"Qianran, you're amazing. I honestly can't understand how you can be so incredible at everything."
The three girls, eyes brimming with tears, leaned toward Qianran, their expressions filled with dependence and longing. They couldn't help but wonder—what if one day they somehow forgot about Qianran? How devastating would that be?
"It's just a story, nothing more. It's not real," Qianran said, gently patting their delicate backs to comfort them. This world truly seemed innocent compared to his previous one, where the information explosion had left most people as hardened skeptics.
"Qianran, I think even if you weren't a Soul Master, you could easily become a literary genius," Ju Zi said, her wide eyes sparkling with admiration. Talent, after all, was an evergreen trait that enhanced one's allure no matter the era.
Qianran knew that works from his previous life were essentially an overwhelming advantage in this world.
Ju Zi and the others couldn't comprehend how Qianran could excel in every aspect. The disparity between him and ordinary people seemed almost absurdly vast.
"Is that so? I don't have much interest in this kind of thing," Qianran shrugged. If you transmigrated and didn't focus on strengthening yourself but instead pursued artistic ambitions, you'd either be a fool or seriously misguided.
For Qianran, the preferred method was clear: conquer with strength first, then win hearts through culture. It was the ultimate combination—dominating both body and soul.
"You should spend more time cultivating. I won't always be here to help you. The time saved from crafting Soul Tools should be devoted to cultivation instead. And those pills and immortal herbs—you can't keep relying on them," Qianran said, his tone carrying both advice and warning.
"We understand," Ke Ke replied with a hint of reluctance, slumping onto the lab table in disappointment.
Compared to the rapid advancements they had made under Qianran's guidance, their own cultivation pace felt unbearably slow. Even though they understood the dangers of relying on external aids, old habits were hard to break. At Sun Moon Royal Academy, there were very few students who didn't rely on drugs to accelerate their progress.
Even Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen, prodigies of Mingde Hall, used such methods. The academy's pills, unlike the pure immortal herbs Qianran provided, came with numerous side effects.
Now, with Qianran supervising them, they had no choice but to stop using such harmful substances.
Ju Zi, with her strong self-discipline, adapted better than Ke Ke. She had no intention of relying on drugs for the long term. After her martial soul evolved into the pinnacle of food-type martial souls, her cultivation speed through meditation alone increased significantly.
Previously, Ke Ke and Ju Zi had spent most of their time in the lab, leaving little time for cultivation. Now, the roles had reversed—cultivation occupied the majority of their days, while time in the lab had decreased.
Qianran knew that a Soul Master's rank was the ultimate determinant of strength. Soul Tools, while powerful, had their limits.
Moreover, the holistic enhancements brought by advancing one's cultivation—physical, mental, and spiritual—were incomparable to any Soul Tool.
Soul Tools primarily served to allow Soul Masters with non-combat-oriented martial souls to compete with battle specialists. Beyond that, Qianran didn't see them as particularly remarkable.
Now that his companions were under his protection, they didn't need excessive combat capabilities. Prioritizing cultivation was the true path forward.
The benefits of cultivation were evident. Take Ye Xishui, for instance—despite being over 200 years old, she still looked youthful. By contrast, ordinary people began deteriorating visibly by their sixties or seventies.
"Qianran, thank you for teaching me so much."
Meng Hongchen walked alongside Qianran as they left the lab.
Reflecting on everything she had learned from him over the past few days, Meng Hongchen was still astonished. Qianran's mastery of Soul Engineering far surpassed anything she had imagined. Even the Rank 9 Soul Engineers at Mingde Hall didn't know as much as he did.
And Qianran didn't just explain concepts—he directly transmitted them into their minds without any effort.
Without Qianran's guidance, Meng Hongchen would have been stuck at Rank 6 for a long time. Now, she could already begin preparing for the challenges of becoming a Rank 7 Soul Engineer.
Additionally, with Qianran's support, she could dedicate much more time to cultivation.
Soul Engineers faced a unique set of challenges—they needed to learn about Soul Tools, find time to cultivate, and contend with martial souls that were generally inferior to those of dedicated Soul Masters. This was why many Soul Engineers turned to drugs: their slower cultivation rate and limited training time made it difficult to keep up with their peers.
But with Qianran's help, this issue was completely resolved.
In just one day of learning under Qianran, Meng Hongchen had absorbed knowledge equivalent to two or three years of study at Mingde Hall.
"You don't need to thank me. Is there really a need for formalities between us?" Qianran smiled.
"Even so… I'm really grateful to you. Thank you for trusting me so much. Don't worry—I'll never reveal your secrets," Meng Hongchen said earnestly, her bright blue eyes brimming with gratitude.
The more time she spent with Qianran, the more she felt that meeting him was the greatest fortune of her life.
Ever since she had gotten to know Qianran, every aspect of her life had improved.
"I've always trusted you."
Qianran didn't make a big deal of it. It wasn't as if his so-called "secrets" were major vulnerabilities. Even if Mingde Hall found out, there wasn't much they could do about it.
Touched by Qianran's trust, Meng Hongchen felt a surge of warmth in her heart. She leaned into his embrace, her demeanor soft and submissive.
Even the students of Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy who occasionally passed by refrained from disturbing them, though some looked on with envy or frustration. Qianran's reputation at the academy was now so high that even those who initially disliked him had been won over.
Once they had exited the academy grounds, Meng Hongchen pulled Qianran into a quieter corner of a nearby alley.
"Brother Qianran, could you shield me for a moment?" Meng Hongchen blushed as she spoke, unzipping her school jacket. Beneath her uniform, she wore a white miniskirt and a sleeveless, low-necked blouse. Her long, shapely legs were wrapped in black stockings.
Though she had only spent a day or two with Ke Ke and Ju Zi in the lab, Meng Hongchen had already picked up on their fashion sense.
The black stockings hugged her legs perfectly, accentuating their elegant curves, while the ultra-short miniskirt showcased their full length.
At school, Meng Hongchen didn't dare dress like this—she was, after all, a prominent star student. But outside, she felt freer to experiment. Watching Ke Ke and Ju Zi flaunt their beauty around Qianran every day had finally worn down her restraint.
(End of Chapter)
Notes-Read advanced chapters in patreon.com/Shadow_D_X, i have finished translating this whole series