Leaving the Soul Spirit Tower
"A second profession?" Yao Xuan repeated, his attention sharpening. He nodded respectfully. "Yes, Teacher Wu emphasized it heavily. He said that for a Soul Master aiming for the pinnacle, a second profession isn't just supplementary; it's integral to understanding the deeper principles of one's own power and forging a true path."
Tianfeng Douluo's expression grew approving. "Wu Changkong's insight remains impeccable. For a genius like you, this is even more critical. Your martial soul and bloodline are unparalleled, but they are raw power. A second profession—be it blacksmithing, mecha design, battle armor forging, or soul guide creation—provides the framework, discipline, and profound comprehension to shape that power into something truly transcendent. It tempers the spirit as much as it crafts the tool."
Her gaze shifted momentarily to Gu Yue, who stood quietly by the window, her silhouette framed against the afternoon light. "Gu Yue's path in this regard is already being charted with exceptional focus. For you, Yao Xuan, the choice is paramount. Have you given it thought?"
Yao Xuan's mind raced. 'The Ancestral Dragon's legacy is one of creation as much as destruction. To shape and forge… it resonates.' Aloud, he said, "I have considered it, Teacher. The path of the blacksmith, I feel, holds a certain… resonance. The hammer shaping metal mirrors the tempering of one's own will and body. And the creation of battle armor…" He glanced instinctively at Gu Yue, "It is a pursuit that demands not just solitary skill, but ultimate synergy with one's own strengths and… trusted partners."
It was a carefully worded statement, hinting at the future but rooted in practical cultivation.
A faint, knowing smile touched Tianfeng Douluo's lips as her eyes darted between the two youths. "Well said. The synergy of a battle armor master and their future partner is indeed a profound bond. It requires absolute trust and understanding." She let the implication hang, observing them both.
Gu Yue, who had been listening with her usual detached air, turned her head slightly from the window. Her violet eyes met Yao Xuan's for a fleeting moment, a complex flash in their depths—analysis, acknowledgment, and something deeper, softer, that she quickly veiled. She gave a slight, almost imperceptible nod, not to Tianfeng Douluo, but to Yao Xuan's unspoken sentiment. It was a silent communication that spoke volumes: 'Your reasoning is sound. The path is valid.'
"Very well," Tianfeng Douluo concluded, clapping her hands together once. "Your foundation is solid, and your direction is clear. I will not force you to the headquarters. Donghai Academy and Wu Changkong will serve you well for now. However…" She produced two exquisite badges from her sleeve. One was a deep violet with a silver pagoda emblem, the other a lighter purple. "Your official Spirit Pagoda membership badge, granting you appropriate access and privileges. And this," she indicated the lighter one, "is a special commendation for clearing the ninth floor. It will grant you additional resources and permissions within our affiliated facilities."
Yao Xuan accepted the badges with both hands, feeling their cool weight. "Thank you, Teacher."
"Do not thank me. You earned them with your own prowess," Tianfeng Douluo said, her tone warm but final. "Now, go. The journey back to East Sea City is long. Gu Yue will see you to the transfer station."
The dismissal was clear. With a final bow, Yao Xuan turned. Gu Yue moved from the window, falling into step beside him as they left the office. The door closed softly behind them, leaving the Heavenly Phoenix Douluo alone with her thoughts, a look of profound contemplation and quiet hope on her face.
The walk through the Spirit Pagoda's gleaming corridors was quiet, but not uncomfortably so. Their footsteps echoed in sync.
"Your performance was… efficient," Gu Yue stated after a while, her voice low. "The utilization of bloodline abilities to conserve soul power for the decisive strike was tactically optimal." It was pure, analytical Gu Yue speaking.
"I had a good incentive to be efficient," Yao Xuan replied, a soft edge of humor in his tone.
She glanced at him. "The incentive being?"
"Not wanting to keep a certain someone waiting outside the tower for too long," he said, his gaze straightforward.
Gu Yue's steps didn't falter, but her eyelashes lowered slightly, casting a faint shadow on her cheeks. A silence stretched, filled not with emptiness, but with the unspoken resonance of the bond they both carried. The strategic observer in her noted his words as a data point of emotional investment. The part of her that was still Na'er felt a simple, warm glow.
"Sentimentality," she murmured again, the same word she had used by the lake, but this time it lacked any trace of reproach. It sounded almost like an admission.
They reached the main transfer hall, bustling with Soul Masters and officials. The moment of quiet intimacy was set to be swallowed by the public space.
Before they stepped into the crowd, Gu Yue paused. Her hand brushed against his, not quite holding it, but the back of her fingers lightly touching his knuckles—a fleeting, deliberate point of contact that sent a current of pure, wholesome warmth through him. It was over in a second.
"Your recovery rate has improved," she said, as if commenting on the system alert only she could have inferred. "Do not neglect it. The tenth floor will not be so forgiving."
It was her way of saying, 'I was watching. I saw. Be careful.'
Yao Xuan looked at her, his eyes softening. "I won't. I'll see you back at the academy."
She gave a single, graceful nod, then turned and melted into the flow of people, her silver hair a fleeting beacon until it disappeared.
Yao Xuan stood for a moment, the feeling of her touch lingering on his skin like a promise. He clenched the Spirit Pagoda badges in his hand, not just tokens of achievement, but stepping stones on a path he was no longer walking alone.
With a deep breath, he turned towards the portal that would take him home, his resolve for the future—for his growth, his second profession, and the shared destiny quietly knitting itself together—firmer than ever.