Enrollment

During Ye Guyi and Meng Hongchen's conversation, Xiao Hongchen soon learned an important piece of information: Ye Guyi's Soul Power had already reached level 40. She only needed a suitable Soul Ring to officially break through and become a Soul Ancestor.

Xiao Hongchen was slightly startled.

She really was a genius.

At this point in time, even Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi, known as the "Shrek Outer Court Twin Stars," were only high-ranked Soul Elders.

And that was without her raising her cultivation by killing Evil Soul Masters. If she had enough resources and kept hunting Evil Soul Masters, her growth would probably be even more astonishing.

"Grandpa, since Guyi has reached level 40, when we go to Star Luo next week, we can take her to the Star Dou Great Forest on the way and hunt for a Soul Ring with light or holy attributes."

Jing Hongchen gave a slight nod. "That works."

"Wonderful! Sister Guyi, next week we can go to Star Luo together for fun... No, I mean, together to take care of business!"

It was also time to head to the academy.

"Come on, we'll take you to the academy to register. Since you're already part of the Hongchen Family, you don't need to stay in the student dormitory. You can live on the second floor. There are plenty of vacant rooms there, and Meng and I will be right next door."

Meng Hongchen immediately nodded like a pecking chicken, tightening her hold on Ye Guyi's arm.

"Exactly! Sister Guyi will live with us from now on! Brother, you're not allowed to bully her!"

Xiao Hongchen was speechless and led the way out of the mansion.

As soon as they stepped outside, Meng Hongchen's eyes were drawn to the Soul Tool Motorcycle parked by the entrance. Excited, she circled the flashy black heavyweight motorcycle again and again.

"Brother! I want to ride this! It's so cool!"

"It only has one seat. If you want one, I'll have one custom-made for you next time."

"It only has one seat?" Meng Hongchen had a sudden idea and grinned mischievously. "If you had to choose one, would you take me or Sister Guyi?"

Xiao Hongchen was mentally and physically exhausted. He would rather spend the whole afternoon carving Core Arrays in the lab than let his sister interrogate him like this.

He sighed as if his soul had left his body.

"I'll modify the motorcycle on the spot so it can carry three people... Happy now?"

Meng Hongchen immediately burst out laughing. With her hands behind her back, she tilted her head and teased him deliberately.

"That's what a player would say! You're definitely going to have two girlfriends at once someday, Brother!"

Xiao Hongchen finally couldn't take it anymore and flicked his sister on the forehead.

"If you keep spouting nonsense, I'll leave you at home and take Guyi to Star Luo by myself."

"No! Then I won't get to... get to snack on Star Luo's top-quality sunflower seeds."

"You two... are really close."

Watching the hilarious pair of siblings, Ye Guyi finally couldn't hold back her laughter.

"Let's go. If we dawdle any longer, you'll be late. Just so you know, I don't have to go to class."

Xiao Hongchen climbed into the family's Soul Tool Vehicle without waiting for them. But they still ambled over at their own pace.

"Meng, your brother... really dotes on you."

Meng Hongchen raised her chin proudly.

"Of course! He's the ultimate little-sister fanatic!"

"I can tell."

The Soul Tool Vehicle drove smoothly toward the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy.

On the ride, Xiao Hongchen didn't say a word no matter how much his sister teased him. Meng Hongchen soon got bored, pouted, and leaned closer to Ye Guyi, muttering something under her breath. In the end, she didn't disturb him again. Ye Guyi sat quietly on the other side, occasionally glancing at Xiao Hongchen's profile before quickly looking away.

The car fell into a strange silence, broken only by the engine's low hum and the occasional clamor of the streets outside.

After they arrived at the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy, Meng Hongchen waved as soon as she got out and said with a grin, "Brother, Sister Guyi, I'm off to class! Sister Guyi, I'm in Class 1 of Grade 5. Remember to come find me for lunch! And Brother, take good care of Sister Guyi!"

In the blink of an eye, only Xiao Hongchen and Ye Guyi were left at the academy gate.

The air suddenly went quiet.

Xiao Hongchen stood there, feeling the atmosphere turn a little strange. He cleared his throat.

"Ahem... Come on, I'll take you to Director Lin Jiayi's office to handle your enrollment."

"Mm." Ye Guyi nodded gently, her expression softening almost imperceptibly.

The two walked side by side toward the administration building. Xiao Hongchen kept his hands in his pockets and looked straight ahead, appearing calm on the surface.

He could faintly smell the delicate fragrance on Ye Guyi. For some reason, it made him feel nervous all of a sudden.

What was going on? She was just a girl barely over thirteen. What was there to be nervous about?

Ye Guyi was just as uneasy. She lowered her head slightly, her long golden hair falling over one cheek and hiding her faintly reddened ear.

She didn't know why she had lowered her head. She hadn't looked down when facing Jing Hongchen, nor when talking about her past. But now, walking beside this boy, she didn't know where to look.

This boy, half a year younger than her, was both powerful and handsome. His words from the teahouse yesterday—"I can give you a future where you no longer need to hide"—still echoed in her ears.

Amid the ambiguous atmosphere, Director Lin Jiayi's office was already right in front of them.

"We're here... Go on in."

Ye Guyi softly murmured, "Mm," but just as she was about to step forward, she suddenly stopped and turned to look at him.

"Xiao Hongchen."

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

Her voice was very quiet, yet it drifted into Xiao Hongchen's heart like a feather.

Xiao Hongchen froze for a moment, then gave an awkward but sincere smile.

"You don't have to thank me. From now on... we're family."

As soon as he said it, they both realized that the words "we're family" sounded a little suggestive in that moment.

Xiao Hongchen's face reddened, and Ye Guyi turned her gaze aside as a faint blush appeared on her cheeks, which had otherwise remained cool and composed.

To dispel the awkwardness, Xiao Hongchen pushed open the office door. Thanks to his grandfather, he was already very familiar with Director Lin Jiayi.

"Well, this is a rare guest. What brings Young Master Xiao to my office?"

Lin Jiayi had just been about to lose his temper, but when he looked up and recognized who had come, he swallowed the words that had been on the tip of his tongue. Everyone at the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy knew that Jing Hongchen doted on Xiao Hongchen.

Xiao Hongchen stepped aside, and Ye Guyi walked in from behind him.

"I'm here to enroll this girl, Director Lin. Put her straight into Class 1 of Grade 5."

"If Young Master Xiao brought her, she naturally doesn't need to take the entrance test. But does her Soul Power meet the requirements? Class 1 of Grade 5 is full of elite students. If the gap is too large, the child might feel a lot of pressure."

Lin Jiayi looked troubled. It wasn't that he looked down on her, but this girl was only just over thirteen. Could she be another Soul Ancestor like the two Hongchen siblings? Then geniuses were getting far too common.

"You don't need to worry about that. Ye Guyi is part of the Hongchen Family. She'll become a Soul Ancestor as soon as she absorbs one more Soul Ring."

Lin Jiayi's eyebrow twitched.

Another Soul Ancestor. Where was the Hongchen Family digging these people up from? That old fox Jing Hongchen must be grinning from ear to ear right now.

"Fine." Lin Jiayi pulled a form from his desk drawer and handed it to Ye Guyi. "Student Ye, just fill in your personal information and you'll be enrolled."

Ye Guyi took the form and picked up a pen. The tip hovered over the "Martial Soul Name" field and paused slightly.

Xiao Hongchen leaned toward her ear.

"Just write 'Light Bird' for your Martial Soul."

It would be better not to leave a record. Anyway, when Ye Guyi used Martial Soul Possession, she only had a pair of wings. If anyone asked, her Martial Soul was a Light Bird. If they asked again, it had mutated and gained holy attributes. They could believe it or not.

Once Ye Guyi finished filling out the form, Lin Jiayi stamped it with the academy seal. "All set. You're in Class 1 of Grade 5, and classes officially start tomorrow. Pick up your uniform and supplies from the supply office."

"Thanks, Director Lin." Xiao Hongchen stood up and took two steps before suddenly turning back. "Oh, right. She might need to take leave pretty often in the future. Combat missions, you know."

Lin Jiayi's mouth twitched. What did he know? He didn't know a thing. Still, he nodded.

Xiao Hongchen left the office, then noticed the indignant face behind him. Ye Guyi was staring at him as if demanding an explanation.

"...What's wrong?"

"'This girl'? I'm older than you, you know."

Xiao Hongchen blinked. It took him about a second to realize she meant what he'd said to Lin Jiayi in the office: "I'm here to enroll this girl."

Then it took him about 0.1 seconds to decide not to apologize.

"On the Sun Moon Continent, strength comes first. As long as you can't beat me, I'm your senior. So it's perfectly reasonable for me to call you a child. Hmm."

Xiao Hongchen folded his arms, the corner of his mouth curling into an infuriating smirk.

Ye Guyi opened her mouth, seemingly ready to argue, but realized she couldn't find a flaw in his reasoning. The Soul Master World did have that tradition: the strong came first, and seniority wasn't based on age. But she was still annoyed.

"Hmph. Once I get my fourth Soul Ring, I'll challenge you. Just you wait."

Ye Guyi's competitive spirit had been roused, too.

"Sure. When you challenge me, I'll go easy on you."

Xiao Hongchen's hidden talent for being a brat had come out.

Ye Guyi's step faltered. "...No need."

"Really? You don't need me to go easy? I am your senior, after all."

"No need!"