Night gradually fell.
Bibi Dong didn't know how many times she had stolen a glance at Su Yan.
"Master, if you want to say something, just say it."
Bibi Dong's pretty face flushed as she gazed at the brightest star in the night sky. "Well, Xiaoyan, how did you see through Yue Guan and Ci Xue just now?"
"Master, it's actually very simple." Su Yan smiled. "The blood on Elder Ju hadn't dried yet."
Bibi Dong suddenly understood.
She had also seen through the ruse thanks to the "blood" on Yue Guan, which had no scent of blood.
Su Yan continued explaining. "Scientific research has shown that blood coagulates within three to five minutes of exposure to the air, but the blood on Elder Ju was still flowing."
"Judging from their conversation, those injuries must have been inflicted earlier, yet the blood was fresh."
"So I concluded that something was wrong with them."
"When Master took out the Flame-Flame Fruit, Elder Ju was clearly reluctant to part with it. Given the circumstances, that was very suspicious."
"Sharp eyes and a meticulous mind." Bibi Dong's lips curved into a lovely smile. "Science—Mr. Science—has earned your deep trust. Where does he live? I'd like to pay him a visit."
"Pfft—" Su Yan let out a laugh. "Master, science is a vast system of theories and empirical methods. It isn't a person."
"A system of theories and empirical methods?" Bibi Dong's elegant brows knitted in confusion. Those ideas were beyond her understanding. Since they had nothing to do with Martial Souls, she didn't pay them much mind.
Bibi Dong turned and stared at Su Yan. Her lips were pressed so tightly they had gone pale. She hesitated and hesitated. When they were almost at Spirit Hall, she finally asked, "Xiaoyan, were you scared just now?"
"What do you mean, Master? If you mean when I was facing certain death, I wasn't scared with you there." Su Yan gave her a bright smile. "And I'm even less afraid of that scoundrel Yu Xiaogang. If his Martial Soul were only Luo Sanpao, with half a rank of Innate Soul Power, I doubt he'd have such an attitude."
"Then what about the Junior Soul Master Tournament? Are you afraid?" Bibi Dong counted on her fingers. "On his side, there's one person with Twin Martial Souls, three with Innate Full Soul Power, and seven top-tier Martial Souls..."
"Master, stop listing them." Su Yan rubbed his temples. "Either way, I'll just bring my talent over to Yu Xiaogang's side, then bring it back a few years later."
"Besides, I don't think your Bi's Training Method will be any worse."
At that moment, Su Yan seemed to shine in Bibi Dong's eyes.
Her eyes flickered, and she clenched her fists, silently vowing, Xiaoyan, I'll make you the strongest Soul Master on the Douluo Continent!
Su Yan felt a chill run down his back. Perhaps it was just getting late.
Before they knew it, the three of them had arrived at Spirit Hall and returned to their rooms.
Su Yan looked at Bibi Dong with unusual seriousness. "Master, I read the stars tonight. Your fate is afflicted by 'little,' so you should stay away from Yu Xiaogang!"
"You can read the stars too?" Bibi Dong laughed and reached out to poke Su Yan's forehead. "You're a little kid yourself."
"I'm only little for now." Su Yan huffed in protest. "When I grow up, I won't be little anymore. I'll be big!"
"Fine, I promise." Bibi Dong laughed heartily, then took a small wooden box containing the Flame-Flame Fruit from her belt and handed it to Su Yan. "Xiaoyan, this is for you."
"The Flame-Flame Fruit!" Su Yan raised an eyebrow. "Master, isn't this the ultimate reward for completing all the training?"
"It is." Bibi Dong nodded.
"In that case, please keep it for me for now, Master. I'm sure I'll earn this fruit soon enough."
It was only a few training sessions, after all. He'd breeze through them in no time!
Bibi Dong agreed and put the wooden box away. "You've completed one of the eighteen kinds of training. There are still seventeen left."
"Master..." Su Yan gasped. He regretted it.
There were still seventeen more training sessions? He could practically see the Flame-Flame Fruit waving goodbye to him.
Bibi Dong took out another wooden box. "Here. Take this."
Su Yan opened the box. A round pendant lay quietly inside.
It had a silver rim, and at its center was a solid, flame-red crystal. Within the crystal was a golden dragon's head.
Su Yan picked up the pendant. The crystal was warm.
"It's so beautiful. Thank you, Master!" Su Yan put it on. Its warmth enveloped him, making him feel cozy all over.
"I'm glad you like it." Bibi Dong turned and went back to her room.
Su Yan sat cross-legged on the sofa, ready to cultivate.
The Junior Soul Master Tournament was a daunting challenge. His opponents would all be one-in-ten-thousand prodigies, so he needed to work even harder.
The next morning, just after dawn, the sun slanted across Su Yan. The crystal on his chest glowed red, as if absorbing the sun's warmth.
Tang Chi, sleeping beside him in a sprawled heap, had one foot resting on Su Yan's thigh. A trace of sorrow crossed his brow as he murmured in his sleep, "Mother, I have nine ranks of Innate Soul Power. I'm going to become a Soul Master!"
He curled up. "Don't worry, Mother. I'll go to Spirit Hall and find Father."
Su Yan moved Tang Chi's foot aside. Tang Chi abruptly woke up, two tear tracks still on his face.
Seeing Su Yan sitting cross-legged, he asked in disbelief, "Have you been meditating all night?"
"All night."
"What rank are you now?"
"Rank ten."
"Rank ten!" Tang Chi cried. "It's only been two days!"
"What's rank ten?" Bibi Dong asked as she emerged, stretching and yawning.
Tang Chi scampered over and knelt before her. "Holy Maiden, please teach me to cultivate too."
"You want to become her disciple too?" Su Yan said, a sly smile on his lips.
After a moment of silence, Bibi Dong and Tang Chi answered in unison. "I wouldn't dare."
One was afraid of dying, the other afraid of her disciple dying.
"But you can join us." Bibi Dong helped Tang Chi up. "I'll treat you equally, too."
"Thank you, Holy Maiden."
"Just call me Instructor."
"Yes, Saintess Instructor."
After breakfast, the three of them went to the training grounds.
"First, I'll tell you about the Junior Soul Master Tournament." Bibi Dong took a whiteboard and a few markers from her belt and began drawing.
"The Junior Soul Master Tournament is held every three years. It's a Soul Fighting tournament for children around twelve years old from Spirit Hall. There are individual events for the Power Attack System, Agility Attack System, Control System, and Support System."
"The children who take first place will be awarded an Artificial Soul Bone. Those who perform exceptionally well may be taken on as disciples by the elders of the Elder Hall or even the old monsters in the Worship Hall."
"Two tournaments ago, they added team events while keeping the individual events. A single instructor leads at least seven team members in Soul Fighting."
"The team events are divided into individual arena matches, the Doubles Match, and the Seven-Person Team Match."
"The winning team will also receive an Artificial Soul Bone, as well as a direct qualification for the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament."
"We're planning to enter the Junior Soul Master Tournament six years from now. First, we need at least seven team members."
Bibi Dong held up two fingers. "We have only two members now, so we need to recruit five more."
"What if we don't have enough by then?" Su Yan asked.
"Don't worry about that. Spirit Hall will assign people at random. I've also asked Yue Guan to go back to the Main Martial Soul Hall and see if there are any suitable children."
"Ah-choo!"
On the road to the Main Martial Soul Hall, Yue Guan sat at the front of a carriage and sneezed. More than a dozen children sat in the back—the ones they had gathered in Notting City.
"Five. We need five more." Yue Guan muttered, looking utterly hopeless. "The Holy Maiden is so fearsome that I can't imagine the Main Martial Soul Hall finding five children for her."
Beside him, Su Yuntao also sat in the carriage. He asked with concern, "Elder Ju, are you all right?"
Yue Guan gave him a listless look. "I'm fine."
Then he suddenly asked, "You're the one who led Su Yan to Notting City, aren't you?"
"I am." Su Yuntao smiled.
Yue Guan gritted his teeth and raised a thumbs-up, along with the little finger he habitually held up. "Not bad. Very good!"
"You think so too, Elder Ju?" Su Yuntao gazed into the distance, overcome with emotion. "That child Su Yan really is something. He's fulfilled Village Chief Jack's wish."
"You mean Old Jack from Holy Soul Village?" Yue Guan suddenly grew serious.
Su Yuntao looked surprised. "Elder Ju, you know Village Chief Jack?"
"I don't." Yue Guan glanced away, his eyes unfathomable.
"Village Chief Jack had spent his whole life hoping that another Soul Master would come from his village. Now, at least, his wish has come true."
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