Walking out of the Mingde Hall building, sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, scattering fragmented spots of light on the ground.
Meng Hongchen walked ahead, her silver ponytail swaying gently with her steps, while her hands unconsciously twisted the hem of her skirt.
The blush on her cheeks hadn’t fully faded yet, and her grandfather’s words, “staying together twenty-four hours a day,” echoed repeatedly in her mind.
This thought made her heart race, and her footsteps became somewhat frantic.
From time to time, she would look up to steal a glance at Lu Ren beside her, then quickly lower her gaze, afraid he would notice something.
Lu Ren glanced at her.
The sight of a young girl in love wasn’t unpleasant, but this was probably just part of the adolescent experience.
Seriously though, having someone chattering by his side actually gave him a sense of the reality of school life.
He suddenly remembered his school days on Earth in his past life and couldn’t help but shudder, shaking his head repeatedly.
That place was no different from a prison.
Meng Hongchen suddenly stopped, turned around, her beautiful eyes filled with curiosity:
“You don’t seem worried at all?
The Imperial Inspection Team isn’t an ordinary force; they’ve always acted overbearingly.”
Lu Ren’s pace was steady: “With you here, what’s there to worry about?”
These words sounded like a brush-off, yet they made Meng Hongchen’s cheeks burn even more.
She coughed lightly, trying hard to put on a calm front:
“I won’t always protect you.
If a real fight breaks out, you’ll have to handle it yourself.”
“Naturally.”
Lu Ren nodded, his gaze sweeping across the students passing by on both sides of the corridor.
Those looks were still filled with awe and curiosity, occasionally mixed with faint traces of hostility.
Most likely, they were friends or followers of Wang Shaojie.
As the two were walking toward the Practical Control Soul Tool Department, a figure suddenly rushed out from a corner, almost colliding with Meng Hongchen.
“Te-Teacher Xuan?” Meng Hongchen froze for a moment upon seeing the newcomer.
Xuan Ziwen still looked as disheveled as ever, his hair like a bird’s nest, his clothes rumpled, and the dark circles under his eyes even deeper than yesterday.
But his eyes were frighteningly bright as he stared intently at Lu Ren.
“I’m looking for Lu Ren.
Are you free?”
Lu Ren was startled by his enthusiasm and instinctively took a half-step back:
“Teacher Xuan, I’m not a Soul Engineer…”
He knew people like Xuan Ziwen all too well.
For a genius obsessed with spirit tools to the core to look at someone with that expression, they had either discovered a new breakthrough in the field of spirit tools or found a gifted prospect for becoming a Soul Engineer.
Neither of those applied to him.
“Of course I know you aren’t.” Xuan Ziwen waved it off dismissively.
“But pure Spirit Masters are just as important to us.
Otherwise, why would the academy establish the Practical Control Soul Tool Department?”
He paused, seemingly organizing his thoughts.
“The Practical Control Soul Tool Department is about letting Spirit Masters enhance their own strength through spirit tools.”
“They don’t create spirit tools, but they can skillfully use various spirit tools to improve their combat power and survival capabilities.”
“This is the direction for the future integration of Soul Engineers and Spirit Masters.
Being able to create and being able to use will eventually split into two different cultivation paths.”
Lu Ren listened without interrupting.
“I’ve observed your fighting style up close.” Xuan Ziwen’s gaze became focused.
“That invisible slash, and the black light that can distort space—those aren’t Spirit Abilities, are they?”
Lu Ren didn’t deny it.
“Since they aren’t Spirit Abilities, yet they are techniques at the Soul Power level, theoretically, they should be applicable in the field of spirit tools…” Xuan Ziwen grew more excited as he spoke, gesturing in the air.
“Teacher Xuan.” Lu Ren interrupted him, his tone calm.
“I understand what you mean, but unfortunately, it’s almost impossible.
My abilities cannot be applied to spirit tools.”
“Why?”
“It’s related to my Spirit.
It’s extremely unique; without this Spirit, no one else can do the same.”
The fire in Xuan Ziwen’s eyes instantly went out.
He seemed to lose all his strength, his shoulders slumping, returning to that faint sense of being a ‘dead man’:
“I see…
I was overthinking it.”
Silence hung in the air for a few seconds.
Lu Ren looked at his dejected back and made a calculation.
There was no harm in being on good terms with this genius who was destined to become a Level 9 Soul Engineer.
“Anything is possible.” He spoke, his tone softer than usual.
“Don’t be discouraged, Teacher Xuan.
Although I can’t help you in the field of spirit tool creation, I can still help you test spirit tools.”
Xuan Ziwen suddenly turned around, his eyes lighting up again: “You mean it?”
An ominous premonition welled up in Lu Ren’s heart, but he nodded anyway.
“Don’t worry.” Xuan Ziwen chuckled and patted his shoulder.
“You’re a student; I have no reason to put you in danger.
I’ll definitely ensure your safety when I ask you to test things.”
He paused, then changed the subject: “Are you a Mental System Soul Master?”
Lu Ren was taken aback: “No, my abilities have absolutely nothing to do with the mental system.”
“But when I observed you fighting, a massive amount of Mental Energy surged every time you used your abilities.” Xuan Ziwen frowned.
“My combat ability might be poor, but I’m an Eight-ring Spirit Douluo after all; my close-range perception won’t be wrong.”
A massive amount of…
Mental Energy?
Lu Ren was stunned.
Did he mistake Cursed Energy for Mental Energy?
“Even if you aren’t a Mental System Soul Master, with such an enormous Mental Energy, you’re practically no different from one.” Xuan Ziwen continued, his tone turning serious.
“What the academy lacks most right now are Mental System Soul Masters.
When a mental system user controls spirit tools, the effect is one plus one is greater than two.”
He pulled a metal badge from his robe and handed it to Lu Ren.
“If you have time, come find me.
I’ll help you test your abilities related to Mental Energy.”
Lu Ren took the badge and tucked it away: “Alright.”
In this era, most people’s use of Mental Energy was still in the primary stages.
If Xuan Ziwen could help him develop his potential in this area…
“I’ll be going then.” Xuan Ziwen waved and walked away, his steps much lighter than when he arrived.
Meng Hongchen blinked, watching his back disappear around the corner of the corridor, and couldn’t help but sigh: “Even Teacher Xuan is so fond of you.”
“He just discovered some secrets of my Spirit,” Lu Ren explained casually.
Meng Hongchen got excited and stepped closer: “What type is your Spirit, anyway?”
“Theoretically…
it’s an attack system.” Lu Ren thought for a moment and gave the most vague answer.
Meng Hongchen didn’t press further and led him deeper into the academy.
Various spirit tool lighting devices were embedded in the walls of the corridor, emitting a soft and even light.
“What kind of cultivation room do you want?” she asked.
“Our cultivation rooms here are no worse than Shrek’s.”
Lu Ren thought for a moment: “Somewhere a bit gloomy.”
“Eww.” Meng Hongchen drawled, unable to resist complaining.
“Are you some kind of dark-attribute Evil Soul Master?”
“Having a dark attribute doesn’t necessarily mean one is an Evil Soul Master,” Lu Ren corrected her.
“That’s true.” Meng Hongchen admitted, her gaze circling his face.
“But I can’t see even a hint of a dark attribute in you.”
Lu Ren gave a smile—a clean and bright one.
His eyes held the clarity unique to a college student, like crushed sunlight, warm but not scorching.
Meng Hongchen was dazed for a moment and quickly looked away.
“Fine, a gloomy cultivation room…
the requirements are a bit specific.
I’ll have to apply to Grandfather first.”
“Please do.”
…
The speed of the application’s approval was startlingly fast.
Hall Master Jing Hongchen personally intervened, clearing out a large vacant room opposite Lu Ren’s dormitory and renovating it according to his requirements.
In less than half a day, a completely enclosed, dimly lit cultivation room was completed.
The walls were painted dark gray, and the floor was covered with light-absorbing matte stone.
Only a few spirit tool lamps on the ceiling emitted a dim, yellowish glow.
A faint chill permeated the air, and the energy of heaven and earth was exceptionally dense here, as if being drawn in by something, slowly converging.
Lu Ren stood at the door, looking at this tailor-made cultivation room, momentarily speechless.
Dark, gloomy, and devoid of sunlight, yet filled with dense heaven and earth essence.
Hall Master Jing Hongchen hadn’t just met all his requirements; he had added extra features.
The energy concentration in this cultivation room was more than three times that of an ordinary one.
“This…” Lu Ren turned his head to look at Hall Master Jing Hongchen, who was standing nearby with his hands behind his back.
The corners of Hall Master Jing Hongchen’s mouth quirked up, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.
This kid has finally shown a look of surprise.
No matter how much of a genius or how mature he was, he was still just a fourteen-year-old child.
As long as one was human, they would have a sense of gratitude.
By providing the best treatment to keep Lu Ren’s heart here, this investment would be worth it.
When the time comes…
hehe.
He was already imagining the future scene of Lu Ren representing the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy to crush Shrek, and in the even more distant future, Lu Ren leading the Sun Moon Empire’s army to help them unify the entire continent.
“Cultivate well.” Hall Master Jing Hongchen raised his hand and patted Lu Ren’s shoulder with just the right amount of pressure.
“You don’t need to worry about anything else.”
Lu Ren quickly calmed down.
After realizing Hall Master Jing Hongchen’s intentions, he couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.
Brilliant.
This move was truly brilliant.
Hall Master Jing Hongchen wasn’t just giving him a cultivation room; he was telling him: you are treated as one of our own here, there is a place for you here, and it is worth staying here.
Lu Ren looked up at Hall Master Jing Hongchen and nodded seriously:
“Yes, Hall Master.”
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