Douluo : Capture the goddess starting from peerless tang sect

"Hall Master, you called for me?"

After a romantic evening with Meng Hongchen that fell just short of consummation, Qian Ran found himself summoned by Jing Hongchen the next day. Feeling a bit guilty—after all, he had taken quite a bit of advantage of Meng Hongchen—he approached cautiously.

You could say that everything but the final step had happened between them.

If not for a sliver of conscience, Qian Ran could have fully claimed Meng Hongchen last night. With her feelings for him, she would have willingly complied at any time.

Jing Hongchen fell silent as he looked at Qian Ran's strikingly handsome face. If Qian Ran weren't an enemy of the Empire, he would have been happy to see his granddaughter together with this young man, even if it meant she would only be one of his concubines.

What a pity.

"Qian Ran, if I'm not mistaken, you participated as a core member in the last Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament, didn't you?"

"More or less," Qian Ran replied with a shrug.

"Here's the thing. Recently, there's been a lot of discontent in the academy toward you exchange students from Shrek Academy, especially you. Many have grievances against you. So I've decided to arrange a few matches between you and some of the academy's prodigies. On one hand, I hope you can quell their resentment with your strength. On the other, I want to show them how Spirit Masters and Soul Engineers compare in combat."

Jing Hongchen gave Qian Ran a sideways glance. Over the past few days, Qian Ran had a different companion accompanying him daily, drawing even more ire from the students of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy.

Why did their academy give Shrek's exchange students such preferential treatment?

With strength as the ultimate answer, all questions could be silenced. Once Qian Ran proved he deserved the recognition, no one would dare question him again.

On another level, Jing Hongchen was genuinely curious.

From the data they had, Qian Ran's strength seemed almost excessive. But was he truly as strong as the records suggested?

This genius, the strongest in the recorded history of the continent—what was his actual combat capability? If Qian Ran were to fall in the future, this question would remain forever unanswered. Thus, before he left the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy, they wanted to explore his limits.

This would also influence the future research direction of Mingde Hall.

If Spirit Masters were indeed strong enough to crush everything, were they wrong to pour all their energy into Soul Tools?

"Oh?" Qian Ran was momentarily taken aback.

He had thought Jing Hongchen wanted to discuss his relationship with Meng Hongchen. Turns out it was to test his strength.

"I don't mind. Set the rules however you like. Anyone below the rank of Soul Douluo is fine, even Soul Douluo if you wish," Qian Ran said with a nonchalant shrug. There probably wasn't anyone among the students at the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy who could truly threaten him.

With that, Qian Ran left Jing Hongchen's office directly.

"Hall Master, selling tickets might be a good idea," Lin Jiayi suggested tentatively. "After all, none of our academy's students are exactly strapped for cash. Might as well fleece them a bit…"

"Make the arrangements," Jing Hongchen's eyes lit up but then dimmed slightly in regret.

That Qian Ran… the way he carried himself showed he didn't even regard Mingde Hall as a threat.

Soul Douluo?

Wasn't Qian Ran's cultivation only at the Soul King level? If they sent a Soul Douluo against a Soul King, wouldn't they be throwing away their reputation?

Yet, if they didn't send strong opponents, wouldn't Qian Ran simply dominate without challenge?

Jing Hongchen realized he may have acted rashly. His intention had been to use Qian Ran to humble the academy's increasingly arrogant students, not crush their confidence entirely.

"Forget it. Let the brats witness the might of a true Spirit Master. If they truly believe Soul Tools are omnipotent, they're far too shortsighted," Jing Hongchen muttered to himself.

Within an hour of Qian Ran's departure, Jing Hongchen's orders were fully implemented. News of the sparring matches between the exchange student who once represented Shrek Academy in the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament and the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy's students spread throughout the campus.

Announcements were posted at every classroom and dormitory entrance.

The sparring matches would take place in the Soul Engineering Testing Arena. Attendance was mandatory for all students unless they had special circumstances. Students with a cultivation level of five rings or higher were eligible to participate, with a maximum limit of seven-ringed Soul Saints. All participants were required to purchase their own tickets. Those who defeated Qian Ran would gain entry into Mingde Hall, a reward of 100,000 gold soul coins, and a custom-made Soul Tool from Jing Hongchen himself.

However, losing would result in a penalty—a month-long suspension of Soul Tool crafting material allocations.

The rules of the sparring matches were simple: defeat Qian Ran. Qian Ran could rest as needed between matches. The event would span three days in total.

As soon as the announcement went out, it caused a massive stir across the academy.

To emphasize the event, Lin Jiayi included details in Qian Ran's profile: dual martial souls, one of which was an ultimate attribute soul, and touted him as the strongest genius in the recorded history of the continent.

The Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy had consistently been defeated by Shrek Academy in every previous Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament. To the academy's students, this was their chance to reclaim some pride.

Moreover, dual martial souls and ultimate attributes were concepts they had only read about in textbooks. Such Spirit Masters were exceedingly rare and typically belonged to the three other nations on the Douluo Continent.

The most talented genius in recorded history?

Who wouldn't want to see how far such a figure could go? Even losing to someone like that wouldn't be shameful.

Within a day, over 500 students signed up. Virtually everyone who met the qualifications participated, including those who had been busy crafting Soul Tools.

Even the Shrek Academy exchange students were stunned. They had always known Qian Ran was extraordinary, but they had never expected him to be this extraordinary. On reflection, though, it was clear that Qian Ran fully deserved the title of the continent's top genius. Until someone even more monstrous appeared, this title was unshakable.

(End of Chapter)