10: Chapter 10 Soul Tool Genius

After shaking off Zhao Qing, Mu Qingci headed over to Jing Hongchen's place. Today was the day he was visiting his granddaughter, Meng Hongchen, and of course, his grandson, Xiao Hongchen, as well.

"Qingci, Qingci! My grandfather is here to see me today. Are you going to see him too?"

Meng Hongchen jumped out from somewhere unknown and naturally linked her arm with Mu Qingci's.

"Sister Meng, could you please not do that? The other students and Hall Master Jing will misunderstand."

Mu Qingci felt truly helpless. Every time he walked through the academy now, he would inexplicably receive hostile glares from the male students. Although he knew the reason, he couldn't refute it.

"Qingci, do you hate Sister Meng...?"

Upon hearing this, Meng Hongchen let go of his arm, looking as if she were about to shatter. Her eyes drooped slightly, and they glimmered with unshed tears.

"No, it's not like that! Sister Meng, I didn't mean it that way."

If it were a real fight with blades and guns, Mu Qingci wouldn't be afraid at all. But when faced with a girl's tears, this straight-as-an-arrow man had no idea what to do.

"Then... then why won't you let me hold your hand...?"

Mu Qingci was truly out of options. He could only take the initiative to hold Meng Hongchen's hand, using his actions to show her his stance.

Feeling her hand being held by his large hand, Meng Hongchen immediately beamed with joy. The two of them walked together toward Jing Hongchen's office.

Watching his granddaughter holding that brat's hand again, Jing Hongchen's handsome face wore a somewhat unfriendly smile.

"Qingci, you came to see me today to learn about spirit tools, didn't you?"

Mu Qingci nodded. "I have some doubts about certain aspects, so I wanted to come and ask Hall Master Jing for guidance."

"No problem. Mengmeng, go play to the side for a bit; I'll clear up his doubts."

Seeing Meng Hongchen obediently let go and leave, Jing Hongchen's expression improved slightly.

"If there's anything you don't understand, tell me."

Mu Qingci explained the parts of the textbook knowledge he didn't understand.

"Wait a moment. Didn't you just start school? Why are you asking about this? This doesn't seem like something first-years would be learning right now."

Jing Hongchen looked at the questions Mu Qingci posed with some surprise. It wasn't that he didn't know the answers, but rather he was slightly astonished.

"I had some free time, and since I was interested, I previewed the material. After all, my Soul Power has reached a bottleneck, and I haven't obtained a spirit ring yet, so I haven't been focusing too much on cultivation."

Mu Qingci was telling him that he was eager to learn about spirit tools, while also hinting that he needed a suitable spirit ring.

Jing Hongchen was an old fox; how could he not understand the meaning behind Mu Qingci's words? "Alright, Mengmeng has already told me about your spirit ring. I will help you."

"Thank you, Hall Master Jing."

Following that, Jing Hongchen began to answer Mu Qingci's questions regarding spirit tool knowledge.

The more they exchanged, the more shocked Jing Hongchen became. Judging by the knowledge Mu Qingci now possessed, he only needed a little practice to become a First-Class Soul Engineer. Yet, just a few days ago, he hadn't even touched upon this subject. What talent this was!

"Kid, come with me."

Mu Qingci had just been speaking eloquently when he was interrupted. He had no choice but to follow Jing Hongchen, his face full of confusion.

Jing Hongchen brought Mu Qingci to a laboratory; this was where the Soul Engineers in the academy crafted spirit tools.

"There are materials and blueprints on the table. You are going to practice hands-on and craft a First-Class spirit tool for me. If you succeed, I will immediately take you to obtain your fourth spirit ring. No matter how high the quality, I will help you."

Upon hearing this, Mu Qingci was overjoyed, but he also felt a little nervous. Although the knowledge in the books didn't seem difficult to him, it was his first time practicing, so there was inevitably some pressure.

He flipped through the blueprints and chose a relatively simple First-Class spirit tool, a lightbulb, for his first practical attempt.

"Do you have a suitable carving knife? Do you need me to lend you one?"

A delicate carving knife appeared in Jing Hongchen's hand; at a glance, it was clearly a top-tier carving knife from the ranked list.

"Thank you for your kindness, Hall Master, but I have my own carving knife."

Jing Hongchen awkwardly retracted the carving knife, wanting to see what the other party could produce that could compare to this ranked carving knife.

Mu Qingci pressed his index and middle fingers together against his forehead. A small, emerald-green opening split open between his brows, and the Blade of Living Beings flew out.

Seeing this, Jing Hongchen was dumbstruck. It was his first time seeing a carving knife that could be integrated into the body, and in the space between the brows, no less. The quality of this carving knife was self-evident; it was at least a ranked carving knife.

Holding the Blade of Living Beings in his hand, Mu Qingci felt a bit more confident.

He began by carving the core array of the spirit tool. The core array of a First-Class spirit tool was relatively simple. Having lived two lifetimes, plus Electrolux's entry into his mental sea, Mu Qingci's Mental Energy far exceeded that of his peers. A First-Class spirit tool core array was not a problem for him at all.

As the carving knife fell again and again, the core array of the First-Class spirit tool slowly took shape.

Jing Hongchen stood to the side, appearing calm and composed, but inside, his heart was already churning with tumultuous waves.

Mu Qingci only took the time of one incense stick to finish carving the core array. This speed made Jing Hongchen's jaw drop once again.

After Mu Qingci assembled the entire spirit tool, Jing Hongchen couldn't wait and snatched it up. He infused it with Soul Power, and the spirit tool lightbulb indeed lit up.

"Good lad, you really are a genius!"

Jing Hongchen only now realized that the brat in front of him suddenly looked a bit more pleasing to the eye; perhaps he wasn't entirely unworthy of his granddaughter after all.

"I keep my promises. Let's go; I'll take you to obtain your spirit ring."

"Thank you, Hall Master Jing."

Mu Qingci followed Jing Hongchen as they walked out of the academy.

"Qingci, Grandfather, where are you two going?"

Hearing his precious granddaughter not calling him first, the slight goodwill Jing Hongchen had just developed toward Mu Qingci vanished.

However, he remained very gentle when facing his precious granddaughter, Meng Hongchen. "Grandfather is going to take him to obtain his fourth spirit ring."

"Then I want to go too! I'm a four-ringed Spirit Ancestor now; I can help!"

Meng Hongchen grabbed Mu Qingci's arm and acted spoiled toward Jing Hongchen.

Jing Hongchen couldn't do anything about her and had to agree to take her along.

After leaving the academy gates, Jing Hongchen gave each of them a flight-type spirit tool, and the three of them flew together toward the nearest Soul Beast Forest.

With Mu Qingci's current Soul Power, he was capable of operating a flight-type spirit tool, and his flight speed was even faster than Meng Hongchen's.

Three days later, the three of them arrived at the outskirts of a Soul Beast Forest within the territory of the Sun Moon Empire.

Jing Hongchen chose this Soul Beast Forest out of safety considerations. According to official records, the maximum cultivation of the Spirit Beasts here was no more than thirty thousand years, posing no threat to a Titled Douluo like him, making it very suitable for bringing juniors to obtain spirit rings.