A Nine-Year-Old Soul Elder, a Monster Among Geniuses!

Qin Qi and Qin Ming traveled light, hurrying day and night without rest. After a full day of travel, they finally reached the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.

It was already late, making it unsuitable to enter the forest. Qin Ming took Qin Qi to an inn in one of the villages near the forest.

They booked a room, ordered some food, ate in their room, and prepared to rest.

Less than thirty minutes after lying down, they heard the sounds of fighting and shouting erupt downstairs.

"Ah~~ These people are really full of energy."

Qin Qi yawned, rolled over, and went back to sleep. They would be entering the forest tomorrow.

Today was the last day he could sleep in a bed. He certainly would not waste the opportunity.

Qin Ming moved a stool into the corner and sat against the wall, his eyes closed as he rested while remaining alert to their surroundings.

Early the next morning, Qin Qi and Qin Ming got up, packed their things, prepared their supplies, and readied themselves to enter the Star Dou Great Forest.

However, as they were leaving the village, Qin Ming ran into an acquaintance.

"Headmaster Flander, what a coincidence. I never expected to run into you here."

Qin Ming looked at Flander, who was accompanied by a white-haired boy, and took the initiative to greet him.

"Qin Ming, are you taking a student to hunt for a soul ring?"

Flander, the Four-Eyed Owl and headmaster of Shrek Academy, looked at Qin Ming in surprise.

He had not expected to encounter one of his former students here. What a coincidence.

"Not a student. This is my younger brother, Qin Qi."

Qin Ming introduced him with a smile.

Other people did not think highly of Shrek Academy. Many believed that Shrek had an undeserved reputation.

It claimed to recruit geniuses, but in reality, it only held those geniuses back.

But Qin Ming did not see it that way. Back when he had been an orphaned commoner, the headmaster had accepted him into the academy.

They had taken him to hunt soul rings. Although there had been many shortcomings in the teaching process, Qin Ming was still grateful to Flander and the others.

"Hello, Headmaster Flander."

Qin Qi looked at Flander, then at the smile on his older brother's face. He sighed and decided to give his brother some face.

"Hello."

"Let me introduce you. This is my student, Oscar. Oscar, this is your senior, Qin Ming."

Flander nodded at Qin Qi, then patted the white-haired boy beside him on the shoulder as he spoke.

"Hello, Senior Qin Ming. Hello, Senior Qin Qi."

Oscar greeted Qin Ming and Qin Qi somewhat shyly.

"Come on, man. You've got to be older than me, right?"

Qin Qi looked at the white-haired boy before him and finally recognized him. So this kid was Oscar.

He was pretty handsome without the beard—maybe about one-third as handsome as Qin Qi himself.

"My little brother looks well-developed, but he's actually only nine years old."

Qin Ming explained.

"Nine years old and already getting his first soul ring? Qin Ming, your little brother is a genius just like you."

Flander looked at Qin Qi and offered a few polite compliments.

"Headmaster, it's not his first soul ring."

Knowing that Flander had misunderstood, Qin Ming began to explain, only to be interrupted again.

"His second soul ring at nine?!"

"That talent is truly incredible! He's even more impressive than you were back then!"

Flander wore a stunned expression. This time, he was not merely being polite—he was genuinely shocked.

"A second soul ring at nine? That's amazing!"

Oscar could not help widening his eyes when he heard that. He was nearly twelve already, yet his soul power had only just reached level twenty!

"Not his second soul ring. My brother and I came here this time to obtain his third soul ring."

Qin Ming pushed up his glasses as he spoke.

"Th-third soul ring?!"

"A nine-year-old Soul Elder? Is that real? That's beyond genius—he's a true little monster!"

Flander's mouth fell open in shock. The most talented Soul Elder in their academy was Dai Mubai.

Yet Dai Mubai had only broken through to Soul Elder at thirteen. Qin Qi was nine—three whole years earlier than Dai Mubai!

It might have only been three years, but their future achievements could differ by more than threefold!

"A nine-year-old Soul Elder!"

Oscar's mouth fell open as well. He looked at the dean, his eyes filled with confusion and incomprehension.

Dean, didn't you say that being born with full soul power already made me a peerless genius? Why is the gap between me and others so huge?!

"Qin Ming, which academy is your little brother attending now? Would he like to come to our academy?"

"I guarantee I'll teach him well. I'll definitely make him an extraordinary talent."

Flander stared at Qin Qi, his eyes practically glowing. Their academy was desperately short of such peerless geniuses.

"Dean, my little brother is currently studying at Heaven Dou Royal Academy. The three instructors think very highly of him, and they've treated us very well."

"So I'm sorry, Dean, but I can only refuse your request."

Qin Ming adjusted his glasses. Feelings were feelings, reality was reality. He could not possibly let Qin Qi give up his life at Heaven Dou Academy and go to Shrek Academy.

No food when you wanted food, no resources when you wanted resources, and the teachers had basically never received any formal training.

The students' growth depended entirely on whether they were tough enough to survive. He had not had a choice back then, but he would not let Qin Qi suffer like that.

"Big Bro, this is exactly what I appreciate about you."

Qin Qi quietly patted Qin Ming on the back, his eyes full of gratification. His big brother was not completely rigid after all.

He still knew what needed to be done and when.

"Is that so? Then forget it. But Qin Ming, would you like to hunt soul beasts with us?"

"That way, we can look after each other."

Flander wore a brilliant smile as he spoke.

"Then thank you for your kindness, Dean. We'll have to trouble you to look after us from here on."

Qin Ming nodded and agreed.

"Oh, right, I didn't mention it earlier, did I? Oscar was born with full soul power, and his martial soul is of the food type. This time, he's here to hunt for his second soul ring."

"He's eleven this year."

Flander deliberately introduced Oscar again, looking exactly like a salesman pitching his wares.

"A food-type soul master born with full soul power? What an incredible genius!"

Surprise also appeared in Qin Ming's eyes. Food-type soul masters were already rare, and ones born with full soul power were even rarer.

"Hahaha, he's nothing special. Compared to my little brother, he's nothing special."

"Hey, Oscar, you and Qin Qi are about the same age. You two should get to know each other better."

Flander pulled Qin Ming aside to reminisce, leaving Qin Qi and Oscar alone. The group continued onward as they talked.

"Um..."

Oscar lowered his head, unable to think of anything to say for a long time. After hesitating for ages, he finally gathered the courage to speak to Qin Qi.

"Bro, what are you doing?"

"You're just talking. Why are you hemming and hawing like you're about to confess?"

"Stop talking nonsense and make me something to eat."

Qin Qi patted Oscar on the shoulder, revealing a kindly smile as he spoke.

"O-okay."

Looking at Qin Qi's bold manner, Oscar swallowed. In an instant, he had become Qin Qi's lackey.

"Fragrant, tender stinky tofu."

Oscar recited his soul incantation, and a piece of stinky tofu appeared in his hand. It smelled awful.

"It tastes pretty good. Make some more."

Qin Qi ate it in one bite, then found that it was genuinely delicious. Stinky tofu was just like that—it smelled foul but tasted wonderful.

And because it had been formed from soul power, after the Strength-Eating Immortal Gu consumed it, it actually directly increased his soul power by a tiny amount!

"O-okay."

Oscar began continuously making stinky tofu for Qin Qi, ultimately exhausting all of his soul power.

"Dean, am I being bullied here?!"

Oscar's eyes reddened slightly. He felt like Qin Qi was bullying him.

But as Flander watched the two of them eating, he felt that they were getting along very well.

"Keep it up! If we latch onto him, we'll have a powerful backer!"

Flander secretly gave Oscar a thumbs-up, encouraging him.

"Wuwuwuwu."

Oscar really wanted to cry.

The soul skills here use the manga's settings. Compared to the anime and the original novel, where everything was sausage, the manga's setup with multiple kinds of food is more interesting. The soul skill effects are the same as in the novel; only the food is different.

By the way, what does everyone think of Oscar?