The class ended as usual. The teacher gathered his books and walked out, leaving behind a chorus of stretching students and muffled chatter. It seemed like just another ordinary afternoon at the Junior Soul Master Academy—until a hurried voice broke through the noise.
"Hey! Did you hear? Lin Yuan from the senior Academy just challenged Jiang Mo!"
Instantly, the classroom went silent.
"What?!""Are you serious?" asked one student, half-rising from his seat.The boy at the door nodded, excitement dancing in his eyes. "Absolutely! The duel's official — it's scheduled to start in two hours at the central training grounds."
A murmur spread through the room like wildfire.
Xie Yue leaned back in his chair, smirking. "Well, that's not something you hear every day." He turned toward Jun Wuhen, his eyes glinting with curiosity. "What do you think, Wuhen?"
Jun Wuhen smiled faintly, his expression calm but his gaze sharp. "Obviously, we have to watch. It's not every day we get to see a clash of two seniors. We might as well learn something from it."
Hu Liena, who had been listening quietly, stood up as well. Her eyes shimmered faintly with interest. "Let's go and see it then. It'll be a good chance to understand what level the seniors has reached."
As they began to gather their things, Jun Wuhen asked casually, "Does anyone know more about these two seniors? I've heard the names before, but not much else."
Yan, who had been eavesdropping eagerly, straightened his back with sudden energy. The moment he noticed Hu Liena's curious gaze turning toward him, he puffed out his chest like a proud peacock.
"I know a bit!" he declared, almost tripping over his words in excitement. "You must've all heard of Lin Yuan, right? He's the shining genius of the senior division—people call him a prodigy born once in a century!"
Hu Liena raised an eyebrow, not entirely convinced. "Once in a century? Isn't that a bit exaggerated?"
Yan shook his head vigorously, grinning. "No, no! I got this from a very reliable source. 2 years ago, he broke through to Soul Ancestor! When he was just thirteen years old and when he had reached the fortieth rank!"
That drew gasps around the classroom."Is that really true?"
Even Jun Wuhen's expression shifted slightly, the usual calm on his face replaced by a flicker of seriousness.
'A Soul Ancestor at thirteen … that's too early. Even with monstrous talent, such rapid cultivation shouldn't be possible without a special opportunity.'
His gaze darkened slightly.'Could it be that Lin Yuan is also… a reincarnator?'
He leaned back against his chair, hiding the faint spark of alertness in his eyes. 'When I first heard his name, I dismissed him as just another talented local genius. But to reach level forty in this era, and I never read about this reincarnator in the original story—this can't be coincidence.'
He folded his arms and smirked faintly to himself.'If he really is a reincarnator, then he's someone who remembers the same things I do.'
Hu Liena, unaware of his inner thoughts, turned to him with curiosity. "Jun Wuhen, you don't look surprised. Have you heard about him before?"
Jun Wuhen's eyes met hers for a brief moment. "Only rumors. But I agree—it's worth watching. We might learn something important from this duel."
Yan, still trying to keep the attention on himself, added dramatically, "And the person he's challenging—Jiang Mo—is no pushover either."
Yan, pleased with the growing attention, wasn't ready to stop.He leaned forward dramatically, lowering his voice as though sharing a forbidden secret.
"But before that let me tell you, there's another rumor about Lin Yuan," he said, letting the words hang just long enough to pull everyone in. "Some say… his martial soul is similar to the Pope's."
The room instantly went silent again, then the children started to chatter again
"What?" "That can't be right!"
Hu Liena froze mid-step, her amber eyes widening slightly. "Are you saying Lin Yuan might be related to Her Holiness?"
Yan puffed out his chest proudly, sensing the effect his words had. "That's what they say. The resemblance is uncanny. Some even claim Lin Yuan might be a long-lost relative of the Pope — maybe even her nephew or cousin."
Hu Liena lowered her gaze, thoughtful.'A relative of the Pope? If that's true, then meeting him could be an opportunity. If he's close to Her Holiness, perhaps he'll attend the ceremony tonight as well.'
The idea settled in her mind like a spark waiting to catch flame. After all, she was about to become Bibi Dong's personal disciple — understanding the people connected to her teacher was only natural.
However, none of the students present knew the truth — that this rumor was nothing more than speculation.
Chu Yue, sitting elegantly on her chair, gave a soft laugh that cut through the murmurs. "So, we know Lin Yuan's story — or at least the exaggerated version of it. But what about his opponent, Jiang Mo?"
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