As the campus broadcast blared, real-time footage of the Soul Engineer qualification exam appeared on public screens across the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy. It showed the kind-faced Headmaster Jing Hongchen, beaming with pride, presenting the young genius Kong Tianxi with a Fifth Level Soul Engineer badge.
Standing next to Kong Tianxi was Young Master Xiao, his expression complex. He had only recently passed the Fifth Level Soul Engineer exam himself, and the radiant, beautiful smile of his sister, Miss Meng, who was basking in his glory, presented a stark contrast to his own face.
The joys and sorrows of people are not always the same.
This broadcast caused a huge stir among the students. Many believed that the era of the Hongchen siblings monopolizing everything had finally passed, and that the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy had welcomed a new, formidable figure whose dominance in the certification world was unshakable.
Having been admitted just over a year ago, and already conquering the Fifth Level Soul Engineer certification exams, if his cultivation kept pace, wasn't it possible he could pass the Level 9 Soul Engineer exam within three years?
That's what everyone thought, and Xu Tianxi had the same idea. After successfully passing the exam, he proposed dedicating more energy to cultivation and presented a long-prepared plan.
"What did you say? You want to go to the Star Dou Great Forest in the Douluo Three Kingdoms to seek opportunities? Haven't you even broken through to Four Rings yet?"
In the Headmaster's office, Jing Hongchen rustled through the plan Xu Tianxi had submitted, occasionally glancing at the young man.
His brows were furrowed into a deep frown.
The freshly minted genius Fifth Level Soul Engineer wasn't going to seclude himself for cultivation in the academy, nor was he going to relax in Mingdu.
Instead, he was going to risk it all in the distant Star Dou Great Forest?
That place was extremely close to Shrek! It had the second-highest danger rating in the world!
Xu Tianxi calmly nodded. "Yes, to be honest with you, my Martial Soul has a very special ability. When I gaze at the moon, I occasionally see glimpses of the future. It was after seeing our Sun Moon Empire utterly defeat the Douluo Three Kingdoms army that I decided to come here."
"I believe this is a kind of hidden guidance, a guidance towards victory, or perhaps something like the Power of Destiny. Just recently, I foresaw a great opportunity waiting for me in the Star Dou Great Forest, the kind that I would regret for the rest of my life if I didn't go find it."
The so-called "guidance of destiny" was, of course, all fake. Xu Tianxi was speaking utter nonsense with a straight face, all to try and intercept Tianmeng Ice Silkworm and Electrolux in the Star Dou Great Forest.
"Hidden guidance? The Power of Destiny? How could your Martial Soul have something so peculiar?"
Upon hearing Xu Tianxi's explanation, Jing Hongchen's brows slightly relaxed, but his face still showed deep worry.
At Jing Hongchen's level, he naturally knew that destiny, Luck, and auspicious omens existed in the world, but he had little contact with them. He didn't expect Xu Tianxi to bring such a "surprise."
"I don't know either, but I don't think it'll be too big of a problem. If you're worried, why don't you send a teacher to accompany me?"
Xu Tianxi knew this explanation sounded quite absurd, so he shrewdly suggested that Jing Hongchen send someone to "protect" him.
Jing Hongchen pondered for a moment, then slowly nodded. "Alright, then I'll personally—"
"I don't recommend you go yourself, Old Man! It's too dangerous!"
Seeing that Jing Hongchen intended to go himself, Xu Tianxi quickly stopped him.
"Why? Besides a few legendary fierce beasts, is there anything in the Star Dou Great Forest that could threaten me?" Jing Hongchen stared intently at Xu Tianxi.
Xu Tianxi shook his head. "Not in the Star Dou Great Forest, but there is in nearby Shrek."
"Who? The level ninety-eight Gluttony Douluo Xuan Zi? I, your Headmaster, am not afraid of him in a one-on-one fight! If we set up formations, I still have the ability to take him down with me!"
Jing Hongchen said with full confidence.
Xu Tianxi replied, "That old man is easy to deal with, but Headmaster, Shrek also has a level ninety-nine Limit Douluo. Although he's been crippled for a long time, he's definitely not dead yet."
Jing Hongchen's expression changed in surprise upon hearing this, and he said with some disbelief, "Isn't Shrek's current strongest expert Gluttony Douluo Xuan Zi? How can there be another Limit Douluo?"
Xu Tianxi sighed, slapping his forehead. "Headmaster, I'm not trying to criticize you, but your intelligence work is truly terrible."
"Shrek's core power is the Sea God Pavilion, and the strongest person is naturally the Sea God Pavilion Master. Don't you even know who the current Sea God Pavilion Master is?"
Jing Hongchen blinked blankly. "Isn't it Gluttony Douluo?"
"Wrong, it's Dragon God Douluo! He emerged with extraordinary talent over two hundred years ago, from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family, possessing the Light Sacred Dragon Martial Soul. He was once a prodigy and is now Shrek's strongest expert, Dragon God Douluo Mu En."
While explaining, Xu Tianxi cursed the Sun Moon Empire's intelligence organization eighteen times in his heart. They're a bunch of freeloading parasites, unable to even get information on the enemy's strongest!
How can intelligence work be done well with this bunch of insects?
"Mu En—I really haven't heard of this person. Has he retired long ago?" The Hongchen Hall Master, who was less than a hundred years old, admitted he wasn't familiar with him.
"Yes, over a hundred years ago, he and the former Body Sect Master Du Bisi had a life-and-death battle. Both were gravely injured. Du Bisi perished soon after, but Dragon God Douluo didn't die and even broke through to level ninety-nine. However, he was crippled from then on and hasn't appeared in the Soul Master world for over a hundred years."
Xu Tianxi sighed, his tone growing heavier, and continued:
"But a Limit Douluo is a Limit Douluo. Shrek has profound foundations. If he doesn't leave the city, even a healthy Limit Douluo might not gain an advantage against him. Even if he's crippled now, it probably wouldn't be too difficult for him to take you down."
"Begging your pardon, Headmaster, but you're too big a target. If he accidentally discovers you, even if he doesn't detain us, he might extort a pile of high-level Soul Guided Devices from you."
"I still have some connections in the Douluo Three Kingdoms, so it won't be too hard to save my life. But for you, it's hard to say."
Jing Hongchen was surprised. "It can't be that bad, can it? According to you, he's a renowned senior, Shrek Academy's reputation spans the world, and his Martial Soul is the Light Sacred Dragon—"
Xu Tianxi expressionlessly pulled out a Shrek Inner Courtyard Token and waved it in front of Jing Hongchen:
"Headmaster, don't jump to conclusions or overly glorify Shrek just because you don't understand them."
"What if their reputation spans the world? My mother was killed by them. What if it's the Light Sacred Dragon? Yan Shaozhe, who has terrible conduct, also possesses the Light Phoenix, and he's even Dragon God Douluo's direct disciple."
"If the disciple is like this, how much better can the teacher be? Furthermore, according to ancient texts I saw in the Xuanming Sect, Shrek's first Headmaster, Flander the Four-Eyed Cat Eagle, was a cunning merchant.
I'm not as familiar with Soul Guided Devices as you are, but you're not as familiar with Shrek as I am."
Jing Hongchen was speechless. "This—"
Every word Xu Tianxi spoke revealed his dissatisfaction with Shrek, which dispelled many of Jing Hongchen's doubts but also gave him a greater headache.
Hearing him, Xu Tianxi thought, Is Shrek Academy some kind of bandit den? So uncivilized?
Frowning and deliberating for a long time, Jing Hongchen finally gritted his teeth and made a difficult decision:
"Fine. Since that's the case, I'll have Xuan Ziwen go with you, and bring Young Master Xiao along too. Consider it a reconnaissance trip; maybe you'll even get to see your future opponents."
Hearing this, Xu Tianxi showed a troubled expression. "Dean, Senior Xiao isn't very reliable. Just Teacher Xuan and I should be enough, right?"
"It's fine. You're the overall commander for this mission. I'll make sure he listens to your every command. If he acts out, I authorize you to have Xuan Ziwen knock him out."
Jing Hongchen waved his hand, giving Xu Tianxi full discretion.
With that, he smiled meaningfully. "Speaking of which, although your Soul Power isn't as strong as Young Master Xiao's, if it came to a fight, he wouldn't stand much of a chance. You'd be invincible if you used your Second Soul Skill that allows for invisibility."
"Pure luck, nothing special," Xu Tianxi said with a chuckle, then turned and left with the special approval document from Jing Hongchen, heading to find Xiao Hongchen and Xuan Ziwen.
Jing Hongchen watched Xu Tianxi leave, his gaze shifting slightly to the Soul Guided Communicator on his desk.
After a moment of hesitation, he picked up the communicator and dialed a number he rarely called.
"Hello, is that Old Man Kong? It's Little Jing—
Yes, well, your beloved disciple Xuan Ziwen is taking my grandson and student to the Star Dou Great Forest near Shrek City for field research. I activated my intelligence network and just received a top-secret report: there's a Limit Douluo in Shrek City…
Right, right, I didn't want Xuan Ziwen to go either, but he's too stubborn; I couldn't stop him. And my grandson and student are the same. If anything unexpected happens, I'm afraid I'll have to trouble you, honored elder, to make a trip. After all, they are the empire's most precious talents—"