Lin Jiayi had barely stepped out of the classroom when it erupted into chaos, with everyone talking at once and the gossip flying thick and fast.
Xiao Hongchen said nothing, merely closing his eyes and thinking.
Two and a half months from now... Hehehe, hahaha! Xu Qing, two and a half months from now will be the perfect time for us to settle this once and for all!
He pictured himself standing in the limelight, defeating Xu Qing and seeing his little sister look up to her big brother with admiration once more!
Now that I've advanced to Level 6 Soul Engineer, there's not even a one-in-ten-thousand chance I'll lose!
"I bet my stinky big brother's wondering how to beat you right now."
Xiao Meng was a genius at reading people. She leaned close to Xu Qing and whispered, the boy's fresh, youthful scent making her feel light-headed.
She sneakily drew a deep breath into her lungs.
Ah~
I want to take a bite...
Love-struck Xiao Meng nearly couldn't resist. Fortunately, Xu Qing realized what kind of position they were in and moved away, reminding her to pull herself together.
At that, Xu Qing instinctively glanced toward the back row.
Their eyes met—her heterochromatic eyes against his dark ones. The hero was challenging the Demon King!
"Doesn't he know about my fight with Lao Ji?"
The mischievous Xiao Meng covered her mouth and giggled, then leaned close to Xu Qing's ear again, warm breath brushing against his earlobe.
"Hehe, I'm not telling my dumb big brother."
Xu Qing had no classes that afternoon, and he was a little afraid of Greedy Scorpion's stomach.
He went alone to the academy library, planning to get up to something.
"Elder Yi, can you really understand all this complicated Soul Tool knowledge?"
Standing beside densely packed bookshelves, Xu Qing opened a book on the obscure fundamentals of Soul Tools.
At some point, his left eye had turned as golden as sunlight. Anyone who saw it would surely be drawn to the holiness contained within.
The Child of Light, Electrolux, was partially possessing him.
His voice sounded directly in Xu Qing's mind:
"You underestimate this old man. Metal theory of this level is still far too basic."
"To tell you the truth, when I was alive, I was an exceptionally accomplished scholar."
"When I see knowledge like this, my memories of magical structures gradually become clearer, too."
"I see..." Xu Qing murmured. "These fundamentals are still too basic. It looks like I'll have to find some more advanced material."
The librarian, who had been silently watching this kid use the Quantum Fluctuation Speed Reading Method, couldn't hold back any longer.
What did he mean, the fundamentals were too basic?
The fellow was holding a book called Introduction to Level 1 Soul Tools, flipping through it at random without even bothering to keep his voice down.
Tsk... Could this be the person who'd gone viral on the Empire's Soul Guidance Network...
"Shh... Transfer student, you're disturbing your senpai's nap."
A sleepy girl wearing a tangerine hair clip opened one eye and said lazily,
"Qui...et..."
Then she gave a dazed yawn and went back to resting her head on the desk.
Ju Zi?
When did you get a makeover?
Xu Qing frowned slightly and looked at the girl, who was a good ten meters away.
Tsk... So it was Jiaxin, the one in my class who slept through the teacher's lessons just like I did.
My classmate's sleeping while I'm studying. Find the difference yourself.
He cleared his mind and spoke to Elder Yi through their mental link:
'Elder Yi, I've got a job for you. Read every book in here, and if you can, try teaching me.'
'A true-body Soul Master has an innate advantage when it comes to making Soul Tools. Who knows, I might be a one-in-ten-thousand genius.'
In the mental space, Elder Yi nearly yanked his beard off.
Xu Qing wanting to learn about Soul Tools was no less shocking than one of the Hongchen siblings swearing off their chuunibyou ways forever, or the other declaring she'd never be lovesick again.
Elder Yi immediately became interested. He decided to let Xu Qing experience what it felt like to have his brain crammed full of knowledge.
In the outside world,
that golden eye darted rapidly up and down as invisible spiritual power copied every book in the library at astonishing speed.
After resting and recuperating for over half a month, Elder Yi had substantially consolidated his strength.
His divine sense, which had reached the demigod level, could naturally ignore the detection Soul Tools in the library, as well as its Level 8 Soul Engineer librarian.
All of this happened in a mere few seconds.
Even Xu Qing, his host, noticed nothing. He only felt that his eye wasn't quite obeying him, but assumed Elder Yi was just being mischievous again.
Just as Xu Qing was about to give the book in his hands another round of Quantum Fluctuation Speed Reading,
Elder Yi's voice sounded, a little tired but unmistakably pleased with himself.
'Hehehe, Xu Qing, this old man...'
[Beep beep beep...]
The clear notification from a Soul Tool communicator sounded especially... pleasant in the quiet library.
Xu Qing glanced down at the notification Soul Tool at his waist, remembering that he still had business to take care of today.
Suddenly!
Something shot through the air at incredible speed!
"Whoosh—!"
A bright orange tangerine came hurtling toward Xu Qing.
What was that supposed to mean?
Smack!
He caught it easily.
"Thanks, bro. You knew I was thirsty?"
Xu Qing thanked him, then wrapped the tangerine in Soul Power and gently peeled off its skin, revealing the soft fruit inside.
Pale blue Soul Power surged, cold air appeared, and an ice cup took shape.
Then, with a grip as powerful as a hydraulic press, he squeezed the sweet, juicy tangerine until its clear, fresh juice flowed out.
And just like that, chilled tangerine juice was born!
Xu Qing downed it in one go. He didn't even spare the cup, tossing it into his mouth and chewing it up.
"You, you...!"
Xu Qing's performance chased away the last traces of Ju Zi's sleepiness, but she had no one to vent her frustration on.
Her eyes stayed fixed on the black-haired boy chewing ice as she imagined him being blasted away by one of her tangerine bombs.
"Tastes pretty good. Tangerines are delicious."
"I'm broke. I'll pay you back next time."
Xu Qing waved and left with easygoing flair.
"Damn it..."
Ju Zi looked utterly hopeless. She slumped in her chair, gazing up at the vaulted ceiling as her mind drifted...
She'd finally gotten some free time and had planned to sneak off to the library for an afternoon nap.
But someone had disturbed her.
And he'd even treated her attack as... food...
Though, to be fair, it was food.
A faint resentment began to seep from Ju Zi. If Xu Qing had been there, perhaps he would've said:
'Damn Evil Soul Master! You actually dared to disguise yourself as my classmate!'
She raised a hand and spread her fingers. Soul Power surged, and a plump tangerine appeared.
"Tangerines... can be eaten like that, too? I'll try juicing one when I get back."
"Xu Qing, you're that transfer student who came into class and kept me from sleeping. So your Martial Soul is... ice?"
As she spoke, Ju Zi took a token from her waist. The Soul Tool screen on it displayed the Soul Power fluctuations from when Xu Qing had summoned his Martial Soul.
"Level forty-five... What a monster..."
A young man walked along a shaded path, deep in thought.
Yesterday, as his Soul Power had run dry again and again and his body repeatedly triggered its Undying trait, he thought he'd seen an angel...
"Elder Yi, what were you about to say in the library?"
Before Elder Yi could reply, Xu Qing looked into the distance and said thoughtfully,
"Right, how far away can you sense a divine presence?"
Before you continue