Jing Hongchen

"Heavens, this academy is huge!"

Xiao Xiao stood in the line, letting out an involuntary exclamation as she gazed at a rough map of the adjacent academy and the land area displayed upon it.

Lin Mo and Huo Yuyao followed Xiao Xiao's gaze, seeing that an exhibition board nearby held a somewhat strange map.

The map was not detailed everywhere like the ones Lin Mo had seen in his past life, but merely used wireframes to outline the scale of the academy.

"This-this is probably to keep people from knowing information inside the school. After all, the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy is the premier academy of the Sun Moon Empire."

"So that's how it is."

"Brother Xiao Mo, Xiao Xiao, hurry up, it's our turn."

Huo Yuyao took both of their hands and walked over to a young teacher wearing a white research uniform and a kind expression.

"Hello, three little ones. Come over here and begin the testing."

With that, she guided the three of them over to several machines.

"This is used to test some of your physical data and innate soul power. Let's take it one by one; which of you is going first?"

"I'll go, I'll go. Hehe."

Xiao Xiao volunteered by raising her hand, speaking with a smiling, sparkling expression.

The female teacher merely gave a gentle smile as she looked at the bouncing Xiao Xiao, extending a hand to lead her along.

Once Xiao Xiao stood before the machine and went through the scan, another teacher nearby holding a recorder began to ask questions.

"Little one, I will ask, and you just need to answer."

"O-okay."

Hearing the inquiry, even Xiao Xiao could not help feeling somewhat nervous.

"First, state your name, age, and martial souls."

"My name is Xiao Xiao, I am nine years old, and my martial souls are the Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron and the Nine-Phoenix Ceremonial Xiao."

The two teachers, who had still been recording information and paying attention to the machine, froze all at once.

At the same time, the instrument used for physical testing also emitted a cold mechanical voice.

"Gender: female, bone age: 9 years old, innate soul power: level 9, current soul power level: 17."

Having heard the complete information, the gazes of the two teachers locked directly onto Xiao Xiao, their expressions carrying a trace of the unbelievable.

Innate level 9, twin martial souls-this was truly a rare talent within the empire.

"Xiao Xiao, right? Um, please wait a moment,"

the teacher previously responsible for recording information said incoherently at that moment.

"Yes, your talent is very high, and we need to report to the director. Don't worry, it will be very fast, and this will also be beneficial for your future resources."

Saying this, the female teacher left the scene first.

Of course, the remaining middle-aged male teacher did not stop his steps because of this. He had Xiao Xiao sit off to one side and then spoke.

"You sit down first, and I'll help test your friend."

He still firmly believed that geniuses were bound to have other geniuses around them.

"Next, which of the two of you students will go first?"

"Then I'll go first."

Lin Mo stepped onto the machine a step ahead of Huo Yuyao.

"What I want to ask is still the same."

Lin Mo nodded, feeling the cold light of the instrument sweep across his body as he reported his own information.

"My name is Lin Mo, I am 9 years old, and my martial soul is the Mystic Sword."

Upon hearing the introduction, although the middle-aged teacher's face did not change and he still maintained a hint of politeness, his tone clearly turned somewhat disappointed.

"Sigh, as expected, geniuses aren't encountered all the time. Being able to run into one can already be considered our academy's good luck this year."

While he muttered to himself, the testing sound of the machine on the other side rang out once more.

"Gender: male, bone age: 9 years old, innate soul power: Level 10, current soul power level: Level 15."

"In-Innate Full Soul Power?"

The male teacher, who had been somewhat depressed upon hearing that the martial soul was merely an ordinary sword, suddenly widened his eyes the moment he heard of Innate Full Soul Power.

After all, it had already been verified nowadays that the quality of a martial soul could not completely determine the level of innate soul power, but the level of innate soul power could definitely determine the quality of a martial soul.

(Of course, this was assuming no drugs had been taken or mysterious cultivation techniques practiced.)

(After all, in the era of Douluo II, only Tang Sect techniques could elevate innate soul power.)

"The academy actually got two geniuses!"

"Although this boy's current soul power level is a bit low, looking at him, he doesn't look like he comes from any wealthy family, and the mechanical testing here also shows that his physical condition is not in a particularly good state."

"This information has also been recorded. Lin student, sit over here. Once I finish recording this girl's information as well, Director Lin should have arrived by then, and he will arrange things for you next."

When it was Huo Yuyao's turn, she imitated the appearance of the other two, standing on the machinery and feeling the cold light sweep across her body. She could not help feeling somewhat nervous.

"There's no need to be nervous, little sister. First come and answer your basic information-just your name, age, and martial soul will do."

"A-Alright, my name is Huo Yuyao, my age is 9, and my martial soul is the Spirit Eyes, which is an eye martial soul of the Mental Attribute."

The teacher, who had just calmed down and held some expectations, stood up instantly at that moment.

He was not merely a teacher, but even more so a soul engineer-or rather, the mainstream of the entire school was the crafting of soul tools.

He was all the more aware that in the realm of crafting soul tools, possessing a soul master who could amplify vision or mental-type soul masters-whether in crafting soul tools or using soul tools-brought advantages that ordinary soul masters could never match.

"Gender: female, bone age: 8 years old, innate soul power: level 9, current soul power level: 14."

"Another level 9?!"

Just as he was still in shock, a middle-aged man whose appearance and figure both leaned toward average descended beside them using a flying soul tool.

The middle-aged teacher responsible for recording offered a greeting immediately upon seeing this person.

"Director Lin."

"Mhm."

Lin Jiayi nodded lightly, then looked toward the three of them.

"Director Lin, it's not just this student Xiao Xiao. This student Lin Mo is a sword martial soul with Innate Full Soul Power, and furthermore this student Huo Yuyao-her martial soul is the Spirit Eyes, the Spirit Eyes of the Mental Attribute."

Lin Jiayi, who had still been putting on airs, opened his eyes in disbelief upon hearing these words.

"You're saying an eye martial soul?"

"It's the eyes."

Lin Jiayi strode in two or three steps to stand before Huo Yuyao.

"You must be Huo Yuyao. I am Lin Jiayi, the head director of the Soul Tool Department. Can you display your soul skill for a moment?"

Seeing that the other party wanted to see her soul skill, Huo Yuyao first looked at Lin Mo, and seeing him nod, she only then relaxed. Of course, this scene was also noticed by Lin Jiayi.

"Alright, Teacher Lin, could you please relax your mind? My first soul skill is a support soul skill named Spiritual Detection Sharing. It requires you to relax your mind so that I can support you."

"Alright."

Lin Jiayi did not hesitate in the slightest, subsequently relaxing his mental power because he did not believe the well-behaved young girl before him would harm him.

Of course, the most important thing was that he was, after all, an eighth-ring Soul Douluo; no matter what, he would not be injured by a first-ring soul master.

The moment he relaxed his mental power while still somewhat curious about what kind of support skill the other party possessed, a scene that he would find difficult to forget for the rest of his life appeared before his eyes-or rather, within his brain.

The space, or rather the range before him, extended all the way to the end of the freshman queue, and he perceived it with total clarity.

Through this support soul skill, he could even observe every single movement of the students far down the line in a single instant.

"This, this."

"Hehe, this Director Lin is feeling the exact same expression Xiao Yao had when I experienced it for the first time back then."

"After all, Xiao Yao's soul skill is just that strong. Calling it a divine skill is hardly an exaggeration."

Being a Soul Douluo after all, he naturally heard the conversation between Lin Mo and Xiao Xiao. After giving two awkward coughs, he spoke solemnly.

"Your talents are indeed very strong. Especially you, student Huo Yuyao-with your talent, particularly if you continually develop in the direction of soul tools, your future will absolutely be boundless. Therefore, I cannot make the decision on my own right now; I need to take you to see the dean."

Having spoken, he did not give the three of them a chance to reply, summoning a small flying soul tool directly to carry the three of them as he immediately flew away from the spot.

In just a few short minutes, the three of them stopped outside an office door, upon which hung a plaque:

[Dean's Office]

Lin Jiayi first knocked on the door to state his identity, and only after hearing permission sound from within did he push the door open and enter.

The three followed Lin Jiayi into the office. Behind the desk at the very front, a stern old man with silver-white hair and a somewhat short, stout figure was processing official business. When he set the documents in his hand to the side, he then raised his head to look at the few of them.

"This is Jing Hongchen. He looked clearly quite handsome in the manga; why dress like this? What was the reason again? I seem to have forgotten somewhat."

"Speaking of which, after staying here for a long time, it feels like I don't have much impression of things from before anymore."

While pondering inwardly, Lin Mo gazed straight ahead, or rather, looked toward Jing Hongchen.

"This is our dean, Jing Hongchen, Dean Jing."

"Hello, Dean."

"Hello, Dean."

"Hello, Dean."

The three spoke in unison as they bowed.

"No need for that. Hello, the three of you little ones."

Unlike the stern expression on his face, his voice, though comparatively deep, could still be considered gentle.

"Dean, these three young students are exceptionally talented in this recruitment. In particular, this blue-haired little girl named Huo Yuyao has a one-in-ten-thousand eye martial soul, and moreover her first soul skill is extremely formidable-one could even call it a divine skill."

"Oh? To receive such a review from you, that's quite exaggerated."

"I am not exaggerating, Dean."

Seeing that this subordinate, who usually wore a frivolous and lackadaisical demeanor in front of him, was currently exceptionally earnest, he could not help feeling somewhat curious.

He also wanted to know just how strong this support soul skill, termed a divine skill, truly was.

He stood up, came before Huo Yuyao, and spoke the exact words Lin Jiayi had said to her a few minutes earlier.

Huo Yuyao merely nodded, then released her martial soul once more.

Ugh, why do I feel like I'm a white mouse?

She muttered inwardly while releasing her soul skill.

Golden flowing light emerged within her eyes, and the originally azure-blue pupils transformed into brilliant gold at that moment.

After experiencing the miraculous soul skill for himself, Jing Hongchen also gained an understanding of the three youths' talents.

"All three of you are geniuses. I am very glad that you chose our academy."

As soon as Jing Hongchen finished speaking, he prepared to take out the sincerity befitting a dean. In his view, all three were indeed immensely talented.

Although the appeal of Lin Mo and Xiao Xiao was not quite as great as Huo Yuyao's, an Innate Full Soul Power and twin martial souls, placed across the entire academy, could not produce even two individuals looking up three generations. Even his own grandson and granddaughter only possessed level-nine innate soul power with single martial souls.

"Ah, these three are only younger than Xiao and Meng by about two years, which means they have a very good chance of participating in the same session of the Soul Master Tournament."

"It seems the heavens want to let our Sun Moon win for once, too?"

"Apologies, Dean, but there is one matter we need to state beforehand."

Lin Mo's voice rang out. Jing Hongchen, who had been on the verge of continuing, was abruptly interrupted yet showed no annoyance whatsoever.

From just a moment ago, he had already noticed that while the two girls at his side were indeed higher in talent based on merit, it seemed the boy in the middle was the core of the three.

"What is it, student Lin Mo?"

"It's like this, Dean. There is a point I want to make clear to you beforehand, because I feel this is a very important matter."

"What matter."

"We do not originate from the Sun Moon Empire; we were all born in the Star Luo Empire. From a certain theoretical standpoint, we are indeed Star Luo people. But I also hope you can rest assured-since we chose to come here, we have naturally already made our plans. This is our thought on the matter."

Lin Mo's intention was very clear: to confess. He felt that confessing at this time was definitely the best course of action. Otherwise, if the other party started investigating their backgrounds, things would certainly become more troublesome by then, so it was better to speak out himself.

"So that's how it is. That being the case, as Star Luo people, why did you choose to come to us?"

Jing Hongchen did not react particularly, simply asking in a very calm manner.

"For revenge. We are going to take revenge against the entire Star Luo Empire."

Lin Mo's words were flat, whether because he had already spoken of it too much or because enough time had passed to make him no longer as emotional as before.

"The reason-might I know it?"

"Huo Yuyao and I are children abandoned by the nobility. Those people cruelly murdered our mother. That's all."

Jing Hongchen did not speak, his gaze merely sweeping calmly in a circle.

Huo Yuyao is only slightly nervous, her hands involuntarily tightening; upon hearing the two words 'revenge,' Xiao Xiao's reaction is rather indifferent.

He did not reply based on that, instead reaching out to place his hands on the shoulders of the youths one by one.

Mhm, this Lin Mo and Huo Yuyao are indeed a bit lacking in physical constitution. Although there are traces of gradual improvement, their bodies still carry the frailty accumulated over long years.

As for student Xiao Xiao, whether it's her aura or her physical constitution, both can be considered good.

"What about student Xiao Xiao, then?"

Asked this, Xiao Xiao was stunned at first, and then stammered without being able to get the words out. Before leaving, the Xiao Sheng couple had merely told her to listen to Lin Mo outside and let him make the decisions.

This caused her to look toward Lin Mo subconsciously.