Chapter 122: Jing Hongchen
"I came to discuss important matters with your academy, but I didn't expect to encounter this upon arrival. That's why I hid myself—to avoid getting caught in the crossfire. I certainly mean no ill will toward your academy."
As he spoke, ripples suddenly appeared in the void. Then, a figure stepped out. He looked like a young man in his twenties with delicate features, white hair, and blue eyes, bearing a seventy percent resemblance to the Hongchen siblings.
"Jing Hongchen?! What are you doing here, you old fogey?!" Xuan Zi shouted angrily, pointing right at the man's nose.
Indeed, this person was the Hall Master of the Sun Moon Empire's Illustrious Virtue Hall, a Titled Douluo and Class 9 Soul Engineer, Jing Hongchen.
"Junior Jing Hongchen pays his respects to the Dragon God Douluo."
Jing Hongchen ignored Xuan Zi and instead bowed respectfully toward the Sea God Pavilion.
Seeing Jing Hongchen ignore him, Xuan Zi felt a surge of uncontrollable rage. His face, originally pale from the battle, instantly turned red.
Dammit! That Du Busi looked down on me just now, and now you, Jing Hongchen, dare to do the same? My cultivation level dropped, but I'm not dead!
Jing Hongchen glanced at the exasperated Xuan Zi and couldn't help but smile slightly. A sly old fox like him, who had lived for over a century, wouldn't make enemies for no reason.
He did this specifically to mess with Xuan Zi's state of mind. One must know that at the Super Douluo level, increasing Soul Power alone was no longer enough; one's mental state was equally important.
That was why Mu En and the others had given up on Xuan Zi. Given his current state of mind, it was hard to say if he could ever cultivate back to Rank 98.
Inside the Sea God Pavilion, Mu En pondered for a moment before finally letting out a faint sigh.
"A visitor is a guest. Come in, all of you."
"Thank you, Dragon God."
After bowing respectfully, Jing Hongchen flew straight toward the Sea God Pavilion, with Xuan Zi and the other Elders following closely behind.
Jing Hongchen didn't fly fast. His eyes were constantly scanning every part of Sea God Island like a scanner.
Soon, everyone arrived inside the Sea God Pavilion.
The moment they stepped inside, an ancient and heavy aura washed over them. It wasn't overbearing, yet it commanded instinctive awe.
Jing Hongchen's gaze immediately landed on the reclining chair at the head of the room. There sat an elderly man, withered with age.
With white hair and a face full of wrinkles, wearing simple, faded cloth clothes, he lay there casually as if he were just an ordinary old man on the verge of death.
But the moment Jing Hongchen saw him, he immediately tucked away all his little schemes.
He stepped forward quickly, bowed to Mu En again, and said respectfully,
"Junior Jing Hongchen pays his respects to Your Excellency Dragon God."
This greeting was ten times more respectful than the one outside.
Mu En nodded slightly in response.
At that moment, Jing Hongchen's pupils suddenly constricted. Not just him—the gazes of Xuan Zi and the others also froze on a spot not far from Mu En's feet.
There, five or six charred corpses were laid out neatly. They were burned beyond recognition, their original faces indistinguishable.
However, the thick evil aura emanating from the corpses clearly told everyone that these were all, without exception, Soul Douluo-level Evil Soul Masters!
One corpse even emitted an aura that surpassed a Soul Douluo... that was a Titled Douluo-level Evil Soul Master!
A layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on Jing Hongchen's back. He had been outside just now, observing everything in Shrek City from start to finish, not missing a single detail.
Yet, even so, he hadn't felt even a shred of Soul Power fluctuation from a battle between Mu En and these Evil Soul Masters!
Jing Hongchen wiped away a secret sweat, gaining a preliminary understanding of Mu En's power.
Mu En glanced at the corpses and explained slowly,
"Just some rats who tried to cause trouble in the chaos. Don't mind them."
Even so, how could Jing Hongchen dare to ignore them?
As for why these Evil Soul Masters would enter Shrek Academy during the chaos, he knew very well. It was undoubtedly because they had learned Lin Xuan possessed Ultimate Light and wanted to eliminate him as early as possible while his cultivation was still low.
Otherwise, it's not like these Evil Soul Masters had nothing better to do than try to kill Mu En, right?
Mu En didn't dwell on the topic and got straight to the point.
"Hall Master Hongchen, what important matter brings you here?"
Jing Hongchen quickly composed himself and stopped beating around the bush, saying respectfully,
"It's like this. My visit this time is regarding the Exchange Student Program I've mentioned several times before."
He paused and began to explain in detail, "Your academy is the number one Martial Soul academy on the continent, while my Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy is second to none in spirit tool technology. While we are competitors, if handled properly, we can also learn from each other's strengths to compensate for our weaknesses, thereby achieving mutual progress."
He looked up at Mu En and continued, "I can guarantee your academy that exchange students who come to the Sun Moon Empire will even be allowed to study in Illustrious Virtue Hall as long as they succeed in their studies and meet the requirements. Naturally, the safety of the exchange students in my Sun Moon Empire will be absolutely guaranteed.
"However many people come, that same number shall return."
Hearing this, Xuan Zi and the others instinctively wanted to refuse. However, before they could speak, a single look from Mu En forced them back.
That look wasn't sharp—one could even say it was gentle—but that one glance made Xuan Zi and the others fall silent instantly.
If it were before, he certainly wouldn't have agreed to the Exchange Student Program Jing Hongchen mentioned.
The Sun Moon Empire had been an enemy from the beginning, and that had never changed.
But now, spirit tools had developed to a stage that could no longer be ignored, as evidenced by the Soul Master Competition.
If Lin Xuan hadn't been there to hold the line, and if Dai Yueheng, Chen Zifeng, and the others hadn't fought with their lives, Shrek Academy would have lost this time.
Seeing the big picture from small details, if the competition was like this, what about the battlefield? Continuing to be set in one's ways would undoubtedly lead to destruction.
Therefore, he would agree to Jing Hongchen's request, but he had his own requirements and bottom line.
"The Exchange Student Program is acceptable," Mu En's voice slowly rang out. "But I require that the Sun Moon Empire's list must include the siblings Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen."
He paused and continued, "Rest assured, once they arrive at Shrek, they will enjoy all the treatment of Inner Court Disciples. If they graduate successfully, their names will also be left on the Shrek Inner Court graduation list."
"But at the same time, they must fulfill the responsibilities of an Inner Court Disciple, including but not limited to completing supervision missions."
Upon hearing this, Jing Hongchen agreed without hesitation. To put it bluntly, wasn't an Exchange Student Program just an exchange of hostages? If the people exchanged didn't have some weight, who would believe you?
"No problem." He answered readily but immediately proposed his own condition. "However, I also have one request. Lin Xuan must be on the exchange student list."
"Impossible!"
Xuan Zi grew anxious on the spot, and Elder Song and the others also changed expression. Jing Hongchen wasn't surprised; he just spread his hands and spoke frankly.
"This is our only request and our bottom line. After all, I must also ensure the safety of my precious grandson and granddaughter."
Mu En's fingers lightly tapped the armrest, creating a rhythmic sound. After a long while, he looked up and quietly watched Jing Hongchen, asking in a faint tone,
"Hall Master Hongchen, is it that you don't trust Shrek Academy's methods, or our character?"
Hearing this, Jing Hongchen grumbled inwardly. Your methods, I naturally trust. As for your character...
Heh.
The atmosphere fell into silence for a moment. Jing Hongchen began to calculate how to back down and exchange for other benefits if the talk failed.
However, at that moment, Mu En spoke.
"As for whether Lin Xuan joins the Exchange Student Program, I cannot give you a definite answer right now. Everything will have to wait until he finishes his cultivation, and he will make the decision himself."
Hearing this, Jing Hongchen was slightly startled. He never imagined that Lin Xuan's status in Shrek Academy was already so high.
Even Mu En couldn't decide for him?
However, since Mu En had said so, he couldn't say much more.
"How about this? If Lin Xuan agrees to be an exchange student, then everything proceeds as planned. If not, then my grandson and granddaughter won't join either. This counts as both sides taking a step back."
Jing Hongchen spoke carefully, "As for the start time... the next competition is five years away, and the original duration for the Exchange Student Program was three years. So... two years from today, the program will officially begin. How about it?"
Mu En's fingers tapping the armrest stopped. After a moment, he faintly uttered one word,
"Agreed."
"Good! It's a deal!"
...
Beneath the golden ancient tree, inside the cultivation chamber.
Dense darkness elements were like a hundred rivers returning to the sea, continuously being absorbed into Lin Xuan's body. Those dark rays of light flowed around him, enveloping him in a deep shadow.
His aura was rising level by level, like a rising tide or a surging mountain peak. Every minute and every second, he was approaching a certain critical point.
Finally, that aura reached a threshold. After a few seconds of stagnation, Lin Xuan suddenly opened his eyes!
Those originally deep black pupils were now even more profound, like two miniature black holes, as if they would swallow all light.
In the next moment, a majestic Soul Power burst forth, sweeping in all directions!
Rank 50!
In fact, as early as during the Soul Master Competition, Lin Xuan's cultivation had reached the threshold of Rank 50, but because of the matches, he hadn't had time to absorb a Soul Ring.
Now, with the addition of that bottle of blood essence from a hundred-thousand-year Dark Night Demon Dragon and over a month of concentrated cultivation, he wasn't even sure how many ranks his Soul Power would skyrocket after absorbing his fifth Soul Ring.
However, the increase in Soul Power was secondary; what was truly important was the transformation of his darkness attribute.
With a two-hundred-thousand-year Star-Devouring Magic Dragon Emperor left leg bone and a bottle of hundred-thousand-year Dark Night Demon Dragon blood essence, his darkness attribute was now extremely close to the Ultimate level.
Only one final layer remained to be broken through.
Only one final layer remained to be broken through.
At that time, Ultimate Darkness and Ultimate Light would both belong to him alone.
Lin Xuan slowly withdrew his scattered Soul Power, stretched his slightly stiff body, and let out a deep breath. That breath condensed in the air without dissipating, like a dark silk ribbon, only gradually vanishing after a long time.
As for the Body Sect's attack, although he was in cultivation, he had a faint perception of it.
He couldn't help but sigh in his heart; the Body Sect's way of doing things was indeed domineering enough.
For a disciple who hadn't even officially joined yet, they actually attacked Shrek Academy directly.
However, he didn't dislike this kind of dominance; after all, he possessed a Body Martial Soul himself.
Lin Xuan stood up and pushed open the door. At the end of the passage was the center of the golden tree's underground.
The towering ancient tree had its roots intertwined here, and golden light filtered through layers of soil, illuminating the entire space with warmth.
Mu En was lying on his reclining chair with his eyes closed, as if taking a nap, but the moment Lin Xuan stepped out of the passage, he opened his eyes.
A flash of gratified light passed through those cloudy old eyes.
"Rank 50..." He nodded slightly, his voice old and gentle. "The younger generation truly surpasses the old."
Lin Xuan stepped forward and bowed.
"You overpraise me, Elder."
Looking at him, the satisfaction in Mu En's eyes grew even stronger. This child had amazing talent yet was never arrogant; he had a deep mind yet always held onto his bottom line.
Rare indeed...
"Since you're already Rank 50, take a few days to rest, then set out to obtain your Soul Ring." He paused and continued, "Rest assured, this time, the academy will help you."
Lin Xuan bowed again. "Thank you, senior."
Mu En waved his hand and then pointed.
A soft golden glow instantly enveloped Lin Xuan. In the next moment, his figure disappeared from the spot.
Inside the Sea God Pavilion, just as Lin Xuan steadied himself, he saw a familiar figure standing before him.
It was Zhang Lexuan. She still had that gentle appearance, wearing a simple and elegant long dress, with a faint smile on her lips.
"Long time no see, Eldest Senior Sister."
Lin Xuan greeted her with a smile. Zhang Lexuan looked at him, a flash of amazement in her eyes. Although it had only been a month, the temperament of the youth before her seemed to have deepened a bit more.
"It has been a while."
She replied warmly, then handed over a set of clothes.
It was a red school uniform, finely crafted with high-quality materials, with the Shrek Inner Court emblem embroidered on the chest.
Lin Xuan was slightly taken aback as he took the clothes.
"This is?"
Zhang Lexuan explained, "By the academy's decision, you've been granted special permission to skip a grade and officially become an Inner Court Disciple."
Lin Xuan looked down at the uniform in his hands. Although he was a bit surprised, he wasn't overly shocked.
With his strength, if he really wanted to enter the Inner Court, he could have done so long ago.
Zhang Lexuan looked at his calm demeanor and nodded inwardly. She smiled slightly and continued,
"Why don't I take you to learn about the Inner Court? And pick out your dormitory while we're at it."
She paused, a playful glint in her eyes as she made a small joke, "You won't find your senior sister annoying, will you? If you're unwilling, I can call Ruoruo to show you around."
Hearing this, how could Lin Xuan refuse? He smiled and replied, "It's my honor to have Eldest Senior Sister personally lead the way. Although Senior Sister Ruoruo is also very good, how could she be as pleasing to the eye as you?"
Zhang Lexuan couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"You and your silver tongue..." She shook her head, her eyes full of smiles. "Let's go."
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