After carefully dodging and concealing answers about his hundred-thousand-year soul ring, his bloodline-based soul ring, and various secrets — slipping smoothly past Zhen Hua's curious questioning — Gu You finally walked away from the forge hall, his steps light, his heart riding high.
Why was he feeling so cheerful?
Oh, there were plenty of reasons.
First, that priceless top-grade Life Ore now safely tucked away in his storage ring.
Second, Zhen Hua's personal handwritten notebook, now his.
Though the cover was worn and the binding frayed, the pages inside were densely packed, every inch filled with notes, annotations, diagrams — the carefully preserved lifetime insights of a legendary master. But most precious of all was the section on Heavenly Forging. Even a single line from that part of the notebook could sell at auction for an astronomical price. And here Gu You was, cradling an entire masterwork.
As he walked, he chuckled to himself, still hearing Zhen Hua's parting laugh.
"Kid, you're seriously badass!"
Gu You flipped open the notebook again as he strolled through the busy city streets. His sharp eyes scanned the old, delicate handwriting, lips moving slightly as he murmured the words.
"'Fire Spirit Ore,'" he read under his breath, "'when forging, inject soul power directly to heat the material; no need to place it inside the forge for melting…'"
He furrowed his brow thoughtfully.
There was so much practical knowledge in here, so much that would speed up his growth if he took the time to study it carefully.
Once he memorized and practiced the forging principles for each rare material, spirit forging them would become far easier — a whole world of new techniques and upgrades would open up before him.
He was so absorbed in reading that when the sharp chime of his communicator rang out, it startled him.
Ding ding ding!
The sleek, high-tech soul communicator — like a magic-tech smartphone — vibrated lightly in his palm, its screen flashing with an unfamiliar number.
Gu You blinked.
He hurriedly tucked the notebook back into his storage ring and pulled out the communicator, frowning slightly as he eyed the string of numbers.
'Who's calling? Wait… do they even have spam calls in the Douluo world?'
For a moment, he hesitated.
Then, curiosity winning out, he accepted the call.
A faint burst of static crackled on the line.
Then a clear, smooth voice spoke, calm and confident.
"Hello."
The voice was light, youthful, pleasant to the ear — the kind of voice that instinctively put people at ease.
Gu You froze for a second.
"You…?"
He was momentarily stunned.
He had just gotten this new communicator number. Apart from entering Zhen Hua's contact, he hadn't shared it with anyone.
How had this person gotten it?
And more importantly — why did they sound like they knew him?
Had his name already spread so far, so fast?
The voice on the other end gave a soft chuckle.
"Child, do you remember the man who gave you his business card after your martial soul awakening?"
Gu You's eyes lit up in sudden realization.
Chen Shilin.
Of course.
How could he possibly forget?
Chen Shilin — a member of the Heaven Dou City Parliament, a man who had once lent him a crucial helping hand, indirectly smoothing his path toward Shrek Academy.
Gu You straightened instinctively, his voice respectful.
"Parliament Member, it's been a long time."
No matter what, anyone who had ever helped him — even indirectly — was someone Gu You would always respect.
But if someone crossed him, well… they'd see just how ruthless he could be.
"Haha! Don't call me 'Parliament Member,'" the voice on the other end laughed lightly. "I'm not fond of those kinds of formal titles. Just call me Chen-ge — we're not that far apart in age, after all."
Gu You gave a faint grin, but his eyes sharpened.
"All right, Chen-ge," he said calmly. "What can I do for you?"
As he spoke, he reached into his communicator's archive, pulling up the old contact information Chen Shilin had given him back when he was just six.
Chen Shilin reaching out to him now… definitely wasn't a coincidence.
"Let me get to the point," Chen Shilin said softly. "Would you be able to come to the Heaven Dou Federation Parliament? I'd like to have a private conversation with you."
Gu You's eyes narrowed slightly, his mind already racing.
"Of course," he answered smoothly. "I'll head over right away."
"Good. Thank you," Chen Shilin said warmly. "And don't worry — there's no need to rush. If you arrive later, that's perfectly fine. I just wanted to meet with you personally."
The call ended with a faint click.
Chen Shilin's tone had been warm, relaxed, even inviting.
But for some reason, Gu You couldn't shake the faint unease stirring in his chest.
He closed his eyes, drawing in a slow, deep breath.
Then he opened them again, sharp and clear.
No matter what — he had nothing to be afraid of.
He hadn't done anything wrong.
It was exactly in moments like this that a person needed to stay grounded, humble, sharp. The more nervous you became, the more you second-guessed yourself, the more cracks you showed.
Stay calm.
Stay focused.
Stay controlled.
…
As he traveled toward Heaven Dou City, the world around him seemed to speed up.
The bustling streets, the flashing soul vehicle lights, the towering skyscrapers and elegant old buildings — all swept past his vision as his mind settled into steely determination.
Across the city, the massive Parliament building loomed like a silent sentinel — towering, grand, the very heart of the Federation's power.
Inside, the Parliament chambers were already alive with whispers.
The news of the so-called "New Era Model Youth" had spread here as well.
Gu You could feel the undercurrent in the air even before stepping through the grand doors — ripples of curiosity, excitement, speculation.
Whispers.
Eyes.
Attention.
As he walked steadily up the broad stone steps, he clenched his fists once, feeling the faint, steady pulse of his spirit-forged hammers fused within his palms — their presence comforting, familiar, part of him.
No matter what was waiting inside.
No matter what questions they threw his way.
He would stand tall.
He was Gu You.
And Eastsea awaited him next.
As he stepped forward, a quiet grin tugged at the corners of his mouth.
The next chapter of his journey was already calling to him — and he was ready.
The doors of the Parliament building swung open.
He walked inside without looking back.
—
(End of Chapter)
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