Meng Hongchen's long, slender legs coiled around Wang Chen's waist like a serpent, her soft lips slightly parted as she moved with agile twists and turns.
Thanks to her Martial Soul's innate talent, Meng Hongchen's kissing skills had advanced at a frightening pace, and soon the atmosphere between the two grew fiery.
She attacked from all angles, leaving her marks across Wang Chen's body as though staking her claim of sovereignty.
After a round of intimacy, Meng Hongchen lay nestled in Wang Chen's arms, her hand caressing the firm, flawless muscles of his chest. She asked, seemingly offhandedly:
"Wang Chen-gege, how has Ye Guyi been recently?"
For the past three years, Wang Chen had kept in touch with Ye Guyi, occasionally meeting her for spars.
However, ever since Wang Chen's cultivation broke through to Soul Ancestor, Ye Guyi had not been his match, and as time went on, their gap only widened.
Wang Chen's rate of improvement was far too monstrous, utterly eclipsing Ye Guyi's progress.
If not for the fact that Wang Chen always held back and never fought her with full strength—winning with just enough of an edge for it to look like a contest—Ye Guyi would have been utterly crushed in a single exchange.
As a result, she lost to him time and again.
Being the inheritor of the Angel Martial Soul, Ye Guyi had always been proud and aloof, certain that no one of her generation could rival her.
To be repeatedly defeated by someone her age struck a heavy blow to her pride.
Each loss spurred her to train harder, vowing to win back her dignity.
Thus, every time she made progress, she would challenge Wang Chen with brimming confidence—only to return crestfallen, her angelic pride shattered.
After so many defeats, Ye Guyi had no choice but to fully acknowledge Wang Chen's superiority. Eventually, her gaze toward him began to change; sometimes she would even stare blankly at him, lost in thought.
But in recent days, Wang Chen had been far too busy. The last time he saw Ye Guyi was about a month ago, when she dragged him along to admire natural scenery. On the way, the two also wiped out a band of ruthless bandits.
Meng Hongchen stroked the smooth lines of Wang Chen's chest, thinking:
"Could it be that Wang Chen-gege hasn't visited me because he's been with Ye Guyi instead? If he answers my question with specifics, that means he has seen her recently…"
Her thoughts stoked her jealousy, and her little hand on his chest began wandering restlessly.
Wang Chen almost answered without thinking—but his instincts caught the trap.
Men had their beastly intuition just as women had their sixth sense. He instantly realized this was a disguised test: the question sounded like concern for Ye Guyi, but the real purpose was to find out whether he had met her lately.
If he gave details, Meng Hongchen would surely become jealous.
The correct answer was not to answer.
So Wang Chen replied casually:
"Ye Guyi? Haven't seen her recently, not too sure."
Meng Hongchen studied his handsome face. Convinced he wasn't lying, her mood instantly improved.
She thought:
"Even if Ye Guyi and Wang Chen-gege are just friends, I can feel she harbors thoughts toward him. I can't give her any chance. Wang Chen-gege can only belong to me!"
She leaned sweetly into his embrace and said softly:
"Wang Chen-gege, you've been so busy you haven't visited me. Is that right?"
Wang Chen gently stroked her back and nodded.
"Too busy these past days. I'm sorry, Meng'er."
Her pale fingers traced circles on his chest. She asked shyly:
"Then… are you still busy now?"
Wang Chen thought for a moment, then shook his head.
What he needed to handle was already dealt with. As Patriarch of the Wang Clan, he only needed to make decisions on major issues—and such matters were rare, perhaps only a handful in a year.
Day-to-day business was handled by the twelve Elders.
His own focus now was simple: to cultivate with all his might, raising his strength to the level where he could contend with, or even defeat, a Rank 9 Soul Engineer.
Only then could he and the Wang Clan remain invincible in the imperial struggle for the throne.
In the Sun and Moon Empire, Rank 9 Soul Engineers held an exalted status. Even if they supported the wrong prince in the succession, they wouldn't lose their lives—at worst, they'd be pushed aside from the core of power.
After all, there were fewer than two dozen Rank 9 Soul Engineers in the entire empire, each one a towering figure of authority, second only to the emperor himself.
As long as they didn't betray the nation, they were untouchable.
For example, Jing Hongchen.
In the original timeline, after Huo Yuhao triggered the catastrophe that blew up the stockpiled Rank 9 Fixed-Mount Soul Guidance Cannons under the Sun and Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, resulting in the annihilation of the Mingde Hall and countless casualties, the responsibility fell squarely on Jing Hongchen.
Yet, instead of execution, he was merely stripped of his posts and exiled as the governor of occupied Tian Dou City.
Such was the untouchable status of a Rank 9 Soul Engineer.
That was what Wang Chen aspired to reach—not a chess piece, but a chess master.
But as he was now, his strength still relied too much on his Ring Detonation Secret Technique. He could face a Rank 9 Soul Engineer briefly, but only for a few strikes.
Once the effect faded, he would be as vulnerable as any Soul Douluo before such an opponent.
He reckoned that without some great fortuitous encounter, he would need to at least break through to Soul Sage before he could truly contend with a Rank 9 Soul Engineer.
Shaking his head, Wang Chen stroked Meng Hongchen's silky hair.
"Meng'er, I'm not busy now."
Meng Hongchen's eyes lit up.
"Then, can I ask you for a small favor?"
This piqued Wang Chen's curiosity. Meng Hongchen had never asked him for anything before.
"What little favor?" he asked with a smile.
Blushing, Meng Hongchen said:
"Tomorrow is the opening day of the Sun and Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy. Wang Chen-gege, will you come to study there too? That way, I can see you even while I'm in class."
Inside, she was thinking furiously:
"Once school starts, I won't be able to see Wang Chen-gege. If Ye Guyi uses that chance to seduce him, what then?
If not for my grandfather forcing me to attend, I'd stay by Wang Chen-gege's side every day!
No, I can't leave any opportunity for Ye Guyi. If Wang Chen-gege also comes to the Academy, then we can be together every day.
Besides, the Academy is my (grandfather's) domain. If Ye Guyi wants to meet Wang Chen-gege there, she won't be able to hide it from me.
Hehehe, Meng Hongchen, you're a genius!"
Wang Chen almost laughed aloud. Three years ago, he had chosen not to enroll in the Academy at all, focusing instead on the Wang Clan's full support—resources concentrated entirely on him.
Compared to that, the Academy's generalized education was a waste of his time.
And now, with his current strength, returning there would be like a university graduate enrolling in elementary school—utterly absurd.
He explained patiently:
"Meng'er, the admission age limit for the Sun and Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy is twelve. I've already passed that age. I can't enroll anymore."
Meng Hongchen quickly protested:
Don't worry, Wang Chen-gege. My grandfather is the Dean of the Academy. I can ask the Academic Director to make a special exception for you.