**Chapter 57 Overconfidence**
"Pfft~"
Well, in the end, Gu Ziyi failed to pull it out; he was not exactly innocent.
He even spat a mouthful of blood due to the backlash.
Ultimately, Gu Ziyi could only pull it out along with the stone rooted to it, and wait for the person destined to possess this plant.
"It seems that His Highness is not exactly innocent either!"
Watching from a distance, Yue Guan muttered quietly to himself as he witnessed this scene.
However, he also thought that perhaps it was because Gu Ziyi was still young and had not yet found someone he truly liked, so failure was expected.
Half an hour later, Gui Mei completed the absorption of the Immortal Plant.
At this moment, the Ghost's appearance was surrounded by a dark, phantom-like aura emanating from his body, mixed with traces of bright red, making him look even more sinister and eerie than before.
"My Soul Power has increased by one level!"
Gui Mei, who opened his eyes and stood up, was filled with surprise at the increase in his cultivation.
Apart from the Soul Power level, he also felt that his Martial Soul seemed to have evolved slightly. Although it was not much, it had evolved a bit.
Now his Martial Soul had slightly bloodthirsty qualities!
In short, he was very pleased with the effect of the Immortal Herb.
"Upgraded by one level, so your current level of 89 is one level higher than mine!"
"Old Ghost, it's my turn now!"
When Yue Guan heard Gui Mei's words, he could hardly wait to absorb the Immortal Plant.
So he walked up to the last Immortal Herb left in the garden, the Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum.
Staring at the Chrysanthemum in front of him, Yue Guan's eyes were slightly glazed, reluctant to consume it, but in the end, he picked it and absorbed it.
Then it was Yue Guan's turn to begin absorbing and refining the essence of the Immortal Plant!
His absorption process was much slower than that of Ghost, taking an entire hour.
During this period, Yue Guan's body constantly glowed with a golden light, complimented by the Martial Soul that appeared behind him throughout the absorption period.
"Hahaha, Old Ghost, I'm at Level 89 now too!"
"And my Martial Soul is one step closer to evolving. I feel that not only can I become a Titled Douluo in the future, but I can also go even further!"
After absorbing the Immortal Herb, Yue Guan stood up and began laughing heartily.
Obviously, he was thrilled with his progress.
He could feel his Martial Soul becoming more refined, and now it could be considered a true attack-type Martial Soul.
Although he had been an offensive Soul Master in the past, his attack power was relatively weak, but now it was different!
"Congratulations to the two Elders on your great success. I suppose you have no regrets about joining me on this journey!"
"I also hope that both Elders can break through to the Titled Douluo and rise even further in the future!"
Seeing Yue Guan celebrating, Gu Ziyi also smiled happily and congratulated them.
He was also very happy that these two might soon be promoted.
"It's all thanks to Your Highness. Without you, we wouldn't have discovered this place!"
Yue Guan knew that he and Gui Mei were lucky to accompany him.
"Now that Professor Yue Guan has absorbed the Immortal Herb, let's return!"
Gu Ziyi nodded slightly and said no more.
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Gu Ziyi and his group returned to the Spirit Hall.
As for the treasure trove of the Yin-Yang Ice and Fire Pool, no more treasures could be produced for now. It depended on Qian Xunji as to how he wanted to handle the site!
Gu Ziyi had already collected plenty of the chaotic spring water for himself, so if he ever ran out, he could come back for more.
He believed that this treasure trove would belong to the Spirit Hall from now on, and he left with a light heart!
…
Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect.
Yu Xiaogang rose from the herb-filled bath and felt the increase in his Soul Power within him. He was very satisfied.
He was only 11 years old, and his Soul Power level had been raised to Level 16. In just three years, he had gone from Level 4 to Level 16, a 12-level increase—an incredible feat considering his talent.
Yu Xiaogang was very satisfied with his progress!
This cultivation speed was not at all slow.
Although this cultivation speed was achieved by relying on the sect's vast resources, he was the son of the sect leader, and there was nothing wrong with using the sect's resources for himself.
His identity was also his advantage!
"If I keep going at this pace, I will definitely reach Level 29 before I'm 30!"
"No… I should say that I will definitely reach Level 29 before I'm 20. Then I will have at least 10 years to break past that barrier. I won't reach Level 30 if I can't surpass this bottleneck!"
"If innate Soul Power at Level 1 cannot break the shackles of Level 30, it's up to me to shatter it in this lifetime!"
Encouraging himself in his mind, Yu Xiaogang changed his clothes and left the bath.
"Uncle Yao, how is the matter I asked you to look into?"
After coming out, Yu Xiaogang asked an elderly man guarding the door.
The old man was the sect servant responsible for looking after him.
"Young Master, I have the latest information!"
When the old servant heard that Yu Xiaogang had arrived and asked about his request, he immediately lowered his head and replied.
"Really? Then tell me!"
Yu Xiaogang's expression shifted with surprise upon hearing this, urging him to get to the point.
"Yes, Young Master!"
"The two people whom the Young Master asked me to inquire about currently have Soul Power levels of 33 and 20, respectively!"
The old servant quickly conveyed the information he had obtained.
Indeed, what Yu Xiaogang had asked him to inquire about was the Soul Power levels of the two disciples of the Pope of the Spirit Hall.
This was not the first time he had asked about this matter. For the past few years, Yu Xiaogang had paid particular attention to Bibi Dong's and Gu Ziyi's situations.
He paid attention to Bibi Dong because of her unparalleled talent; she was a year older than him, and he wanted to see how someone with so much talent was cultivating.
Though he was always deeply affected by the news and felt terribly inadequate, Yu Xiaogang continued to pay close attention.
However, his main concern was Gu Ziyi's Soul Power level, because Gu Ziyi, like him, also had innate Soul Power at Level 1.
"She's already at Level 33? She truly possesses twin Martial Souls; her talent is astonishing!"
Regarding Bibi Dong's Soul Power level, Yu Xiaogang could only sigh in dismay.
"Gu Ziyi finally surpassed Level 20?"
"He still maintains a speed of two levels per year. Based on an innate Soul Power talent of Level 1, this is already very fast!"
"But now, I'm faster than him!"
Upon hearing the news about Gu Ziyi, he used to marvel at the speed of Gu Ziyi's cultivation, but now he found it somewhat slow because it was not as fast as his own.
This made Yu Xiaogang feel a bit proud and, at the same time, even more dissatisfied. How could Gu Ziyi, with his qualifications, be accepted as a personal disciple by the Pope of the Spirit Hall?
It was truly as his father and others said—the Pope of the Spirit Hall had done so only to win over the masses?
Nevertheless, it was a fact that Gu Ziyi was one of the Pope's disciples.
So Yu Xiaogang wanted to prove that he was better than the Pope's disciple.
"The time is almost here. In two years, I will be able to reach his level!"
"I will undoubtedly become the first Soul Master to break the Level 30 barrier."
After learning that Gu Ziyi's cultivation speed had not improved much, Yu Xiaogang was excited.
He didn't care if his Soul Power level was accumulated by consuming vast resources; as long as he could surpass Gu Ziyi, it would be completely worth it.
Moreover, his fast cultivation speed also filled him with confidence for his future.
…
(End of chapter)
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(In Parallel Universe)
Gu Ziyi, seeing images of the three beautiful women who left their mark on his life, begins to have an epiphany.
He starts to realize how much affection he feels for them, and their images deepen in his heart.
He understands that he truly cares for all three, and it wasn't just their beauty that captivated him, nor the greed of a selfish man.
No! It was something he had felt but never acknowledged about himself. He found himself captivated by innocence, camaraderie, and mischief. (N/A: Here, I want to exemplify the three: Tang Yuehua, Bai Lu, and Bibi Dong)
Their conversations, their actions, their shyness, their jokes, and all the time he spent and still spends with them.
'I unknowingly started to love these girls. I want to give them the best life possible!'
He recalls his heartbreak at the departure of his passion, Tang Yuehua, and his friend, Bai Lu, at that time.
He would love to go on a crusade to beat up the brothers who took them from him. He wished he had the strength to carry them both away with him so that no one could question his relationships.
And he felt sorrow at being abandoned, without the option or chance to say goodbye to them.
While reflecting on his regrets, he thinks of the cute and mischievous girl he started to care for.
The girl who works hard on her cultivation but hates to study.
He thinks of how she's grown on him and how much he enjoys her company, even as he constantly scolds her.
He is determined that no harm will come to her as it did in the original story. He would protect her even against her teacher or the Great Priest, sacrificing his life if necessary, just to preserve her beautiful smile.
In this epiphany, he doesn't realize he's able to extract the Longing Heartbreak Red from its stone. He shows so much love, care, and protection for these three girls that he successfully passes this plant's difficult test.
Some time passes.
Due to his resolve, Gu Ziyi trains even harder when he returns to the Martial Soul Hall.
He spends more and more time with his beloved elder sister, Bibi Dong.
He surpasses level after level at an alarming speed.
He embarks on various adventures and journeys, meeting many different people.
But he never forgets his promise from that time in the Yin-Yang Ice and Fire Well. His resolve and regret.
Finally, he gains the strength he sought, and he heads to the Haotian Sect. Once there, he challenges the entire sect. After a hard-fought battle, he reaches his first love and confesses to her.
Bibi Dong, hearing about his endeavor, leaves the Martial Soul Hall. She arrives just in time to witness the confession.
She is heartbroken, thinking her love is unrequited.
But... Gu Ziyi senses her sadness and worries she might do something reckless.
He rushes to her, stopping her from getting too far.
Tang Yuehua, surprised by the commotion, Gu Ziyi's confession, and his departure before she could respond, instinctively runs after him as well.
She sees him embracing and comforting Bibi Dong.
Before she can leave, Gu Ziyi, with Bibi Dong in his arms, stands before her. He confesses his feelings for Tang Yuehua, Bibi Dong, and Bai Lu.
After many conversations and continuously showing his sincerity, Gu Ziyi is finally accepted by them.
Not wanting to leave his third girl behind, he asks the two to wait a little while and heads for Bai Lu.
After finding her, he follows the same steps as with the other two. But with her, he has to wait for an answer, as she feels uncertain.
More time passes.
After many adventures, Gu Ziyi has finally settled with his three wives and twelve children.
He is now the God King, having defeated Asura and many other gods.
He can still descend to visit his friends and the relatives of his beloved wives.
He even managed to subdue Tang San, who reincarnated into another child.
He has spread his new revolutionary method.
And now, the Douluo Continent enjoys relative peace and progress with the Soul Beasts, especially those with 100,000 years of cultivation, who are deeply grateful to him.
Thus, Gu Ziyi lived surrounded by love and affection with his beloved family until the end of time.
[Since I want to make a tradition. A little 'what if...' of the story, I imagined if Gu Ziyi's love was strong enough for the queen of plants to recognize him.
Of course I only made it with 3 girls, I didn't want to complicate the writing too much. This would be more of a summary of the events and not all of them, because I didn't even talk about Qian Xunji or Yu Xiaogang, or about the battle of the gods.
I just wanted to do something relatively fun to relax. I hope you enjoyed it.]
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N/E: End of second volume.