A Daughter Won't Stay Forever

After leaving the testing area, Xu Tiance waved a hand and sent Lin Jiayi away.

Looking around at the deserted surroundings, Ye Guyi pursed her lips, curiosity appearing on her face. "Where are we going now? Are we going to class?"

Class?

There was no way he was going to class. Sitting in a classroom and attending lessons... he had long since outgrown that, and he really did not want to experience it again. Besides, after receiving Kong Deming's instruction, he did not think the teachers at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy had anything to teach him.

With both hands in his pockets, Xu Tiance strolled along the tree-lined paths of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy. Sunlight filtered through the gaps between the plane tree leaves, scattering dappled light and shadows. He narrowed his eyes, enjoying this rare moment of leisure.

For the previous two years, he had followed Du Busi's body-tempering regimen almost every day, finally making it through the initial body-tempering period for his body martial soul. Du Busi could not really offer him much guidance in his subsequent cultivation. At most, once his soul power and spiritual power improved further, he could teach him the Body Sect's powerful combat technique, Unity of Heaven and Man.

When it came to developing his cell martial soul, Du Busi could offer him only a few suggestions at best.

Now that he finally had a chance to relax a little, he certainly could not be bothered to attend class.

Just as the two approached the teaching area, a sudden commotion came from a short distance ahead.

Hearing it, Ye Guyi immediately looked curious. She could not resist tugging on Xu Tiance's sleeve. "It sounds lively over there. Shall we take a look?"

Xu Tiance had the same idea, so he immediately took Ye Guyi by the hand and led her through a covered walkway between the teaching buildings.

The view suddenly opened up before them.

What appeared before Xu Tiance and Ye Guyi was a soul tool arena. It served much the same purpose as Shrek Academy's soul fighting arena, but did not have nearly as many rules. Generally, it was where students of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy sparred, tested soul tools, engaged in practical combat, and settled personal grudges.

Naturally, protective soul tool arrays surrounded the arena to keep the fallout from battles from injuring spectators.

Quite a crowd had gathered around the arena. Most were students from the lower years, with only a few people in instructors' uniforms watching from a short distance away.

Thanks to his height, Xu Tiance easily saw what was happening on the platform.

Two girls stood in the soul tool arena, one of whom was Meng Hongchen, whom he had met briefly the day before. She wore the academy's second-year uniform, with a Level 2 Soul Engineer badge attached to her cuff, and her long red hair shimmered faintly in the sunlight. Her opponent was a girl who looked fourteen or fifteen, with a Level 3 Soul Engineer badge pinned to her chest. At that moment, however, her face was flushed red, and disbelief lingered in her eyes.

The battle had already reached its final stages.

Although her opponent was a three-ring Soul Elder and a Level 3 Soul Engineer, Meng Hongchen still held the initiative thanks to her powerful martial soul and her skill in using soul tools.

A thoughtful look immediately appeared in Xu Tiance's eyes.

Meng Hongchen's and Xiao Hongchen's martial souls were both relatively powerful beast martial souls. The former possessed the rare combination of ice, fire, and poison attributes, while the latter's Three-Legged Golden Toad martial soul could even use soul tool metals to assist his cultivation. If taking pills had not damaged their foundations, both would undoubtedly have been promising future Titled Douluos, with a very good chance of becoming Super Douluos as well.

To be honest, Xu Tiance had never understood why, when people from Shrek Academy took pills, their cultivation was stable and their accumulated strength blossomed, while people from the Sun Moon Empire who took pills ended up with unstable foundations and hollow soul power...

But that was all right.

If pills were no good, surely immortal herbs would be fine?

If he remembered correctly, he happened to have an immortal herb that suited Xiao Hongchen extremely well. That herb would be enough to establish Xiao Hongchen's foundation.

While Xu Tiance was pondering this, the battle on the platform ended.

Meng Hongchen panted softly, tiny beads of sweat seeping out at her temples, but the corners of her mouth curved into a victorious smile. Opposite her, the Level 3 Soul Engineer's face was livid. Her lips moved as though she wanted to deliver some harsh parting words, but she ultimately swallowed them and turned to jump down from the soul tool arena.

A burst of enthusiastic applause and cheers immediately erupted below the platform.

Wearing a gentle smile, Meng Hongchen politely bowed to the spectators. As she straightened, her gaze swept casually across the crowd and soon settled on Xu Tiance.

The moment she spotted Xu Tiance, Meng Hongchen's eyes lit up. She immediately bounded down from the soul tool arena, squeezed straight through the crowd, and hurried to his side.

"Brother Tiance, what brings you here? Did you see how I did just now? I did pretty well, didn't I?"

Hearing how Meng Hongchen addressed him, Ye Guyi frowned slightly, a wary look appearing in her eyes.

Still, Ye Guyi knew that, given Xu Tiance's status, he was destined to have many wives and concubines in the future. She therefore said nothing more and merely turned to look at him quietly.

"I saw a little. You were impressive."

Xu Tiance gave Meng Hongchen a thumbs-up, and her smile grew even brighter. But when her gaze landed on Ye Guyi beside him, that smile involuntarily stiffened.

Yesterday, she had pestered her grandfather, Jing Hongchen, and learned about Ye Guyi's and Ju Zi's identities from him.

Ye Guyi could blend her soul power with Xu Tiance's and perform a Martial Soul Fusion Skill, just as Meng Hongchen could with her brother... so Ye Guyi and Xu Tiance lived in the same dorm room. As for that Ju Zi, she was merely one of Xu Tiance's maids and was no cause for concern.

So... her main rival was this Ye Guyi!

Soon, Meng Hongchen resumed chatting and laughing with Xu Tiance as though nothing had happened.

Xiao Hongchen, who was next to take the platform, instinctively looked down to see what his younger sister was doing. With a single glance, he spotted Meng Hongchen standing beside Xu Tiance, smiling like a little fool.

At the sight, the corner of Xiao Hongchen's mouth could not help twitching.

My dear little sister, didn't you promise to cheer me on? How did you run over to the Crown Prince's side the moment I turned my head? Even if His Highness the Crown Prince is just a tiny bit more handsome than me, surely that's no reason to toss me to the back of your mind?

They say a grown daughter won't stay at home... but she isn't even grown yet!

Xiao Hongchen could not help sighing inwardly before focusing his gaze on his opponent again.