Laugh, You're the Challenger! I Only Need to Sit High Upon the Throne! Meng: I Never Get to Eat

Meng Hongchen put on a coy act, covering her face in bashfulness, but then secretly winked at Xu Qing and said shyly:

"Brother Qing... It's been so long. Do you still remember Xiao Meng?"

My destined super-handsome guy!! I've missed you so much, Xiao Meng!

Mmm... I wish Grandpa would capture you so I could bully you senseless...

"Just call me Brother Xu."

You want to call me your sweetheart? Trying to take advantage of me? Interesting.

A calm voice rang out, and a figure gradually came into focus.

The sunlight slanted in from outside, falling across Xu Qing's high nose bridge and softening the resolute lines of his face.

His deep black hair and eyes seemed to hold an endless allure.

Meng Hongchen simply couldn't look away.

"Laugh, it really has been a long time."

The Sigma man remained as composed as ever. Ignoring the bashful girl and stepping past the chuunibyou boy, he plopped down in the first chair beneath the dais.

"Laugh, you're still the same. You can't tell the difference in our abilities."

"Say what you came to say. You know I'm busy."

Xu Qing picked up the black tea from the table to his right, summoned the Mystic Ice Marrow, and tapped it with his fingertip. Crystalline ice flakes fell into the cup.

I only drink my tea iced.

He drained it in one go.

"Haaah~~"

"Xu Qing, I'm not Xiao Meng. My Martial Soul isn't naturally suppressed by your Ultimate Ice!"

Laugh Hongchen glanced toward the screen in the council hall. Behind it was where his grandfather and the Poison Sect Master were talking.

Actually, Grandpa hadn't planned to bring them along this time.

Xiao Meng insisted on coming. You know what she's like, right? I knew it—what if this guy ran off with her?

This is a brother's concern for his younger sister!

And, while we're at it, I can check out my future brother-in-law.

With a perfectly good excuse in hand, Laugh spoke with booming confidence.

"Under heaven, from ancient times to the present, I, Laugh, am the only fourteen-year-old Soul King!"

He planted one hand on his hip and pointed the other at the sky, speaking with arrogance:

"Among my generation, I, Laugh, am invincible!"

"After all that blabbing, Laugh, you're the challenger here."

At some point, Xu Qing had taken the central seat in the hall. He leaned back slightly, fingers interlaced before him.

His calm gaze sized up the Hongchen siblings.

"And I only need to sit on the throne."

Whoosh—!!

As soon as those words fell, Laugh Hongchen felt an inexplicable, overbearing aura rush toward him!

It was like standing ten thousand meters above the ground, with fierce winds howling around me, yet I remained unmoved.

I learned another line!!

Xu Qing, you really are my kindred spirit!

He raised his head, his eyes reddening.

How rare it was to find a kindred spirit in this world!

And yet he'd met the person who understood him best!

That knack for tossing off a line that would take me ages to think up, that imposing air that could awe the world without even changing expression!

What the heck? You're acting weird, Laugh! Why are you suddenly so fired up?

Hiss—

A dangerous glint flashed through Xu Qing's eyes.

"I accept. Come with me to the training ground."

I'd rather have someone stab me in the back with a knife.

"Uh... Now isn't the time yet, Xu Qing."

Laugh Hongchen's Martial Soul, the Three-Legged Golden Toad with its divine beast bloodline, sensed that Xu Qing looked ready to spring up at any moment and punch him.

So it frantically sounded the alarm inside the Martial Soul Space.

And so, Laugh Hongchen...

"Chickened out?"

Meng Hongchen showed no mercy, delivering the final blow without a shred of consideration for her own brother.

"!! What do you know? This is between Brother Xu and me!"

"Our battle must take place before all the Soul Masters of Sun Moon—and even the entire continent!"

"...Big brother, I understand now. I really did underestimate your resolve."

Meng Hongchen put a small hand to her forehead, though the corner of her eye was admiring Xu Qing's handsome face.

Her sensory abilities were better than her brother's.

To Xiao Meng, the enticing cool fragrance around Xu Qing had grown even stronger.

It was like that best-selling shop in the Sun Moon imperial city—the one Grandpa called junk food.

I never get to eat it...

Mmm... I'm getting sidetracked!

Xiao Meng hurriedly shook her head from side to side. She was just too cute.

Xu Qing's strength had definitely grown even greater!!

But he's so handsome... A Mystic Ice Marrow Martial Soul, no less... Grandpa has bought me some hundred-year and thousand-year Mystic Ice Marrow before.

But they can't hold a candle to the ones Xu Qing makes...

"Mm..."

Xu Qing propped his chin on one hand and relaxed a little.

"Laugh, looks like you understand just how dangerous that idea of yours was."

"As punishment, make me a Soul Tool."

"I'll do it!"

Xiao Meng shot her hand up, bouncing excitedly as stars lit up her blue eyes.

"Brother Xu! I can do it. I'm no worse than that rotten big brother of mine. I can make peak Level 4 Soul Tools now!"

"What do you want me to make? Don't tell me yet! Let me guess first..."

Xiao Meng had already sidled up to Xu Qing. She pulled over a chair as casually as if she were at home.

The hem of her white dress hovered just a few centimeters above the floor, yet somehow never touched it.

She gathered up her skirt, turned the chair around so its back faced Xu Qing, and climbed onto it. Then she wrapped her arms around the top of the backrest, laced her fingers together, and rested her chin on them.

As she rocked her head, the chair swayed along with her.

Her soft little lips murmured:

"Brother Xu has Twin Martial Souls and mainly cultivates Mystic Ice Marrow. His Soul Power Level has probably already reached Soul Ancestor..."

"Even though cultivating an Ultimate Attribute is slow, Xiao Meng's intuition tells me that's exactly what's happened."

"But Brother Xu always likes getting up close and personal when he fights, so I've never seen him fight with Mystic Ice Marrow."

"Maybe he wants a giant hammer? Then he can swing it around and smash people?"

"Mmm... Maybe a pair of gauntlets..."

"Mhm, mhm! Right, gauntlets. Brother Xu's height is..."

Huh?!!

Xu Qing was so shocked by Xiao Meng's antics that he couldn't react.

Had she really figured out all those details just by eyeballing him!?

Even I don't know how hard I can punch right now, and she does?

Of course!

Brother Xu's code name is Demon King, and I tagged it specially. Every time the system responds, all the data under that category gets sent to me.

"Hey!! A mere Level 4 Soul Engineer is supposed to make a Soul Tool for Brother Xu!?"

Laugh Hongchen protested.

"Xiao Meng, how do you know so much about Brother Xu? You even know what shoe size he wears and how long his socks are—things that are none of your business."

"Did you install a miniature Soul Tool surveillance device in his room?"

!!!

Xiao Meng's eyes reddened involuntarily. It was clearly a sign that her emotions had surged, causing her Martial Soul to possess her instinctively.

No wonder Big Brother is the most talented Soul Engineer of the younger generation in Sun Moon!

He only had to casually mention it, and he's opened up a whole new world for his little sister!

"Hey, hey, hey!!"

Xu Qing looked at Xiao Meng, who was clearly tempted and about to put the idea into action.

He hurriedly stopped this scene unfit for children.