Gu La sat cross-legged deep in the forest, sensing the enhancements brought by the soul bone. In the distance, faint footsteps echoed clearly through the silent woods.
A group of people approached. Leading them was a young man with an air of arrogance.
"Watch your step. The commotion we heard earlier came from this direction. Whether it's a soul beast or a soul master, we'll definitely benefit from their conflict."
The young man's voice pierced through the quiet of the forest. Six figures rushed out from the shadows of the trees. The leader wielded an ice crystal staff, his white combat uniform's hem stained with grass leaves. His brow exuded the haughty confidence typical of a noble-born youth.
Xu Xiaoyu used her Ice Staff to lift the hanging vines. Icy blue soul power gathered at the tip of his staff, forming frost flowers.
Behind her, a young girl stumbled on decaying leaves. A silver moon pendant around her neck shimmered with delicate light. Her fingers gripping the staff turned white, and cold sweat clung to her hair. She stared at the twisted forest in the distance, overcome by a sense of terror.
"Big Brother, can't we just leave? It looks so scary ahead."
"No," Xu Xiaoyu firmly refused, showing a hint of helplessness. "Xiaoyan, you need to learn how to fight. Otherwise, when I go off to school, will you stay cooped up at home all day?"
Xu Xiaoyan nodded repeatedly. "What's wrong with staying at home? With all of you around, I don't need to train myself."
Xu Xiaoyu: "…."
Gu La opened his eyes and stepped out of the jungle.
"There's someone here! Enemy attack!"
Twelve ice prism arrows, accompanied by a blizzard, arrived in an instant, causing six-pointed frost patterns to bloom on the ground.
Xu Xiaoyu and his group immediately launched an attack.
This was the correct course of action during the chaotic phase of the Spirit Ascension Platform, but Gu La still felt irritated. The ground cracked open, and dark green vines erupted, crushing the ice crystal arrow formation like giant pythons.
Xu Xiaoyu's pupils contracted. Before his second soul skill, "Frost Whisper Arrow Rain," could fully form, thorny tendrils had already pierced through his chest. The other five didn't even have time to release their soul skills before they were entangled by poisonous vines and dissipated into specks of light.
The scattered spiritual energy from their incomplete absorption flew toward Gu La, who then turned his gaze to Xu Xiaoyan.
"Wah! Don't kill me!"
Xu Xiaoyan's Star Wheel Ice Staff fell to the ground. She stared at her brother's frozen "run" expression as he dissipated, her pale purple pupils reflecting the encroaching vines. Large tears splashed onto the ground.
Gu La was speechless. This Xu Xiaoyan shared the same martial soul as the one he knew, but her personality was worlds apart—far too timid.
Then again, in the era of Legend of the Dragon King, being an ordinary soul master would certainly be better than living in the chaotic feudal empire period. Without pressure, she naturally had the luxury of being capricious.
He felt somewhat disinterested and waved his hand to dispel the poison vines. The scattered dots of spiritual energy floated like fireflies on a summer night, slowly absorbed by him. "I won't kill you, but you'd better leave the Spirit Ascension Platform soon."
The sobbing girl, hiccupping from crying, looked up blankly. Her tear-soaked lashes fluttered like butterfly wings. Gu La had already turned and walked away, his tall and straight figure capturing Xu Xiaoyan's unwavering gaze.
Her finger hovered above the exit button, trembling slightly. The metallic edge of her soul-guided wristband glinted coldly under the moonlight.
Just as she was about to press it, Gu La's indifferent attitude stirred an inexplicable emotion within her. For the first time, curiosity born from years of living in a sheltered environment overcame her fear. Instinctively, she withdrew her finger, summoned her Ice Crystal Star Staff martial soul again, and followed Gu La.
When Gu La turned around, this was the scene before him: a girl in white combat gear, resembling a frightened rabbit, yet stubbornly holding her starlight-gleaming staff.
A playful smile curved his lips. After a moment of hesitation, he decided not to drive Xu Xiaoyan away. After all, she was one of the future main characters and possessed a rare astrological-related martial soul, which could help him refine his theories on martial soul evolution.
---
A month passed. Thanks to the vigorous promotion by both the Tang Sect and the Spirit Pagoda, the Body-Forging Bone-Fortifying Ointment had become the new darling of the soul master world.
By using advanced soul masters to cultivate low-level plant materials, the cost of the ointment wasn't high, making it affordable for all soul masters to try.
For just three gold spirit coins, one could purchase a week's supply. After trying it once, no one wanted to give up the elixir that enhanced physical fitness. By the end of the month, the rewards and vouchers Gu La received were more than ten times what he had earned before.
After some thought, he understood why. The population of Douluo Planet now numbered in the billions, and powerful martial souls were emerging like mushrooms after rain. The number of soul masters had increased dozens of times compared to twenty thousand years ago. Such influence was unsurprising.
As he traveled, Gu La killed any soul beasts he encountered. After helping out clumsily a few times, Xu Xiaoyan mustered the courage to draw closer to him, completely unaware that her older brother outside the simulation was furious enough to grind his teeth.
Seeing his beloved little sister cozying up to the person who had killed him, even aiding her enemy with the family's inherited martial soul, anyone would feel murderous rage.
Gu La walked in a straight line until he found Tang Wulin. The latter's vigorous blood essence, visible to Gu La's mental perception, shone like a beacon in the dark—it was impossible to miss.
Tang Wulin's group had already regrouped. They were battling a Human-Faced Demon Spider, looking utterly battered.
Xie Xie limped on one leg, impaled through the chest by the spider's spear-like legs.
Gu Yue controlled an elemental storm, though perhaps to avoid stealing Tang Wulin's spotlight, she didn't display the same level of strength she had shown when fighting Gu La.
"This love-struck world. Damn it! Wasn't I supposed to see why Tang Wulin has the Golden Dragon King's powers? Yet you haven't lifted a finger."
Gu La internally grumbled, contemplating the possibility of intervening within the Spirit Pagoda, but considering the potential impact on his teacher, he suppressed the thought.
Noticing Gu La's arrival, Tang Wulin was overjoyed. "Gu La, save us!"
He trusted Gu La's abilities completely, not fearing that he couldn't defeat the Human-Faced Demon Spider, but rather that if the spider killed them, they'd need several days to recover fully.
"Are you sure?"
Gu La didn't rush to help. "It hasn't been an hour yet. If I intervene, your assessment will fail."
At this critical moment, Tang Wulin demonstrated his decisiveness as the team leader. "Forget the assessment. Everyone's safety is more important!"
Hearing Tang Wulin's response, Gu La sighed inwardly. If given the chance, he would definitely help Tang Wulin break free from the toxic influence of the Tang family's ideology and maintain his current values.
"In that case, I won't hold back."
Gu La plucked a broad leaf from a treetop. The leaf automatically rolled up in his hand as he moved forward on tree branches, infusing the sword intent into it.
The Human-Faced Demon Spider didn't possess the defensive capabilities of the Dark Golden Terror Claw Bear. Once its defenses were breached, Gu La's sword intent could achieve an instant kill.
Tang Wulin only saw a blur before the fragile leaf embedded itself in the spider's chest. Its sturdy shell crumbled like tofu, offering no resistance at all.
Tang Wulin felt a profound sense of loss. Could his Blue Silver Grass ever catch up to someone like Gu La?
After a brief moment of dejection, he rekindled his determination. From the Blue Silver Grass martial soul to where he was now, he believed in himself—he could definitely do it!
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