Chapter 24: The Genius Falls
"No, Xiao, are you serious?"
When Xiao Hongchen boldly claimed that he'd wash Meng Hongchen's socks for an entire year if he lost to Xiao Qiang, Meng Hongchen momentarily forgot about her curiosity regarding Xiao Qiang.
Though Meng Hongchen had the reputation of a white-haired, blue-eyed beauty, in Xiao Hongchen's eyes—the brother who had grown up with her—there was no such image. Having lived under the same roof for so long, the Meng Hongchen he knew was anything but a refined beauty.
And because of that, his casual bet hit her like a shockwave.
"You really think I'll lose to a mere level 35 soul master?" Xiao Hongchen raised an eyebrow proudly as he caught her gaze.
Hearing this, Meng Hongchen gradually regained her composure. Thinking back on Xiao Hongchen's strength, she muttered, "Well… I guess that's unlikely."
"Unlikely? It's impossible." Xiao Hongchen puffed up, his pride written all over his face. He turned his eyes toward Xiao Qiang and added casually, "Grandfather, you picked the wrong opponent for me. A measly three-ring soul master isn't worth the effort. Even if he can beat a four-ring soul master, how many of those can truly compare to me—someone nearing the Soul King level?"
Jing Hongchen didn't respond with anger. Instead, he looked calmly at Xiao Hongchen. "Xiao, don't underestimate Xiao Qiang. I want you to fight him. If you win, I'll reward you with a level-nine soul tool. But if you lose, you'll carry out the punishment you yourself declared—washing Meng's socks for a full year. How about it?"
The moment Jing Hongchen spoke with such confidence in Xiao Qiang's ability, Xiao Hongchen's expression shifted. He looked at Xiao Qiang again—not with contempt this time, but with a growing sense of caution.
He had never even heard Xiao Qiang's name before. That meant he wasn't from any noble family worth mentioning.
A commoner? Or perhaps a minor noble?
But for someone like that to become his grandfather's personal disciple… It could only mean one thing: an extraordinary talent. Whether in soul tools or martial spirit, Xiao Qiang had to be exceptional—perhaps even surpassing himself.
Xiao Hongchen understood his grandfather better than most. The man would never choose a disciple lightly.
The way Jing Hongchen was speaking now… it was almost like he wanted Xiao Hongchen to personally realize how foolish his words had been earlier.
As the number one genius of the Sun Moon Empire, Xiao Hongchen wasn't just strong—he was smart. He quickly pieced things together and realized that Xiao Qiang was far from ordinary.
But even so…
"Grandfather, you're going to lose a level-nine soul tool like this," he said flatly.
Xiao Hongchen understood the implications, but he was still Xiao Hongchen—the unrivaled genius of the Sun Moon Empire. Facing a three-ring soul master with twelve levels less soul power? If he refused to fight, what pride did he have left?
He raised his chin. "I can't lose to someone with weaker soul power. No matter what tricks he has, I won't back down."
"You haven't won yet," Jing Hongchen said with a calm smile.
"A level 47 soul master versus a level 35? Even if he can make a level 4 soul tool, that power gap is huge. No matter how I look at it, I've got the advantage here."
He paused for a moment and added, "I honestly don't see how I could possibly lose. If that's the case… why shouldn't I gamble?"
"Very well. Since you're confident, fight him."
Jing Hongchen patted Xiao Qiang gently on the shoulder. As the grandfather who knew his grandson's pride best, he was sure Xiao Hongchen wouldn't back out.
And so, the two stepped onto the competition stage.
Xiao Hongchen stood tall and proud, arrogance practically etched into his face. He glanced at Xiao Qiang with a smirk.
"As my grandfather's disciple, I hope you don't embarrass him by losing too fast."
As Jing Hongchen gave a small nod and the referee shouted, "Begin!", Xiao Hongchen prepared to end the battle quickly using soul guide cannons.
But then he paused.
"Forget it," he said, tossing the soul cannon aside. "I'm a four-ring soul master. Since I'm twelve levels above you, I'll let you have the first twelve moves. That way, when you lose, you won't say I wasn't fair."
Jing Hongchen's lips twitched beneath his mask. He had to admit, Xiao Qiang's appearance and soul ring combination would deceive most ordinary soul masters. That appearance—just a three-ring soul master—and those subtle but well-executed psychological cues could catch even a cautious opponent off guard.
Let alone someone as proud as Xiao Hongchen.
"Xiao, be gentle!" Meng Hongchen called from the sidelines. "Also, don't hit him in the face!"
Xiao Hongchen scoffed, "Whose side are you on? But fine, I'll go easy on his face—"
Before he could finish, Xiao Qiang was already in front of him.
With the simultaneous detonation of his fourth-level soul guide thrusters, Xiao Qiang vanished from his spot and appeared inches away in the blink of an eye. The sudden, close-range movement left Xiao Hongchen no time to activate his soul cannon.
"Damn it! I was careless!"
But even without the cannon, he wasn't worried. His metal-controlling martial spirit and overwhelming soul power gave him confidence.
"The difference between us is too great. Even with some tricks, you can't match—"
Just as he prepared to counter, he made the mistake of locking eyes with Xiao Qiang.
In that instant, something shifted.
His vision blurred. A wave of confusion swept over him. The Sharingan's subtle illusion had activated.
That momentary daze was all Xiao Qiang needed.
Crack!
Xiao Qiang's fist slammed directly into Xiao Hongchen's eye socket.
The pain hit instantly, and his reflexes lagged. Before he could recover, crack!—a second punch landed squarely on the other eye.
Xiao Hongchen reeled.
He tried to activate his soul skills, but Xiao Qiang pressed forward with relentless precision. Using the dynamic visual capabilities of the Sharingan, Xiao Qiang completely suppressed his opponent.
Punch after punch landed cleanly, each strike calculated and controlled. The audience watched in stunned silence as the so-called number one genius of the Sun Moon Empire was being beaten into the ground.
When it became painfully clear that Xiao Hongchen had no way to win, Jing Hongchen gestured to the referee, who quickly announced the result.
"Winner: Xiao Qiang!"
The moment the referee spoke, Xiao Qiang stopped his assault and stepped back.
Meng Hongchen rushed forward, helping her brother off the stage.
"Xiao! Are you okay?" she asked urgently.
Xiao Hongchen groaned, touching his swollen face. "He didn't hit any vital areas, but… it hurts like hell. With some medicine, I should be fine by tomorrow."
Meng Hongchen smirked. "Oh, good. So… are you going to wash my socks today or tomorrow?"
Xiao Hongchen: "…"