Dugu Bo: My Eye for Talent Is the Best in the World

"Alright, are you here for a visit, or is there something else?"

Shui Bing'er spoke up from the side, "Both are true. Visiting the Body Sect is one thing. Also, our Skywater Academy has registered for the All-Continent Genius Soul Master Tournament."

Jiang Lan was taken aback. "You're participating too?"

"Of course." Shui Bing'er nodded. "We won the championship last time, so of course we'll defend our title this time. But this time the situation is different; it's a joint event hosted by six parties, and the Spirit Hall will also send its strongest lineup."

"So you came to me wanting my help with training?"

"It's not about helping," Shui Yue'er interjected, "It's about training together. Your Body Sect is newly established and doesn't have many disciples yet. Training together with us from the Skywater Academy will benefit both sides."

Jiang Lan thought about it and thought it was a good idea. The girls from the Skywater Academy had a solid foundation and rich combat experience. Training with the newly recruited disciples of the Body Sect would indeed be helpful.

"Alright." Jiang Lan nodded. "Then let's practice together. But my disciples' foundation is relatively weak, so please go easy on them."

"Don't worry," Shui Yue'er patted her chest, "We have experience training newcomers."

Jiang Lan grinned, then, remembering something, turned and glanced back at the disciples in the training ground.

A dozen or so people sat there, their eyes wide and mouths agape, watching their master being hugged by seven pretty girls in turn, lipstick marks still on his face. They were completely dumbfounded.

"Master," a disciple raised his hand, his voice trembling, "These... are they all our martial uncles?"

"Okay." Jiang Lan nodded. "Just call them 'Shishu' (Martial Uncle). They'll be training with us from now on. You can ask them if you don't understand anything."

The disciples exchanged glances, then stood up in unison and bowed to the seven girls.

"Greetings, Uncle-Master!"

His voice was loud and clear, even more energetic than when he listened to Jiang Lan explain the boxing techniques.

Shui Yue'er was overjoyed to be addressed as "Shishu" (a term of respect for one's martial uncle), and waved her hand, saying, "Alright, alright, good girls, your Shishu will protect you from now on."

Xue Wu muttered under her breath, "Why do I feel like we're here to be babysitters?"

"A nanny is fine," Shui Bing'er said. "Anyway, she's Jiang Lan's disciple, so it's only right that she mentors him."

Jiang Lan listened from the side, feeling that something was off about what was said, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

That afternoon, the seven students from the Skywater Academy officially moved into the Body Sect.

Guga One cleaned up the side hall for them to live in, made up beds, put in wardrobes, and hung curtains on the windows.

Shui Yue'er disliked the color of the curtains, so she went to the city and bought a few new ones to replace them. They were light blue, which matched the color of their college uniforms perfectly.

The training grounds of the Body Sect were bustling with activity for the next few days.

The girls from the Skywater Academy took turns sparring with the disciples, while Jiang Lan watched from the sidelines, occasionally chiming in with a few words and pointing out details.

The Body Sect was bustling for almost half a month.

The girls of the Skywater Academy had their disciples completely under their thumb, and even the most mischievous boy with the Tooth Martial Soul would avoid Shui Yue'er.

Jiang Lan would take a walk around the training ground every day, give a few pointers, and spend the rest of his time tinkering with Soul Tool parts in the Workshop. He lived a very comfortable life.

That afternoon, he was squatting by the training ground correcting a disciple's horse stance when footsteps came from outside the main gate of the Body Sect.

Jiang Lan's ears twitched.

Then he heard that familiar, eerie voice.

"Wow, this place is not bad, better than I expected. It's just that the characters on the door plaque are still so ugly after all these years."

Jiang Lan turned her head abruptly.

A group of people walked in through the gate, led by Dugu Bo, who was dressed in a dark green robe. He had his hands behind his back, still with that arrogant attitude of "I am the best in the world." He slightly raised his chin, his gaze swept across the martial arts arena, and the corners of his mouth were curled up.

Beside him was Dugu Yan, whose dark green short hair had grown a bit longer than a few years ago, tied into a small braid that hung down her shoulder. As soon as she entered, she looked around, and when she saw Jiang Lan squatting by the edge of the martial arts arena, her eyes lit up.

Behind them was Ye Lingling, dressed in black with a veil covering her face, revealing only her emerald eyes, quietly watching them.

"Sister Yanyan! Sister Lingling! Master!" Jiang Lan jumped up from the ground and scurried towards the three of them with her short legs.

Dugu Yan was the first to rush forward, bent down and scooped him up from the ground, holding him up in front of her.

"Little Guga!"

"Sister Yanyan-- "

Dugu Yan didn't give him a chance to speak. She turned him over and looked him over twice, then hugged him and buried her face in his head, rubbing it hard against his head twice.

"You heartless little brat! It's been years! You haven't even written me a single letter!"

I wrote it!

"What did you write? Just those two pages?"

I wrote a lot--

"A lot? You call that a lot?" Dugu Yan pushed him out of her arms and pinched his cheeks with both hands, pulling them apart.

Jiang Lan's mouth was stretched into a flat oval shape, and she protested indistinctly, "Little Guga..."

Dugu Yan let go of his hand, but didn't put him down. She held him in her arms and gently bounced him twice, resting her chin on his head.

"You've lost weight," Dugu Yan said.

"You haven't lost weight."

"I said I've lost weight, and that's it."

"... Okay, you've lost weight."

Ye Lingling walked over and stood next to Dugu Yan, her emerald eyes looking at him, and gently patted his head.

"It's good that you're back," Ye Lingling said.

Jiang Lan peeked out from Dugu Yan's arms and grinned at her.

Dugu Bo stood to the side, his hands behind his back, a half-smile on his face, watching Dugu Yan cling to Jiang Lan without letting go. He didn't urge her, just watched.

Jiang Lan broke free from Dugu Yan's embrace, ran to Dugu Bo, and looked up at him.

"Master."

"Hmm." Dugu Bo glanced down at him. "Not bad, no missing limbs."

I'm at level 71.

Dugu Bo's expression froze for a moment.

"How many?"

Seventy-one.

Dugu Bo stared at him for several breaths.

"When I was your age, I hadn't even reached level 50 yet," Dugu Bo said.

"Therefore, you are my disciple, not my disciple."

Dugu Bo's lips twitched, and he reached out and slapped him on the head. The slap wasn't hard, but it carried a familiar arrogance.

Dugu Bo felt a little smug, thinking that no one in the entire Douluo Continent had better judgment than him.

Don't be so smug.

Jiang Lan grinned, turned around and shouted towards the training ground, "Come here, everyone! Greet your grandmaster!"

The disciples swarmed around, forming a line behind Jiang Lan, craning their necks to look at Dugu Bo, their eyes filled with curiosity and awe.

"Greetings, Master!" the disciples shouted in unison.

Dugu Bo was taken aback by being called "Grandmaster," then the corners of his mouth curved upwards.

"Hmm." Dugu Bo nodded. "Not bad, it's starting to look good."