Gu Qingshan narrowed his eyes and glanced toward the courtyard gate.
The courtyard gate swung open.
The first to walk in was a woman.
She wore a magnificent purple-and-gold robe and a Nine-Curved Purple Gold Crown. Her skin was fair and delicate, her bosom full, and her waist exceptionally slender—a slender branch bearing plump fruit.
Her beauty was breathtaking, yet she carried an imposing air that brooked no disrespect, making people afraid to meet her gaze.
She was none other than the Martial Soul Hall Pope, Bibi Dong.
Two young men and a young woman followed behind her, all around thirteen or fourteen. They had an air of distinction and were clearly no ordinary people.
These should be Hu Liena, her older brother Xie Yue, and the bootlicker Yan.
"Bootlickers, bootlickers—lick all the way to the end and you'll have nothing!"
"There's no future in being a bootlicker. How pitiful!"
When Bibi Dong saw the boy sitting naked in the bathtub, a Blue Silver Leaf in his mouth and his legs crossed, the corner of her mouth twitched.
"Qing...shan."
Her voice was soft, but Gu Qingshan clearly felt the water temperature drop by two degrees.
"Yes, Teacher!"
Gu Qingshan jolted upright. The Blue Silver Leaf slipped from his lips and plopped into the green water.
"What brings you here? You should've given me a heads-up. Then I could've... I could've put some clothes on."
Bibi Dong took a deep breath, looked away from the boy's bare shoulders, and turned her attention to the lush Blue Silver saplings in the courtyard.
Dozens of Blue Silver saplings had been planted neatly across the yard. Their leaves, flecked with gold, glimmered faintly blue in the sunlight. Every one of them was thriving, their vitality almost unbelievable.
A subtle change came over Bibi Dong's eyes.
She recognized what they were, of course.
Blue Silver Emperors.
Cuttings from the leaves of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor.
What... had this child done?
The three behind her entered the courtyard as well.
At the front was a girl with neat, short orange-yellow hair and delicate features. A natural bewitching charm showed in her eyes and brows, but at that moment, her foxlike eyes were narrowed slightly as she sized up the boy in the bathtub.
Hu Liena furrowed her brows, her tone tinged with disdain. "Teacher, is this the young genius you told us about? In the middle of the day, instead of cultivating, he's just... soaking in a bath and enjoying himself?"
She put heavy emphasis on the word "enjoying," her eyes sweeping over the tub of green water with undisguised distaste.
The burly young man beside her gave a cold snort. "That's it?"
Yan was a member of the Martial Soul Hall Golden Generation. His Martial Soul was the Flame Lord, and his temper was as fiery as his Martial Soul.
Xie Yue said nothing. He simply stood to one side with his arms folded, his cool gaze fixed on Gu Qingshan as if he were looking at a spoiled wastrel who did nothing but waste his days.
Their attitude was plain: they weren't convinced.
They had already taken issue with His Holiness the Pope personally accepting a disciple.
Which member of the Martial Soul Hall's Golden Generation hadn't been chosen from among countless geniuses?
Hu Liena, Xie Yue, Yan—which of them hadn't fought their way through countless battles?
Now, out of nowhere, a six-year-old boy was being brought into their Core Circle. Why should he be allowed in?
Just because he had Innate Full Soul Power?
Bibi Dong had naturally noticed what the three were thinking.
"Don't judge things by their surface."
She lifted her chin, indicating the boy in the bathtub.
"Look closely at how his Soul Power is changing."
The three froze at her words, then focused their attention on Gu Qingshan in unison.
In an instant, their expressions changed.
Hu Liena's foxlike eyes flew wide open. Her red lips parted, but no words came out.
Yan even took two steps forward, his eyes widening.
"This... how is that possible?"
They could clearly sense the boy soaking in the poisonous water. His Soul Power was fluctuating constantly.
It wasn't a small rise and fall. It was a steady, sustained increase—one they could see with their own eyes.
They had met geniuses before. Hu Liena was a genius herself, a Soul Power Level Thirty-Three Soul Master at twelve, hailed as a once-in-a-century talent at Spirit Hall.
But she cultivated through talent, hard work, and an excellent Soul Ring Configuration, building her strength step by step.
She had never seen anything like this.
His Soul Power went up just by taking a bath?
The three exchanged glances. All their scorn and disdain vanished, replaced by shock and confusion.
What kind of monster was this seemingly carefree boy?
Feeling three scorching gazes on him, Gu Qingshan shifted self-consciously deeper into the water, leaving only his head above the surface.
"Um... could you let me get dressed first?"
A few bubbles burbled up from the green water.
Bibi Dong finally couldn't take it anymore. She tapped the Pope Scepter lightly against the ground. "Get dressed and come to the main hall. Starting today, you're the fourth member of the Golden Generation."
With that, she turned and left, walking a little faster than she had on the way in.
Hu Liena glanced at Gu Qingshan as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she followed Bibi Dong out.
Yan didn't leave, though. He stood beside the bathtub, staring at the green water for a long while before suddenly asking, "Can I soak in this water?"
Gu Qingshan blinked. "Are you sure? There are seventeen kinds of poison in it."
Yan's face changed, and he left with an awkward grin.
At last, the courtyard fell quiet.
Gu Qingshan stood up from the bathtub, droplets sliding down the outlines of the boy's still-developing frame.
He stretched, his bones giving a faint series of clicks, then turned his awareness inward for a look.
Soul Power Level: Level 15 and one-quarter.
Vitality: 5600.
It had gone up by another hundred since before.
Gu Qingshan grinned, snatched a black robe from the clothes rack beside the tub, and threw it over himself. Then he casually stuffed another Blue Silver Leaf into his mouth.
"The Golden Generation..."
He chewed the Blue Silver Leaf. Its sweet vitality melted across his tongue and flowed down his throat, spreading through his limbs and bones.
"Interesting."
The atmosphere in the main hall was subtle.
When Gu Qingshan entered in a clean black robe, the three of them were already seated properly in the guest seats.
Bibi Dong sat upright in the seat of honor, the Pope Scepter beside her. She lifted her teacup and took a small sip, her posture elegant beyond reproach.
But Gu Qingshan noticed that the instant he entered, Teacher's gaze flicked quickly to his right leg.
His expression unchanged, Gu Qingshan walked to the center of the hall and stood before Bibi Dong. He bowed, then turned around and faced the three "guests" without the slightest hint of shyness.
Bibi Dong set down her teacup, her tone once again calm and composed. "Qingshan, allow me to formally introduce you."
She gestured toward Hu Liena. "This is your senior sister, Hu Liena. Her Martial Soul is the Heavenly Fox."
Hu Liena gave a slight nod, her gaze lingering on Gu Qingshan for a moment.
What exactly was special about this child? He was only six, yet while soaking in poisonous water, his Soul Power had visibly risen.
"This is Xie Yue, Nana's older brother. His Martial Soul is the Curved Blade."
Xie Yue's expression was more reserved than his sister's. He studied Gu Qingshan, his gaze lingering on the boy's exposed skin for a moment. It was smooth and clear, showing no sign of poisoning or injury.
He'd soaked in that kind of poisonous water, yet his skin was completely unharmed?
"This is Yan. His Martial Soul is the Flame Lord."
Yan was the most straightforward of the three. He looked Gu Qingshan up and down, lifting his chin slightly with a faint, disdainful smile on his lips.
In his eyes, no matter how talented a six-year-old child was, how talented could he possibly be?
He was thirteen, a Level Thirty-Three Soul Elder. They were at least two major realms apart.
The gap in levels between Soul Masters couldn't be bridged by talent alone.
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