That Graceful Figure

A year?

He had not expected Gu Han to say that one year would be enough. Teacher Chris could not help frowning as he turned to look at Gu Han, his eyes filled with appraisal and scrutiny.

Was this kid truly confident?

Or was he just hotheaded and acting on impulse?

Xiong Ba possessed the Blood Demon Berserk Bear Martial Soul, had Innate Soul Power at rank eight, and was already a rank eighteen Soul Master.

In a year, that kid should be able to break through to Soul Grandmaster.

Yet Gu Han only had Innate Soul Power of rank 0.25.

Though Teacher Chris did not know how His Holiness the Pope had done it—causing Gu Han's Martial Soul to evolve and allowing him to break through to Soul Master after merely three months of cultivation—

he had heard that Gu Han's Martial Soul was a Beast Martial Soul that could not undergo Martial Soul Possession, and it was exceptionally tiny.

Even if he had become a Soul Master, how much combat strength could it possibly give him?

A year from now, even if Gu Han reached the Soul Grandmaster realm, he might not necessarily be Xiong Ba's match.

Still, Teacher Chris greatly admired Gu Han's courage in wanting to prove himself to all of Spirit City and prove that he was qualified to be accepted as Pope Bibi Dong's disciple.

After Xiong Ba left with Xiong Chuan, Teacher Chris called Gu Han outside.

In a grove, Teacher Chris stood with his hands behind his back, looking into the distance as he spoke calmly.

"Gu Han, do you blame me?"

"As the homeroom teacher of Class A(1), Year One, I could have protected you completely and kept Xiong Ba from causing you trouble. Yet I still had you agree to this one-year appointment."

"On this matter, I was not entirely on your side. Do you blame me?"

Gu Han smiled faintly and answered respectfully.

"Teacher Chris, you cannot put it that way. If not for you, I might have been forced to fight him right then and there. He might have beaten me black and blue."

"I am very grateful that you were willing to secure several years for me to grow, Teacher Chris!"

"Yes, Teacher Chris, you could protect me completely, but that would not solve the root of the problem. They all think I am unqualified to become Teacher's disciple. Even if you can protect me in the academy, they will still cause me trouble outside it."

"The key is for me to become stronger myself and prove that I am qualified to be Teacher's disciple. At that point, there will be no more trouble from gossip or rumors."

"My talent and strength may be lacking right now, but I believe I will not remain this way in the future. I will only grow stronger and stronger, until even Xiong Ba cannot hope to catch up to me."

"Give me one year. Xiong Ba will definitely be no match for me!"

Gu Han clenched his fists, a calm smile on his face as he spoke with utmost confidence.

"Good!"

Teacher Chris admired him greatly and could not help smiling in satisfaction.

"I now believe that you truly are qualified to be His Holiness the Pope's disciple. Confidence like yours is something a person without real ability could never possess."

"Since you say so, then focus on studying and cultivating from now on. I will not interfere with those in your own year, but as for the upper-year students, I will not allow any of them to bully you!"

After Gu Han made the one-year agreement with Xiong Ba, word quickly spread throughout Spirit City Junior Soul Master Academy.

Everyone began discussing it fervently.

"Gu Han only has Innate Soul Power of rank 0.25, and his Martial Soul mutation has left him unable even to undergo possession. Yet he dares challenge Senior Xiong Ba? What a joke! Never mind giving him one year—even if he were given another ten years, he still would not be Senior Xiong Ba's match!"

"Exactly! Even if His Holiness the Pope gave him special training and somehow helped him advance to the Soul Master realm so he could enter Class A(1), Year One, trash is still trash. How could a salted fish possibly turn over?"

"One year from now? That is not long. We can just wait and enjoy the show!"

Within Spirit City Junior Soul Master Academy, after hearing the news, the overwhelming majority of students looked down on Gu Han with disdain. They felt that even another ten years would not save him from defeat, much less one year.

Many were already eagerly awaiting the scene of Gu Han being beaten senseless by Xiong Ba a year later.

After learning of this, Hu Liena anxiously went to find Gu Han.

"Gu Han, how could you make a one-year agreement with that Xiong Ba?"

"In one year, he will have broken through to Soul Grandmaster. You might not even be able to reach Soul Grandmaster in a year, and Sacred Dragon is still so weak. How could you possibly be his match?"

"No! I will take you to Teacher. We have to cancel this agreement!"

Hu Liena grabbed Gu Han's little hand and tried to take him to seek Bibi Dong's help.

But Gu Han did not comply. He simply shook his head and smiled.

"Senior Sister, you have to believe in me. In these three months, I went from rank 0.25 to Soul Master. If you give me another year, why would I not be able to break through to Soul Grandmaster?"

"Although Sacred Dragon has not completely finished its transformation and is still weak, I think one year will be enough for it to make enormous progress and grow."

"In any case, give me one more year, and I am confident I can defeat Xiong Ba!"

Though he said that, Gu Han's confidence mainly came from the Sacred Dragon Art and the Sacred Dragon Body Forging Method.

Give him one year.

With Sacred Dragon constantly consuming the flesh and blood of various Light Attribute Dragon Soul Beasts, the bloodline power, soul power, and life force it fed back should be enough for him to cultivate the Sacred Dragon Body Forging Method to a certain level.

As long as he cultivated blood qi, he would certainly have the strength to fight Xiong Ba.

With Sacred Dragon's assistance as well, defeating Xiong Ba was not impossible.

And during this year—

although he was currently in Spirit City, based on the fact that Teacher Bibi Dong had already ascended the throne three years ago, Gu Han could determine that Tang San should be around three years old now.

At this point in time, it would be rather difficult for Gu Han to alter the plot and affect the world's trajectory enough to obtain Heavenly Points.

But that did not mean it was impossible.

If Gu Han could obtain a few more Heavenly Points over the next year and deduce some martial arts techniques—

would defeating Xiong Ba not become effortless?

In any case, Gu Han was extremely confident.

Perhaps infected by Gu Han's confidence as well, Hu Liena could not help asking.

"Xiao Han, are you really confident that you can defeat Xiong Ba a year from now? Honestly, do not lie to your Senior Sister."

"Of course!"

Gu Han smiled confidently.

"Ah! Then I will believe you for now."

In the end, Hu Liena sighed and chose to believe Gu Han.

Yet when she thought of the battle a year from now, a sly smile still appeared on Hu Liena's charmingly exquisite face. Clenching her fair fist, she waved it through the air and said,

"But do not worry. When the time comes, I will bring my brother and Yan to cheer you on. If you cannot defeat him, I will have them step in immediately and stop the fight. I absolutely will not let Xiong Ba bully you!"

"See how good your Senior Sister is to you?"

After saying that, Hu Liena burst into a sweet laugh and vigorously ruffled Gu Han's hair.

Time flowed like water.

In the blink of an eye, half a year passed.

During these six months—

at the Central Library of Spirit City, Gu Han had finished reading all the books related to Martial Souls and Soul Masters.

As for the various general knowledge classes taught at the academy, Gu Han had studied while teaching himself in the library. He had already finished all six years of coursework in advance and ranked first in every subject.

However, being first in academic classes brought Gu Han no glory. Instead, it only stirred jealousy and contempt at Spirit City Junior Soul Master Academy.

In this world of Soul Masters, strength was ultimately supreme!

Because of his outstanding academic performance—

as a privilege granted to top students, Gu Han frequently took leave.

Later, he barely attended academic classes at all. In the mornings, he had Sacred Dragon consume Light Attribute dragon flesh and Spirit Medicine; at noon, he went to the Archives in the Pope's Palace to read; and at night, he cultivated at home.

His days were very fulfilling.

But one day, while reading in the Archives of the Pope's Palace, Gu Han unexpectedly caught sight of an incomparably beautiful figure.

She was a Golden-haired Girl who appeared to be twelve or thirteen years old.

Her golden hair cascaded over her shoulders. Her willow-leaf brows curved delicately, her delicate nose was high and straight, her cherry lips were rosy, and her skin was fairer than snow, flawless and delicate. The sacred and noble aura she exuded was displayed to the fullest upon her angelic, breathtakingly beautiful face.

When Gu Han noticed her, the Golden-haired Girl was standing before a bookshelf, quietly flipping through a book.

Golden sunlight streamed through the windows outside the Pope's Palace and fell upon her exquisite face, making her look like an angel descended into the mortal world.