Kong Xuan's strength could absolutely be called invincible among those of the same level.
Even though he could already defeat Soul Engineers at the Four-Ring Soul Ancestor level, he still felt somewhat insecure with only two rings.
So although the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy was not far from the palace in central Mingdu, having Xuan Ziwen along made Kong Xuan feel somewhat more at ease.
The metal wheels of the soul-powered carriage rolled over the accumulated snow, leaving two faint tracks on the bluestone road outside the palace walls.
Kong Xuan gazed at the gilded palace lanterns retreating outside the carriage window. As the surrounding scenery grew increasingly familiar, he knew he was getting closer to home.
Nothing unexpected happened along the way, but under Xuan Ziwen's escort, the two did not head straight home, because they both knew Kong Deming would not be home at this hour.
After rounding a corner, all three got out of the carriage. The Sun Moon Empire's Worship Hall stood before them.
Compared with their home several hundred meters away, the Worship Hall was where Kong Deming spent most of his time.
Xuan Ziwen had already changed out of his usual academy clothes into the Worship Hall's specially made silver-white robe. Fine soul-tool patterns embroidered along its hem swayed slightly with his steps.
Kong Xuan and Kong Ling followed him through the Worship Hall's towering arched corridor.
The light inside the hall was not harsh; instead, it had a soft silver-blue hue.
Countless tiny soul-tool crystals floated beneath the domed ceiling, slowly circulating like stars.
Portraits of past worshippers and soul tool design drawings were displayed alternately along the walls on either side, each giving off faint fluctuations of Soul Power.
"Master Xuan!"
A Soul Engineer in a dark blue uniform bowed respectfully.
Although the Worship Hall's members were all powerful Soul Engineers of the Sun Moon Empire, those working here included not only these high-ranking Soul Engineers, but also their disciples and personnel responsible for routine maintenance and management.
Xuan Ziwen gave a slight nod without stopping.
Along the way, quite a few people took the initiative to greet him.
Whether they were other Worship Hall personnel or official members with higher cultivation, they all showed tremendous goodwill toward Xuan Ziwen, Kong Deming's disciple and a genius of the younger generation.
A few steps after they turned right at the far end of the corridor, an old man approached them. His complexion was ruddy, but he was somewhat bald.
Still, the patterns on the hem of his robe alone were enough to identify him as a Level 9 Soul Engineer!
This time, Xuan Ziwen took the initiative to speak. "Greetings, Martial Uncle!"
Behind him, Kong Xuan and Kong Ling said in unison, "Hello, Grandpa Ye."
The old man's name was Ye Yulin, a worshipper of the Worship Hall and a Level 9 Soul Engineer, with the title Starry Sky!
Watching them approach, Ye Yulin gave a gentle smile. "You're back, Ziwen."
Then he tilted his head to look at the two behind him and asked with a smile, "Are you two little ones on break too?"
Kong Xuan nodded. "Yes, Grandpa Ye. The term is over, so the academy is on break."
Over the previous two years, Kong Deming had brought Kong Xuan and Kong Ling to the Worship Hall quite often, so many people here were very familiar with them.
Ye Yulin evidently had matters to attend to as well and did not linger over pleasantries. "The hall master is in Laboratory Seven. If you're looking for him, just head straight there."
Those words prompted Xuan Ziwen to change course and head straight for Laboratory Seven.
After passing around a metal gate covered in soul-tool patterns, Xuan Ziwen finally stopped.
Ahead, a heavy soul-tool alloy door slowly opened, and an aged voice came from behind it.
"You're here?"
Kong Deming stood before a workbench, holding a soul-tool core that emitted an ice-blue glow. He looked up at them with a smile in his eyes.
Clearly, with his spiritual power, Kong Deming had already known who was standing outside before the door opened.
"Grandpa!"
Kong Ling cheered and trotted over.
Kong Xuan remained where he was. The mature soul within him kept him from acting the way his younger sister did.
Xuan Ziwen smiled slightly. "Teacher, I've completed the task you gave me!"
Kong Deming glanced at his prized disciple. "Thank you for your hard work."
But then he frowned and added, "You need to put your heart into cultivating your Soul Power. If it weren't holding you back, you would already be a Level 8 Soul Engineer."
Naturally, he did not want his disciple to experience the hardships he himself had suffered.
"Rest assured, Teacher. I've never slacked off in cultivating my Soul Power!"
"Teacher, you and your grandchildren haven't seen each other in so long. I won't disturb you!"
With that, Xuan Ziwen hurriedly turned and left, thoughtfully closing the door behind him.
Even though he was already in his thirties, even though he was already a soul-tool genius admired by everyone, before his teacher, he was merely a student, naturally subject to his teacher's bloodline suppression.
Watching Xuan Ziwen's fleeing figure, Kong Deming snorted.
Then, when his gaze settled on his grandson and granddaughter, his face immediately filled with smiles again.
Kong Deming patted his granddaughter's head, then looked at Kong Xuan, a trace of gratification flashing through his eyes. "Well, how was your term?"
Before Kong Xuan could answer, Kong Ling rushed to speak. "Big Brother was amazing! Even four-ring Soul Engineers were no match for him..."
Once Kong Ling started talking, she could not stop, seemingly wanting to recount everything that had happened to the two of them at the academy.
Kong Deming showed no sign of impatience, listening with a cheerful smile.
In fact, he already knew about all these things.
Although he had not personally visited the academy to see them, given how much Kong Deming cared about them, Xuan Ziwen had to make special reports to him about everything that happened at school.
Only after Kong Ling stopped did Kong Deming smile and nod. "It seems you two have been doing well at the academy, and you've made friends of your own."
Only then did Kong Xuan get a chance to get a word in.
"Grandpa, how is the battle armor research coming along?"
Because of his "fear of insufficient firepower," Kong Xuan had racked his brains for ways to improve his strength ever since awakening his Martial Soul.
And among those, battle armor was one of the key priorities.
For those who transmigrated to the Douluo Continent, researching soul spirits and battle armor seemed to be standard routine.
Compared with others who had to feel their own way forward, Kong Xuan also had a major advantage: naturally, it was his teacher Yun Ming, who resided in his Sea of Consciousness.
Yun Ming was someone genuinely from ten thousand years in the future, and he was also a Four-Word Battle Armor Master.
Although the secondary profession Yun Ming had chosen back then was only mecha designer, he was not completely ignorant of forging, manufacturing, and repairs.
Under Kong Xuan's persistent coaxing and pestering, Yun Ming had put some thought and effort into compiling this knowledge into a book and handing it to Kong Xuan.
Finally, invoking the name of a deity, Kong Xuan had passed this "precious" material into Kong Deming's hands.
As the most powerful Soul Engineer in this world, Kong Deming had instantly become fascinated with battle armor and immediately decided to suspend his other research and devote himself fully to developing it!
Afterward, Kong Deming had become so busy that he rarely returned home. Ultimately, it could be said that this was all because of the "material" Kong Xuan had given him.
Now that more than a year had passed, Kong Xuan was also very curious: just how far had Kong Deming's battle armor research progressed?