Chapter 217
The Immortal Herb's Plans!
Lou Gao raised a thick eyebrow, and a strong look of surprise instantly flashed in his golden eyes.
He put down his wine glass, leaned forward slightly, and spoke with a hint of confusion.
"What are you up to, kid? What's your strength now? With that big oaf Tyranitar and you, even an ordinary Soul Douluo might not be able to take you down, according to you! Isn't the entire Gengjin City enough for you to use your skills? Why are you going out to train?"
Si Long, Si Di, Si Kai, and Si Yu all looked surprised. Si Long asked in confusion:
“Junior brother, the association is currently developing well, and its relationships with various parties are in a delicate balance. If you leave…”
His unfinished words were filled with worry.
However, Si Di's eyes flickered. Looking at Lin Xia's calm and expressionless face, then at Zhu Zhuqing's "of course" attitude of accompanying her, and recalling Si Yu's words earlier, an idea suddenly popped into his head. He nodded as if he had just realized something.
"Oh! I understand!"
He looked at Sikai and Siyu.
"Senior brother, little sister, think about it, has our junior brother ever had a real rest all these years?"
Sikai was taken aback at first, but then he realized what was happening and a knowing smile appeared on his honest face.
"Yes, yes! Junior Brother wants to... take Miss Zhuqing out for a walk, to relax and clear her head?"
Siyu's eyes lit up, and she clapped her hands and laughed:
"Good, good! That's more like it! Staring at blueprints and metal all day is making us rotten! Xia, Zhuqing, you two should go out and have some fun! Xingluo, Tiandou, and all those scenic spots, delicious food and wine... uh..."
When she mentioned the word "alcohol," she subconsciously glanced guiltily at Bangiras, who was sleeping soundly in the corner, and quickly corrected herself.
"...Beautiful scenery! Yes, yes, let's go admire the beautiful scenery!"
This caused a burst of light laughter from the crowd.
Lou Gao watched his disciples chattering away, especially Si Di, Si Kai, and Si Yu, whose expressions said, "We understand, our junior brother is on vacation." Then, looking at Lin Xia's somewhat helpless but not denying look, Lou Gao finally understood.
That's it!
This kid isn't going on some kind of hellish training trip at all.
Clearly, he had been burdened with too much responsibility over the years. Now that his pillar of support had returned, he could finally unload his burdens, take a short break, and enjoy some time alone with his beloved girl, experiencing the carefree life of an ordinary young couple!
A sense of "I see" and the satisfaction of being an elder instantly dispelled Lou Gao's surprise.
He slammed his hand on the table and let out a hearty laugh:
"Hahaha! Good! Good! Xia, you've finally figured it out!"
Lou Gao's golden eyes were filled with understanding and support.
"A good man should have ambitions beyond his hometown! Young people should go out and see more of the world! What's the point of staying cooped up in this tin-walled city all day? The world outside is vast! Take advantage of your youth, go explore, and see the world!"
He waved his hand with great flair, displaying an air of heroic spirit.
"Go ahead and do your best! I'm back! The Blacksmith Association's reputation is secure with me backing it up! Silong and the others aren't just sitting around doing nothing either! Just take Zhuqing and have some fun, make up for all the carefree years you've missed out on!"
His tone was teasing, but the support and affirmation in his eyes were incredibly sincere.
"Play as long as you want! No need to rush back!"
Looking at Lou Gao's magnanimous "I understand you" attitude, and then at the warm smiles on the faces of his senior brothers and sisters that said "Go on your date with peace of mind," Lin Xia was at a loss for words.
He did need to leave, but his main purpose was definitely not simply sightseeing.
Immortal herbs, strategic planning, Tang San... these thoughts swirled in his mind.
However, this well-intentioned misunderstanding by his teachers and senior classmates provided him with perfect cover for his trip and saved him a lot of trouble explaining.
A warmth touched his heart. He didn't expose the beautiful misunderstanding, but simply followed Lou Gao's words, saying with gratitude and ease, "Thank you, teacher! Thank you for your understanding, senior! With the teacher and seniors here in the association, I am naturally at ease."
He changed the subject, his tone becoming more serious.
"During this time, I'll leave the daily operations of the association and Gengjin City to the teachers and fellow students. Zhuqing and I will maintain regular contact with the association. If..."
Lin Xia's gaze swept over everyone, lingering deliberately on Lou Gao's face for a moment, and she emphasized her tone.
"...If you encounter any emergency or important matters that require my personal attention, you can contact me at any time through the 'Soul Guidance Phone'!"
After saying this, Si Long, Si Di, Si Kai, and Si Yu all nodded solemnly, showing that they were very familiar with this "soul guide phone".
"Understood, Junior Brother!"
Si Long responded.
"Don't worry, we'll keep a close eye on things at the association."
Siddy added.
"I'll let you know immediately if anything happens!"
Skye guarantees this.
"Xiaxia, Zhuqing, I'm just glad you're having fun!"
Siyu said with a smile.
However, the only person who didn't nod was Lou Gao.
Lou Gao, who had just been so enthusiastically supporting his disciple's "trip," suddenly froze with a smile. His golden eyes widened like copper bells, filled with extreme bewilderment and confusion.
His thick, reddish-gold eyebrows furrowed into a knot, and his mouth was slightly open, as if he had heard some kind of incomprehensible incantation.
"'Soul guide...phone'?"
Lou Gao repeated this phrase, which was completely unfamiliar to him, his voice trembling and filled with a strong sense of existential doubt.
"What...what is that thing?!"
He abruptly stood up, his imposing figure casting a huge shadow under the light. His gaze swept intensely over the composed Si Long and the others, finally fixing on Lin Xia. His tone was urgent and chaotic, carrying a sense of panic as if he had been abandoned by the times once again:
"I just figured out the soul-guided lamp, the soul-guided vehicle, and your soul-guided puppets running rampant in the streets... and now this 'soul-guided telephone' has appeared?! A telephone? What's a telephone? What does it look like? Is it something to eat or something to use? Or is it another new type of soul-guided device?"
"How does it contact you? By shouting with its soul power? How can it hear you from tens of thousands of miles away? Have you gone crazy from five years of seclusion, kid? Or are you just messing with me again?!"
Lou Gao's rapid-fire questions, coupled with his frantic expression that seemed to say, "I just thought I was keeping up with the times, but I've fallen into a new pit again," instantly diluted the warm farewell atmosphere in the living room, creating a stark contrast that was hard not to laugh at.
puff-
Siyu was the first to burst out laughing, covering her mouth. Sidi and Sikai also tried to suppress their laughter, their shoulders twitching slightly.
Even the usually composed Si Long couldn't help but smile slightly.
A faint smile flickered across Zhu Zhuqing's usually aloof face.
Lin Xia looked at the teacher's expression, which seemed to be looking at Godzilla, and felt both helpless and amused.
He should have realized that for a teacher who had been in seclusion for five years and had just been shaken to the point of questioning his existence by the Steel New City and the Future Association headquarters, the "Soul Guidance Telephone," a revolutionary communication tool, was absolutely another bombshell. (End of Chapter)