Na'er

"Master's wife!"

The silver-haired girl threw herself into Ya Li's arms with a beaming smile. Her face was fair, like that of an unreal doll, and her violet eyes resembled violets.

"Na'er, stop fooling around." Ya Li remained as gentle as ever, stroking Na'er's hair. "You'll be seeing your brother soon."

"Brother?" Na'er's body trembled. Fragments of past memories resurfaced in her mind, and tears seemed ready to fall from the corners of her eyes, only to be suppressed in an instant.

"Yes! Your brother. He has a great talent for forging. Over the past three years, he's cultivated diligently and rarely came to see me. Brother Yun told me that his three-year cultivation plan has ended, so I brought you here today to properly meet him. I also happen to have some questions for that brat." Ya Li spoke softly, placing extra emphasis on how rarely he had come to see her, as though she was somewhat dissatisfied.

Forging...

A figure suddenly flashed through Na'er's mind. It was that figure who had saved her without regard for his own safety when she was in danger. It was that figure—a boy who should have lived a carefree childhood, yet had chosen forging because of her and his parents...

"Brother..." Na'er's voice was low.

"Eh? Na'er? What did you say?" Ya Li asked doubtfully. She seemed to have heard a faint sound.

"N-No, nothing."

"Uncle Yun!" Gu You called out. He had grown used to calling Ya Li his godmother, but he still often couldn't change how he addressed Yun Ming. Perhaps it was because Ya Li was more approachable, while Yun Ming seemed somewhat stern.

"You're here. Why are your clothes so wet?" Yun Ming did not care about the form of address.

"Uh, something happened on the way. I fell into a lake," Gu You said awkwardly. He did not dare explain what had happened.

"You can Spirit Forge now?"

"I've roughly grasped it, but it's still not enough. If my Soul Power were more abundant, I should have a fifty percent chance."

Yun Ming nodded.

"Wuyu must have told you everything already. What do you think?"

"I'll go! No matter what, this will be a trial."

Gu You answered firmly.

Yun Ming felt gratified. A ball of gentle Soul Power flickered into existence in his right hand, then gradually dissipated. Three small objects appeared before Gu You.

"There is a gift from me inside. It isn't anything special, child, so don't mind it."

The first object flew out.

"This is the Blacksmith Emblem Feng Wuyu personally made for you. It has already been registered in the Federation's blacksmith records. You are also the first person in history to possess a four-and-a-half-star emblem."

The second object flew out.

"This is a Soul Guide Connector. It is linked to your Soul Power. If you encounter danger during this journey and the Soul Power within your body undergoes a drastic, unusual fluctuation, I will sense it. Feng Wuyu will as well. We will rush over to support you immediately. Remember! Do not sink into despair."

The third object flew out.

"This is my gift to you. I know there is still a slight distance between us, but that doesn't matter. No matter what, as your godfather in name, I should at least give you a gift. This ring-shaped Storage Soul Device can store one thousand cubic meters of nonliving objects. If there is anything you cannot carry later, just inject Soul Power into it. You can also buy a Milk Bottle Soul Tool and connect it to this. Then you can activate it without using Soul Power."

Yun Ming's voice was cool and clear, yet it pierced deeply into Gu You's heart.

It made him feel the greatest warmth he had known besides that of his grandmother and his teacher, Ya Li.

"Thank you!!" Several tears fell from the corners of Gu You's eyes. Even though he knew that, without talent, he would not have experienced any of this, he was still deeply grateful. Perhaps he was simply too easily satisfied.

"A man should stand tall and firm! Don't go crying all day." Yun Ming stepped closer and wiped away Gu You's tears with both hands.

"Mm!" Gu You nodded lightly.

"Oh, before that, let me ask you one more question. Are you willing to join the Tang Sect? You must have heard quite a few stories about the Tang Sect, but if you don't want to, just say so. You don't need to worry about my feelings." Yun Ming knew that Leng Yaozhu was Gu You's master, and joining the Tang Sect might not be beneficial to the Tang Sect. But after three years together, he knew what kind of child Gu You was, so he naturally no longer had such concerns. Moreover, Gu You's Spiritual Power was extremely high, and the Tang Sect's Purple Gold Demonic Eyes suited him perfectly.

"I have indeed heard quite a bit. After all, who hasn't? But... forget it. I want to..."

Gu You opened his heart and said many things, and the trust between the two of them gradually deepened.

"It is good to have aspirations. So after you become Zhen Hua's disciple, you plan to develop in Eastsea City, learn some basic knowledge at a Soul Master Academy there, and rely on your own ability to gain admission to Shrek." Yun Ming's heart was far from calm. This brat planned to establish his own faction—he really did have some imagination.

"That's right. If I'm going to undergo trials, I'll see them through to the end. I don't plan to enroll at Shrek for now. I'll study some basic knowledge at Eastsea Academy, make some friends there as well, and leave the Federation's inquiries to you." Gu You smiled.

"Got it, brat." Yun Ming sighed softly.

"Since you have chosen your own path, I have nothing more to say. No matter how many difficulties you encounter on the road ahead, you must not retreat. Remember that well."

Yun Ming vanished, leaving only Gu You behind...

"Ahh..." Gu You let out a long breath.

"Gu'er!" Before Gu You could catch his breath again, another voice forced it back down his throat.

"G-Godmother! Why are you here?"

Gu You turned around and froze. The midday sunlight shone upon a dark green skirt. A little girl timidly clutched a corner of Ya Li's dress with both hands, revealing only half her face and a pair of eyes like violets.

"If I hadn't come, would you have forgotten that you still had a godmother?!" Ya Li snorted coldly.

"Ah!"

For a moment, Gu You did not know how to answer. His mind instantly crashed.

Though Ya Li was somewhat unhappy, she still crouched down and said to Na'er, "This is that disappointing brother of yours."

Na'er shook her head in confusion. Over the past few days, Ya Li had praised the boy before her countless times, so why had her words changed the moment they met?

"Brother? Ah! Godmother, where did you find me another little sister?" Gu You pretended to be confused. He had to put on this act. Sure enough, his appearance still could not stop the course of events. Ya Li becoming Na'er's master's wife was inevitable.

"Hehe! Take a guess." Ya Li smiled mysteriously.

Seeing Ya Li smile made Gu You very happy. During the three years they had spent together, he had truly rarely seen the Holy Spirit Douluo genuinely smile.

"Call me Brother!" Gu You suddenly ran up to Na'er and teased her.

Na'er fearfully hid away. Seeing this, Ya Li lightly flicked Gu You on the head, then held her hands behind her back protectively in front of Na'er.

"Ow!"

Even though she had not used much force, it still left a red mark.