"This shouldn't be too difficult," Lin Xiuran said with some doubt, looking up at Gu Yue Na.
Gu Yue Na crossed her legs gracefully and said lightly, "Don't worry. She's called Gu Yue, and she's currently at East Sea Academy. As for supplementing the energy, it's not complicated—you just need to be near her."
"Then why don't you meet her yourself? After all, in a way, she is also a part of you."
Gu Yue Na sighed softly. "I cannot meet her. The rules of this world do not allow it."
Lin Xiuran studied her closely. There probably were restrictions; after all, this Gu Yue Na had come from the past.
In the end, Lin Xiuran agreed. With Gu Yue Na's presence, he had a chance to grow stronger. He had no choice. A soul master without soul rings cannot succeed. Moreover, she had saved him—without her, he would have already died at the hands of those few pursuers and would have no opportunity to seek the truth.
Even if Gu Yue Na intended to use him, it didn't matter. This might be his only chance to turn things around. How could he not seize it?
"Alright. My time is short. I need to sleep now. I'll send you out first."
Before Lin Xiuran could respond, she waved lightly, pushing his consciousness out.
As his consciousness left, Gu Yue Na smiled faintly and murmured, "Lin Xiuran, it's really good to see you again."
"This time, I won't let you lose, not even if it's at my own expense."
With that, her body transformed once more into a beam of silver light, merging back into the silver orb.
In reality, it wasn't that the world had rules—it was simply a way for her to protect Lin Xiuran. If they met directly, they could be detected, which would bring trouble.
Outside, Lin Xiuran's consciousness returned to his body. He was awake.
Looking at the rising sun, he felt as if he were dreaming. Time in the Spirit Sea had been short, yet in the outside world, it was already the next day.
His conversation with Gu Yue Na remained vivid in his mind, and her flawless beauty was unforgettable.
He felt a sense of awe. The sudden changes had caught him off guard. He had been worried before, but now he felt more confident, despite the strangeness of everything. After all, he had already crossed worlds—what couldn't happen now?
"Gu Yue Na…"
Lin Xiuran clenched his hands. Everything was real. Then, as if remembering something, he summoned his martial soul.
A soul ring, previously absent, appeared on him—one green, one red. The green represented wind, and the red seemed to be fire.
He looked at his so-called Wind Bird martial soul. It was no longer monotonous. Its feathers now had hints of red along with green, making it even more beautiful.
"Phoenix…"
Lin Xiuran whispered to himself. Hope and anticipation glimmered in his eyes. The disappointment he had felt when awakening his Wind Bird martial soul had now transformed into determination.
If this was truly the case, he could indeed secure a place for himself in the future Douluo Continent.
At that moment, outside the door, Wu Zhangkong observed everything carefully. Even with his broad experience from Shrek Academy, he couldn't help but show some curiosity.
"Green… red…"
Wu Zhangkong pondered for a moment, then his eyes gleamed with insight. He nodded slightly at Lin Xiuran.
After several days of recuperation in the hospital, Lin Xiuran had mostly recovered. In fact, after Gu Yue Na had supplemented his fire elemental energy during their conversation, his body had already been in good condition. The additional days were just to further treat his injuries.
Wu Zhangkong had told him he would be discharged today, and Lin Xiuran was just preparing to pack his things.
"Xiuran, are you feeling alright?"
At the door was a girl in a wheelchair—Ouyang Zixin. Her leg had been broken by the four-ring soul master. Her face was pale, and her gaze toward Lin Xiuran was full of regret.
Lin Xiuran's eyes remained calm, emotionless. "Thanks to you, I didn't die."
Ouyang Zixin bit her lips tightly, her expression grim. She whispered, "I'm sorry… I wronged you."
Lin Xiuran shook his head. "It's fine. You saved me too, so it balances out. No need to feel guilty."
"But…" Ouyang Zixin wanted to say more, but looking at Lin Xiuran's steady, indifferent gaze, she found herself unable to speak.
"I'm being discharged today. Rest well." Lin Xiuran packed his belongings into his storage ring and left the hospital.
Ouyang Zixin's hands on the wheelchair turned pale, but all she could do was watch him leave silently.
At this moment, she realized that whatever connection they once had had ended.
She wanted to apologize properly, to hold him back—but feeling the cold distance he radiated, she knew even if she spoke, it wouldn't change anything.
She could only stare as he disappeared, tears falling slowly, her sobs quiet but full of pain.
People often only realize the value of something after it is lost—but appreciation after loss is meaningless.
Outside the hospital, Wu Zhangkong was already waiting by a Spirit Car.
"Teacher Wu, where are we going?"
Lin Xiuran still didn't know where he was being taken, only that Wu Zhangkong would be waiting for him upon discharge.
Wu Changkong's reply was brief: "East Sea Academy."
Lin Xiuran understood, but reality differed from expectation.
The car sped nearly to 180 km/h. East Sea Central Hospital wasn't far from the Academy, and soon they arrived.
However, Lin Xiuran was not returning to his original class.
He looked at the class sign in confusion. The new class was marked Class Zero.
Wu Zhangkong didn't waste time and entered the classroom first. Lin Xiuran followed.
The first-year Class Zero classroom was spacious, seemingly ordinary, but only three students were present, making it feel especially empty.
This was different from when Lin Xiuran first encountered Class Zero during the Spirit Pagoda riot—two students were missing now.
He knew those two had left, likely due to the bloodline issue with Tang Wulin.
As Lin Xiuran entered, all three students looked at him.
Tang Wulin and Xie Xie were curious, as new members in class were always intriguing.
But Gu Yue's reaction was different. Her eyes widened slightly; she recognized Lin Xiuran from the Spirit Pagoda in East Sea City.
She hadn't expected him to join Class Zero.
[Author's Note:
The future would hold reckoning for the Xu family. When the protagonist grew stronger, he would return in glory, bringing justice.]
(Chapter End)