Chapter 278: I Call You My True Friend!

  "Xiao Wang, I have another task for you."

  "Teacher, what is it?"

  Jing Hongchen spoke in a deep voice, "Take Qin Xiao to Xuan Ziwen. From now on, Qin Xiao will study alongside him."

  "Teacher, isn’t this a bit inappropriate?"

  The elder surnamed Wang furrowed his brows. "Teacher Xuan Ziwen is both a researcher at Mingde Hall and a teacher at Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy. Qin Xiao hasn’t even officially enrolled yet; technically, he’s not one of our academy’s students."

  "What’s inappropriate about it?"

  Jing Hongchen replied firmly, "It’s precisely because Qin Xiao is special that we need to avoid unnecessary formalities. A genius like him cannot be allowed to go to waste. Having him study under Xuan Ziwen is the best choice.

  "Besides, I pn to groom Qin Xiao carefully. For now, we’ll keep him under wraps and only unveil him during the Soul Master Tournament. It’ll undoubtedly be a move no one expects."

  Jing Hongchen had his own reasons.

  The Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy was rife with complex retionships.

  If Qin Xiao revealed his talents too early, it would inevitably attract unwanted troubles and complications.

  "I understand."

  The elder Wang nodded, casting a deep gnce at Qin Xiao. "You’re quite lucky, young man. The dean has arranged for you to learn from the best teacher in our academy."

  Xuan Ziwen.

  Qin Xiao’s heart stirred at the name.

  He recalled that Xuan Ziwen was an eighth-level Soul Engineer at this point, renowned for inventing groundbreaking devices like the All-Terrain Soul Cannon, Soul Ring Storage Device, Sealed Milk Bottle, and Disruptor Bombs.

  A genius in the field of Soul Engineering, Xuan Ziwen’s obsession with soul tools bordered on madness.

  He was even willing to forsake everything—his empire and his mentor—for the sake of soul tools.

  Qin Xiao remembered from Absolute Tang Sect how Xuan Ziwen betrayed the Sun Moon Empire to join Shrek Academy, all for the core secrets of the Tang Sect’s hidden weapons.

  Eventually, he became the first ninth-level Soul Engineer on the original Douluo Continent.

  While Xuan Ziwen wasn’t originally from the Sun Moon Empire, being born in the Heavenly Soul Empire, betrayal was still betrayal.

  For Qin Xiao, however, this kind of behavior epitomized the thin line between genius and madness.

  "A madman and a fool," Qin Xiao thought.

  Sacrificing so much for the Tang Sect’s hidden weapons—was it really worth it?

  Still, Qin Xiao hadn’t expected Jing Hongchen to grant him such special treatment.

  He had thought the dean might offer him resources like precious pills.

  But being assigned to study under Xuan Ziwen was beyond his expectations.

  "Thank you, Dean."

  "Haha, study hard and aim to become a ninth-level Soul Engineer as soon as possible. That will be the best way to repay me."

  Jing Hongchen ughed heartily but then seemed to remember something.

  "Wait a moment, I’ll write a letter to give to Xuan Ziwen."

  He walked over to his cluttered desk, found a bnk sheet of paper, and began writing quickly.

  The scene puzzled the elder Wang. Summoning Xuan Ziwen directly would have sufficed; why resort to such an outdated method as a handwritten letter?

  Still, he kept this thought to himself, not daring to voice it.

  Before long, Jing Hongchen finished writing, carefully folded the letter, and handed it to Wang.

  "Take this and make sure it’s delivered to Xuan Ziwen."

  Jing Hongchen instructed repeatedly.

  "Understood!"

  The elder Wang nodded solemnly and carefully tucked the letter into his robes.

  "Off you go."

  Jing Hongchen waved his hand dismissively.

  With the elder Wang leading the way, Qin Xiao followed him out of the room.

  As soon as the door closed, the dignified expression on Jing Hongchen’s face melted away.

  "Hehehe, what luck! Our Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy has truly struck gold with this genius."

  "If not for certain external factors, I’d want to take Qin Xiao as my personal disciple right now, to pass on my legacy."

  After all, Jing Hongchen was no ordinary figure. He was the dean of the academy, a Rank 94 Title Douluo, and a ninth-level Soul Engineer.

  Any one of these accomplishments was something most people could never achieve in their lifetimes.

  However, these accodes also made him too conspicuous. If Qin Xiao became his disciple, it would inevitably draw the attention of those with ill intentions, making things even more dangerous for Qin Xiao.

  Jing Hongchen genuinely wanted to protect Qin Xiao. Taking him as a disciple now would only have the opposite effect.

  After all, anyone deemed worthy of being the dean’s disciple would surely be extraordinary.

  The Sun Moon Empire wasn’t without its enemies, and being targeted by them would be perilous.

  "I’ll wait. Once he becomes a fifth-level Soul Engineer and joins Mingde Hall, he’ll have the ability to protect himself. By then, I’ll take him as my disciple."

  Jing Hongchen thought to himself, eagerly anticipating the day Qin Xiao would reach that milestone.

  As for the possibility of Qin Xiao refusing him, Jing Hongchen didn’t even consider it.

  "Xiao Wang, lead the way," Qin Xiao said.

  Under the guidance of the elder surnamed Wang, Qin Xiao arrived at a six-story teaching building. They ascended to the fifth floor and walked several meters down a hallway before stopping at a door marked with a pque: Third Laboratory.

  The elder gave Qin Xiao a nod, gesturing for him to wait, and approached the door. He gently knocked.

  Knock, knock, knock.

  A voice from inside promptly responded, "Who is it?"

  "Teacher Xuan, it’s me, from the teaching office. I need to speak with you."

  The elder’s reply was unusually courteous, his tone humble.

  In the world of soul masters, strength was everything.

  Despite dedicating his life to the craft, he was only a sixth-level Soul Engineer. The person inside the room, however, had reached the eighth level at a young age, far surpassing him in skill, status, and power.

  This humility wasn’t just polite; it was earned. Admiring the strong was no shame.

  Creaaak.

  The door opened with a grating sound, and a young man emerged. After recognizing the elder, he nodded slightly and said ftly, "You, and you, come in."

  With that, he turned and walked back into the b.

  Without needing further instruction, Qin Xiao followed the elder into the room.

  The boratory was enormous, filled with various soul tools and metal materials. A massive workbench, over 30 square meters, dominated the room. Its silver-white surface was cluttered with materials and blueprints.

  "Usually, Juzi and Keke clean here, but they’re currently attending css, learning soul master theory. They haven’t had time to come over," Xuan Ziwen remarked, sensing the gnces from Qin Xiao and the elder.

  "Ah, I understand. Researchers always have their quirks," the elder ughed heartily, easing the awkwardness in the air.

  Qin Xiao’s thoughts, however, wandered.

  Juzi?

  In the Absolute Tang Sect timeline, Juzi’s status was comparable to Bibi Dong’s during the Spirit Hall era—a woman of unparalleled ambition and talent.

  Bibi Dong had risen to become the Pope of Spirit Hall, founding the Spirit Empire. Juzi, known as the War God Empress, expanded the Sun Moon Empire’s territories.

  Did Juzi harbor such grand ambitions from the start? Qin Xiao doubted it.

  Life’s twists and turns, he thought.

  Under the wheel of fate, some things were inevitable. The saying "the times make the hero" seemed fitting.

  "Now, what’s your purpose here?"

  Xuan Ziwen’s question interrupted his musings. He spoke without shifting his gaze from Qin Xiao.

  The elder answered, "Teacher Xuan, this is a letter from the dean. Read it, and everything will be clear."

  "Oh?"

  Xuan Ziwen’s usually calm demeanor showed a hint of surprise.

  What is Jing Hongchen up to?Couldn’t he have just summoned me directly? Why the secrecy?

  Curious, he unfolded the letter and began reading.

  As he scanned its contents, his expression shifted to astonishment.

  This boy possesses a spiritual martial soul—possibly linked to his eyes and brain?This boy shows extraordinary talent in soul tools, creating exceptional devices with only a few basic formations?This boy is to become Jing Hongchen’s personal disciple once he reaches the fifth level as a Soul Engineer?

  Hiss.

  Was this for real?

  In just a few hundred words, the letter conveyed a staggering amount of information.

  After taking some time to process it, Xuan Ziwen finally spoke.

  "Letting him study under me is fine. But he must answer one question."

  Xuan Ziwen’s gaze locked onto Qin Xiao.

  Qin Xiao didn’t hesitate. "Ask away."

  According to the original story, this was likely the question about the nature of soul tools—a question that revealed profound understanding.

  Xuan Ziwen didn’t hold back. "What is a soul tool?"

  "What is a soul tool?"

  The elder froze at the simplicity of the question.

  That’s it?

  At first, the elder surnamed Wang worried that Xuan Ziwen might ask some profoundly technical question about soul tools. After all, Qin Xiao's knowledge was limited to basic introductory texts—nowhere near advanced or sophisticated.

  However, the question Xuan Ziwen posed seemed deceptively simple:

  What is a soul tool?

  To the elder, the answer was clear: a device guided by a soul master's soul power, which could serve as either a weapon or a tool to assist with daily life and work.

  That was the standard textbook definition, something every beginner learned at the outset of soul tool studies.

  Yet Qin Xiao’s response stunned him.

  "I believe soul tools have nothing to do with soul masters," Qin Xiao said confidently. "The existence and progress of soul tools are fundamentally about advancing human society.

  "In other words, studying soul tools is about promoting the evolution of humanity, making humans a stronger species. I firmly believe that, in the near future, humans will use soul tools to conquer any race—even worlds beyond our own.

  "Our current vision is far too narrow. But as soul tools continue to evolve, so will humanity. Mark my words: one day, even a human without a trace of soul power will be able to hunt hundred-thousand-year soul beasts.

  "And destroying soul beasts that have lived for hundreds of thousands of years? That will no longer be a challenge."

  The elder was floored. His mouth opened slightly, as if he wanted to speak, but no words came out.

  This kid, is he just spouting nonsense?

  He made exaggerated gestures, as if signaling to Qin Xiao: Think again. Is this really your answer?

  But Qin Xiao ignored him, his gaze locked unwaveringly onto Xuan Ziwen.

  What happened next surprised everyone.

  The look in Xuan Ziwen’s eyes changed—from scrutiny to intrigue, and finally to a spark of camaraderie.

  For a moment, Xuan Ziwen felt as though he had found a kindred spirit.

  High-level Soul Engineers were often solitary individuals, driven by their obsessions and guided by their unwavering beliefs. It was rare for someone to resonate with their ideals.

  But Qin Xiao’s words had struck a chord deep within Xuan Ziwen’s heart, as though someone had finally understood his passion and vision.

  He no longer felt alone.

  "Teacher Xuan, so...?" the elder cautiously asked.

  "Leave him here," Xuan Ziwen said decisively. "Go back and tell the dean not to worry. I’ll personally ensure Qin Xiao receives the best guidance."

  "Alright," the elder replied instinctively. But then he realized something strange about Xuan Ziwen’s phrasing. "Wait... did you just call him Qin Xiao?"

  Even Qin Xiao himself was stunned.

  He had only intended to make a good impression on Xuan Ziwen, not to have him address him as if they were equals.

  "Yes, Qin Xiao," Xuan Ziwen confirmed, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Although, considering his youth, calling him Qin Little Brother might be more appropriate."

  "Teacher Xuan... are you serious?"

  "Of course I’m serious," Xuan Ziwen said, his expression resolute. "You must understand, knowledge about soul tools can be taught over time. A Soul Engineer’s rank can also be steadily increased.

  "But the philosophy behind soul tools—now that’s personal enlightenment. It cannot be taught. Qin Xiao may still be a novice Soul Engineer, but his ideological grasp is already on par with mine. His potential is limitless.

  "Frankly, I’m only a few years older than him. Calling him my little brother feels perfectly natural."

  He turned to the elder and added with a hint of disdain, "Don’t scoff. You may never achieve this level of understanding in your entire life. Now, hurry back—I have basic Soul Engineer concepts to teach my little brother."

  The elder clicked his tongue in disbelief but left without further protest.

  Still, he couldn’t help but think: This is a good thing, isn’t it?

  After the elder left, Qin Xiao hesitated before speaking. "Teacher Xuan—"

  "What are you saying?" Xuan Ziwen interrupted, his face serious. "Call me Xuan Big Brother, or just Big Brother."

  His tone made it clear: he wasn’t joking.

  Qin Xiao froze.

  In his mind, he couldn’t help but picture a scene from an anime: Toudou meeting Itadori in Jujutsu Kaisen and decring them lifelong best friends after a single question.

  How eerily simir this feels...

  (End of Chapter)

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