The One Who Controlled the Experiment

Time slowly passed, and in the blink of an eye, more than half a year had gone by.

Over the past six months, a topic of moderate interest had emerged among Mingdu's upper circles. At its center was Kong Deming's only grandson, Kong Ming'an, who was merely six and a half years old.

For no other reason than that every morning, the young master was personally escorted by a Titled Douluo to the Barracks outside the city, always on time, rain or shine, from the day he awakened his Martial Soul until now.

Such behavior was especially conspicuous for a six-year-old child.

He neither attended the Academy for enlightenment nor received instruction at the Hall of Worship. What could he possibly be doing in the Barracks all day? All sorts of speculation circulated in private, yet none came close to the truth.

In particular, information regarding the young master's Martial Soul and Innate Soul Power had been sealed away by the Hall of Worship's upper ranks, without the slightest leak.

To outsiders, all they knew was that the young master had awakened a Martial Soul. As for its specifics, everyone remained tight-lipped.

Of course, aside from such inquiries, another topic concerning Kong Ming'an spread even more widely.

The Young Master Kong was exceedingly handsome. After awakening his Martial Soul, perhaps due to its influence, he possessed a calm temperament far beyond that of children his age.

Combined with his already delicate features, he left a deep impression on many who had seen him.

Quite a few Sun Moon Empire higher-ups with young daughters at home began considering marriage alliances without even realizing it.

After all, he was the sole bloodline of Kong Deming, the Empire's pillar of Soul Tools. In a sense, Young Master Kong's status even surpassed that of many Imperial Princes.

Near noon, within the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy—

The sun shone brightly, and the neatly trimmed flowerbeds gave off the fresh scent of grass and plants. On the path, two children of around six walked side by side, drawing considerable attention.

The little girl walked briskly. Her silky silver hair fell past her shoulders and gleamed beneath the sunlight. Her Ice Blue eyes did not seem cold; instead, they carried the clarity unique to a child.

Beside her was a little boy with the same silver hair, though his eyes were mismatched—one blue and one green. His brows carried undisguised pride.

They were Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen, the granddaughter and grandson of Jing Hongchen, the master of Mingde Hall and dean of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy.

"Hey, Brother."

Meng Hongchen plucked off a leaf and tilted her head toward Xiao Hongchen. "That Kong Ming'an, I heard he's especially handsome? He goes to the Barracks to play every day. Is it fun there?"

Xiao Hongchen curled his lip. "What use is being handsome? Strength is what matters most! Him? He doesn't even come to the Academy. How strong could he possibly be?"

The Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy had a Preparatory Class. Geniuses like Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen could enter early to study knowledge related to Soul Tools.

Moreover, due to their family background, Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen had been exposed to Soul Tool knowledge since childhood. They were now directly sitting in on second-year classes.

"Tsk... Brother, be humble... Maybe he'll be your future opponent."

Meng Hongchen spoke earnestly like a little adult.

"Hmph, Xiao Hongchen's only opponent is himself!"

Meng Hongchen's face was full of helplessness. Her brother truly seemed beyond saving...

As the siblings chatted, a group of people hurried out from the teaching building not far away.

The leader was tall and elegant, with a refined and handsome face. Dressed in Mingde Hall's signature luxurious red robe, he was none other than their grandfather, Jing Hongchen, the master of Mingde Hall.

The people beside him were students under their grandfather.

When Jing Hongchen saw his grandchildren, he paused slightly. "Meng, Xiao? Why are you here?"

"Grandfather!" the two little ones called in unison. Meng Hongchen ran forward. "We just got out of class and were about to eat!"

Jing Hongchen nodded. After a brief pause of thought, his gaze turned toward a middle-aged man beside him dressed in the Hall of Worship's dark purple uniform.

"Steward Lin, would it be convenient to take these two little ones to broaden their horizons?"

Steward Lin swept his gaze over the two exquisitely adorable children and nodded slightly. "Naturally. They only need to remain quiet."

"Alright." Jing Hongchen agreed, then said to Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen, "Let's go."

As he spoke, he casually tossed Flying Soul Tools onto the two little ones, and the group rose into the air together.

"Grandfather, where are we going?" Meng Hongchen asked softly in midair.

"You'll know when we get there." Jing Hongchen answered with a smile, but he glanced at Xiao Hongchen beside him, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.

Hopefully Xiao won't have his confidence shattered.

The group flew away from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy and arrived at Mingde Hall, built near the Sun Moon Imperial Palace on the other side.

After passing through heavily guarded areas and entering a special passageway, the air became solemn and still. The walls gleamed with the heavy luster of metal, giving off an aura known as safety.

After a long while, they arrived at the Hall of Worship Core Laboratory Area.

The heavy Alloy Gate slid open soundlessly, and a distinct scent mixed with metallic energy and precision instruments rushed toward them.

The interior was enormous. All sorts of complex Soul Tool devices flashed with light, while researchers in dark purple uniforms moved back and forth among them.

Led by Steward Lin, Meng Hongchen followed her grandfather up to the second floor.

The second floor was a vast circular observation platform. At that moment, more than a dozen people had gathered near the transparent protective wall, and the atmosphere was grave.

Meng Hongchen looked around curiously and spotted quite a few familiar faces among them.

For example, there was that uncle with an elegant temperament and eyes as deep as the stars. He was Ye Yulin, the Starry Sky Douluo, who was as famous as her grandfather.

There was also the Youth standing nearby—Prince Xu Tianran, the current Imperial Prince. He was only seventeen this year, and according to her grandfather, he had a good chance of becoming Crown Prince and eventually the Sun Moon Emperor.

Of course, there was also the most important person: the old man standing at the very front, with a stiff bearing, a resolute face, and an imposing aura.

That was Kong Deming. Whenever her grandfather mentioned him, his expression became solemn, as though he were very afraid of him.

Aside from those important figures, every other person chatting and smiling nearby possessed a powerful aura and wore the badge of a Rank 9 Soul Engineer!

Compared to them, she and her brother... seemed strangely out of place here?

Little Meng Hongchen felt an invisible pressure.

Shifting slightly, Meng Hongchen moved closer to the glass and turned her attention to the Training Ground below.

In the field stood a soldier with an exceptionally sturdy build, like a small iron tower.

At that moment, his entire body was connected to complex Soul Tool sensor cables and covered in simple armor designed to test joints and strength, like a weapon under strict surveillance.

Meng Hongchen watched intently, curious whether this was what her grandfather had meant by broadening her horizons. However, when the corner of her eye unconsciously swept across a corner of the Training Ground, her small body froze slightly.

In that inconspicuous corner sat a Youth around her age, quietly and calmly.

He wore the white robe worn only by researchers. His small face was delicate, and his expression carried a calmness that did not match his age.

Those ink-black eyes were focused on the soldier being tested in the field. One small hand seemed to rest unconsciously on his knee, as though he were thinking, or... calculating something.

Meng Hongchen blinked, somewhat confused.

Who was he? Why could he be inside the Training Ground?

But he was so handsome...

The handsome Youth easily drew all of little Meng Hongchen's attention.

Standing at the edge of the crowd on the Second Floor Observation Platform, she stood on tiptoe as hard as she could. Her Ice Blue eyes remained fixed on that quiet corner of the Training Ground below as she observed him cautiously.

Yet deliberately lowered voices from the adults reached her ears, every word filled with seriousness and anticipation.

"...The foundational data has been fully recorded..."

"...Elder Kong, do you think the energy dissipation rate can be optimized further this time?"

"...Your Highness, if this project succeeds, the improvement to the Sun Moon Legion's basic combat strength will be immeasurable..."

"...The key lies in the universality and stability of this 'method'..."

These terms made little sense to six-year-old Meng Hongchen, but she could clearly feel the weight contained within those words.

Everyone's attention remained firmly locked, amid the conversation, on the small-iron-tower-like soldier in the field, connected to countless cables and simple armor. The atmosphere grew increasingly solemn.

Then, amid that silence, the corner of Meng Hongchen's eye caught the Youth in the corner of the Training Ground below... moving.

There was no warning. Aside from Meng Hongchen, who had been watching him all along, no one else noticed. Like a precisely calibrated component, he silently rose to his feet.

However, at the instant he straightened—

Buzz!

It was as though an invisible command had been transmitted in an instant.

Every lowered conversation on the Second Floor Platform came to an abrupt halt.

Kong Deming lowered his gaze.

Xu Tianran stepped forward, seriousness in his eyes.

Jing Hongchen, meanwhile, sighed with emotion.

All the Rank 9 Soul Engineers and attendants shifted their gazes in unison from the test subject in the field to the small figure who had just risen.

The entire Second Floor Platform fell into absolute silence.

Meng Hongchen looked at the important figures around her, somewhat at a loss and unable to understand what had happened.

Then, at a certain moment, the small Youth at the center of everyone's attention below raised his eyes toward the Second Floor Observation Platform.

He was not looking at any particular person, nor was it a request for instruction. It was more like a one-sided notification.

The next moment, his clear and steady voice, carrying confidence and an unquestionable command, pierced through the heavy protective wall and the deathly still air, echoing distinctly through every corner of the Laboratory.

"The fifth periodic demonstration of the Body Forging Method's cultivation results begins now...

"Begin."