"I didn't expect Luo Chuan had already planned to visit my teacher with me this afternoon."
After leaving Shrek Academy, Gu Yue and Tang Luochuan strolled through Shrek City. She glanced at him with a smile as she spoke.
"Should we really keep delaying it?"
Tang Luochuan chuckled softly and shook his head in response.
Since they were already in Shrek City, there was no better time than now to visit her teacher. It was only natural.
"At least you still have some conscience."
Gu Yue gave a light hum of satisfaction upon hearing this.
The fact that Luo Chuan had come to see her teacher first, rather than Na'er's teacher, meant...
Her status was just a tiny bit higher than Na'er's! Thinking this, her inner tsundere tendencies flared up slightly.
"Of course I have a conscience."
Tang Luochuan laughed softly at her words.
"Luo Chuan."
"My hand feels a little cold."
Gu Yue extended one hand toward him, speaking slowly.
"Cold?"
A hint of confusion crossed Tang Luochuan's face as he gently took her hand, only to grow even more puzzled—it wasn't cold at all.
"Mmm..."
"Not cold anymore."
Gu Yue turned her face away slightly, a happy smile playing on her lips as she murmured.
"Ah..."
"It was a bit cold, I suppose."
Tang Luochuan paused for a moment before breaking into an understanding smile, playing along.
"Right...?"
Gu Yue blinked, then couldn't help but laugh as well.
"You..."
Tang Luochuan sighed in mock exasperation.
Oh Gu Yue, if you wanted to hold hands, why couldn't you just be straightforward like Na'er?
"..."
Not long after, at the Spirit Transfer Pagoda headquarters.
"Miss Gu Yue."
As Gu Yue entered with Tang Luochuan, numerous Spirit Transfer Masters came into view, each wearing expressions of deep respect.
"Gu Yue seems... highly regarded at the Spirit Transfer Pagoda headquarters."
Tang Luochuan observed the scene before him with quiet admiration.
"It's nothing special."
"I am my teacher's disciple, after all."
Gu Yue shook her head modestly.
As Leng Yaozhu's personal disciple, Gu Yue was practically a household name within the Spirit Transfer Pagoda.
Her research potential in Soul Spirits was unmatched, and her innate talent for Martial Souls was exceptionally rare.
To put it in perspective—even the young master of the Qian Gu family hadn't broken through to Soul King realm by age sixteen. In terms of talent, Gu Yue was leagues ahead.
To outsiders, these achievements seemed extraordinary, but to her...
If the mighty Silver Dragon King didn't possess such talent, she might as well not exist!
"If you visited more often..."
"Everyone would know there's an even greater genius than me in the Spirit Transfer Pagoda."
Gu Yue shot him a meaningful look. Had Tang Luochuan not avoided the Spirit Transfer Pagoda all these years, his name would have long since resounded through its halls.
Soon after, at the top level of the Spirit Transfer Pagoda.
Inside the Deputy Pagoda Master's office.
"Teacher, I'm here."
Gu Yue and Tang Luochuan stepped inside the spacious office, where a red-haired woman had been waiting for some time.
She was strikingly beautiful—her jade-like complexion contrasted with her fiery temperament, passionate yet delicately alluring. Crimson locks cascaded down her back as she stood there with a faint smile.
This person was none other than Leng Yaozhu, the Deputy Pagoda Master of the Spirit Transfer Pagoda, one of the Federal Councilors, a 98th-ranked Super Douluo with the Heavenly Phoenix Martial Soul.
"Yue'er, you're here."
"And this must be Luo Chuan. Finally meeting you."
Leng Yaozhu stood up and slowly approached the two, her gaze settling on Tang Luochuan before she smiled and spoke.
"Your Majesty, Heavenly Phoenix."
Tang Luochuan returned a faint smile, his tone respectful.
"No wonder Yue'er favors you."
"You truly are remarkable."
As she looked at Tang Luochuan before her, Leng Yaozhu felt a surge of emotion. Though she had heard much about him from Gu Yue, even so...
When he actually appeared before her, she couldn't help but marvel inwardly—this was a true genius.
A genuine genius, unquestionably so.
A Soul Master prodigy at the age of twelve, with all auxiliary professions surpassing level six and reaching level seven while still at the four-ring stage.
Was this even human?
Given just a little more time, even the world's strongest, Yun Ming, would pale in comparison before him.
"But remarkable as you may be..."
"Since you've joined the Spirit Transfer Pagoda under Yue'er's invitation, you're one of mine. You should've come to see me sooner."
Leng Yaozhu stepped closer, scrutinizing him with a hint of dissatisfaction in her expression, speaking bluntly.
If not for Yue'er having already handed over the token representing her authority, she might have doubted whether he was even a member of the Spirit Transfer Pagoda.
Meeting her once...
Surely it couldn't have been that difficult.
"Well..."
"I just didn't have the time before."
Tang Luochuan shook his head, offering a vague excuse.
"Oh?"
"No time?"
Hearing this, Leng Yaozhu laughed, then instantly snorted coldly.
"Luo Chuan, let me ask you..."
"The Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear guarding the East Sea City's Primary Spirit Ascension Platform, the Soul Devouring Spider of the Intermediate Platform, the White Tiger of Tianhai City's Primary Platform, the Tyrannosaurus Rex of its Intermediate Platform, the Demon Flame Gorilla of Tianxing City's Primary Platform..."
"Who was it that defeated them all, one by one?"
Her gaze was tinged with resentment.
Yes, the guardians of the Spirit Transfer Pagoda were there to be challenged by entrants, but...
You've taken advantage of it to the point of addiction, haven't you? Every time you enter a Spirit Ascension Platform just once, you wreak havoc, nearly landing yourself on their blacklist.
"Your Majesty, Heavenly Phoenix."
"About that..."
"Would you believe me if I said it was an accident?"
Tang Luochuan wore an awkward expression. The guardians of the Spirit Ascension Platforms all dropped rewards, and over the years, he had indeed reaped quite a bit from them.
Not taking advantage of an opportunity...
Would be downright foolish.
"You guess whether I believe you or not."
Listening to his words, Leng Yaozhu snorted coldly.
"Yue'er too—already siding with an outsider. She didn't even try to stop him."
As she spoke, she couldn't help but glance in Gu Yue's direction, holding her partly responsible for this matter.
"Huh... what?"
Suddenly called out, Gu Yue was bewildered, inwardly disagreeing with her teacher's perspective. The guardians of the Spirit Ascension Platforms...
Weren't meant to be defeated by entering Soul Masters in the first place. Since Luo Chuan could defeat them, what was wrong with claiming the rewards...
Wait, "claiming the rewards" didn't sound quite right.
"Alright, since you rarely visit, as your elder, I won't lecture you anymore. Here, take this."
As Leng Yaozhu spoke, she retrieved a glowing Soul Bone from her Soul Guidance Device and tossed it toward Tang Luochuan.
"This is..."
Tang Luochuan was momentarily stunned. The aura of this Soul Bone was extraordinary—it was nearly on par with the weakest among those from Dragon Valley.
This meeting gift from her was truly invaluable.
"This is a hundred-thousand-year Light Dragon Right Leg Bone, part of my collection over the years. I wonder if it'll be of use to you."
Leng Yaozhu smiled as she spoke slowly.
Originally, she hadn't planned to give a Soul Bone. After all, based on her disciple's account, he had been stuck at level 50 without absorbing a Soul Spirit, so she had even kept an eye out for one at the Soul Spirit Pagoda.
But now that he had broken through, such a gift wouldn't suffice. A Soul Bone, however, was more than appropriate.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Tang Luochuan smiled gratefully.
Though he truly had no use for this Soul Bone, the value of a hundred-thousand-year Soul Bone on the continent was undeniable. Her gesture was deeply thoughtful.
"We're family—no need for formalities."
"But in the future, do spare some consideration for the Spirit Transfer Pagoda's reputation..."
"You wouldn't want to put me and Yue'er in a difficult position because of you, would you?"
Leng Yaozhu shook her head with a faint smile.
"Hmm..."
Tang Luochuan also shook his head, though his mind was momentarily lost in thought. Your Majesty, Heavenly Phoenix...
That's not something you should say so lightly.
"Teacher."
"Actually, I don't feel the slightest bit troubled."
Beside them, Gu Yue spoke earnestly.
"..."
"You ungrateful little thing."
Leng Yaozhu was taken aback, then sighed helplessly. Yue'er used to be so sweet—what happened now?
"Perhaps..."
"This is what they mean by 'a grown disciple belongs not to the master but to another'!"
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