"Qian Ran is so good-looking. If only he weren't such a flirt," Ke Ke thought to herself as she watched Qian Ran sleeping soundly. From the moment she first laid eyes on him, she'd known he was the type to be a playboy.
Though she usually despised flirtatious men, for some reason, she didn't find Qian Ran quite so detestable.
Perhaps, sometimes, looks truly trump everything.
As harsh as it sounded, it was the truth.
A girl's standards for a boy often shifted—mediocre boys faced higher expectations. But when someone was truly attractive, flaws could be easily overlooked, and sometimes they'd even be pursued instead.
"Master is so handsome," Nana murmured, her thoughts far simpler than Ke Ke's. As she caressed Qian Ran's face, she felt as though she were the happiest person in the world. Not only had her family's issues been resolved, but she had also escaped the Holy Spirit Church. As for spending the rest of her life by Qian Ran's side… following such a miraculous man seemed like nothing short of a blessing.
"Nana, you're acting a bit strange. Don't tell me you've already…?" Ke Ke shot Nana a suspicious glance, sensing that something was off.
Nana's demeanor toward Qian Ran was noticeably different—more devoted than any of them.
It felt almost like the way a wife might treat her husband.
No, not even a typical wife was this attentive. It was more reminiscent of the traditional, old-fashioned kind of wife.
The way Nana looked at Qian Ran—it was practically dripping with affection.
Ke Ke couldn't believe for a second that nothing had happened between them.
Ke Ke's comment caught the attention of the other young women present, and all of them turned their gazes toward Nana. Women's instincts in matters of love were sharp; they could easily sense Nana's shift in attitude.
Nana simply nodded in response to Ke Ke's question.
"What? Really? Why? What do you even see in him?" Ke Ke's face twisted with disbelief, a bitter smile creeping onto her lips. Qian Ran certainly had plenty of good qualities, so it wasn't surprising that Nana liked him.
But this quickly?
Good grief!
Nana and Qian Ran had only known each other for a day!
"This guy really lucked out," Ke Ke huffed, feeling indignant. She wasn't sure if she was more upset about Qian Ran's apparent good fortune or Nana's startling decisiveness.
"No. I'm the one who got lucky," Nana murmured, her voice soft but resolute. In her eyes, Qian Ran was destined to become a figure who would shake the entire continent. Following someone like him was a privilege, not a sacrifice. Even as his servant, she felt she'd hit the jackpot.
Qian Ran wasn't just an ordinary prodigy. His strength, coupled with his connection to the Necromancer Plane, was enough to send shockwaves through the world if it ever became public knowledge.
And that was just what she had seen so far. What about the secrets she wasn't yet privy to?
She even suspected that Qian Ran might one day ascend to godhood.
Compared to the Shrek Seven Monsters who had entered the Divine Realm ten thousand years ago, could any of them, at his current age, hold a candle to Qian Ran?
"Huh?" Ke Ke and the others were stunned, their faces blank. What was Nana even talking about? Nana was easily among the top five most talented young women under twenty in the academy.
"Qian Ran is far more extraordinary than you all realize," Nana said softly, unwilling to elaborate further. She wouldn't reveal Qian Ran's secrets.
It wasn't until late afternoon that Qian Ran finally woke up.
Ke Ke and the other girls assigned to assist him were seated around the room, diligently studying their books. Mingde Hall regularly updated its curriculum with new material, so there was plenty for them to learn.
As Qian Ran stretched lazily, Ke Ke glanced at him with a mix of annoyance and exasperation.
"The sun's about to set, and you're just waking up? Are you even planning to study? I don't know what kind of slackers they tolerate at Shrek Academy, but if you were at our Sun and Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy, you'd have been expelled by now," Ke Ke scolded, her voice tinged with irritation.
Soul engineers were known for their diligence. How could someone as lazy as Qian Ran even qualify as one?
"Can't help it. My talent is just too high. I can learn anything without trying—something you wouldn't understand," Qian Ran teased, walking over to Ke Ke and snatching her book to flip through it casually.
"This is what you're studying now? Doesn't seem all that impressive," he commented.
"You! Sure, your combat strength might be remarkable, but in the field of soul tools, any one of us here could be your teacher, you know?" Ke Ke shot back, hands on her hips, clearly displeased with his smugness.
She had no idea Qian Ran was already a seventh-level soul engineer. If she had, she might have thought twice before speaking.
"Oh, really?"
"Of course! We've been professionally trained in soul engineering, unlike you," Ke Ke said with a disdainful sniff. Unlike soul masters, whose strength often depended on innate martial souls and luck, soul engineering required rigorous study. No shortcuts here.
And Qian Ran didn't seem like someone who could sit still in a lab.
"Is that so? How long have you been studying this book?" Qian Ran asked.
"A month. I've already mastered most of the key points," Ke Ke replied proudly.
"Oh. I just read through it and memorized the whole thing," Qian Ran said casually, handing the book back to her.
His words left Ke Ke and the others dumbfounded, their expressions a mix of shock and disbelief.
"Ask me anything. I've got it all down," Qian Ran offered.
"Fine, recite page fifty-seven," Ke Ke challenged.
"On soul tools…" Qian Ran began, flawlessly reciting the entire page, including every word and punctuation mark. Ke Ke and the others were stunned.
He'd only skimmed the book earlier, and even then, it had taken less than a minute, during which he'd been chatting with them. Yet somehow, he'd memorized it all.
Ke Ke flipped through a few more pages and posed several advanced practice questions combining theories from the text. Qian Ran answered each one with ease.
The girls were completely floored.
Mama, we've encountered a monster.
What kind of brain was this?
If they had this level of memory, soul engineering research would be a breeze. Theory exams? Perfect scores every time.
Mastering soul tools required solid theoretical knowledge, akin to advanced mathematics, physics, and chemistry in the modern world.
With his skills, even without hands-on practice, Qian Ran could become a top-tier theoretical researcher.
Now they understood—true geniuses excel in every domain.
While others relied on hard work, Qian Ran seemed to have the heavens spoon-feeding him success.
"No wonder Shrek Academy let you study soul tools at our Sun and Moon Royal Soul Engineering Academy," Ke Ke muttered, her tone tinged with envy. At last, the mystery surrounding his enrollment made sense.
With a mind like his, studying soul tools really was child's play.
(End of Chapter)