"Fix your expression. I can't help feeling you're thinking about something bad."
Xu Qing was full. He hadn't actually been that hungry.
Tian Meng's selfless offering had simply been so filling.
The immense life energy stored in his Soul Ring was slowly absorbed by his Self Martial Soul, then fed back into Xu Qing.
It was as if he was eating every moment of every day.
When it came to having a huge appetite...
"Hall Master Jing, what do you think of the suggestion I mentioned to you?"
Seeing that his precious disciple didn't want any more food, Du Busi got straight to the point.
"The Body Sect will participate in the Continental Youth Soul Master Tournament a year from now. I'm leaving the matter to you. I don't care how you do it, as long as you get results."
"Ah, Brother Poison, aren't you making this difficult for me?"
How had this old coot come up with the utterly unrealistic, downright fanciful idea of shoving Xu Qing onto the Sun Moon team?
A brute! He was nothing but a brute!
Jing Hongchen replied without a trace of panic:
"Heh heh heh, Brother, haven't you forgotten something? This trip—and every time I come to buy potions—is a private matter for Mingde Hall."
"The Empire may have noticed, but since those products can give the younger generation at the Royal Academy a considerable boost in cultivation..."
"They've just turned a blind eye."
"Especially that Sword Fanatic. He's obsessed with Protein Powder and Nine Dragon Power. With a genius like him leading the way..."
He smiled sheepishly and continued:
"That's also the main reason I came back so soon."
The powder was all gone! The academy kids were gripped by protein anxiety!
How were they supposed to build strong physiques without protein?
The injections were all used up! The academy kids were gripped by panic over their slow cultivation!
How were they supposed to reach Soul Power Levels that left their peers in the dust without injections?
Speaking of injections, the most iconic one had to be the Nine Dragon Set Meal.
It could make a Soul Master's blood boil, but that wasn't even the best part. Once their body temperature dropped...
Their cultivation speed would improve to a degree determined by how blocked their meridians were.
The boost ranged from half a percent to twenty-five percent.
Huo Yuhao's case was purely the result of his luck kicking in, his first time using it, and his body being in such terrible shape.
"I can draft an agreement right now covering the rights to buy, use, and sell the Protein Powder formula, as well as the naming rights and everything else."
Xu Qing didn't care about the Soul Master Tournament the old man had brought up. He was more interested in that Sword Fanatic.
Someone who'd turned his life around through sheer faith in the sword was exactly the kind of opponent Xu Qing longed for!
He couldn't let all these miscellaneous cultivation resources slow down his future opponent's growth.
"Forget it. No need for me to draft anything, Hall Master Jing. I'll have Ano deliver it to you tomorrow."
"With these products, you can sell them anywhere in Sun Moon. You might even be able to take the business overseas."
"I don't want a cut of the profits, but you have to print my name, Xu Qing, as the inventor on every item you sell."
"No problem!!"
Jing Hongchen slammed a hand on the table and shot to his feet. He picked up a cup of his family's home-brewed liquor and downed it in one go.
"Haah! As expected of the Body Sect's young master. What spirit!"
"There's no need to bother you about the potions. Brother Poison and I already came to an agreement this morning."
He glanced at his grandson, then at Xu Qing...
The gap spoke for itself.
Sigh... Forget it. No lecturing his son at the dinner table.
Besides, Xiao was already doing great.
He was just a little chuunibyou. That was a common affliction among young people.
After eating and drinking their fill, the two old men headed out together to enjoy the scenery.
"Brother Poison, it's almost midnight. Is there still something you want to discuss with me?"
Jing Hongchen ambled along with his hands behind his back, speaking casually:
"About that suggestion you made, I'll put it as plainly and simply as possible—"
"It can't be done."
"Then do it anyway!"
Du Busi snorted and planted his two burly, beastlike arms on his hips.
"I don't care about all that red tape. All I know is, I want Xu Qing to crush those bastards, one punch at a time."
"To avenge our blood feud, we'll start by tearing apart their ten-thousand-year glory!"
"Wait!"
Jing Hongchen caved, afraid the fellow might take a swing at him if he got upset.
His old bones wouldn't be able to take it.
"The rules for this Soul Master Tournament are set in stone. Only registered academies officially recognized by the authorities can enter."
"You know the tournament isn't being held in Ming Capital. There's nothing I can do."
"How about this? You set up a fake academy. Hmm... build it here in Sun Moon. I'll see what I can do behind the scenes."
"Then you can enter the tournament. I'll handle the credentials review. How does that sound?"
This Hall Master really was a genius! He'd even come up with a solution like this!
What? The academy has to be officially recognized?
Heh heh heh... Then let me ask you: what kind of standing does this Hall Master have in Sun Moon?
I am the authorities!!
The next morning.
The Hongchen family packed the Space Soul Tools they'd brought with them to the brim, then happily set off for home.
Everyone was happy.
"I'm not happy..."
Xiao Meng was emo.
Was this what withdrawal felt like...? Waah, it'd been ten hours and twelve minutes since she'd last had any Mystic Ice Marrow from Brother Xu.
It was awful. It felt like ants were crawling all over her.
"Hey, little sis. Do you think your big brother looks handsome today?"
Xiao Hongchen swept up his bangs to show off several especially eye-catching black strands, beaming with excitement.
The chuunibyou boy had discovered the thrill of dyeing his hair.
"Oh... Handsome, handsome... So handsome you'll fall into a ditch, so handsome even Grandpa won't recognize you."
Xiao Meng's perfunctory answer went right over Xiao Hongchen's head. Hearing the response he'd wanted, he laughed louder than ever.
"Hahahahaha!"
"You're so noisy, you stinky big brother..."
Sigh... If only her brother could be quiet like Brother Xu.
He was always making a racket. She really couldn't understand what the girls at the academy saw in him.
I, Meng Hongchen, despised nothing more than those fangirls who only cared about looks!
"Heh heh heh~"
Xiao Hongchen pulled a ring-shaped Storage Soul Tool from his chest and held it out to Xiao Meng.
"Here. Look, I know you can't forget the taste of Xu Qing's Martial Soul. I don't understand it, but I respect it."
This young master just couldn't see what was so good about eating ice cubes.
"That guy Xu Qing gave it to me last night. I checked what was inside. It's all Mystic Ice Marrow!!"
"How much Soul Power must it have taken to make all this!"
"That guy... terrifying beyond belief!"
Million-Year Soul Ring: Let me polish your shoes.
Before you continue