At the sound of Gu Yue's name, Yu Longyue's heart skipped a beat.
Well, well, well.
The Silver Dragon King has appeared.
This only made it clearer just how formidable the identities of those Soul Beast forces behind Gu Yue were in human society.
They could silently track the whereabouts of a direct heir of a major clan like the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
If it had been Tang Wulin, that would have been one thing, but the forces behind Yu Longyue's birth could be called the most awesome on the entire Douluo Continent, bar none.
He had Shrek at his back, and his family was the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Even the Sea God Pavilion Master had wanted to take him personally as a direct disciple, but he had refused.
There was also Long Yeyue, whose seniority exceeded even that of Yun Ming, the current Sea God Pavilion Master. She was also a member of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
And Long Yeyue's husband, Elder Bei, the previous Sea God Pavilion Master, was also from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. If one were to be precise, he was Yu Longyue's granduncle.
With that background, several Limit Douluo could be called upon to act for Yu Longyue.
Several of the strongest Limit Douluo on the entire Douluo Continent were on his side, not to mention Yun Ming, the man universally acknowledged as the strongest on the continent.
Yet even so, the Silver Dragon King had found her way to him, and Yu Longyue couldn't help wondering what she wanted.
If she wanted to take the Golden Dragon King Seal from his body, those Limit Douluo wouldn't be enough to pick her teeth even if they all joined forces.
She couldn't be here to fall in love with me, like in the original story, could she?
"What's wrong? Does hearing my name surprise you that much?"
Gu Yue watched Yu Longyue stare blankly for a second or two and teased him.
Yu Longyue quickly composed himself, keeping his surprise from showing as he maintained his polite smile.
"It's nothing. I just didn't expect we really were fated to meet. Both our names have the character for moon in them. Your name especially is beautiful, just like you."
"You certainly have a sweet tongue, especially saying something like that to a girl you've just met." Gu Yue elegantly took a sip of coffee.
Yu Longyue didn't answer. He simply watched Gu Yue in silence, smiling.
After finishing her coffee, Gu Yue slowly stood up.
"I'll be going now. I hope we can meet again."
"Goodbye."
After Gu Yue left, Yu Longyue let out a sigh of relief.
In the days that followed, Yu Longyue settled into a very regular routine.
In the mornings, he took theory and practical combat lessons with Uncle Song, absorbing all kinds of advanced knowledge about the world of Soul Masters to his heart's content. In the afternoons, he made time to visit the company, setting its overall direction and preparing to establish a platform, a website, and so on.
Then, around two or three in the afternoon, Yu Longyue would take his laptop to the coffee shop and enjoy working in its pleasant surroundings.
After four or five, when Yu Longyue finished working and stretched, he would find Gu Yue sitting beside him as always, watching him work.
"We meet again."
Every day, they exchanged just a few words before she hurried off, leaving Yu Longyue unsure what she wanted.
Yet the two maintained a curious unspoken understanding.
Every afternoon, they would both come to the coffee shop. But almost every time, Yu Longyue arrived first and immersed himself in work. When he stopped concentrating, he would find her beside him.
This strange situation continued until the day Huo Yuhao and the others made time to look for Yu Longyue after school.
That afternoon, Huo Yuhao called him and said that, after their first promotion match ended that day, he would bring the person over to Yu Longyue after school.
Seeing that he still had plenty of time, Yu Longyue went to the coffee shop as usual.
As soon as he entered, the manager came up to him, his face full of apology.
"Young Master Yu, I'm sorry. A little girl insisted on sitting in your spot. I tried to persuade her several times, but she wouldn't leave..."
Yu Longyue looked over and saw Gu Yue already sitting in the nicest spot in the corner of the shop. Gentle sunlight fell on her, and although her looks were not particularly beautiful, her bearing made her seem almost like a fairy descended to earth.
When Gu Yue saw Yu Longyue arrive, she smiled faintly, lifting the hand that had been propping up her cheek to wave at him in greeting.
"It's all right. From now on, my spot is hers too," Yu Longyue told the manager. After the manager nodded, Yu Longyue sat down beside Gu Yue with his laptop, as usual.
"Looks like I got here first today."
Gu Yue picked up her coffee and smiled.
Yu Longyue set his laptop on the table and opened it, but instead of starting work right away, he looked at Gu Yue.
"Even the manager remembers you now."
Gu Yue smiled softly. "The surroundings here are quite nice, and so is the atmosphere. I like it, and... other things too."
"Don't you need to go to school?" Yu Longyue paused what he was doing.
"I'd like to, but ordinary schools can't teach me." Gu Yue picked up her coffee again and took a small sip. "Oh, right, I haven't asked you yet. What's your cultivation level?"
Without looking up, Yu Longyue said, "Level 43, Soul Ancestor. What about you?"
These days, aside from taking lessons with Uncle Song, he couldn't even be bothered to meditate and cultivate, yet his Soul Power was still advancing a thousand miles a day.
So he had gone up another level.
But Yu Longyue was somewhat dissatisfied that his Soul Power seemed to be improving more slowly.
Normally, it would already have shot past level 45.
Gu Yue raised a hand and made a gesture.
"Level 45, Soul Ancestor."
With that, she stared straight at Yu Longyue and raised her chin, like a girl with a strong competitive streak.
Her gaze seemed to say, I'm stronger than you.
The corner of Yu Longyue's mouth twitched. She's doing this on purpose, isn't she?
According to the original story, she was only a Soul Master at this point. Clearly, she had deliberately improved this quickly so she wouldn't be weaker than him.
So he gave her a perfunctory reply.
"You're amazing, miss. I feel ashamed of my own inferiority. No wonder you say ordinary academies can't teach you. You're not much older than me, yet your Soul Power is two levels higher. You're no ordinary genius. I admire you."
Gu Yue was taken aback by his praise, then began exchanging flattery with him. "You're amazing too. A nine-year-old Soul Ancestor is a genius without precedent and never to be seen again."
A nine-year-old Soul Grandmaster was already a genius, let alone a Soul Ancestor.
"Does that count as praising yourself?" Yu Longyue's face darkened.
Gu Yue raised a hand to cover her mouth, struggling to suppress a smile. "Why not?"
"It seems we're both favored children of heaven. What are we flattering each other for?" Yu Longyue said as he opened his laptop, ready to begin work.
Gu Yue didn't disturb him. She sat quietly beside him, watching him without taking her eyes off him, her thoughts unknown.
Just then, a young man walked into the coffee shop.
He looked around and saw no sign of Yu Longyue. His brows furrowed slightly; even his spiritual power couldn't detect Yu Longyue's presence.
Only when he walked over to the corner did he finally find Yu Longyue.
He had just approached and was about to greet Yu Longyue when he saw a girl sitting beside him and stopped in his tracks.
Yu Longyue, however, noticed his arrival. He looked up at Huo Yuhao, who stood frozen in place.
"You're here? I was just about finished, so it isn't too late."
But Huo Yuhao looked at Yu Longyue, then at Gu Yue, and couldn't resist asking:
"Um, I didn't interrupt your date, did I?"