"Little Friend Gu Yue, welcome to the Sun Moon Empire, and welcome to the Hongchen Family."
Jing Hongchen spoke first, his smile warm and sincere, as though he were looking at a rare treasure. "I've been waiting and waiting for you to arrive. At long last, you're here."
"You're too kind, Hall Master Jing."
Gu Yuejin cupped his hands slightly, neither humble nor arrogant. "Since I gave my word, I naturally wouldn't go back on it."
Both men were shrewd, so they skipped the pleasantries and got straight to the point.
"To be frank, Little Friend Gu Yue, you've arrived at just the right time."
Jing Hongchen showed Gu Yuejin to a seat and personally poured him a cup of tea. Fragrant steam curled from the cup; it was clearly a premium blend.
"The academy has been pushing through reforms lately. As you know, although our Sun Moon Empire is ahead in Soul Tools, we've always lagged behind the original Three Kingdoms in martial soul cultivation, especially Shrek Academy."
"I've long wanted to add courses to our existing curriculum on the advanced development of martial souls and their practical application, so we can make up for this weakness."
"Now that you're here, Little Friend Gu Yue, I have a favor to ask. I'd like you to take charge of this new course and oversee practical martial soul training. What do you think?"
Gu Yuejin heard him out, a hint of understanding flashing through his eyes.
That sly old fox had certainly planned this well.
He'd tied Gu Yuejin to the academy's interests while making use of his experience to improve the students' combat skills. Two birds with one stone.
Still, it suited Gu Yuejin just fine.
Being an ordinary teacher would be dull. If he was going to teach, he might as well be a special professor with a say in things. That would make his future plans easier to carry out.
"Since Hall Master Jing trusts me so much, I'll certainly do my best."
Gu Yuejin lifted his teacup and took a small sip, his expression calm. "After all, I've taken your money, so I'll do the job. Besides, the terms you've offered are hard to refuse."
Seeing how readily Gu Yuejin had agreed, Jing Hongchen grinned from ear to ear.
"That's wonderful! With Brother Gu Yue here, Combat Class will be incredibly fun!"
Meng Hongchen couldn't help chiming in. Her big eyes were fixed on Gu Yuejin as if she were trying to see right through him. She even took the liberty of scooting her chair closer to his.
"Brother Gu Yue, will you teach me too?"
"Dream! Don't be rude."
Jing Hongchen scolded her, but his tone was full of indulgence.
"By the way, Brother Gu Yue, I didn't get a chance to ask you properly last time, when we were in the Extreme North."
Meng Hongchen blinked, brimming with curiosity and utterly ignoring her grandfather's warning look. "What level are you, exactly?"
"When I saw you take down that Magic Ice Flood Dragon so easily, I thought you had to be at least... a Soul King?"
At the question, Xiao Hongchen, who had been sitting off to the side with a sour expression as though someone owed him millions of Gold Soul Coins, quietly perked up his ears.
He'd been curious too.
Back in the Extreme North, Gu Yuejin hadn't revealed his Soul Rings, but his bearing had been nothing like that of an ordinary Soul King.
"A Soul King?"
Jing Hongchen rubbed his chin, silently weighing the possibilities.
Given that Gu Yuejin was under twenty, being a Soul King would make him a top-tier genius even in the Sun Moon Empire.
But considering he was a Traditional Soul Master from the original Three Kingdoms, perhaps he was even stronger?
"Could you be... a Soul Emperor?"
Jing Hongchen asked tentatively, a glimmer of hope in his eyes.
An eighteen-year-old Soul Emperor would be on the level of a core disciple of Shrek's Inner Court. He'd be worth every resource Jing Hongchen could spare to win him over.
Gu Yuejin shook his head.
He set down his teacup, his expression serene, as though he were speaking of something trivial.
"I'm not a Soul Emperor."
"I'm only a Soul Sage."
The air fell silent.
Dead silent.
"Pfft—!!!"
The exquisite tea Jing Hongchen had just sipped sprayed straight out of his mouth, turning into a cloud of mist. Fortunately, he caught it with his Soul Power in time, preventing it from hitting Gu Yuejin across the table.
"What?!"
The Hall Master of Mingde Hall had weathered countless storms and never lost his composure, even when Mount Tai crumbled before him. Now, his eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets, and his voice broke as he completely lost his composure.
"A Soul... Soul Sage?!"
He wasn't the only one. Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen were both utterly dumbfounded.
Meng Hongchen covered her mouth, looking at Gu Yuejin with something beyond admiration. She was practically looking at a god.
A Soul Sage at that age?!
Was he even human?!
This was the sort of thing that only happened in legends!
"That's impossible!"
Xiao Hongchen, who had always carried himself with an air of cool superiority and prided himself on being the greatest genius in the Sun Moon Empire, finally lost his composure.
He sprang to his feet, flipping his chair over in the process.
He strode forward and fixed his eyes on Gu Yuejin, disbelief, shock, and deep resentment filling his heterochromatic eyes.
"How old are you? You don't look much older than me! How could you possibly be a Soul Sage?"
"Even that so-called Sea God Pavilion at Shrek has never had a monster this ridiculous!"
"I don't believe it! I'm the most talented person in the history of the Sun Moon Empire, and I'm not even a Soul King yet. How could you possibly..."
"Did you use some kind of illusion, or some evil technique that burns up your life force?!"
Xiao Hongchen had been proud his whole life.
He'd always believed he was heaven's favored child. He didn't even take people from Shrek seriously.
But today, someone his age had suddenly told him that he wasn't merely stronger than Xiao Hongchen—he was overwhelmingly stronger. How could he accept that?
It was like grinding his pride into the dirt!
"Xiao! Enough!"
Jing Hongchen barked, cutting his grandson off.
He knew his grandson's arrogance all too well. But in the face of overwhelming strength, doubt only made him look ignorant and ridiculous.
He took a deep breath and looked into Gu Yuejin's calm, golden eyes.
There was not a hint of guilt in them, only the serenity of someone who had grown bored of being invincible.
He believed Gu Yuejin wasn't lying.
"A monster... A true monster."
Jing Hongchen murmured to himself, his estimation of Gu Yuejin shooting up by tenfold in an instant.
If he'd previously been trying to win over a genius, now he was all but worshipping a future Limit Douluo!
He'd struck gold!
He'd really struck gold!
Meanwhile, Huo Yuhao watched the grandfather and his grandchildren react, secretly delighted.
He grumbled to himself:
"Hmph, that's all it takes to stun you?"
"If you knew Master's Soul Ring configuration was one yellow, two purple, three black, and one red—with a hundred-thousand-year seventh ring—you'd pass out on the spot!"
"Master's so modest."
"Wow! Brother Gu Yue, you're amazing! I want to marry—"
Meng Hongchen was so excited that she tried to rush over and grab Gu Yuejin's arm, nearly pressing herself against him.
But a hand caught her firmly by the back of her collar.
"Show some restraint!"
Xiao Hongchen scowled and held his sister back, guarding her from Gu Yuejin like he was protecting her from a thief.
He might have been put in his place, but he absolutely wasn't about to let his family's precious cabbage throw herself at Gu Yuejin!
"Xiao Hongchen, let go of me! I want to ask Brother Gu Yue about cultivation!"
"Ask him about cultivation, my foot! Is that really what you're after? I won't even bother calling you out on it!"
Gu Yuejin watched their "close sibling bond" and raised an eyebrow, amused.
So the kid really was a sister-obsessed fool.
Tsk. The orthopedic ward in Germany welcomes you.
"Ahem. Please forgive my family, Little Friend Gu Yue."
Jing Hongchen coughed awkwardly a couple of times and composed himself. His smile grew even brighter, almost ingratiating.
"Little Friend Gu Yue, you've only just arrived and don't have anywhere to stay yet."
"Why not stay at my place for now?"
"This estate is spacious, with plenty of empty courtyards. It's quiet, too, and would make it convenient for you and Meng'er to... Ahem, I mean, for all of us to talk."
"Wouldn't that be a bit much?"
Gu Yuejin pretended to hesitate.
"What's the problem? Just stay here, Brother Gu Yue!"
Taking advantage of Xiao Hongchen's momentary distraction, Meng Hongchen wriggled free again and jumped in to help. "I'll take you to pick the best courtyard! One right next to mine! I can bring you a late-night snack, too!"
"Meng! Hong! Chen! Have you no shame?" Xiao Hongchen fumed.
"Then I'll accept your kind offer."
After a bit of "polite refusal," Gu Yuejin readily agreed.
After all, staying here would not only give him excellent accommodations, but also make it easier to get in touch with Mingde Hall's inner secrets.
"By the way, Hall Master Jing."
Gu Yuejin pointed to Huo Yuhao, who had been quietly sitting there like a piece of background scenery.
"I'll have to trouble you with my apprentice's enrollment, too."
"No problem at all!"
Jing Hongchen waved his hand grandly.
"I'll have someone arrange it tomorrow. He'll go straight into the best class and receive the treatment of a core disciple!"
As if he'd do otherwise! This was the apprentice of a young Soul Sage. Even if the boy were a pig, Jing Hongchen would have to treat him like a golden pig and keep him well fed!
Besides, if a monster like that had accepted the boy as his apprentice, the kid had to have something special about him.
Before you continue