NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4: Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen
We had arrived at the royal palace for the second time. The first visit had been brief, barely a moment to catch a glimpse of the grandeur, as my mother had only taken the Duke title before leaving. It had been a hurried affair, so I hadn't had much of a chance to explore. But now, I was eager to see more—if my mother allowed it, of course.
I walked alongside her, with the twins, Wu Yu and Wu Yun, trailing behind us. They were quiet as usual, hardly ever speaking unless spoken to. It left me feeling a bit lonely, though I didn't mind too much. What was more noticeable was the constant attention we received from the palace servants and nobles who passed by. Everyone seemed to be greeting my mother with the utmost respect. Well, why wouldn't they? She was the strongest in the empire, or so I had heard. That was something I was incredibly proud of.
I almost wanted to brag to someone, but there were no children my age around. The twins didn't speak much, and even if they did, they already know.
As we made our way toward the gathering hall, a middle-aged man stepped forward to greet us. I immediately recognized him. His presence was warm, yet his manner was slightly formal, as though he were careful with his words when around my mother.
"Little Xue, you've come as well," he said with a broad smile, addressing me.
"Greetings, Grandpa Kong," I replied with a respectful greeting.
I looked up at the man, meeting his eyes with curiosity. Grandpa Kong, as I called him, wasn't really my grandfather, of course, but he had always been a fixture in our lives. He was one of the foremost experts in Soul Tools and had long shared his knowledge with my mother. From what I knew, they had debated fiercely over the development of soul tools, often in our family's laboratory.
My mother had always been fascinated by Soul Tools, and in recent months, her interest seemed to be growing even more. I had begun to study a little myself, but it will went above my head. My mother guided me that everything will be okay when I will awaken my Martial spirit. So I thought it wasn't time to learn these devices.
Grandpa Kong chuckled when he saw me looking at him. "Haha, still as curious as ever, I see. You're growing up so fast, little one. Do you want to tour around the palace?"
Hearing about the chance to explore, I immediately perked up. Of course, I wanted to go! I turned to my mother, silently seeking her permission.
She smiled gently and nodded. "Let Wu Yu and Wu Yun accompany you. Don't wander too far, my darling," she said before leaning down to kiss my forehead.
This wasn't unusual—my mother kissed my forehead countless times every day. It was her way of showing love, and I had long grown used to it.
She then turned to Wu Yu and Wu Yun, and gave them a look I couldn't quite decipher. But whatever it was, they seemed to understand, nodding silently.
With her blessing, we set off. As we walked away, I couldn't help but overhear a few hushed voices nearby. Their words were loud enough to reach my ears, but the sharp gazes from Wu Yu and Wu Yun quickly silenced them.
"Look at her—so cute!"
"I just want to pinch her cheeks!"
"Are you insane? Look at those maids. They'd kill us before we even got close."
It was nothing new to me. I'd gotten used to comments like these. However, my system had a different opinion.
[Congratulations, host! You have spread happiness among the masses. You have received a new title: Cute Princess Lv1.
Cute Princess Lv1: Your cuteness has charmed 100 people.
- Charm +10
- People will be more inclined to listen to you.]
I paused to glance at the notification, feeling a surge of irritation. I already had enough charm to deal with—did I really need more?
For reference, the average human charm is around 50. My mother's charm is an impressive 85, the highest I've ever seen. But mine? It's a staggering 300.
I knew what I was—a walking disaster waiting to happen.
As we roamed the palace grounds, a few guards attempted to stop us, but Wu Yu simply showed them a token. It allowed us entry into areas open to the public.
Despite the exploration, we didn't find anything particularly interesting. On our way back, however, I spotted someone unusual.
"Wow! So cute! Little one, can I pinch your cheeks just once?"
The voice belonged to a girl with white hair and striking blue eyes. She was undeniably beautiful—easily the third most beautiful woman I'd ever seen. The first, of course, was me, and the second was my mother.
Beside her stood a boy who appeared to be her twin. He looked at her with a mix of exasperation and maturity.
"Sister, please behave yourself. Don't forget what Grandfather said,"
I decided to appraise them using the skill I'd recently acquired, something I only used when someone piqued my interest. And this girl certainly did.
But first, I had to stop her wandering hands.
"Big Sister, you can't touch my face like that," I said sweetly, deploying my ultimate weapon: cuteness.
Wu Yu and Wu Yun immediately stepped in, firmly preventing her from getting any closer. It wasn't just that I disliked being touched—I knew my mother would be furious if she found out.
Realizing she couldn't win, the girl finally relented. Her brother also pulled her back, looking relieved.
"Sorry! I just thought you were so adorable," she said with a sheepish smile, though I could still detect the longing in her gaze. "By the way, my name is Meng Hongchen, and this is my brother, Xiao Hongchen. You can call me Sister Meng if you'd like."
Her smile was charming, but I could tell she wasn't entirely over her obsession with my cheeks.
"My name is Ye Xue," I replied with a polite smile. "It's okay, Sister Meng. I don't mind."
"Is your mother Lady Death God Douluo?" It was the boy, Xiao Hongchen, who spoke this time. Though his voice wasn't loud, it was enough for everyone around us to hear.
I could feel the atmosphere shift. My mother wasn't just respected—she was feared. Her title alone was enough to make people tread carefully around me.
Though I didn't know all the details of her history, I could guess she was terrifying. She once killed someone right in front of me without even blinking. I was too young to understand, but it gave me trauma—trauma that the system helped me suppress after I bought a **Purification** item. Even so, fragments of that memory lingered in my mind.
"Yes," I nodded, watching their reactions closely. Most people distanced themselves from me after learning who my mother was. Many children avoided me entirely, their parents no doubt warning them to stay away from the child of someone so dangerous.
But instead of pulling away, they surprised me.
"Wow! Your mother is famous!" Meng Hongchen exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Though, not as famous as our grandfather. You know, he's the Hall Master of the Illustrious Virtue Hall!"
Instead of fear, they were bragging. Their confidence was entirely unexpected.
If they were going to boast, why should I hold back?
"Your grandfather might be famous," I said with a smile, "but my mother is the strongest in the Empire."
Just as I was bragging, an old man appeared. He was short in stature, and his hair matched that of the two siblings.
"Cough cough! Hello, young Xue. Meng, Xiao, the banquet is about to start. You shouldn't be standing here. Let's go inside." He coughed awkwardly, addressing his grandchildren, I assumed.
I immediately recognized him—Jing Hongchen, the very man they had been bragging about. I'd met him once, though it had been a brief encounter.
"Hello, Grandpa Jing," I greeted him directly, following my mother's advice. She always said it was best to call people by titles like this to gain an advantage. It wasn't wrong, was it? I was just following orders.
"Little Xue, I don't want to die this early. Ah, forget about it. Let's go inside. The banquet is starting, and it would be disrespectful to the Emperor." He looked at me as though he might break down into tears.
I followed behind him, but Meng's gaze lingered on me. We spoke a little, and after a short while, we reached the hall.
Before parting ways, I decided to appraise the three of them. I was considering joining the Sun Moon Royal Spirit Weapon Academy in the future, and I wanted to know more about my potential classmates and teachers. I was confident I wouldn't have a useless martial spirit, so knowing their details seemed prudent.
---
[Name: Meng Hongchen]
Age: 7
Martial Spirit: Vermillion Clear Icetoad
Spirit Power: 14
Spirit Skill: 1) Yellow • Ice Fire Poison - She can release Ice Fire Poison, which transmits in the form of ice.
System: Soul Tool Control System
Special Cheat or Ability: None
Special Attributes:
Charm: 84
Luck: -10
Alignment: Neutral Good
Identity: Granddaughter of Illustrious Virtue Hall Master.
---
[Name: Xiao Hongchen]
Age: 8
Martial Spirit: Three-Legged Golden Toad
Spirit Power: 19
Spirit Skill: 1) Yellow • Metal Manipulation
System: Power Attack System
Profession: Level 1 Soul Engineer
Special Cheat or Ability: Fated Third Rate Villain - He will see the Son of Luck as a rival. Despite his efforts, including taking forbidden drugs to enhance his strength, he will ultimately lose to the protagonist, who won't even acknowledge him as a worthy opponent. He could have been a formidable rival, but fate has other plans.
Special Attributes:
Charm: 75
Luck: -50
Alignment: Chaotic Good
Identity: Grandson of Illustrious Virtue Hall Master, Fated Third Level Villain.
---
[Name: Jing Hongchen]
Age: 107
Martial Spirit: Golden Toad
Spirit Power: 94
Spirit Skills: Yellow, Yellow, Purple, Purple, Black, Black, Black, Black, Black (long list of skills)
System: Control Attack System
Profession: Level 9 Soul Engineer
Special Cheat or Ability: Miserable Side Character - He is destined to lose everything, manipulated by fate.
Special Attributes:
Charm: 41
Luck: -20
Alignment: Chaotic Neutral
Identity: Principal of Sun Moon Imperial Academy, Hall Master of Illustrious Virtue Hall, Grand Advisor of the Sun Moon Empire.
---
Looking at their details, a sense of déjà vu hit me. Meng's status was good, but both her grandfather and grandson seemed to be completely doomed. The feeling of déjà vu intensified when I saw their villainous titles, which I had once seen on my mother.
I knew my mother was the Supreme Elder of one of the most vicious soul master forces, but I had never let that affect me. At the end of the day, she was just my mother, and that was what mattered.
Still, I couldn't shake the uneasy feeling the villainous titles gave me. I decided to ask the system about it. It responded:
[If you want to save your mother, you must kill and absorb individuals with special abilities and higher luck. You can also subdue them.]
For now, I chose to wait. My mother was the strongest god now, and I would protect her in future. If anyone ever threatened her, I would become an adult and deal with them when the time came. Until then, I would continue as I had been—patient and calculating.