Qian Daoliu looked at Gu Wuchen, who stood beside Gu Linchuan.
Fair and clean-cut, gentle and refined-how could he be so handsome?
Had this child been born with his looks maxed out?
He was even a few degrees more handsome than Qian Daoliu himself.
"Greetings, Great Enshrined. My name is Gu Wuchen." Gu Wuchen greeted him politely.
A kindly smile appeared on Qian Daoliu's face. "Hahaha, what a polite child. I thought you'd be scared to see me."
"No. Why should I be scared? You're not a bad person, Great Enshrined," Gu Wuchen said calmly.
Qian Daoliu laughed. "Good. My name is Qian Daoliu, the Great Enshrined of Spirit Hall. You can call me Grandpa Qian."
"Back then, I invited your father to join the Worship Hall, but he didn't agree. Even so, that didn't stop us from having quite a few dealings before those seven years."
"Grandpa Qian, Father never told me about you. I thought you were just ordinary business partners," Gu Wuchen said, looking at Gu Linchuan.
Being stared at by his own son made Gu Linchuan rather uncomfortable. "You didn't ask, so I didn't say much."
"Come on, we can talk on the way."
With that, Gu Linchuan led Qian Daoliu into the city.
Now that their guest had arrived, they couldn't keep chatting outside the city gates, could they?
On the way to the Gu Clan's home, Gu Wuchen heard most of the story.
When Gu Linchuan and Shen Suwei were young, they had worked with Qian Daoliu. They hadn't had much money at the time, so they had taken on quite a few missions from Spirit Hall.
Moreover, neither Gu Linchuan's nor Shen Suwei's Martial Soul was ordinary, and they had joined forces with Spirit Hall to slay many Fallen Soul Masters.
Their renowned names had earned them considerable praise from the elders and disciples of Spirit Hall.
As time went on, Gu Linchuan and Shen Suwei had become well acquainted with Qian Daoliu.
That was why Qian Daoliu had wanted to invite Gu Linchuan and Shen Suwei to join Spirit Hall.
After they entered the living room, Shen Suwei, who was cooking, poked her head out of the kitchen. Seeing Qian Daoliu alongside her son and husband, she immediately greeted him:
"Great Enshrined, you're here! Please, have a seat!"
"Madam Gu, there's no need to be so courteous. Go on with what you were doing. I have something to discuss with Linchuan."
"All right, you two talk first. Dinner will be ready soon." Shen Suwei returned to the kitchen and got back to work.
In the living room, Qian Daoliu went straight to the point. "Linchuan, I won't waste words. Since you called me here, your son's talent must surpass yours."
"You always guess right, Great Enshrined. Aren't you afraid my son will disappoint you?" Gu Linchuan said with a smile.
Qian Daoliu remained as calm as still water. "Even if your son's talent were poor, with Spirit Hall's resources, it wouldn't be difficult to nurture him into an expert who can hold his own."
Both his parents were Titled Douluo, so his talent could hardly be weak.
After all, even Spirit Hall's Golden Generation had innate Soul Power of at least rank nine.
If Gu Linchuan's child had exceptional talent, having him lead the Golden Generation would also be the right choice.
"You've really put a lot of thought into this, Great Enshrined. But Wuchen's talent is far from that simple."
Gu Linchuan looked at Gu Wuchen and gestured for him to step into an open space and display the Soul Ring he had just obtained.
"Watch closely, Grandpa Qian."
Gu Wuchen walked in front of the sofa, and with a thought, the Dustless Sword appeared before him.
He reached out and gripped the hilt, and an immense chill surged forth.
Immediately afterward, a 1,500-year-old Thousand-Year Soul Ring emerged.
"A Thousand-Year Soul Ring."
Qian Daoliu drew in a sharp breath.
Gu Linchuan smiled smugly. "Well? Impressive, isn't my Wuchen?"
"More than impressive. Even the word 'monster' isn't enough to describe him," Qian Daoliu exclaimed.
In all his life as a Peerless Douluo, Qian Daoliu had seen such talent only once-right here, right now.
It was overwhelming.
With proper nurturing, he was bound to achieve greatness.
That brat Gu Linchuan was still hiding this from me. He's even more formidable than Xue'er.
He has the potential to become Spirit Hall's Holy Son.
The positions of Holy Son and Holy Maiden are vacant now, and the position of Holy Maiden has almost been secured by Bibi Dong for her disciple Hu Liena.
The Elder Hall has always been on the back foot. It's time I trained a worthy disciple of my own and slapped Bibi Dong in the face.
"Right? My son couldn't possibly be lacking!" Gu Linchuan said with a raised brow and a grin.
"Your son is impressive, not you," Qian Daoliu said.
"Much the same thing. He did inherit the blood of Suwei and me, after all."
Qian Daoliu looked at Gu Wuchen. "Wuchen, would you be willing to take me as your master? I'll teach you to cultivate and make you stronger!"
"It would certainly be better than staying here in the Far North."
Without hesitation, Gu Wuchen agreed. "Grandpa Qian, I'm willing."
"Good child. You have ambition." Qian Daoliu nodded with satisfaction.
His main goal this time had been to take Gu Wuchen to Spirit Hall. Now that it was accomplished, everyone was happy.
In the kitchen, Shen Suwei heard Gu Wuchen agree, and her hand paused slightly as she chopped vegetables. Her heart ached a little.
So soon, Wuchen was already going to leave her for Spirit Hall.
Although she was glad, as his mother, she still couldn't bear to part with him.
Once her child left, the Gu Clan's home would feel much emptier.
A grown son can't be kept at home.
That evening, Shen Suwei prepared a table full of dishes, including meat and fish. Throughout dinner, she kept putting food on Gu Wuchen's plate.
Her husband, Gu Linchuan, watched and knew that, as a mother, she couldn't bear to part with her child.
He and Qian Daoliu hadn't seen each other in more than seven years, and they began raising their cups and drinking to their hearts' content. Even after Gu Wuchen and Shen Suwei had finished eating, they were still going.
After dinner, Shen Suwei took Gu Wuchen by the hand and brought him into the kitchen.
"Wuchen, when you go to Spirit Hall, don't stop thinking about coming home."
"You won't abandon your mother, will you?"
"I gave birth to you. You mustn't let some bad woman out there trick you."
Shen Suwei went on and on.
"Mother, you're already a Titled Douluo, and you're still this worried? It's not as if I'm never coming back to the Gu Clan," Gu Wuchen said.
He understood his mother's concerns, but he hadn't expected her to worry this much.
"You don't understand. You're leaving right after awakening your Martial Soul, so of course I'm a little worried. You're your mother's flesh and blood." Shen Suwei sighed softly.
There was no use saying more. As long as her son came back to the Gu Clan every so often, that would be enough. She was just afraid some bad woman would lure him away one day; then it would be trouble.
"All right, go back to your room and rest. Mom will take care of a few things and pack your luggage. You can set off tomorrow."
Shen Suwei ushered Gu Wuchen upstairs.
Gu Wuchen returned to his room and lay on his bed. He was just thinking about going to Spirit Hall when a voice suddenly rang out in his mind.
"Little fellow, you seem nervous."
At the sound of the voice, Gu Wuchen sat bolt upright and looked around. "Who's there?"
"Stop looking. It's me!"
The next moment, a figure with an exquisitely beautiful face appeared before Gu Wuchen.
"You're Sister Xue!" Gu Wuchen stared at her, utterly bewildered.
Qian Daoliu was still here, so how had the Snow Empress appeared in his room?