The Infatuated Xiaomeng, Future Plans

"My name is Gu Yuejin, and this is my... well, let's call him my disciple, Huo Yuhao."

Gu Yuejin returned a polite and charming smile, then, as if suddenly remembering something, turned and walked toward a pile of snow not far away.

Under Meng Hongchen's puzzled gaze, he reached out and, like pulling a radish, "dug" a stiff, frost-covered youth out of the snowdrift.

"Pfft—"

Huo Yuhao spat out a mouthful of snow mixed with ice shards, shivering like a sieve, and looked at his Master with a resentful expression.

"Ma... Master, if you had remembered me any later, your disciple would have truly turned into an ice sculpture..."

Just a moment ago, he had been following right behind Gu Yuejin, but when a fight suddenly broke out up ahead, he hadn't been paying attention and got caught in the crossfire, ending up buried in the snow.

If he hadn't already fused with the Ice Empress and Snow Empress, he might have been done for.

Sigh.

He was physically and mentally exhausted.

"Ahem, this is called 'Extreme Environment Tolerance Training'."

Gu Yuejin spouted nonsense with a straight face, feeling absolutely no guilt about using his disciple as a tool, and casually patted the snow off Huo Yuhao's head. "Young people need to endure some hardship; it's good for your health."

"Disciple?"

Meng Hongchen widened her wine-red eyes, her small mouth slightly agape, her gaze darting back and forth between Gu Yuejin and Huo Yuhao.

"But... Brother Gu Yue, you only look about eighteen or nineteen, right?"

"Taking on a disciple at this age? That's just too..."

Too absurd.

In the world of Soul Masters, eighteen is the golden age for cultivation, where one wishes they could split every minute in two just for meditation.

Who would have the spare time to drag around a burden of a disciple?

Unless it was one of those old monsters who had already reached a bottleneck, or was so powerful that they no longer needed to go into seclusion.

But Gu Yuejin clearly didn't belong to the latter, and as for the former... how could someone so young have a bottleneck?

Gu Yuejin saw her confusion but offered no explanation.

He knew very well that without his golden finger, even with Innate Full Soul Power, he would only level up by about three ranks a year at most, and it would only get slower from there.

To cultivate to the level of a Titled Douluo, following the standard path would take at least another eight to ten years of grinding.

Such a sluggish pace clearly didn't fit the status of a transmigrator like him.

To accelerate his progress, aside from his golden finger, the only other option was to rely on a divine inheritance.

But the God Realm in the second era of Douluo... those who know, know.

That so-called "divine position" of the Sea God was nothing more than a back door left for the Tang Family's own kin; for an outsider like him, there was simply no chance.

Moreover, he had no interest in the feeling of being treated like a marionette.

Therefore, training a disciple to grind out quests was the fastest and most reliable shortcut to leveling up.

"I just find the kid agreeable, so I'm bringing him along for the ride."

Gu Yuejin casually fabricated a reason. "Coming to the Extreme North this time is primarily to hunt his second soul ring."

"Second soul ring?"

Meng Hongchen's gaze fell upon Huo Yuhao once again, carrying a hint of scrutiny.

Although the boy looked a bit disheveled from the cold and sported two dark circles under his eyes, his features were refined and handsome, and his eyes revealed a tenacity that belied his age.

While he was a billion points shy of the heaven-defying handsomeness of Big Brother Gu Yue, he could still be considered a little heartthrob.

"He looks only eleven or twelve, yet he's already a Soul Grand Master?"

Meng Hongchen sensed the fluctuations of soul power on Huo Yuhao and felt a secret shock, nodding to herself.

"This talent is indeed quite good; he would be a top student even at our academy. If nurtured properly, he'll be at least a Soul Douluo in the future."

"Hello there, little brother."

Meng Hongchen greeted him with a smile. Although she was speaking to Huo Yuhao, her eyes kept drifting toward Gu Yuejin, whether intentionally or not.

Huo Yuhao: "..."

He keenly sensed the temperature difference in this beautiful older sister's attitude toward him versus his master, and could only squeeze out an awkward yet polite smile: "H-hello, big sister."

After a few moments of idle chatter, Gu Yuejin calmly steered the conversation toward Meng Hongchen.

"Speaking of which, Miss Meng."

"This Extreme North is fraught with danger, especially in the mixed zone, where even Ten Thousand Year Soul Beasts can be seen everywhere."

"As a Soul Grand Master, how did you end up here all by yourself? Where are your elders?"

At the mention of this, the small face that had been somewhat shy suddenly showed a flash of terror and lingering fear, and even her infatuated gaze cleared up significantly.

"Actually... I came here with my grandfather."

"We were originally just wandering around the outer perimeter to help me scout for a soul ring, but I didn't expect our luck to be so bad that we ran into a terrifying soul beast."

Meng Hongchen took a deep breath, seemingly trying to calm her nerves.

"That was a massive white bear, radiating a pressure comparable to a Titled Douluo. It was like a moving snow-capped mountain!"

"The hundred-thousand-year Ice Bear King, Xiao Bai!"

Gu Yuejin's heart stirred. He instantly guessed the creature's identity and exchanged a glance with Huo Yuhao. It seemed Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had also told him about Xiao Bai, as both of them saw a strange look in the other's eyes.

"That bear is absolutely insane!"

Meng Hongchen patted her chest, still shaken. "The moment it saw us, its eyes turned red. It kept shouting nonsensical things like 'Damned humans,' 'What did you do to the Snow Empress,' and 'Give her back to me, give me back my godmother.'"

"It attacked without a word. The scene was truly earth-shattering."

"To protect me, my grandfather had to engage it in battle, and he used a Flight Soul Tool to send me over here while he had the chance."

"I originally intended to hide here, but then I discovered this Magic Ice Flood Dragon. I thought its soul ring would be perfect for me, so I..."

Gu Yuejin already knew the rest.

So that was it.

Gu Yuejin understood, a faint, imperceptible arc forming at the corner of his mouth.

It seemed that because the Snow Empress had been fused with Huo Yuhao, the aura that originally belonged to the ruler of the Far North had vanished completely.

That loyal Ice Bear King, who treated the Snow Empress like a mother, must have assumed she had fallen victim to human cruelty, which was why it had gone berserk.

In a sense, this blame had to fall on his own shoulders.

However, for Gu Yuejin, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

The goal of his trip had essentially been achieved; he had already secured the Snow Empress and Tian Meng. All that remained was the Ice Empress, who was still being difficult.

As for how to proceed from here, he had already mapped it out.

Shrek Academy?

He had no interest in a place reeking of double standards and rotting, archaic traditions.

Furthermore, he still had to complete his "Contrast Mission." Sending Huo Yuhao to Shrek Academy would be asking for trouble; it would be like handing a meal to the Tang Great God King.

As for the Body Sect?

Although Body Martial Souls were their trademark, aside from the inherited Seed of the Body, that sect had nothing worth him coveting.

Besides, most of those people weren't very bright. They acted like lunatics, either fighting or on their way to a fight. It wasn't suitable for a "civilized person" like him.

By comparison, the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy was undoubtedly the best choice.

First, joining the Sun Moon Empire naturally deviates from the original plot, which is an absolute massive boost to the mission completion rate.

Second, the high-end, cutting-edge Soul Tool Technology mastered by Mingde Hall holds an irresistible attraction for him—an ambitious youth from the twenty-first century deeply influenced by technological civilization.

Who could resist the temptation of piloting a Gundam or launching a nuclear bomb?

Since that is the case, the precious granddaughter of the Mingde Hall Master standing before him is the best possible ticket.

"Since your grandfather is being held up by the Ice Bear King, I'm afraid he won't be able to get away for a while."

Gu Yuejin looked at Meng Hongchen, his tone gentle and reliable, his golden eyes seemingly brimming with starlight.

"This place is too dangerous. If you stay here alone, I'm afraid you won't last until he returns."

"Why not... come with us?"

Hearing this, Meng Hongchen felt her heart skip a beat; the happiness had come too suddenly.

"Okay! I'll go with you!"

She blurted it out almost instantly, fearing that Gu Yuejin might change his mind.

As for her grandfather?

Oh well, her grandfather is a Titled Douluo and a Rank 9 Soul Master; he will definitely be fine.

Besides, she was certain her grandfather would be delighted that she had found such a grandson-in-law for him.