"You're a student in the Practical Soul Tool Department now," Jing Hongchen suddenly said. "You don't have a Soul Tool that suits you yet, do you?"
Lu Ren raised his eyes to him. "Hall Master, do you want me to try my hand at Soul Tools?"
"Your Spiritual Power is very strong," Jing Hongchen said frankly. "The future direction the Sun Moon Empire is currently researching is pairing Spiritual System Soul Masters with Soul Tools. Once the two are perfectly combined, they'll be invincible."
"But..." Lu Ren interrupted him, his tone calm yet sharp. "The Soul Tools of today are too weak."
Jing Hongchen's expression shifted slightly. He was about to argue when Lu Ren continued:
"Apart from Level 9 Fixed Soul Guidance Shells, the power of other Soul Tools is nothing special. Besides, Fixed Soul Cannon Shells are expensive and require dedicated launchers. They're nowhere near as convenient to use as Soul Skills, though their power is indeed greater than a Soul Master's Soul Skills. There's no question about that."
He stood up and faced Jing Hongchen, his gaze frank.
"I assume you've already seen me use Convergence: Piercing Blood at close range."
"That move reaches the speed of sound and can fight at long range. Combined with the deadly poison in my blood, it can bypass defenses and kill its target outright."
"So, I'd like to ask: what other ranged Soul Tool is more useful than my Piercing Blood?"
"As for melee Soul Tools... Hall Master, do you want to test whether those melee Soul Tools can withstand my monstrous strength when I go all out, without being destroyed before they even hurt the enemy?"
Jing Hongchen opened his mouth, but nothing came out.
He could not refute it.
Because it was the truth.
Lu Ren's Piercing Blood was incredibly fast, not to mention that its penetrating power could tear through a Level 7 Soul Tool Shield, and even a Soul Saint could not withstand the deadly poison in his blood.
Placed among ranged Soul Tools, an attack like that would be at least Level 8 or above, perhaps even Level 9. Unfortunately, because of Lu Ren's cultivation, its power still fell short of Level 9.
But just because it fell short now did not mean it still would once he grew stronger.
What was more, Lu Ren was only a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor, yet he could probably unleash a Self-Created Soul Skill like Piercing Blood at will, with no expenditure, no cooldown, and unlimited uses.
Jing Hongchen remained silent for a long time.
This fellow really was a monster wearing a Soul Ancestor's skin...
"You're right," Jing Hongchen finally said, his voice tinged with helplessness. "I wanted to give you another means of saving your life, but it seems you don't need one."
"No, I do," Lu Ren suddenly said.
Jing Hongchen froze.
"I still want Soul Tools," Lu Ren continued. "Just not offensive ones. If you really want to give me something, Hall Master, why not give me a few defensive ones? Invincible Shields, for example. I think defensive Soul Tools really are impressive. They can give anyone countless ways to stay alive."
"If that Level 7 Soul Engineer earlier hadn't had an Invincible Shield and that Level 7 Soul Tool Shield, I would've killed him outright with a single shot of Piercing Blood."
"So... I think carrying a few Defensive Soul Tools is very necessary."
Invincible Shields were quite useful. If he encountered danger he could not withstand, he could simply toss out a few more to keep himself alive.
Jing Hongchen stared blankly for a moment, then burst out laughing.
"Good, you certainly know how to pick, kid. All right, I'll give you some more Invincible Shields and Defensive Soul Tools another day."
"I'm looking forward more and more to seeing how you'll help us crush Shrek at the Continental Soul Master Tournament in a few months. Don't worry, I'll take care of that Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone for you. I keep my word."
He patted Lu Ren on the shoulder, then turned and left.
Watching Jing Hongchen leave, Lu Ren opened his mouth, then swallowed everything he had wanted to say.
Come on, man, how could you just leave like that?
I was still hoping you'd give me that Level 9 Defensive Soul Tool you're carrying.
On second thought, Lu Ren decided to forget it. He did not expect to obtain that Soul Tool with just a few words anyway.
Meng Hongchen watched her grandfather's back disappear through the Trial Grounds entrance, then turned toward Lu Ren, her eyes shining.
"When you turned Grandpa down just now, I thought you were going to dismiss all Soul Tools as worthless."
"Soul Tools aren't weak." Lu Ren sat down again and gazed at the sky overhead. "They just don't suit me. Besides, the Soul Tools of this era are still nowhere near capable of contending with the strongest Soul Masters."
"In ten thousand years, I imagine Soul Tools will have developed enough to kill even gods," Lu Ren said with a smile.
Ji Juechen silently stood up and walked toward the other end of the Trial Grounds, sword in hand.
He was going to train hard and grow stronger.
With a target like Lu Ren before him, he had to work even harder than before.
Jing Ziyan rubbed her aching neck, muttered, "You monsters," and followed Ji Juechen.
As for Meng Hongchen, he did not leave.
Instead, she sat beside Lu Ren, hugging her knees, her cheek resting in the crook of her arm as she gazed at his profile.
The Trial Grounds' metal dome divided the sky into regular geometric shapes. The last streak of sunset filtered through the gaps and danced on the silver tips of her hair.
"Tell me, will you... leave the Sun Moon Empire someday?"
Meng Hongchen's voice was very soft, as though she feared disturbing something.
Lu Ren was silent for a moment before speaking:
"As a student, the day of graduation will come sooner or later."
Meng Hongchen's fingers curled slightly around her knees, pinching a few shallow creases into her skirt.
She did not look at him. Her gaze fell to the ground just before the tips of her shoes, where a tiny crack extended from between the paving stones like a dried-up river.
"Graduation."
She repeated the word, her voice so low that she seemed to be talking to herself.
"Then where will you go after you graduate?"
As she asked the question, her breathing grew lighter, but her heart pounded hard and fast.
Meng Hongchen dreaded hearing the answer that would make her heart flutter with unease. She knew of Lu Ren's entanglement with Shrek, but feared even more that he would leave Mingdu for good after graduation, leaving them at opposite ends of the world, never to meet again.
Lu Ren turned his head and looked at the soft contours of the girl's profile. Her long lashes were lowered, like butterfly wings folded upon petals still wet with morning dew.
Though her head was lowered, she could not hide that glimmer of apprehension in her eyes, like a little beast standing at the edge of a cliff, tentatively looking toward the other side.
"I haven't decided yet." Lu Ren withdrew his gaze, his tone even. "But staying here isn't bad either. I can't fault how the Hall Master treats me."
Meng Hongchen abruptly raised her head.
In that instant, the light in her eyes was like sparks scattered by the wind gathering once more, so bright it was almost dazzling.
She opened her mouth, a trace of urgency she could not suppress entering her voice:
"Then... then will you stay? Stay in the Sun Moon Empire forever?"
"That's not certain."
Lu Ren's tone did not fluctuate, as though he were stating something that had nothing to do with him.
"The continent is so vast. I ought to go and see it. How can I improve my strength without venturing out into the world? Staying cooped up in the academy forever doesn't suit me."
As he spoke, he cast his gaze into the distance. A young man's ambition and sharp edge lay hidden beneath those calm eyes, like undercurrents in deep water: unruffled on the surface, yet surging fiercely below.
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