A One-Year Promise

Spirit City Junior Soul Master Academy.

First Year, Class A (1).

After homeroom teacher Chris entered the classroom.

Though his tall frame was not particularly burly, his cold, impassive face and grim, domineering aura immediately cowed Xiong Ba.

At that moment, the handsome, somewhat effeminate youth with short golden hair whom Xiong Ba had called Yue Kong walked over behind Gu Han with a black-haired boy of chilly temperament at his side and said in a soft, effeminate voice.

"Gu Han, you probably don't know our homeroom teacher's background, do you?"

"Our homeroom teacher originally had Rank Seven Innate Soul Power, putting him at the genius level among Soul Masters. But his martial soul was the Bronze Gate, an extremely obscure and unusual martial soul that was unsuitable as a combat Tool Martial Soul and had never been used as an auxiliary martial soul."

"Therefore, he had always been rather inconspicuous in Spirit City and was even ostracized at the academy. But for some reason, one day our homeroom teacher suddenly found his calling and resolved to become a powerful assault-type Soul Master."

"After breaking through to Soul Elder and graduating from the advanced Soul Master academy, he joined the Holy Light Angel Enforcement Team, which was responsible for hunting Fallen Soul Masters and Evil Soul Masters across the continent, maintaining continental order, and faced an extremely high degree of danger."

"Within the Holy Light Angel Enforcement Team, our homeroom teacher had narrowly escaped death countless times in his clashes with Fallen Soul Masters and Evil Soul Masters, yet he always persevered."

"Countless life-or-death battles with Fallen Soul Masters and Evil Soul Masters forged his powerful will, beast-like instincts, and astonishing combat ability. The countless trials between life and death also eventually gave him an exceptionally deep understanding of his martial soul, allowing him to find the correct path for developing the Bronze Gate martial soul."

"After breaking through to Soul King, he went on to achieve a hundred consecutive victories at our Martial Soul City Great Soul Arena. He also remained in the Holy Light Angel Enforcement Team for fifteen years before leaving only last year."

"Our homeroom teacher can be said to be one of the people who served in the Holy Light Angel Enforcement Team the longest since its establishment. Even His Holiness the Pope awarded him the Medal of Justice in recognition of his achievements."

"Moreover, Teacher Chris broke through to Soul Emperor at the age of thirty-two. Only top-tier geniuses could accomplish that. In the future, he has every chance of breaking through to Titled Douluo and becoming an elder of Spirit Hall."

"To achieve such heights with Rank Seven Innate Soul Power, Teacher Chris has always drawn the attention and confidence of Spirit City's upper echelons, and he is deeply admired and respected by everyone!"

"Even someone like Xiong Ba, who comes from the Blood Demon Berserk Bear Family of the Demon Bear Elder, would never dare act presumptuously before Teacher Chris."

"Because Teacher Chris won't indulge him!"

By the end, a trace of playful amusement appeared on Yue Kong's handsome, effeminate face.

"You're Yue Kong, from Elder Ju's Family? Why are you helping me?"

Gu Han had only met Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan and Ghost Douluo Gui Mei a few times.

He had not expected Yue Kong to speak up for him and even come over to clear up his doubts. Frowning, he asked.

"Hehe, because Uncle Yue Guan told me about you. He thinks highly of you, believes you have great potential and are a talented individual. Although the rumors all paint you in a poor light, I trust Uncle Yue Guan's judgment."

Yue Kong replied with an effeminate smile.

"Uncle Gui Mei does too."

The black-haired boy beside him, who had remained quiet until then and possessed a cold temperament, suddenly spoke as well.

Gu Han could naturally guess who this boy was.

He should be from Ghost Douluo Gui Mei's family.

Meanwhile, Xiong Ba discovered that the homeroom teacher of Class A (1) was actually the renowned Chris, known as the Gate God among Fallen Soul Masters and Evil Soul Masters, and called the Gate Emperor in Spirit City because of his Soul Emperor cultivation.

Although Chris was not acting particularly aggressive.

The chilling killing intent he had developed through countless battles hunting Fallen Soul Masters and Evil Soul Masters, along with his fierce, grim, cold, and domineering presence, still made Xiong Ba break out in a cold sweat.

"Teacher Chris, you misunderstand. I didn't come here to bully a younger student. Someone bullied my little brother instead, and I merely came to stand up for him."

Xiong Ba gritted his teeth and told Chris everything that had happened from his own perspective.

But after listening, Chris stood with his hands behind his back, a mocking smile curling at the corner of his lips as his heart filled with disdain.

Because Xiong Ba's words were riddled with holes.

He could tell at once that far too much of it was untrue.

However, he had no intention of exposing him. Instead, he looked toward Gu Han.

Chris had naturally heard of Gu Han, the lucky boy with only Rank 0.25 Innate Soul Power who had miraculously been accepted as a disciple by Pope Bibi Dong.

In fact, in Chris's heart, Bibi Dong had never merely been the Pope. She was also the guiding beacon in his heart, the goddess he revered.

Because back then, it had been the encouragement of the young Bibi Dong—telling him that where there was a will, there was a way, and that as long as one wanted something and worked for it, nothing was impossible.

Only then had Chris resolved to become a powerful assault-type Soul Master and become who he was today.

But precisely because of this.

Although he believed in Bibi Dong's judgment and believed there had to be a reason why she had accepted Gu Han as her disciple.

In order to prove to Spirit City that Bibi Dong's judgment was not wrong, Chris thought for a moment. Rather than taking Gu Han's side, he said coolly.

"What you've said is merely your side of the story. I believe that if I ask them, I will surely receive a different answer."

"No matter what, you are an upper-year student. You are four or five years older than Gu Han, and your cultivation is also considerably higher than his. I know you may be unhappy because he was accepted as a disciple by His Holiness the Pope."

"But if you want to prove that he is trash, you should at least give him some time, shouldn't you?"

"He has only just awakened his martial soul, yet you are using your age advantage of four or five years and your higher cultivation to bully someone weaker. No matter where this is discussed, it won't sound good."

"If you truly want to prove to His Holiness the Pope that he is trash and that you are stronger than him, then give him three years, five years, or even seven years."

"Then, the two of you can fight again."

"If he can be accepted as a disciple by His Holiness the Pope, yet still cannot defeat you after being given so much time, then he truly is unworthy of becoming His Holiness the Pope's disciple."

By the end, Chris's tone was filled with cold mockery.

But Xiong Ba's face darkened, and he felt thoroughly miserable inside.

Could it be that if he truly deserves to become His Holiness the Pope's disciple, then it would be perfectly normal for him to defeat me in three to five years?

I, Xiong Ba, am a genius with Rank Eight Innate Soul Power and the Blood Demon Berserk Bear martial soul.

Surely they can't disregard me this much, can they?

Yet before Chris, Xiong Ba clenched his fists, his face flushing slightly. He opened his mouth, but in the end, he said nothing.

"Teacher Chris, there's no need for three or five years. One year is enough!"

"One year from now, I'll fight him. I'll prove to all of Spirit City that I, Gu Han, am worthy of becoming Teacher's disciple!"

Seeing that homeroom teacher Chris was speaking up for him and wanted to buy him three to five years to grow.

But as a transmigrator with a system, Gu Han possessed his own pride. He stood up directly and declared in a deep voice.

Three to five years?

There was no need for that long!

One year was enough!