DD Black White [184-186] (Patreon)

Chapter 184: Zhang Lexuan's Thoughts

"Teacher Xuan, if you're interested in the Holographic Strategy Room, our academy has detailed information about it. The library also has a wealth of soul tool technology resources. This exchange will last nearly five years, so you'll have plenty of time to study in depth."

Zhang Lexuan smiled as she looked at Xuan Ziwen.

The importance of soul tool technology varies in the eyes of different factions.

For many powers on the Douluo Continent, these materials are indeed critical—mastering them could rapidly advance their soul tool technology.

But for Haiyuan City, which boasts a cosmic-level genius like Herta, the situation is quite different.

As long as they have enough resources, Haiyuan City has the capability to build space stations, planet-destroying cannons, spaceships, and even extinction-level weapons capable of annihilating star systems.

Therefore, some soul tool technologies simply aren't that important to Haiyuan City.

From their perspective, resources are the most crucial factor.

Moreover, as long as Herta wishes, any soul tool technology can be upgraded at any time. There's no need to worry about others acquiring these technologies and posing a threat to Haiyuan City.

That's the immense influence and value a cosmic-level genius brings.

In fact, it's the relatively scarce resources of the Douluo Continent that have limited Herta's progress—and so has Lu Jingming.

Otherwise, with Herta's capabilities, he might have long since lost interest in this little planet.

As a result, Herta's main focus now is on exploring parallel worlds and researching the mysteries of the God Realm.

To her, compared to the trivial affairs on Douluo Star, exploring parallel worlds and delving into the God Realm's secrets is far more captivating.

Because of this, Zhang Lexuan felt fully confident and saw no reason to restrict Xuan Ziwen's access to soul tool technology.

On the contrary, she thought this was a perfect opportunity to win Xuan Ziwen over.

After all, as Haiyuan City develops, it truly needs more research talents like Xuan Ziwen.

Many matters can't always rely on Herta alone; a diverse pool of talent is what allows Haiyuan City to grow and thrive.

People like Xuan Ziwen, who are completely obsessed with soul tools and single-mindedly devoted to research, are actually the easiest to recruit.

For him, as long as you can offer an irresistible condition, he'll willingly leave Mingde Hall and join Haiyan City.

And coincidentally, Haiyuan City has the ability to satisfy any of his demands.

Whether it's more advanced, cutting-edge soul tool technology, precious opportunities to interact with Herta, or even just a chance to see a Herta automaton, any of these would be enough to win him over completely.

After all, for someone obsessed with soul tool research, these temptations are simply irresistible.

Furthermore, the exchange students from Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy might not be impossible to win over either.

Zhang Lexuan's gaze shifted to the holographic strategy display, where Ji Juechen was fiercely battling a Black Tide Warrior, his iron sword slicing through the air with sword intent radiating in every direction.

Jing Ziyan wielded a whip-type soul tool, controlling smoke with agile movements, while Meng Hongchen, clad in ice-blue soul armor and wielding twin swords, displayed a heroic figure.

All of them had a good chance of being recruited by Haiyuan City.

Ji Juechen is obsessed with the Sword Dao, and Jingliu is the teacher he dreams of studying under.

If Ji Juechen joins Haiyuan City, Jing Ziyan is unlikely to leave either.

After all, Zhang Lexuan could instantly see Jing Ziyan's feelings for Ji Juechen; the two are close, so if Ji Juechen stays, Jing Ziyan most likely will as well.

As for Meng Hongchen, Zhang Lexuan had her own plans. She thought as long as Lu Jingming made a move—a handsome man strategy—winning Meng Hongchen over would be a piece of cake.

Once Meng Hongchen is won over, Haiyuan City could leverage this to establish ties with the Hongchen family.

The Hongchen family is one of the oldest in the Sun Moon Empire, deeply rooted and with centuries of heritage.

Through Meng Hongchen, forging a good relationship with the Hongchen family would be a huge boost for Lu Jingming's future plans to dominate the Douluo Continent.

In Zhang Lexuan's view, Meng Hongchen's role is similar to that of Xu Jiujiu.

As long as it benefits Lu Jingming, she doesn't mind having more sisters. Wholeheartedly devoted to Lu Jingming, she's unknowingly become an advocate for his harem—willing even to help push him along.

Before long, the battle in the holographic strategy room neared its end.

Except for Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen, Jing Ziyan, and Ji Juechen, the remaining six students had all been eliminated and were clutching their foreheads, immersed in the aftereffects of simulated death.

Most were killed by the stealthy Black Tide Counselors.

These terrifying monsters could invisibly approach, and as soul engineers, the students rarely had time to react before their throats were slit or even decapitated—gruesome scenes.

At this point, among the six Black Tide monsters, only the Black Tide Warrior had been destroyed, its core broken.

Through the joint efforts of Ji Juechen and Meng Hongchen—after sacrificing six classmates—they finally managed to kill one monster.

Suddenly, a flash of dark blade light. Xiao Hongchen's expression changed drastically, and he immediately activated his life-preserving soul skill—Golden Devotion—his body instantaneously turning into golden liquid, narrowly dodging the Black Tide Counselor's deadly strike.

However, just as the golden liquid reformed not far away, a black energy arrow shot out like lightning, piercing directly through his forehead.

"Brother!" Meng Hongchen cried out in shock, watching helplessly as Xiao Hongchen's figure faded to light.

"Old Ji!" At almost the same moment, Jing Ziyan's whip wrapped around Ji Juechen's waist, and with a forceful motion, flung him toward the Black Tide's Decrepit Bow.

But she herself was struck by a massive axe light.

With a deafening boom, the ground shook violently in a ring, a giant crater appearing instantly.

Amidst the swirling dust, scattered points of light appeared—the sign of Jing Ziyan's simulated death.

Ji Juechen didn't hesitate. His gray Sword Intent spread out, and with a silent yet deadly sword light—like a black lightning bolt—he pierced the Black Tide's Decrepit Bow's core, killing it in one blow.

Yet before Ji Juechen could catch his breath, a black claw wreathed in orange flame slammed down toward his head.

At the critical moment, as an icy flash appeared under the monster's feet, Meng Hongchen instantly materialized, her twin ice-blue swords slashing down to block the Black Tide Corrosion Demon's fatal blow.

Looking at the monsters closing in from all sides—the Black Tide Corrosion Axe, Black Tide Counselor, Dark Sun Gryphon, and the menacing Black Tide Corrosion Demon—Meng Hongchen couldn't help but twitch her mouth.

Ten entered the battle; eight were dead, and they'd barely managed to kill two monsters. The difficulty was unimaginable.

After intense fighting, Meng Hongchen and Ji Juechen were both exhausted. Facing the monsters' encirclement, they had little strength left and were quickly eliminated, vanishing as lights from the holographic strategy simulation.

Thus, the team instance ended in the complete defeat of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy.

"Alright, your test is over for today. I'll take you to your dorms to rest," Zhang Lexuan said with a clap and a smile to Meng Hongchen and the others.

"What's our rating?" Even pale and exhausted, Xiao Hongchen was still anxious to know their rating; the others also looked to Zhang Lexuan expectantly.

After such a tough battle, they were eager to know how they ranked in St. Freya Academy's evaluation system.

"Meng Hongchen, Xiao Hongchen, Ji Juechen, Jing Ziyan: A-level students. The rest are B-level," Zhang Lexuan replied after glancing at the evaluation.

"Only A-level?" Xiao Hongchen's face darkened.

He knew from the moment he was eliminated that he'd missed out on S-rank; after all, how could someone who died in the test earn the highest rank?

"Correct. This rating considers all aspects of your performance, not just how many monsters you killed," Zhang Lexuan patiently explained.

Defeating all the Black Tide monsters in this trial is extremely difficult.

Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen, and the others are all top talents, but even at their best, they only managed to kill two monsters.

The ratings take into account age, soul power, combat intelligence, and more.

In terms of age and soul power, Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen are superior to Ji Juechen and Jing Ziyan, but in combat wisdom, will, and skill, Ji Juechen surpasses Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen.

Thus, all four received A-rank evaluations; Ji Juechen's slightly older age didn't lower his rating.

Just comprehending Sword Intent alone was enough for Ji Juechen to earn A-rank.

After all, Sword Intent is a profoundly mysterious concept—many Titled Douluos never grasp it in their lifetimes—yet Ji Juechen, as a Soul King, not only comprehended it but applied it in battle.

He didn't get S-rank mainly due to age, cultivation, and relative ordinariness of his martial spirit.

As for Jing Ziyan, her combat talent was also impressive, so she barely earned an A-rank as well.

Chapter 185: Castorice's Shyness

Only Xiao Hongchen and the other three earned A-rank; the rest were B-rank—their performance made that their limit.

In terms of talent pool, the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy indeed falls short of Shrek Academy.

Most of Shrek's inner court disciples would earn at least an A-rank, showing their depth of talent.

On St. Freya Academy's training grounds, Ji Juechen wielded his iron sword with agile form, sword shadows weaving like a storm toward Jingliu.

His eyes burned with passionate fire, every strike full of sword devotion.

Jingliu stood calmly with hands behind her back, sword qi quietly gathering at her fingertip.

Unhurried, she effortlessly parried every attack.

Each clash of sword and finger rang with a clear, metallic sound throughout the grounds.

Ji Juechen grew more and more excited. Having a swordmaster of Jingliu's caliber to spar with was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Every exchange subtly improved his swordsmanship, fueling his obsession.

The iron sword's gray Desolation Sword Intent grew denser, the energy compressing into a giant gray sword.

The massive blade tore through the air with a sharp howl, carrying the force to cleave everything, striking fiercely at Jingliu.

Sensing the power in this blow, Jingliu nodded slightly—a rare sign of approval for Ji Juechen's recent progress.

She then extended a finger, sending out a dazzling sword light like a meteor.

A crisp shattering sound followed as the giant sword broke, and Ji Juechen was sent flying like a broken kite.

"Old Ji!" Jing Ziyan rushed over to catch the battered, bleeding Ji Juechen.

Despite the wounds, Ji Juechen's eyes shone with unprecedented brightness.

"Thank you, Teacher!" he said, ignoring his injuries and bowing deeply to Jingliu.

Though Jingliu hadn't formally accepted him as a disciple, she had taught him swordsmanship without reservation, earning his heartfelt respect.

At first, Ji Juechen expected that as a student from the Sun Moon Academy, even if he could consult the Snow Moon Douluo, she would only offer some perfunctory advice.

To his surprise, Jingliu cared nothing for his background; she taught him meticulously, sparred personally, pointed out his flaws, and taught him ways to hone both sword intent and technique.

He even learned some swordsmanship transcending the world's norms.

Jingliu's grandeur and vision won Ji Juechen's utmost admiration.

Besides Ji Juechen, Meng Hongchen also learned some swordsmanship from Jingliu.

She used twin swords and was highly interested in the art, though not as purely obsessed as Ji Juechen, so she learned less.

Nevertheless, she gained much, especially as Jingliu was also an expert in the Dao of Ice, which matched Meng Hongchen's ice-attributed soul power.

Jingliu was quite satisfied with Ji Juechen; his sword talent was excellent, and his dedication admirable.

Though his soul master aptitude wasn't superb, his willpower compensated, promising future achievement in Sword Dao.

By contrast, a certain pink-haired girl had even greater sword talent but lacked devotion, much to Jingliu's regret.

…

"Achoo!"

In Heaven Dou City of the Heavenly Soul Empire, March 7th suddenly sneezed. Frowning, she muttered, "Ugh, who's talking about me?"

"March, are you alright?" Princess Weina looked at her with concern.

Robin and Firefly also glanced over, eyes full of inquiry.

They were in a high-end restaurant, invited by Princess Weina.

Robin, together with Firefly and March 7th, traveled the continent, experiencing local customs and helping the weak.

After arriving in Heaven Dou City, they met Princess Weina, who quickly became a close friend.

"I'm fine, don't worry!" March 7th waved it off and turned her attention back to the elaborate food.

Meanwhile, in the flower fields behind St. Freya Academy, Castorice sat hugging her knees, gazing gently at the meditating figure of Lu Jingming.

Suddenly, purple ripples appeared in the air beside her, like a stone dropped into a calm lake.

A giant purple dragon head slowly emerged from the void.

"Shh, quiet, Pollux!" Castorice gently stroked the dragon's head, her voice soft, reminding it not to make noise and disturb Lu Jingming.

Pollux understood, enjoying her touch and nuzzling Castorice, obediently silent.

As they interacted, soul power surged rapidly within Lu Jingming, compressing and purifying until an invisible bottleneck was instantly breached.

The next moment, Raiden's figure appeared behind Lu Jingming, gently hugging him from behind.

At the same time, the Thunder Stigmata on his left hand shone with dazzling red light.

The Black Abyss Spear appeared in his hand, its body gleaming mysteriously.

Two purple, two black, one red—five soul rings encircled the black spear, radiating powerful energy.

As the Thunder Stigmata continuously channeled thunder power into the Black Abyss, a blood-red soul ring with golden lightning patterns began to form on the spear.

Strong soul power rippled outward, affecting the real world.

Nearby flowers shook under the surge, nearly destroyed.

At the last moment, Lu Jingming opened his eyes, and the powerful aura vanished instantly.

He smiled at the new red-and-gold-ring on his spear.

For him, the barrier to Soul Emperor was as thin as paper; the breakthrough came naturally.

Thanks to the Thunder Stigmata, he didn't need to hunt a hundred-thousand-year soul beast for a soul ring.

His Thunder Stigmata's quality far exceeded ordinary hundred-thousand-year rings, almost on par with a fierce beast ring.

His soul ring color was still blood-red, but the golden lightning pattern revealed its extraordinary nature.

Feeling accomplished, Lu Jingming stretched and stood up.

Months had passed since his trip to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well.

Now, not only had he advanced to Soul Emperor, but his plans were progressing smoothly—everything was on track.

As he broke through, Pollux withdrew into the void—her exclusive death domain, inaccessible to the living.

"I told you, Castorice, you're my lucky star. I broke through here last time too."

Lu Jingming grinned, gently pulling Castorice to her feet and embracing her.

Castorice's cheeks flushed red, embarrassed by both his words and the warmth of his hug.

Looking at the shy, lovely Castorice in his arms, Lu Jingming felt a surge of affection and couldn't resist lowering his head to gently kiss her soft lips. As their mouths met, he daringly slipped his tongue between her parted lips, tasting her sweetness.

Castorice's body tensed at the unexpected intrusion, but she didn't push him away; instead, she closed her eyes and shyly responded, her own tongue tentatively meeting his in a sensual dance.

In the beautiful, quiet flower field, their entwined figures seemed to be the whole world. Lu Jingming's hands roamed her back, pulling her closer as their tongues explored each other's mouths with increasing fervor.

They melted into each other, lost in sweetness and warmth, oblivious to everything else. Soft moans escaped Castorice's throat as Lu Jingming's tongue caressed hers, sending shivers down her spine.

"Castorice, Xiao Ming, you—?!"

Meng Hongchen, holding a lunchbox, stopped dead at the sight of the intimate pair, her face filled with shock and disbelief.

Startled by her voice, Castorice's eyes flew open, full of embarrassment and panic, wanting to break free. But Lu Jingming only held her tighter, as if to merge her into himself, continuing the deep, passionate kiss. His tongue delved deeper, tasting every corner of her mouth.

Chapter 186: Meng Hongchen's Directness

Castorice was afraid to hurt Lu Jingming and couldn't resist, so she just closed her eyes and let him have his way, blushing furiously, unable to face Meng Hongchen. Her body betrayed her as she instinctively pressed closer, her tongue now eagerly tangling with his.

After a few minutes of this heated exchange, under Meng Hongchen's resentful gaze, they finally parted. A thin silver string of saliva fell from their lips, connecting them briefly before vanishing into the flowers. Both were breathless, their lips swollen from the intensity of their passionate kiss.

Lu Jingming finally let go of the breathless Castorice, still somewhat unsatisfied.

But he knew when to stop—Castorice's tolerance for his affection was already enough. If it were Keqing or March 7th, they'd have pushed him away the moment Meng Hongchen appeared.

Castorice's gentle patience made Lu Jingming love her all the more.

"Meng, what delicious food did you bring today?"

Lu Jingming acted nonchalant as he took the lunchbox from Meng Hongchen.

Since he'd returned to Haiyuan City, Meng Hongchen had been actively pursuing him, often cooking and bringing meals for him to try.

Although he hadn't directly responded to her feelings, their relationship had naturally grown closer over time.

Even their terms of address had shifted from distant classmate to more intimate names.

"It's your favorite golden shrimp balls. I even learned from the restaurant's chef," Meng Hongchen replied absentmindedly, still dazed by the scene she'd witnessed.

Castorice hid behind Lu Jingming, her face flushed like a ripe apple, not daring to look at Meng Hongchen.

"Let's eat together."

Lu Jingming calmly led Castorice and Meng Hongchen to a pavilion, setting out the dishes.

He sat in the middle, subtly keeping Castorice and Meng Hongchen apart—Meng Hongchen couldn't get too close to Castorice, or there would be trouble.

Meng Hongchen finally recovered from her shock, her gaze lingering on their lips, emotions complicated.

Castorice, feeling her gaze, blushed even more and lowered her head.

Lu Jingming remained calm, picking up a shrimp ball and gently feeding it to Castorice.

"Um, I'm fine with that too!" Meng Hongchen blushed, pointed at her own lips, and looked at Lu Jingming expectantly.

"Ahem!"

The usually unflappable Lu Jingming was nearly caught off guard, almost choking.

Castorice stared at Meng Hongchen in disbelief—how could she be so bold?

"Meng, let's talk about that later!"

Lu Jingming, though well aware of Meng Hongchen's give-it-all nature, hadn't expected her to be so direct, especially in front of Castorice.

He was speechless—did she really not care about the situation? Such courage! No wonder she's Miss Meng!

"Alright…" Meng Hongchen's eyes flashed with disappointment and a bit of relief, her feelings in turmoil.

She was actually shy, but after deciding to pursue Lu Jingming, she had long since put shame aside.

For a girl, it takes courage to be so forward.

It was precisely Meng Hongchen's honest, straightforward pursuit that rapidly deepened her relationship with Lu Jingming in just a few months.

Her straight ball attacks, plus her natural allure as a beautiful white-haired girl, made it hard for Lu Jingming to resist.

With today's scene, the dynamic between them was sure to change; Meng Hongchen would likely become even bolder, making their interactions all the more interesting.

…

…

Parallel World—Douluo Continent.

Since the emergence of the simulated universe, strange changes have swept the land.

At some point, strange entities formed from negative emotions and energy—corruption points—began appearing everywhere.

These points resembled malignant tumors, exuding a repulsive aura and powerful pollution.

They silently corrode their surroundings, turning them barren and spawning terrifying monsters from negative energy.

The Spirit Hall, a powerful force, was the first to detect these corruption points.

After sending elite investigators, they discovered that if left unchecked, these points would expand uncontrollably, polluting everything and producing ever stronger monsters.

But they also found that clearing all the negative-energy monsters would cause the corruption point to naturally dissipate.

Even more miraculous, the negative energy would reverse, transforming into abundant positive energy and coalescing into coveted treasures.

Spirit Hall acted quickly, sending a Titled Douluo to clear a corruption point that had spawned a Soul Douluo-level monster.

After a fierce battle, they succeeded—and the loot was jaw-dropping: a fifty-thousand-year soul bone!

Such a soul bone is every soul master's dream.

Beyond that, they also found soul power crystals for rapid cultivation, uniquely shaped soul tools, and other rare treasures.

Different corruption points create different monsters, some even human-like or resembling long-gone historical figures.

For example, the monster at that particular site was a former Titled Douluo of Spirit Hall.

Luckily, Spirit Hall intervened before it grew to full power, averting disaster.

Notably, these monsters are bound by mysterious forces and cannot stray far from their corruption point; if they do, they lose energy and dissipate, dropping no treasures.

In a few months, news of the corruption points spread across the continent.

Everyone knew: clear a corruption point, and you gain priceless treasures.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, after clearing one near their domain, obtained a powerful Level 7 soul tool.

Tests showed the tool could be used by auxiliary soul masters, granting them combat power rivaling a Soul Sage.

With so many auxiliary soul masters in their ranks, the sect saw their overall strength multiply.

Such prospects drove them wild with excitement.

The entire continent was swept up; all the great forces—Spirit Hall, the Seven Great Sects, the Heaven Dou and Star Luo Empires—offered rich rewards for information on corruption points.

As these points appeared randomly, many lucky people stumbled upon them.

As long as they survived the monsters, they could report the location for a hefty reward.

Suddenly, ordinary people were getting rich overnight, and the entire continent was gripped by both fear and anticipation.

The fear came from the terrifying pollution: normal people who approached a corruption point suffered severe illness afterward.

The monsters spawned inside were even worse—pure malice, attacking any living thing with savage brutality.

Yet, despite the danger, people still looked forward to them.

After all, they also brought irresistible opportunities.