232: Chapter 232 Xun'er: Come and prove my judgment

"Swish."

Under the watchful eyes of Gu Han and Zi Yan, Xun'er's personal guard, Ling Xiao, stepped out from a spatial crack.

Ling Ying, who was teaching Ya'er a Dou Technique on the backyard martial arts field, sensed it and immediately tore through space to rush over.

"Little friend Gu Han."

Feeling the gaze from below, Ling Xiao instinctively looked down and immediately saw Gu Han, whose appearance and temperament had become increasingly outstanding, making it hard to look away. A smile instantly appeared on her face.

She took a step forward, traversing through space to reach the ground below, and said urgently, "Little friend, the Young Miss has something to discuss with you. She needs you to go to the Jia Nan Academy Inner Academy immediately."

As she spoke, Ling Xiao observed Gu Han at close range, a deep sense of surprise rising in her heart.

After not seeing him for a year and a half, she actually couldn't see through Gu Han at all; he gave her the feeling of facing a bottomless icy abyss.

A year and a half ago, she would still feel some sense of danger when seeing Gu Han. That was because although Gu Han only had a Peak Dou Wang cultivation, he possessed a Spirit Realm Soul and had means that could threaten a Dou Zong.

It was impossible for Gu Han to have become an ordinary person without any cultivation after so much time, so there was only one explanation left.

He had already reached the High-level Dou Huang level and could call upon a portion of spatial power, truly possessing Dou Zong-level combat strength. Combined with his Soul Power, he might even be stronger than her.

This realization made Ling Xiao both shocked and delighted. She was shocked by Gu Han's talent and delighted that the Young Miss's matter would not be difficult to achieve.

Cila.

Before Gu Han could answer, Ling Ying stepped out from a spatial crack and said with a serious expression, "Sister, did something happen to the Young Miss?"

"You still know to care about the Young Miss?" Seeing Ling Ying, Ling Xiao immediately scolded him: "A year and a half, a whole year and a half, you haven't gone back to pay your respects once. I think you should just join the Cloud Mist Sect entirely and never return to the Central Plains or the Gu Clan again."

Ling Ying was momentarily stunned. He was a male Cultivator and was inherently not suited to be too close to Gu Xun'er. The work he could do for Xun'er was mostly dirty, exhausting, or errand-running tasks.

Xun'er was currently studying in the Jia Nan Academy Inner Academy, a relatively safe place. If someone could harm her, his presence or absence wouldn't change the outcome.

If there were trivial matters that needed his attention, Ling Xiao could just come out to deliver a message.

It was precisely because of this realization that he stayed in Yunmu City to properly act as a teacher.

"If the Young Miss agrees, I can stay in the Cloud Mist Sect forever," Ling Ying said after a slight hesitation, making Ling Xiao feel it was unbelievable.

"Are you crazy?" Ling Xiao couldn't quite understand this cheap brother of hers. She had only been complaining jokingly, mostly upset that he didn't even know to occasionally visit her, his sister.

She didn't expect Ling Ying to actually say such words.

How could the Cloud Mist Sect compare to the Gu Clan?

How could the Northwest Continent compare to the Central Plains?

"I am quite serious," Ling Ying released a hint of his aura.

"Two-Star Dou Zong!?" Ling Xiao's pupils shook.

She had broken through to Dou Zong before Ling Ying, and now she was only at the Peak of One-Star Dou Zong, about to break through to Two-Star.

Ling Ying had actually overtaken her!?

"Sister, there are some things you don't understand," Ling Ying showed a proud expression.

He didn't understand before, but he had come to understand over the past year and a half.

The Gu Clan was indeed stronger than the Cloud Mist Sect; the latter couldn't even compare to some of the forces the Gu Clan supported in the Central Plains. However, in the Gu Clan and its controlled forces, there were also many more Cultivators with better talent and profound cultivation.

Take Dou Shengs for example; on the surface of the Central Plains, the Hall of Souls and Pill Tower only had a few, but within the Gu Clan, there were dozens. Yet, the resources usable by a Dou Sheng were not many and weren't even enough for them to divide among themselves.

The same situation applied to the Dou Zun and Dou Zong level Cultivators.

The Gu Clan's good things were indeed numerous and high-rank, but the number of geniuses and Cultivators competing for them was even greater. If calculated carefully, the resources might not even be as much as what a Dou Zong could harvest by being a local king outside.

And Gu Han was a Heaven-Defying existence that surpassed ordinary understanding. Although he hadn't appeared in public for the past year and a half, he wasn't in secluded cultivation. He would still head out occasionally, though no one knew.

Every time he went out, Gu Han never returned empty-handed; one could even say he returned with a full harvest. Having accumulated over a year and a half, no one knew how massive a fortune he now possessed.

Take Ling Ying for instance; he honestly acted as Ya'er's teacher and secretly helped the Cloud Mist Sect with a few dirty jobs, and the rewards he received allowed him to raise his cultivation to Two-Star.

Obtaining resources several times gave him a new realization. It was hard to say if following the Gu Clan was better than the Cloud Mist Sect, but in terms of cost-effectiveness, it definitely couldn't beat following Gu Han.

"I don't understand? Then speak up!" Ling Xiao said urgently.

She had broken through to Dou Zong before Ling Ying, her talent was slightly better than his, and she stayed by the Young Miss's side. There was no reason for her to break through slower than Ling Ying.

"Following the right person is very important," Ling Ying cast a glance toward Gu Han.

Ling Xiao: ?

Could it be that following Gu Han would be better than following Xun'er?

Thinking about Gu Han's ability to find various Opportunities, it really was possible.

"Senior, let's go attend to the main business first. Don't let Young Miss Xun'er wait too long," Gu Han offered a smile to Ling Xiao.

"Right, the Young Miss is still waiting," Ling Xiao immediately nodded and said with a serious expression, "The Family sent the Black Annihilation Army to pick up the Young Miss and take her back. The leader is a Deputy Commander, and he actually questioned the Young Miss's taste in people."

Saying this, Ling Xiao took out a letter and handed it to Gu Han: "Read this letter, then decide for yourself whether to go. The Young Miss said it doesn't matter whether you go or not."

Gu Han took the envelope and opened it. Xun'er's handwriting was very delicate, carrying an indescribable elegance.

He didn't even need to read the contents to know; today's Opportunity had already told him in advance.

Xun'er wanted to find him to act as a relationship shield, but she would ask for his opinion.

Now Xun'er was also using him as a shield, but only as a reason to return to the Family later.

[I told the Family that there are geniuses like you even outside the Ancient World, and I want to stay outside to Cultivate for a few more years.]

[The person sent by the clan to pick me up will want to fight you to prove my mistake.]

[If you are unwilling, then do not follow Ling Xiao here.]

[If you are willing, I have one more thing to ask of you.]

[Once I return to the Family, unless my talent reaches a truly top-tier level, my marriage will not be my own to decide. However, my father is the Clan Chief; if I have suitable power, I can also decline.]

[I want to use you as an excuse: only someone who can defeat you is qualified to seek my hand in marriage.]

[This matter is also for you to decide. If you agree, it will be considered a repayment for the Cultivation Technique I gave you.]

[If you agree, as long as you reach the Dou Zun level in the future, I will have a way to obtain a Heaven Rank Cultivation Technique for you.]

There was quite a lot of content, but to translate it simply: "I am Xun'er, come and prove my vision."

"Let's go," Gu Han put away the letter and spoke with a smile. "Young Miss Xun'er has helped me much; I am naturally willing to help with this small favor."

However, his role as a shield wouldn't be so easy to use.

Xun'er would have to be prepared to lose both the bait and the fish.