**Chapter 41 One Year**
"Professor Yue Guan, I want to learn!"
Gu Ziyi quickly said.
"Not bad, not bad. As long as you're willing to learn and put in the effort, I will certainly teach you more about the flora of our world in the future!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo (Yue Guan) was also very happy to hear Gu Ziyi's determined words. It was rare to find someone who shared an interest in plants like him.
Moreover, this person was the disciple of the Pope, and Chrysanthemum Douluo did not mind getting closer to this young disciple, strengthening connections.
"Thank you, Professor Yue Guan. But, Professor Yue Guan, you still haven't answered my previous question!"
Gu Ziyi nodded happily in agreement and continued.
"Those legends from the illustrated books are basically all false!"
"In the records of the Martial Soul Hall, there are Soul Masters who developed Martial Souls or Soul Rings due to some fortunate encounters, but there are no clear records of why they managed to evolve!"
"Therefore, I don't know much about what you're referring to. My Martial Soul can only inform me about the characteristics, habits, and functions of these flowers, plants, and fruits. Whether any of them can upgrade a Soul Ring and/or evolve a Martial Soul is beyond the capacity of my Martial Soul!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo then answered Gu Ziyi's question.
At that moment, Gu Ziyi realized that Chrysanthemum Douluo was unaware of those Immortal Herbs that had the potential to develop Martial Souls.
Even Tang San didn't know about this at first; everyone only discovered it after eating some of those plants.
Thus, Gu Ziyi continued his life in the Martial Soul Hall.
That is, the life of accompanying the local princess in her studies.
The main objective was to accompany Bibi Dong and help her enter the Mantra state during her cultivation and studies.
Mainly in the Martial Soul knowledge courses, Gu Ziyi learned a great deal, but he could only study alongside Bibi Dong.
He wasn't impatient because the Martial Soul Hall's teaching was much more comprehensive than what he had learned in the two academies he had previously attended, so Gu Ziyi frequently made inferences about other situations to grasp a broader understanding.
All the teachers who taught him praised his intelligence to Qian Xunji.
Many times, numerous issues were raised, and after Gu Ziyi's rhetorical questions, they were discussed and considered viable, which provided some insights for the teachers as well.
Bibi Dong, who had dismissed him at first, began to change her attitude, gradually moving beyond seeing him as just a tool for learning.
She began to realize that Gu Ziyi was truly intelligent and wise, and with his company, her study sessions were no longer as dull.
Soon, a year passed.
Gu Ziyi turned 14 years old, and Bibi Dong turned 10.
His Soul Power level increased by two levels in this year, reaching Level 16.
The speed seemed slower than before, but this was Gu Ziyi's intention.
As he gradually discovered that maintaining a saturated practice year-round was not a good thing and would inevitably harm one's body, he deliberately slowed down his cultivation.
Otherwise, based on his previous intense cultivation method, combined with the resources of the Martial Soul Hall and a more advanced meditation technique than the one he had created, his cultivation speed might have reached 3 levels per year.
And Bibi Dong's Soul Power level, even though she was only 10 years old, had far surpassed Gu Ziyi's.
Bibi Dong was already a Level 24 Grand Soul Master.
In other words, since awakening her Martial Soul, Bibi Dong had maintained a speed of 3 to 4 levels of cultivation per year. This was already very fast and was the normal training speed for a genius with innate Soul Power.
Gu Ziyi's assistance only reduced the time Bibi Dong spent cultivating her Soul Power each day, but it did not accelerate her advancement.
His assistance only helped her learn faster in other areas.
If we compare the 10-year-old Bibi Dong from the original story with the current one, the current version could defeat her original self in battle.
Because the amount of knowledge both versions had mastered was vastly different.
(N/E: For those who didn't understand, it's like this: suppose Bibi Dong typically needed 2 to 3 hours to reach saturation in her cultivation on a given day. With the Mantra (Gu Ziyi's Talisman), she would need 1 to 2 hours or less to reach the same point in one day.)
In the year when Gu Ziyi turned 14, the Soul Master competition was also held.
He didn't pay much attention to it, and the finals were not held in Spirit City. All he knew was what Bibi Dong told him.
The final championship this time was won by the Star Luo Empire's team.
The captain of the Star Luo team that won the championship was the prince of the royal family of the Star Luo Empire. It was said that after the Soul Master competition ended, this prince would be established as the crown prince of the Star Luo Empire when he returned.
Gu Ziyi thought to himself: this was Dai Mubai's father, the future emperor of the Star Luo Empire.
Dai Mubai's father would also become a powerful Titled Douluo in the future. No wonder he could lead the team to win the championship.
What surprised Gu Ziyi was that Tang Hao did not participate in this Soul Master competition. He was already 18 at this time and was certainly not weak!
However, he would probably not have been a match for Dai Mubai's father in the competition. After all, Dai Mubai's father was already a Soul King at this time.
Unless he used an exploding ring, his trump card!
"The Soul Master Competition, I really want to participate in it!"
"Little brother, do you think I can go to the next Soul Master Competition?"
After telling Gu Ziyi about the competition, Bibi Dong asked with great interest in participating.
"Yes, why not!"
"In five years, you will have practically broken through to the Soul Sect. There's no issue with you participating in the Soul Master Competition!"
"It depends on whether the teacher will let you participate. After all, even if you break through to the Soul Sect by then, your Soul Power level will still be relatively low. It will still be difficult for you to lead the Martial Soul Hall team to win the championship!"
"And didn't you say that Tang Hao from the Haotian Sect didn't participate in this Soul Master competition? By then, he will definitely be a Soul King!"
"So, if you're not sure you can win the championship, the teacher definitely won't let you participate."
Gu Ziyi immediately analyzed Bibi Dong's chances.
Of course, she could participate if she wanted to; the main issue was whether Qian Xunji would allow her to make that request.
Gu Ziyi didn't understand why Soul Masters in the Douluo Continent were so eager to participate in this Soul Master competition.
In the original story, Tang San and Xiao Wu had to participate despite the danger of exposing their identities!
Not to mention Xiao Wu's romantic brain, even Tang San joined.
Before going to Spirit City for the finals, Tang San already knew that his parents had a grudge against the Martial Soul Hall.
Well, Tang San had a romantic brain too.
Whenever something happened to Xiao Wu, he would immediately go into Rage Mode and want to kill someone.
"Aaah..."
"If that happens, the teacher definitely won't let me go..."
After hearing Gu Ziyi's response, Bibi Dong's face suddenly fell.
"Alright, I'll continue studying my Soul Bones and talisman. You can go play on your own!"
After learning about the results of the Soul Master Competition, Gu Ziyi waved his hand to dismiss Bibi Dong.
The combination of soul ability, soul bone, and his own Martial Soul that he had been studying made some progress recently.
So Gu Ziyi was ready to continue his research and didn't want to talk to Bibi Dong anymore.
"No, I want to watch from the side!"
Naturally, Bibi Dong refused.
"If you think it's fine, then I'll place a Heart-Purifying Curse Talisman on you!"
As Gu Ziyi spoke, he summoned a talisman in his hand.
"No, I don't want that!"
When Bibi Dong saw the talisman, she quickly backed away.
...
(End of chapter)
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