In that moment, Gu You felt his heart surge with burning excitement.
Who cared about things like karmic cycles or cause and effect?
Once he broke through to the Title Douluo level, who could possibly stand in his way?
Grinning fiercely, he clasped Chen Shilin's outstretched hand, gripping it tight with the full force of his conviction.
"For the glory of the Federation!" Chen Shilin exclaimed loudly, his eyes shining.
"For the great unity of the Douluo people!!" Gu You echoed, laughing as he watched the man before him.
Chen Shilin burst into hearty laughter, his voice full of joy as he clapped Gu You hard on the shoulder, again and again.
At that moment, he understood, fully and deeply, what kind of heart beat inside this young man.
With someone like Gu You standing tall, even if the Federation failed to unify the entire Douluo Continent, it would still flourish in peace and strength.
Meanwhile, elsewhere, in the quiet of a private room, Mu Chen glanced at his wristwatch and raised an eyebrow. "Senior brother, calling me at this hour? What's the occasion?"
It was already four in the afternoon. Normally, by this time, Zhen Hua would have closed his workshop and gone to rest. After all, the government had mandated specific rest periods for Heaven-Refined–level forgers like him — men whose every forging session consumed massive amounts of energy, mental focus, and even life force. At his age, nearing the twilight years, it was no longer an option to skip rest.
On the other end of the line, Zhen Hua's voice rang out, cheerful and teasing. "Haha! Xiao Mu, I've got fantastic news for you — listen closely…"
"What!" Mu Chen almost dropped the communicator, his heart leaping in shock. "You took on a disciple?!"
This was no small thing. For someone of Zhen Hua's stature, what kind of talent could possibly be worthy of his attention?
Among all the young geniuses Mu Chen had encountered in recent years, only Tang Wulin — the child prodigy who had recently caught his eye — could truly be called a forging genius. Even Mu Chen's own daughter, talented as she was and already a second-rank forger at a young age, hadn't been able to meet Zhen Hua's exacting standards.
Yet now, Zhen Hua himself was calling, excitedly announcing he'd taken on a disciple?
"That's right," Zhen Hua confirmed, his voice proud. "And the main reason I'm calling today is to ask you for a favor. This disciple of mine is planning to head to Eastsea City to develop himself further. I was hoping you could help look after him there — maybe help him enroll at Eastsea Academy."
Mu Chen took a slow breath, steadying himself. "Understood," he said calmly. "If he comes by the Forgers' Association, I'll personally see to his welcome."
He ended the call and leaned back with a long, thoughtful sigh.
Honestly, Mu Chen had been planning to recommend Tang Wulin to Zhen Hua — after all, a nine-year-old third-rank forger was already enough to dominate all his peers. But it seemed someone else had gotten there first.
"Already hung up?" Zhen Hua murmured, setting his communicator down with a wry smile. Mu Chen was brilliant, no doubt — talented, sharp, insightful — but sometimes, he could be difficult to persuade.
There was so much more Zhen Hua wanted to tell him about Gu You, so much more that hadn't yet been said.
Now, all he could do was quietly hope Mu Chen wouldn't misjudge the boy.
…
Back at the Parliament building, Gu You sat comfortably, sipping from a steaming cup of fragrant tea. The aroma was rich and earthy — a brew made from century-old Oolong grass, no less. Even as he drank, he could feel his soul power circulating faster, his body growing lighter and sharper.
He chuckled softly as he watched Chen Shilin. "You're really not afraid, huh? That I might go out and blab everything you told me today?"
Chen Shilin gave a helpless little laugh, shaking his head. "Of course I'm afraid. How could I not be? But I trust you. My judgment… rarely lets me down."
Gu You rolled his eyes. "Well, if your judgment's so sharp, why did you even bother calling me here to explain all this?"
Chen Shilin spread his hands with a smile, unbothered.
Gu You leaned back in his chair, stretching slightly. "Alright, but let's get something clear — from now on, no snooping into my personal affairs. Everyone deserves a little privacy, you know? That said…" His eyes narrowed slightly. "I'm curious. How exactly did you people manage to detect my movements — even when I was near Limit Douluo-level powerhouses? That's not something ordinary surveillance can pull off."
Chen Shilin's smile tightened, and his gaze drifted out the window toward the clear, pale-blue sky. "That's classified, I'm afraid. I can't tell you — at least not yet. All I can say is, the times are changing. The era ahead will belong to technological nations. In the future, soul masters won't be the center of the world anymore. They'll take a back seat."
Gu You tilted his head, grinning slightly. "Fine, don't tell me. But hey — if something comes up that you can't handle, you know you can come to me, right?"
Chen Shilin's answering smile was wide and warm. "Of course I know that."
The two shared a moment of quiet understanding, sipping tea in the stillness.
Gu You's mind, however, was already racing ahead. His journey was just beginning — but now, a thousand new questions and paths lay open before him.
The Federation, Shrek, the Tang Sect, the Spirit Transferring Tower, the whispers of the God Realm, the hidden hands behind the scenes…
He clenched his fists slightly, feeling the heat in his blood.
One thing was certain.
He wasn't going to back down.
No matter what storms lay ahead, no matter what dangers or choices or betrayals waited on the road — he was going to keep moving forward.
Because this was his world, his era.
And he was going to carve his own path, no matter what.
(End of Chapter)
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