A man dressed in white robes appeared—it was none other than Yan Shaozhe, whom Jing Hongchen had just mentioned. Beside him stood an elderly woman with crane-white hair and a youthful face.
"Jing Hongchen, where are the students of our Shrek Academy?"
The moment he appeared, Yan Shaozhe demanded an explanation, anger flickering in his eyes.
After arriving at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, he and Lin Huiqun had first conducted an investigation.
It would have been better if they hadn't. The investigation made Yan Shaozhe furious. He had wondered why Fan Yu hadn't sent any message back to Shrek Academy asking for help.
It turned out that all the students and teachers Shrek had sent for the exchange program had been arrested—wiped out in one fell swoop.
Mingde Hall! What a Mingde Hall indeed!
"Hehe, Dean Yan, no need to be so angry. Please, have a seat first."
Jing Hongchen remained completely unruffled and gestured for Yan Shaozhe and Lin Huiqun to sit down.
The two exchanged a glance and sat, but neither spoke first. The air instantly grew heavy, as if it might solidify at any moment.
"It seems that soul tools truly can assist soul masters to a certain degree. Your cultivation is only around level ninety-three, yet you sit so calmly before the two of us."
Lin Huiqun looked at Jing Hongchen and spoke indifferently.
Both she and Yan Shaozhe surpassed Jing Hongchen in cultivation. Yan Shaozhe was even a Super Douluo. Yet Jing Hongchen still had the leisure to sip tea.
Jing Hongchen smiled faintly.
"I have always believed that the research of soul tools has only just begun. The future world will undoubtedly belong to soul tools. The gap between the former Three Empires and our Sun Moon Empire is simply too great."
"Too great? Back then, the ancestors of our Shrek Academy led the Three Empires as soul masters and still defeated your Sun Moon Empire. Do not overestimate yourself."
Lin Huiqun replied coldly.
"You must be Pavilion Master Lin Huiqun of the Treasure Pavilion?"
Jing Hongchen looked at her and asked.
The Treasure Pavilion was Shrek Academy's largest industry, spanning all four empires. Mingde Hall regularly sold soul tools and purchased rare metals, so of course Jing Hongchen knew of her.
Lin Huiqun gave a slight nod in acknowledgment.
Seeing this, Jing Hongchen felt a flicker of delight. The fact that Shrek had sent the Pavilion Master of the Treasure Pavilion already indicated a degree of concession.
Since that was the case, he wouldn't need to hold back.
As the saying goes: cheat strangers halfway, fleece acquaintances completely.
After dealing with Shrek Academy for so many years, he was more than familiar with them. This time, he would go for the full sweep.
"Enough, Hall Master Hongchen. Where exactly are the teachers and students of our Shrek Academy? I didn't come here to chat."
Yan Shaozhe snorted coldly, glaring at him.
"Are you referring to student Huo Yuhao?"
Jing Hongchen's eyes lit up, revealing the sly smile of an old fox.
"Obviously!"
"Where is my junior brother? You haven't done anything to him, have you? Don't forget—your Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy's students are currently in our Shrek Academy as well."
Yan Shaozhe frowned tightly, fists clenched.
Huo Yuhao was Shrek's future. In his eyes, Huo Yuhao alone was more important than all the others combined.
"Shaozhe, calm down."
Although Lin Huiqun was equally dissatisfied, she still spoke softly to restrain him.
"Your student Huo Yuhao stole something from our Mingde Hall. The evidence is conclusive, and he has personally admitted it. It is only reasonable that I detained him."
"As for our students at Shrek Academy, they have behaved properly, haven't they? Surely the number-one academy on the continent wouldn't resort to underhanded tactics?"
Jing Hongchen smiled as he spoke.
"You… Of course Shrek Academy wouldn't."
Jing Hongchen smiled knowingly. Now he understood why the Holy Spirit Church acted so freely. If one didn't care about reputation, one could do whatever one pleased. But once reputation mattered, actions became constrained.
He raised his hand, and a recording soul tool flew toward Yan Shaozhe.
"Listen. This is your Huo Yuhao admitting it himself."
Yan Shaozhe activated the device. After listening, his face darkened. Lin Huiqun's expression was no better.
Junior brother, you foolish child. How could you admit to such a thing? If you had just denied it, you could have waited for your senior brother to rescue you.
Yan Shaozhe sighed inwardly. Huo Yuhao was too honest—he hadn't learned any of his senior's tricks.
"We understand the situation now. Hall Master Hongchen, what do you intend to do?"
Lin Huiqun suppressed her anger and asked in a deep voice.
They had thought Huo Yuhao was framed. Who would have known it was true? Still, she suspected Yan Shaozhe had something to do with it.
Jing Hongchen said nothing and merely rubbed his fingers together slightly.
"How much?"
Yan Shaozhe's mouth twitched as he asked.
"Oh, talking about money is so vulgar. We've known each other for many years. I won't ask for too much—just these will do."
A sheet of paper flew from Jing Hongchen's hand and landed before Lin Huiqun. He had long anticipated Shrek would send someone, so he had prepared it in advance.
She looked at it carefully. Her brows furrowed, and the further she read, the darker her face became.
5,000 kilograms of Purple-Gold Copper
5,000 kilograms of Heavenly Spirit Silver
100 kilograms of Extraterrestrial Meteoric Iron
1,000 Nether Crystals, each over ten centimeters in diameter
70 scales of the Radiant Holy Dragon
…
"Hall Master Hongchen, this is outright extortion."
Lin Huiqun gritted her teeth. Her once rosy face had turned livid as she rose to her feet.
The value of these rare metals alone exceeded hundreds of millions of gold soul coins. If they paid this, Shrek's funding for several years would be gone.
Jing Hongchen chuckled.
"The price is negotiable. Besides, I believe student Huo Yuhao is worth it."
Lin Huiqun took a deep breath and forced down her emotions.
"Everything you listed will be valued at twenty percent of market price. The Radiant Holy Dragon scales are non-negotiable—we will not provide them. Agree to that, and we have a deal."
"No, no, Pavilion Master Lin, that's more than a half-price cut! I can't accept that. You'll have to add more!"
Jing Hongchen slammed the table.
The two then engaged in a fierce verbal battle. Yan Shaozhe, before them, seemed like a rookie soldier—completely unable to interject.
In the end, they settled at sixty percent of the original asking price.
"Hahaha, Pavilion Master Lin, a pleasure doing business."
Jing Hongchen beamed.
"Bring our Shrek Academy people here at once. If they've suffered even the slightest harm, I will not forgive you."
Lin Huiqun had no desire to speak with him any longer.
"No, no, Pavilion Master Lin—you're still missing something."
Jing Hongchen shook his head lightly.
"What is it?"
Yan Shaozhe frowned, a bad feeling rising in his chest.
Jing Hongchen smiled calmly.
"For many years, few have barged into my office. This is not a place one may enter or leave at will. If the two of you leave behind one hundred-thousand-year soul bone as an admission ticket, you may depart."
"An… admission ticket?"
Yan Shaozhe stared in disbelief. This was blatant blackmail! And an outrageously expensive ticket at that.
"Jing Hongchen, it was you who invited us in."
Yan Shaozhe's expression darkened as soul power surged around him.
Jing Hongchen smiled faintly.
"I invited you into my office—but I did not invite you into the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy."
"Our academy may not be a dragon's den or tiger's lair, but we must consider the safety of our students. If you are unwilling to pay the ticket, I won't force you. Then you may remain here."
As his words fell, rows of linked soul tools rose from the ground. Red lights flared instantly, and a terrifying aura of destruction filled the room.
Yan Shaozhe and Lin Huiqun sensed the change, their expressions turning cold. Alarm bells rang in their minds.
These soul tools… were not normal.
The aura they emitted was absurdly powerful.
(End of Chapter)