After slapping two damning accusations on him,
Chen Mo did not stop.
Instead, he continued, "Come to think of it, judging by what happened today, has Dean Park often abducted talented students from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy as well?"
"You rotten brat... you're talking nonsense!"
"You... you're despicable, shameless, and utterly unreasonable..."
Park Guk-chang glared viciously at Chen Mo and cursed him out.
Originally, he had merely been trying to force someone's hand on moral grounds.
Yet this brat had blown it wildly out of proportion.
First, the princess was committing treason, and then he was committing treason himself.
The boy had even accused him of stealing students from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy.
With those three charges hanging over him,
advancing meant death, and retreating meant death too.
Even explaining himself still meant death.
Faced with Park Guk-chang's abuse, Chen Mo pulled a face.
After all, the other man had been the one to strike first.
"So who exactly committed treason? The princess, or you, Park Guk-chang?"
"And as Chen Mo said, have you actually abducted other students from my academy?"
Jing Hongchen finally caught on as well.
He hurriedly picked up the thread and delivered a fatal question.
Park Guk-chang was struck speechless.
"It seems Dean Park doesn't know how to answer."
"No matter. I'll take you to the imperial palace."
"We'll have the emperor settle this!"
Click—bang—boom!
Jing Hongchen aimed his soul cannon at the group and fired a shell.
Of course, he had kept its power in check.
After all, Park Guk-chang had been appointed by the imperial family.
It was only right to let them deal with him.
After knocking Park Guk-chang and his companions unconscious with a single shot,
Jing Hongchen turned to Chen Mo. "We meet again, Chen Mo. Golden Toad mentions you to me quite often."
"To think you've displayed such astonishing talent in just three short months."
"But you're not very good at keeping your word, are you?"
"Didn't we wager that you'd become my student if you passed the Level 2 Soul Engineer Assessment within a year? Why did you become Golden Toad's disciple instead?"
Jing Hongchen had deliberately brought this up.
He wanted to see how Chen Mo would react.
Seeing Jing Hongchen still putting on an act at a time like this,
Chen Mo was left speechless.
Still, since the old man enjoyed acting, he might as well play along. "Well, there was nothing I could do. I'm so gifted and handsome that countless people want me as their student."
"My teacher Golden Toad, in particular, not only gave me a soul tool as a gift, but nearly got down on his knees to beg me to become his disciple."
"I was moved by his sincerity, so I accepted him as my teacher."
The corners of Jing Hongchen's mouth twitched.
This brat really could spin a load of nonsense.
What do you mean, I gave you a soul tool as a gift? You were the one who held out your hand and demanded a gift for becoming my disciple.
If I hadn't left in a hurry, and taking a disciple hadn't been a spur-of-the-moment decision,
I would never have given you Hongchen's Protection.
And what was that about kneeling and begging you?
Ha.
When did I ever do that? How come I don't know about it?
Still, it was fortunate that he had given the brat Hongchen's Protection. Otherwise, Chen Mo really would have been in trouble today.
"All right, enough cheek."
"I'll take Park Guk-chang and the others to the palace to see the emperor now."
"I'll make sure you get a proper answer for what happened today."
Jing Hongchen took out a rope and bundled Park Guk-chang and his companions up like a pile of rubbish.
He lifted them and prepared to leave.
Chen Mo hurriedly reminded him, "Dean, Park Guk-chang will probably deny everything to his dying breath. Remember to bring the surveillance recordings as evidence."
"Also, we should tighten the academy's security."
As he spoke, he took out the box-shaped soul device Park Guk-chang had mentioned earlier.
"Look, this is what they used to sneak into the academy."
Jing Hongchen took it, examined it, and put it away. "Understood. Go back to your dormitory first."
With that, Jing Hongchen flew away.
Chen Mo returned to his room.
The next day, in the cafeteria,
Chen Mo was eating lunch.
Meng Hongchen came over with her tray and sat down.
"I heard about what happened last night. Are you all right, Little Mo?"
Chen Mo shook his head, quickly chewed and swallowed his food, then said, "Don't worry, Senior Sister. I'm fine. See? I'm sitting right here eating, perfectly safe and sound."
"Those people from the Mingdu Soul Engineer Academy are absolutely vile."
"They resorted to such underhanded methods to steal a student, and when they failed, they even tried to kill you."
"Hmph! If I run into any of them next time, I'll definitely teach them a proper lesson."
Even as Meng Hongchen spoke angrily, she did not forget to use her chopsticks to put food on Chen Mo's plate.
Then she asked, "By the way, Little Mo, the end of term is almost here. What are your plans?"
"I'm planning to go back to my sect and see my master."
"And hunt for my third soul ring while I'm at it."
Chen Mo told Meng Hongchen the plans he had settled on long ago.
As for Chen Mo's sect, Meng Hongchen had already learned from Jing Hongchen that he came from the Body Sect.
But hearing that he also had a master
piqued her curiosity. "Your master? Who is he? Is he very powerful?"
Chen Mo thought for a moment before answering, "Just a little old man with a bit of strength, a stubborn streak, and a strange temper. He's not all that powerful."
If Du Busi had been there,
he would definitely have strung Chen Mo up and given him a beating.
A distinguished Level 98 Super Douluo,
yet in Chen Mo's mouth, he had become a little old man who was not all that powerful.
Meng Hongchen looked a little downcast. "Sigh... I thought you'd stay at the academy over the holidays, so I could show you around Mingdu properly. I didn't expect you to be going back."
"Oh, is that all?"
"How about this? I'll stay at the academy for the next holiday, and you can show me around Mingdu then."
Chen Mo said it casually.
Meng Hongchen nodded eagerly. "Great! It's a promise, then."
"By the way, what soul beast are you planning to hunt for your third ring?"
"A Spirit Vein Brocade-Scale Python!"
While Chen Mo had been out shopping,
he had happened across a vendor selling a book called the Record of Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts.
Without another word,
he had bought it for three copper soul coins.
Afterward, he had found the Spirit Vein Brocade-Scale Python listed inside.
As it happened, the Spirit Vein Brocade-Scale Python was a mental-attribute soul beast.
According to the records, this soul beast had a thick, powerful body and extremely high intelligence.
It lived along the boundary between the outer and mixed zones of the Star Dou Great Forest.
Meng Hongchen did not know much about soul beasts.
So she did not pursue the topic, and chatted about other things instead.
"How are your soul engineering studies going? Are you confident about passing the Level 2 and Level 3 Soul Tool assessments?"
"Uh... Senior Sister, I've only been studying Level 2 and Level 3 soul engineering for two weeks."
"No matter how much of a genius I am, I can't possibly learn it all in such a short time."
Chen Mo smiled helplessly.
Meng Hongchen thought that made sense, then smiled. "How about this? If you can pass the Level 2 Soul Engineer examination before the end of next term, Little Mo, I'll give you a mystery reward. What do you say?"
"A reward? What is it?" Chen Mo asked.
Meng Hongchen turned her head away. "It's a mystery reward, so naturally I can't tell you. But don't worry. This reward is definitely very precious."
And just like that,
Chen Mo somehow found himself accepting another wager, this time with Meng Hongchen.
Two days later,
Chen Mo set off on his journey back to the sect.
Meanwhile, over at Shrek Academy,
Huo Yuhao was having an extremely difficult time.
Before you continue