However, at the very same moment Jing Hongchen was making his solemn guarantee—
Sun Moon Empire, Crown Prince's Palace.
"Crash—clang!"
The young man in the wheelchair suddenly swept his hand out, knocking the precious jade cups, brushes, ink, and memorials from the table to the floor in one go.
The great hall fell deathly silent. The maids and guards were so terrified that they knelt on the ground, not even daring to breathe loudly.
Xu Tianran stared fixedly at the spy kneeling amid the shattered porcelain below. His voice had turned somewhat shrill from extreme fury. "You... say what you just said again!"
The spy trembled all over as he stammered, "Your Highness, every word is true. That youth possesses the Sun Martial Soul, and he is... of royal blood with Dual Ultimate Attributes: Ultimate Light and Ultimate Fire."
Upon hearing this, Xu Tianran felt a violent surge in his chest. His throat sweetened, and he was so enraged that he nearly spat out a mouthful of blood!
His hands clenched the wheelchair's armrests tightly, veins bulging on the backs of them. The frustration and rage in his heart nearly set his entire body ablaze.
Why?!
He had barely escaped that deadly calamity, even sacrificing both his legs! He had barely managed to eliminate his second brother! He had barely secured his position as Crown Prince!
He had finally endured until his imperial father was gravely ill and had little time left, with the throne seemingly within reach...
And now they were telling him that, out of nowhere, a legitimate royal descendant with Double Ultimate Attributes had appeared?!
Xu Tianran gritted his teeth, hatred for his imperial father filling his heart.
Why hadn't his father been more thorough when purging the bloodline of the previous dynasty for the throne? Why hadn't he uprooted them completely? He had actually left behind such a deadly scourge!
He couldn't be allowed to live! Absolutely not!
Undisguised killing intent erupted from Xu Tianran's eyes. He had to kill that brat at any cost before his talent was fully revealed. As long as he died, even if those old fogeys from the Hall of Consecration held him accountable afterward, could they really make him, the heir apparent, pay for a dead man with his life?
"Pass down my—"
"Report!"
A shadow guard hurried into the hall and dropped to one knee. "Your Highness, urgent news from our informant. Jing Hongchen has just entered the Worship Hall!"
Xu Tianran's words came to an abrupt halt.
Like a deflated balloon, he slumped back in his wheelchair.
One step too late, and everything was lost.
Once Elder Kong learned of this matter, taking action openly would be absolutely impossible.
The pressure in the great hall dropped to freezing point. Xu Tianran's expression was so gloomy it seemed ready to drip water as his mind raced. Since he could not kill him by force, he could only make a long-term plan.
"All of you, leave."
Xu Tianran waved away the irrelevant people, leaving behind only his confidant. In a cold tone, he ordered, "Go there. Deliver a message to those people for me."
"Tell them that someone with Ultimate Light has appeared in Ming Capital. As for whether they are afraid or whether they will intervene, let them decide for themselves."
After giving these instructions, Xu Tianran lowered his head and looked at his empty lower body. Deep in his eyes was fanatical obsession.
No one can shake my throne. No one!
With Lin Jiayi personally handling everything and clearing the way, Ye Chenxing and Qian Renxue's enrollment procedures went exceptionally smoothly. Altogether, it took less than half an hour.
After respectfully handing Ye Chenxing two Soul Tool identity crystal cards representing Illustrious Virtue Hall's internal privileges, Lin Jiayi wiped the sweat from his forehead. He then turned to Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen beside him, bowed slightly, and spoke with great respect.
"Young Master Xiao, Miss Meng. Young Master Ye and Miss Ye have only just arrived, so I must trouble the two of you to show them around the academy's teaching areas and facilities and help them familiarize themselves with the place. I still have some affairs concerning the new students to handle, so I'll be taking my leave."
"Go ahead, Director Lin. Leave it to us," Xiao Hongchen said with a wave of his hand.
Lin Jiayi bowed once more to Ye Chenxing before turning and quickly leaving.
Once Lin Jiayi's back vanished at the end of the corridor, Meng Hongchen immediately skipped forward like a cheerful lark. With her hands behind her back, her large eyes sparkling as she looked at Ye Chenxing, she smiled brightly.
"Although we spent most of the day in the same waiting room, we never had the chance to properly introduce ourselves. Hello, I'm Meng Hongchen. This one who keeps a straight face all day is my biological older brother, Xiao Hongchen. From now on, we'll be classmates at the academy. Please take care of us!"
Ye Chenxing revealed a gentle smile that could not be faulted in the slightest and replied politely, "Hello. I'm Ye Chenxing. Just call me Chenxing. I've long heard that the two of you are outstanding in both appearance and talent. Now that I've met you, you truly are worthy descendants of Hall Master Jing. Your bearing is indeed extraordinary."
"Ye Chenxing." Xiao Hongchen's voice was low. "Your talent truly surpasses mine by far. But I, Xiao Hongchen, am not someone who gives up easily! A Dual-Ultimate Martial Soul is indeed powerful, but battle depends not only on Martial Souls, but also on Soul Tools and combat experience. One day, I will defeat you fair and square in the Soul Duel Arena!"
Listening to this speech that sounded like something straight out of a textbook for the second male lead, Ye Chenxing found it difficult to keep a straight face. "I'll be waiting anytime, Brother Xiao."
Then, he turned slightly and introduced, "This is my older sister, Ye Xue."
Qian Renxue still maintained her aloof, otherworldly demeanor, perfectly playing the role of a cold and icy beauty. She merely gave the Hongchen siblings a slight nod without saying a word.
Meng Hongchen's gaze fell upon Qian Renxue's breathtakingly beautiful face. Her large eyes rolled around before she suddenly leaned a little closer and casually asked,
"Older sister? Chenxing, you two don't look very alike. Are you actually biological siblings?"
"No." Ye Chenxing shook his head. "We're both orphans. Our grandfather adopted us when we were young, and we grew up together."
The moment those words came out, the smile on Meng Hongchen's face remained unchanged, but alarm bells instantly rang in her heart!
No blood relation?! Adopted by the same grandfather since childhood? Childhood sweethearts?!
Meng Hongchen had read plenty of romance novels circulated across Douluo Continent. In this world, those so-called "sworn older brothers and younger sisters" or "siblings without blood relations" would, nine times out of ten, end up becoming lovers!
Especially given their appearances—just thinking about it made her heart sink.
At that thought, Meng Hongchen's gaze toward Qian Renxue seemed to ignite.
She secretly clenched her little fists.
I won't lose!
Naturally, Qian Renxue had no idea that the young girl opposite her had already regarded her as her greatest rival. At that moment, she was still quietly observing this number one Soul Engineer academy on the continent.
After exchanging greetings, the Hongchen siblings dutifully became guides and led the two of them around the academy.
Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy was primarily divided into three major areas: the teaching area, the dormitory area, and the experimental area.
The experimental area alone occupied more than two-thirds of the academy's grounds. At its very center stood the famed Illustrious Virtue Hall.
As he walked through the enormous academy, Ye Chenxing could not help clicking his tongue in amazement.
Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy actually gave him the feeling of a university from his previous life.
After making a full round, Ye Chenxing stopped and casually asked,
"By the way, which area are our dormitories in?"
Hearing this question, Meng Hongchen was first stunned, then smiled slightly.
"Dormitories? Chenxing, do you have some misunderstanding about your current status? With your royal identity, how could Grandpa possibly let you stay in the new student dormitories? And there's no way he'd make you eat at the main cafeteria! Don't worry. Someone will probably come pick you up soon and arrange special accommodations for you. Your meals will be handled by dedicated staff too."
Ye Chenxing nodded in satisfaction at those words.
Fortunately, he would not have to be like at Shrek, fighting hundreds or thousands of people over two toilets and standing while eating in the cafeteria.
No sooner had Meng Hongchen finished speaking than a series of extremely hurried footsteps suddenly sounded from the end of the corridor.
"Thud, thud, thud—"
Accompanied by those heavy footsteps, Jing Hongchen's round figure charged over like a heavily armored tank, stirring up a powerful gust of wind.
He did not even spare his own grandson and granddaughter a glance. He stopped directly in front of Ye Chenxing, his previously rosy, plump face now filled with solemnity.
"Your Highness, come with me," Jing Hongchen said in a lowered voice.
"Elder Kong wishes to see you."
Before you continue