Final Guidance

Watching his disciple's hesitant and anxious expression, You Chen's face remained unchanged. He calmly patted the boy's head, though his eyes were filled with complicated emotions.

He said, "Child, all feasts must come to an end."

Yan did not hide his reluctance. "Teacher, can't I go with you? I want to continue learning by your side!"

You Chen withdrew his hand and shook his head slightly. "You are a pure battle soul master, not a researcher. I have basically already taught you all the knowledge a battle soul master needs. In terms of cultivation environment alone, the main Spirit Hall in Spirit City is unquestionably the best on the continent. It has the richest cultivation resources and simulated environments, the best competitive atmosphere, and the finest group of peers. If you leave Spirit City to travel and study with me, you'll be voluntarily giving up the best environment. At this age, which is practically a golden period for cultivation, if it isn't cutting off your own path, then it is certainly not a wise choice!"

After Qian Renxue, he had not wanted to take in any more personal disciples.

But perhaps Yan's simping demeanor had stirred memories from You Chen's previous life.

Because of Yan's age, beneath his disdain and pity, You Chen had also felt a trace of reluctance.

By a twist of fate, this master-disciple bond had come to be.

The talents of the Golden Generation's trio were all enough to attract the attention of Titled Douluo from the Worship Hall.

Although such talent was merely one prerequisite, those Worship Hall elders, who no longer had much interest in worldly pursuits, might not necessarily accept even a soul master with an innately exceptional martial soul as a disciple if they found them disagreeable.

In the original story, perhaps because Bibi Dong had taken Hu Liena as her disciple, the trio had been considered part of Bibi Dong's faction. In the end, not a single Worship Hall elder had stepped forward to take them as disciples.

But in truth, considering that Bibi Dong did not wish to take male disciples into her inner circle, Xie Yue and Yan could both be considered Bibi Dong's disciples in all but name.

You Chen had essentially snatched a disciple away from Bibi Dong.

Whether it was Yan's personal wishes or the weakening of Bibi Dong's influence, taking Yan as his disciple brought more benefits than drawbacks.

But that was purely without considering personal feelings.

After several years together, he had developed a deep master-disciple bond with this disciple who possessed such a pure heart.

With tensions between him and the Pope, leaving his beloved disciple at the other party's side was not something a qualified teacher should do, no matter how one thought about it.

Frankly speaking, cultivation environments and cultivation resources were not things You Chen could not provide.

With You Chen's current wealth, supporting even an individual genius with the finest cultivation resources was utterly insignificant.

The biggest problem was that with a child like Yan by his side, many of his actions would be restricted, and many things in the future would be difficult to explain.

Moreover, leaving such an obvious "weakness" at the main hall would probably make Bibi Dong feel more at ease.

Taking all these factors into account, You Chen could not possibly keep Yan by his side.

However, how could Yan accept the fact that he was about to part from a teacher who was like a father to him?

"No! Teacher! Even if I have to give up Spirit City's cultivation resources, I still want to follow you and continue learning and cultivating!" Yan clenched his fists, tears welling in his eyes as his voice rang with conviction.

"Stop being willful, Yan! Have you forgotten your dream!? Have you forgotten your goal!? Yan, you're not a child anymore!"

Yan froze at You Chen's sudden rebuke.

As a teacher, You Chen was far from being merely a gentle and agreeable man. He was strict when strictness was needed and gentle when gentleness was needed. He believed that was what made a responsible, good teacher!

After You Chen's tone grew harsher, Yan's body seemed to recall the days when You Chen had transformed into a devil of a teacher. He immediately straightened up on reflex, not daring to make a sound.

Seeing this, You Chen's expression instead softened. "I have never forgotten. You once said that you would carry the share I could not bear because of my insufficient talent and become a Titled Douluo! Have you forgotten?"

Yan's eyes widened as he blurted out, "How could I forget!? Teacher, I will definitely become the strongest Titled Douluo and see the scenery at the summit for you, since you cannot become one!"

The young man's words were filled with determination.

Countless times, he had felt regret and pity over his teacher's talent.

He did not even need heaven-defying talent. Yan believed that if his teacher's Innate Soul Power had merely been two or three levels higher, his teacher would have been able to stand at the pinnacle of this continent!

Therefore, he wanted to prove to the world that his teacher, You Chen, had merely been limited by his talent. He was absolutely not weak!

He would become strong and speak with the voice of a powerhouse from the summit, in his teacher's stead! He would tell the world whose disciple he was!

His first target was Hu Liena, who had been taken as a disciple by His Holiness the Pope!

With talent that even the Pope had been willing to accept as a personal disciple, as well as resources on the level of the Pope's disciple—if he could far surpass Hu Liena, would that not prove that You Chen's ability as a teacher was even greater than His Holiness the Pope's!?

Watching Yan's stirred and excited expression, You Chen barely managed to suppress the corners of his mouth from curling upward wildly. Mm, with this, I've pumped him up enough. Even without me watching over him, this brat should be able to devote over a hundred percent of his energy to cultivation, right?

"Cough."

You Chen cleared his throat, interrupting Yan's reverie. He said warmly, "I have already taught you everything I should have taught you. Since we happened to leave the banquet because of that little girl Hu Liena, let me take advantage of this rare free time to assess the results of your studies during this period—consider it my final instruction to you."

"Yes, Teacher!"

Yan fiercely wiped his eyes, revealing reddened eye sockets as he answered in a sonorous voice.

In the next moment, master and disciple had arrived at the spacious Martial Arts Arena in the manor's rear courtyard.

The two took their positions without further words, merely exchanging a glance...

"Martial Soul Possession!"

"Martial Soul Possession!"

A dark-red phantom, somewhat resembling a dark version of Ragnaros, enveloped Yan's body. Details of a beast martial soul possession appeared across his body, deep-red patterns like molten cracks emerging all over him, as though he had donned a suit of dark-red armor.

On the other side, sky-blue and cyan soul power rippled outward. The Stardust Dragon, primarily snow-white in color, possessed You Chen, and the distinct features of a white dragon appeared on his body.

Just as Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing only gained rabbit ears and cat ears after their martial soul possessions, most beast martial soul possessions involved only slight bestial transformations.

That was what made the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon's partial dragonification so powerful.

It was equivalent to manifesting part of a weakened Martial Soul Avatar in advance. Its effects were not something a simple Martial Soul Possession could compare to.