NOVEL NEXT Chapter 24: Old Age Drama
"Alright, junior, you can head back to your dorm now. If you have any questions in the future, feel free to come to me. I'm in Room 703, Building Four, right behind here." With these words, Zhen Reqing's task of guiding the new student to the dormitory building finally came to an end.
"Thank you, senior."
Su Luoheng smiled and expressed his gratitude, then turned around and walked towards his own dorm.
Watching Su Luoheng disappear into the entrance of the dormitory building, Zhen Reqing gazed into the distance for a while before finally withdrawing his gaze. He murmured softly to himself, "I really wish I could enter the Illustrious Virtue Hall..."
However, he quickly gave a self-mocking smile. With his current level, it was nothing more than a dream.
For most students at the Sun and Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, it was indeed a distant and unattainable dream. Just reaching the qualification to take the Illustrious Virtue Hall's entrance examination required advancing from a first-level soul engineer to a fifth-level one, a process that eliminated eighty percent of the candidates.
And even among those who met the criteria, only the best of the best would be chosen to join Illustrious Virtue Hall. Out of the more than a thousand students admitted each year, only a handful could eventually enter the hall.
For students with average talent, such odds truly made it a luxury and an unattainable aspiration.
Yet, even knowing this, people still hold on to their dreams.
...
...
Meanwhile, Su Luoheng had already entered the dormitory building.
With the rapid development of soul tools in the Sun and Moon Empire, soul tool technology was gradually shifting from military applications to everyday life for the general populace, and various tall buildings were a representation of this trend. To facilitate going up and down the buildings, this dormitory was also equipped with a lift soul tool, which was similar in appearance to the elevators from his previous life. The only difference was that one was powered by soul force, while the other ran on electricity.
The lift soul tool was prominently positioned; upon entering the main door, five lifts were lined up side by side.
As the admissions period for the academy was nearing its end, many new students had already moved into the dormitory. Although each lift could accommodate thirty students at a time, the sheer number of students still resulted in queues.
Su Luoheng glanced at his dormitory key; his room was on the fifteenth floor.
If he took the stairs, it would take about five minutes, but waiting for the lift...
His eyes shifted back and forth between the lift and the stairwell.
After a moment's thought, he decided to join the queue. He wanted to experience the "elevator" of the Douluo Continent and see how it differed from the ones in his previous life.
And it was absolutely not because he didn't want to take the stairs!
Amidst the noises and playful banter, Su Luoheng looked at the freshmen waiting in line for the lift. For a moment, he felt a sense of déjà vu. The scene touched upon an old memory, and he seemed to find himself in the familiar surroundings of his previous life's campus.
"It's all in the past..."
But soon, his gaze became clear again.
All that had happened before had ended with the cessation of his previous life. Now, it was a fresh start.
Soul engineer, soul master.
He would face new challenges in this brand-new world!
At this moment, Su Luoheng's thoughts became clear, and he completely let go of his past memories.
...
...
The sky darkened, and night descended.
As the last examinee left the academy, the third-to-last day of admissions at the Sun and Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy came to an end, and the heavy gates closed once more.
The academy always closed its gates, but today they closed two hours earlier due to the admissions process.
Information on all the accepted new students was being consolidated in the admissions office.
All the staff in the admissions office were busy, not only recording the new students' details but also identifying and highlighting those with exceptional talent. The Director of Education at the Sun and Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy was also in the office, responsible for collecting and reporting information on these standout new students.
Director Lin Jiayi, an eighth-level soul engineer who had been at the admissions process earlier that morning, reviewed the records.
"Twelve years old, first-level soul engineer, hmm, not bad."
"Eleven years old, seventeenth-level soul force, also good."
"Hmm, this is interesting~"
"..."
The teacher responsible for screening the profiles of the standout new students suddenly paused, his breath catching for a moment. He rubbed his eyes and looked again, but the information still left him stunned.
"Su Luoheng..."
"Nine years old, ten... seventeenth-level soul power? And... a first-level soul engineer?"
"Oh my god, how is this possible!"
He couldn't help but exclaim.
As soon as he spoke, the entire office fell silent. All the teachers turned to him with shocked expressions, and even Director Lin Jiayi's pupils suddenly contracted.
"What?"
"Really nine years old?"
"..."
Lin Jiayi gestured for everyone to remain quiet and asked in a deep voice, "Mr. Wang, are you sure you didn't make a mistake?"
"Director Lin, please, see for yourself!"
An excited Mr. Wang hurried over, hands trembling as he held out the document to Lin Jiayi.
Looking at the information in the teacher's hands, Lin Jiayi's eyebrows raised. Although he had some expectations, he was still surprised. "Nine years old, seventeenth-level soul master, and a first-level soul engineer without having consumed any elixirs!"
"Yes."
Mr. Wang swallowed, still finding it hard to believe.
The other teachers, having heard Lin Jiayi's description, were also staring at each other in disbelief.
A nine-year-old at the seventeenth level of soul power was barely understandable, but to become a first-level soul engineer? That wasn't easy. How long had it been since their Sun and Moon Royal Academy had admitted such a talent?
After a moment of silence, Lin Jiayi suddenly asked, "Which teacher was responsible for testing this student?"
Mr. Wang shook his head and explained, "To save time, all the test sheets from the examiners were collected together. Now, no one can tell who was responsible for this test."
"…"
Hearing this, Lin Jiayi frowned slightly.
Just as he was about to say something, the office door was pushed open from the outside, and an elderly man with a goatee walked in—it was the same teacher who had tested Su Luoheng earlier that morning!
Seeing him, Lin Jiayi showed a look of surprise.
He quickly got up and walked to the door to greet him. "Master Ran, what brings you here?"
"Master Ran."
"Master Ran."
"…"
The other teachers also stood up to greet him, their words filled with respect. It was clear that their respect was genuine, unlike the typical deference shown by lower-level soul engineers to higher-level ones. This old man seemed to hold a high position in the Sun and Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy.
"What's wrong?"
Master Ran glanced at Lin Jiayi and raised his eyebrow. "Am I not allowed to come here?"
"Of course not! You're always welcome here!"
Lin Jiayi quickly shook his head, smiling wryly as he pointed at the new student profiles scattered across the desk. "It's just that, as you can see, we're quite busy sorting out the new student information and really don't have much time right now. But once the admissions process is over, I'll take you out to a tavern, and we can have a good drink."
"Alright, but make sure you pay back the drinks you owe me first," Master Ran shot him a sharp look, showing no mercy in exposing Lin Jiayi's old debts.
"Master Ran..." Lin Jiayi responded with an awkward smile.
"I won't take up much of your time," Master Ran continued, "but there is something that only you can handle."
"Please, Master Ran, tell me what you need. I'll do whatever I can."