Lin Jiayi was stunned, and the crowd of onlookers buzzed with their opinions on the trend of Soul Guided Devices, which brought the Dean of Education some comfort.
A wave of secret satisfaction washed over me. I never thought the Dean of Education, usually so stern-faced, would have a day like this. Exchange students truly are god-tier beings!
His words flowed eloquently, each one a gem. He could even discuss Soul Guided Device knowledge with two legendary figures of the academy. I wonder why such a god-tier individual would condescend to come to our first year.
Could it be that this god-tier being wants to experience the thrill of 'fishing'? This Dean of Education should be a big enough fish, right?
On the rooftop, the Hongchen siblings exchanged glances, both seeing surprise in the other's eyes.
After a long silence, Meng Hongchen broke it with a touch of schadenfreude.
"Xiao, I think your title as the Sun Moon Empire's Millennial First Genius is about to be lost."
"Meng, don't say such discouraging things! Am I, your brother, someone who's easily defeated?"
Xiao Hongchen tilted his head back, looking at the sky, his hands hidden in his sleeves trembling uncontrollably, clenching and unclenching. Sweat unknowingly soaked his back.
Lin Jiayi wasn't the only one whose brain was scrambled by Xu Tianxi's few words. He had to stand on the rooftop, letting the cool breeze clear his head for a long time before he felt lucid enough not to lose face in front of his sister.
Meng Hongchen's playful smile deepened. She whispered,
"But when you were his age, you never seemed to come up with anything so meaningful."
"That's because I was diligently studying Soul Guided Device manufacturing, laying a solid foundation. A magnificent building starts from the ground up."
Xiao Hongchen's hands in his pockets grew tenser. His neck flushed red as he refused to admit defeat, sweat trickling down his neck, inside and out.
"But Grandpa said that your technical level at his age wasn't necessarily much stronger than his."
Meng Hongchen's eyes curved into crescents as she pressed on.
"But Grandpa also said that his Senior Martial Uncle bought a lot of Soul Guided Devices from us. Besides, didn't he just say that these ideas came about after interacting with us? So, there's a part of the credit that belongs to us."
As Xiao Hongchen spoke, he felt a chilling wind bite his tongue. For some reason, he really wanted two bottles of water to soothe his throat.
This time, Meng Hongchen didn't immediately retort. Instead, she raised her slender fingers and gently began to calculate:
"We're both top Level 4 Soul Engineers, but my theoretical level is Fifth Level, and your practical level is Fifth Level. Combined, that's the level of an excellent Fifth Level Soul Engineer, right?"
"Exactly! I told you we're both geniuses." Xiao Hongchen nodded without hesitation.
"We've only interacted with him for a little over a day, mostly explaining basic knowledge. And we were taught by Grandpa from a young age; he's already a Level 9 Soul Engineer. One hundred of us combined can't compare to him, right?"
Meng Hongchen seemed to be thinking very seriously.
Xiao Hongchen's face was now covered in black lines. He probably knew what Meng Hongchen wanted to say. He didn't pick up the conversation, instead waving his hand dramatically and exclaiming in distress:
"Alright! I know what you want to say. Aren't you just saying that my position as the Millennial First Genius is about to change hands?
As you wish, from today onwards, I will strive with all my might, dedicating all my energy to the cultivation of Soul Guided Devices! I will definitely show you who is stronger, me or him!"
Meng Hongchen immediately smiled, her eyes crinkling, and clapped her hands, saying:
"Now that's the spirit of a great genius from our Hongchen Family! Blindly escaping reality isn't good. I love seeing you all work hard like this."
"Don't worry, I won't disappoint you!"
Xiao Hongchen said, pouting. Suddenly, a flash of inspiration crossed his mind, and words he had secretly spoken years ago resurfaced in his memory.
"When this guy's elder first sent the Mystic Water Pill, I think I secretly swore to utterly defeat him and reclaim my dignity as Meng's brother—"
"Now—isn't this just perfect timing?"
Meng Hongchen heard Xiao Hongchen muttering, and her eyes suddenly sparkled:
"Yeah, you asked me back then which side I'd help if I met that Three Kingdoms genius. I said if that Three Kingdoms genius was handsome, I might help him beat you up."
"And now little Xu is so handsome—isn't this also perfect timing?"
Xiao Hongchen/Meng Hongchen: Everything we said back then is being proven today!
"Xiao, as the Number One Genius of the Sun Moon Empire, you must have your pride. You can't bully a newly enrolled first-year junior." Meng Hongchen said with a very serious expression.
Xiao Hongchen proudly said without hesitation, "Of course! He's still very weak now. I'll wait until he advances to the fifth year before giving him the most despairing blow!"
"Are you planning to challenge him then, relying on your cultivation advantage?" Meng Hongchen's eyes narrowed.
Xiao Hongchen sneered, slowly rising on the rooftop. From his elevated position, he looked down arrogantly at the vast campus, vehemently denying such a low-level tactic:
"No! When he enters the fifth year, I will enter the sixth year, and then I will enter Mingde Hall for advanced studies, letting him know the absolute strength of me, the Number One Genius! Ahahaha—"
"Which inconsiderate person is making such a racket on the classroom roof? I'm going to record all of you for disciplinary action and announce it to the entire school!"
Inside the classroom, Lin Jiayi's ears twitched. He clearly heard someone laughing wildly above him, and immediately flew into a rage. He intended to reclaim some of the Dean of Education's dignity from this madman!
"Xiao, you idiot, stop laughing! Run!"
Meng Hongchen slapped her foolish, 'afflicted' brother awake, expertly controlling her Flying Soul Guided Device to escape at light speed. She quickly vanished into a tiny speck.
"Hey, hey, hey, Meng, wait for me!"
Xiao Hongchen was spun like a top by Meng Hongchen's slap. He frantically searched his Storage Ring for his Flying Soul Guided Device, his legs moving rapidly as if to perform parkour.
However, before he could equip his Flying Soul Guided Device, the Dean of Education, with a dark expression, had already displayed his agile movements, appearing on the rooftop from inside the classroom. He blocked Young Master Xiao Hongchen's path, arms crossed, and exclaimed in surprise:
"Oh, oh, oh, isn't this Young Master Xiao Hongchen, our frequent visitor to the Dean's Office? What's up? Not sneaking Soul Guided Devices from the warehouse today? Have you switched to being a gentleman on the roof? Looking for a new reason to get in?"
Xiao Hongchen despairingly put down the Flying Soul Guided Device he was holding, and said in a low, bitter voice, "Dean, can you listen to my explanation?"
Lin Jiayi sneered, "Alright, let's go to the Dean's Office to register first, then you can explain slowly!
You can explain for as long as you want until your sister comes to pick you up. I have plenty of time. Didn't they already set up a private student suite for you there?
It has all the daily necessities and no shortage of experimental equipment. It definitely won't affect the life and studies of a Millennial First Genius like you. Plus, it's very quiet, perfect for secluded research."
Xiao Hongchen slumped his head in defeat and obediently followed Lin Jiayi to face the music.
That evening, the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy broadcast an announcement internally:
New school rules, new school rules! All students are strictly forbidden from climbing onto the roofs of teaching classrooms without permission! Those found doing so will immediately be sent to the Dean's Office for disciplinary action!
The next day, in a secluded corner of the Library at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy.
Xu Tianxi, who was studying from a copy of the "Level 1 Soul Engineer Introductory Test Compilation", looked up curiously. Sitting across from him was a girl with flowing hair, smiling and holding a book on the table. She wore sunglasses under a baseball cap, revealing a youthful, pink face full of collagen. She waved and smiled at him. He asked,
"Senior Meng, are you also here to study at the Library? Do you need something from me?"
"Shhh, Xiao Xu, doesn't your Second Soul Skill have the ability to create Illusions and turn invisible? Quickly activate it for me, Senior Sister has something good to show you."
Meng Hongchen, dressed like a secret agent, was looking around warily, making Xu Tianxi feel a strange sense of conspiracy.
What was Senior Meng planning, dressed like this in her own grandfather's academy?