"Young Master Gu Tian!"
Just then, a crisp female voice rang out in the distance.
A young girl stood there, with a curvy figure, waist-length black hair, and a cool, distant expression.
"Lu'er!"
When Gu Tian saw her, a smile appeared on his face.
The girl was no ordinary person. Even in the Original Work, she was a named character.
She was Zhu Lu, daughter of the Zhu Family, the family of the Hell Spirit Cat.
After seeing the Sky Curtain in the heavens and realizing what the Star Luo Empire's royal family intended, the Zhu Family had shamelessly sent Zhu Lu to Gu Tian's side, even though she had originally been meant to marry Dai Huabin.
Their excuse was that Gu Tian lacked a trustworthy maid, and Zhu Lu was suitable in both age and talent.
Xu Jiawei had taken a wait-and-see approach to the matter.
Over the past few decades, the Dai Family and the Zhu Family had indeed grown a little too close. Splitting them apart while he had the chance could only benefit him.
As for Gu Tian, he welcomed anyone who came his way. Why turn down a Fat Sheep delivered right to his door?
After all, Zhu Lu was one of the few beauties in the Original Work, and in the future her figure would be as striking as that of her ancestor, Zhu Zhuqing.
"Young Master Gu Tian, it's time to eat."
The little girl Zhu Lu spoke timidly.
"Let's go."
Gu Tian nodded slightly, came over to Zhu Lu, and patted her little head. "I've told you, you don't need to be so nervous. I'm not going to eat you."
"Yes," Zhu Lu replied softly, nodding.
"Forget it."
Gu Tian sighed helplessly.
It wasn't that Gu Tian had done anything bad to little Zhu Lu.
It was simply that the future Gu Tian on the Sky Curtain had been so terrifyingly imposing that he had left a deep shadow in the young Zhu Lu's heart.
Even now, she still hadn't recovered. Whenever she saw Gu Tian, she instinctively felt afraid.
In fact, it wasn't just Zhu Lu. Quite a few ordinary people, and even Soul Masters with average willpower, were the same.
"Young Master Gu Tian... I... I don't mean to be like this. It's just that when I see you, I instinctively..."
Seeing this, Zhu Lu tried to explain in a timid voice.
"I'm not angry. You'll get used to it in time."
Gu Tian was taken aback, then smiled nonchalantly.
"Mm." Zhu Lu nodded slightly.
"Let's go. We shouldn't keep everyone waiting!"
Faced with Zhu Lu's adorable appearance, Gu Tian couldn't help smiling. Even his complicated feelings eased a little.
As she watched Gu Tian walk away, Zhu Lu's usually cool, pretty face blossomed into an incomparably beautiful smile.
Sadly, no one saw this rare sight.
"Lu'er, stop standing there and come on!"
Gu Tian turned and waved to Zhu Lu.
"..."
Zhu Lu's face returned to its usual expressionless state, and she hurried after him.
At that moment, Xu Jiawei's entire family had gathered in a great hall in the Star Luo Imperial Palace, specially set aside for meals.
"Xiao Tian."
Xu Jiawei smiled warmly and nodded to Gu Tian.
Over the past half month, Xu Jiawei had taken quite a few steps to maintain a good relationship with Gu Tian and strengthen his sense of belonging to the Star Luo Empire.
Otherwise, the Star Luo Empire had so many affairs to deal with. How could an emperor as diligent as Xu Jiawei find the time to have dinner with his family every day?
"Elder Brother." Gu Tian gave a slight bow.
He addressed Xu Jiawei quite differently now, in a noticeably more familiar way.
That was the result of Xu Jiawei's efforts over the past half month.
Gu Tian was naturally well aware of it.
Still, he had chosen to go along with it.
"Someone certainly thinks a lot of himself!"
Xu Yun glanced at Gu Tian in displeasure and said sarcastically, "Making all of us wait for one person."
"Then how long did you wait for me, Miss Xu Yun?" Gu Tian asked casually.
Gu Tian had long since grown used to Xu Yun finding fault with him at every turn.
If it had been anyone else, Gu Tian wouldn't have let her get away with it. But Xu Yun was not only his little sister-in-law, she was also an adorable little girl.
People said that your values followed your looks. That really wasn't wrong.
Even when little Xu Yun picked a fight for no reason, it was impossible to feel any resentment toward her.
As for why Xu Yun disliked Gu Tian so much, the reason was rather amusing: she thought he was a shameless womanizer who had let her sister Xu Jiujiu down.
The people present could only look on helplessly.
For the past half month, the two of them had been bickering like this.
At first, everyone had tried to stop them. By now, they had gradually gotten used to it.
"Yun'er!" Xu Jiawei snapped.
Xu Yun shrank her neck and pouted, but said no more.
Of everyone there, the person she feared most—aside from her late father—was her elder brother, Xu Jiawei.
The servants brought out dish after dish from the kitchen.
Xu Jiawei picked up his chopsticks first.
Everyone else began eating as well.
No talking while eating, no talking while resting.
Though that saying didn't exist in this world, everyone grew exceptionally quiet at mealtimes, especially those with status and standing.
"Xiao Tian, how has your cultivation been going lately?" Xu Jiawei asked Gu Tian with a smile after dinner.
"Elder Brother, I've already reached level 28. I'll probably break through to level 30 in less than a week."
Gu Tian answered without hiding anything.
After all, the Sky Curtain had already revealed his future.
No matter how outrageous it sounded, they would consider it perfectly normal.
At this point, pretending to be weak and biding his time would be downright idiotic.
He might as well lay everything out in the open and increase his own value.
Xu Jiawei sucked in a sharp breath.
Less than a month after awakening his martial soul, Gu Tian was about to reach level 30 and become a Soul Elder.
Even Xu Jiawei, emperor of the Star Luo Empire, had never heard of anything so outrageous.
But when he thought of Gu Tian's many unbelievable achievements in the future, his Innate Soul Power of level 20, and his heaven-defying martial soul, Xu Jiawei somehow found it perfectly reasonable.
"A six-year-old Soul Elder? Even Sea God Tang San from ten thousand years ago probably couldn't compare!" the Star Luo Empress blurted out in astonishment.
"Elder Sister-in-law, why say 'probably'? Though I hate to admit it, that man definitely couldn't compare to him!"
Xu Yun pouted cutely, sticking up for Gu Tian.
"Yun'er, mind your words! And you too, Empress!"
Xu Jiawei's expression changed, and he scolded them.
Although the Sky Curtain had revealed Tang San's plan spanning ten thousand years, they still didn't know what it was for. But it certainly couldn't be anything good.
And to the people of the Star Luo Empire, the famed Sea God Tang San was obviously their enemy.
After all, the future emperor of their empire had ruined a plan the other man had spent ten thousand years preparing.
No ordinary person would let that go, let alone a god who stood above the world.
Besides, the people of the Star Luo Empire had never been particularly fond of Sea God Tang San—or, for that matter, the First Generation Shrek Seven Devils, who had become gods.
Otherwise, the Xu Family's seizure of the throne from the Dai Family would not have passed so peacefully.
As a result, the Star Luo Empire had the fewest followers of Sea God anywhere on Douluo Continent, aside from the Sun Moon Empire.
That was why the Star Luo Empire held its current attitude toward Sea God Tang San.
Still, Tang San was a god who stood high above them. Though he hadn't made any moves for reasons unknown, nobody knew what methods he might have.
So if they could avoid mentioning him, they should.
That was why Xu Jiawei had scolded Xu Yun and the Star Luo Empress.
"Elder Brother, there's no need to be so alarmed. Gods aren't as powerful as you imagine."
"And a day in the heavens is a year on earth. Since there hasn't been the slightest movement from them even now..."
Gu Tian smiled reassuringly at Xu Jiawei. "That means they won't make a move for quite some time."
"A day in the heavens is a year on earth."
Xu Jiawei's face brightened with understanding. As sharp as ever, he quickly understood what Gu Tian meant, then pretended to be surprised. "I had no idea that saying was actually true."
The others looked puzzled. How come they had never heard of that saying?
Only Xu Jiujiu's beautiful eyes showed a thoughtful glint.
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