Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy

A month later, in Mingdu, within the Sun Moon Empire.

Lu Ren stood on a street corner, his hands in his pockets, his gaze resting on the imposing complex of buildings diagonally across from him.

This was the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy.

Quite a few people were passing through the main gates. Most were students in matching uniforms, with the occasional adult who looked like a teacher.

The guards at the entrance were lax, but Lu Ren knew sneaking inside would not be that simple.

He withdrew his gaze and brought up the system panel.

[Host: Lu Ren]

[Soul power level: 44]

[Soul ring configuration: Purple, purple, black, black]

[Current cursed techniques: Malevolent Shrine, Blood Manipulation...]

"Level forty-four," Lu Ren murmured. "Only one level in a month. Too slow. Is something wrong with me?"

Over the past month, he had spent a fortune, pulled strings, and bought route information, finally making the arduous journey from Shrek City to Mingdu.

With such a long journey, gaining even one level was already pretty good.

The problem was that his cultivation slowed more and more as his level rose. It could not compare at all to the speed at which he had shot straight to level forty in that first year.

Lu Ren could vaguely sense that this probably had something to do with cursed energy.

His cultivation method had always involved cultivating soul power and cursed energy in parallel, with the two influencing each other.

Now that his soul power level was higher, he needed more cursed energy as well, and increasing cursed energy depended on negative emotions.

Although the amount of cursed energy one possessed was fixed at birth and could not grow through later development, that was in the world of Jujutsu.

After he arrived on the Douluo Continent, cursed energy had fused with soul power, seemingly breaking through that restriction.

Cursed energy and soul power had merged into an entirely new force and evolved.

Now even Lu Ren was deeply curious. What effect would the combination of cursed energy and soul power ultimately produce?

Lu Ren looked up at Mingdu before him.

On the surface, this city was the capital of the Sun Moon Empire, prosperous and bustling, its streets flowing with endless traffic.

But Lu Ren knew that beneath the surface, this was the headquarters of the Holy Spirit Cult, an organization of evil soul masters.

In other words, the last thing this place lacked was negative emotion.

He closed his eyes and sensed his surroundings for a moment.

Sure enough.

The concentration of cursed energy in the air far exceeded that of the Star Dou Great Forest and Shrek City.

In those dark corners, the fear, resentment, greed, and jealousy of countless people were constantly breeding cursed energy, which spread through the air above the entire city.

In other words, these things were also what evil soul masters relied on to cultivate, but their methods fell far short of those of jujutsu sorcerers. After all, jujutsu sorcerers did not cultivate by eating people and the like.

Lu Ren turned his gaze back to the academy gates.

Getting inside was a problem.

Apply directly? He had no registered identity, no identification documents, no recommendation letter. He could not even produce the basic qualifications for admission.

Force his way in?

That was not impossible, but it could easily stir up serious trouble.

Lu Ren thought for a moment and soon came up with an idea.

What did the Sun Moon Empire lack most right now?

Powerful soul masters.

In the original story, after Xu Tianran ascended the throne, he had gone so far as to recruit evil soul masters to consolidate imperial power.

The reason was simple. Although the Sun Moon Empire had advanced soul tools, its number of top-tier soul masters fell far short of the Original Douluo Continent Three Kingdoms.

As long as he was strong enough and demonstrated sufficient value, the Sun Moon Empire would certainly throw its doors open to welcome him.

The only question was how to convey that value directly to someone who could make the decision.

As Lu Ren pondered this, a figure suddenly caught his eye.

A tall, burly young man was walking out through the academy gates.

He stood well over two meters tall, with a tiger's back, a bear's waist, and dark skin.

In the Sun Moon Empire, dark skin was a symbol of nobility.

He had short brown hair and bright, piercing eyes, and his bulging muscles stretched his school uniform taut.

One look was enough to tell he was no ordinary student.

Lu Ren's eyes lit up. He strode forward and blocked the young man's path.

The burly young man stopped and looked down at the boy who had appeared from who knew where. His brows furrowed, and his voice was full of impatience.

"Where did this beggar come from? If you've got nothing to do, get lost. Don't block my way."

Lu Ren spoke with a smile.

"Senior, sorry for the trouble, but could you help me ask the director of education to come out? I'd like to join the academy, but I haven't found a way in."

The burly young man froze for a moment, then let out a derisive laugh.

"Join the academy?"

He looked Lu Ren up and down, his eyes filled with contempt.

"Does every stray cat and dog think they can enter the Sun Moon Royal Academy these days? Do you think this is a charity?"

He took a step forward, towering over Lu Ren as he looked down at him.

"But if you want my help, sure. Show me a little genuine sincerity."

"If you put me in a good mood, I might introduce you."

Lu Ren understood.

He wanted something in return.

His smile grew even brighter.

"Sure. I'll show you my genuine sincerity right now, Senior."

The next second, four soul rings rose from beneath his feet, two purple and two black.

The brilliant light of the soul rings gleamed in the sunlight, and passing pedestrians instantly stopped in their tracks.

"What?!"

The burly young man's eyes widened like bronze bells, and his mouth opened wide enough to fit a fist.

His first soul ring was already at the thousand-year level?

And then his third soul ring jumped straight to ten thousand years?

What kind of monster was this?

Even someone on the level of Tang San from the original Douluo Continent ten thousand years ago could not have achieved a soul ring configuration like this, could he?

Lu Ren gave him no time to react.

He stepped forward and drove his right fist straight into the bridge of the burly young man's nose.

Boom!

Dazzling black light exploded.

Black Flash again.

The bridge of the burly young man's nose snapped with the impact, blood spraying everywhere. He staggered back several steps, landed on his backside, and clutched his nose as he screamed.

Lu Ren withdrew his fist and glanced down at it, feeling a little helpless.

Why did Black Flash trigger again?

I only meant to throw a casual punch and teach him a lesson, but somehow it turned into a critical hit.

Whatever. The effect was more or less the same.

Judging by his presence, the other party was at least a Five-Ring Soul King. He could still withstand a Black Flash from this casual punch.

"You!"

The burly young man clutched his freely bleeding nose, tears streaming from the pain, but he was still shouting.

"You dare hit me? Do you know who I am? My name is Wang Shaojie, and my cousin is the captain of the Imperial Family Inspection Team! Just wait until you're wanted throughout the city!"

Wang Shaojie?

Lu Ren paused, then remembered.

Wasn't this the unlucky bastard Huo Yuhao beat up in the original story?

A member of a collateral branch of the Sun Moon Empire's imperial family. He had some standing, but not much.

His greatest backer was that cousin who served as inspection team captain.

What a coincidence.

Lu Ren walked forward, grabbed Wang Shaojie by the collar, and hauled him off the ground.

"Wang Shaojie, right?" he said with a smile. "You're exactly who I meant to hit."

Wang Shaojie's screams stopped abruptly, and terror flashed through his eyes.

"Now, can you go get the director of education?"

Lu Ren's tone remained mild, but his grip gradually tightened.

"If you won't, I'll beat you until you're willing."

His collar strangled Wang Shaojie so tightly that he could barely breathe, his face flushing red.

A large crowd of onlookers had already gathered around them, pointing and commenting in a rising chorus.

"Isn't that Wang Shaojie? How did he end up getting beaten?"

"Who's that guy? Isn't his soul ring configuration ridiculous? His first soul ring is a thousand-year one?"

"Two purple and two black! A Soul Ancestor above level forty? He looks younger than Wang Shaojie, doesn't he?"

"When did such a monstrous genius appear in Mingdu?"

In pain and burning with shame, Wang Shaojie struggled to break free, only to discover that he could not move at all.

The boy before him was absurdly strong. The physique he took such pride in was like a little chick in the other boy's hands.

Even more frightening was the look in his eyes.

He was smiling, but he looked at Wang Shaojie as though he were an ant.

"I'll get him! I'll get him, all right?"

Wang Shaojie finally gave in, his voice taking on a tearful edge.

"Let go of me first. I'll get the director of education right away!"

Lu Ren released him.

Wang Shaojie stumbled back several steps, clutching his still-bleeding nose. He shot Lu Ren a vicious glare, then turned and ran into the academy. After a few steps, he did not forget to turn back and shout:

"Just you wait! Once the director of education gets here, you'll get a taste of what's coming!"

Lu Ren snorted and stayed where he was.

This was exactly the effect he wanted.

The bigger the commotion, the higher-ranking the people it would attract, and the greater his opportunity to demonstrate his value.

Still...

He watched Wang Shaojie's retreating figure disappear and shook his head.

Knowing this guy's ways, he probably won't obediently go get the director of education.

A short while later, a group of people rushed out through the academy gates.

Leading them was a middle-aged man with six soul rings shimmering around him, a Six-Ring Soul Emperor. Judging by the badge on his chest, he was probably a teacher.

Wang Shaojie followed behind him, clutching his nose, along with several other students in school uniforms.

"That's him, Teacher! That's the brat who hit me and dared cause trouble at the academy gates!"

Wang Shaojie pointed at Lu Ren, his voice agitated. Blood was still running from his nose, making him look particularly wretched.

The middle-aged man stepped forward and regarded Lu Ren coldly.

"Were you the one who injured a student of our academy?"

Lu Ren looked him over and sighed.

"What a needless detour."

He asked directly:

"Are you someone who can make decisions? If not, go back and get Director of Education Lin Jiayi. Tell him someone wants to discuss an important matter with him."

At the name Lin Jiayi, the middle-aged man's expression shifted slightly.

How would someone from outside the academy know the director of education's name?

He looked at Lu Ren, his expression wavering.

"You're not from the academy."

"I will be soon."

Lu Ren answered with a smile.

He took half a step forward. His tone remained casual, but his gaze had already turned cold.

"Besides, how much do you earn a month? I'm here to see Lin Jiayi. If you hold up an important matter, can you bear the responsibility?"

The middle-aged man's expression grew even uglier.

Those words had struck his weak spot.

He was just a teacher working for the academy, earning that little salary every month. It was not worth taking responsibility over this.

Seeing how arrogant and overbearing this person is... he must have something to back up his confidence.

If the boy before him really did have some powerful background, or truly had an important matter to discuss, then he would be the one to suffer in the end if he kept blocking him.

There's no harm in reporting it anyway...

He gritted his teeth, turned, and told the people behind him:

"Stay here and keep an eye on him. I'll get the director of education."

"Teacher!" Wang Shaojie grew anxious.

The middle-aged man glared at him and left without looking back.

A smile curled the corner of Lu Ren's mouth.

He knew what was good for him.

Before long, hurried footsteps rang out.

A short, stout middle-aged man strode out through the academy gates, his expression dark and his gaze as sharp as a blade.

The Director of Education, Lin Jiayi.

His gaze locked straight onto Lu Ren, sizing up the youth who dared to cause trouble at the academy gates.

Lu Ren looked at him too.

Their gazes clashed in midair.

Lu Ren suddenly smiled.

"Director Lin, I've long heard of you."