When he heard Yan Shaozhe’s words, Jing Hongchen’s expression turned gloomy, but he smiled and said, “Alright.”
“I didn’t know Dean Yan was such a reliable person. I hope you can take good care of my students.”
Yan Shaozhe laughed and said, “At least I can guarantee that the things they learn learn while they’re at Shrek will be useful. Shrek Academy’s inner courtyard will be open to them; I hope that Hallmaster Hongchen can reciprocate this sincerity during the exchange.”
Jing Hongchen laughed and replied, “Of course. Your elite students will receive the best possible guidance in the Illustrious Virtue Hall.”
Yan Shaozhe laughed slightly and said, “Since that’s the case, let’s make this a promise.” He then lifted his right hand.
Jing Hongchen also lifted his palm and give Yan Shaozhe a high-five. The two of them laughed, but only they themselves knew what they were thinking.
The students from both academies switched positions under the guidance of the teachers. When Xiao Hongchen and Huo Yuhao brushed past each other, Huo Yuhao clearly heard Xiao Hongchen say, “In the next tournament, I’ll personally be the one to crush your balls.”
Huo Yuhao smirked. “I’m so scared.”
They exchanged heated gazes, neither backing down from the challenge. However, unlike Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen was in a good mood, which was quite a surprise to Huo Yuhao. She even had a smile on her face, and only nodded her head slightly when she saw him. Huo Yuhao didn’t feel any contempt in her gaze, which left him a bit perplexed.
In fact, even Xiao Hongchen didn’t know what his sister was currently thinking.
Meng Hongchen smiled and her face even turned a little red. She looked into the distance and thought to herself, He isn’t a part of this exchange. Does that mean that he’s in Shrek Academy? I wonder what he looks like now; I bet he’s even more handsome. I’m going to see him soon! His pinkish-blue eyes are really beautiful.
Apart from Yan Shaozhe and Jing Hongchen, everyone from both academies had switched positions.
Yan Shaozhe smiled gently and said, “Hallmaster Hongchen, I shall bid you farewell for now.”
Jing Hongchen said, “Dean Yan, take care.”
Their gazes met again, then Yan Shaoze flew up into the air. He didn’t even need to use a flying-type soul tool. Rather, an invisible staircase seemed to be present in the sky and lead all the way up.
Under Teacher Ma’s guidance, everyone from the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy took out their flying-type soul tools and started to activate them. However, they were shocked when they saw Yan Shaozhe glide into the air. Was this the power of a Transcendent Douluo?
Jing Hongchen didn’t rush to leave. He watched as Yan Shaozhe left with the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy’s students, somewhat pensive.
He could also fly on his own, since he was also a Titled Douluo. However, he couldn’t do what Yan Shaozhe was doing. After all, Yan Shaozhe hadn’t even used any soul power! Even though Elder Mu had passed on, Shrek Academy was still a powerhouse!
Jing Hongchen grinned and then turned around. He looked at Fan Yu and the Shrek Academy students before saying, “Guys, let’s go. I’m the Hallmaster of the Illustrious Virtue Hall, Jing Hongchen. On behalf of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy, I welcome you all.”
Jing Hongchen also leapt up into the air once he’d finished speaking. Two thin streaks of golden light slowly rose behind his body.
Huo Yuhao observed the flying-type soul tool that he used carefully. It seemed like a pair of wings that was both very thin and very soft. The wings didn’t appear to be made of metal at all. Even though the golden lights on the wings surged, no soul power could be felt from it. Jing Hongchen flapped his wings lightly and rose into the sky with ease.
Soul tools were usually made from metal, but what kind of metal could be described as soft? At most, metals were generally considered malleable, yet Jing Hongchen’s flying-type soul tool actually gave off a feeling of softness.
Fan Yu was a Class 8 soul engineer himself, but his shock was even greater than Huo Yuhao’s. He muttered to himself as he flew into the air, “The Illustrious Virtue Hall’s research into soul tool bionics has reached such a level?”
Shrek Academy’s Soul Tool Department had developed rapidly over the past two years. However, Fan Yu could clearly sense the difference in quality between the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy and Shrek Academy. As far as soul tools go, the gap was exceedingly large!
Huo Yuhao couldn’t help but ask, “Teacher, what do you mean by ‘soul tool bionics’?”
Fan Yu said, “It refers to imitating the form of a living being with a soul tool. The soul tool will then adopt some of the common characteristics found in the being it’s imitating.”
Jing Hongchen’s voice could be heard as soon as Fan Yu finished speaking, “Little fellows, we need to be quicker. Else we won’t reach our destination before dark.”
As he spoke, the flying-type soul tool behind him started to shine with golden light. It was like a golden screen of light had descended from the heavens, and they were all engulfed in it.
Some of the students attempted to resist out of surprise, but Fan Yu stopped them.
Afterwards, everyone started to move upwards. They realized that Jing Hongchen had expanded his flying-type soul tool a thousand times over, and engulfed them in the aforementioned film of light. They ended up behind Jing Hongchen’s back, his more than ten meter-wide wings flapping lightly.
Jing Hongchen turned around and smiled at them. The golden light became even more intense soon afterwards, and the surrounding scenery began to blur.
Huo Yuhao groaned, only managing to stabilize himself with He Caitou’s help, and then unleashed his Spiritual Detection to analyze the light film. However, attempting to do so ended with his spiritual power simply being shredded by the air current outside of the film. Luckily, he stopped his Spiritual Detection fast enough that he wasn’t hurt.
Everything outside had become blurred, but even so, the students from Shrek Academy felt nothing; it was almost like they were in a quiet room. They couldn’t even hear the sound of the wind outside. In fact, they might not have even realized that they were moving if it wasn’t for the fact that they could see the scenery zooming by.
Fan Yu’s expression hardened. He was well aware that Jing Hongchen was showing off, but he also understood that his flying-type soul tool was the highest calibre on the entire continent. The Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy’s understanding of bionics must’ve reached a considerably high level, considering the fact that they were able to use it on flying-type soul tools. Conversely, Shrek Academy was still in the dark on soul tool bionics.
Elder Xuan had once carried everyone as he flew, but Jing Hongchen was on an entirely different level.
Huo Yuhao began to ponder as well. He’d discovered early on that streaks of golden light would shine near Jing Hongchen’s back; they were most likely the soul tool’s origin. But what about the film of light surrounding them? Had it also been formed through the soul tool with soul power?
No, definitely not.
Huo Yuhao reached out to touch it, and felt a smooth texture. He couldn’t tell what it was made of, but he was certain that he’d never seen anything like it before.
Originally Huo Yuhao had been feeling down from his separation with Wang Dong, but now he was fascinated with this magical soul tool. For the next two and a half years, he would be learning in the same place that this soul tool had been made.
“Guys, are you alright?” Jing Hongchen’s voice resonated through the light film.
Fan Yu nodded and said in awe, “Hallmaster Hongchen, your flying-type soul tool is quite impressive. I didn’t expect your academy’s research in this aspect to have reached such a level.”
Jing Hongchen replied, “It’s never enough. I won’t consider it a major breakthrough until I can be within the light film at the same time as I pilot it. To be honest, even though this soul tool expended quite a lot of valuable resources, it was primarily made for research purposes. One goal of the Illustrious Virtue Hall is to create a flying-type soul tool that can carry many people without using too much soul power. Of course, we’re hard at work in achieving this goal, but it’s not something we can achieve in the short-term.”
Fan Yu sighed and said, “At least your academy has a lofty goal like that. When that day comes, the masses will be able to fly across the continent with ease; everything will change.”
Jing Hongchen laughed and said, “That might be possible many years from now, but I doubt I’ll live to see it.”
Fan Yu didn’t know how much he was leaving out, but he was certain that the gap in technology between their academies was smaller than the gap in training their soul masters had.
Elder Mu decision to develop soul tools before he passed on was undoubtedly the correct decision, and the opportunity to pursue that goal was right in front of them.
The Sun Moon Empire’s capital was called Sun Moon City or The Radiant City. It was the hub of the Sun Moon Empire’s administration and economy. The city was very large, completely beyond what the Shrek Academy students had imagined.
Jing Hongchen only slowed down once they entered the Radiant City. When he did so, everyone could clearly see what was beneath them.
“We’ve already arrived in The Radiant City. All of you will live in this place for the next two and a half years. I hope that you all find it to your liking.”
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