Xiao Hongchen let out a long sigh of relief. It looked like he had finally made it in time. As fellow Class 5 soul tools, and given the massive disparity in their cultivation levels, it should have been impossible for those emerald-green longswords to break through his dense barrage of artillery fire.
However, before he could even celebrate, seventy-two beams of azure light shot out from the golden night sky, transforming into seventy-two longswords wrapped in faint golden arcs of lightning that rained down to blanket his position.
Just moments ago, at the critical juncture, those emerald-green longswords seemed to have grown eyes, somehow threading through the gaps in Xiao Hongchen's artillery fire and releasing lightning to detonate the incoming shells.
"Not... good..." Xiao Hongchen's face drained of all color in an instant. Feeling the threat of death for the very first time, he grew pale to the extreme. His fifth soul ring flared, and his body instantly melted into a pool of dark golden liquid, splashing toward the ground.
This was his Fifth Soul Skill, Metal's Affection, which allowed him to liquefy his body into metallic fluid in an instant, neutralizing nearly eighty percent of physical attacks.
Yet, warding off so many flying swords that were all Class 5 soul tools was by no means an easy feat.
Even Jing Hongchen, who was watching from the shadows, broke into a cold sweat for his grandson. If he hadn't discerned that Feng Piaoling harbored no killing intent, he would have been unable to resist stepping in.
"Brother—"
Amidst Meng Hongchen's frantic cry, the seventy-two emerald-green longswords came crashing down in unison, kicking up a massive cloud of dust that obscured the sky. Faint golden arcs of lightning could indistinctly be seen flickering within the rolling dust.
When the dust finally settled, Xiao Hongchen's body had already reverted to its original form, but he was surrounded by emerald-green longswords planted firmly into the ground, leaving him frozen to the spot.
He feared that the slightest movement would cause those faint golden electric arcs to turn into bolts of lightning and strike him down, blasting him into ash.
"I'm... I'm saved..." Having escaped death by a hair's breadth, Xiao Hongchen exhaled a long breath of relief.
If the opponent hadn't shown mercy just now, he would have been heavily crippled even if he survived.
With a wave of Feng Piaoling's hand, the seventy-two emerald-green longswords transformed back into streaks of azure light, flying into the storage soul tool at his waist.
"Brother, are you alright?"
Though Meng Hongchen usually seemed lightheaded and carefree, she deeply cared for her brother. The moment Feng Piaoling stored away the seventy-two Green Bamboo Bee Cloud Swords, she rushed over immediately.
"I'm fine." Propped up by his sister, Xiao Hongchen stood up.
With a face full of lingering fear, he looked at Feng Piaoling and said, "You won. From today onward, you are the captain of our preparatory team."
"Good match," Feng Piaoling nodded slightly.
Meng Hongchen checked him over carefully. Seeing that her brother truly didn't seem to have sustained any injuries, she instantly reverted to her previous scatterbrained demeanor.
"Feng Piaoling, oh wait, Captain, what kind of soul tool longswords were those you used just now? Why can they fly? Also, you clearly didn't use a martial soul or soul skills, so how could you control so many Class 5 soul tools simultaneously?"
She casually let go of Xiao Hongchen, who was still weak from the excessive shock. Amidst his painful groan as he tumbled back down, she ran over to Feng Piaoling, peppering him with questions.
Looking at his sister, who had completely transformed into a fangirl with eyes full of little stars, Xiao Hongchen felt thoroughly speechless, overwhelmed by a distinct sensation of being abandoned.
Meanwhile, watching from afar, a slight smile appeared on Jing Hongchen's fleshy face. "This kid's soul tools are rather interesting, and his spiritual power seems absurdly strong. Could he be walking the path of a spiritual-attribute soul master?"
Naturally, it was impossible for Feng Piaoling to tell Meng Hongchen the actual mechanics, since it involved the principles of Sword Kinesis.
As for this Sword Kinesis, it was evolved from the Fire Control Ball technique, and could be considered another one of Feng Piaoling's self-created soul skills.
Furthermore, Feng Piaoling had long known that Jing Hongchen was here; no matter how powerful the man was, it was impossible for him to elude Electrolux's perception.
Feigning ignorance, he casually answered Meng Hongchen's questions, blending in some explanations regarding soul tool theory.
Although Meng Hongchen didn't entirely grasp it, she became immensely admiring of Feng Piaoling's knowledge of soul tool theory.
Even Xiao Hongchen was completely won over. He had to admit that despite both of them being Class 5 soul engineers, he had utterly lost to the opponent in terms of soul tools.
After offering the siblings some brief guidance, Feng Piaoling departed.
Not long after they left, Jing Hongchen stepped out from hiding.
Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen did not show any expressions of surprise at his appearance.
"Grandpa," the two called out in unison.
Jing Hongchen nodded and asked with a smile, "How do you feel?"
"I think Feng Piaoling is really handsome, even handsomer than the rumors say. And he's so strong, way better than my brother," Meng Hongchen answered first.
Looking at his granddaughter's infatuated display, Jing Hongchen felt utterly speechless. However, Xiao Hongchen's response made him look at his grandson with newfound respect:
"Grandpa, he is indeed formidable, and I am inferior to him. But next time, I won't lose again. Furthermore, Grandpa, I am not satisfied with just becoming an ordinary Titled Douluo. From now on, I will no longer rely on drugs for my cultivation."
Meng Hongchen's expression turned serious as well. "Me too."
Although she was a fangirl, it didn't mean she was stupid. She could distinguish good advice from bad.
Just as Xiao Hongchen recognized, while she could be infatuated, it was on the premise that the other party possessed the capability to warrant her infatuation.
Jing Hongchen remained silent for a long time, an extra touch of praise appearing in his eyes as he looked at his two grandchildren. "It seems my two precious grandchildren have finally grown up."
The next morning, Xiao Hongchen introduced Feng Piaoling to Elder Ma, an 8th-class soul engineer who was the leader of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy's tournament team.
Upon learning that Xiao Hongchen had lost to Feng Piaoling, Elder Ma was greatly shocked. Following that, when he learned that Feng Piaoling was already a Class 5 soul engineer, his shock instantly transformed into pure delight.
Twelve years old, Rank 39, and a Class 5 soul engineer—this broke every record in the history of the Sun Moon Royal Academy.
Solely in terms of talent as a soul engineer, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call Feng Piaoling the greatest genius the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy had seen in ten thousand years.
Meanwhile, on the other side of things, Huo Yuhao was having a fantastic time.
Just as Feng Piaoling became the captain of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy's preparatory team and was highly sought after, Shrek Academy presented an entirely different scene.
Inside Dai Huabin and Huo Yuhao's dormitory room.
Waking up early in the morning, Dai Huabin only felt as though his entire body was falling apart, aching terribly everywhere.
Particularly a certain area, which somehow felt wide enough to fit a fist inside.
Excrement was sliding out uncontrollably, filling the entire room with a foul odor.
Subsequently, the memories of last night flooded into his mind like a tidal wave. At first, he felt relieved—relieved that Huo Yuhao had returned safely.
Immediately following that was panic, anxiety, and a trace of secret delight that even he himself hadn't noticed.
Finally, anger took over. He delivered a resounding slap right across the face of Huo Yuhao, who was still fast asleep. "You bastard, look at what exactly you did last night!"
Well, to describe his current appearance, he looked exactly like Queen Medusa from Battle Through the Heavens, exasperated and furious after refining the Fallen Heart Flame with Xiao Yan.
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