SoulLand:Ascending to Godhood through Science

Under Ignis's unabashedly greedy and longing gaze, You Chen smiled with amused interest.

"You're learning quickly, aren't you? Already grasped the concept of 'pushing your luck'?"

At those words, Ignis's face stiffened. Realizing how presumptuous she had been, a wave of panic surged through her. Feeling ashamed of her arrogance, she hurriedly bowed her head in regret.

"Never mind. It was my own directive to encourage you to act with initiative. How could I fault you for doing too much?"

You Chen smiled faintly and reached out to stroke Ignis's head. His long fingers threaded through her silky red hair, as smooth as the finest silk, cascading like flowing water under his touch.

"However, Ignis, don't forget—before concerning yourself with whether we're equals, you're still far weaker than I am. Before provoking someone much stronger than you, you must consider the potential consequences. After all… rules are just rules. True strength gives one the power to overturn the table. That's enough lecturing for now."

Withdrawing his hand, he regarded Ignis, her face now as red as a ripe peach, and smiled.

"So, as you wished… let's properly punish this naughty little troublemaker."

You Chen wasn't one to refuse a willing participant. That night, Ignis grew in more ways than one.

However, You Chen's earlier "lesson" didn't steer her toward the growth he had envisioned.

Understanding the consequences of provocation only made Ignis more eager to challenge the powerful You Chen. On occasion, she would even seek him out, reflecting on her "mistakes" and requesting "punishment."

But that's a tale for another time.

After spending a week personally guiding Ignis through the three techniques he had given her, You Chen left the Soul-Battle Beasts' base and began his journey back to the Heaven Dou Empire.

As he had explained to Ignis, he planned to delegate more authority to her to manage the organization.

The upper-level Beast Soldiers had plenty of experience leading teams, and Ignis had always performed admirably.

Of course, You Chen wouldn't entirely relinquish control.

To prevent Ignis from overreaching due to inexperience, he instructed his steward, Grace, to support and observe her. Should Ignis prove inadequate, Grace would gradually take over most of her responsibilities, leaving Ignis to serve as more of a figurehead.

Grace had long been the de facto leader of the Beast Masters, while Ignis was effectively the strongest Beast Soldier. Their shared duties naturally required collaboration, and from what You Chen had heard from Grace, the two got along well, like sisters.

If Grace were to take over some of Ignis's duties, Ignis likely wouldn't mind, as she wasn't particularly attached to power.

In short, with Ignis handling combat, Grace overseeing administration, and Lin Zhi spearheading research, You Chen felt confident in the organization's future.

Over a month had passed since You Chen left Notting City.

At the border of the Balak Kingdom, two figures raced through the night at incredible speed.

One was a shadowy silhouette hidden in darkness, while the other was a flamboyant, androgynous man. These were none other than Yue Guan and Gui Mei, the notorious Chrysanthemum and Ghost Douluo.

In this era, without the development of soul cores, even Title Douluo couldn't fly until reaching Rank 70 unless they had specific skills.

Yue Guan was one such case, unable to fly. Though Gui Mei could, he chose to stay grounded alongside his close friend rather than leaving him behind.

"Old Ghost, why does the Pope keep targeting Master You Chen? And this time, she even sent us! We're Title Douluo, for heaven's sake! Sure, I admit he's impressive, but his expertise is purely theoretical, right? Does it really require our involvement?"

"Old Chrysanthemum, don't ask questions you shouldn't, and don't speak carelessly about things you shouldn't discuss. Knowing too much can shorten your lifespan. Our job is to complete the mission quickly, then find a good tavern for a meal. I hear Soto City has some excellent restaurants."

"Tch."

Yue Guan pouted but dropped the subject.

Still, his thoughts raced.

You Chen had always appeared to be an apolitical scholar, dedicated to research and indifferent to power. Logically, such a person should have been well-liked by any leadership.

Even his refusal to join Bibi Dong directly shouldn't have led to such outright hostility.

While Bibi Dong had succeeded in marginalizing You Chen to the point of barring him from the research institute, her actions had drawn criticism even among her supporters. Many quietly disapproved of suppressing someone who had contributed so much to the Spirit Hall.

Yue Guan could vaguely guess the reasons.

After all, in his youth, You Chen had sought his favor to acquire a catalog of rare herbs, fostering a good relationship between them.

When Yue Guan discovered that this theoretical master was also interested in plants, he developed a favorable impression of You Chen.

Both Yue Guan and Gui Mei had consulted You Chen for advice on their ninth spirit rings, and their relationship had been quite friendly before Bibi Dong's rise to power.

After aligning themselves with Bibi Dong, the two sides had tacitly drifted apart.

Still, Yue Guan hadn't entirely forgotten their past friendship.

Thus, when Bibi Dong assigned him and Gui Mei to this task, Yue Guan couldn't help but suspect she was testing their loyalty.

From their conversation, one fact was clear:

Two powerful Title Douluo had been secretly dispatched by Bibi Dong

to hunt You Chen.

Only recently had they managed to uncover traces of his movements.