Chapter 20: A Record Meant to Be Broken
"What did you say?"
For a moment, Wang Heng thought his ears were deceiving him. It was unbelievable enough that Xiao Qiang, at his age and soul power level, had managed to reach the fourth level of soul master. But now, he was requesting to take the fifth-level soul master assessment?
While there was nothing wrong with the fourth-level soul guide cannon Xiao Qiang had crafted, attempting to create a soul guide device that surpassed his own rank by two levels seemed utterly absurd.
"I said," Xiao Qiang repeated calmly, "since I have already passed the fourth-level soul master assessment, I'd like to proceed with the fifth-level assessment. After all, the fourth-level one is already behind me."
Wang Heng fell silent for a moment. "Wait here. I'm only a fifth-level soul master myself, which means I don't have the qualifications to evaluate someone aiming for the same level. I'll need to find a senior soul master to oversee the test."
"Okay, thank you for your help, Teacher Wang." Xiao Qiang bowed politely, his tone sincere—but this was precisely the outcome he had aimed for.
After receiving Xiao Qiang's confirmation, Wang Heng immediately took the soul guide cannon and made his way toward the office of the Mingde Hall Master without delay.
A fourteen-year-old fourth-level soul master—this kind of talent alone was enough to draw the attention of the Hall Master. But if Xiao Qiang truly became a fifth-level soul master at this age, there was no doubt the Hall Master of the Hongchen family would take him on as a disciple.
If that happened, and Wang Heng was the one who discovered and brought this prodigy to him, he would be rewarded handsomely. He hadn't received a year-end bonus like that in over a decade. Just by securing a genius disciple for the Hongchen Hall Master, he might be granted resources or benefits that could catapult his cultivation, perhaps even allowing him to break into the realm of the six-ring Soul Emperor—or beyond.
Even without physical rewards, just a word from someone like Jing Hongchen could be enough to boost his status by leaps and bounds.
Gripped by the rare opportunity for advancement, Wang Heng rushed to the building where Jing Hongchen resided, using money to grease the wheels and expedite his entry. Time was of the essence; any delay might ruin everything.
Normally, a mere five-ring Soul King like him wouldn't even have the right to meet the Hall Master. But with a generous "donation" and a claim of urgency, Wang Heng managed to get an audience with Jing Hongchen.
"Speak. What's the matter?"
Jing Hongchen sat at the head of the Mingde Hall, wearing his signature mask. His expression was solemn, and a natural aura of authority and pressure surrounded him.
"H-Hall Master, please take a look at this," Wang Heng stammered, carefully handing over the fourth-level soul guide cannon Xiao Qiang had crafted.
Jing Hongchen raised a brow. He frowned slightly but, unlike someone like Elder Xuan who often lacked judgment, Jing Hongchen quickly deduced the situation from just a glance.
"A fourth-level soul guide… The person who crafted this—is he young?"
"Yes. He's a new student, only fourteen years old."
"Fourteen? Impressive talent. Worth nurturing."
"Yes, but there's more. He made this fourth-level soul guide himself, and now he wants to take the fifth-level soul master assessment."
"Fifth-level?" Jing Hongchen's eyes widened beneath the mask. A fourteen-year-old fourth-level soul master was already a rare gem. But someone attempting the fifth-level test at that age? Not even he, or his own teacher Kong Deming, had achieved that.
In truth, no one had ever imagined a fourteen-year-old could reach the fifth level.
"Where is he now? Take me to him."
Jing Hongchen stood up immediately. He was not someone who wasted time on trivial matters, especially when it came to discovering rare talent.
And even though Wang Heng hadn't had time to report all the details, Jing Hongchen was fully aware of the inner workings of the Mingde Hall. An organization this large was bound to have spies and rival factions watching closely.
Anyone paying attention to Wang Heng's recent actions would have picked up on something. So before any rival faction could make a move, Jing Hongchen decided to act quickly and meet Xiao Qiang personally.
Normally, flying within the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy was prohibited. But as its Dean, Jing Hongchen was not bound by such rules. He flew directly across the academy grounds.
Within two minutes, Jing Hongchen and Wang Heng arrived at Xiao Qiang's location.
"You're the one who wants to take the level-five soul master test?" Jing Hongchen's voice was blunt and commanding. He didn't need to mask his presence—he was at the peak of his influence and had long shed the prideful arrogance of youth. Still, an undeniable force of dominance surrounded him.
"Yes, Dean," Xiao Qiang replied calmly.
"Very good. Young people should be bold," Jing Hongchen said, patting Xiao Qiang encouragingly on the shoulder. For a brief moment, a gentle smile appeared on the face beneath the mask—a sight Wang Heng had never witnessed before.
Wasn't the Hall Master always stern and serious? What was with this soft expression?
But Jing Hongchen was not fake. In fact, during the short flight over, he had carefully examined the soul guide cannon made by Xiao Qiang.
Experts see far more than amateurs. As a ninth-level soul engineer, Jing Hongchen could tell that the cannon Xiao Qiang had created was not only functional but far more refined than anything he expected from a fourth-level soul master.
Initially, he had thought to use Xiao Qiang as bait to expose the spies lurking within Mingde Hall. But now, after personally verifying the soul guide's quality, he dismissed that plan.
What mattered now was ensuring that Xiao Qiang—a once-in-a-generation genius—became loyal to the Hongchen family. He could become a vital pillar of their power in the future.
Even if Jing Hongchen typically presented a stern demeanor, this was not the time to seem unapproachable. He needed Xiao Qiang to feel welcome and valued.
"Thank you for your trust, Dean. I won't let you down," Xiao Qiang said respectfully.
"Excellent. What do you plan to create for your fifth-level assessment? I can offer you some guidance."
"A baby bottle," Xiao Qiang replied plainly.
Jing Hongchen paused for a moment, then nodded thoughtfully. "A baby bottle? Good choice. Given the difficulty, even crafting a fourth-level baby bottle is enough to pass the fifth-level exam."
Xiao Qiang shook his head.
"No, Dean. I intend to craft a fifth-level baby bottle."
There was a moment of silence.
"A fifth-level baby bottle? That's something only a level-six soul engineer could normally manage. Are you certain?"
"I'm sure."
Jing Hongchen: "…"
He had thought Xiao Qiang merely wanted to break the existing record.
But now he realized—Xiao Qiang was trying to rewrite what was thought to be possible.