The Once-Celebrated Prodigy

Su Luoheng spoke as he turned the lamb leg over and over. The firelight lent his little face a rosy glow.

"This..."

Ran Yuming was at a loss for words.

Thinking it over, he had to admit that Su Luoheng made a lot of sense.

But... something still felt off.

As he pondered, he took a bite of the dry rations in his hand.

Was his disciple simply good at enjoying life, or was he the one who had fallen behind the times?

Ran Yuming sank into thought.

Huh?

Why did this sweet flatbread taste like lamb?

He silently lowered his head to look at the ration in his hand, then glanced at the sizzling, dripping lamb leg. Compared to the fragrant roast, the sweet flatbread he'd enjoyed before now tasted like sawdust.

That lamb leg smelled pretty good.

The thought suddenly popped into Ran Yuming's mind.

While he was distracted, the roasted lamb leg had already been carved and plated.

Before Ran Yuming could say a word, Su Luoheng handed him a slice of lamb. It was steaming hot, golden brown, and fragrant.

"Teacher, let's eat together."

Ran Yuming didn't turn down the invitation.

After all, his disciple was family, and besides, a steaming hot roast lamb leg was obviously more appealing than cold, hard sweet flatbread!

Ran Yuming picked up his chopsticks and took a bite.

The meat was tender and crisp, bursting with juices, and a rich, sweet aroma filled his mouth.

"Teacher, how would you rate your student's cooking?"

"Very good!"

Ran Yuming nodded in approval.

Compared to this, sweet flatbread and the like were utterly pathetic!

He decided that the next time he went out, he should keep up with the times, too.

Nothing could be more satisfying than a hot meal in the Soul Beast Forest.

Seeing this, Su Luoheng smiled even more broadly and picked up a piece of lamb for himself.

As they chatted, he prepared a few side dishes as well.

Roast lamb leg, grilled flatbread, roasted vegetables, and a pot of vegetable soup made up a hearty dinner for master and disciple.

"Phew..."

After dinner, Su Luoheng looked content and relaxed.

He lay on the grass with his arms behind his head, gazing up at the star-speckled night sky as he sucked on a candied hawthorn skewer to help digest his meal.

Candied hawthorn skewers were amazing.

Before a meal: they whetted your appetite.

As a snack: they were a treat.

After a meal: they helped with digestion.

No matter when he ate one, he could always find a good excuse.

To put it simply: whenever Su Luoheng wanted one, it was the perfect time!

Su Luoheng figured Teacher Ran, being an older man, probably wouldn't like sweet-and-sour treats, so he didn't offer to share. It definitely wasn't because he barely had any candied hawthorn skewers left.

"..."

The master and disciple were well fed and wide awake.

So they sat by the bonfire, making idle conversation.

"..."

Remembering how Su Luoheng had acted when they first entered the Jingyang Mountain Range, Ran Yuming said, "Luo Heng, you've adapted to the Soul Beast Forest pretty quickly."

"I spent some time training in the Soul Beast Forest with my father."

As he spoke, Su Luoheng tossed another stick onto the fire. "This isn't the forest near my home, but Soul Beast Forests are all more or less the same."

"As long as you take precautions and stay alert, there's nothing to worry about."

At the mention of home, a trace of longing passed through his eyes.

Since arriving on the Douluo Continent, this was the first time he'd been away from home alone for so long. He hadn't shown it, but he still missed his family.

How were his parents doing now?

Did they miss him, too?

"..."

Wouldn't they be proud to know that he'd broken through to level twenty and become a Level 2 Soul Engineer?

At the thought, he found himself missing the food back home. It wasn't as delicious or nutritious as the academy cafeteria's, but it tasted like Mom's cooking~

Su Luoheng thought to himself: Once this year's break begins, I'll definitely go home for a visit.

"I see~"

Ran Yuming nodded in understanding, then couldn't help sighing.

He'd begun training in the Soul Beast Forest at such a young age. No wonder he had such extensive combat experience.

Ran Yuming found himself curious about Su Luoheng's father.

"..."

The master and disciple continued their idle chatter.

At one point, Su Luoheng remembered how curious he'd been about his teacher's strength and took the opportunity to ask the question that had been on his mind.

"Teacher, just how strong are you?"

Ran Yuming paused, then smiled faintly. "What else could I be? You've already seen my Level 7 Soul Engineer badge, haven't you?"

"But I don't think you're just a Level 7 Soul Engineer," Su Luoheng said, shaking his head.

"Why?"

"I saw you talking with Director Lin before, and I've also attended classes taught by other Level 7 Soul Engineers. They can't hold a candle to you."

"And..."

Over the past six months, he'd become more and more certain that his teacher was no ordinary man. Had he ever seen a Level 8 Soul Engineer treat a Level 7 Soul Engineer with such respect?

"You really are observant, kid~"

"Hehe~"

Ran Yuming was slightly surprised. He opened his broad palm and ruffled little Luo Heng's hair with a laugh.

Chapter 51: The Once-Celebrated Prodigy

"Teacher, you've messed up my hair!"

Su Luoheng wriggled away from his hand, unable to take any more. As he tried to fix his hair, he grumbled, "Teacher, can't you break this bad habit? I'm not a little kid. If you keep rubbing my head, it'll stunt my growth!"

Ran Yuming stroked his long beard and laughed.

"All right, all right, I'll stop teasing you. So what level do you think I am?"

"At least Level 8!" Su Luoheng said confidently.

Ran Yuming shook his head, a complex look flashing through his deep eyes. "Wrong. Your teacher really is only a Level 7 Soul Engineer."

"Then why are you so much stronger than they are?"

Su Luoheng sat cross-legged, resting his chin in both hands, his eyes full of confusion.

Ran Yuming sighed softly and began to tell him about his past.

Strictly speaking, Su Luoheng hadn't been entirely wrong. When it came to research on Soul Tools, Ran Yuming was stronger than most Level 7 or Level 8 Soul Engineers. Even a Level 9 Soul Engineer might not surpass him.

But as far as his Soul Engineer rank went, he truly was a Level 7 Soul Engineer.

Eighty years ago.

By the time he'd just turned eighteen, Ran Yuming was already a Level 6 Soul Engineer. He was hailed as the greatest genius at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy since Kong Deming and had even become Kong Deming's disciple. Back then, he'd been the toast of the town—a super-genius adored wherever he went.

And he'd lived up to the hype.

In just two years, he advanced from Level 6 to Level 7, with boundless prospects ahead of him. He was even seen as one of the future leaders of the Sun Moon Empire's Soul Engineer world. No one would have believed that this twenty-year-old prodigy would one day become stuck at Level 7, unable to advance.

But some things were destined to be.

Just three years after becoming a Level 7 Soul Engineer, he suffered the greatest blow of his life.

During a test of a fixed soul-guided bomb, an assistant made a mistake and set it off prematurely. The entire laboratory was swallowed by the flames of the explosion in an instant. Of the Soul Engineers taking part in the experiment, nine died and three were injured. Ran Yuming survived by sheer luck, protected by a Level 9 Soul Tool, but he was still gravely injured.

The physical injuries were manageable, but his spiritual power was severely damaged as well.

At first, Ran Yuming had optimistically searched for a way to recover. But reality dealt him a crushing blow: from that day on, his spiritual power wouldn't increase at all, no matter what method he tried.

He disappeared for a long time. It wasn't until five years later that he returned as a teacher at the academy.

His path as a Soul Engineer had ended because of his damaged spiritual power, but Ran Yuming didn't sink into despair or give up. Instead, he devoted himself to the theoretical study of Soul Tools. Over the years, he'd pored over countless books and accumulated a wealth of knowledge. He'd also made quite a name for himself in Soul Tool theory.

He was well known in Soul Engineer circles.

Theoretically, even most Level 9 Soul Engineers couldn't match him.

All he lacked was spiritual power.

Most people believed that if his spiritual power could be restored, he'd become a Level 9 Soul Engineer in no time.

Even so, many people still felt sorry for him. No matter how much he accomplished in theoretical research, he could go no further.

As time went on, he trained many students at Mingde Hall and was honored with the title of Distinguished Teacher at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy. That was how most people remembered him. The once-promising genius, meanwhile, had been buried in the memories of the past, gradually forgotten by everyone.

If anyone did remember him, all they could do was sigh.

"That's why I'm only a Level 7 Soul Engineer."

Ran Yuming sighed quietly. Though many years had passed, the memory still weighed heavily on him whenever it came up.

"Teacher..."

Su Luoheng opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

He regretted bringing it up.

Maybe he shouldn't have asked and reopened his teacher's decades-old wound.

"It's all right."

Ran Yuming smiled freely. His hand paused briefly, then came to rest on Su Luoheng's shoulder. "It's been so many years. I've long since come to terms with it. Besides, teaching at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy and watching all of you grow, step by step, is nice in its own way."

Even so, a trace of loneliness still flashed through his eyes.

A lifelong dream had been destroyed. How could anyone simply come to terms with that?

If he could, who wouldn't want to stand at the summit of the Soul Engineer path and see what the view was like?

But...

He could no longer do so.

The path of a Soul Engineer demanded exceptionally high spiritual power. Even the Sun Moon Empire couldn't cure spiritual damage.

Ran Yuming could only go no further.

"..."

After a moment of silence.