led the three of them into Qin Ming's office.
Qin Ming was busy drawing up a detailed training plan for the new generation of the Imperial Fighting Team.
He looked to be around thirty, with ordinary features, simple black hair, and plain, unassuming clothes.
"Committee Member Meng!" Qin Ming greeted him respectfully.
"Teacher Qin, these are three newly enrolled Tiandou Level students. They've chosen you as their teacher!"
A hint of hesitation crossed Qin Ming's face. "Committee Member Meng, as you know, I've recently been put in charge of the Academy Battle Team. I'm afraid I won't have much time to spare for them..."
A smile appeared on Meng Shenji's weathered face. He turned to the three beside him. "Lu Chen, Zhu Zhuqing, Xiao Wu, why don't you introduce yourselves?"
Zhu Zhuqing spoke first. "Zhu Zhuqing. Martial Soul: Hell Spirit Cat. Level Thirty-One Agility Attack Battle Soul Elder!"
As she finished speaking, two yellow and one purple Spirit Rings rose from beneath her feet.
Xiao Wu gave a playful smile as two yellow and one purple Spirit Rings revolved around her. "Xiao Wu. Martial Soul: Soft Bone Rabbit. Level Thirty-Two Agility Attack Battle Soul Elder!"
"Lu Chen. Martial Soul: Blood Nether Sword. Level Forty-Five Assault System Soul Ancestor!"
As he spoke, the Asura Demon Sword appeared in Lu Chen's hand, crimson light flowing across it.
"F-Forty-five? How is that possible?!"
Qin Ming was still reeling from the shock when something even more astonishing happened.
Two yellow, one purple, and one black Spirit Ring encircled the Asura Demon Sword in Lu Chen's hand.
"How is that possible?!"
Qin Ming stared at Lu Chen, his eyes fixed on him. The theories he'd studied at Shrek Academy had just crumbled in an instant.
Meng Shenji kept his composure, but astonishment filled his aged eyes.
What no one noticed was that the Metal Ring on Lu Chen's exposed wrist glowed with a faint blue light.
[Hidden Ring]: A Level Six Soul Tool designed based on the Snow Silkworm's Simulation Soul Skill. It can only change the colors of its wearer's three Spirit Rings.
"The theory on Spirit Ring age limits was actually wrong..."
Qin Ming murmured to himself, then abruptly looked up at Lu Chen, his eyes red with excitement.
"Lu Chen, how... how did you manage to absorb Spirit Rings beyond your level?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Qin Ming realized he'd overstepped and hurriedly apologized. "Sorry, Lu Chen. I got a little too excited."
Lu Chen smiled faintly. "Teacher Qin, I was able to absorb Spirit Rings beyond my level because I accidentally ate an Immortal Herb. It greatly improved my physical quality, which is why I could absorb them..."
Lu Chen had already planned what to say before revealing his Spirit Rings. After all, hardly anyone on the Douluo Continent knew what Immortal Herbs were.
After Lu Chen explained, Qin Ming quickly understood that an Immortal Herb was even more precious than a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone. All he could do was sigh to himself.
"Then how old are you?" Qin Ming asked urgently. "How old are you three?"
"I'm twelve, as are Xiao Wu. Zhuqing is eleven," Lu Chen replied.
After Lu Chen finished, Qin Ming looked at the three of them as if they were priceless treasures.
Lu Chen especially was a Level Forty Soul Ancestor at twelve! There had never been another like him in the history of the Douluo Continent!
Qin Ming couldn't help thinking of Shrek Academy. Compared to Lu Chen, how could any of them still call themselves "monsters"?
Meng Shenji spoke slowly. "Teacher Qin, what do you think? Lu Chen, Xiao Wu, and Zhu Zhuqing are every bit as good as your other students, aren't they?"
Qin Ming nodded, then humbly addressed Lu Chen. "It's my honor to be the teacher of the three of you!"
Meng Shenji turned to Qin Ming. "Teacher Qin, I'll leave these three children in your care."
After Meng Shenji left, Qin Ming looked at the three of them with a complicated expression.
"You know about the All Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament, which will take place in a year and a half, don't you?"
Lu Chen and Zhu Zhuqing nodded. Xiao Wu, however, looked puzzled.
Lu Chen explained, "The All Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament is the biggest event in the Soul Master World. It's organized by the royal families of the Two Great Empires, Heaven Dou and Star Luo, with Spirit Hall as a co-organizer.
"The participating Soul Masters must be twenty-five or younger. It's a grand occasion for young Soul Masters!"
"Oh!" Xiao Wu nodded.
Seeing how little interest Xiao Wu seemed to have, Lu Chen leaned close to her ear and whispered, "The teams that win the championship each year get a huge cash prize!"
At the words "cash prize," Xiao Wu's eyes lit up. She looked eagerly at Qin Ming.
"Teacher Qin, can we take part in that Soul Master competition too?"
Qin Ming nodded. "But before that, you'll have to defeat the main team of Heaven Dou Royal Academy. Only then can you take part in this year's All Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament."
Xiao Wu was already getting impatient. "When do we get to fight them?"
Qin Ming looked at their eager faces and said slowly, "Come with me."
The three followed Qin Ming to a Soul Fighting Arena.
A black-haired young man was fighting two burly men in the arena.
A blond young man and a handsome young man dressed in black cheered them on from the Spectator Stand.
As Qin Ming introduced them, Lu Chen learned who the five were. The ones fighting were Yu Tianheng and the Shi Mo brothers, Shi Mo and Shi Mo.
The blond young man in the Spectator Stand was Yu Feng, a Wind Chime Bird Soul Master. The man in black was Osler, a Ghost Leopard Soul Master.
Qin Ming entered the arena, and Yu Tianheng and the others stopped fighting. They joined Yu Feng and Osler in stepping forward to greet him. "Teacher Qin!"
When Yu Tianheng and the others noticed Lu Chen and his companions behind Qin Ming, confusion crossed their faces.
They were even more puzzled when they saw how much younger the three looked than they were.
Qin Ming introduced them to Yu Tianheng and the others. "These three are the team's new members. That means three of you may have to become substitutes."
Yu Tianheng and the others immediately tensed up.
"Osler. Yu Feng." Qin Ming called out their names.
The two stepped forward.
Qin Ming addressed them. "Xiao Wu will fight Yu Feng, and Zhu Zhuqing will fight Osler!"
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