“…You are very confident.”
Hall Master Jing Hongchen’s voice was low, yet it was impossible to tell if he was angry or pleased.
“If I were to kill you right now, what recourse would you have to dare negotiate terms with me?”
“That is truly a pity.
I had finally managed to hold a sliver of goodwill toward your academy, but now it has been completely shattered.” A smile tugged at the corner of Lu Ren’s mouth.
Since he dared to come to the Sun Moon Empire’s territory alone, he naturally had his trump cards.
He was not afraid of being captured by these Level 9 Soul Engineers for research, because Lu Ren was at least fifty percent certain that he could use the information gap to escape their grasp, relying on a Cursed Technique they had never seen before.
Even if he couldn’t escape, he could still take them all down with him before he died, though Lu Ren did not believe he would die so easily.
On the contrary, as long as they failed to blast him into smithereens in a single blow, Lu Ren had ways to revive at full health.
In a sense, he could barely be considered an immortal being.
Upon hearing this, Hall Master Jing Hongchen did not speak again.
Subsequently, the scene fell into an atmosphere of silence.
A very long silence.
Lu Ren did not urge him; he simply sat there quietly, waiting for his answer.
Finally, Hall Master Jing Hongchen’s gaze landed on Lu Ren once more, still sharp, but now with a hint of complex emotion.
“A hundred-thousand-year soul bone is not something I can decide on my own.”
“However…”
He changed the subject, a meaningful smile appearing at the corner of his mouth:
“If you can truly trample Shrek Academy under your feet at the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Elite Tournament.”
“I will personally go to negotiate with the imperial family and strive to secure a hundred-thousand-year soul bone for you.
From then on, you will be a loyal ally of our Sun Moon Empire.”
Lu Ren smiled.
“Deal.”
He reached out his hand directly.
Hall Master Jing Hongchen looked at that hand and was silent for two seconds.
Instead of shaking it back, he slowly withdrew his gaze, his tone becoming cold, hard, and cautious again:
“You are thinking too wishfully.
I haven’t completely agreed to this deal yet.”
Lu Ren shrugged and withdrew his hand nonchalantly.
Hall Master Jing Hongchen’s tone returned to calmness:
“Before that, you must first prove that you are worthy of this hundred-thousand-year soul bone.”
Lu Ren raised an eyebrow:
“How do I prove it?”
“You must prove that you are currently the strongest individual under twenty years of age in our Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy; otherwise, I will not believe that you can help us defeat Shrek in the competition,” Hall Master Jing Hongchen said calmly.
“Tomorrow, I will arrange a competition in the academy, and you must accept challenges from our academy’s students.”
A wanton and arrogant smile immediately rose at the corner of Lu Ren’s lips, full of confidence:
“Since it is a proof, why not make the spectacle larger?
Let’s just hold a ring challenge.
I will defend the ring, and you can send people in a wheel battle.
There is no limit to the number of people; hundreds can come if they want.
As long as someone can knock me down, I will consider it my loss.
How about that?”
Hall Master Jing Hongchen looked at him deeply, a flicker of surprise passing through his eyes, followed by a cold, sharp warning:
“You had better weigh your arrogance clearly.
If you cannot produce the strength to match this confidence, I will break your limbs and throw you into the sewers of Mingdu as the price for toying with me.”
“Deal.”
Lu Ren answered crisply and neatly, without a shred of hesitation.
Hall Master Jing Hongchen looked at Lu Ren deeply.
Whether it was arrogance or confidence, this kid at least did not show fear in front of him.
Just this mind alone was a cut above those so-called Geniuses in the academy.
Furthermore…
He trusted his own judgment more; if he had misjudged this time, then what kind of Level 9 Soul Engineer was he?
“Fine.” He nodded.
“I will indulge your madness this once.”
He raised his hand and pressed the communication spirit tool on the table, giving a few instructions.
A moment later, a middle-aged man pushed the door and entered, waiting respectfully to the side.
“Take him to rest.
Arrange a single dormitory in the A-grade area for him, and provide treatment according to the standards of core students.”
“Yes.” The middle-aged man acknowledged, looked at Lu Ren, and said, “Student Lu Ren, please follow me.”
Lu Ren stood up, nodded slightly toward Hall Master Jing Hongchen, and followed the middle-aged man out.
When they reached the door, Hall Master Jing Hongchen’s voice suddenly came from behind:
“Don’t embarrass me at tomorrow’s ring challenge.”
Lu Ren paused his steps, turned his head, and smiled:
“Rest assured.
The one who will be embarrassed will not be me.”
The door closed.
Hall Master Jing Hongchen leaned back in his chair, staring at the closed door, and remained silent for a long time.
Then he raised his hand and pressed the communication spirit tool again.
“Have Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen come over.”
A moment later, the office door was pushed open.
A boy and a girl, two youths, walked in.
The boy walking in front had delicate features, a pair of large blue eyes that were exceptionally bright, and a slender, upright figure.
The hands resting at his sides were extremely slender, with a jade-like luster that even a girl would find hard to possess.
His gait was languid, and his entire being exuded an air of “I am the best in the world” arrogance.
The girl following behind him was extremely beautiful, with long, straight silver hair gathered to the right side in a ponytail.
Her large, water-blue eyes blinked incessantly, and even her school uniform could not conceal her well-developed figure.
Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen.
They were Hall Master Jing Hongchen’s direct grandson and granddaughter.
“Grandfather.” The two bowed in unison.
“Sit.” Hall Master Jing Hongchen pointed to the chairs in front of him.
Xiao Hongchen plopped down, crossed his legs, leaned back against the chair, and asked lazily:
“Grandfather, why did you call us here?”
Meng Hongchen sat properly, her hands resting on her knees, her gaze looking quietly at Hall Master Jing Hongchen.
Hall Master Jing Hongchen did not beat around the bush; he simply recounted the matter regarding Lu Ren.
“Grandfather, are you saying that person’s first spirit ring was a thousand-year one?” Meng Hongchen blinked, her tone carrying obvious curiosity.
Hall Master Jing Hongchen nodded:
“Not only that, his fourth spirit ring is fifty thousand years.”
“Fifty thousand years?” Xiao Hongchen’s originally lazy expression changed slightly.
“A Spirit Ancestor, absorbing a fifty-thousand-year-level spirit ring?”
“The data measured by the instrument cannot be false.” Hall Master Jing Hongchen turned around and looked at his grandson and granddaughter.
“Tomorrow, the academy will hold a ring challenge for him.
When the time comes, you two will also compete.”
Xiao Hongchen raised an eyebrow: “A wheel battle?”
“Yes.
He will defend the ring, and all students in the academy can challenge him.” Hall Master Jing Hongchen paused.
“For tomorrow’s ring challenge, I intend to have you two compete as well.”
Xiao Hongchen raised an eyebrow, a disdainful smile hooking at the corner of his mouth: “Is this person worth Grandfather making such a big fuss?
Could it be just because of his spirit ring configuration?”
Hall Master Jing Hongchen looked at him but did not explain further.
This grandson of his had problems that were truly getting more and more serious.
If Lu Ren really had the ability, it wouldn’t be bad if he could cure him and correct this flaw of his.
“Fight well in tomorrow’s ring challenge.
Probe his bottom line, and at the same time, train yourselves.”
“Rest assured, Grandfather.” Meng Hongchen brushed the hair by her ear, her voice soft.
“We will take it seriously.”
Xiao Hongchen stood up, hands in his pockets, and walked toward the door:
“Alright, I got it.
Tomorrow, I will go and meet that kid, and let him know that the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy is not a place where just any stray cat or dog can run wild.”
He walked to the door and looked back at Meng Hongchen:
“Let’s go, little sister, don’t disturb Grandfather’s rest.”
Meng Hongchen bowed to Hall Master Jing Hongchen, stood up, and followed.
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