FE—Chapter 141: Xuan Zi: They Can't Fly Even if They Have Wings
"Hall, Hall Master, is the strength of Meng Hongchen, a seven-ring Soul Saint, real?"
Ma Rulong sighed as he looked at Meng Hongchen, who was exuding a powerful aura after wearing her battle armor on the field. His lips trembled slightly as he spoke, overwhelmed by an inner shock beyond words.
Meng Hongchen's strength surged to the seventh ring in just a few breaths. This change far exceeded his expectations.
"Meng's armor is indeed beautiful, but... her cultivation must be fake..."
Xiao Hongchen's mind was in a daze, his eyes slightly unfocused. At that moment, he seemed to have lost all his ability to think.
Ma Rulong swallowed his saliva, suppressing his turbulent emotions, and asked Jing Hongchen in a calm tone:
"Master, Meng Hongchen's seventh-ring strength—could it be some new illusion soul skill?"
He thought of Huo Yuhao's illusion imitation soul skills. Once, during a friendly match with Xiao Hongchen, Huo Yuhao simulated Xiao Hongchen's shells into flying knives, which caught Ma Rulong off guard and defeated him.
Jing Hongchen crossed his arms and glanced at Ma Rulong, and a mysterious smile appeared on his face.
"What do you think?"
"Based on my not-so-weak perception as a Soul Emperor, Meng Hongchen's aura is indeed stronger than that of a typical seventh-ring Soul Saint. But... this is impossible."
Ma Rulong felt that the Sun Moon Empire was keen on researching science and technology, yet Meng Hongchen's sudden change seemed too unscientific.
Jing Hongchen chuckled, his tone still unfathomable: "Rulong, you have to understand—nothing is impossible in the face of technology."
"You can interpret Meng's armor as a level 7 soul guide full-body armor or even a higher-level technological product."
Ma Rulong was stunned and asked in astonishment: "Master, have we already developed soul guidance full-body armor above level 6 at Illustrious Virtue Hall?"
He remembered that his grandfather, Elder Ma, had told him that with the current technological level of humanoid soul guidance devices at Illustrious Virtue Hall, only level 6 full-body armor could be produced.
This was also why Meng Hongchen could fight a Soul Emperor while wearing a level 6 full-body armor, but they had not yet made a set of level 7 armor for Ma Rulong.
Ma Rulong, a six-ring Soul Emperor, wearing a level 7 soul guide full-body armor might bring his combat power close to that of a seven-ring Soul Saint.
Wouldn't that make him a 'shark' in the Soul Master Competition?
The main reason for the limitation was technological. With Illustrious Virtue Hall's mastery of the technology behind Experimental Subject No. 1, producing armor above level 6 was difficult without major breakthroughs.
Jing Hongchen shook his head slowly: "No. Its overall enhancement to the body's strength is even higher than that of a level 7 soul guidance full-body armor. But it's not a soul guidance device at all—it's another technological product derived from humanoid soul guidance mechas."
Xiao Hongchen's envy was about to overflow. He finally couldn't hold back any longer, wiping away the non-existent tears.
"Grandpa! You have to treat everyone equally. Don't be partial—me too!"
Jing Hongchen smiled kindly. "You should ask Yuhao about this. I don't know how to make it yet." He then softly said: "Smile, first look at your sister's strength—will she be overshadowed by classmate Rachel, the proud daughter of heaven?"
---
In the arena, Meng Hongchen and Di Rachel faced each other for their match. The two looked at each other. Meng Hongchen had already worn her one-word battle armor and Di Rachel... Well, she was inviting the silver dragon king.
Inviting the Silver Dragon King to fight for her—being able to summon Silver Dragon King—was also a form of strength. With the level of the big Silver Dragon, it wouldn't reveal its true form. The change in eye color could just be a special effect of soul skills. After all, Meng Hongchen's eyes also changed color when she used soul skills.
Meng Hongchen's fifth soul ring shimmered—Ice Venom Dragon's Corkscrew.
Clad in her armor, she leaped into the air, swirling rapidly like a whirlpool.
Half of the whirlpool was silver-white, the other half ice-blue. In the center, flickering red lights shimmered, with an icy halo, containing biting cold mixed with a hint of heat.
The patterns carved onto the metal surface of her armor lit up, and Meng Hongchen's aura soared beyond the seven rings.
The three-color intertwined whirlpool surged toward Di Rachel.
Di Rachel sensed that she couldn't handle Meng Hongchen after a brief perception.
The terrifying aura of the whirlpool made her face turn pale. She gritted her teeth and communicated with the reverse scale of the Silver Dragon in her spiritual sea: "Big Silver Dragon show up soon..."
"Hmm?" The Silver Dragon's reverse scale did not respond.
Di Rachel looked annoyed: "Big Silver Dragon, I know you're here. Come out! You didn't show up when you should've, and you're coming out when you shouldn't, while this auspicious beast is consolidating its position as the eldest wife. Believe it or not, Yuhao and I will torture your soul tonight."
Meanwhile, the Silver Dragon King sat on a silver cushion beside the Lake of Life in the Star Dou Great Forest, sketching patterns of the breastplate armor on a water curtain, ignoring the auspicious beast entirely.
The Silver Dragon's eyes were calm—after all, it was the auspicious beast that had been deflowered, not the Silver Dragon King.
No, she would also feel the stimulation from her soul. The auspicious beast said it was quite enjoyable, but she felt the same—what was the difference? It was like stabbing herself. Wasn't she also being blasphemed on a spiritual level?
The Silver Dragon King's expression rarely showed strangeness. His slender, jade-like legs were close together. She took a breath and spat at the broken auspicious beast—truly, it was wrong for a strand of her soul to merge with the auspicious beast.
The auspicious beast seized the loophole and threatened her.
Meanwhile, Di Rachel communicated with the Silver Dragon King's reverse scale but received no response, growing angry.
"Big Silver Dragon, you don't want Yuhao to know what you perceive with your spiritual sense, do you? You're secretly designing your armor in the water mirror, right?"
Last night, she had wondered how the Silver Dragon King would design her golden dragon armor. Suddenly sensing a strange feeling, she initially thought it was an illusion.
But after asking the Silver Dragon King, she learned that she was sketching the breastplate armor by herself while looking into the water mirror.
Di Rachel was so happy she considered asking Yuhao for help, but the Silver Dragon King sternly rejected her.
She wanted to threaten her again: "Big Silver Dragon, you don't want to..."
Suddenly, the Silver Dragon King's reverse scale rippled in Di Rachel's spiritual sea. Its ethereal voice said: "I can only defend you to prevent you from being kicked to death by her!"
Meanwhile, Meng Hongchen's attack—the Ice Venom Dragon's Corkscrew—had already hit Di Rachel.
Di Rachel's fourth soul ring flashed, and her golden dragon erupted.
Just as she was about to be swallowed by Meng Hongchen's vortex, a golden light flashed in the space where she stood, and a purple light appeared in her eyes.
The Silver Dragon King used the space element to resist Meng Hongchen's attack, while quickly leaving the auspicious beast's body—a move to avoid desecrating her noble and holy soul.
In the arena, Jing Hongchen, reminded by Huo Yuhao, activated a level-nine protective shield around Di Rachel, ready to safeguard her at any moment.
In Jing Hongchen's view, it would be difficult for Di Rachel to withstand Meng Hongchen's attack while wearing the one-word battle armor and using her fifth soul skill.
Huo Yuhao, realizing that Di Rachel had summoned the silver dragon king successfully, felt relieved. Since the Silver Dragon King possessed her, Di Rachel shouldn't be too badly hurt by Meng Hongchen.
He sensed the Silver Dragon King's use of space: "Hmm? The Silver Dragon King is using a space element?"
Huo Yuhao's Ancient Void Dragon Bloodline was highly sensitive to space. He quickly guessed the Silver Dragon King's plan—using space powers to dissolve Meng Hongchen's Ice Venom Dragon's Corkscrew.
Xiao Hongchen, Ma Rulong, and others watched with wide eyes. They didn't see the details of Di Rachel's summoning of the silver dragon king but were shocked by Meng Hongchen's attack power.
"Meng Hongchen is too powerful this time—she even tore space?" Ma Rulong muttered in astonishment.
On the field, the Silver Dragon King's use of space to handle the attack was a clever move. It showcased Meng Hongchen's formidable power while maintaining her style of wearing battle armor.
It also dissipated Meng Hongchen's vortex through space.
Meng Hongchen, who was attacking, felt somewhat confused. She believed she had hit her target and would make Di Rachel cry. Yet, she found that she had used all her strength but failed to land a decisive blow.
Everyone—Xiao Hongchen, Ma Rulong, and others—stared in disbelief.
Meng Hongchen's tearing space gradually weakened.
After a few seconds, space calmed. Di Rachel's golden glow faded, and the Silver Dragon King had helped her block an attack powerful enough to keep the auspicious beast bedridden for ten days and half a month. Then, she left without a word.
Di Rachel's lips parted slightly. She was frightened by Meng Hongchen's assault. Her long golden hair was messy and stuck to her face, looking embarrassed.
The vortex dissipated, and Meng Hongchen reappeared in front of Di Rachel, puzzled.
Di Rachel quickly calmed herself, walked over, and patted Meng Hongchen's armor, smiling.
"Not bad, Miss Meng. You even let me use the magic treasure my master gave me to save my life. I recognized your strength after you wore the one-word battle armor."
Meng Hongchen was still wondering how Di Rachel blocked her attack. Hearing this, she suddenly understood—she was protected by a treasure.
"I just held back my strength. I only beat you so hard that you'll have to sit in a wheelchair to participate in the next competition."
Meng Hongchen embraced her silver-white chest armor, then glanced at Di Rachel: "Why? Do you want to fight again?"
Di Rachel wouldn't admit defeat easily. Her tone was slightly defiant.
"Hmph, you did well this time. I won't fight again!"
Meng Hongchen saw Di Rachel's unwillingness to admit defeat but didn't tease her further. After all, she was wearing one-word battle armor.
She covered her mouth and chuckled: "Then before you get your one-word battle armor, be honest with me. I won't feel guilty for beating you—like Yuhao does."
Di Rachel snorted. Seeing Meng Hongchen walking off stage in her armor, she flapped her golden wings and flew away too.
Meng Hongchen approached Huo Yuhao, made a gesture with her hand wrapped in silver-white gauntlets, and said with a bright smile: "Yuhao, it's easy to take down Sister Rachel!"
Di Rachel, standing beside Meng Hongchen, looked depressed: "Yuhao, come to my room tonight—"
Before she could finish, Meng Hongchen hummed coldly.
She raised her voice slightly: "Di Rachel, organize your words!"
Di Rachel's eyes flashed with anger: "Miss Meng, what are you thinking? I mean, let Yuhao come to my room, so we can design battle armor together."
"My understanding of battle armor design is deeper than yours now." Di Rachel raised her chin proudly.
Since the Silver Dragon King returned to the Lake of Life to study the design of the calf battle armor, she had almost mastered it. She had even created a two-word battle armor for both legs.
The Silver Dragon King's understanding of battle armor design was roughly equal to Di Rachel's.
Huo Yuhao's gaze was gentle. He hugged Di Rachel's waist and stroked her comfortingly: "Okay, let's try designing tonight."
Meng Hongchen, not envious of Yuhao's affection for Di Rachel, walked over to her, raised her hands, and with a bright smile said: "Yuhao, how was my performance in the battle armor just now?"
Huo Yuhao was about to praise her when Di Rachel waved her hand dismissively: "Go away. Your battle armor looks stiff. Who wants to hug you? Take it off first."
Jing Hongchen approached with a smile, ready to say a few words to his granddaughter.
Xiao Hongchen, who was nearby, quickly ran forward and knelt in front of Jing Hongchen, crying loudly: "Grandpa! How did Meng suddenly have the strength of a seven-ring Soul Saint? I'm only a five-ring Soul King."
"I want this armor too. Grandpa, you can't be so partial..."
Jing Hongchen helped the emotional Xiao Hongchen up and smiled kindly: "Xiao, this armor was made by Yuhao and Meng together. Grandpa can't make it yet. You should ask Yuhao for it."
---
In the central area of the Mingdou Mountains...
After saying goodbye to White Tiger Duke, the Shrek group set out on their journey into the mountains. They had changed into their Shrek supervisor suits after passing through the Wenlan Forest.
Wang Yan reminded: "Children, these trees have been stripped of their Wenlan tree hearts. The bandit group is probably nearby. Everyone, stay alert."
Not long after, they found a cave based on the clues along the way.
As they went deeper, they saw corpses in various states—some dried up, some decayed.
Everyone was shocked and cursed the evil soul master for their inhumanity.
This was most likely the bandits' lair. They planned to bury the bodies here later.
Wang Yan looked at Elder Xuan, who was outside the cave, eating chicken legs and drinking wine, and the other gave him a reassuring glance.
"Wang Yan, lead the children bravely. With me here, these evil soul masters won't escape!"
(End of this chapter)