Summer Three Years Later! Gu Yuena Faces a Choice

Time slipped by, and the years flew past.

In the blink of an eye, three years had passed.

East Sea Junior Academy, last class of the day.

"Class, starting today, you've completed your studies at the junior academy. After this, come to the office one by one to collect your graduation certificates. The road ahead..."

"Won't be one where Teacher Cai leads you through every challenge."

Homeroom teacher Cai Kun stood at the podium, gazing at the children who had grown up before him. His voice tinged with sadness, he spoke slowly.

By the window in the back row, a boy whose looks were plainly in a league of his own was quietly lost in thought.

He was strikingly handsome, as if he belonged on a different plane from everyone else. Though he was only nine, his presence was remarkably imposing at first glance.

He was Jiang Yan.

Three years had passed. Though he still had a boyish air, the aura of a future heartthrob had already begun to shine through.

In his mind, the system's mechanical chime had quietly sounded:

[Growth Mission · Academy Studies I (Completed)]

[In your three years at the junior academy, dear host, you've raised your cultivation by a total of twenty-one levels, your Soul Spirit's age to eight thousand years, and your secondary profession levels by two... You're simply too cool!]

[Congratulations! You have received the following rewards: one random Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone and one ten-thousand-year-old natural treasure.]

[Congratulations! You have received a fifty-thousand-year-old Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Rex Left Leg Bone and one ten-thousand-year-old Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass.]

"A Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Rex leg bone, and ten-thousand-year-old Octagonal Mysterious Ice Grass. I'll leave them in storage to gather dust."

Listening to the voice in his mind, Jiang Yan thought to himself.

Over the past three years, he had steadily cultivated, attended classes, grown stronger, and studied forging in Eastsea City.

Whenever his teacher had time, he would come all the way from Shrek City to see him. When it came to forging, Divine Blacksmith Zhen Hua had personally guided him.

On top of that, there were the system's staged development missions and his life achievements. In just three years, his cultivation had already reached level thirty-three, Soul Elder. And his secondary profession levels were just as impressive—

[Opening host data panel]

[Host: Jiang Yan]

[Martial Soul: Dragon God]

[Cultivation: Level 33 Soul Elder]

[Bloodline Abilities: Dominating the World, Master of All Life, Elemental Lord, Divine Power of Nature...]

[Life Traits: Peerless Immortal Beauty! Peerless! Unbreakable Defense! Heaven-Defying Comprehension! Golden Branches and Jade Leaves!]

[Soul Rings: Purple, Purple, Purple]

[Soul Spirit: Xiao Ba (eight-thousand-year-old Nine-Colored Tyrannosaurus Rex)]

[First Soul Skill: Dragon's Descent; Second Soul Skill: Archaic Dragon Body; Third Soul Skill: Dragon God's Prison-Shattering Strike]

[Affiliated Faction: Spirit Pagoda]

[Secondary Professions: Peak Sixth-Level Blacksmith, Sixth-Level Mecha Manufacturer, Sixth-Level Mecha Designer, Sixth-Level Mecha Repairer]

[Bonds: Jiang Luochuan (family), Jiang Lingli (family), Silver Dragon King Na'er (younger sister), Leng Yaozhu (teacher), Peak Second-Level God Qian Renxue (personal guard), Peak Second-Level God Bibi Dong (personal guard), and more...]

[System Space: 300 million Federation Coins, assorted century-old natural treasures, thousand-year-old Radiant Sun Fruit, thousand-year-old Dragon Amber Fruit, ten-thousand-year-old Earth Dragon Golden Melon, ten-thousand-year-old Youxiang Qiluo, century-old Luo Sanpao Soul Bone, thirty-thousand-year-old Blue Lightning Tyrannosaurus Rex Soul Bone, Heavenly Phoenix Token...]

Looking over the data panel in his mind, Jiang Yan focused on the line listing his secondary professions.

That's right, he was already far more than just a blacksmith.

People said that secondary professions had limited potential for advancement, but that simply wasn't true for him. Thanks to his heaven-defying comprehension, perhaps "having it all down pat" was the better way to put it.

And he hadn't learned these things because he liked them.

He'd learned them to milk the system for rewards.

At present, among his development missions, [Star of Forging] had reached its seventh stage, and [Star of Mecha], [Star of Design], and [Star of Repair] were all right there with it.

And what these development missions brought him... was one reward after another.

For missions this easy, he'd be a fool to turn them down.

"Boss, once we've collected our graduation certificates, how about we go out and have a big meal? My treat."

Just then, the brown-haired boy beside Jiang Yan gave his arm a light poke and spoke with a grin, his tone respectful.

His name was Xie Xie. His Martial Souls were the Light Dragon Dagger and the Shadow Dragon Dagger. He was one of Eastsea's Five Great Geniuses and a member of Eastsea's F5. As for his ranking...

F-f-fourth!

"Yeah, boss."

"Even though we won't be going our separate ways, we should still make a bit of a ceremony of it. Consider it a proper send-off for these three years."

Wei Xiaofeng, seated in front of Jiang Yan, turned around too. He slicked back his hair with a showy gesture and flashed a cheeky grin.

Wang Jinxi and Zhang Yangzi also turned around, their faces full of anticipation.

"..."

Looking at their expectant faces, Jiang Yan smiled helplessly. If they weren't all staying in Eastsea for intermediate academy, he would have thought the three of them wanted a farewell dinner.

"No."

"I have to pick up my younger sister after school. You guys go ahead."

The next moment, he shook his head.

"Huh?"

"Then just bring Sister Na'er along."

Xie Xie was taken aback, then exchanged glances with the other three and immediately suggested it. As Jiang Yan's friends and devoted admirers, they had called Na'er "big sis" from the very beginning.

Though they were younger than her, they had always treated her like their big sister.

They were eager to get ahead.

"Not today."

"There are some things to take care of at home."

Jiang Yan shook his head and looked out the window, his feelings complicated.

Yesterday, a powerful Dragon Clan bloodline bearer had arrived in Eastsea City. If his guess was right, it could only be Di Tian, the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King.

These next few days...

He'd better spend more time with Na'er.

"Young Master Jiang Yan."

"Please come with me."

Just then, homeroom teacher Cai Kun took a deep breath at the podium and looked toward Jiang Yan.

"Hm? All right."

"..."

A minute later, in the academic director's office.

"Young Master Jiang Yan, starting today, you've completed your studies in the junior division. Thank you for your care over these past three years. I'm deeply grateful!"

"I wish you steady progress on your path of cultivation, all the way until you become a Limit Douluo!"

Inside the office, Cai Kun spoke with a smile, gazing at the boy before him, whose beauty was peerless. The respect on his face was plain for all to see.

How could he not be respectful?

When the other boy had first entered first grade, he could already beat Cai Kun up.

By second grade, he could take on Soul Kings.

Now, as he graduated from third grade, his cultivation had already broken through to Soul Elder. To have become his homeroom teacher...

Cai Kun could only consider himself incredibly fortunate!

"Teacher Cai, you're too kind."

Jiang Yan smiled and accepted his graduation certificate. Three years had passed, and Teacher Cai was still as dutiful as ever.

Care? Really?

Wasn't a teacher supposed to be grateful to his student?

"This is only what I should do as your teacher."

"..."

Not long afterward, at the south campus of Eastsea Academy.

Not everyone was suited to becoming a Soul Master.

At the school gate, a silver-haired girl was lost in thought beneath a large tree. She gazed into the distance, her eyes unfocused.

She was beautiful. Though still young, no one doubted she had the potential to become a goddess.

She didn't need to do anything. Just standing there was enough to stir the heart and make countless people stop in their tracks, too awestruck to approach.

She was born to be a goddess.

She was Na'er.

After failing to awaken a Martial Soul, she had been enrolled in Eastsea Academy's cultural studies program at Jiang Lingli's arrangement. Every day, she went to and from school with her older brother Jiang Yan, always arriving together and leaving together.

At her brother's side, she was always happy.

Today alone...

She was especially troubled.

"..."

At that moment, a boy approached from the distance, taking a few steps before coming to a stop beside her.

"Na'er, have you been waiting long?"

"Homeroom teacher was handing out graduation certificates today, so it took a while. Come on, let's go home."

Looking at Na'er, Jiang Yan smiled warmly.

"Mm!"

"Let's go home."

Na'er snapped out of her daze and nodded with a smile. For that moment, she seemed to become the lively girl she used to be.

She naturally took his hand, and the two left the academy together, heading home along the road they had walked countless times before.

"Brother."

"Can we take our time going home today?"

When she spotted the familiar car at the school gate, Na'er slowed her steps. Her fingers tightened around Jiang Yan's hand, and her little face filled with complicated emotions as she asked softly.

"Do you want to go shopping, Na'er?"

"No problem. I'll tell Uncle Bai."

Jiang Yan paused, then smiled. Uncle Li didn't always have time to drive them, so to save them the trouble of getting to and from school, he had arranged a private driver for them long ago.

As he spoke, he went ahead to inform the driver.

"Na'er, where do you want to go?"

Jiang Yan looked at her and asked.

"I don't know..."

"I just want to wander around with you, brother."

The girl shook her head and smiled gently.

It didn't matter where Na'er went. What mattered was that her brother was by her side. That was best of all. She wanted...

To be wherever her brother was.

She didn't want to leave him.

"Then let's go see the sea."

Jiang Yan smiled warmly and ruffled her hair. Then he headed toward the seaside.

Na'er followed quietly at his side, obediently keeping pace.

Along the way, they passed many places, and at each one, memories came bounding back to Na'er.

Eastsea City was small—so small that, among the cities within the Spirit Pagoda's eighteen main towers' sphere of influence, it was considered the most insignificant.

Eastsea City was also vast. At least in Na'er's memories, it held everything that belonged to her, everything that belonged to her alone, and...

Everything she shared with her brother.

"..."

Eastsea City was on the coast, and the seaside scenery was lovely.

Especially at this time of day, at dusk. Bathed in the fading light, the sea took on a uniquely beautiful sheen.

Jiang Yan sat down on a beach chair, gazing into the distance at the sunset melting into the sea, his eyes filled with unspoken thoughts.

"The sea..."

"It's so beautiful."

Leaning against Jiang Yan, Na'er murmured softly.

"It really is beautiful."

"When we came to see the sea for the first time, Na'er said we should come every year from then on."

Jiang Yan smiled, his eyes full of remembrance.

"..."

Na'er nodded without speaking. She only gripped his hand tighter. The familiar warmth where their palms touched brought back that summer three years ago—

When they first came here, they had leaned quietly together just like this, watching the sea side by side.

Back then, they had been just as they were now.

At the time, she had dreamed of forever. Now...

It was goodbye.

She thought of the black-robed man who had appeared in her room last night, and of the name he had told her. Her heart tightened once more.

Finally, she lifted her head.

"Brother, if one day I leave, will you..."

"Will you miss me, Na'er?"

Anxiety flickered in her beautiful eyes as she asked softly.

She was Na'er, and also the future leader who would revive the Beast Clan—the incarnation of the Dragon God, Silver Dragon King Gu Yuena.

The choice wasn't hers to make.

Would she still be able to hold her brother's hand as tightly as she did now in the future?

Would the hand he was supposed to hold then

still be hers?

"..."

P.S.: Today's update is 6,000+ words. Please vote for the novel and send monthly tickets! This much daily content during a new novel's launch period is genuinely generous!