Respecting Your Choice

East Sea Airport was spacious, bright, grand, and imposing, in no way inferior to the modern international airports of his previous life.

The unique qualities of soul-guidance technology gave it an entirely different kind of charm.

Virtual soul-guidance light screens could be seen everywhere. Anti-gravity soul-guidance carts moved through the unceasing flow of people. The ground was a soul-guidance device made from special ores, fitted together so seamlessly that it formed a shimmering sea. As people hurried across it, their footsteps sent ripples spreading outward like dragonflies touching the water.

A Spirit Pagoda Airlines soul-guidance plane from Shrek South City Airport landed smoothly on the tarmac. As Gu Yuena emerged from the first-class VIP passageway, she immediately saw Meng Xinghe and Dong Qianqiu waiting for her.

"Hello. Finally seeing a living person wasn't easy at all."

Meng Xinghe smiled and extended his hand.

As core disciples of the Spirit Pagoda, he and Gu Yuena had met online long ago. This was something openly known, so there was no need to pretend they did not know each other.

"It certainly wasn't easy. You made me wait three years."

Gu Yuena smiled as she extended her hand and clasped his long, fair hand tightly.

"Long time no see," she transmitted during their handshake.

"There's something I wanted to tell you face-to-face. Having someone stand in front of you, shielding you from wind and rain, is a very happy thing. But I'm not a child who needs protecting. I want to contribute too, to fulfill my responsibilities according to my status."

Along with the voice transmission came seven-colored elemental power originating from the Silver Dragon King's source power.

"People are emotional creatures. I only wanted to give you a complete childhood."

Meng Xinghe wore a calm, breezy smile as the power of the sky effortlessly dissolved Gu Yuena's covert contest of strength. He transmitted, "But since you've made your choice, I choose to respect it."

A moment later, the two released their hands.

"It's just about time to eat. I reserved a table at the best restaurant in East Sea City, to welcome you and your saber-bearing guard."

The saber-bearing guard he spoke of was none other than the burly man standing behind Gu Yuena.

He was rather special. He could be the guard in "saber-bearing guard," or he could be the saber itself.

He was Sima Jinchi—not a human, but the weapon spirit of the quasi-divine artifact, the Dragon Clan Magic Saber.

Nine years ago, the wild and unruly Sima Jinchi had been brought before Gu Yuena, who had yet to take human form and begin cultivation anew. The bloodline power originating from half of the Dragon God instantly awakened his memories as the weapon spirit of the Dragon Clan Magic Saber.

His soul power cultivation, which had long been unable to break through rank ninety, also achieved a natural breakthrough at that moment.

Before Gu Yuena, the Silver Dragon King who was half of the Dragon God, Sima Jinchi offered his loyalty. After Gu Yuena took human form and began cultivating anew, he remained at her side as the personal bodyguard of the Gu Family's eldest miss.

The Spirit Pagoda's upper ranks all knew that Miss Gu Yuena had such a personal bodyguard. Leng Yaozhu and the Qiangu Clan had each tested Sima Jinchi's strength, and both received a shocked expression in return.

Leng Yaozhu: Nana's personal bodyguard is actually this strong. Now I can rest easy.

Qiangu Clan: A mere bodyguard is already this strong. The Gu Family is terrifying indeed—we must win them over to our side!

At the most famous seafood restaurant in East Sea City, the four sat in a private room, eating seafood and chatting. They looked just like an ordinary family of four out for a meal.

Gu Yuena picked up a piece of fish cheek meat and spoke as she ate. "Qiu'er called me on the plane and told me about what she's doing."

"I want to know your plan concerning this."

"Easy enough." Meng Xinghe looked at Gu Yuena's large purple eyes, which were full of curiosity. "Aren't we both geniuses?"

When Gu Yuena nodded, he continued.

"The two of us geniuses will join East Sea Academy and represent the academy in the Skysea Alliance Grand Tournament, the grand event held once every three years, during the second semester of our first year."

"In the tournament, the prize for the youth division champion of the soul master competition will be a Golden Apple provided by the Holy Spirit Cult. Qiu'er will be the one presenting the award."

"A Golden Apple as the youth division champion's prize? That's far too precious." Gu Yuena frowned, but soon relaxed again.

"No, this Golden Apple is a prize specially prepared for us."

The only Golden Apple Tree in the entire Douluo Federation was controlled by the Holy Spirit Cult.

The Golden Apple Tree drew upon the power of the earth veins to grow. The Golden Apples it bore could greatly nourish one's origin upon consumption. They were peerless treasures that even Limit Douluo would covet.

She had eaten several of such treasures. They tasted excellent, and their effects were excellent as well.

"I think I understand your plan." Gu Yuena revealed an intelligent smile, beautiful and utterly adorable at the same time.

"The Holy Spirit Cult is famous for making connections and fostering goodwill. Our enrollment at East Sea Academy isn't a secret either. To befriend us, the Holy Spirit Cult offers a Golden Apple as the prize for the youth division champions of the Skysea Alliance Grand Tournament's soul master competition."

"Qiu'er's purpose in retrieving the Golden Apple isn't hard to guess. We're geniuses of the Spirit Pagoda, and the Spirit Pagoda has deep ties to soul beasts. Having Qiu'er, the peace ambassador, handle the Golden Apple's transport and award presentation makes everything perfectly reasonable."

Seeing Meng Xinghe nod in agreement, Gu Yuena looked even more pleased with herself, every bit the little girl.

"But there's one thing I don't understand."

"We can't let them succeed the first time. Once we're on guard the second time, we should be even less likely to let them succeed."

"If we let them successfully snatch the Golden Apple the second time, let alone us, even they would probably think we deliberately handed it to them."

A hint of gratification appeared on Meng Xinghe's face.

Gu Yuena had indeed grown up quite a bit to think of that. She was no longer a child.

The Dragon God's earth-shattering wisdom was gradually fading away, and Miss Gu Yuena was slowly becoming a normal person.

"Mm, you've considered it very thoroughly." Meng Xinghe's smile remained unchanged. "But you missed one point. In this world, there's still a stinking, endlessly troublesome pest called Shrek."

"As long as they're shameless enough, Shrek can absolutely covet the Golden Apple and cross half of Douluo Continent to participate in the Skysea Alliance Grand Tournament. It would be best if they won the championship, but it wouldn't matter if they didn't. Once the scene descended into chaos, they would have their chance to fish in troubled waters."

Shrek?

She really had overlooked that thing.

As Gu Yuena pondered it, she suddenly looked at Meng Xinghe. "You're so certain that Shrek's people will get involved. Could it be that you have someone in Shrek?"

Meng Xinghe smiled happily at her words.

"After twenty thousand years, if I still couldn't plant even one spy, wouldn't those twenty thousand years have been wasted?"

"Not just Shrek. I have people throughout Douluo Planet, including the oceans and the two great empires, Star Luo and Dou Ling."

Listening to this, Gu Yuena felt that something was off.

Those words... seemed to be mocking her.

She had lived for so long, longer than the history of humanity on Douluo Planet, yet she had made no preparations at all.