"You want me to break up with Mengmeng?"
Looking at the furious Xiao Hongchen standing in front of him, Qian Ran couldn't help but laugh.
And who does Xiao Hongchen think he is? A big shot?
Even people like Qian Duoduo and Yan Shaozhe treated Qian Ran with courtesy. Even the formidable Ye Xishui, a legend in her own right, deferred to him. Xiao Hongchen? A joke at best.
"You're not worthy of Mengmeng! I won't allow you to be with her!" Xiao Hongchen's voice was trembling with rage.
In his mind, Qian Ran was the sole reason his once-close bond with his sister had crumbled.
After yesterday's argument, Mengmeng had outright refused to speak to him anymore.
"What business is it of yours what happens between me and Meng Hongchen? Who are you to tell me what to do? Do you even have the right to bark here?" Qian Ran shot back, his tone filled with disdain.
Meng Hongchen didn't even want to acknowledge Xiao Hongchen as her brother anymore, yet here he was, posturing as if he held any authority.
Before Qian Ran could continue, Meng Hongchen stormed into the room, her expression furious.
"I knew it! You'd come looking for Qian Ran! You're so infuriating!"
"Xiao Hongchen, when will you stop?"
Meng Hongchen had anticipated this move from her brother ever since their heated argument the night before.
Xiao Hongchen never thought to reflect on his own flaws. What was wrong with her genuinely loving Qian Ran? It wasn't like she had been forced into it—she had been the one to pursue him!
"Mengmeng, why are you here?" Xiao Hongchen stammered, startled by her sudden appearance.
As much as he was furious with her choice of partner, he still cared deeply for his sister.
The thought of his precious sibling being "tainted" by Qian Ran made him seethe with anger.
"Why can't I be here?" Meng Hongchen shot back coldly.
"Do you even realize who you're talking to? Qian Ran is now the deputy dean of Shrek Academy's Soul Engineering Department!"
"Do you have any idea what that means? In the context of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, a deputy dean is second only to Grandfather, the dean himself."
Meng Hongchen's tone was proud, her eyes gleaming with admiration.
"What? Deputy dean? Mengmeng, you've got to be joking. Isn't Qian Ran younger than both of us?" Xiao Hongchen's face contorted in disbelief.
Deputy dean? Has Shrek Academy lost its mind?
Qian Ran was so young—what qualifications could he possibly have to hold such a prestigious title?
And with his notorious flirtatious nature, how many girls at Shrek Academy would he end up "ruining" now that he had this position?
"Hmph. Qian Ran is about to become an eighth-level Soul Engineer. What about you? If I recall correctly, you're still just a sixth-level Soul Engineer, aren't you?" Meng Hongchen crossed her arms, her disdain evident.
"You can't even compare to me, let alone Qian Ran."
Meng Hongchen's words struck like daggers. Qian Ran was exceptional, and if Xiao Hongchen treated him with respect, perhaps Qian Ran would even consider helping him.
With Qian Ran's ability to directly impart soul tool knowledge into someone's mind, Xiao Hongchen could have benefited for life. But his attitude? He didn't deserve it.
"You? Mengmeng, you're—" Xiao Hongchen's voice faltered as he noticed something pinned to her chest.
"This is my seventh-level Soul Engineer badge. Grandfather personally certified it," Meng Hongchen said smugly, her lips curving into a victorious smile.
If not for Qian Ran, she wouldn't have even reached the Soul Emperor level, let alone become a seventh-level Soul Engineer.
With Qian Ran's help, she had essentially absorbed the entire body of knowledge required for a seventh-level Soul Engineer in an instant.
Most seventh-level Soul Engineers specialized in one or two types of soul tools. But Meng Hongchen? She could dabble in nearly all types.
This was a testament to Qian Ran's unique ability to construct a mental framework akin to a human-computer interface using his immense spiritual power—a capability only he possessed as a transmigrator with knowledge from a more advanced world.
"Seventh-level Soul Engineer?" Xiao Hongchen's mind reeled.
He couldn't deny the authenticity of the badge—it bore Mingde Hall's unmistakable seal.
His sister, Meng Hongchen, was now a seventh-level Soul Engineer.
He wasn't even the most outstanding talent at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy anymore!
"And that's not all. You're not even on the same level as Juzi, Keke, or Nana. All three of them have surpassed you," Meng Hongchen continued, piling on the humiliation.
Thanks to Qian Ran's help, their talents had been elevated to the highest tier.
Whether it was in martial spirit or soul tool theory, Xiao Hongchen was no match for them.
All because they had Qian Ran.
"I…" Xiao Hongchen felt utterly defeated.
His hostility toward Qian Ran stemmed from seeing him as a rival—the ultimate talent of Shrek Academy versus himself, the pride of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy.
But now? His own talent didn't even rank first at his own academy anymore.
Even those who were once beneath him had surpassed him.
"I… I have something to do. I'll be going now," Xiao Hongchen stammered before fleeing.
Meng Hongchen and Qian Ran hadn't even said anything intentionally cruel, but the cold, hard facts were enough to crush him.
Had so much changed in the short time he had been away from the academy?
"Is this all because of Qian Ran? Has he grown so powerful that he can elevate everyone around him?"
"Damn it!" Xiao Hongchen clenched his fists, his self-esteem shattered.
"Qian Ran! This is all your fault! If it weren't for you, Mengmeng wouldn't have grown so strong, and I wouldn't have lost my title as the academy's top genius!"
"And worst of all, my beloved sister—my Mengmeng—now sides with you! This is the greatest humiliation of all!"
As he stormed off, his anger burned hotter than ever. In his mind, Qian Ran was the root of all his woes.
(End of Chapter)