Lan Xiu offered up his beloved tool, the scandalous Song of Ice and Snow, and Master Kong's arrival (4K)

"The class will provisionally have thirty students. Selection will be open to everyone from Year 1 through Year 6, with three assessments in total," homeroom teacher Zhou Qin explained in detail.

"First is soul tool construction. This is a soul engineer's bread and butter, an indispensable part of every assessment at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy.

You will draw a soul tool category at random and produce a finished item within the allotted time. The higher its level and the less time you take, the higher your score.

The second assessment is a comprehensive written examination. Besides knowledge of soul tools, it will cover martial souls, soul beasts, team tactics, and more. Make sure you're prepared."

"Aaah-"

At those words, the classroom became a field of mourning cries. The Year 5 students clutched their heads in agony.

Xiao Hongchen's expression froze. Meng Hongchen's pretty face drooped like a little eggplant struck by frost. Ye Guyi became a little bitter melon in human form, her Holy Angel reduced to a Wretched Angel. The first two assessments clearly did her no favors.

Lin Qing understood the source of his classmates' wails. Objectively speaking, the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy had certain shortcomings in martial soul education. Otherwise, everyone from top to bottom would not have failed to recognize the Light Goddess Butterfly's secret.

In this respect, Shrek Academy truly demonstrated the knowledge befitting the continent's foremost Soul Master Academy. Wang Dong had been exposed the moment she enrolled. Only out of respect for the Clear Sky Sect had martial soul department dean Yan Shaozhe chosen not to reveal it, simply letting her be.

"Quit your howling. Who told you to zone out whenever you had theory classes? I'll give you remedial lessons over these next three months. Get serious about revising."

Zhou Qin laughed as he scolded them, then continued, "You should all have some idea what the final assessment is. Whether we're soul masters or soul engineers, the ultimate goal of our cultivation is the same: improving our combat ability.

All students who register for the selection tournament will be shuffled together and draw lots for fair, one-on-one battles. Before the final sixteen, we'll use double elimination. From the final sixteen onward, losers are eliminated outright, while winners advance.

Stationary soul tools and Invincible Shields are forbidden in the selection tournament. If you use soul tools you didn't make yourself, remember that they must not exceed your own soul engineer level.

Let me remind you: don't dream of slipping through muddy waters. Keep any bullshit about suddenly attaining enlightenment while observing the stars to yourselves.

Most of you grew up under the academy teachers' eyes. We can tell at a glance whether you made whatever you pull out."

"Hehe..."

Some students below laughed awkwardly. Their homeroom teacher certainly knew them well-he had instantly anticipated their little cheating schemes.

Watching the young monkeys settle down, Zhou Qin nodded slightly. After all, this was only an academy assessment. The higher-ups wanted to weigh the students' own abilities.

If they were heading off to the Soul Master Tournament to win glory for their country, the old hands at Mingde Hall would supply cutting-edge technology without the students even needing to ask.

"Combat will account for half your overall score. Soul tool construction and the written examination will each account for twenty-five percent. Go home and work out your own intensive training plans," Zhou Qin said.

"Now that we've covered the assessments, let's discuss the benefits.

The academy will pour enormous resources into these thirty students, giving them Mingde Hall-level support ahead of time. Three meals a day will be tailored to each student's constitution and development path, all academy facilities will be open to them for cultivation, and a Level 9 Soul Engineer will be invited to give a masterclass every week.

Beyond that, the student with the highest overall score will receive a mystery grand prize: one high-level soul tool made by Hall Master Hongchen, plus their choice of one item from Mingde Hall's black-level treasury. Apparently, there are Ten Thousand Year Soul Bones stored inside."

"Ten Thousand Year Soul Bones!"

Everyone caught the key phrase. Heads rose, eyes shining. Sun Moon soul engineers generally had weaker constitutions than Douluo soul masters, and soul bones could improve their physiques!

A glimmer flashed through Lin Qing's eyes. Mingde Hall's black-level treasury sounded wealthy. Perhaps it held something that could nourish Electrolux's soul!

"Crack, crack..."

Behind Little Meng's seat, Xiao Hongchen had already begun stretching, his bones cracking loudly. A pillow had arrived just as he was getting sleepy! With an academy-wide selection tournament, wouldn't he finally have his showdown atop the Forbidden City?

The final battle, watched by everyone: divine beast bloodline versus ultimate martial soul.

After an earth-shaking, epic battle, the inheritor of the Three-Legged Golden Toad would raise his slender index finger high, proclaiming the one and only king. His standing as the world's greatest genius would be sealed for good!

Imagining that legendary scene, Xiao Hongchen felt ants crawling through his heart, his whole body itching unbearably with anticipation!

Silver-gray eyes met mismatched blue and green ones, sparks almost flying. Lin Qing and Xiao Hongchen clearly saw the fierce fighting spirit in each other's eyes.

This time, both had reasons they could not afford to lose!

Seeing this, Zhou Qin leisurely left the classroom, leaving the world to its vibrant young people.

The moment their teacher left, the room erupted into noise as everyone discussed the selection tournament that had set the entire academy alight.

With combat accounting for fifty percent of the total score, the Year 5 students, who were Level 4 Soul Engineers, had a tremendous advantage.

The Year 6 students were indeed Level 5 Soul Engineers, but their geniuses had already entered Mingde Hall. Those left were mostly old-timers with middling talent, no match for the wealth of talent in Year 5.

"Lin Qing."

A figure hurried up to Lin Qing's desk. It was Lan Xiu, his opponent in the assessment to skip levels.

Sporting a pair of panda eyes, Lan Xiu lightly pressed his lips together and said in a trembling voice, "Lin Qing, Nine Radiances is my only soul tool, a treasure I cherish like a beloved wife.

After a night of inner struggle, I finally understood something. I was terribly selfish before. The three Nine Radiances orbs you infused completely surpassed the originals. I'm not a qualified soul engineer, and I certainly can't stop Nine Radiances from running toward someone better than me."

Taking out the six pure, untainted Nine Radiances orbs, Lan Xiu shakily offered them up of his own accord. He closed his eyes and bowed deeply at ninety degrees.

"Please, modify my Nine Radiances to your heart's content!"

A classmate voluntarily offering up his beloved tool.

This film had considerable artistic merit.

Before Lin Qing could reply, Meng Hongchen beat him to it, her face full of disdain. "What a crafty Lan Xiu you are! Asking Lin Qing to modify Nine Radiances with ultimate metal so you can boost your fighting strength right before the tournament, huh?"

"Slander! This is slander!" Lan Xiu's handsome face flushed red. "I'm making use of the tournament rules. It's perfectly legal!"

"Then don't just bow. At least show some sincerity." Meng Hongchen mercilessly exposed Lan Xiu's background.

"Lin Qing, Lan Xiu's father enjoys His Majesty's deep favor and controls the empire's finances. His family is swimming in money. Fleece him good!"

"Oh~"

Nobody had a grudge against Gold Soul Coins. Lin Qing also wanted to see what a wealthy young Sun Moon gentleman could offer.

Seeing Little Meng dismantle his disguise in a second, Lan Xiu simply stopped pretending. He took out a million-value Gold Card and solemnly handed it to Lin Qing along with Nine Radiances, sighing wistfully.

"Personally, nothing pleases me more than paying for technology.

Lin Qing, sorry for the trouble. Please take good care of Nine Radiances."

"Ultimate metal cheats neither children nor elders."

Their hands clasped tightly together!

The grasp of greed!

With his plan to sublimate Nine Radiances settled, Lan Xiu hummed a tune and strolled happily out of the classroom with a gentleman's leisurely gait. Xiao Hongchen, who had been watching discreetly all along, promptly dragged away Meng Hongchen as she tried to claim credit.

Your big brother and Lin Qing are competing for the championship! How can you defect to the enemy as his little sister?

The students of Class 1, Year 5 left the classroom one after another, planning their preparations for the selection tournament. Ye Guyi remained slumped over her desk, half her lovely face buried in her snow-white arms, leaving only a pair of resentful golden eyes visible.

Lin Qing gently patted Miss Angel's shoulder and asked with a smile, "Feeling the pressure?"

"Yes..." Ye Guyi sighed. "My soul engineer level isn't outstanding, and my written examination score will probably be average too. I can only rely on combat to pull my score up. I can't guarantee I'll be selected."

"The assessments aren't actually as hard as you imagine. Look at Class 1, Year 5. A third of our classmates look around twenty already. Level 4 Soul Engineers under fifteen, like the Hongchen siblings and Lan Xiu, are the very best geniuses even in this holy land of soul engineers."

Lin Qing made a fist and waved it before Ye Guyi's eyes. "No need to belittle yourself. You're only fifteen. Youth has no limits. We'll build ourselves up and make it through together."

"All right."

Gently bumping fists with Lin Qing, Ye Guyi rekindled her flame of hope. "I'll borrow a few soul engineering books from the library and cram, then try the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy's simulated cultivation grounds tonight. An an... a Swan never gives up!"

"Sure. I wanted to visit the library anyway."

The two hit it off and headed down the tree-shaded path toward the academy library.

"By the way, if you help Lan Xiu modify Nine Radiances, aren't you worried more Sun Moon students will ask you to sublimate their soul tools later?" Ye Guyi asked curiously.

"I don't really mind. Making more friends is a good thing," Lin Qing replied casually.

On the Douluo Continent, strength reigned supreme. With the fame of ultimate metal spreading far and wide, many people were bound to seek his acquaintance, and Lin Qing was willing to welcome friends with exceptional talent and powerful backgrounds.

The reason was simple. He wanted to grind Taotie Douluo into drumsticks and stick them upside down in a cesspit. But would Shrek Academy allow an outsider to act so brazenly?

Ordinary students might stay out of it, but Shrek's inner circle and diehard supporters might not remain clearheaded. Dragon God Douluo, Azure Shadow Douluo, the Clear Sky Sect...

Even knowing Taotie Douluo bore the blame, they still could not accept abandoning a Level 98 Super Douluo.

Strangers originally uninvolved would be drawn in by the inherent conflict between their positions. Hatred would snowball, growing ever larger, tangling into an unsolvable knot. Only the destruction of one side could extinguish the flames sweeping in every direction.

Lin Qing had already recognized this problem. He had prepared himself mentally for all Shrek students, Shrek graduates, Shrek's old friends across the world, and even an invisible guiding hand to stand against him.

He needed to assemble his own team. Ye Guyi was the first member, and that had nothing to do with Miss Angel's beauty or her lack of cleverness.

When everyone gathered firewood, the flames rose high. The Hongchen siblings, Lan Xiu, the young geniuses of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy... Whenever an opportunity arose, Lin Qing would try to forge a bond. His ultimate talent, Metal Sublimation, made superb bait.

Chatting along the way, the two soon spotted the academy library beside an artificial lake.

Its white stone walls were clean and immaculate, like a piece of white jade cradled by the lake. Huge arched windows alternated with glass curtain walls, making the entire building bright and dignified. The library seemed to merge with the water.

The reading area was crowded, yet only the soft rustle of turning pages could be heard. Even the occasional quiet conversation was as soft as a whisper.

Soul engineers differed from soul masters. Developing new soul tools required extensive research. The Sun Moon students studied their predecessors' writings intently, their eyes focused and clear as they immersed themselves in the vast ocean of soul engineering knowledge.

Lin Qing and Ye Guyi used their Storage Soul Tools to reserve a table, then separated to find books.

In his previous life, Lin Qing had been a fine young Chinese man with well-rounded intellectual, physical, aesthetic, and practical development. His hobby was logging onto Qidian to read webnovels.

Living his second life on the Douluo Continent, he still maintained the diligent habits of a model student.

Lin Qing knew his approach was partly self-taught. He needed to integrate formal instruction with his own insights, so his goal was clear: soul engineering theory.

The dazzling array of bookshelves overwhelmed the eye. Lin Qing selected a volume on advanced soul engineering theory and pulled it out. The author's name stood prominently on its edge.

Kong Deming.

Silver Moon Douluo, pillar of the Sun Moon Empire, Level 10 Soul Engineer, founder of Mingde Hall, father of modern soul engineering...

All those honors belonged to one man.

A giant's work had to be sampled.

Opening the heavy cover, he found Kong Deming's bold, flowing handwriting printed on the flyleaf:

May every young person of Sun Moon become a dragon.

"That's an old volume."

An aged voice suddenly sounded behind him.

Lin Qing whipped around. A tall elderly man entered his view, his short gray-white hair standing upright. He looked hale and vigorous, his wise eyes bright and keen.

"Senior, you are...?" Lin Qing asked tentatively.

Despite his four-ring ultimate martial soul cultivation, he had not sensed the old man's soundless approach at all. The man's realm was far above his own.

"No need to call me senior. I'm merely an ordinary librarian." The old man smiled and shook his head.

"Silver Moon Douluo wrote this theory book the year he became a Level 9 Soul Engineer. He failed to consider that younger students might lack the comprehension required. There's too much knowledge, and it's too varied. It isn't worth your wasting time on it."

Pausing, the old man added, "I suggest borrowing the soul engineering theory books published by Hall Master Jing Hongchen. They keep pace with the times, and they even contain the exact questions you'll see. They'll get you through your final exams."

"Thank you for the guidance."

Lin Qing gladly thanked him, but did not put down Kong Deming's work. Useful or not, he wanted to study it.

The self-proclaimed librarian seemed merely to have passed by by chance. Having finished speaking, he turned and walked away.

Lin Qing continued searching for books that interested him. His silver-gray eyes swept swiftly over the shelves before a yellow cover suddenly caught his attention. Its large, black block lettering was striking.

"Don't lose because you can't express yourself"

After Ye Guyi had corrected his answer earlier that day, Lin Qing felt he really was not the type who excelled at handling girls. He decided to diligently learn from his predecessors.

Opening to a page in the middle, Lin Qing discovered a hidden world inside the book. A small illustrated booklet had been tucked between its pages...

"Song of Ice and Snow"

It appeared some student had left their beloved novel inside when returning the library book.

With a critical mindset, Lin Qing inspected its contents. "Song of Ice and Snow" told a secret story of the Far North: the forbidden relationship between the Ice Empress and the Snow Empress.

The author apparently had no limits whatsoever, even presumptuously guessing that the Ice Empress was a female soul beast. As for the Snow Empress...

The Heavenly Snow Woman was female, of course!

The Far North was bitterly cold all year round. The Ice Empress and Snow Empress embraced for warmth upon their icy thrones, concealing a forbidden relationship unknown to any beast. The Ice Empress was even the aggressor, because the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion had a scorpion tail!

Flipping casually through a few pages, he found exquisitely detailed illustrations of closely entwined bodies. Lin Qing hurriedly lifted his head and snapped the forbidden book shut, inwardly denouncing it. Utterly obscene, an affront to public decency...

Despicable!

Thinking that he could not allow it to poison Sun Moon's promising youth, and certainly not because he wanted to hide under his covers with his feet raised and savor it in secret, Lin Qing decisively confiscated it into his Storage Soul Tool.

Once he had taken his revenge, he would retire to the mountains and forests to research Song of Ice and Snow full-time.

Lin Qing returned to their reserved table. Ye Guyi had arrived a little earlier and had probably encountered the same old man. Five or six soul engineering books were stacked on the table, all written by Mingde Hall Master Jing Hongchen.

Recalling the old man's claim that the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy used exact questions from those books, Lin Qing strongly suspected the hall master of slipping in his own agenda.

Exchanging a smile, Lin Qing and Ye Guyi each settled down to work, sinking into a long silence.

Meanwhile, at the library's service desk.

The librarian sprang to his feet, overwhelmed by the honor as he looked at the old man before the desk. He exclaimed excitedly:

"Master Kong, what brings you here in person?"

"Mingde Hall's Number One Experimental Subject has run into a technical difficulty. Little Jing asked this old man to offer some guidance, so I came to see you while I was here," the old man said with a smile.