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Spirit Pagoda Headquarters.
"So, you're trying to recruit me?" Bai Xu looked somewhat puzzled at the secretary standing before him. He vaguely remembered her—she had been following that middle-aged man during the final exam when he passed by the Spirit Pagoda.
"Yes. My lord wishes to bring you into the Wang Family's fold. You attend the most prestigious academy on the continent, so your talent must be exceptional. It's not impossible for you to become a Title Douluo in the future. We can offer you the highest level of benefits. If you're willing, you can join the Spirit Pagoda directly after graduating from the outer academy. My lord has promised that if you perform exceptionally in the future, he and the forces behind him will support your bid to become one of the Four Great Spirit Envoys. We've reviewed your records in the Spirit Pagoda. Your teacher, Leng Jiuming, can also be transferred to the headquarters to reunite with you."
What did it mean to compete for the position of Spirit Envoy? It was a power struggle among the various factions within the Spirit Pagoda, a path to climb higher. Although the Qian Gu Family held immense influence, they hadn't yet reached the point of monopolizing control within the Pagoda—but they were close. By the time Qian Gu Zhangting succeeded, the next century might see their complete decline.
"No thanks, I refuse."
Bai Xu stood up and left without hesitation. Dragging Leng Jiuming into this was definitely not a good idea. Moreover, if he couldn't stay in Shrek Academy, the Spirit Pagoda might not be able to accommodate him either. To him, any place under the heavens was the same.
In the end, he was just an outsider.
Gu Yue, who had been waiting outside, saw him emerge and asked, "You turned them down?"
Bai Xu nodded. "Yeah, it's not in my best interest."
"They're from the Wang Family, one of the behind-the-scenes clans of the Spirit Pagoda. But over the past century, the other families have been suppressed by the Qiangu Family. They're probably trying to recruit talents to seize an opportunity to rise again," Gu Yue explained.
Bai Xu smiled faintly. "The future… who can say for sure? The Qiangu Family might not tolerate me either. Have you finished your business here?"
"Mm. Let's go back to the academy. There's still some time before the semester starts. We can return and focus on cultivation," Gu Yue said.
"Perfect. I feel like I've made progress again!"
He closed his eyes and focused inward. Although his six viscera had not yet reached perfection, two of them were already in the late stages.
The gallbladder, the foremost of the six viscera, belonged to the extraordinary fu organs and was attached to the short lobe of the liver. The gallbladder was associated with the Wood element and paired with the liver—the liver was a yin organ of Wood, while the gallbladder was a yang fu organ of Wood.
The stomach was the organ in the abdominal cavity responsible for containing and digesting food. It governed the intake and decomposition of water and grains, serving as the storehouse of essence and the sea of qi and blood. Paired with the spleen, the stomach and spleen were often referred to as the foundation of the acquired constitution. Both resided in the central earth, but the stomach was yang, associated with dry earth, while the spleen was yin, associated with damp earth.
With the gallbladder and stomach nearing perfection, Bai Xu's Wood and Earth elements grew stronger. The Earth element, representing the vitality of the earth, enhanced his spiritual perception, while the Wood element, brimming with life force, kept his energy constantly replenished. There was still much more to come…
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Inside the Dormitory.
Bai Xu and Gu Yue stepped inside. Na'er awoke from her meditation, and the three of them exchanged glances. Finally, Na'er was the one to speak.
"Gu Yue, the bet I made with you before was my mistake. Everything that happened stemmed from me, so… I won't resist merging with you."
Gu Yue was surprised. She glanced at Bai Xu—had this guy really made Na'er see reason? Was she no longer obsessing over Tang Wulin all the time?
She sat beside Na'er and said, "Now isn't the right time for us to merge. There's still some time left. If you want to reclaim your lost dignity, I can return part of my origin power to you, letting you become the Spear Goddess again."
Na'er shook her head with a bitter smile. "No need. This is fine."
With that, she summoned her now-colorless dragon spear and said wryly, "You know Xie Xie from the work-study dorm, right?"
Bai Xu nodded.
"I fought him yesterday. Guess the result?"
"You lost," Gu Yue murmured.
"Right. Our soul power was similar, but my martial soul was no match for his. Twin martial souls are truly formidable, far stronger than ordinary ones." Na'er's voice carried a trace of lingering reluctance—she still had attachments in her heart.
Bai Xu spoke calmly. "You should know that strength is something you can regain effortlessly. If you're willing, you could instantly reclaim your status as a prodigy. You could still enter the inner academy, still be the radiant Spear Goddess."
Na'er nodded. "Yes, if I wanted to… But, Bai Xu, don't forget our bet. Master and the others still treat me the same as before. As for my brother, I'll soon test him in this sorry state. I believe he won't change. So… I'll win the bet!"
At this point, Na'er had gained some understanding of human nature. Combined with her knowledge of Tang Wulin's character, she knew her brother wouldn't change—it was she who had changed.
"But I'm not asking you to spare Tang Wulin's life. Like I said before, if he stands in your way, let him go once. If he remains stubborn, I won't plead for him again."
Bai Xu was somewhat surprised. She had changed so much that he thought she'd forgotten about the bet entirely. Yet now, she had brought it up again.
Na'er's gaze burned as she stared at Bai Xu. She had finally found a thread of causality—the bet had been mentioned by Gu Yue and Bai Xu, and they wouldn't go back on their word.
"Fine."
Bai Xu sat cross-legged on the bed and advised, "Na'er, use these last few years to properly sort out your feelings. Like I told Gu Yue, don't let the gratitude from three years of upbringing become idealized in your heart, gradually turning into a childish infatuation. This is just one-sided affection on your part. Is Tang Wulin's memory of you that of a little sister or someone worth spending a lifetime with? You're still clinging to it. Be brave and find out for yourself. At least then, your time in this world won't be in vain."
Na'er trembled slightly before nodding. Then she looked at Gu Yue. "Is this how he swayed you back then?"
Gu Yue smiled. "It's quite persuasive, isn't it?"
"Yeah…"
Na'er laughed as well. She and Gu Yue held hands, their origins resonating. Together, they said:
"…You really are the one chosen by the will of the plane. Your origins are far more mysterious than ours. We hope that one day, we can peel back your mask and see the truth hidden beneath."
"And also—you already know. We are Gu Yuena!"
Bai Xu seemed to see a silver figure—long silver hair cascading down to her ankles, not only silky but also possessing a crystalline luster. Her beauty was beyond description, surpassing all words. Her fair skin carried a faint pallor, and her violet eyes were clear and penetrating, though now feigning tenderness, evoking an irresistible sense of pity.
Bai Xu stood and looked at the silver figure. "Don't be so quick to test me, Gu Yuena. First, look deep into your heart and ask yourself—can the Dragon God truly save the dragon race?"
The silver figure froze before smiling again. "Of course. The Dragon God is the goal that both the Golden Dragon King and I pursue."
"Then why did the dragon race perish? The first Dragon God is dead. You, a half born from his division—can you accomplish what even he failed to do?"
The silver figure fell silent.