Chapter 10: The One Envied by Heaven (1/1)
A few days later, in Shrek City, inside a familiar courtyard.
After paying the remaining balance, Ling Luocheng hurried back to the academy to submit the mission.
Of course, besides reporting the mission, she also intended to inform the academy about Jiang Li's existence.
After all, Jiang Li could no longer be judged as an ordinary human.
Soon, in the corridor outside the Martial Soul Department dean's office.
Ling Luocheng walked quickly. The cold touch of the mission proof still lingered on her fingertips, but her mind was filled with something else entirely.
She took a deep breath, straightened her slightly wrinkled academy uniform, and knocked on the door engraved with a phoenix pattern.
"Come in."
A calm yet authoritative voice came from inside—Martial Soul Department Dean Yan Shaozhe.
He was seated at his desk reviewing documents, golden soul power flowing faintly at the tip of his pen, his expression steady with long-standing authority.
Seeing Ling Luocheng enter, he raised his eyes and set down his pen.
"Luocheng, how was the mission? From your expression, it seems there is something else."
Ling Luocheng nodded, first handing over the mission proof.
"Dean, the target of this mission was a Soul Emperor-level heretical soul master."
Yan Shaozhe glanced at it and showed a hint of approval.
"Not bad. You even eliminated a Soul Emperor-level heretical soul master. Your strength has improved."
He paused, then looked at her tightly composed expression.
"Speak. What else is worth your urgency?"
Ling Luocheng took a deep breath.
"Dean, the mission succeeded not by me alone. It was mainly due to a young man named Jiang Li."
"And I came today specifically to report him. His existence may overturn our understanding of the soul master world."
"Jiang Li?" Yan Shaozhe raised a brow. "Which faction is he from? What is his soul power level?"
In Shrek Academy's logic, anyone capable of assisting in killing a Soul Emperor should at least be a Soul Emperor themselves.
But what Ling Luocheng said next made Yan Shaozhe freeze completely.
"Dean… Jiang Li… has no soul power."
"What did you say?" Yan Shaozhe suddenly straightened up, disbelief in his eyes.
"No soul power? Luocheng, do you understand what you're saying? A Soul Emperor-level heretical soul master would require even a Soul Saint to handle with caution. How could someone without soul power assist, let alone kill one?"
It wasn't that he didn't trust her—it was simply beyond common logic.
Soul power is the foundation of a soul master. Without it, one cannot activate a martial soul, let alone use soul skills. Facing a Soul Emperor would already be fatal, not to mention killing one.
Ling Luocheng had expected this reaction and calmly explained everything in detail.
After hearing her account, Yan Shaozhe fell completely silent.
"No soul power…"
He repeated the words slowly, fingers tapping the desk.
"Are you sure he isn't hiding his soul power? Perhaps a soul tool or secret technique concealing it?"
"I'm sure," Ling Luocheng replied firmly.
"I've felt it myself. There was no soul tool fluctuation at all."
"More importantly, my soul skills couldn't affect him. And he personally told me he was born with zero soul power."
Silence filled the room.
Yan Shaozhe frowned deeply, his expression constantly shifting.
As the Martial Soul Department dean, he had seen countless geniuses and strange martial souls—but someone with no soul power who could kill a Soul Emperor was unheard of.
After a long silence, he stood and walked to the window.
Looking at the tall bamboo in the courtyard, his expression turned serious.
"Someone without soul power yet capable of killing a Soul Emperor… this exceeds the limits of our current understanding. Do you know his background?"
"Jiang Li is a bounty hunter. I personally commissioned him for this mission."
"And where is he now?"
"He seems to have taken another commission from a junior academy student and is currently staying in Shrek City."
Yan Shaozhe turned back, his gaze sharp.
"This matter is significant. A person with such power, not belonging to any known system—if hostile, he would be a major threat to Shrek and the entire soul master world.
If friendly, he may open a new door for us."
He paused.
"Go rest. I will consider this carefully."
Ling Luocheng nodded and left the office.
After she left, Yan Shaozhe sat back down, a calculating light flashing in his eyes.
"We need to test him. If what Luocheng said is true, recruiting him as a combat instructor wouldn't be impossible."
—
At the same time, elsewhere.
Back in his residence, Jiang Li had just reclined on a wooden chair when the courtyard gate opened.
He glanced over.
Ning Tian and Wu Feng walked in.
"Jiang Li, how went your recent commission?" Ning Tian asked with a gentle smile.
Jiang Li waved lazily.
"Does Miss Ning not remember I never fail?"
"True," Ning Tian chuckled.
Wu Feng immediately ran over excitedly.
"Jiang Li, continue teaching my close combat training."
"Not today. I just got back. Let me rest for a day," Jiang Li replied without looking up.
Wu Feng looked slightly disappointed but accepted it.
Ning Tian sat on a stone stool, quietly reading a book from her storage soul tool.
Wu Feng went off to practice basic combat drills on her own.
Time passed.
Suddenly, Ning Tian spoke.
"I've asked people from my sect to investigate something these past days."
Jiang Li opened one eye.
"What did you find?"
Ning Tian looked at him calmly.
"Jiang Li… you are a Heaven-envied person, aren't you?"