Changes

Xie An sipped the tea on the table, thinking that he had basically done everything he could.

There were still a few talented people left, but he had already gathered up most of them.

All that remained was to see how Shrek Academy responded.

If Shrek Academy really pushed its luck and flew into a rage over losing a single match, he wouldn't mind giving the Holy Spirit Cult the second Level 12 God-Slaying Soul Cannonball.

Two years passed in the blink of an eye.

The Spirit Pagoda.

Gu Yue bowed and asked, "Teacher, what did you call me here for?"

Her teacher, Leng Yaozhu, the Spirit Pagoda's Vice Pagoda Master, had suddenly summoned her today. Gu Yue had no idea what it was about.

The beautiful woman with flowing red hair looked at Gu Yue with great satisfaction. "Gu Yue, go to Eastsea Academy in my place."

Gu Yue's heart gave a start. How did her teacher know she was going to Eastsea Academy?

Her eyes briefly became vertical pupils, but soon returned to normal.

"May I ask why you want me to go there, Teacher?"

Gu Yue's voice was sweet.

"Heh, it's because that fellow, the War God Temple Master, wants to make some big moves."

"Your age is just right. At nine, you're already close to the third ring."

"Sending you to help will also repay that fellow for the kindness he showed my younger sister."

Gu Yue's brows furrowed slightly, but soon relaxed. "I'll do as you say, Teacher."

"But, Teacher, is the War God Temple Master very strong?"

She asked the Heaven Phoenix Douluo, sounding a little puzzled.

At the mention of him, the Heaven Phoenix Douluo's gaze turned distant. "Very strong. He'd already entered the Quasi-God realm more than ten years ago. These days, he's probably every bit as strong as Yun Ming."

But she quickly came to her senses. "Why am I telling you all this? You still have a long way to go as a Soul Master."

"Yes, Teacher. This disciple will take her leave."

Gu Yue smiled as she said goodbye to her teacher.

Back in her room, her gaze had already turned cold.

As if sensing her thoughts, a shadow silently appeared.

"Tell Na'er she doesn't need to go to Shrek Academy anymore. Send her to Eastsea Academy."

The shadowy figure looked puzzled. "My Lord, weren't you going to go yourself?"

Gu Yue shook her head, offering no explanation.

The shadowy figure realized she'd misspoken, then quickly disappeared.

Ming City. A luxurious villa.

A beautiful young man stood before a vanity mirror, repeatedly penciling in his brows.

Knock, knock, knock.

"What is it?"

"Miss, Master is calling for you," a servant said softly from outside the door.

"How many times have I told you? From now on, call me Young Master. Don't call me Miss."

The servant outside the door didn't dare respond.

"Never mind, never mind. You can go. Tell Father I'll be there in a moment."

This beautiful young man was none other than Yuan'en Yehui.

Ever since she'd met the War God Temple Master at home and heard what he'd done for her family, she'd become infatuated with him and started trying to imitate him.

One day, she dressed in a gender-neutral style and saw a handsome young man in the mirror.

It was as if she'd opened Pandora's box. Yuan'en Yehui began experimenting with more androgynous, even masculine, outfits.

By now, she was dressing as a man.

"Father, you called for me?"

Yuan'en Yehui trotted over to her father, Yuan'en Tiandang, and asked curiously.

Yuan'en Tiandang looked at the beautiful young man before him, feeling an inexplicable sense of strangeness.

How had he ended up raising a daughter who'd become his son?

Never mind. She'd grow out of it when she got older.

Yuan'en Tiandang consoled himself.

"It's nothing much. You're over nine now, nearly ten, and your Soul Power is already at level 26. It's about time you went to secondary school."

"Just so happens the War God Temple Master wants to invite you to study at Eastsea Academy for a while."

"I'm going!"

Yuan'en Yehui cut in before her father could finish.

Yuan'en Tiandang was caught off guard by his daughter's quick response. He knew she idolized the War God Temple Master.

He just hadn't realized it had gotten to this point.

Still, he had to tell her what else was involved.

"You might represent them in a competition later."

"If you perform well, there's a good chance you'll be able to join the War God Temple directly."

"Great! I'm going!"

Yuan'en Yehui answered without hesitation.

"Then I'll go pack?"

Yuan'en Tiandang nodded as he watched the beautiful young man bounce away. The sight was hard to describe.

How had things turned out like this?

Yuan'en Tiandang questioned himself.

The Star Luo Empire.

"Brother Long Yue, why did Teacher call us here?"

Dai Yun'er, who was still quite young, clung to Long Yue's back like a kitten and asked.

Long Yue chuckled. "My little princess, you'll find out when we get there."

Ever since Long Yue took the Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew his teacher had brought back, his mental power had increased tremendously.

At just thirteen or fourteen, he'd already reached the peak of the third ring.

If his teacher, En Ci, hadn't warned him that such rapid advancement could leave his foundation unstable, he would already have reached the fourth, perhaps even the fifth ring.

He would have become the youngest Soul Elder, or even Soul King, in the Star Luo Empire.

Dai Yun'er, meanwhile, had relied on her Twin Martial Souls and the guidance of the Holy Dragon Douluo.

Before even reaching ten, she'd already reached level 27.

Soon, the two arrived inside the imperial palace, where Emperor Dai Tianling and En Ci were talking.

When En Ci saw them arrive, he spoke first after Dai Tianling gave his permission.

"Long Yue, Yun'er, I have a task for you."

Long Yue set Dai Yun'er down and bowed respectfully. "Teacher, what's the task?"

"I made an agreement with the War God Temple Master back then. You two need to go study at his place as exchange students for a few years."

"The War God Temple Master has sent me a message. It's time we honored our agreement."

"Teacher, Father, do I really have to go?"

Dai Yun'er had been rather pampered, and she spoke with a hint of a pout.

En Ci's brows knit together, but he said nothing.

Dai Tianling spoke instead. "Be good, sweetheart. Didn't you say you always wanted to go out and see the world?"

"Today, your father will let you. There are lots of interesting, novel things to see on the Douluo Continent that we don't have here in the Star Luo Empire."

"With your big brother Long Yue there to protect you, I'll feel at ease."

Seeing that she couldn't change her father's mind, Dai Yun'er could only nod in agreement.

Eastsea City, Blacksmith Association.

Tang Wulin put down the Communication Soul Tool that had summoned him, along with the pair of Deep Silver Forging Hammers in his hands.

He headed to Saint Craftsman Mu Chen's office.

Tang Wulin had started learning blacksmithing under Mang Tian three years ago.

But thanks to the Blacksmith Manual Xie An had left behind, his outstanding talent, and the solid foundation Mang Tian had built for him,

in less than two years he'd reached the level of a third-grade blacksmith.

This had astonished Mang Tian, who reported it up the chain, first to Saint Craftsman Mu Chen and then to God Craftsman Zhen Hua.

Zhen Hua was greatly impressed and wanted to take Tang Wulin as his disciple, but Tang Wulin said he already had a teacher.

After Tang Wulin mentioned Xie An, God Craftsman Zhen Hua gave up on taking him as a disciple, but said he could ask for help whenever he needed it.

When Mu Chen saw Tang Wulin arrive, he smiled. "Wulin, you're nearly ten now."

"I'd planned to arrange something better for you, but since that person wants you to go to Eastsea Academy,"

"you can study there."

Tang Wulin happily returned home and found his younger sister. "Na'er, your big brother is going to Eastsea Academy!"

"Na'er believes in Big Brother. Big Brother will always be the best."

"But Na'er can go with you, too."

As she spoke, a Silver Dragon Spear appeared out of thin air in Na'er's hand. Two purple Soul Rings emerged.

"Na'er, when did you get stronger than me?"

Tang Wulin's Soul Power was currently level 21 or 22. Though his First Soul Ring didn't come from a defective Spirit Soul, it was still a serpent-type Spirit Soul.

His Soul Rings were both yellow.