Time flew by like an arrow; five years passed in the blink of an eye.
Over those five years, Gu Han successfully advanced from a Soul Master to a level 22 Grandmaster.
At the same time, he discovered a major flaw in the Nameless Technique Manual—each level required an immense amount of soul power, which caused his cultivation speed to slow down drastically with each breakthrough.
But it wasn't entirely a bad thing. Despite only being level 22, he was already capable of holding his own against many higher-level Soul Elders.
At the entrance to Qinghe Village, Gu Han walked in with practiced ease.
During the past five years, Gu Han had returned to the village ten times in total. This visit might very well be his last for the foreseeable future.
The Gold Soul Coins he received every year were rarely used by him; instead, he handed most of them over to the village chief, only keeping enough for his personal needs.
Pushing open the door to his house, he saw his grandfather in the courtyard, busy preparing to slaughter a chicken.
"Grandpa, I'm home."
"Haha! Xiao Han's back, huh? Perfect timing. I'm killing a chicken today. Go rest inside for now—I'll show you what your grandpa's cooking is really like."
Old Gu's weathered face lit up with a warm and genuine smile when he saw his grandson.
"Grandpa, I'll help cut up the vegetables."
As he spoke, Gu Han washed his hands and stepped into the kitchen.
Old Gu didn't say much more, but inwardly he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. This child has always been so thoughtful.
Over the years, he had accepted the money Gu Han gave to the village.
But last year, Gu Han found out about it and insisted that the money be used to improve the villagers' lives.
In the end, Old Gu gave in and used part of the money to renovate village houses, repair roads, and even help set up small businesses for the villagers.
Gu Han had also taught several skilled village women how to make various street snacks he remembered from his past life.
Though the profits from these snacks were modest, they still provided the villagers with an extra source of income.
Because of this, the villagers grew even closer to Gu Han. Whenever he wasn't around, they would take care of his grandfather, whose mobility was beginning to deteriorate with age.
Since Old Gu never revealed his real name and was the eldest in the village, no one knew what to call him.
So everyone simply referred to him as Old Gu or the Village Chief.
After entering the kitchen, Gu Han cleaned and prepared some vegetables.
Since it was just the two of them, they didn't need much—one dish of stir-fried chicken, two plates of vegetables, and a bowl of egg soup. They also shared a bit of rice wine.
After a few rounds of drinks and several bites of food, Gu Han put down his chopsticks and said,
"Grandpa, I've officially graduated this year. I'm planning to head to Dragon City next. They have a Great Spirit Arena there where I can test my strength."
Old Gu's chopsticks paused mid-air before he gently placed a piece of chicken into Gu Han's bowl and sighed.
"Yeah... As a Soul Master, it's time for you to explore the world."
"But if you ever get tired out there, don't forget—this will always be your home."
Sensing the reluctance in his grandfather's tone, Gu Han nodded earnestly. "Don't worry, Grandpa. No matter what happens in the future, this place will always be my home. I'll always come back."
Old Gu paused for a moment, his deeply wrinkled face softening into a kind, content smile.
"Good boy. I don't care if you become someone famous. I just want you to be safe and sound. That's enough for me."
"Mm. You take good care of yourself too, Grandpa."
A bittersweet feeling welled up in Gu Han's heart. No matter what, he would have to leave this place and be separated from his only family.
After that meal, Gu Han stayed in the village for another half a month before finally setting off—amid heartfelt farewells from the villagers.
Watching Gu Han's figure gradually disappear into the distance, the old village chief let out a heavy sigh.
"Ah... In the end, he had to leave."
"Don't be sad, Old Chief. Xiao Han's a good kid—smart, dependable. The village only became what it is now thanks to him. One day, he'll be our pride."
A middle-aged man gently patted Old Gu's shoulder.
"Bah, I'm not that fragile! Don't go fussing over an old man like me."
Old Gu snapped back to his senses and swatted away the man's calloused hand with mock annoyance.
———
Dragon City, the provincial capital that oversaw Northwind City, was located to the northeast of the Icebound Forest.
Compared to Northwind City, its scale was far grander.
More importantly, Dragon City was home to an Advanced Spirit Master Academy and a Great Spirit Arena.
It was one of the two major cities in the Snowfall Province and not affiliated with any kingdom—directly under the jurisdiction of the Heaven Dou Empire.
Though it was midsummer, the temperature here was still noticeably cooler than the inland regions.
Gu Han's destination was the Ice Crystal Advanced Spirit Master Academy, located within Dragon City.
But before that, he needed to report to the local Spirit Hall Headquarters and collect his monthly Gold Soul Coin allowance.
As expected of a metropolis, the streets were full of strong Soul Masters—and beautiful young women too.
"Name…"
"Martial Soul…"
"Show your soul rings."
After confirming Gu Han's identity, the clerk at the window pushed ten Gold Spirit Coins toward him.
"Here, this is your monthly stipend."
Gu Han accepted the coins, lightly tapped them, and stored them into his white jade token.
After receiving the money, he made his way to the Ice Crystal Advanced Spirit Master Academy to register.
Since his level fully met the requirements, he was allowed to skip the entrance tests and was directly enrolled.
Three years ago, Spirit Hall had made an announcement: the Pope, Qian Xunji, had taken on a disciple and bestowed her the title of Holy Maiden, though the details were kept vague.
But Gu Han knew—it was Bibi Dong. Born with full innate soul power and twin martial souls, she was an extraordinary prodigy. Calling her a chosen daughter of the heavens was no exaggeration, though her fate would be a tragic one.
Three years ago, Bibi Dong was six years old, and Gu Han was nine.
Based on the original novel, Bibi Dong would become a Titled Douluo in her thirties, which meant Tang San wouldn't be born for another thirty-plus years.
That span of time was more than enough for Gu Han to grow into his full potential.
Just as Gu Han was mulling over his future plans, two unsavory-looking men suddenly stepped in front of him—one thin and tall, the other short and stocky.
"Well, well, fresh meat. New around here, huh? You know how things work at this academy?"
The lanky one folded his arms and sneered at Gu Han with contempt.
Gu Han inwardly sighed. Not this kind of cliché again… But no matter. Might as well test their background.
"And what may I call the two of you?"
The pair turned sideways and leaned back-to-back, striking an exaggerated pose.
The thin man spoke first. "I'm Da Mahou. Martial Soul: Snow Ape. Level 33 Power Attack System Soul Elder."
"I'm Zhu Ganglie. Martial Soul: Nine-Foot Ice Rake. Level 34 Power Attack System Soul Elder."
"Together, we're the Pig and Monkey Duo!"
Gu Han's mouth twitched slightly. These two were definitely a headache to deal with. He decided not to act rashly just yet and cupped his hands politely.
"I'm Gu Han, affiliated with Spirit Hall. May I ask what kind of rules you're referring to?"
"Sp-Spirit Hall?"
"You're from Spirit Hall?"
The moment they heard that, both men dropped their cocky attitudes. Spirit Hall was not an organization to mess with. Most Soul Masters preferred to keep their distance when dealing with Spirit Hall members.
"That's right," Gu Han replied calmly. Seeing their reaction, he knew he'd made the right call. The Spirit Hall name really is useful…
"Ahem. No problem, no problem. We just wanted to make friends with you, little brother."
Gu Han studied them more closely. No matter how you looked at them, they didn't seem like students—more like thirty-something adults.
"You're not students at this academy, are you?"
"Of course not! We're security. As long as students pay their protection fee, we ensure their safety."
Just as he suspected—two thugs exploiting their strength to bully younger students. Most likely, they had some connections backing them, which was why they hadn't been expelled.
"Uh-huh. Well then, sirs, I've got some business to attend to. Let's talk another time."
"Sure, sure, go right ahead."
The two men immediately stepped aside, no longer daring to block his way once they knew he was with Spirit Hall.