Chapter 291: The Double Agent, Meng Hongchen

  Facing Jing Hongchen’s questioning gaze, Qin Xiao simply smiled without answering.

  "Headmaster, you can't kill me!"

  Wang Shaojie cried out, "I carry the noble royal bloodline of the Sun Moon Empire! If I die, you’ll be in a lot of trouble too!"

  He was desperately trying to prove his worth, hoping to keep his life.

  However, Jing Hongchen already considered Qin Xiao as one of his own.To harm Qin Xiao was equivalent to harming his own kin.

  So, how could Jing Hongchen possibly let him go?

  In the next moment, a surge of powerful soul force exploded from Jing Hongchen’s palm. Wang Shaojie was directly obliterated into ashes by the sheer force.

  After dealing with him, Jing Hongchen calmly withdrew his hand and turned apologetically to Xuan Ziwen. "Teacher Xuan, I apologize for dirtying your b."

  Xuan Ziwen shook his head indifferently. "Headmaster, how do you pn to expin this to the royal family?"

  "Expin?"

  Jing Hongchen looked surprised. "Why would I need to expin anything?Clearly, Wang Shaojie was careless while making a soul tool, vioting safety regutions and causing an explosion. He ended up blowing up the entire b along with himself. In fact, I should be demanding an expnation from the royal family.

  The equipment in this b is extremely valuable. The royal family should reimburse us for all the damages."

  Then, as if he had just remembered something, Jing Hongchen asked, "By the way, do you have any outdated b equipment that needs upgrading?""I’ll include it in the budget request and get funding for you. Everything goes on Wang Shaojie’s tab."

  Xuan Ziwen was momentarily stunned. "This…"

  He actually did have some old equipment that needed repcing.

  "What do you mean, 'this'?"

  Jing Hongchen waved his hand dismissively. "Just tell me what you need. Everything is covered by Young Master Wang."

  Wang Shaojie: "…"

  It was already bad enough that Qin Xiao had framed him, but now Jing Hongchen was making him take the bme too?These people were truly ruthless.

  "Fine, then."

  Xuan Ziwen walked to a rge alloy table in the b, picked up pen and paper, and quickly drafted a detailed list.

  Meanwhile, Jing Hongchen fixed his gaze on Qin Xiao and curiously asked, "Kid, now that there are no outsiders here, tell me—what exactly is your martial soul?"

  "It's the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion."

  "Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion… Good heavens, you really didn’t disappoint me! You actually have an Ultimate Ice martial soul!"

  Jing Hongchen's eyes widened in shock, his face filled with disbelief.

  Some things were mere specution, but confirmation was something else entirely.

  Qin Xiao was truly extraordinary.

  "Figuring out how to train you will be quite the challenge."

  After his initial shock, Jing Hongchen frowned and fell into deep thought.

  If Qin Xiao’s talent was merely exceptional in soul tool creation, then Jing Hongchen could still train him personally.

  However, when it came to cultivation, things became much more complicated.

  After all, how high was his own level?On the continent, there were plenty of people with stronger cultivation than him.

  If they simply followed the common Sun Moon Empire method of consuming pills endlessly to boost soul power, it might not be beneficial for Qin Xiao in the long run.

  At that moment, Jing Hongchen suddenly realized that he might not be capable enough to train Qin Xiao properly.

  "Headmaster, I’ve finished writing it."

  Xuan Ziwen’s voice pulled Jing Hongchen out of his thoughts.

  He reached out and took the list from Xuan Ziwen.

  His eyelids twitched wildly.

  This list was ridiculously long.

  Even with his cultivation, it took nearly half a minute to read through it.

  Then he asked, "Teacher Xuan, is there anything in your b that you haven’t repced yet?"

  Xuan Ziwen thought seriously for a moment before replying, "Probably not."

  "Headmaster, you said it yourself—everything is covered by Young Master Wang. Are you regretting it now?"

  "Would I?"

  Jing Hongchen casually put the list away and then took out something from his spatial soul tool, handing it to Qin Xiao.

  "This is…" Qin Xiao felt a sudden surge of anticipation.

  "This is ten-thousand-year whale balm. It’s an incredible substance. Applying it all over your body will enhance your physique. I went through a lot of trouble to obtain this."

  "You’re lucky.

  I wanted to give this to you earlier, but you had disappeared. Now, it’s finally back in the hands of its rightful owner. Hahaha!"

  Jing Hongchen ughed heartily.

  Qin Xiao, however, felt a bit touched.

  This guy really cared about him.

  Qin Xiao decided that if Jing Hongchen continued treating him well without any hidden agenda, he wouldn’t mind repaying him in the future.

  Of course, that was a matter for ter.

  Jing Hongchen had to prove himself worthy first.

  After handing over the ten-thousand-year whale balm, Jing Hongchen said nothing more and left the boratory.

  He returned directly to his office.

  The first thing he did was write an official notice and send someone to deliver it to Wang Shaojie’s family.

  Then, he summoned an attendant and instructed him to bring one of the top talents of the Hongchen family—Meng Hongchen.

  He was going to accelerate the pn of having Meng Hongchen study under Xuan Ziwen.

  Whether she actually learned anything was unimportant.

  What mattered was building a connection.

  He felt that Qin Xiao was quite promising. If he could pair Meng Hongchen and Qin Xiao together, it would be a great match.

  "Brother Qin, Juzi, I have something to take care of. I need to meet my teacher, so don’t wait for me for lunch…"

  Inside the boratory, after briefly tidying up, Xuan Ziwen left in a hurry, throwing out these words as he walked away.

  In an instant, only Juzi and Qin Xiao were left.

  Tears started falling, drop by drop.

  Juzi remained silent, but her tears couldn't stop rolling down her cheeks and hitting the ground.

  What was going on?

  Qin Xiao was puzzled.

  "Shishu, I'm so happy that you made it back alive… If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t have had to take such a risk. I’m sorry!

  Shishu, from now on, whatever you need done, just leave it to me. If you say go east, I’ll go east. If you say go west, I’ll go west. If you want me to beat a dog, I won’t chase chickens instead…"

  Juzi spoke between sobs.

  Of course, Qin Xiao didn’t take these words too seriously.

  Shaking his head with a smile, he said, "The cafeteria should be opening soon, right? Let’s go, I’m getting hungry."

  "Mm-hmm."

  Juzi wiped her face with both hands. "Shishu, follow me."

  Before long, the two arrived by the keside.

  The environment at the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy was truly excellent. As Qin Xiao walked along the ke, he noticed rge fish leaping across the water’s surface.

  Suddenly, a thought struck him.

  Huo Yuhao was renowned for his grilled fish.

  Back then, even Tang Ya, after tasting Huo Yuhao’s grilled fish, wanted to recruit him into the Tang Sect despite Bei Bei’s objections.

  But what did it actually taste like?

  Qin Xiao decided to try it himself.

  After all, he still retained memories of Huo Yuhao’s grilling techniques.

  "Shishu, why did you stop walking?"

  Juzi asked when she saw him pause.

  "Does the cafeteria serve spicy stir-fried shrimp today?"

  "The menu was posted yesterday. The cafeteria doesn’t have it today."

  Juzi shook her head. "Shishu, do you want to eat it? I can go buy some for you outside the academy…"

  Qin Xiao shook his head at her offer. "Then it's perfect. Let’s eat something different today."

  He gnced at the fish in the ke, licking his lips.

  Juzi hesitated. "Then… I’ll catch some for you."

  Meanwhile, in another part of the academy.

  A knock sounded on the door of Jing Hongchen’s office.

  "They're here!"

  Jing Hongchen’s face lit up with delight as he rushed to open the door.

  Standing outside was a stunning young woman.

  "Ah, Meng, you’re here. Every time I see you, you’ve grown even more beautiful."

  Jing Hongchen smiled warmly, radiating a grandfatherly kindness.

  The young woman, known as Meng, was none other than his granddaughter, Meng Hongchen—one of the top prodigies of the Hongchen family.

  However, upon seeing his reaction, Meng Hongchen frowned. "Grandfather, what’s wrong with you today? Are you feeling unwell?"

  Something felt off.

  Why was her grandfather acting so overly enthusiastic?

  Her instincts told her that something bad was coming.

  "I’m fine…"

  Jing Hongchen forced an awkward smile.

  "In that case, I’ll be leaving now."

  Meng Hongchen immediately turned to go.

  Better leave before things got complicated.

  Who knew what he was pnning?

  "Wait a minute!"

  Jing Hongchen quickly stopped her. "What, am I a ghost? Why are you in such a hurry to leave?

  Looks like you’ve been learning bad habits from your brother."

  Meng Hongchen spread her hands helplessly. "You said there was nothing wrong, so how is it my fault?"

  "Fine, fine. Consider it my fault. Now, sit down. I have something to discuss with you."

  Jing Hongchen returned to his chair, tapping his fingers lightly on the desk.

  "What is it?"

  "Starting tomorrow, you won’t be studying under your current teacher anymore."

  "What?"

  Meng Hongchen’s eyes widened in shock, but soon her expression shifted into excitement. "Does that mean I’m graduating?

  That’s great! I was just thinking about traveling the continent."

  Jing Hongchen: "…"

  He felt completely speechless.

  What was this girl thinking?

  Was her head full of mush?

  With a sigh, he said, "You’re overthinking it.

  You should first take a look at your current cultivation and strength before thinking about graduating.

  The reason I’m pulling you from your current studies is that I’ve arranged for you to have a new teacher."

  "What?"

  Meng Hongchen was dumbfounded. "You’re giving me a new teacher?"

  "That’s right."

  Jing Hongchen grinned. "Surprised? Excited?"

  "I don’t want it. I like my current teacher just fine."

  "Besides, with you around, does it even matter who my teacher is?"

  Meng Hongchen saw no reason for this change.

  "That’s not the point."

  Jing Hongchen frowned. "You need to understand that education isn’t just about knowledge. It’s also about learning how to navigate the world and build retionships.

  The reason I’m assigning you a new teacher isn’t just for learning—it’s also to introduce you to someone."

  "What?"

  Meng Hongchen was stunned. She hadn’t expected her grandfather to say something like this.

  This was getting a little… ridiculous.

  "Let me start with Xuan Ziwen’s story…"

  Jing Hongchen sighed and patiently expined his concerns regarding Qin Xiao.

  After listening, Meng Hongchen finally began to understand.

  "So, you think Qin Xiao is quite capable and want to nurture him properly, while also having me supervise him to determine if he's worthy of joining the Hongchen family, correct?"

  Meng Hongchen tilted her head and looked at Jing Hongchen with a skeptical expression.

  Jing Hongchen nodded solemnly. "That’s exactly right.

  I intend to make Qin Xiao my successor, so I need you to assess him for me."

  Of course, this so-called "assessment" was just an excuse Jing Hongchen came up with on the spot.

  After all, Meng Hongchen was the pride of the Hongchen family. He couldn't just outright tell her, "Your grandfather has found you a suitable husband, so you’d better cherish this opportunity."

  If he did that, she’d probably be furious.

  She was still young, and it would be ridiculous to arrange a marriage at this stage.

  Instead, he would subtly guide her attention toward Qin Xiao.

  With Qin Xiao’s talent, over time, it would be impossible for Meng Hongchen not to develop special feelings for him.

  Then, everything would naturally fall into pce.

  Good heavens, this is next-level manipution…

  Meng Hongchen was caught off guard. "Even my brother and I aren’t qualified to be your successors?"

  "And now, you’re considering an outsider?"

  Jing Hongchen hadn’t expected her to tch onto that particur point.

  However…

  He had fought in countless battles in his lifetime. How could he be stumped by a young girl’s questions?

  "You misunderstand. Your brother is still the hope of our family.

  The reason I’m considering Qin Xiao is to make our family even stronger. In my heart, you are all my successors."

  Jing Hongchen spoke without hesitation, seamlessly weaving his story together.

  And his words had the intended effect.

  Meng Hongchen was suddenly filled with passion and motivation.

  So Grandfather is doing this for the good of our family!

  "Grandfather, don’t worry! I’ll make sure to handle this matter fwlessly.

  I’ll keep track of everything Qin Xiao does and report back to you regurly so you can judge whether he’s worthy of being your heir."

  She now felt like a double agent, entrusted with a crucial mission.

  Studying under a teacher was one thing.

  More importantly, she had to assess Qin Xiao.

  "Hahaha, good!"

  "You truly are my good granddaughter."

  Jing Hongchen ughed heartily.

  As the saying goes—the older, the wiser.

  No matter how clever Meng Hongchen was, she still fell into his carefully id-out pn.

  Of course, as her grandfather, he was doing all of this for her future.

  He wanted to ensure she wouldn’t be deceived in the future and that she would find an ideal partner.

  Now that everything was arranged, Jing Hongchen waved his hand. "Alright, if there’s nothing else, you can leave now. Prepare yourself and report to Xuan Ziwen tomorrow."

  Meanwhile, in the Imperial Pace

  After a long wait, Xuan Ziwen finally got to meet his teacher.

  Sun Moon Empire’s Hall of Worship leader.The strongest of all Rank Nine Soul Engineers in the empire.The closest person to reaching the fabled Rank Ten Soul Engineer status—Kong Deming.

  He was an imposing elder with a stern expression.

  "Teacher, you’re finally out of seclusion!"

  Xuan Ziwen’s voice carried an unmistakable note of excitement.

  Over the past several months, he had repeatedly come to the pace to seek an audience with Kong Deming.

  But every time, the answer was the same—Kong Deming was still in seclusion.

  And he had left strict orders: unless the empire faced an existential crisis, no one was to disturb him.

  Xuan Ziwen knew his teacher had been striving to break through to the legendary Rank Ten Soul Engineer level.

  "As, it’s unfortunate… I still haven’t been able to reach that realm. I feel like I’m just a step away, but I can’t quite grasp it."

  Kong Deming did not hide the truth from his disciple. Instead, he sighed in frustration.

  Hearing this, Xuan Ziwen was momentarily dazed.

  Rank Ten Soul Engineer…What kind of existence would that even be?

  Yet here he was, not even a Rank Nine Soul Engineer himself.

  Kong Deming then turned to him. "I heard that you've been coming to see me frequently these past few months.

  What is it that you needed to discuss?"

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