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

As the first rays of dawn spread over Mingdu,

this sprawling metropolis gradually came to life.

Xu Cheng and Tang Ya entered the city gates,

walking along the streets, the latter curiously observing everything around her.

Unlike the historical ambiance of Tiandou City, Mingdu resembled a modern city,

with towering skyscrapers on either side, clean streets, mechanical streetlights, and soul-guided vehicles—all showcasing the power of technology.

"Is everything arranged?"

Walking along the street, a man in a black robe suddenly appeared in front of them.

Tang Ya was startled, but Xu Cheng calmly spoke.

"Your Highness, everything is prepared. You've been registered for the Soul Guidance Department of the Sun Moon Empire Royal Academy, while this lady has been registered for the Martial Soul Department. However, to officially enroll, you will both need to pass a personal evaluation to receive your room keys and other enrollment materials..."

"Got it," Xu Cheng waved him off.

The Sun Moon Empire Royal Academy also had a Martial Soul Department,

but its status was akin to the Soul Guidance Department of Shrek Academy—an afterthought. The dean and vice-dean were originally ninth-level soul engineers, and due to the department's short history, it had little presence. Even when they discovered talented students, they were often poached by the Soul Guidance Department halfway through their studies.

As for Tang Ya, she could just fill the numbers.

Having her research soul-guided devices while holding onto her pride in so-called hidden weapons would only backfire.

At the Sun Moon Empire Royal Academy,

after a simple identity verification and soul power test, Xu Cheng and Tang Ya stepped onto the campus.

The admission requirements for the Soul Guidance Department were simple:

being under twelve years old and having at least one soul ring.

Xu Cheng's three soul rings immediately caught the attention of the teacher conducting the soul power test, who looked at him with astonishment.

Of course, he only displayed his first martial soul, one exclusive to the Sun Moon royal family: the Sun.

Surrounded by greenery, the campus was lined with towering trees on both sides.

In the distance, flower beds bloomed in vibrant colors, and the clean, shaded paths made the atmosphere even more uplifting.

"You should head to the Martial Soul Department. That teacher earlier said to follow that road to the end and then turn right," Xu Cheng pointed in a direction.

"Hmph, I know!"

Tang Ya snorted, striding off without looking back.

Xu Cheng chuckled and made his way toward the Soul Guidance Department.

The Genius Class

When Xu Cheng pushed open the classroom door and walked in, he found it already packed with students.

The teacher wasn't there yet, so the classroom was noisy and chaotic.

It was the first day of school, and everyone was new. Many had come from lower-level academies, so it was natural that they were chattering away.

However, the moment they saw Xu Cheng, the entire classroom fell silent for a brief moment, followed by hushed whispers.

"Wow, he's so handsome—totally my type!"

"His eyes are red, like sparkling gemstones."

"Does anyone know his name?"

"…"

"Over here! Come over here!"

Xu Cheng followed the voice and saw a clean-cut young man at the back of the room excitedly waving at him.

A smile appeared on Xu Cheng's face.

That young man was Xiao Hongchen,

who would also be his roommate for the next few years.

Before coming to the classroom, Xu Cheng had stopped by the dormitory to arrange his bedding. He didn't let the subordinates from the Holy Spirit Church do it—they were all rough men, good for things like killing and arson, but not much else.

It was there that he met Xiao Hongchen, the once-in-a-millennium genius of the Sun Moon Empire.

Their first encounter had been somewhat awkward, but after a brief chat, Xiao Hongchen had left for the classroom ahead of him.

"This is my buddy, Xu Cheng, who also happens to be the eleventh prince of today's Sun Moon Empire royal family," Xiao Hongchen slung an arm around Xu Cheng and guided him to a seat nearby, introducing him to the others.

"My name is Xu Cheng. I look forward to everyone's guidance," Xu Cheng said, unbothered by Xiao Hongchen's forwardness.

His identity as a prince wasn't a secret; it was his official, outward identity.

Of course, if someone called him "Your Holiness," he might genuinely be caught off guard.

"A prince, huh…"

"Such a noble status, but I heard the royal family usually has darker skin."

"I'm done for—I've already fallen for him."

"…"

Several girls in the room glared at Xiao Hongchen with disdain while sneaking admiring glances at Xu Cheng.

For many of them, the word "prince" carried immense weight, even more than Xiao Hongchen's identity as the grandson of the Mingde Hall Master.

Moreover, Xu Cheng was incredibly handsome, with fair skin and striking red eyes that exuded a demonic charm—he was the epitome of a ladykiller.

Xiao Hongchen, however, was completely confused.

What the hell did I do to deserve this?

"Quiet down!"

A voice came from outside the door.

Lin Jiayi stepped into the classroom and stood at the podium, his imposing gaze sweeping across the room.

The classroom fell silent instantly.

Satisfied, he nodded.

"My name is Lin Jiayi. I am the director of education at the Sun Moon Empire Royal Academy, and also the homeroom teacher for the Genius Class. It's a pleasure to meet you all..."

A lengthy and tedious introduction followed,

which had most students nodding off.

But Xu Cheng appeared deep in thought.

The academy's director of education, Lin Jiayi, was under Jing Hongchen's direct command and held a high status. Yet here he was, "stooping" to be a first-year homeroom teacher…

Was it because of Xiao Hongchen, or…?

"Alright, let's begin our first lesson."

Lin Jiayi wrote on the blackboard: "On Soul Guidance Devices"

"All of you in the Genius Class are the cream of the crop. I trust you are well-versed in the Sun Moon Empire's history and the Continental Collision, so we'll skip that and get straight to the point. Let me ask: What is a soul guidance device?"

"A tool that serves soul masters!"

"Composed of core arrays, linkages, and metallic shells..."

"A weapon driven by soul power for attacks!"

Hearing this, many students suddenly perked up.

A round of knowledge assessments followed.

Almost everyone in the class answered correctly and flawlessly.

"Very good. Now, who here can replicate a first-level core array?"

Swish, swish, swish!

More than half the class raised their hands.

Xu Cheng found this quite surprising.

The core array was the most critical component of a soul guidance device.

Being able to replicate one essentially signified the ability of a first-level soul engineer.

In the original story, it took Huo Gua several months of study after entering Shrek Academy to become a first-level soul engineer, highlighting the stark difference between the Sun Moon Empire and Shrek Academy.

"What a pity—you started too late,"

Xiao Hongchen frowned, noticing Xu Cheng hadn't raised his hand.

He knew Xu Cheng was a three-ring Soul Elder with unmatched talent, even superior to his own.

But soon, he winked and grinned, "Don't worry, stick with me, and I guarantee you'll learn to replicate a first-level core array within five months!"

"Alright," Xu Cheng smiled, unconcerned.

With his Soul Guidance Device Analysis talent,

it was all just child's play!

"Now, let's head to the experiment building!"

Lin Jiayi was direct and efficient. As soon as he spoke, he left the classroom.

"Starting with experiments right away…" Xu Cheng couldn't help but sigh.

Honestly, in other schools, a homeroom teacher would probably get fired for this on the second day. But at the Sun Moon Empire Royal Academy, it seemed to be the norm.

It reminded him of those Olympiad training classes in his previous life.

Then again, it made sense.

After all, every student in the Genius Class had been selected through rigorous screening across the Sun Moon Empire. Being one in ten thousand was no exaggeration. (The Sun Moon Empire had no restrictions—commoners could also join without needing a recommendation letter from a city lord.)

(End of Chapter)