Win-Win Little Genius

Qian Duoduo chuckled. "I only get a few quiet days like this all year, and they all happen to be busy too. They couldn't get away for the moment, so since I had nothing to do, I came over to have a look around."

"So that's how it is."

The assessment teacher himself had not expected this. He had only wanted to casually find two colleagues from the Soul Tool Department to come help out, but he had somehow invited over this great figure instead.

"Huh? Kid, that knife of yours is pretty good!"

Qian Duoduo waved a hand without saying much, but his gaze was instead drawn to the long knife in Qian Chaoguang's hand, and he said exactly the same thing the assessment teacher had earlier.

"Can I borrow it for a look?"

"Of course."

Qian Chaoguang readily handed the long knife over.

"However... it might not be very willing to let you hold it."

"Oh? It can be unwilling? Now that's something new."

Qian Duoduo smiled and did not take Qian Chaoguang's words to heart.

As a Rank 8 Soul Tool Master, he was also extremely proficient in the field of forging, and this was the first time he had ever heard that a knife could have an emotion like unwillingness.

Especially when the one saying it was still a "child."

Qian Duoduo gripped the hilt with his left hand, slid two fingers of his right along the back of the blade, then flicked the blade lightly, stirring up a clear echo.

"Hm? It really is? I have a faint feeling that it seems very resistant to being held by me."

Qian Duoduo then tried infusing it with a little Soul Power.

That one test was no small matter. The blade began to tremble faintly and give off cold air, as if it might snap at any moment. It frightened Qian Duoduo into stopping at once, and he handed the knife back to Qian Chaoguang.

"Kid, hurry up and tell me, just how did you do it? And what material was this knife forged from? It looks like Cold Iron? But this material's properties are far stronger than Cold Iron."

Qian Duoduo could not help being curious.

After all, in his understanding, Cold Iron was only a very ordinary low-grade rare metal.

But after being transformed through the miraculous process of thousand refinement, Thousand Refined Cold Iron was already enough to stand shoulder to shoulder with high-grade rare metals, sufficient for carving the main Core Arrays required for Rank 5 to Rank 7 Soul Tools.

Qian Chaoguang slid the long knife back into its sheath and answered seriously, "The body of this knife was indeed made entirely from Cold Iron, plus the inherited forging method unique to our family. Actually, if Frost Titanium were mixed into it and forged together, the finished effect would be even better."

Qian Duoduo asked subconsciously, "Then why didn't you use it?"

Qian Chaoguang's face reddened, and he mumbled, "It's too expensive. I can't afford it."

Nonsense. That stuff was sold by the gram, more than a hundred Gold Soul Coins per gram. Even if Qian Chaoguang and Huo Yutong pooled all their belongings together, it still would not be enough to buy thirty grams.

For all these years, he and Huo Yutong had mostly relied on selling high-quality purified metals to earn a little spending money. Counting cultivation, daily food, clothing, and expenses on top of that, managing to save more than three thousand Gold Soul Coins was already no easy feat.

As for taking Thousand Refined Metal out to sell?

Forget it. He still wanted to live a few more years.

"Can't afford it?"

Qian Duoduo suddenly realized something. His eyes widened, and he asked in surprise, "Kid, you mean to say this knife was forged by you?"

"Yes, Dean. I come from a declining Secluded Family, and now I'm the only one left in my family. These years, my sworn younger sister and I have depended on each other for survival, relying entirely on forging to exchange for a meager income to scrape by. Now, after going through countless hardships to come to Shrek Academy, I just wanted to see if I might have a chance to become a Soul Tool Master."

"But my Soul Power Level is too low. I'm only Level 13. Big Brother Bei Bei used the Tang Sect's quota to get me a chance to take the test. My cultivation talent is terrible. The only things I can offer are brute strength and this unpresentable forging technique."

At this moment, Qian Chaoguang was possessed by the Best Actor once more and began his grand art of bluffing.

He had originally planned to try his luck at the Soul Tool Department after some time, but he had not expected to run into the Soul Tool Department's big boss the moment he entered the school gates. It truly was like someone had brought him a pillow just as he was getting sleepy.

Qian Duoduo's eyes shifted, and he formed a slight plan in his mind.

He asked without showing any change in expression, "Then where is your younger sister now?"

"She's also at Shrek Academy."

Qian Chaoguang answered honestly.

"My younger sister's cultivation talent is much stronger than mine. She's already at Level 27 now."

The assessment teacher at the side could not help cutting in. "Level 27? Could your younger sister be that little girl with the Eyes Martial Soul? The one who mainly cultivates Mental Power?"

"Yes, yes, my younger sister's name is Huo Yutong, and she has Innate Level 9 Soul Power! Although her forging level isn't as high as mine, she also wants to become a Soul Tool Master."

Qian Chaoguang seemed very happy as he cheerfully introduced Huo Yutong to Qian Duoduo.

Before the assessment teacher could speak, he felt an extremely aggressive gaze, even faintly tinged with killing intent, staring at him.

Who else could it be?

Of course it was Qian Duoduo beside him.

A Body Martial Soul Spirit Master with Innate Level 9 Soul Power—others might not know, but how could the teachers of Shrek not be clear?

This was a genius you could not find even if you searched with a lantern!

Psychic Soul Beasts were hard to find for other factions, but would they still be hard for Shrek once it stepped in?

If they did not rope in this kind of genius as soon as possible, what would they do if that group from the Martial Soul Department snatched her away?

Right now, his gaze could almost kill.

The assessment teacher hurriedly raised both hands. "Uh, Dean, please let me explain. I didn't know she intended to become a Soul Tool Master! You know we've always assigned classes only after the New Student Assessment."

"All right, all right, this isn't your fault."

With a broad wave of his hand, Qian Duoduo bent down and looked at Qian Chaoguang kindly.

"Kid, you want to take this blade into the assessment, right? I'll make the decision. Approved. Let me see what you can do in actual combat. If you pass the assessment, remember to bring your Younger Sister to our Soul Tool Department when the time comes."

Joy flashed across Qian Chaoguang's face, and he quickly thanked him. "Thank you, Dean Qian!"

"It's nothing, nothing. Xiao Liu, hurry up and start."

Qian Duoduo gave the assessment teacher a look, and the teacher instantly understood, jogging toward the entrance of the Beast Fighting Zone.

With a Rank 8 Soul Tool Master and Super Douluo like him present, there was naturally no need to follow the rule that more than three teachers had to be present. He alone was enough.

Bei Bei patted Qian Chaoguang hard on the shoulder and gave him an encouraging look.

Qian Chaoguang smiled brightly, drew his long blade, and slowly walked into the Beast Fighting Zone.

The moment Qian Chaoguang stood still with the long blade in hand, Qian Duoduo, off to the side, keenly noticed that the aura around him had changed in an instant.

His presence had not grown any stronger, but his entire person seemed to have become a sharp blade ready to leave its sheath at any moment, danger radiating from him from head to toe.

"Kid, I forgot to ask your name just now."

"Dean, my name is Qian Chaoguang."

Qian Duoduo's expression grew solemn, and he said seriously, "Qian Chaoguang, fighting a Soul Beast is no game. Although it's only a ten-year Soul Beast, danger is still very likely to occur. Are you ready?"

Qian Chaoguang spun the blade in a flourish, lowered his body, and gripped the blade with both hands, assuming a fighting stance.

"Ready at all times."

"Begin!"

Qian Duoduo gestured into the distance, and with a series of clanking mechanical sounds, a huge iron gate slowly opened.

From within the pitch-black tunnel came the sound of something sprinting wildly.

A streak of azure light suddenly flashed out from the deep cavern, moving extremely fast as it pounced straight toward Qian Chaoguang.

The corner of Qian Chaoguang's mouth lifted slightly, and a lustrous white Spirit Ring emerged beneath his feet.

The Extreme Ice Light Martial Soul flowed along his arms and connected to the blade, its light edge dyeing the long blade a magnificent ice-blue.