"Ah! Master!"
A strand of hair stood up on Huo Yu'er's head as she turned around with shining eyes, her face lighting up with joy at the sight of Ye Wen.
Ye Wen looked kindly at Huo Yu'er and nodded warmly, but in the next moment, he flicked her forehead.
"Ow!? Ugh~" Huo Yu'er clutched her forehead in pain, looking at Ye Wen with confusion.
This time, Ye Wen had used real force—her forehead was already turning red from the flick.
"Why did you suddenly hit me, Master?" Huo Yu'er asked, feeling wronged.
Ye Wen didn't respond but instead began helping Jiang Nannan tidy up.
???? Huo Yu'er was filled with question marks, but since seniority dictated respect, she reluctantly joined in the cleanup.
Finally, after finishing with the trash and tables, all that was left was to close the door to officially end the day's business.
At this point, Ye Wen sat down on a chair and asked, "Do you understand now?"
-_-? Huo Yu'er still looked utterly confused. Despite reading many books over the past two months, her thinking still had significant gaps.
"*Sigh.*" Ye Wen let out a sigh.
"Though your talent is still lacking, you can't just slack off like this for the sake of making money.
Money is only useful if it's enough to cover your needs. No matter how much you accumulate, it's still just a pile of metal in the end.
In the world of Douluo, strength is the foundation upon which everything is measured."
Only then did Huo Yu'er realize that Ye Wen was criticizing her for neglecting her soul power cultivation, which was why she had been flicked earlier.
But with her innate level-one aptitude, no amount of training would make much difference. After two months, there had been virtually no progress, so what could she do?
However, Huo Yu'er quickly adjusted her mindset. She understood that Ye Wen's words were meant for her own good—even with a Titled Douluo as her master, she couldn't afford to slack off in her cultivation.
Moreover, after earning quite a bit this month, Huo Yu'er realized that while she now had plenty of money, she didn't really have many ways to spend it.
"I'm sorry, Master. I understand my mistake," Huo Yu'er said sincerely.
Jiang Nannan, though silent, subtly nodded in agreement. Ye Wen's words made perfect sense.
If she had possessed the strength she had now back then, she wouldn't have needed to sell herself to save her mother. In the end, it all boiled down to a lack of strength.
Seeing Huo Yu'er return to the right path, Ye Wen nodded approvingly. Then, with a faint smile, he turned to Jiang Nannan and said,
"Little Yu'er, isn't this your friend? Why don't you introduce her?"
Huo Yu'er, well aware of the importance of humility, didn't flaunt her master's status as a Titled Douluo. Jiang Nannan only knew that Huo Yu'er had such a master.
However, the profound truth about soul masters that Ye Wen had just spoken clearly indicated that he was no ordinary person. Jiang Nannan respectfully bowed and said,
"Greetings, Senior."
Though Huo Yu'er and Jiang Nannan were three or four years apart in age, they had become extremely close friends. Huo Yu'er enthusiastically introduced Jiang Nannan to Ye Wen.
"Not bad, Little Yu'er—you've found yourself a good friend," Ye Wen said approvingly.
"Senior flatters me," Jiang Nannan humbly replied.
Compared to Ye Wen's calm demeanor cultivated over countless years, Huo Yu'er blushed slightly, feeling shy after being praised by an elder.
Although Jiang Nannan hadn't shared her tragic childhood experiences with Huo Yu'er, Huo Yu'er naturally investigated her friend's background when forming their bond.
After all, prudence was key.
As local insiders, Tang Ya and Bei Bei happened to know some inside information. Given the reputation of the Xuanming Sect on the Douluo Continent, it wasn't hard to piece together Jiang Nannan's situation with a bit of deduction and questioning.
Huo Yu'er's eyes darted around for a moment before she approached Ye Wen with a flattering smile and said,
"Master, can I ask you for a favor?"
Ye Wen wore an unamused smile and lightly tapped Huo Yu'er's forehead with his finger.
"Just say what's on your mind. We don't do the whole beating-around-the-bush thing in our sect."
Huo Yu'er immediately felt reassured and earnestly pleaded,
"Master, could you take Sister Nannan as your disciple?"
Ye Wen was momentarily stunned. He had assumed Huo Yu'er would ask for some treasure to improve Jiang Nannan's aptitude, not outright suggest teaching her directly.
Ye Wen's expression became intriguing as he asked, "Why do you have this idea, Little Yu'er?"
Before Huo Yuer could answer, Jiang Nannan stepped forward first and politely declined.
"Please don't take Yu'er's suggestion to heart, Senior. I am fully aware of my shallow aptitude. After graduating from Shrek Academy, I plan to simply wander the continent."
Shrek Academy operated under an inner and outer court system during this era. However, only graduates with exceptionally outstanding aptitude could join the inner court, and there were numerous other stringent requirements. At fifteen, Jiang Nannan hadn't even broken through to the Soul Ancestor rank, meaning she wouldn't meet the standards by graduation.
Having endured the hardships of life and always striving to be strong, Jiang Nannan didn't want to submit to another faction's influence. Though she appreciated Huo Yu'er's recommendation, she rationally refused. A good sister shouldn't drag the other down or cause harm.
Unexpectedly, Jiang Nannan's refusal only piqued Ye Wen's interest.
"Heh, I don't dislike strong-willed girls. But do you know my cultivation level? If you were to become my disciple, you wouldn't have to live as hard as you do now."
Jiang Nannan pursed her lips and said, "I'm content with my current situation."
It was a lie. Ye Wen saw right through her—the determination in her eyes to rise above mediocrity couldn't deceive him.
"Approved," Ye Wen said softly.
???
Both girls were dumbfounded. Though they were experienced in navigating human relationships, it didn't mean they had high emotional intelligence.
Ye Wen cast a compassionate glance at Jiang Nannan and said gently,
"Bow and become my disciple. I am Tian Xing Douluo. I believe I'm qualified to be your master."
Huo Yu'er snapped out of her daze first and nudged Jiang Nannan lightly, whispering,
"Sister Nannan, what are you waiting for? Hurry and bow!
My master is a Titled Douluo. Once this opportunity passes, it won't come again."
Jiang Nannan came to her senses. Though there were over a hundred Titled Douluos on the Douluo Continent, after excluding those tied to various sects, only twenty or thirty belonged to top-tier factions.
In this era, the title of Titled Douluo still carried significant weight.
Joining a faction with a Titled Douluo didn't guarantee dominance, but at least no other faction would dare bully them easily.
The next moment, Jiang Nannan dropped to her knees and bowed deeply, saying respectfully,
"Disciple Jiang Nannan pays respects to Master."
Ye Wen's eyebrows twitched at the sight. On the Douluo Continent, such formalities were typically reserved only for parents and rulers.
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