Departure at Last

Xin Ya stared at Gu You, who was meditating, as if he were a monster. He had only explained the basics and necessity of meditation, and he had already learned it?

Gu You felt extremely comfortable. Soul Power from heaven and earth flowed into his body, continuously nourishing it. Though the growth was slow, he firmly believed that he would definitely become a Soul Grandmaster within two years.

He did not slowly open his eyes until dawn. When he checked the time, he could not help but be startled. His stomach growled incessantly in protest.

"Hey, wake up." Gu You poked Xin Ya, who was sound asleep on the medical bed.

"Who!" Woken up by someone, Xin Ya was somewhat annoyed, but when he saw it was Gu You, he immediately swallowed his temper.

"Can we go back now? I'm healed. I know you're worried, but aren't you still following me? You can teach me some Martial Soul knowledge on the way. I got too absorbed in cultivation just now and nearly forgot about it." Gu You pondered. Shrek probably would not even bother teaching these basic things, and he was rather curious. After all, a spot at the continent's number one academy was extremely difficult to obtain. Even a council member would find it hard to secure one, right?

But then Gu You shook his head. The benefits were his anyway, so why think so much about it?

"You're really healed?" Xin Ya scrutinized him. Gu You promptly twisted his body around to show that he was completely fine.

"Fine." Only then did Xin Ya nod. He called over a doctor for another examination before finally taking Gu You away with peace of mind.

"As everyone knows, Martial Souls in our world come in many types. The main categories are Weapon Martial Souls and Beast Martial Souls, while some are Mutated Martial Souls. Those manifested through life force are called Beast Martial Souls, while those not manifested through life force are—"

"Stop... stop first. My head hurts." Gu You rubbed his head a few times, interrupting Xin Ya's impassioned lecture. He did know these things, but there really was a lot to cover if explained in detail.

Xin Ya was somewhat baffled. You were the one who asked me to explain, so why are you stopping me now?

By the roadside, Gu You stuffed grilled skewers into his mouth. Xin Ya's face was full of helplessness. Just from all this stopping, walking, and eating along the way, an entire month of his food money was gone. But when he thought of the important figure behind Gu You, he immediately felt that it was all worth it.

"You said I have Innate Full Soul Power. That means I should be able to absorb my first Soul Ring now, right?" Gu You asked after finishing a skewer.

"Of course, you can indeed absorb one. However, Tianhai Spirit Controlling Tower has very few types of Soul Spirits, let alone one suitable for your dragon-type attribute. I suggest you go to Shrek City and choose one at the Spirit Pagoda headquarters there. By then, you won't need to worry about money. Talents like you generally get them for free. Even if it isn't free, the government will pay out of pocket." Xin Ya explained, then called over a Soul Guidance Automobile.

Gu You fell silent. It did make sense. He then got into the car and headed straight for Tianhai Orphanage.

"Grandma, don't worry. There was only a small problem with Gu You's Martial Soul awakening. Besides, Lord Soul Elder is still there." Shen Yue gently combed through Grandma's hair. Grandma had once been the orphanage director, but now that she was old, it was time for Shen Yue to inherit the role.

I'm back.

Gu You let out a long breath, but when he thought that he would soon be leaving again for the holy land of all Soul Masters, an indescribable feeling inevitably rose within him.

"What are you thinking about?" Xin Ya looked at him.

"Nothing. Let's go in. There are some things I won't be able to explain later, so I'm counting on you." Gu You narrowed his eyes and walked inside.

In the courtyard, when the children saw that familiar figure, they no longer had any mood to play. Instead, they looked at Gu You in fear.

Gu You wanted to explain when he saw this, but after thinking about it, he said nothing. What could a bunch of children understand?

He returned to the home where he had lived for six years. It was very ordinary; truthfully, the conditions were quite poor. Many people lived together. Though there were many beds inside, the space was extremely cramped.

Gu You lay flat on the bed that belonged solely to him, excitement gradually rising in his heart. If anyone said Gu You had no ambition, they would be wrong. Who would not want to stand at the peak of the continent? But when he thought about possibly facing Tang Wulin, the protagonist, he could not help feeling a trace of melancholy. They should be the same age now. A faint, inexplicable sense of connection.

"What! Innate Full Soul Power, direct admission to Shrek?" Shen Yue felt dizzy for a moment. Her tiny orphanage had actually produced such a genius.

"Yes." Xin Ya spoke in a low voice. As if he had made up his mind, he added, "You and he are ultimately not on the same path."

Though Shen Yue's eyes reddened slightly, she was even happier. "We can at least see him one last time, right?"

Xin Ya nodded.

The night passed without a word. Gu You stretched lazily, and bright sunlight shone outside the window. He had not cultivated last night; instead, he had gotten a good night's sleep.

What reassured him, however, was that the children had not become so afraid of him that they did not dare return to the "home" where they had lived for six years.

After stepping outside and seeing Xin Ya, Gu You greeted him.

"You..." He was about to say something, but stopped. Two familiar figures appeared in his sight behind Xin Ya.

"G-Grandma?" Gu You froze in place.

She narrowed her eyes slightly from her wheelchair.

"I already know about you..." Shen Yue's voice trembled faintly. To say she felt nothing after raising him for six years would be absurd.

Gu You was stunned, as though some kind of barrier had formed between them.

"I..." He wanted to say something, but no words would come out.

She said nothing...