Hearing Zhou Sicheng's heartfelt words, the siblings felt something deep within them stir. Their hearts trembled slightly, and an uncontrollable emotion surfaced on their faces.
Every word Zhou Sicheng spoke was like a pebble striking the calm surface of their hearts, rippling through them with perfect precision. His words struck straight to their core.
Even though they stood on opposing sides, in that moment, the difference in their positions didn't seem so important anymore.
In such a complex world, could admiration between heroes—mutual respect and understanding—really be restrained by something as shallow as factional boundaries?
Besides, among the older generation of the Sun and Moon Empire, weren't there also those who had once belonged to the Three Empires, but who had since taken root here?
A faint look of regret crossed Xiao Hongchen's face as he sighed softly. "It's a pity you're not a citizen of the Sun and Moon Empire. Otherwise, with how well we get along, we'd definitely have been the best of friends."
His tone carried genuine disappointment at the friendship that could not go further.
Zhou Sicheng simply curved his lips into a calm smile. "Our birth can't be changed, but who can say what the future holds?"
Those simple words carried limitless possibilities, as though suggesting that anything could happen in the days to come.
The three of them continued chatting and laughing as they walked out of the grand gates of the imperial palace.
Sunlight poured down on them, outlining the three young figures—each from a different camp—in warm golden light.
After leaving the palace, they went straight to a tavern with an old-fashioned charm.
Inside, the wooden tables and chairs gave off a faint scent of timber. The walls were adorned with paintings of gallant heroes and poetic calligraphy, giving the small place a refined touch.
They requested a private room. It was simple but cozy—a square table and a few chairs arranged just right to create a comfortable atmosphere.
With a spirited grin, Xiao Hongchen raised his glass. "This might be our last meeting for quite some time. The next time we see each other will probably be five years from now—at the Continental Tournament. Tonight, let's drink till we drop!"
His eyes reflected both the reluctance of parting and the anticipation of their next meeting.
Meng Hongchen, hearing her brother's words, thought of the exchange program but chose not to mention it now. The atmosphere was too pleasant to ruin. She simply smiled softly and nodded in agreement.
Zhou Sicheng's smile was just as bright as he lifted his glass. "Fine by me. You two are the most pleasant people I've met in a long time. It's truly a blessing to call you friends."
Meng Hongchen covered her lips with a laugh as beautiful as a spring blossom. "And you're the only one from Shrek Academy we find pleasant! The others are all so proud and aloof, like they don't want to associate with anyone. It's really off-putting."
The three of them drank leisurely, chatting about all sorts of topics.
Xiao Hongchen appeared casual, but in truth, his mind was sharp. Before long, he had subtly guided the conversation toward Shrek Academy.
Sometimes he'd ask a seemingly careless question about Shrek's daily life; other times, he'd "accidentally" bring up powerful individuals within the academy—all to dig out more information. His probing gaze often lingered on Zhou Sicheng.
Meng Hongchen, of course, understood her brother's intentions. She pretended to know nothing, focusing instead on drinking and eating quietly.
After several rounds of wine, her cheeks flushed a delicate red, as lovely as the sunset.
Before long, she rose lightly and moved to sit beside Zhou Sicheng, her graceful motion like that of a butterfly fluttering through the air.
In her heart, she thought, Let my brother play the schemer. I'll just be the good girl.
Drinking beside such a handsome man made the wine taste even sweeter.
Given her pride, Meng Hongchen had never looked twice at any man who didn't surpass her brother in charm or talent.
Yet Zhou Sicheng was an exception. He was the first man who had ever stirred genuine affection in her heart.
Despite belonging to opposing sides, their recent interactions had only deepened that strange attraction. There was something mysterious about Zhou Sicheng—something magnetic—that drew her in and made her want to uncover his thoughts and past.
As her brother, Xiao Hongchen naturally noticed this change.
He could easily see the glimmer in his sister's eyes whenever she looked at Zhou Sicheng.
But just as Zhou Sicheng had said earlier, they were destined to become the top figures of their generation. Even if they stood on different sides now, the turbulent world would surely bring them into contact again and again.
If his sister truly liked Zhou Sicheng, he wouldn't oppose it.
In fact, a thought even flickered in his mind—could his sister use her affection to draw Zhou Sicheng closer?
Perhaps she could subtly influence Shrek Academy through him?
Of course, Xiao Hongchen knew this was unrealistic. Zhou Sicheng was not someone easily manipulated. Still, love was unpredictable—who could truly know how things might turn out?
For now, though, such thoughts were nothing but wild speculation.
Xiao Hongchen took a sip of his drink, then casually poured more wine into Zhou Sicheng's cup as he asked, "Brother Zhou, that full-body Rank 7 Soul Tool armor of yours—did you make it yourself?"
At that, Zhou Sicheng's brow lifted slightly, a faint glimmer flashing in his eyes before he nodded. "Why? Surprised?"
Both Xiao and Meng Hongchen widened their eyes in disbelief before nodding unconsciously.
Meng Hongchen put down her cup, unable to hold back her astonishment. "The difficulty of crafting a Soul Tool armor is immense—especially a full-body set. That kind of thing usually requires at least a Rank 8 Soul Engineer to design and construct!"
"Not to mention, the materials needed are incredibly rare and precious. Each piece costs a fortune." As she spoke, she carefully took out a blue orb about the size of her palm from her own Soul Tool storage device.
"This is a Rank 6 full-body Soul Tool armor my grandfather crafted specifically for me." Meng Hongchen stroked the orb lovingly, pride and confidence shining in her eyes. "Once activated, it allows me to match even top-tier Soul Emperors with my martial soul alone."
She paused, a cold glint flashing through her eyes. "And if I add my Ice Toad's venom on top of that… even defeating one wouldn't be impossible."
Zhou Sicheng nodded approvingly. "As expected of the Reddust Hall Master's craftsmanship—truly exceptional."
Meng Hongchen gently put away the orb, still looking at Zhou Sicheng with curiosity and awe. "But my armor is only Rank 6, while yours is Rank 7?! That's unbelievable!"
Her voice was filled with disbelief. "A full-body Rank 7 Soul Tool armor that responds so seamlessly to its user's control? Even the best Rank 8 Soul Engineers couldn't easily create something like that. Just gathering the right materials would be a nightmare."
Her eyes sharpened as she suddenly reached out and grabbed Zhou Sicheng's arm firmly.
Her beautiful eyes locked onto his, sharp and unyielding, as if trying to pierce through all deceit. "I've never heard of any Rank 9 Soul Engineer in the Three Empires. So that armor of yours—there's no way you made it yourself."
Her voice carried confident certainty. With her knowledge of Soul Tools, she was convinced that no ordinary Soul Engineer could have created something so advanced.
Zhou Sicheng chuckled softly, feigning surprise. "Haha, as expected of a genius who studies both martial souls and Soul Tools. You saw right through it."
He smiled calmly. "You're right—it wasn't made by me. It's my teacher's latest research."
Zhou Sicheng knew perfectly well that he couldn't reveal the true origin of the armor, so he decided to mislead them instead.
After all, it wasn't the first time he'd pulled off a convincing bluff.
Upon hearing this, Xiao Hongchen's expression subtly shifted.
His eyes flickered with shock and curiosity as he asked, "Your teacher? Has Shrek Academy's Soul Tool technology already reached such a level?"
He knew just how difficult it was to make a Rank 7 full-body Soul Tool armor. If what Zhou Sicheng said was true, then Shrek Academy's research capabilities were far beyond his expectations.
Both Xiao and Meng Hongchen were utterly stunned.
They were well aware of how extraordinary Zhou Sicheng's armor was. Even their grandfather—the Reddust Hall Master, a top expert in Soul Tool creation—might not be able to produce such a masterpiece.
The materials alone—capable of altering shape seamlessly in response to the user's control—were unimaginably hard to find.
If Zhou Sicheng's words were true, then the implications were staggering. It meant that Shrek Academy's advancements in Soul Tool research might already surpass what the Sun and Moon Empire could imagine.
Seeing their reaction, Zhou Sicheng knew he'd achieved the effect he wanted. He waved his hand with a playful yet composed smile. "You two really set me up, huh? Got me talking a bit too much. After all, you're from Mingde Hall—there are some things I just can't say."
His tone was light, even teasing, but the message was clear: he had drawn the line.
The siblings froze slightly, realizing their probing had been noticed.
What Zhou Sicheng said made sense. They were from opposing factions—some secrets simply couldn't be shared.
But just when they thought the conversation had reached its end, Zhou Sicheng changed his tone, adding lightly, "However… between friends…"
Those few simple words were like a pebble thrown into still water, sending ripples through their minds once again.
Xiao Hongchen immediately understood the implication.
Zhou Sicheng couldn't talk one-sidedly—but if both sides exchanged information, then maybe, just maybe, there was room for negotiation.
Of course, Xiao Hongchen wasn't in a position to make that decision himself. The information he knew about Mingde Hall was top-secret—he'd need his grandfather's approval before making any exchange.
Still, he had received Zhou Sicheng's signal loud and clear.
Once we return, he thought to himself, I must tell Grandfather about this. He'll know what to do.
After all, what they were now hinting at was no small matter—it could very well concern an information exchange between Mingde Hall and Shrek Academy.
And that was something that required the utmost caution.
****
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