Douluo Dalu 2: You are an Evil Soul Master, but also a good person ?

Inside Mingde Hall.

Jing Hongchen wore a helpless smile as he looked at the soul tool placed on the table—the very one his granddaughter had brought to him for repairs not long ago.

Though he knew from the start it was a futile effort, he had kept a close eye on Xu Cheng throughout the month.

All the materials Xu Cheng had studied in the library were mirrored on Jing Hongchen's own desk. While no definitive data was available from the lab, he had been monitoring every move.

At the very least, the boy seemed to be on the right path.

The only issue was his lack of power.

To be honest, Jing Hongchen hadn't held any hope at the beginning. As a Level Nine Soul Engineer, he understood the difficulty all too well.

The analysis of the soul tool alone was a monumental challenge for a Level Three Soul Engineer. Grasping its principles was as difficult as ascending to the heavens.

And that was without considering the soul tool knowledge required for subsequent steps.

Even a Level Six Soul Engineer would likely be at a loss.

But as time passed, Jing Hongchen found himself reevaluating Xu Cheng.

When his grandson, Xiao Hongchen, complained that Xu Cheng was practically living in the lab and had become utterly obsessed, Jing Hongchen decided to take action.

He instructed Lin Jiayi to retrieve the record of books Xu Cheng had borrowed from the library.

When Jing Hongchen saw the list of nearly a hundred books, he was momentarily stunned.

From Introduction to Level Three Soul Tools to Advanced Research on Level Seven Soul Tools.

From Core Formation Principles to Complex Linkage Connections.

And then there was his own work, A Brief Discussion on Soul Power Sealing, which appeared on the list.

His pupils contracted sharply.

He actually identified the right direction!

For a Level Three Soul Engineer like Xu Cheng to recognize that the core issue of the soul tool lay in its soul power sealing mechanism was already a testament to his terrifying talent.

But the difficulty of soul power sealing itself was beyond most. Even the majority of Mingde Hall's core disciples—Level Five or Level Six Soul Engineers—couldn't accomplish it.

Yet this boy had delved deeply into it.

The direction of his subsequent experiments left Jing Hongchen both shocked and awed.

Sealing linkages, conversion between Level One, Two, and Three soul tool energies—there even seemed to be a trend of success!

At least from Jing Hongchen's godlike perspective, Xu Cheng's approach was correct and optimal.

By this point, both he and Elder Cheng had come to the same conclusion.

This wasn't just a genius; this was a monster.

He was even more outstanding than Xiao Hongchen.

If this child had been introduced to soul tools earlier, the title of "Number One Prodigy" would have already changed hands.

Jing Hongchen studied the short dagger in his hands with a sense of wonder.

Perhaps it was better to let it go.

If his intervention destroyed a once-in-a-millennium soul tool genius, he and Elder Cheng would be the true sinners of the Sun Moon Empire.

With that thought, he gripped the short dagger and played with it lightly in his hand. He had confidence in this soul tool, which he had personally crafted. It had been a gift for his granddaughter on her sixth birthday, accompanying Meng ever since her awakening ceremony.

Soul power surged into his palm and flowed into the soul tool.

What Elder Cheng had damaged was the sealing mechanism, but the specifics of the damage were unclear due to time constraints. To repair it, one had to first identify the exact issue…

As Jing Hongchen felt the repelling sensation from the soul tool in his hand, his brows furrowed.

As the creator of the soul tool, he was naturally familiar with its reactions. This sensation was the core array adapting to the user's soul power, automatically calibrating to their optimal soul tool level.

Being a Level Nine Soul Engineer, it naturally adjusted to the maximum Level Seven configuration.

But the problem was…

Didn't Elder Cheng say the issue lay in the sealing inscriptions?

Then why was it functioning normally?

Before long, the soul tool calibrated to Level Seven. Jing Hongchen reversed his grip on the short dagger and gently slashed forward.

"Buzz!"

As soul power surged in, the core of the soul tool lit up, and the intricate patterns activated suddenly.

Terrifying power burst forth from the soul tool, leaving a long trail of light in its wake.

In Jing Hongchen's stunned expression, the two massive metal pillars ahead were sliced cleanly at an angle, their surfaces smooth as a blade's edge.

The air seemed to freeze.

Several seconds later, the warning bells of Mingde Hall rang out.

The piercing alarm echoed inside and out.

Countless soul engineers froze mid-research, their eyes filled with shock.

"Someone dares to attack Mingde Hall?!"

A dense crowd of figures appeared outside the hall in an instant.

Lin Jiayi led a group of people straight into the main hall, their previously urgent and furious expressions freezing mid-step.

Before them stood the Hall Master of Mingde Hall, their superior, staring blankly ahead.

He held a short dagger in reverse grip, seemingly having just slashed forward.

And directly ahead of him was the aftermath of the soul tool's residual power…

"This…"

Lin Jiayi was utterly confused.

Was the Hall Master suddenly inspired to test his weapon on home ground?

"Phew…"

After a long while, Jing Hongchen finally came back to his senses.

Looking at the short dagger, still pristine in his hand, a sense of absurdity overwhelmed him.

He actually… fixed it?

"Hall Master…" Lin Jiayi's voice held a tinge of urgency.

If this wasn't explained soon, the imperial capital might send military reinforcements.

"Inform everyone: it was an accident."

Jing Hongchen finally registered the commotion outside and realized he had caused a huge misunderstanding.

But a leader never admits fault.

With a casual wave, he dismissed Lin Jiayi to handle the situation.

"Yes!"

Lin Jiayi heaved a sigh of relief and sprinted outside.

"False alarm! It was an accident! The Hall Master had an experimental mishap—disperse!"

A leader can never be wrong, and Lin Jiayi understood this principle well.

Soon, the situation outside calmed, and the gathered soul engineers dispersed as if nothing had happened.

Inside Mingde Hall, Elder Cheng examined a small piece of meticulously carved metal, his eyes filled with disbelief.

"This short dagger—I can confirm the damage was definitely in the core array. That's indisputable. But now… the core array shows signs of modification. Could it be…"

"It was him."

Jing Hongchen's face was one of shock, as if he still hadn't fully recovered.

"I've been observing him these past days, from the books he borrowed to the lab data. I was amazed that he instinctively identified the correct direction. Even Mingde Hall's core students couldn't pinpoint it so quickly…"

"Looking at the linkage core and the engraved sealing array, though somewhat crude, it confirms that this boy was the one who did it. A high-level soul engineer wouldn't fake such amateurish marks—it's unmistakable."

"So the only conclusion is…"

Elder Cheng's heart surged with emotion.

The two of them exchanged a glance.

"This boy actually repaired the soul tool in just a month…"

"A genius born for soul tools."

At that moment, even Jing Hongchen felt the stirrings of a desire to take him on as a disciple.

There was no helping it—missing out on a prodigy of this caliber might be a regret he could never undo.

(End of Chapter)