Gu Han followed the deacon of the Soul Sect and soon arrived at the Dragon City Martial Soul Main Hall.
Two men were already waiting inside: one middle-aged and the other flamboyant.
Before Gu Han or the deacon could speak, the flamboyant man took the lead.
"So this is the little genius who's won over a hundred matches in the Dragon City Fighting Soul Arena? Not bad. It's good to finally meet you."
Under the man's sharp gaze, Gu Han felt a sudden chill run down his spine, as if his whole body tensed involuntarily. He instantly recognized the man — Yueguan. But judging by the emblem on his chest and the design of his robe, he wasn't yet titled Douluo.
In the Martial Soul Hall, clothing and tokens were strictly categorized. Only Douluo-level elders could wear red robes. At the moment, there was no chrysanthemum emblem on Yueguan's token — only a hammer, a sword, a dragon, and angel wings. They represented the Clear Sky Hammer, the Seven Kill Sword, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, and the Six-Winged Angel.
But this was still more than thirty years before the start of the main plot, so whether he was titled or not didn't matter much.
"Boy, I'm Bishop Guang. This is Lord Yueguan, a Platinum Bishop of the Martial Soul Hall."
"Gu Han greets Lord Yueguan and Lord Guang."
Gu Han placed a hand on his chest and bowed slightly.
"Good manners," Yueguan commented approvingly.
He suddenly reached out and grabbed Gu Han's wrist, raising an eyebrow as he felt the flow of soul power.
"Impressive. Such dense soul power at such a young age... that's rare."
Gu Han's heart trembled slightly, but he quickly composed himself. "You're too kind, Senior."
Yueguan gave a faint smile. "I'm here to take you to Martial Soul City for advanced training. You'll have access to better cultivation resources there."
So that was the purpose of this visit.
Initially, Yueguan had suspected Gu Han's rapid improvement was due to some secret technique that consumed potential. But after personally examining him, he discarded the idea. This child wasn't just faking it — he truly had a strong foundation. His innate talent might be average, but with proper training and personal effort, he could definitely become a Soul Saint. And for the Martial Soul Hall, a Soul Saint was a valuable asset.
Soul masters had two major thresholds. The first was Soul Saint — those who crossed it numbered only in the low thousands across the entire continent. The second was the Title Douluo level — fewer than twenty existed in the whole realm.
"So? Are you willing to go with me?"
"Of course, Senior."
Gu Han didn't hesitate. Martial Soul City offered far superior educational and cultivation resources compared to ordinary cities. And more importantly, the library there would be massive. He was eager to dive into it.
It was also the gathering place for geniuses from across the continent. There, he could get real experience and growth.
"Excellent. If you need to pack anything, go now. We leave tomorrow."
Yueguan looked satisfied. He had expected more resistance, perhaps some emotional attachment to home, but Gu Han agreed immediately.
"No need, Senior. I've got everything I need in my white jade pendant. The rest is just clutter... and a bunch of love letters I've already thrown out."
"Nothing to take? Then let's go."
Yueguan nodded. He didn't like delays. No one was tending to his beloved garden right now. His flowers and plants were like his children — he worried something might go wrong while he was away.
"Uh... alright then."
Gu Han followed Yueguan outside. A luxurious flying carriage was already parked at the entrance.
"Why didn't I see this when I came...?" Gu Han muttered under his breath.
"What are you mumbling about? Get in the carriage."
Yueguan raised his orchid fingers, striking a flamboyant pose.
"Yes, Senior Yueguan."
Suppressing a shiver, Gu Han quickly climbed in.
*Frack!*
The carriage was drawn by two elegant white horse-type soul beasts with wings — a luxury transport reserved only for the highest-ranking members of the Martial Soul Hall.
Though not as fast as true flying martial souls, the speed was still considerable. The carriage soared above the clouds.
Gu Han lifted the curtain, watching Dragon City shrink below. The scenery gradually became distant and small.
Yueguan, after glancing outside, turned toward Gu Han. After a moment's pause, he voiced the question on his mind.
"Boy, earlier when I examined you, I noticed something odd. Have you been practicing a self-created soul skill?"
Gu Han froze, then quickly recalled how in the original story, Li Yusong had guessed Tang San was cultivating the Mysterious Jade Hand just by feeling his bones.
He hadn't practiced that, but he had his own secret grip technique. Still, it wasn't worth hiding. He nodded.
"Yes. I created something suited to my body. It's not exactly impressive or formal."
"Even so, it's still something. You truly are talented, though your innate soul power is unfortunately low."
Yueguan sighed with regret. Creating your own soul skills required deep insight into your martial soul. That Gu Han had achieved this at his age spoke volumes.
But his mediocre natural talent meant that even with all the resources of the Martial Soul Hall, the best outcome would likely be just reaching Soul Saint level.
A waste of brilliance. Life was cruel like that.
Gu Han blinked, inwardly exasperated. This Yueguan really has a lot of internal drama.
Still, he figured this was a good chance to raise his own value. Maybe drop a small hint.
"Senior Yueguan."
"Just call me 'Senior' from now on. The formal titles are too stiff."
Yueguan fluttered his fingers and gave Gu Han a teasing wink.
Gu Han tried to smile politely, though he felt goosebumps rise. This guy's aura was intense.
"Alright... Senior Yueguan."
"That's more like it. Now, what were you about to say?"
"I was going to tell you something..." Gu Han paused, then decided it was safe. "I've been refining a kind of whale glue. It's part of my cultivation method."
Yueguan raised an eyebrow with interest.
Gu Han didn't say much more, but the seed was planted. Enough to make them take him more seriously.
And so, the luxurious carriage soared high above the earth, carrying Gu Han closer to a destiny long set in motion.
But this time, it wouldn't be fate that decided his path.
It would be him.