Chapter 18: Na'er

"Shimu!" (Master's wife!)

A silver-haired girl beamed as she threw herself into Yali's embrace. Her fair complexion was almost unreal, resembling that of a delicate porcelain doll. Her violet eyes were as mesmerizing as a blooming Roland flower.

"Na'er, stop messing around," Yali said gently, stroking Na'er's hair. "You'll meet your brother soon."

"Brother?" Na'er's body trembled slightly as old memories surfaced in her mind. A tear seemed to form at the corner of her eye, but she suppressed it instantly.

"Yes! Your brother. Your brother has great talent in forging. Over the past three years, he has been training diligently and rarely visits me. This time, Yun-ge mentioned that his three-year training plan has ended, so I brought you along to meet him properly. I also have a few things to ask that brat." Yali's voice softened toward the end, as if she were slightly displeased.

Forging...

A figure flashed through Na'er's mind—that figure. The one who had risked everything to save her from danger. That person, who should have been enjoying a carefree childhood, had chosen to dedicate himself to forging because of her and her parents…

"Brother..." Na'er's voice was barely a whisper.

"Hmm? Na'er, what did you say?" Yali looked at her in confusion, thinking she had heard something faint.

"N-nothing..." Na'er quickly replied.

"Uncle Yun!" Gu You called out as he entered. He was already accustomed to calling Yali 'Godmother,' but when it came to Yun Ming, he could never quite get used to it. Perhaps it was because Yali was naturally more affectionate, whereas Yun Ming was stricter.

"You're here. Why are your clothes so wet?" Yun Ming asked, unfazed by the title.

"Uh, I had a little accident on the way and fell into the lake," Gu You replied awkwardly, avoiding eye contact. He didn't dare elaborate.

"You've mastered spirit refining?"

"I've grasped the basics, but it's still not enough. If my soul power were stronger, I'd have about a fifty percent success rate."

Yun Ming nodded in acknowledgment.

"Wu Yu should have spoken to you about everything. What are your thoughts?"

"I'll go! No matter what, this is a test of my abilities."

Gu You's voice was resolute.

Yun Ming was pleased. In his right hand, a soft glow of soul power shimmered before dissipating, revealing three small objects.

"Here are some gifts from me. They're not much, but don't mind that, kid."

The first item floated toward Gu You.

"This is a blacksmith's badge personally crafted by Feng Wu Yu for you. You are now officially recorded in the Federation's Blacksmith Association. You are also the first-ever person to receive a four-and-a-half-star badge."

The second item followed.

"This is a soul device that connects to your soul power. If you encounter any danger on your journey and experience a drastic fluctuation in your soul power, both Feng Wu Yu and I will sense it. We will come to your aid immediately. Remember, never let despair consume you."

The third item emerged.

"This is my personal gift to you. I know there's still some distance between us, but that doesn't matter. No matter what, as your godfather in name, I should at least give you something. This is a ring-shaped spatial soul tool that can store up to a thousand cubic meters of non-living objects. If you ever have trouble carrying something, just inject your soul power, and it will store it. You can also buy a special milk bottle soul tool and link it to this ring, so you won't have to use soul power to activate it."

Yun Ming's voice was calm, yet it resonated deeply in Gu You's heart.

This was the first time, besides the warmth from his grandmother and Yali, that Gu You had felt such kindness.

"Thank you!!" Tears welled up in his eyes. He knew that if he didn't have talent, he wouldn't have been given such opportunities, but that didn't stop him from feeling grateful. Perhaps he was just someone who was easily content.

"A man should stand tall! Don't be crying all the time," Yun Ming chided as he wiped Gu You's tears away.

"Mm!" Gu You nodded earnestly.

"One more thing—before you go, let me ask you this: Would you like to join the Tang Sect? You've probably heard plenty about them. But if you don't want to, just say so. You don't need to consider my feelings," Yun Ming said seriously. He knew that Gu You's master was Leng Yaozhu, and joining the Tang Sect might put him in a difficult position. However, after three years of observing the boy, he understood his character well. Besides, Gu You's immense spiritual power made him a perfect fit for the Purple Demon Eyes.

"I have indeed heard a lot… After all, who hasn't? But… I think I'll pass. I want to—"

Gu You opened up and spoke at length. The trust between him and Yun Ming grew stronger.

"Having ambition is a good thing. So, after you take Zhen Hua as your master, you plan to go to Eastsea City, develop yourself there, and attend the local Soul Master Academy to learn the basics. Then, you'll rely on your own ability to get into Shrek Academy?" Yun Ming asked, his tone unreadable. This brat actually plans to create his own faction? His imagination is quite something…

"That's right. If I'm going to train, I should go all in. I've decided not to enroll in Shrek Academy for now. I'll learn foundational knowledge at Eastsea Academy, make some friends, and—oh, I'll leave the inquiries from the Federation to you." Gu You smiled.

"Got it, you brat," Yun Ming sighed.

"Since you've chosen your own path, I won't say much more. No matter how difficult the road ahead is, never retreat. Remember that well."

With that, Yun Ming vanished, leaving Gu You alone.

"Sigh~" Gu You let out a deep breath.

"Gu'er!"

Before he could relax, a voice interrupted him.

"G-godmother?! What are you doing here?"

He turned around and froze.

Under the midday sun, the hem of a dark green dress swayed slightly. A timid little girl clutched Yali's skirt with both hands, revealing only half of her delicate face and those violet, violet eyes—like blooming violets.

"If I didn't come, were you planning to forget about your godmother?!" Yali huffed.

"Uh…"

Gu You was momentarily speechless, his brain crashing like a broken machine.

Yali seemed slightly displeased, but she still crouched down and said to Na'er, "This is your good-for-nothing brother."

…

Na'er tilted her head in confusion. Over the past few days, Yali had praised this young man countless times, yet now she was calling him useless?

"Brother? Ah! Godmother, where did you find me a sister out of nowhere?" Gu You feigned surprise. He had to play along. It seems that my presence still couldn't stop the original plot. Yali becoming Na'er's shimu was inevitable.

"Hehe, take a guess," Yali teased, keeping it mysterious.

Seeing Yali smile, Gu You felt warmth in his heart. In their three years together, he had rarely seen the Holy Spirit Douluo genuinely smile like this.

"Call me brother!" Gu You suddenly ran up to Na'er and playfully teased her.

Startled, Na'er shrank back, hiding behind Yali.

Seeing this, Yali lightly flicked Gu You's forehead while shielding Na'er behind her.

"Oww!"

Even though she hadn't used much force, a faint red mark was left behind.

(End of Chapter)