The silver-haired girl was Meng Hongchen. Curiosity and scrutiny showed on her delicate face as she slightly closed the book in her hands, The Heiress Falls for the Handsome Young Lord.
"A genius... more talented than that guy Xiao?"
She fell into brief contemplation, and her slender, fair calves beneath her silver-white dress gradually stopped swinging.
Meng Hongchen thought this as she tilted her head slightly.
Her lovely, fair face peeked out beside the illustrated cover of the novel.
"What kind of genius was worth Grandpa personally making time to go meet him..."
Meng Hongchen pondered for a moment, picked up the drink on the armrest of her Soul Guidance Chair, and took a small sip. A trace of confusion appeared in her eyes.
Jing Hongchen looked at his granddaughter and smiled kindly.
"Without seeing him in person, I can't say exactly how high his talent is."
"However, Grandpa has a feeling that his potential may very well rival or even surpass Xiao's... Otherwise, given Xuan Ziwen's temperament, he would never have written a Recommendation Letter like this."
If Xuan Ziwen had made the Recommendation Letter more detailed, listing his innate level, Martial Soul, cultivation, and other advantages one by one, Jing Hongchen would not have taken it so seriously.
But it was precisely those few sparse sentences.
They made Jing Hongchen's feeling that this child's talent is far beyond that of ordinary geniuses grow increasingly stronger.
Xuan Ziwen had once held the record for the youngest Level 8 Soul Engineer, proving that his talent was already exceptional.
But ever since Jing Hongchen's grandson, Xiao Hongchen, had broken the Sun Moon Empire's record for the fastest breakthrough to Level 4 Soul Engineer, he had constantly shown off in front of Xuan Ziwen.
He claimed that since he could break the Level 4 record, he would surely break the Level 8 record in the future.
Jing Hongchen clearly remembered how, when Xiao Hongchen had first broken through to become a Level 4 Soul Engineer, he had worn an expression that seemed to say, "None of you here have talent worth mentioning," before pompously telling Xuan Ziwen—
"Teacher Xuan, you count as one of the goals I'm chasing. Don't let me advance to Level 8 Soul Engineer while you still haven't touched the threshold of Ninth-Level Soul Engineer... Work hard, Teacher Xuan."
Xiao Hongchen would occasionally wander around in front of Xuan Ziwen. Although Xuan Ziwen did not take it too seriously, he still found the constant pestering irritating.
Taking all this into account, a thought faintly surfaced in Jing Hongchen's heart. Perhaps the talent Xuan Ziwen had found truly had a high chance of surpassing his grandson, Xiao Hongchen.
"Grandpa, I heard Teacher Xuan went out and found a genius. Is he trying to measure him against me and put some pressure on me?"
Xiao Hongchen, handsome and noble-looking, walked over to his grandfather and curled his lips into a smile. "There are differences even among geniuses."
"It seems the extraordinary aptitude I've shown in the Soul Guidance Field has put quite a bit of pressure on Teacher Xuan. He actually found someone with a little talent and thinks he can raise the difficulty for me."
Teacher Xuan must have been confused for a moment, Xiao Hongchen silently sighed before saying indifferently.
"How could an ordinary genius possibly be mentioned in the same breath as me..."
Even Meng Hongchen could no longer stand it. She said irritably, "Brother, can you tone it down a little? Look at yourself. You've practically got 'I'm the Number One Genius' written all over your face."
"Heh, Meng, we siblings are the Empire's greatest geniuses in a thousand years to begin with." Xiao Hongchen laughed.
"Hey, no. Stop right there."
Meng Hongchen raised her right hand, holding her palm beside her delicate, fair cheek. "You can be this Number One Genius yourself. Don't drag me into it."
After saying that, she took out another comic and began reading.
As the beloved daughter of Mingde Hall's Hall Master, she was also exceptionally gifted in Soul Tools. Her Martial Soul was the special Ice Attribute Vermillion-Eyed Ice Toad.
However, she was also a devoted admirer of good looks.
Besides practicing the engraving of Core Arrays, she usually liked reading comics about handsome two-dimensional boys, as well as novels about sweet romances between heiresses and handsome young lords.
Xiao Hongchen casually brushed back his hair, a carefree smile on his face.
"Grandpa, I'll go with you and see the potential candidate Teacher Xuan brought back."
Compared to himself, he felt that ordinary geniuses could only be considered somewhat promising at best.
Jing Hongchen knew his grandson's personality. It would be difficult to correct him anytime soon, so he said nothing more and slowly nodded.
"Meng, are you coming too?"
Xiao Hongchen walked over to his sister's Soul Guidance Chair, glanced at the comic in her hands, and commented, "This plot is so clichéd, and the art style is pretty mediocre too."
Meng Hongchen rarely agreed with him. With a swish, she snapped the comic shut.
"Mm, the characters at least need to be drawn better-looking than Xiao, or I can't even keep reading. I won't buy any more comics published by this studio."
Xiao Hongchen froze. What did she mean? Was his noble face not good enough? At the academy, he had a whole group of "Xiao fans" waving banners behind him.
Meng Hongchen stored the novel in her Storage Ring, then stood up from her Soul Guidance Chair and took out a small mirror to adjust the blue bow tied in her silver-white hair.
"Grandpa, I'll go take a look with you too."
She was also somewhat curious about what kind of genius student Teacher Xuan, whom Xiao Hongchen regarded as a target to surpass, would choose.
Jing Hongchen called for Lin Jiayi, then headed toward Mingdu's entrance with his grandson and granddaughter.
Ming Dou Mountain Range, high in the sky.
Xu Sheng flew toward Mingdu with Huo Yuhao, who had finally exhausted himself into unconsciousness after constantly practicing the Purple Cloud Wings, and Xuan Ziwen.
"Yuhao really is a strong-willed child. He's talented and hardworking. When he tried flying just now, he must have drained every last bit of his Soul Power."
Xuan Ziwen sighed emotionally. He admitted that if he had been in that situation, he would not have been able to do the same. He would have chosen to land early.
Xu Sheng chuckled. "That's why I say Yuhao has a strong body. He could have taken medicine, but he stubbornly refused. That kind of resolve is no different from mine when I was young."
Xuan Ziwen could now be certain that if Huo Yuhao were given some time, he would definitely surpass Xiao Hongchen, who kept wandering around in front of him all day.
Then they would see whether Xiao Hongchen could still act so arrogantly and dare claim to be invincible among his generation. He had gotten completely carried away. Someone needed to dampen his arrogance.
Several hours later, the three landed outside Mingdu.
Xuan Ziwen and Xu Sheng supported the sleeping Huo Yuhao into Mingdu. But just after verifying their identities and entering the city, they saw two familiar short, stout figures.
They were Jing Hongchen and Lin Jiayi.
The two looked at Xuan Ziwen with spring-breeze smiles, then hurried toward him in large strides.
Xuan Ziwen was immediately stunned.
What was going on? Confusion rose in his heart. The Hall Master and Director Lin were rushing toward him so happily—what did they want?
"Ziwen, we've been waiting for you for a long time."
"Hall Master, is there something you need?"
"Nothing much. I was simply concerned about you. Seeing you return puts this old man at ease."
Jing Hongchen grasped Xuan Ziwen's hand, his gaze sweeping over Huo Yuhao without leaving a trace. In an instant, he sensed Huo Yuhao's extraordinariness. His Mental Power alone far exceeded that of Soul Masters at the same level.
Thus, wearing an affable smile, he began the handover ceremony with Xuan Ziwen.
"Ziwen, you must be tired after going out. Go back and get some proper rest. Leave the rest to this old man."
As Jing Hongchen spoke with a genial smile, he smoothly reached out and supported Huo Yuhao.
The motion was incredibly natural, without the slightest hint of deliberateness.
Before Xuan Ziwen could figure out what was happening, he shook his head. "I'm not tired. I only went back to Heaven Dou City to pay respects to my ancestors. There wasn't much work involved."
Jing Hongchen said warmly, "How can you neglect your health like this? You are one of Mingde Hall's most important researchers."
"This Hall Master thinks you're tired. Jiayi, take Ziwen back to rest."
Lin Jiayi immediately understood. Like two close brothers with deep friendship, he slung an arm around Xuan Ziwen's shoulders.
Then the two half-dragged and half-pulled each other toward Mingde Hall.
Xu Sheng revealed a faint smile. "Hall Master, Yuhao has overdrawn his Soul Power. We should first take him somewhere to recuperate properly. His aptitude definitely won't disappoint you. It could even be described as unbelievable."
As Xu Sheng recounted Huo Yuhao's performance over the past few days, Jing Hongchen's face was filled with unconcealed shock.
"Good! Excellent. With such a compatible Martial Soul, along with our training and guidance to strengthen his sense of belonging and identification with the Empire, he can become a pillar of the Empire in the future, just like Ziwen."
Not far away, Xiao Hongchen watched his grandfather and Xu Sheng whispering through Soul Power encryption, and he could not help shrugging.
He did not believe the ordinary genius Xuan Ziwen had brought back could suppress him.
At that moment, Jing Hongchen beckoned in this direction. "Meng, come quickly. Help Grandpa bring this child back to Mingde Hall."
"Teacher Xu Sheng and I have other matters to handle."
Hearing this, Meng Hongchen walked over reluctantly, her lips pouting. "Grandpa, he's a boy. How could I possibly carry him? Xiao, you go carry him."
Her voice abruptly stopped.
As Meng Hongchen approached and clearly saw Huo Yuhao's handsome face, her eyes quietly widened, and she could not help covering her lips.
So, so beautiful... He was much better-looking than that guy Xiao.
His skin was so fair, and his eyelashes were so long. How could a boy have features like that? It was a pity he was unconscious, so she did not know whether his eyes were pretty. They must be beautiful too, right?
"Alright, Meng. If you don't want to, forget it. I'll have Xiao carry this child back to Mingde Hall."
Jing Hongchen did not force her. Just as he was about to use Soul Power to levitate Huo Yuhao and send him over toward Xiao Hongchen—
Meng Hongchen's crisp shout rang out.
"Wait, Grandpa! Put him down, let me do it!!"
Her face was filled with delight, and her attitude made a complete one-hundred-and-eighty-degree turn. She hurried forward with light steps and directly scooped Huo Yuhao up in a princess carry.
As a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor and a Level 4 Soul Engineer, Meng Hongchen had no difficulty carrying him.
Of course, that depended on whether the other person was good-looking.
In the Original Work, Meng-xiaojie, a top-tier admirer of good looks, had only taken one glance at Wang Dong during her first Soul Master Competition before her heart began racing and flowers bloomed in her heart.
She became hopelessly captivated by Wang Dong's appearance and could not help wanting to stick close to her.
If Huo Yuhao's first ring had not absorbed the Snow Empress Soul Spirit, causing his appearance and temperament to develop toward a "male version of the Snow Empress," Meng Hongchen's attitude would not have changed so suddenly.
Meng Hongchen lowered her head to look at Huo Yuhao in her arms, and the corner of her lips could not help curving into a lovely arc. "Hehe. I was still fantasizing about a handsome young lord a few days ago. Who knew I'd get one for myself already?"
A circular device appeared on her back, rippling with watery blue light. The next instant, it condensed into a pair of metal wings.
"Grandpa, Teacher Xu Sheng, Brother, keep talking. I'll fly him back first."
Jing Hongchen smiled and waved to her. "Go on, Meng. Remember to prepare some nourishing food for him."
Mingde Hall was very wealthy, and its ingredients were all treasures of heaven and earth. After all, it trained so many high-level Soul Engineers. Just selling all kinds of Soul Tools to the Empire's military brought in a constant stream of funds.
The blue Flight Soul Tool on Meng Hongchen's back unfolded. She activated her Soul Power, held Huo Yuhao, and flew straight home.
Watching his sister's delighted expression, Xiao Hongchen rubbed his chin. Something felt off, but he could not quite put his finger on it.
"Grandpa, what do you think of the person Teacher Xuan brought back? Does he have even thirty percent of my talent?"
The moment Xiao Hongchen walked over to Jing Hongchen, he heard Xu Sheng say—
"Hall Master, three-legged toads are hard to find, but students with talent like Yuhao's are even harder to find."
Xiao Hongchen was immediately stunned. After hesitating for a moment, he still could not help speaking.
"Teacher Xu Sheng, perhaps you don't know this, but my Martial Soul, the Three-Legged Golden Toad, is more or less... similar to a three-legged toad?"
Xu Sheng immediately felt somewhat apologetic and said in realization, "Oh, Xiao, I know your Martial Soul. I just didn't connect it to you in the moment."
Xiao Hongchen laughed heartily. "It's fine, Teacher Xu. You're right too. Three-legged toads are hard to find, especially one like me. I'm rare even throughout history."
Seeing that he was as proud as ever, Xu Sheng patted his shoulder and said earnestly, "Xiao, you'll need to work harder in the future."
??
Xiao Hongchen was confused. He did not like hearing that. Not only was he already working very hard, but more importantly, he could vaguely sense doubt being cast on the Number One Genius.
"His talent may be even higher than yours."
"I don't believe it." Xiao Hongchen firmly shook his head. He had great confidence in his own talent.
His grandfather was a Ninth-Level Soul Engineer, his Martial Soul was the Three-Legged Golden Toad, and both his innate aptitude and educational resources were top-tier. Xiao Hongchen simply could not imagine anyone his age surpassing him in the field of Soul Tools.
Xiao Hongchen looked at Jing Hongchen, frowned slightly, and asked, "Grandpa, didn't you feel that Meng's reaction when she carried that guy just now was a little strange?"
Jing Hongchen thought about it. "No, I don't think so. Meng already likes reading comics. She probably just thought Yuhao was better-looking than the illustrations she usually sees."
"Maybe he suited her eyes, so she carried him away."
Xiao Hongchen had not looked at Huo Yuhao before. Now that he heard this, alarm bells immediately rang in his mind.
He understood his sister's personality best. Apart from a few close girlfriends at school, she spent most of her time with him and barely communicated with other boys. More importantly, those other boys simply did not look good enough.
So Xiao Hongchen had also noticed that this caused his sister to fantasize about handsome...
But was that brat really that good-looking? Better-looking than me? Xiao Hongchen still did not believe it.
Before you continue