Entering Spirit Hall, Feelings Change

Not long after Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling left, the bell above the shop door rang sharply again.

Lu Yan looked up.

A figure shrouded from head to toe in a voluminous black robe stepped silently into the shop.

Lu Yan instinctively activated his Purple Demon Eyes, but his Spiritual Power vanished like a stone sinking into the sea. The black-robed person's aura was obscure and impossible to discern, like a walking mass of fog.

Impossible to gauge, impossible to see through.

"Apologies, but this shop does not receive guests above the Soul Elder rank for the time being." Lu Yan remained outwardly composed, though his heart was on guard.

"I do not dream." A deep voice came from beneath the black robe, carrying a hint of cold indifference from one looking down on others.

With his cultivation, he could personally attain ninety-nine percent of the desires in this world. Why would he need to place his hopes in an illusory dream?

"Then why have you come?"

The black-robed man did not answer. He merely flicked his sleeve lightly.

Bang!

An invisible wave of Soul Power rippled outward, and the shop door slammed shut, completely cutting off the light outside.

Though lamps still lit the shop, the atmosphere instantly became stifling and oppressive.

Lu Yan's gaze sharpened as Soul Power quietly circulated through his body. "What exactly do you intend to do?"

"Lu Yan," the black-robed man said bluntly, "are you willing to join my Spirit Hall?"

Spirit Hall?

Lu Yan was slightly taken aback.

He had assumed he had provoked some powerful enemy. He had not expected this to be a recruitment attempt.

They should be Qian Renxue's people.

That was what Lu Yan thought.

Still, they had come rather late. It had already been over half a month since their first meeting.

"Fine, I'll join."

Lu Yan's reply was crisp and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.

This instead left the black-robed man stunned.

The records showed that Lu Yan had rejected Spirit Hall's recruitment when his martial soul awakened at the age of six. Why was he agreeing so readily now?

"...You really agree?" the black-robed man could not help but confirm.

"Of course." The corners of Lu Yan's lips curved up before his tone shifted. "But for a genius like me, who became a Soul Grandmaster at eight years old, it isn't excessive to ask for some cultivation resources, is it?"

The black-robed man understood at once. So this was what he had been waiting for. "Tell me."

"One hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins, three Spirit Grasses that enhance Spiritual Power, and ten pieces of rare ore.

That price matches my talent, doesn't it?"

Lu Yan smiled.

The black-robed man was just about to speak—

"You want resources? Fine."

A cool and noble voice sounded from the entrance.

The tightly shut shop door was pushed open once more. Against the backlight, an incomparably beautiful figure slowly entered.

"Then show your value." Her golden hair fell over her shoulders, and a long golden dress outlined her perfect figure. Sunlight spilled over her, seeming to coat her in a layer of sacred radiance, like an Angel descending into the mortal world.

"You are participating in the Soul Fighting Competition. Obtain a Gold Soul Fighting Badge within one year.

When the time comes, I will give you double what you asked for."

Snake Lance Douluo bowed slightly at her side, his attitude respectful.

Lu Yan gazed at the noble and holy Qian Renxue and said seriously,

"It's a deal."

"It's a deal."

From then on, Lu Yan's path of advancement through the Soul Fighting Arena had gained a clear and arduous goal.

He was determined to obtain the Gold Soul Fighting Badge.

At the same time, he did not relax his "contact" with Tang Yuehua.

Inside the music room at Moonlight Pavilion.

Melodious music flowed through the room as Lu Yan sat upright before the harp, his fingertips dancing skillfully across the strings.

Tang Yuehua stood quietly before him, listening with her eyes closed, her face filled with gratification and delight.

As the piece ended, its lingering notes drifted through the air.

Tang Yuehua opened her Beautiful Eyes, unable to conceal her joy. The way she looked at Lu Yan was like she was examining a rough jade stone whose brilliance had only just emerged after careful carving.

"Xiao Yan, you truly are the most talented child Aunt Yue has ever seen."

In only a month, his mastery of the harp had already caught up to those noble children who had studied for years.

More remarkably, the sharpness he had once kept hidden had now settled into a calm, noble temperament. When seated quietly, he resembled a refined young nobleman with grace hidden within.

"It is because Aunt Yue taught me well." Lu Yan smiled modestly.

Countless practices within his dreams had allowed him to familiarize himself with the muscle memory in reality, so naturally he picked it up extremely quickly.

"However, you still played several notes incorrectly." Tang Yuehua suppressed her delight and gently cautioned him, "Your talent may be excellent, but you must not become arrogant."

"Aunt Yue, then I'll play it again." Lu Yan replied.

He raised his hand, preparing to place his fingers on the strings, but his brows creased almost imperceptibly. For an instant, his arm stiffened unnaturally in midair.

This subtle change did not escape Tang Yuehua, who had been watching him closely.

"Xiao Yan, what is wrong?" Concern rose in her heart, and she instinctively stepped forward and leaned closer.

The distance between them instantly narrowed. A delicate fragrance entered his nose, while before his eyes was the suddenly enlarged, alluring curve of a mature woman.

Lu Yan's gaze froze.

Tang Yuehua, however, paid no attention to such details. Her eyes remained fixed on his arm. "Did you hurt your hand practicing the harp?"

"It's nothing." Lu Yan tried to hide it. "I may have just twisted it by accident."

How could Tang Yuehua believe him?

The pain that had flashed across his face earlier had been brief, but it was undeniably real.

"Let Aunt Yue see."

Lu Yan remained silent and still.

Tang Yuehua pressed her lips together, her gaze darkening with an insistence that allowed no refusal. Lu Yan could only slowly extend his hand.

She gently rolled up his sleeve, revealing a layer of white gauze wrapped around his forearm, with faint bloodstains seeping through it.

Tang Yuehua's eyes instantly reddened.

Ever since that afternoon nap incident, she had sincerely come to cherish this considerate child who made people ache for him, and had sworn to treat him well.

Yet he had been playing the harp for her with such a serious injury, and had still performed the piece so wonderfully.

And what had she done?

Not only had she failed to notice, she had even lectured him at length, worried that he would become arrogant.

She had said she would treat him well, yet she had not even known he was injured...

"Xiao Yan," her voice turned cold, carrying a trace of barely perceptible killing intent, "tell Aunt Yue, who hurt you?"

With the connections she had cultivated in Heaven Dou City over so many years, she would absolutely not let the person who hurt him get away with it.

"I got it at the Soul Fighting Arena." Lu Yan pulled his hand back and lowered his sleeve to cover the wound. "No one bullied me."

He maintained at least one Soul Fighting Competition every night. His Soul Power was only at level twenty-two, a breakthrough he had made two days earlier.

As his win rate continued to rise, his opponents also grew stronger. Within the Soul Grandmaster rank, no one was his opponent.

Last night, he had even challenged a Soul Elder across ranks.

The injury on his arm had been left by last night's fight. His opponent had been an expert swordsman, with extremely swift movement techniques and swordsmanship as fast as the wind.

Even after using Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, Lu Yan had suffered a loss. But in the end, he had won.

"Soul Fighting?" Tang Yuehua stared at him in astonishment. "You are still so young. How can you risk your life in a place like that? If you lack money..."

"Aunt Yue, I don't lack money." Lu Yan interrupted her, his gaze firm and sharp. The edge honed by days of battle showed itself at that moment. "Heaven is merely an interest.

My dream is to become a powerful Soul Master.

I will become... the strongest!"

Tang Yuehua stared at the imposing youth before her, momentarily stunned.

She had nearly forgotten that this youth, who was always gentle and obedient before her, was fundamentally a breathtakingly gifted Soul Master genius.

And she kept saying that she wanted to care for him, yet she had overlooked such obvious growth and changes in him...

"Fine." In the end, she softened, her words becoming a quiet sigh. "Treat your injury first. In the future, you are not allowed to hide things from Aunt Yue again."

Under the treatment of the Healing Soul Master Tang Yuehua had called for, Lu Yan's injuries quickly recovered.

When it was time for an afternoon nap, she naturally called Lu Yan along. Without him by her side now, she found it difficult to sleep peacefully.

Beside her luxurious bed, a comfortable cushioned couch had long been added. It was a place that belonged exclusively to Lu Yan.

The two of them sank into slumber together.

Lu Yan's Spiritual Power followed them into their dreams, where he began carefully weaving their dreamscape.

Because of the beauty of the dreams, Tang Yuehua had gradually become obsessed. Now, it was time to change that dependence, guiding her step by step until she fell completely.

He needed to make a change.

And the first step was making her clearly realize that he was no longer a child, but a... man.

Was everything in a dream not the truest reflection of one's inner desires?