Three Years

"You're at the stage where you need to build a foundation. Staying here will only waste your talent."

Old woman, who were you calling names? How was staying here a waste of talent?

Su Qiu was displeased. She was clearly implying that he was wasting Na'er's time on frivolous things.

She was the Silver Dragon King. Did she need anyone to teach her?

Even if she had not recovered her memories yet.

Feeling the warmth radiating from Na'er, she hugged him even tighter.

Su Qiu was actually very nervous.

He was not afraid of Na'er leaving. It was only a temporary separation. He had experienced such things countless times in his previous life, so it was no big deal.

Even if Na'er chose to leave, it would not stir much emotion in him.

What he feared was the Silver Dragon King. He feared that he had not raised Na'er's favorability high enough.

The current Na'er had no memories and seemed to like him very much. But what about after she recovered her memories? How would the Silver Dragon King, who stood above all living beings, view Su Qiu then?

That was also why Su Qiu had wanted to stay away from Na'er in the beginning. Catching the Silver Dragon King's attention was not a good thing.

Before Su Qiu gained the ability to protect himself, his life and death would rest on a single thought of the Silver Dragon King.

Unfortunately, the coincidence had been too perfect.

It was as if an invisible pair of hands were manipulating everything from the shadows.

Na'er, who should have been in Aolai City, had appeared in Eastsea City.

And she had met Su Qiu.

After Su Qiu chose to avoid her, Na'er encountered Leng Yaozhu again and used that opportunity to find him and become his classmate.

Once he realized he could not hide, Su Qiu could only accept it. He did his best to play around with Na'er, hoping that the Silver Dragon King would spare his life after recovering her memories.

"Na'er, I can tell that you really like this brat." Leng Yaozhu clearly sensed Na'er's attachment to Su Qiu and began guiding her step by step.

"This brat's talent is no weaker than yours. Think carefully. Here, he has an Eight-star Saint Craftsman teaching him forging, and a Super Douluo who serves as the branch Tower Master of the Spirit Pagoda teaching him cultivation."

"What do you have, Na'er? If you stay here, he'll leave you far behind sooner or later. Will you still be able to stand by his side then?"

"This brat is quite presentable too. Once he grows up, there won't be any shortage of talented girls flocking around him."

Little Na'er could not tell that "presentable" was meant as an insult. Her little face tightened, and she wriggled her small body anxiously, wanting to climb down from Su Qiu.

Su Qiu was unwilling to accept that. This Old Thing was deceiving a child!

He shot a meaningful look at Uncle behind Leng Yaozhu.

"Ahem."

Su Wuyan stepped forward and offered a suggestion.

"Eh~"

"Leng Tower Master, I beg to differ. Na'er can be considered one of our own. When I teach Xiao Qiu, I can bring her along as well."

"There's no need to worry about a sub-profession either. Na'er can choose forging too. I only need to put in a word at the Blacksmith Association."

"Then they can attend school together, forge together, and cultivate together. What a lovely golden boy and jade girl they would make. Wouldn't that be wonderful?"

Then what would that make me? I'm Na'er's teacher!

Leng Yaozhu was displeased.

Her cool yet seductive figure exuded a terrifying pressure. Confusion seemed to flicker in her beautiful eyes as she strangely glanced around, her voice carrying hidden killing intent. "How strange. Who is speaking?"

The air fell silent.

The students on the field stopped watching the show as well. Under Li Xiaoyun's direction, they hurried fearfully into the school building.

Su Wuyan stopped talking. He was afraid too. He shook his head at Su Qiu.

Kid, I've got nothing either.

"Big Brother, Na'er might have to leave you." After climbing down from Su Qiu, Na'er spoke with deep reluctance in her voice.

She had thought it through.

Or rather, she had become anxious.

In the future her teacher described, a whole crowd of women would surround Big Brother. Na'er did not want so many women clinging to him.

She would drive those women away.

She needed strength!

"Big Brother, don't forget Na'er." Na'er hugged Su Qiu and began to get sentimental.

Su Qiu did not particularly care.

Since he could not stop her, then she could leave. He should have raised her favorability enough.

Besides, the Holy Spear made Na'er feel close to it. It should be useful against the Silver Dragon King too, right?

Na'er left Su Qiu's embrace.

Su Qiu suddenly felt as though something was missing.

Na'er walked toward Leng Yaozhu.

Su Qiu remembered what was missing. The separation between this golden boy and jade girl—Na'er's scene had wrapped up.

It was his turn to take the stage. He had to make Na'er feel his overwhelming grief.

Being too calm would not do. He could not chill a girl's heart.

Su Qiu's eyes rolled, and he immediately burst into tears, slipping into character in a second.

He dropped to his knees on the ground and cried out, "Na'er!"

"Don't go, Na'er!"

"How am I supposed to live without you? Sob, sob, sob..."

Na'er, who had been about to enter Heavenly Phoenix Douluo's embrace, immediately had an emotional outburst.

She turned and ran back, hugging Su Qiu where he sat on the ground as tears began falling from her eyes too.

Little girls really were easy to fool.

Thinking that, Su Qiu cried even louder, though he could not squeeze out many tears.

But Na'er, influenced by him, was truly weeping like rain.

"Damn it!"

Leng Yaozhu flew into a rage!

With her cultivation and experience, how could she fail to see that this little brat was acting?

But Na'er's tears were real, and that pained her.

This naturally evil little devil!

He was only six, yet already so cunning.

Leng Yaozhu could not take it anymore. Her terrifying aura pressed down on... Su Wuyan.

There was no helping it. She could not exactly argue with a six-year-old child.

So Su Wuyan would have to suffer instead.

If a child was not taught properly, it was the father's fault. As Su Wuyan was his uncle, he could bear her anger.

Su Wuyan's face was filled with terror as he frantically winked and gestured at Su Qiu.

Kid, stop acting. If you keep this up, your uncle is finished.

"Sigh, three years."

To coax Na'er, Leng Yaozhu said helplessly, "After three years, I'll let you come back and stay with your dear Big Brother again."

Three years was enough time to lay a solid foundation. Returning to this East Sea region for school afterward would not have much of an impact.

In the end, Na'er still left with Leng Yaozhu. She said she would return in three years.

But Su Qiu did not take it too seriously.

Na'er would have recovered her memories long before three years passed. Who knew what the Silver Dragon King would think by then?

"Sigh."

Su Wuyan sighed. As Su Qiu's uncle, he saw more clearly than Heavenly Phoenix Douluo.

This child's crying had been an act, but his reluctance had been genuine.

He patted the dejected Su Qiu on the shoulder and comforted him. "It's only three years. It'll pass quickly."

"It's fine. I'm not that fragile." Su Qiu shook his head. Though he feared the Silver Dragon King, his feelings for Na'er were genuine too.

Still, the separation had not made him particularly sad.

"I'm just disappointed that I won't be able to tease Na'er anymore."

"Although teasing Mu Xi is pretty fun too, it's still missing a lot of the enjoyment."

"Mu Xi is already ten. She's not as fun to tease as Na'er."

"You brat." Su Wuyan could not hold it in anymore. This child was a little strange. He viewed such emotions with the rationality of an adult.

He did not know who Su Qiu had learned that from.

After no longer needing to set aside time to play with Na'er, Su Qiu's cultivation finally began getting on track.

Under Mu Chen's guidance, his forging improved by leaps and bounds.

It was not only because an Eight-star Saint Craftsman taught so well.

Intuition deserved even more of the credit.

With the help of Intuition, Su Qiu could forge techniques far beyond his current level in advance.

Afterward, he would slowly comprehend the mysteries within them and improve his true skill level.

It was like getting on the train first and buying the ticket afterward.

Mu Chen found it utterly astonishing.

Mu Xi gradually became accustomed to his heaven-defying talent and no longer broke down every day.