Becoming Jing Hongchen's Disciple, Let's Take Off Sun Moon Lin Qing!

"Holy crap!"

Sun Moon Lin Qing nearly jumped out of his chair.

"Are you actually hacking?"

Delayed Vision, this was a bona fide god-tier skill!

In a fight, it was like slowing down time in his eyes, allowing him to see his opponent's movements with absolute clarity.

When crafting a Soul Tool, even the most minute changes in the soul circuits couldn't escape his gaze.

"This talent is practically tailor-made for Soul Tools!"

Sun Moon Lin Qing seriously suspected that guy from the Sun Moon Empire definitely had some hidden cheat!

[I've been thinking for a long time about whether or not to tell my teacher about this unexpectedly awakened talent.]

Sun Moon Lin Qing furrowed his brows.

"If I hide it, I can keep an ace up my sleeve and catch people off guard at a critical moment."

"But..."

He stopped in his tracks.

"What I lack most right now isn't an ace, but resources—the space and time to grow in peace."

"The Delayed Vision ability is just too helpful for learning Soul Tools."

Having figured this out, Sun Moon Lin Qing set his course.

[I decided to tell my teacher about this ability. He was very surprised and pondered why such a change had occurred.]

After hearing Sun Moon Lin Qing's description, the teacher's expression was one of shock.

He rushed forward a few steps to stand before Sun Moon Lin Qing, grabbing him by the shoulders.

"Lin Qing, demonstrate your innate soul skill for me!"

"Yes."

Sun Moon Lin Qing opened the Heavenly Eye on his forehead, silver light swirling within.

The teacher casually handed him a scrapped soul core with complex circuits engraved on it.

"Look here."

He pointed to a broken circuit node.

"Tell me, how should the energy have flowed here originally?"

Sun Moon Lin Qing focused his gaze.

A few seconds later, he spoke.

"The energy enters from the third line on the left and should split into two streams at this node."

"One goes upward, connecting to the energy storage module; the other goes to the right, entering the conversion array. But because the node is broken, the energy dissipates once it reaches this point."

The teacher's hands began to tremble.

He stared fixedly at Sun Moon Lin Qing, his eyes burning with intensity.

"This... this is simply the ability every Soul Engineer dreams of!"

He let go, muttering to himself, "Could it be a secondary awakening of a Body Martial Soul?"

"No, the conditions for a secondary awakening are harsh; it shouldn't be this simple. Could it be a mutation?"

"Forget it! Doesn't matter! Doesn't matter!"

"I must report this to the academy immediately!"

[My teacher reported my situation to the academy's higher-ups.]

The scenes flashed by rapidly.

In just a few days, Sun Moon Lin Qing was subjected to countless tests.

His soul ring age was tested and confirmed to be indeed a thousand-year ring.

His innate ability was verified, and the effects of Delayed Vision were repeatedly confirmed.

His background was vetted, confirming he was indeed a commoner from the Sun Moon Empire with a clean record.

After undergoing a battery of tests, I was brought to the Dean's office. There, I met the Dean of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, the Master of Mingde Hall, a level 94 Titled Douluo, and a level 9 Soul Engineer—Jing Hongchen!

The room was spacious, minimalist, and filled with a sense of technology.

An elderly man in silver-white robes with a dignified expression sat behind the desk, sizing up Sun Moon Lin Qing.

His calm gaze seemed capable of seeing through everything about Sun Moon Lin Qing.

"Lin Qing, is it?"

"Yes."

"I am already aware of your situation. The talent you have displayed qualifies you as a genius. Tell me your own thoughts: do you want to follow the path of a traditional soul master, or delve deep into the study of Soul Tools?"

[As a Sun Moon Empire native with impeccable roots, Jing Hongchen simply gave me the treatment a genius deserves, and I chose the path of a Soul Tool master.]

Jing Hongchen was very satisfied with the choice made by Sun Moon Lin Qing.

He took a storage Soul Tool from his drawer and placed it on the table.

"Inside are some resources: thousand-year Whale Rubber, medicinal herbs, Soul Tool study materials, some pills, and my personal notes."

Sun Moon Lin Qing was stunned.

"Dean, this..."

"Accept it."

Jing Hongchen's voice allowed no room for refusal.

"Your talent is worth this investment."

He paused, looking into Sun Moon Lin Qing's eyes.

"I give you a promise. If you can become a Level 2 Soul Tool master before the age of twelve, I will take you as my personal disciple and teach you myself."

The scene froze on Sun Moon Lin Qing's shocked face.

"Jing Hongchen's personal disciple!"

This was a heaven-sent opportunity!

Within the Sun Moon Empire, Jing Hongchen's status was already terrifyingly high.

Aside from Silver Moon Douluo Kong Mingde and the royal family, he was next in line.

To become his personal disciple would truly be a step into the heavens!

[In the days that followed, I threw myself heart and soul into cultivation and study. Although I chose the path of a Soul Tool master, I did not fall behind in either soul power or Soul Tool technology. I did not consume the pills Teacher Jing Hongchen gave me.]

The scenes flashed by rapidly.

Early morning, meditating in the cultivation room.

Morning, studying Soul Tool theory in the classroom.

Afternoon, crafting Soul Tools by hand in the laboratory.

Late at night, still devouring Jing Hongchen's notes.

Days passed by with almost no entertainment, yet Sun Moon Lin Qing enjoyed every moment of it.

Lin Qing nodded: "Not taking the pills was the right choice."

Many soul masters in the Sun Moon Empire relied on pills to force their levels up, resulting in unstable foundations and hollow soul power.

This left the entire Sun Moon Empire without a single Super Douluo, Peak Douluo, or Limit Douluo.

Fortunately, their Soul Tool technology could compensate for the gap in soul power.

A Level 94, Level 9 Soul Tool master could rival a Super Peak Douluo.

One could only say that Soul Tool technology was simply too powerful.

[The Delayed Vision ability is a massive help for learning Soul Tools; my proficiency in Soul Tools is skyrocketing like a rocket.]

In the laboratory.

Sun Moon Lin Qing held a carving knife, etching a soul circuit onto a metal plate.

His eyes shimmered with silver light.

Every stroke of the knife was precise to the micron level, and the soul power-infused circuit lines were smooth and fluid, without a single flaw to be found.

"Perfect..."

The instructor nearby couldn't help but exclaim.

"Even a Level 3 Soul Tool master usually cannot achieve this level of precision."

[When I was over eight years old, I broke through to Level 20, successfully crafted a Level 2 Soul Tool, and passed the assessment to become a Level 2 Soul Tool master!]

"Eight years and three months old..."

The instructor looked at the record sheet, his voice trembling slightly.

"So young, he has already broken the academy's record!"

However, the real-life Lin Qing wore a solemn expression as he watched this.

"Learning Soul Tools seems to be extremely draining."

It had taken over two years for Sun Moon Lin Qing's soul power to rise from Level 14 to Level 20.

This speed was much slower than his own progress when focusing solely on soul power cultivation.

But, it was worth it.

The increase in combat power brought by Soul Tools was tangible, not to mention Jing Hongchen's promise.

[After becoming a Level 2 Soul Tool master, in accordance with Jing Hongchen's promise, I was taken in as his personal disciple.]

A solemn apprenticeship ceremony.

Sun Moon Lin Qing knelt on the ground and offered tea.

Jing Hongchen took it and sipped gently.

He then personally pinned a golden badge onto Sun Moon Lin Qing's chest—the Mingde Hall Master's Direct Disciple Badge.

"From today on, you are a disciple of mine, Jing Hongchen. But remember, with great power comes great responsibility. The future of the Sun Moon Empire depends on young people like you."

Facing Jing Hongchen's simple, polite remarks.

Sun Moon Lin Qing nodded heavily.

"This disciple understands."