Douluo: Children of the Version Gather, but the Era Is Misaligned

"Physical testing..."

Upon hearing him say those words, the children around him all looked curious.

As if he had not noticed their curious gazes, Lin Jiayi offered no explanation and led them into a room in the nearby teaching building.

All sorts of equipment had been placed there. Lin Jiayi stopped and introduced them one by one.

"This is a strength tester. You only need to throw a full-force punch at it, and it will measure your strength."

"This is a reaction speed tester. Reaction speed is also an important quality when you study Soul Guide Devices in the future, so do not underestimate it."

"This is..."

After introducing the functions of each piece of equipment, Lin Jiayi stepped aside.

"Then, let us begin by testing your physical strength. The results of this physical test will count as your first examination scores at this academy, so I hope none of you take it lightly."

"..."

Bai Chen watched the children at the front begin their tests, his gaze thoughtful.

At his level, he certainly did not need to worry about whether he could achieve outstanding results. The only thing he needed to consider was just how outstanding those results should be.

He could not fake it too much. Some tests could not be fooled, and pretending too poorly would only arouse suspicion.

But at the same time, he could not truly reveal all his strength.

He had to grasp the balance carefully.

While he was thinking, fewer and fewer students remained ahead of him. Before long, it was his turn.

He stepped onto the physical strength tester. Soon, with a beep, Bai Chen's physical data appeared on it.

"Physical strength: Level 42. Physical flexibility: Level 31. Soul power level: Level 16. Height..."

As that string of numbers appeared, the previously noisy room instantly fell silent.

Most of those present were six- or seven-year-old children. Their various statistics generally hovered around single digits, and only a handful of exceptional geniuses could reach double digits through their Martial Soul traits or family resources.

Compared to them, were Bai Chen's numbers not far too bizarre?

Lin Jiayi frowned as well. Just as he was about to say something, the machine began beeping rapidly.

"The data is scrambled?"

Lin Jiayi checked the device and discovered that its display had turned into gibberish.

That should not have happened. Bai Chen's data was exaggerated, but only in comparison to children of his age and level. It should have been nowhere near enough to cause the machine to malfunction.

Bai Chen said with an innocent expression,

"Teacher, since this machine has malfunctioned, can we begin testing the next category?"

"Mm..."

Lin Jiayi carefully observed Bai Chen's expression. After confirming that he could not find any flaw on his face, he sighed helplessly.

"Yes, that is all we can do for now."

He felt that this matter should have nothing to do with Bai Chen. If a six-year-old child could truly disguise his expression that flawlessly, then Lin Jiayi might as well admit defeat.

Lin Jiayi pointed at the device beside him and said blandly,

"Come. This is the strength tester. You will test this one first."

"Alright."

Bai Chen readily agreed.

He knew exactly why the physical tester had reacted that way.

The answer was simple: he possessed an External Soul Bone.

This thing could detect how many conventional Soul Bones a Soul Master had equipped, but once it encountered an External Soul Bone, it would immediately malfunction.

External Soul Bones were incomparably precious. Even in the Douluo Original Three Kingdoms, they were treasures among treasures, much less here in the Sun-Moon Empire.

As a result, lacking the relevant data, they simply could not create a Soul Guide Device capable of detecting External Soul Bones.

But those were secrets. Bai Chen would not tell them that he possessed an External Soul Bone on the level of the Darkgolden Terrorclaw.

He walked straight up to the strength tester, crouched slightly, then suddenly threw a punch at it.

Bang!

With a dull thud, the plate shook slightly, and the number twenty-two appeared on it.

Seeing that number, Lin Jiayi was instead somewhat relieved.

It was an exaggerated number, yet compared with the previous result, it seemed entirely normal.

People liked compromises. If someone had told Lin Jiayi from the beginning that Bai Chen possessed the strength of a Great Soul Master, he would only have thought it was nonsense. But if they asked him what he would think if Bai Chen had physical strength at Level 42, then he would feel that twenty-two was nothing much.

So the machine really had been the problem just now.

Thinking that, Lin Jiayi recorded Bai Chen's data in his notebook.

Over the following tests, Bai Chen almost completely dominated first place in every category.

Even in the reaction speed test, his worst category, he received a rating of good reaction speed.

Of course, only Bai Chen himself knew how much of that was watered down.

Even without releasing his Martial Soul, his domain and soul skills gave him the physical strength of a Soul Ancestor. If he was not mistaken, his full-force strength should already be close to that of a strength-type Soul Emperor.

It seemed that the forging during this period had indeed helped improve his strength. Not long ago, he had only just reached the level of a Soul King.

This was the greatest difference between humans and Soul Beasts. Soul Beasts were born with powerful physiques and innate abilities, while humans were much weaker by comparison.

If humans wanted to catch up to Soul Beasts, they had to make proper use of their intelligence and train through special methods.

Just as Ning Tian had discovered, during this period following his Martial Soul awakening, Bai Chen's body had been developing rapidly. His body had become increasingly suited to the Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff, a purely strength-type Martial Soul.

"Alright, the physical testing ends here."

After making the final note in his notebook, Lin Jiayi snapped it shut and said,

"The first class monitor of this class will be Bai Chen. Does anyone have any objections?"

"..."

He was answered by silence.

Who would dare object?

Those able to study here were not of low social standing. Though they were still children, they had learned some common knowledge about Soul Masters from their parents in advance.

Given Bai Chen's situation, everyone else in the class might not be his match even if they attacked together.

"Then it is settled."

Lin Jiayi said cheerfully,

"Do not worry. The position of class monitor is not fixed forever. If any of you have ambitions, you may challenge him—in the unique way of our Sun-Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy."

"What does that mean?"

The question came from a boy wearing glasses.

Lin Jiayi patiently explained,

"Our Sun-Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy evaluates not only your abilities as Soul Masters, but also your talent as Soul Engineers. Therefore, all examinations and competitions here are divided into the fields of Soul Masters and Soul Engineers."

False Data

According to Lin Jiayi's explanation, the Soul Master assessments and Soul Engineer assessments at the Sun-Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy were calculated separately.

For example, Bai Chen's Soul Master score would certainly be perfect, but Soul Master scores accounted for only fifty percent of the total. If his Soul Engineer score was a complete disaster, he could be surpassed by students with weaker raw strength.

It could be said that at the Sun-Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy, those without talent for Soul Guide Devices started out with half the points of everyone else.

Of course, the Sun-Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy did not deny opportunities to students who only excelled at being Soul Masters. Once they advanced in grade, they could choose the path of the Practical Soul Guidance Department.

The so-called Practical Soul Guidance Department was, bluntly put, for Soul Masters proficient in using Soul Guide Devices. Students in the Practical Soul Guidance Department generally did not make Soul Guide Devices themselves; they were only responsible for using them. A typical example was the Sword Maniac, Ji Juechen.

However, that would only come several years later. At least in the lower grades, studying Soul Guide Device knowledge remained crucial.

After hearing Lin Jiayi's words, the students in the class finally regained some spirit.

That was right. This was the Sun-Moon Empire. Talent as a Soul Master was not everything. As long as the Soul Guide Devices they created were powerful enough, they could still reverse the gap between the strong and weak even if their Martial Souls were poor.

Seeing them recover their spirits, Lin Jiayi smiled faintly and said,

"Now that the physical testing is over, please head to the classroom for your lessons. Your classroom is at the other end of this floor. Just walk straight after leaving. The teacher responsible for instructing you is already waiting there."

"Alright."

Under his guidance, the students chattered as they left the testing room and headed toward the classroom Lin Jiayi had mentioned.

Lin Jiayi, meanwhile, looked thoughtfully at the recorded scores in his notebook, then headed toward the dean's office.

At the moment, Jing Hongchen was the only person in the dean's office. Seeing Lin Jiayi enter, he asked in surprise,

"What is it, Jiayi? If I remember correctly, this should be the time for those children's orientation."

"It ended early."

Lin Jiayi walked straight to the desk and placed the notebook in his hand on top of it.

"Hall Master, please take a look."

"Hmm?"

Jing Hongchen paused his work, picked up the notebook, and carefully looked through it.

Very quickly, he understood what Lin Jiayi meant.

"Bai Chen's data... is quite impressive."

"Yes."

Lin Jiayi said,

"And when we tested his physical data, the device malfunctioned for the first time. I suspect the Nine-Treasure Glazed Sect placed an item on him that blocks detection, causing us to obtain false data."

After thinking it over, he still believed that Bai Chen's physical strength in the forties was fake. The machine must have malfunctioned.

He could not really be blamed for that. Any normal person would think the same thing.

Who could imagine that a Level 16 Soul Master truly possessed the physical strength of a Soul Ancestor? That was already beyond the realm of humanity.

Moreover, the machine malfunctioned two seconds after that data appeared, so it was not strange for him to reach that conclusion.

"I see."

Jing Hongchen chuckled, set down the notebook, and smiled.

"In that case, give him more benefits and find a way to draw him to our side."

Jing Hongchen did not pay much attention to Bai Chen's above-average data. In his eyes, aside from the suspected false physical strength data, Bai Chen's results were merely decent.

The data measured by the Sun-Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy used ordinary Soul Engineers as the evaluation standard. In other words, the strength Bai Chen displayed was only equivalent to that of a Level 22 Soul Engineer.

It was certainly unusual for a Level 16 Soul Master to exert the strength of Level 22, but it was nothing remarkable compared to true geniuses.

At least Jing Hongchen's grandson and granddaughter had already reached above Level 25 in strength when they were Level 16, and neither of them was even a strength-type Soul Master.

He did not know that the strength Bai Chen had displayed was merely the tip of the iceberg. If he knew that Bai Chen's full-force strength could even approach that of a Soul Emperor, he would absolutely not have remained so calm.

Compared to Bai Chen's strength, Jing Hongchen was actually more curious about how he had reached Level 16 at such a young age... but considering that the Nine-Treasure Glazed Sect was also a powerful sect with a heritage spanning more than ten thousand years, it was not strange for them to possess some special secret techniques.

As for whether Bai Chen could be won over to his side, Jing Hongchen did not consider that much of a problem. Bai Chen was only six years old, precisely at the stage when his worldview was forming. It would not be difficult to influence him gradually.

How mature could a mere six-year-old child be, no matter how mature he seemed? The boy would be studying at the Sun-Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy for a full five years. With enough sugar-coated bullets, there was no need to worry that he could not be won over.

"Yes, I understand, Hall Master."

Having received Jing Hongchen's instructions, Lin Jiayi nodded lightly to show that he understood, then turned and left the dean's office.

He deliberately waited until Bai Chen's class was dismissed before calling Bai Chen over. With a gentle expression, he said,

"Bai Chen, I told the dean about your physical test data. He said that talent like yours is qualified to receive more resources. Starting today, your laboratory's rare metal quota will be doubled."

"Really? Thank you, Director Lin!"

Before Lin Jiayi, Bai Chen still acted harmless and innocent.

Seeing his delighted expression, Lin Jiayi smiled in satisfaction.