Parting in Sorrow, Reunion in Joy

But Chu Zhao was different. She had appeared alone outside Holy Soul Village before she was even three years old. It had not been easy for her to survive until now.

That reminded Tang San of his former self, and he could not help feeling pity for Chu Zhao.

"This is a Silent Hidden Arrow I made. I'm giving it to you. You can use it to protect yourself."

As he spoke, Tang San gave Chu Zhao the Silent Hidden Arrow that had originally been meant for Xiao Wu, patiently teaching her how to use it.

"You're giving it to me?"

Chu Zhao had not expected the hidden arrow to end up in her hands.

"If I'm not giving it to you, who should I give it to? We've known each other for so long, and you don't even have a soul ring. Giving you a concealed weapon for self-defense is perfectly normal."

Looking at the Silent Hidden Arrow in Chu Zhao's hand, Tang San still felt it was far too little.

If he could gather a complete set of mechanical concealed weapons, Chu Zhao should be able to kill even a Soul Elder with ease.

With that thought, Tang San resolved to work twice as hard.

Making concealed weapons required materials, and materials required Gold Soul Coins. His greatest source of income at the moment was his Soul Master subsidy. He had heard that once one became a Soul Grandmaster, they could receive ten Gold Soul Coins every month.

Having accepted Tang San's favor, Chu Zhao naturally began thinking of ways to look after him.

Thus, only a few days later, a Moonlight Blacksmith Shop appeared in Notting City. After spending heavily to take over several existing blacksmith shops, she poached Tang San as well, offering him several times his previous salary.

Tang San's great undertaking of saving money to buy materials and make concealed weapons immediately began showing results.

First, Chu Zhao really did have a little money.

Second, Tang San was genuinely well suited to being a blacksmith. He was worth the wage.

Still, life at Notting Academy was ultimately too peaceful. Near the end of their second school year, Chu Zhao applied to withdraw.

"You're leaving too? Isn't it good here?"

Tang San could not accept it when he suddenly heard that Chu Zhao was leaving as well.

Chu Zhao was the third person he had met since coming into this world.

His father, Tang Hao, had already left, while Old Jack remained in Holy Soul Village. He had thought Chu Zhao would accompany him for a long way, but he had not expected their parting to come so soon.

"No."

Chu Zhao answered honestly. "This place doesn't suit me. If I stay here, I'm destined to become nothing more than an ordinary Soul Master."

"But what can you do after leaving this place?"

Tang San wanted to persuade her further. He could not quite accept Chu Zhao's departure.

Xiao Wu, who was practically puffing up like an angry pufferfish beside them, chimed in as well. "Why are you leaving? Aren't you happy with us?"

"There's plenty I can do. Life doesn't have only one path. The world is vast, and I can roam it as I please." Chu Zhao answered Tang San first, then Xiao Wu. "Of course I'm happy, but being happy isn't all there is to life."

"We are destined to part someday. This is only bringing that day forward a little. But we can still have many reunions."

Chu Zhao had already made up her mind to leave. She had even completed the withdrawal paperwork. She was only saying a proper farewell for the sake of their time as classmates.

Fasinuo Province, Nordke City, Moonlight Restaurant.

"Seriously? You two want to follow me too? Wang Sheng is one thing, but Xiao Chenyu, what's going on with you? You have family property to inherit, don't you!"

Seeing the two people seated across from her at the round table gave Chu Zhao a headache.

She should never have interfered in that matter on a whim. The Soul Masters she had hired at great expense were not useless. Why had it fallen to her to act?

"If Wang Sheng can do it, then I can do it even more. As for that inheritance, my father has more than one son. Whether I'll get any of it is another matter!"

Xiao Chenyu, once Boss Xiao of Notting Academy, spoke with utmost seriousness.

Wang Sheng, once of Seventh Dormitory at Notting Academy, sat beside him. The young man had shot up so much over the years that he was nearly unrecognizable, yet he still liked to speak while thumping his chest.

"Boss, we used to be your underlings, and I said I'd repay you! Of course, being your underling and continuing to serve you is the proper way to repay you."

A few days earlier, after Chu Zhao left Notting Academy, she had headed north. As she passed through Nordke City, she happened to see a Soul Master causing trouble at her Moonlight Restaurant.

Seeing that the troublemaker had only level thirty-two Soul Power, she decided to get some practice. Without even using her martial soul, she gave that Soul Elder a thorough beating.

By sheer coincidence, Xiao Chenyu and Wang Sheng were in Nordke City and saw the whole thing. Who knew what the two had imagined from it, but they clung to her afterward, insisting on remaining her underlings and serving her.

"Are you serious? Serving me isn't the same as before. Do you understand?"

"We understand! But we think we'll have a better future if we follow you."

Xiao Chenyu answered honestly. His Innate Soul Power was not high either. At best, he would only become a low-level Soul Elder in this life, entirely unremarkable.

Yet Chu Zhao had defeated a Soul Elder without using her martial soul, which showed just how extraordinary she was.

It reminded Xiao Chenyu of what Chu Zhao had said when they first met two years ago: a person's potential was limitless, and martial souls and Soul Power did not represent everything.

"Of course I understand! But I need to repay your kindness. I'm a man of my word."

Wang Sheng only mentioned repaying her kindness, emphasizing that he kept his promises.

His Soul Master subsidy had all been swindled away by his father, but the money he earned working at the Moonlight Restaurant remained in his own hands. Once he had saved five Gold Soul Coins, he immediately returned the money to Tang San.

Seeing how serious they were, Chu Zhao hesitated only briefly before deciding to give it a try.

"You can follow me, but I don't take just anyone. If you fail to meet my requirements, you can leave at any time."

Xiao Chenyu and Wang Sheng were both over thirteen but not yet fourteen. Even now, they were only one-ring Soul Masters, and their second soul rings seemed far out of reach.

They might not have much talent in martial souls, but after observing them for two years, Chu Zhao knew their character was sound. They were people she could use.

Chu Zhao had ambitions. She would need many people in the future, and every field required different kinds of people. What she valued most, instead, was character.

Xiao Chenyu and Wang Sheng promised in unison, "No problem! We'll definitely meet your requirements!"

After agreeing, the two quickly entered training mode.

Several other youths trained alongside them. They came from poor backgrounds and had little talent for martial souls, so they had all considered giving up on the path of Soul Masters. Every one of them had been carefully selected by Chu Zhao.

Over the past two years, she had gradually completed a few small missions, and the rewards she obtained could not have been better used than to train them.

After teaching them for a while, Chu Zhao quickly discovered that these people did not lack the potential to cultivate their martial souls. They simply had never found the right training methods before.

Ordinary meditation training did not suit everyone.