Saintess Token and a Conversation with the Three Education Committee Members

Meng Shenji's office was on the top floor of the teaching building, a spacious, well-lit room. The walls were covered with skeletal specimens of various soul beasts and diagrams of martial soul structures, while the bookshelves were piled high with thick tomes. The air carried the mingled scent of old paper and ink.

Meng Shenji sat down behind his desk and gestured for Lin Chen to take the chair opposite him. He did not speak at once. Instead, he poured himself a cup of tea, took an unhurried sip, then set it down and looked at Lin Chen.

"Student Lin Chen, do you know who you hit today?"

"Xue Beng, the fourth prince of the Heaven Dou Empire," Lin Chen answered calmly.

"And you hit him knowing that?"

"He deserved it."

Meng Shenji stared at him for quite a while before suddenly chuckling. "Your temperament is rather like mine when I was young."

He raised his teacup for another sip, his tone becoming more casual. "But since you have come to Heaven Dou Royal Academy, you should know that although this is an academy, it cannot escape the influence of the royal family. Though Prince Xue Beng is a good-for-nothing, he is still His Majesty's biological son. You hit him today, and he will not let this go."

"I know," Lin Chen said. "But I will not apologize."

"I never asked you to apologize." Meng Shenji waved a hand. "I said you did well. That brat has been throwing his weight around in the academy for years. Someone should have taught him a lesson long ago. It was just that no one dared step forward before. You are the first."

After a pause, he added, "But I must remind you that Xue Beng is extremely vindictive. After suffering a loss today, he will certainly look for a way to retaliate. He may not dare do anything openly, since I am keeping him in check at the academy, but you still need to watch out for his underhanded moves."

"Thank you for the warning, Chief Education Committee Member. I will be careful."

Meng Shenji nodded and was about to say more when there came a sudden knock at the door.

"Come in."

The door opened, and a short, stout old man entered. He had a round face, large ears, and a smiling expression that made him look like a Maitreya Buddha. Another old man followed behind him, his hair and beard completely white, his features lean, and his bearing as gentle as water.

"Old Meng, I heard the academy produced an extraordinary new student today?" the stout old man said the moment he entered. His gaze fell on Lin Chen as he looked him over from head to toe. "That would be you, right? A twelve-year-old Soul King?"

"That's me."

"Good heavens." The stout old man circled Lin Chen, clicking his tongue in amazement. "I've lived this long, and this is the first time I've seen a twelve-year-old Soul King. How exactly did you cultivate, boy? What did you eat growing up?"

"Old Bai, don't frighten the child." The white-haired old man approached with a genial smile, his tone gentle. "Not bad, young man. You have a bright future."

Meng Shenji introduced them from the side. "Lin Chen, these are the academy's other two Education Committee Members. This is Bai Baoshan, the second-ranking Education Committee Member. His martial soul is the Starry Sky Furnace, and he is an eighty-fifth-level defense-type Battle Soul Douluo. This is Zhi Lin, the third-ranking Education Committee Member. His martial soul is the Heavenly Azure Vine, and he is an eighty-third-level control-type Tool Soul Douluo."

Lin Chen greeted them in turn. "Greetings, Education Committee Member Bai. Education Committee Member Zhi."

Bai Baoshan waved his hand with a cheerful smile. "No need for formalities, no need. If you run into any trouble in the academy from now on, come find us three old fellows."

Zhi Lin also nodded with a smile, a trace of approval in his eyes.

It was not a common sight for all three Education Committee Members to gather together.

Meng Shenji briefly recounted what had happened that morning to the other two. After hearing it, Bai Baoshan stroked his beard and smiled. "Well done. I've disliked that brat for a long time. If not for his status as a prince, I would have wanted to slap him myself."

Zhi Lin nodded as well, his tone gentle yet weighty. "Prince Xue Beng truly went too far. But Student Lin Chen, you must also be prepared. This matter will likely not end so easily."

"I understand," Lin Chen said.

Meng Shenji pondered for a moment before speaking. "Student Lin Chen, your talent is something I have never seen in my life. A fifty-sixth-level Soul King at twelve years old—such strength is unparalleled not only in Heaven Dou Royal Academy, but across the entire continent. Logically speaking, having a student like you is an honor for our academy. But Xue Beng is still a prince. If he insists on pursuing this matter and the royal family puts pressure on us, us three old fellows may be able to withstand it for a while, but how long we can hold out is hard to say."

Lin Chen understood what he meant.

The three Education Committee Members were willing to protect him, but the pressure from the royal family would not be easy to bear. If Xue Beng was determined to go after him, the three of them could not shield him forever.

"Rest assured, Chief Education Committee Member. I will not cause trouble for the academy," Lin Chen said. "If the royal family truly pursues the matter, I will bear it myself."

"Can you bear it?" Bai Baoshan asked. There was no mockery in his voice; he was genuinely concerned.

Lin Chen fell silent for a moment, then took something from his chest.

It was a token.

The silver token was the size of a palm. The front bore the emblem of Martial Soul Hall, while the back was engraved with a single character: "Nana."

The moment the token appeared, the expressions of all three Education Committee Members changed.

Meng Shenji's pupils narrowed slightly. "This is... Martial Soul Hall's Saintess Token?"

"More precisely, it was given to me by Hu Liena, the Saintess of Martial Soul Hall."

Lin Chen placed the token on the desk. "Six years ago, she came to Nuoding City to find me in person and gave me this token. She said that if I encountered any trouble in the future, I could take this token to any Martial Soul Hall branch for assistance."

The office fell silent for several full seconds.

The three Education Committee Members exchanged looks, all of them stunned.

Of course, they recognized this token. Martial Soul Hall's Saintess Token held immense authority throughout the continent. Its holder was equivalent to an honored guest of the Saintess of Martial Soul Hall and enjoyed numerous privileges within Martial Soul Hall's sphere of influence.

A twelve-year-old Soul King, holding Martial Soul Hall's Saintess Token.

What did that mean?

It meant that the entire Martial Soul Hall stood behind this young man.

"You..." Meng Shenji took a deep breath. "What is your relationship with the Saintess of Martial Soul Hall?"

"We are friends," Lin Chen said. "Six years ago, she came to Nuoding City to find me. We got along quite well, so she gave me this token. I had never used it all these years. Today is the first time I have taken it out."

He spoke lightly, as though he were merely discussing something utterly insignificant.

But all three Education Committee Members knew that things were far from as simple as he made them sound. Martial Soul Hall's Saintess Token was not something just anyone could obtain.

Hu Liena was the Saintess of Martial Soul Hall, of exalted status. The fact that she had personally gone to Nuoding City to meet a six-year-old child and had even given him this token showed that Martial Soul Hall's upper ranks regarded this child with tremendous importance.

Meng Shenji was silent for a long while before slowly nodding. "With this token, the royal family will not dare move against you lightly. The Heaven Dou royal family still has to give Martial Soul Hall some face."

Bai Baoshan also breathed a sigh of relief and said with a genial smile, "Good boy, so you had made preparations long ago. You made us three old fellows worry for nothing."

Zhi Lin smiled as well and said gently, "Student Lin Chen, since you have connections with Martial Soul Hall, why didn't you say so earlier?"

"Because there was no need," Lin Chen said. "I do not like using my background to pressure others. Today was a special situation, so I had no choice but to take it out."

Zhi Lin looked at him, and a glimmer of admiration flashed through his eyes.

Neither arrogant nor impetuous, neither servile nor overbearing. He had both strength and backing, yet never flaunted either. This young man was far more mature than he had imagined.

"Alright. Since you have Martial Soul Hall's token in hand, this matter will be much easier to handle." Meng Shenji rose to his feet. "I will personally make a trip to the palace and explain the situation to His Majesty. As for Prince Xue Beng, I will have someone keep an eye on him and make sure he does not pull any tricks."

"Thank you, Chief Education Committee Member."

"No need to thank me." Meng Shenji waved a hand. "You are a student of Heaven Dou Royal Academy. It is only right that I protect you. Alright, go back and rest well. Classes officially begin tomorrow, and someone will take you to your class then."

Lin Chen nodded, rose, and took his leave.

When he walked out of the office building, the sunlight was just right, warm upon his face.

He looked up at the leisurely drifting clouds in the sky, feeling rather pleased.

The matter with Xue Beng was temporarily settled. With Martial Soul Hall's token, the royal family should not make any rash moves. As for Xue Beng himself, he was already a cripple and could not stir up much trouble.

Lin Chen withdrew his gaze and headed toward the dormitories.

Meanwhile, deep within the imperial palace of Heaven Dou City, a young man in white robes sat before a writing desk in an elegant side hall. He held a freshly delivered secret report in his hand, his brows slightly furrowed.

He looked to be around twenty, with handsome features and a refined bearing like polished jade. Between his brows rested a calmness and wisdom that did not match his age. His fingers were long and fair, and even the way he held the letter was elegant and composed.

The crown prince of the Heaven Dou Empire, Xue Qinghe.

But if Lin Chen had been here, he would have known that this crown prince's true identity was far more complicated than it appeared.

She was Qian Renxue.

The daughter of Qian Xunji, the former Pope of Martial Soul Hall, and the biological daughter of Bibi Dong, the current Pope. The possessor of the Six-Winged Angel martial soul. A spy who had infiltrated the Heaven Dou Empire for many years.

She set down the secret report, her fingertips lightly tapping against the desk with faint clicks.

"Twelve years old, a fifty-sixth-level Soul King, beat Xue Beng, and even possesses Martial Soul Hall's Saintess Token..."

She murmured to herself, a meaningful smile curling at the corner of her lips.

"So Hu Liena had already gone to make contact with him six years ago? She hid it quite well."

She rose and walked to the window, gazing at the blooming autumn chrysanthemums in the courtyard outside, her eyes deep and distant.

"Lin Chen... interesting."

She turned and instructed the attendant waiting outside, "Prepare the carriage. I am going to the Royal Academy."