High above, where the clouds thinned into vast blue skies…
"So, you're saying you want Gu You to go to Zhen Hua and accept him as his master?" Yun Ming's deep voice was steady as his gaze swept across the endless expanse of Sea God Lake below, its surface calm and pure as a sapphire mirror. At the edge of his sharp eyes, a glint of light flashed — no one could guess what thoughts stirred in his mind.
"That's right! Even calling this child a once-in-a-millennium prodigy might not be enough!" Feng Wuyu's voice was fervent, trembling slightly with excitement. "If we give him everything, pour all we have into his training, he'll definitely be like you — and go even further, becoming a Divine Craftsman!"
Yun Ming let out a light laugh, shaking his head as he placed a firm hand on Feng Wuyu's shoulder. "Don't get so worked up. Let's be honest — you came to me because you want me to humble myself, go personally to invite Zhen Hua, and persuade him to teach Gu You. Then, once Zhen Hua starts to see the boy's monstrous talent, he'd eventually accept him as his first personal disciple. Isn't that what you're hoping for?"
Feng Wuyu blinked, momentarily stunned by Yun Ming's calm bluntness. "…You're not willing?"
"It's not that I'm unwilling," Yun Ming said quietly, turning his sharp eyes fully toward Feng Wuyu. "It's that I believe, from ancient times until now, it has always been the student who seeks the master — not the master who is begged to take a student. On top of that, Gu You's path so far has been too smooth. Everything has gone his way. That might sound fortunate, but for his future cultivation, it's not necessarily a good thing."
Yun Ming folded his hands behind his back and gazed toward the endless horizon. "If he is to have a master, let him earn that right himself. Let him use his own talent, his own abilities, to shock and amaze the world."
"…You're telling me you want a six-year-old child to travel thousands of miles on his own to Sky Dou City and personally seek out Zhen Hua?" Feng Wuyu asked, even though deep down, he already knew the answer.
"Why not?" Yun Ming smiled faintly, the corners of his mouth lifting ever so slightly. "Besides, no one's saying he has to go right now. Give it three years. For these three years, you'll teach him, guide him, and solidify your position as his honorary teacher. When the time comes, we'll tell Gu You about the next step. If he truly wants to master forging, if he truly craves a challenge and real tempering, he won't refuse."
Feng Wuyu's lips pressed into a thin line, but after a long moment, he nodded. He understood now. This was Yun Ming's plan — and the more he thought about it, the more respect he felt for the Pavilion Master of Sea God's Pavilion.
"You do realize, though, while he's under my care, he'll hardly ever be coming home," Feng Wuyu said softly, just before they parted ways.
"I know," Yun Ming replied gently. "I'll explain everything to Yali. As long as Gu You comes back once every few months, that's enough. You know how much Yali likes that child. But let me warn you…" Yun Ming's eyes glinted slightly as he turned away. "If you take all this time and effort, and you don't teach him well — you just wait and see how I deal with you."
With a faint ripple of spatial energy, Yun Ming's figure disappeared, leaving only his voice behind.
Feng Wuyu let out a short laugh, shaking his head. "Relax. In these three years, with his talent and my teaching, at the very least… he'll become a five-star forgemaster!!"
…
Talent, no matter how high, still needs polishing.
Climbing mountains, crossing rivers, pushing through thickets, one barrier after another — time flowed forward like an unstoppable river.
Three years later…
BOOM!!
A deafening boom echoed out, shaking the walls.
Feng Wuyu stood quietly, arms crossed, watching the digital screen of the strength-testing machine as the numbers locked in place.
2,864 jin.
He wasn't surprised. Over these past three years, Gu You had given him plenty of reasons to be shocked.
"Well, as of today… you should be ten years old, by lunar age, right?" Feng Wuyu's voice was dry as he turned to glance at the boy.
Gu You flexed his left wrist, gazing down thoughtfully at the testing machine that had almost cracked under his punch. With his dragon claw activated, faint ripples of annihilation and destruction still seeped through the steel casing, leaving thin, glowing purple streaks before slowly fading.
"…What?" Gu You turned, his sharp golden eyes glinting. "What, you planning to throw me a birthday party or something?"
"Hmph. And if I am?"
'Old tsundere,' Gu You thought, smirking faintly as he rolled his eyes.
"No drinking, no stopping!"
"Pfft — drink your head off! I don't even like alcohol."
"…Fair point. At your age, what could you possibly have to drown in drink over?"
"…What's up with you, old man?"
"It's nothing. Tonight, we'll have a good meal. I want to talk to you about some things."
…
"I'm off, then!" Gu You called cheerfully, waving as he jogged away from the entrance of the Shrek Forgemaster Association.
Behind him, Feng Wuyu waved lazily, muttering under his breath, "This kid…"
Three years.
In just three years, Gu You's soul power had already reached an astonishing rank 25. More than that, he was now a near five-star forgemaster — if not for the soul power requirement, he would already have officially qualified.
Even more remarkable, Ji Ji Ba, his fierce dinosaur-like soul spirit, had given him his second soul ring — a spiritual-type soul skill, surprisingly. Gu You himself hadn't expected that. For a primarily offensive soul spirit to bestow a mental-type ability as its second ring was unusual, but it turned out to be a perfect fit. His spiritual power now stood at an impressive 379 — mid-level Spirit Link Realm, making him virtually unbeatable among his peers.
'Gu Yue? Who's that? Oh, their spiritual power is impressive? Ha — they're nothing now,' Gu You thought often, his confidence soaring.
Ten thousand years ago, a single soul beast could only grant one soul ring to a soul master. But in the modern era, with the rise of the Spirit Transferring Tower and artificial soul spirits, that rule had long since changed. A ten-year or hundred-year soul spirit could grant one ring; a thousand-year soul spirit could grant two; and beyond that, even more.
All of this meant only one thing:
The three years of forging training were complete.
Now, the real journey was about to begin.
It was time for Gu You to set out and roam the world!
(End of Chapter)
---
This Fanfiction Has Been Completed on Patreon, and New BTTH Fic is Out. Go Check It Out.
Support me if you like this Fanfiction.
Patreon,com/Fallen_Archangel_
(Remove comma for dot.)
Leave a 5 star Review and a Power Stone.