Sisters United / Last Words

Si Huaruo and Si Jingyu simultaneously stopped their standoff and turned to ask, "Male or female?"

The maid was startled and said hastily, "A woman." Then she added, "A stunning beauty."

Si Ming reached out and clutched his stomach, feeling a sharp pain.

Chapter 325 Sisters United

"Better late than early. I've just finished taking care of things here. But why are you alone? Didn't you come with anyone?"

Si Ming met Hongdou, whom he had arranged to meet, at the entrance of the Water Mirror Manor. He was quite surprised to find that she was alone. Given Hongdou's common sense, he was astonished that she hadn't been abducted on the street. Had the moral standards of the people of the Sea Continent improved dramatically?

"Auntie Liu came with me and saw me all the way to the lake. She said she had some business to attend to, so she let me come to see you by boat alone."

"I see. Then stay here for today, and I'll accompany you to the Divine Might Escort Agency to handle the inheritance tomorrow."

Hongdou nodded. Si Ming noticed a few flower petals stuck to her head. He pointed to his own head, but Hongdou still looked confused and didn't understand.

Left with no other choice, Si Ming stepped forward and personally plucked the petals. "Auntie Liu must have been exhausted from the journey, which is why she couldn't wait to dump you on me."

Hongdou chuckled, offering no explanation, and lowered her head to make it easier for Si Ming to do his thing.

Si Jingyu and Si Huaruo had just arrived at the manor gate when they saw this scene. The former looked her up and down and said meaningfully, "She really is a great beauty, bigger than you and Shuiyun."

Si Huaruo rolled her eyes and said, "Is this the time to care about this? Have you ever heard the saying?"

Si Jingyu understood immediately and said, "Sisters may quarrel within the walls, but they unite against external threats."

Si Huaruo said with some regret, "I should have guessed. A man who is talented, handsome, unconventional, and has a special temperament—unless all his female friends are blind, it's impossible for him not to have any thoughts about him."

Si Jingyu smiled and said, "But it's not without a chance. Childhood sweethearts often find it hard to take the crucial step forward because they're too close, and they're easily snatched away by someone else."

How do you know they're childhood sweethearts?

"Of course, you can tell from their actions and expressions. As people of similar age and of the opposite sex, they are clearly close, yet they lack the sweetness of lovers. They are used to physical contact, and the only other possibilities besides siblings are childhood sweethearts."

Why are they siblings instead of brothers and sisters?

"Don't worry about such trivial matters. In short, I can guarantee that the two of them are definitely not in a romantic relationship. They seem close, but there's actually a barrier between them."

"Your assurances are useless. Besides, you can just ask directly about such a small matter. Why beat around the bush? Even if the other person is a rival, you should challenge them openly and honestly."

Si Huaruo is not someone who is ashamed to express her feelings. Just as she does not think that confessing to someone you like is a shameful thing, being coy is disrespectful to that feeling.

"Of course, for Si Ming's sake, we can't go too far. It's not gentlemanly to bully others just because you're talented. At worst, we should ask her what she's good at before issuing a fair challenge."

Si Jingyu was happy to have someone help her gather intelligence, so she didn't object. Having a common adversary meant that even if the two wouldn't cooperate, at least they wouldn't hold each other back.

"Oh, you're the youngest master painter in the art world, Master Hongdou!" Si Jingyu excitedly grabbed Hongdou's hand. "That's wonderful! Many of our Water Mirror Manor's martial arts manuals have missed the Soul Intent Diagram. Could you please draw it for us? Of course, it won't be a free service; we'll definitely pay you the highest fee available on the market."

The importance of the Soul Intent Diagram to martial arts is self-evident. It can not only accelerate the training speed, but also increase the probability of sudden enlightenment and breakthrough when encountering bottlenecks. After all, words are still somewhat inferior to pictures in terms of expressive ability.

When ordinary people practice by referring to the Soul Intent Diagram, their speed can be increased several times. Moreover, the higher the level of the painter, the more obvious the effect, which can save a lot of time. What others take a year to learn, you may be able to master in two or three months. This is why ancient manuals are far more precious than rubbings. Copying words is easy, but to completely copy a painting is something that no ordinary person can do.

Only two types of people can fulfill the Soul Intent Diagram. One is the creator of the Cultivation Method. Because he has a deep understanding of the martial arts he created, even if his painting skills are average, he can accurately express the connotation of the Cultivation Method with ordinary painting skills. The other type is a great Painting School who has comprehended the Soul of Painting. He can entrust his divine will to the painting, which is similar to the chef's Culinary Heart. Therefore, copying with a printing press is ineffective for the Soul Intent Diagram.

Similar to the function of Soul Intent Diagram are the calligraphy of Calligraphy School and the stone carvings of sculptors. They can also convey spiritual intent through their works, helping others to cultivate martial arts. Therefore, the spiritual intent they comprehend is also called the Soul of Painting.

If the creator of the Cultivation Method is also a master painter, he doesn't even need to write any Mnemonic. He can completely reproduce the content of the Cultivation Method with just a painting, a word, or a sculpture. Even an illiterate person can learn the corresponding martial arts by looking at his work.

Masters who have grasped the Soul of Painting are few and far between in the world. Their fame extends far beyond one country or region. Even with the status and position of the Si Clan, it would take at least six months to make an appointment with them. Moreover, these people often have eccentricities and may not be willing to help even if offered money.

Ultimately, the Si Clan was nothing more than a local power in a third-rate country, while the Danqing Master was a world-class figure. Of course, a whale shark swimming in the ocean wouldn't take a mere fishpond overlord seriously.

Hongdou glanced at Si Ming and said, "No problem. Thank you for taking care of Xiao Ming these days."

Si Ming hadn't heard this form of address in a long time and couldn't help but want to correct it, but then he felt it was pointless and the other person wouldn't listen anyway, so he simply left it at that.

"It's no trouble at all. Actually, we're the ones who asked him for help; he's the one taking care of us," Si Jingyu said, turning to Si Ming. "I never expected you to have such a capable friend. You didn't even introduce him to your older sister when you were the younger brother. How disloyal of you!"

"How was I supposed to know she was so popular? I thought she was just somewhat famous in the art world."

Si Ming also protested his innocence, saying that the Soul Intent Diagram was useless to him anyway, and that he could learn it after seeing it once, so he was too lazy to care about such things.

"You even participated in the Nine Arts Phoenix Fledgling Competition, you should at least know something about famous figures and events in this field, it's common knowledge."

In order to better win over Hongdou, Si Jingyu immediately informed her, "Master Hongdou, during the time Si Ming stayed at our manor, someone publicly confessed their feelings and hinted that they wanted to marry him."

"Hey, what happened to our promise to defend against external aggression!"

Si Huaruo was stunned. Although she had expected that their alliance wouldn't last long, it still broke down in less than ten minutes. Such a short lifespan was beyond her expectations. What happened to not holding each other back?

Hongdou clapped her hands and giggled, "Wow, Xiao Ming, you're really popular! Is this what they call 'lucky in love'?"

Judging from her expression, she didn't seem to feel jealousy, Si Jingyu immediately understood what was going on.

Chapter 326 Last Words

Divine Might Escort Agency.

"What? The things have been claimed?"

Si Ming and Hongdou looked at each other in bewilderment. They had come to the escort agency early in the morning to inquire about the belongings that Hongdou's mother had entrusted to them, but they hadn't expected to receive such an answer.

The escort agency member in charge of receiving the goods quickly flipped through the records and said, "About twenty days ago, this young lady personally accepted the shipment and even pressed her fingerprint and signed the document."

Hongdou glanced at it and shook her head, saying, "This isn't my handwriting, and I wasn't in Nation of Beauty twenty days ago either."