Teaching Soul Tools

Gu Xiao and Li Wanyue hurriedly greeted the guests, while Gu Ci and Dugu Yan stood to one side, looking at this strange assortment of elderly seniors.

"Is this everyone?" Gu Ci asked.

Dugu Bo nodded. "A few still haven't been found, but I've already sent people to pass along the message."

"The Nine-Heart Begonia Ye Family still hasn't replied."

Gu Ci nodded without saying much.

He knew this matter could not be rushed.

Just then, faint footsteps sounded outside.

A White-Haired Old Woman leaned on a cane as she slowly entered the Marquis Mansion. A girl in white followed behind her.

Ye Lingling.

"Poison Douluo."

The old woman looked at Dugu Bo. "I thought about it for half a month and decided you were right. The Ye Family cannot hide in the valley forever."

She glanced at Ye Lingling beside her, a trace of affection appearing on her aged face.

"Lingling needs to go out and see the world eventually. I'll feel more at ease leaving her here than anywhere else."

Dugu Bo looked toward Gu Ci.

Gu Ci stepped forward, bowed to the old woman, then looked at Ye Lingling.

The girl still wore a veil, revealing only a pair of cool, distant eyes.

She glanced at Gu Ci and gave a slight nod in greeting.

"Welcome," Gu Ci said with a smile.

Ye Lingling said nothing. She merely walked over to Dugu Yan's side and stood quietly.

Dugu Yan froze for a moment, then excitedly grabbed her hand. "Lingling, you're here! That's wonderful! We can cultivate together from now on!"

Ye Lingling did not pull away. She merely gave a soft "Mm."

Zhao Tieshan sidled up to Dugu Bo and lowered his voice. "Old Poison, is this junior of yours reliable?"

Dugu Bo glanced at him and said flatly, "More reliable than you."

Zhao Tieshan: "..."

Li Guishou chuckled from the side. "Old Zhao, you're just a blacksmith. You think you can compare yourself to him?"

Qian Sihai also cut in. "What's wrong with blacksmiths? Are blacksmiths somehow beneath everyone else?"

Old Ghost emerged from the shadows and said gloomily, "Stop arguing. Listen to Old Poison."

Begonia petals drifted down through the courtyard.

In the Main Hall of the Marquis Mansion, the fragrance of tea curled through the air. Three Soul Douluo, five Soul Saints, and the old woman of the Ye Family sat together, making the entire hall seem somewhat crowded.

Dugu Bo sat in the seat of honor. His gaze swept across these old friends as he slowly spoke. "I invited everyone here today to discuss something."

Zhao Tieshan crossed one leg over the other and said carelessly, "Old Poison, just say it."

"Which one of us doesn't owe you a favor?"

Dugu Bo did not respond. Instead, he looked at Gu Ci.

Gu Ci rose to his feet, bowed to the group, then spoke calmly.

"Seniors, I want to ask you to stay, not to protect the Marquis Mansion, but for a longer-term plan."

"What plan?" Cang Lang asked in a deep voice.

Gu Ci said, "The continent's balance of power is changing. Spirit Hall dominates alone, and sooner or later, it will move against every other force."

"We may be safe for now, but no one knows when that day will come. Rather than sit and wait for death, we should prepare in advance."

He paused, then continued. "I want to build a force, not an ordinary soul master force, but a place that truly cultivates the strong."

"The experience and strength of all you seniors are exactly what we need most."

"Something like an Academy?" Liu Tieying was taken aback. "You're just a little kid, and you want to start a school?"

Gu Ci smiled. "Not now. In the future. For now, the most urgent task is to get everyone settled and restore your strength."

He looked at Cang Lang. "Senior Cang Lang has old injuries that haven't been properly treated all these years."

"Granny Ye is here now, so she can help nurse you back to health."

Then he looked at Zhao Tieshan and Qian Sihai. "You two seniors are both master smiths. I would like to ask you to help research something: Soul Tools."

"Soul Tools?" Zhao Tieshan's eyes widened. "Weren't those things lost long ago?"

Gu Ci did not explain much. He simply said, "I have some materials. You two seniors will understand once you've read them."

He made arrangements for each of them, taking everyone's specialties into consideration.

The three Soul Douluo would handle Training and combat, while the five Soul Saints would each take charge of their own duties.

Liu Tieying would handle aerial reconnaissance, Li Guishou intelligence and assassinations, Granny Sun communications and speed Training, Qian Sihai and Zhao Tieshan forging, and Old Ghost tracking and countertracking.

Granny Ye would handle medical treatment and healing, which was what the Nine-Heart Begonia lineage excelled at most.

After hearing this, everyone exchanged glances.

A six-year-old child had arranged everything in perfect order, even taking each person's specialties into account.

Such thoughtfulness was truly far from simple.

Shen Biyao looked at Gu Ci, a hint of approval flashing through her eyes. "Your name is Gu Ci?"

"Yes."

"Dugu Bo's junior?" She glanced at Dugu Bo. "You have good judgment."

The corners of Dugu Bo's lips curled up slightly, and he rarely showed a trace of pride.

In the days that followed, everyone performed their respective duties.

Under Granny Ye's treatment, Cang Lang's old injuries gradually improved, and much of his strength returned.

Zhao Tieshan and Qian Sihai buried themselves in Soul Tool research. They treated the materials Gu Ci gave them like priceless treasures, spending all day clanging away in the forging room.

Meanwhile, Gu Ci's mother, Li Wanyue, researched Soul Tool arrays. After all, her Eye Martial Soul was perfectly suited for it.

Liu Tieying trained reconnaissance routes in the air with his two eagles, while Li Guishou quietly infiltrated the underworld of Heaven Dou City and began building an intelligence network.

Every day, Granny Sun took Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling out for running practice, saying she would train them a pair of fleet feet.

Old Ghost appeared and vanished unpredictably, and no one knew what he was doing.

Gu Ci did not stay idle either.

During the day, he attended the Academy with Dugu Yan, maintaining the disguise of being level 11.

At night, after returning, he cultivated with Zi Dian and Night Shadow, consolidating his level 22 cultivation.

Whenever he had time, he went to the forging room to check on Zhao Tieshan and Qian Sihai's progress.

"Kid, this thing is too complicated."

Zhao Tieshan pointed at the pile of parts on the table and scratched his head. "I've drawn this Core Array more than a dozen times, and it's still wrong."

Gu Ci opened his Heavenly Eye, examined it carefully, and pointed out several crucial mistakes.

Zhao Tieshan and Qian Sihai looked at each other, both seeing shock in the other's eyes.

"Kid, just how much are you still hiding?" Qian Sihai muttered.

Gu Ci smiled without answering.

Half a month later, Granny Ye went to find Dugu Bo.

"Poison Douluo, I want to leave Lingling with you."

Her tone was calm, but reluctance filled her eyes.

"Every generation of the Nine-Heart Begonia lineage must endure trials and hardships to grow. Staying by her side has only made me protect her too much."

Dugu Bo looked at the white-haired old woman and fell silent for a moment. "You're leaving?"

"Not leaving. Letting go."

Granny Ye looked toward Ye Lingling, who was cultivating with Dugu Yan in the distance.

"That child is stronger than I imagined. It would be better for her to stay here than return to the valley with me."

Dugu Bo nodded. "Don't worry."

Granny Ye said nothing more. Leaning on her cane, she slowly walked out of the Marquis Mansion.

Ye Lingling stood in the courtyard, watching the old woman's retreating figure in silence for a long time.

Dugu Yan held her hand and said softly, "Lingling, you still have us."

Ye Lingling did not answer. She merely gave a soft "Mm."