Douluo: A Person in Peerless, Fake Godhood Chapter 18

(A teacher isn't necessarily just one person; this one is equivalent to an introductory mentor.)

"Don't you go getting any ideas; I've already set my sights on this one." Elder Ran narrowed his eyes, immediately on guard.

"Teacher, that's not fair. What do you mean 'getting ideas'? I'm simply appreciating talent... The child has only just entered the academy; everyone should have a fair chance to compete. Besides, the child's own choice is what truly matters, don't you agree, Teacher Ran?"

Lin Jiayi smiled, though seeing how much Elder Ran valued the boy, he was indeed tempted. As an eighth-level soul master, his title was, by any measure, superior to Elder Ran's seventh-level status. In this round, he held the absolute advantage.

"I knew you'd say that."

Elder Ran shot him a glare and said indifferently, "It's a good thing I took precautions against you lot. I've already given the child his apprenticeship gift. You still want to fight me for him?"

"This... Teacher, ginger really is spicier when it's old. You're just as you've always been." Lin Jiayi offered a helpless smile at the news.

"If I didn't keep an ace up my sleeve, would it even be my turn?" Elder Ran glanced at him and gave a light scoff.

This was the rule at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy: once a teacher bestowed an apprenticeship gift upon a student, that student was implicitly considered their disciple. Other teachers were not permitted to intervene unless the student refused. Hearing that Su Luoheng had already accepted Elder Ran's gift, Lin Jiayi let his interest fade in disappointment.

Chapter 26: Mingde Hall, Jing Hongchen [Seeking recommendations, investments, and follows!]

"Enough, you go back to your business. I'm leaving."

With that, Elder Ran set down his teacup, stood up, and headed toward the door.

"Teacher."

"Hmm?"

After a moment of hesitation, Lin Jiayi spoke up, "Teacher, I still feel that no one can say for sure what the future holds. Even if you truly want to take him as a disciple, it's best not to be too hasty."

"Rest assured, I know my limits."

Having said that, Elder Ran flicked his sleeves and strode away.

Worried that Su Luoheng was just a flash in the pan?

What a joke!

He didn't know what the child's first soul skill was, but with that Weapon Analysis ability, even if his subsequent soul skills were less than ideal, his first soul skill alone was enough to make him an outstanding soul master!

If he didn't seize the chance to take such an excellent disciple under his wing now, when would he?

"..."

In the office, Lin Jiayi smiled helplessly, watching Elder Ran's retreating figure gradually disappear.

How many years had it been?

Teacher Ran's temper and style of doing things remained exactly as they had always been.

He lowered his head again to look at the file on his desk, his expression gradually turning grave: Su Luoheng, bone age nine, seventeenth-level soul power, first-level soul master... hailing from the Heaven Dou Empire.

"Su Luoheng..."

Lin Jiayi murmured, his finger lingering on the words "Heaven Dou Empire," a flicker of concern crossing his eyes.

Su Luoheng's talent and ability were both excellent.

But his identity was the only problem: he belonged to the Heaven Dou Empire.

This realization filled him with apprehension.

His previous attempts to dissuade others were largely due to this reason. Ordinarily, if Elder Ran wanted to take a disciple, he certainly wouldn't have stood in his way; taking on a student was usually a matter of a single word.

But since the boy was a citizen of an enemy nation, how could he not be cautious?

"..."

After a moment of contemplation, Lin Jiayi put away the file and sighed. Normally, a genius student joining the academy was a good thing, but that special status made him feel restless.

"I'll leave it to the Hall Master to decide."

He couldn't make this call himself; he had to report it to the one person who could make the final decision.

With that thought, Lin Jiayi rose immediately and headed for Mingde Hall. As an eighth-level soul master, he enjoyed the right to enter and leave Mingde Hall without restriction.

Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy.

Mingde Hall was located at the very center of the experimental zone.

The vast hall was decorated entirely in a metallic style, dominated by pale gold tones. It wasn't luxurious, but it was full of texture. A plaque hung high above the entrance, the dark gold characters possessing an imposing air that seemed to suppress all others. This was the true core institution of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy; one-third of the nation's soul tools were produced here, and its status within the Sun Moon Empire was equally pivotal.

A man sat upright in a chair in the center of the hall.

The middle-aged man appeared to be in his forties, slightly plump, with a kind face. Though his appearance was ordinary and his attire simple, his eyes were dark, deep, and piercingly bright. While a smile often graced his face, the sharp, formidable aura he exuded made one afraid to meet his gaze.

He was the true helmsman of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy, the Master of Mingde Hall—Jing Hongchen.

"Director Lin, what brings you here so late?"

"Hall Master, there is information regarding a newly enrolled student that I need to report to you."

"Oh? A new student?"

"Please take a look, Hall Master."

As he spoke, Lin Jiayi handed Su Luoheng's file to Jing Hongchen, then stepped back two paces to stand opposite him, reporting the general situation with a respectful expression.

"This new student is named Su Luoheng, and he displayed remarkable talent during his assessment."

"Even Elder Ran has praised him highly, and has even hinted at the intention to take him on as a disciple."

"Elder Ran is interested as well?"

"Yes."

Upon hearing that Elder Ran had offered such praise, Jing Hongchen's gaze flickered. He grew slightly more serious and began to flip through the file Lin Jiayi had handed him.

When he saw that the boy was already a soul master and a first-level soul tutor, a flash of surprise crossed his eyes.

"..."

"Hall Master, that is the specific situation regarding the child. This subordinate dared not act on his own authority and requests your final decision." After reporting all the detailed information about Su Luoheng to Jing Hongchen, Lin Jiayi bowed and respectfully stepped to the side to await further instructions.

After a moment of silence, Jing Hongchen closed the thick file in his hands, set it down, and lifted his gaze to sweep a glance at Lin Jiayi's position before suddenly speaking.

"Director Lin."

"Yes, Hall Master."

"I recall that Shrek Academy is located within the borders of the Heaven Dou Empire, is it not?"

"That is correct," Lin Jiayi replied with a bow.

Jing Hongchen stood up and walked to the window with his hands behind his back.

"Director Lin, would you say that with this child's talent, he would have had no trouble joining Shrek Academy?"

"Mm."

Lin Jiayi nodded, not quite understanding the implication.

"Haha, interesting, truly interesting~"

A thought-provoking smile curled the corners of Jing Hongchen's mouth, and he seemed to be in quite a good mood. "A genius from the Heaven Dou Empire ignores Shrek Academy and instead travels a great distance to come to our academy."

"This..."

Lin Jiayi did not know how to respond, so he simply asked, "Hall Master, how should we treat this child?"

Jing Hongchen glanced indifferently at the file in his hand and said, "Do not concern yourself with his background; treat him as you would any other student."

Lin Jiayi paused, then hurriedly reminded him, "Hall Master, shouldn't you observe him for a period of time first? After all, he comes from the Heaven Dou Empire..."

"And what of the Heaven Dou Empire?"

"Since when has the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy discriminated based on a student's origin? As long as they pass the screening, they are a student of our academy. Why should we be uneasy about our own students?" Jing Hongchen's expression remained calm, as if he truly did not care about such things at all.

"That may be true, but if his talent is being used for ulterior motives, I fear..." Lin Jiayi was still somewhat uneasy.

"You suspect he was sent here by another nation?" Jing Hongchen raised an eyebrow and looked at Lin Jiayi.

"Er..."

Lin Jiayi rubbed the tip of his nose, but still nodded cautiously. "Although the possibility is slim, this subordinate feels it is not entirely impossible."

"Director Lin, your thinking is very thorough, but you underestimate human nature," Jing Hongchen said slowly.

"Hall Master, this subordinate is dull and does not understand your meaning." Lin Jiayi was left completely bewildered; what did what he said have to do with human nature?

He felt that the things the Hall Master said lately were becoming increasingly cryptic.

"Even at Shrek, a talent like Su Luoheng would receive attention. Do you think that if you were them, you would be willing to let such a genius act as a mole?" Jing Hongchen asked.

"This..." Lin Jiayi hesitated.

That was true; if it were him, he would never be willing to waste such a talented soul master.

"Even taking a step back, if that were truly the case, I would welcome it. I would even hope they sent over a few more geniuses."

Lin Jiayi was puzzled. "W-why?"

"If they can send people over to act as moles, we can just as easily turn their moles against them!"

A sharp glint flashed in Jing Hongchen's eyes as he continued slowly, "Director Lin, think about it. A genius sent to act as a mole in an enemy country is likely not being treated very well by their original faction. Yet, such a person receives key cultivation in the enemy country, becomes a genius admired by all, and enjoys the worship of everyone. Tell me, in such a situation, what choice would they make?"

"Even if his willpower is firm and he remains loyal to his original faction, he is, after all, only a nine-year-old child. As long as we cultivate him with sincerity, his feelings for us will naturally deepen. Comparing the two, what would you choose?"

"And that, is human nature."

Jing Hongchen looked at Lin Jiayi with deep meaning. These words seemed to strike him like a bolt of lightning, and he was suddenly enlightened.

Admittedly, even if the boy were a mole, such a series of actions would surely shake his resolve.

Just as the Hall Master said, he would be happy to have more moles like this.

"The Hall Master is indeed the Hall Master; your foresight is profound. This subordinate has been taught." Lin Jiayi bowed to Jing Hongchen.

Jing Hongchen smiled noncommittally at these words.

Sitting in his position, the perspective was different, so naturally, what he saw and considered was different as well.

"Hall Master, then how shall we respond to Elder Ran?"

"Since Elder Ran thinks highly of this child, he must have some extraordinary qualities. If he wants to take him, then let him. Elder Ran's teaching ability will not let this child's talent go to waste."

"Yes." Lin Jiayi bowed in response.

"Come to think of it, if it weren't for that experimental accident back then which caused permanent damage to Elder Ran's spiritual power, I'm afraid that with his ability, he would have already broken through to a Level 9 Soul Engineer."

Jing Hongchen could not help but sigh.

He had heard a little about that experiment of Elder Ran's back then, and could only say it was a real pity.

Otherwise, the Sun Moon Empire would have gained another Level 9 Soul Engineer.

"Sigh..."

Jing Hongchen waved his hand and instructed, "Alright, Director Lin, just make the arrangements as we discussed. Keep an eye on this child from time to time. If he can reach the level of a Level 2 Soul Engineer within two years, include him in the Core Student Training Program."

"This subordinate understands."

Lin Jiayi bowed to acknowledge the order, then turned and left the room.

After Lin Jiayi left, Jing Hongchen picked up Su Luoheng's file again, a thought-provoking expression appearing on his face.

"Elder Ran, please do not let this junior down..."

He guessed that Elder Ran valued this child so much because there was definitely something special about him. He was quite looking forward to seeing what kind of surprise this child would bring him!

At the same time.

Jing Hongchen had a vague premonition in his heart.

Just by the fact that he could make Elder Ran value him so much: a Level 2 Soul Engineer, perhaps he really could do it!