The students led Lu Ren to the far end of the first floor of the first-year teaching building.
They stopped in front of a door. A sign hung above it, bearing three words: Physical Testing Room.
The student leading the way took a plaque from around his neck and waved it at a crystal-like circular disc on the door.
With a soft beep, the two metal door panels slid silently apart.
"Please, come in." The student stepped aside.
Lu Ren walked in.
The room wasn't particularly large, about a hundred square meters, and it was filled with many large Soul Tools.
Unlike the Soul Tools commonly seen outside, these devices had simpler structures, yet the Soul Power fluctuations they emitted were faintly powerful.
The student who had led the way introduced the room to Lu Ren:
"This is our academy's physical testing area. Every student who enters the academy has to complete a physical test here each year."
"Don't be too nervous. No matter what kind of Soul Tool Physical Testing Instrument we use, it won't cause any harm to your body."
"Thank you, Senior." Lu Ren nodded, speaking with impeccable courtesy.
The student was clearly taken aback.
The tough guy who'd punched Wang Shaojie in the face outside the door just now, leaving his nose streaming with blood, was this polite now?
He gave an awkward laugh.
"Of course, of course... By the way, put away all the Soul Tools on you first, so they don't affect the data during the scan."
"Please hand over your Storage Soul Tool for us to keep as well. We need to make sure you have no metal on you."
Lu Ren reached into his clothes, took out his Storage Soul Tool, and handed it over.
"No problem."
On the other side of the Physical Testing Room.
Behind a huge pane of one-way glass.
Jing Hongchen stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze passing through the glass to the boy cooperating with the examination.
Lin Jiayi stood half a step behind him, not even daring to breathe too loudly.
"That's the kid?" Jing Hongchen asked.
"Yes." Lin Jiayi lowered his voice. "That's him, Lu Ren."
Jing Hongchen said nothing more and simply watched in silence.
Inside the Physical Testing Room.
A middle-aged man in a teacher's uniform walked over and pointed to a strangely shaped instrument in the middle of the room.
It was a tall cylinder, about two and a half meters high. A crystal column ran down its front, and a circular platform stood on the floor before it.
"Stand on it," the teacher said. "Face the crystal column."
Lu Ren did as instructed, stepping onto the circular platform and standing facing the crystal column.
Another teacher went to the side of the instrument and pressed his palm against a hand-shaped recess.
A third teacher stood on the other side, holding a notebook and pen, ready to record the results.
"Relax your whole body. We're starting."
As the teacher with his hand on the instrument finished speaking, a surge of dense Soul Power fluctuations suddenly erupted.
The white glow around his arm shone brightest.
Immediately afterward, a white light appeared at the top of the Soul Tool Physical Testing Instrument.
The light spread in a fan shape, covering an area of about one square meter. It slowly swept downward from above.
It wasn't moving quickly.
It took half a day to scan from Lu Ren's head down to his chest.
The teacher standing to one side, responsible for recording the results, began reading them aloud:
"Physical strength: unknown."
Lu Ren's eyelid twitched.
"Physical resilience: unknown."
The teacher operating the instrument furrowed his brows slightly.
"Soul Power fluctuations: level forty-four."
"Bone age: fourteen."
"Height: one meter eighty-two."
"Weight: eighty-one kilograms."
"Soul Ring Configuration: First Soul Ring, around a thousand years old; Second Soul Ring, around five thousand years old; Third Soul Ring, around ten thousand years old; Fourth Soul Ring, fifty thousand years old."
When he finished, the entire Physical Testing Room fell silent for a second.
"Beep, beep, beep...!"
The Soul Tool Physical Testing Instrument suddenly blared a piercing alarm. The light on the crystal column began flashing wildly, and the numbers on the data panel jumped around like mad.
The teacher recording the results stared in shock, his voice trembling:
"The data's gone haywire. The Soul Tool Physical Testing Instrument is malfunctioning..."
Everyone in the Physical Testing Room froze.
The teacher operating the instrument hurriedly pulled his hand away. The alarm gradually died down, but everyone's gaze had fallen on Lu Ren.
His physical strength and resilience had both returned as unknown data.
In other words, even the Soul Tool Physical Testing Instrument couldn't measure Lu Ren's physical stats!
This Soul Tool Physical Testing Instrument could accurately measure the physical stats of even a Soul Emperor, yet it couldn't measure those of a Soul Ancestor?
Either the instrument was broken, but unfortunately, it had only been calibrated yesterday.
Or this kid's body had already exceeded the instrument's limits.
And then there was his Soul Ring Configuration. His First Soul Ring was already a thousand years old-that was beyond the realm of genius.
Not to mention the heaven-defying configurations of his Second, Third, and Fourth Soul Rings.
Could a normal person have that?
A fifty-thousand-year Fourth Soul Ring?
A Soul Ancestor had absorbed a fifty-thousand-year Soul Ring?
Wasn't that something only a Soul Saint could even consider?
The staff around them looked at Lu Ren as if he were a monster.
Lu Ren stood expressionlessly on the circular platform, letting those gazes sweep back and forth over him.
His heart remained undisturbed.
The value he had shown was already great enough.
Behind the one-way glass.
Jing Hongchen's pupils contracted slightly.
"A fifty-thousand-year Fourth Soul Ring... Fifty thousand years!"
He murmured the words over and over, a tremor in his voice that even he didn't notice.
Jing Hongchen had seen countless geniuses.
But he had never seen a monster like this. He hadn't even heard of one.
"This guy really is a monster."
Jing Hongchen drew a deep breath and turned to Lin Jiayi behind him. For once, his tone held a hint of praise:
"You did well in this matter."
Lin Jiayi's heart leaped with joy, and he hurriedly bowed. "It was my duty, Hall Master."
"Once this is reported, I expect you'll be rewarded for it as well," Jing Hongchen said.
"Thank you, Hall Master!"
Lin Jiayi's voice trembled with excitement.
This was the best decision he had ever made in his life.
Bringing such a monster of a genius into the academy-if those old fellows at Shrek found out, they'd probably be spitting blood with rage, wouldn't they?
But Jing Hongchen's gaze had already returned to Lu Ren. His eyes grew deep.
"However..."
He spoke slowly, his praise fading, replaced by a cool scrutiny:
"We still need to investigate his background, identity, and purpose thoroughly."
Lin Jiayi froze.
"Hall Master, you mean..."
Jing Hongchen stood with his hands behind his back, his voice low:
"Such a heaven-gifted genius would be among the very best even at Shrek Academy."
"Those old fellows at Shrek would absolutely be willing to pour every resource into forcefully nurturing him. His treatment there would certainly be no worse than ours-it would only be better."
He paused, his gaze fixed on the boy on the other side of the glass:
"So why would he give up Shrek, which is better, and come to us instead?"
That was a very pointed question.
Jing Hongchen was not one to put himself down.
The Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy was indeed strong, but its strength lay in the field of Soul Tools.
If they were training Soul Engineers, they were the best on the entire continent.
But if they were training pure Soul Masters, Shrek was the true sacred ground.
And from this young man's Soul Ring Configuration, it was clear that he focused on being a Soul Master.
A monstrous genius who focused on being a Soul Master had passed up Shrek, the sacred ground of Soul Masters, and come instead to the Sun Moon Royal Academy, which focused on Soul Tools?
Either he had some other purpose.
Or he was a spy sent by Shrek.
However... if he really was a spy, then Shrek was being far too generous.
Would they really be willing to send a monstrous genius of this caliber as a spy?
Weren't they afraid he would turn against them?
"Yes." Lin Jiayi's delighted expression faded, and he replied solemnly, "I'll send someone to investigate at once."
"Go ahead." Jing Hongchen waved a hand.
Lin Jiayi bowed and hurried away.
Jing Hongchen remained where he was, his gaze fixed for a long time through the one-way glass on that tall, straight figure.
Inside the Physical Testing Room, Lu Ren was stepping down from the circular platform. His expression was as calm as ever, as if the astonishing figures from moments ago had nothing to do with him.
He even smiled at the staff member beside him and said something.
Jing Hongchen narrowed his eyes.
This kid...
Just who was he?
Inside the Physical Testing Room.
Lu Ren took his Storage Soul Tool and casually asked the senior student beside him:
"The results are out. Did I pass?"
The senior student opened his mouth, but couldn't manage to say a word.
If even your results didn't qualify, then nobody on the entire continent would!
"Ahem... You're Lu Ren, right?" The teacher in charge of operating the equipment gave a dry cough and walked over. "Your test is complete. The Director of Education will discuss the specific results with you personally."
Lu Ren nodded and didn't press the matter.
Before the words had even faded, a deep, steady voice rang out slowly, its sound clearly filling the entire Physical Testing Room:
"Director Lin still has important matters to attend to. I'll personally discuss the next steps with him."
The moment the voice fell, the temperature in the Physical Testing Room seemed to drop several degrees.
All the teachers and students turned to look at once. The side door in the one-way glass opened, and Jing Hongchen walked in at an unhurried pace. His eyes were sharp as an eagle's. He released not a trace of Soul Power, yet the immense presence of someone long accustomed to holding power silenced everyone there. They all bowed in greeting.
"Greetings, Hall Master!"
"Hall Master!"
Jing Hongchen gave a slight nod. His gaze passed over the crowd and landed directly on Lu Ren. A profound smile curved his lips as he walked forward.
"Young friend, your physical test results have even left this old man astounded."
Lu Ren met his gaze, still calm and unhurried, without the slightest unease. He only nodded in acknowledgment.
"Hall Master, you flatter me. My aptitude is nothing out of the ordinary."
The teachers around them twitched at the words "nothing out of the ordinary."
If that was ordinary aptitude, then weren't all the Soul Masters on the continent useless?
Jing Hongchen inwardly praised the young man's steadiness and composure in the face of praise or disgrace, but gave nothing away. He turned slightly and made an inviting gesture, his tone mild yet carrying an undeniable weight.
"This place is crowded and noisy. It's not suitable for a proper discussion. Would you come with me to my office, young friend?"
"As for your admission benefits, cultivation resources, and your promise to help us defeat Shrek in the tournament, I'd like to discuss them with you in detail."
Lu Ren understood. Jing Hongchen wanted to personally test his background and settle the terms of their cooperation.
He readily agreed:
"It would be my pleasure to meet with you personally, Hall Master."
A hint of approval flashed in Jing Hongchen's eyes. He said no more, turning and walking toward the exit first.
"Please."
Lu Ren followed close behind, and the two walked out of the Physical Testing Room side by side.
Only after the two figures disappeared at the end of the corridor did everyone in the Physical Testing Room dare to breathe freely again. They looked at one another, their eyes still full of disbelief and shock.
Since the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy was founded, Lu Ren was the first new student to receive such courteous treatment from Jing Hongchen!
Before you continue