Valley Waterfall (Please Read On, Please Vote with Monthly Tickets)

Village Chief Old Tom looked at Gu Yi, who was leading everyone in martial arts practice in the center of the village, his face full of gratification and pride.

This was the genius Soul Master who had come from their Maple Leaf Village!

Ever since Xiao Yi had returned to live here three years ago, Maple Leaf Village had flourished.

Every year, children awakened Innate Soul Power.

At the awakening ceremony two months ago, four more children in Maple Leaf Village had awakened Innate Soul Power. The one with the highest Innate Soul Power had even reached level six! That child happened to be Old Tom's own grandson!

Moreover, with Gu Yi's help, Maple Leaf Village had long since established stable sources of income. Every household had ample funds, and even without Work-Study Student slots, they could support these children studying at Nuoding Academy.

One day, Maple Leaf Village would surpass nearby Holy Soul Village and produce experts who reached—or even surpassed—the Soul Sage realm!

"How wonderful." Thinking of that future, Old Tom felt utterly delighted as he slowly headed home.

He still had to prepare breakfast for his grandson.

The rising sun slowly climbed through the sky. After their morning training, the villagers finished breakfast and began the day's work.

After eating, the children returned to the open square and watched Gu Yi continue practicing his spear.

At the entrance of Maple Leaf Village, a crimson horse came galloping at breakneck speed, kicking up clouds of dust. The villagers along the way were already used to the sight and showed no sign of stopping their work.

The crimson horse soon arrived at the open space in the center of the village. The graceful figure with a long braid on its back gave a sharp "Whoa!" and reined it in, then leaped down and pounced directly at Gu Yi, who had stopped practicing his spear.

"Xiao Yi! I missed you so much!" Xiao Wu's little face was flushed red as she clung to Gu Yi like an octopus.

Gu Yi was somewhat helpless. He could only plant the Blood Soul Spear into the ground, wrap one arm around Xiao Wu's waist, and use the other to pry her limbs apart so she would stand properly.

"I haven't seen you in the past month. Where did you run off to play?"

Xiao Wu stubbornly hugged Gu Yi's right arm, her little mouth pouting with a trace of dissatisfaction.

Every so often, Gu Yi would leave Maple Leaf Village for a trip—though in truth, he was traveling to other worlds—which made it difficult for Xiao Wu to find him to play with.

"But it'll be better from now on. I've already graduated from Nuoding Academy. No matter which advanced Soul Master Academy you go to on the continent, I'll follow you!" Xiao Wu said happily, pulling out a certificate and waving it before Gu Yi's eyes.

"You've already graduated?" Gu Yi's heart stirred.

Without realizing it, the timeline of Douluo Continent had already reached the point when Tang San graduated from Nuoding Academy.

Gu Yi looked at Xiao Wu and asked, "Did Yu Xiaogang recommend any advanced Soul Master Academy to you?"

Xiao Wu blinked and nodded. "Yu Xiaogang did come to see me. He recommended that I go to Suotuo City in the Balak Kingdom. He said there's a very formidable advanced Soul Master Academy there, one that specializes in accepting genius monsters!"

"It sounds interesting, Xiao Yi. How about we go to that academy?"

Gu Yi nodded slightly.

Although over the past six years, because of Gu Yi's presence, Xiao Wu and Tang San had remained ordinary classmates with little interaction.

Her relationship with Yu Xiaogang was much the same. Xiao Wu, who valued strength above all else, had barely given him a proper look during her time at the academy.

But Xiao Wu was still a genius with Innate Full Soul Power. Naturally, Yu Xiaogang wanted to coax her into joining his good friend's academy.

It seemed this part of the plot had not changed much...

Tang San would still heed Yu Xiaogang's words and head to Shrek Academy.

At that time, Tang Hao would accompany Tang San to protect him...

There would be a gap of several days during that period.

At the thought, Gu Yi's eyes flashed, and his mind immediately began to race. Has the time finally come?

The reason Gu Yi had stayed in Maple Leaf Village and remained near Nuoding City was naturally for the Hundred Thousand Year Blue Silver Emperor Soul Bone that Tang Hao had left behind a waterfall on a cliff.

Gu Yi had set his sights on that Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone six years ago.

The path of blood Gu Yi cultivated was closely connected to the path of life.

And the Blue Silver Emperor's vitality ranked among the very best in all of Douluo Continent.

If Gu Yi could obtain this Soul Bone, he could fuse that immense vitality into his blood and essence blood, making Blood Flame even more powerful.

Gu Yi had even imagined whether he could comprehend the ability of Rebirth from a Drop of Blood from the Blue Silver Emperor Soul Bone, greatly strengthening his means of survival.

After all, the soul skill carried by the Blue Silver Emperor Soul Bone, Spring Wind Blows and Life Returns, could be considered a weaker version of Rebirth from a Drop of Blood.

"After some time, we'll go take a look at the academy Yu Xiaogang mentioned and see whether it truly lives up to its reputation."

Elsewhere, after learning that both Xiao Wu and Gu Yi had agreed to visit Shrek Academy in Suotuo City, Yu Xiaogang finally felt at ease and had Tang San head for Suotuo City ahead of them.

He was confident that with his old friend's abilities, he would surely win over Gu Yi and Xiao Wu and make them join Shrek Academy.

That way, in the All-Continent Soul Master Tournament a few years from now, Xiao San would have qualified teammates...

Of course, before that, Xiao San had to surpass Gu Yi in strength, because the captain of the participating team had to be Xiao San!

Then, once the team won the tournament championship, his reputation as the teacher of the championship team's captain would spread throughout Douluo Continent. He would prove to the world that his Ten Core Competitiveness Theory of Martial Souls was correct!

After learning that Tang San had left, Gu Yi did not act immediately. Instead, he continued waiting.

After using the secret art Breath-Tracking Qi-Locking Art, he had detected Tang Hao's aura near Maple Leaf Village!

He had obtained this special secret art, which could sense the auras of nearby experts, from Elder Kong, one of the guardians of the Cloud Sea Sect.

Elder Kong's martial soul was Shadow, and he excelled most at assassination.

Thus, Elder Kong had an exceptionally deep understanding of methods for concealing one's aura and sensing an enemy's aura.

With this secret art, Gu Yi could tell whether powerful experts were hiding nearby.

That was precisely why Gu Yi had noticed Tang Hao's aura lingering around Maple Leaf Village for a long time.

As a Titled Douluo, even though he was injured, Tang Hao's aura remained extremely powerful.

—The main reason was that Tang Hao had not suppressed his own aura. In his eyes, Gu Yi and Xiao Wu were merely children, their strength no more than that of Soul Elders due to their aura-concealing secret art. There was simply no need to suppress his aura.

Gu Yi guessed that Tang Hao was keeping watch over Xiao Wu, the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast he had long since marked as his own, to prevent her from escaping.

However, after learning that Xiao Wu would also be going to Suotuo City, Tang Hao's aura disappeared.

Finally, in the dead of night five days later, Gu Yi made his move.

Taking advantage of the moonless, windy night, Gu Yi left Maple Leaf Village, spread his Purple Cloud Wings, and flew straight in a certain direction.

Over the past three years, Gu Yi had already found the location of the hundred-meter waterfall described in the original story, not far from Nuoding City.

After all, such an obvious landmark could easily be found with a bit of time, so long as one was not blind.

Several hours later, Gu Yi arrived at the valley where his destination lay.