Ma Xiaotao Comes Calling

Wang Dong'er held the pill up in front of Jiang Wu and waved it around. "Dean Yan really is generous."

Jiang Wu pushed her hand aside. "Put it away. Don't drop it on the ground."

"I'm not stupid." Wang Dong'er put the pill back in its box, then remembered something. "Right, what did you mean when you said your Second Martial Soul couldn't manifest? Does it not show up when you use Martial Soul Possession, or can you just not see it at all?"

Jiang Wu thought for a moment and made up an explanation that was half true and half false. "It can manifest during Martial Soul Possession. The dragon scales and claws can come out, but I can't see what the Martial Soul itself looks like. Normal Soul Masters can see a complete illusory image of their Martial Soul when they use Martial Soul Possession, but I don't get one."

"Then how do you know you have a Second Martial Soul?"

"I can feel that power inside me. I sensed it the day I awakened, and figured it out bit by bit afterward." Jiang Wu spread his hands. "When I use Soft Bone Rabbit Martial Soul Possession, I can cover my arms in dragon scales, just like putting on armor, but the illusory image of the Martial Soul won't come out."

Wang Dong'er tilted her head and pondered for a while. Suddenly, her eyes lit up. "Could your Second Martial Soul have fused with your Soft Bone Rabbit? I've heard that in a very small number of cases, Twin Martial Souls can form a connection and affect each other."

Jiang Wu was a little surprised. Wang Dong'er was usually carefree, but when it really mattered, the girl was no fool.

"Could be." He went along with her suggestion and nodded. "Anyway, all my Soul Skills work pretty normally. I can just treat the Dragon Transformation as a free extra, and it's pretty useful."

"True." Wang Dong'er remembered how Jiang Wu had knocked the red-robed senior unconscious with one strike of his palm, and clicked her tongue. "That strike of yours was way too clean. She's a Soul Emperor, after all, and you put her down with three rings. Who'd believe it if you told them?"

"I would," Huo Yutong chimed in softly from the side.

Wang Dong'er glanced at her and laughed. "What good is it if you believe it? You'd have to get the whole school to believe it."

Gu Yuena hadn't said much all this time. Only now did she speak, unhurriedly. "Jiang Wu, that golden Soul Ring of yours-has it appeared before?"

Jiang Wu shook his head. "No, that was the first time I used it. I figured her Soul Power was so much higher than mine that Illusory Charm Eyes wouldn't hold her for long, so I might as well throw everything I had at her."

Gu Yuena nodded and asked no more.

The next day, at noon.

Jiang Wu and his companions had just finished class and stepped out of the classroom when they saw a woman in red standing not far away.

Wang Dong'er recognized Ma Xiaotao at a glance. "Isn't that the Ma Xiaotao Xiao Wu mentioned? What's she doing here?"

Huo Yutong thought for a moment. "Maybe she's here to thank Jiang Wu."

Gu Yue sensed something was wrong. The woman didn't look like she had come to give thanks.

Ma Xiaotao saw Jiang Wu and his companions and strode over. Looking at Jiang Wu, she said, "You're Jiang Wu?"

Jiang Wu nodded and asked, "What can I do for you?"

Ma Xiaotao didn't answer his question. She looked Jiang Wu up and down, then suddenly reached out and grabbed his arm. "Come with me."

Before Jiang Wu could react, he was lifted clean off his feet. Red light flashed beneath Ma Xiaotao's feet, and scorching heat surged up as she used Martial Soul Possession. She carried Jiang Wu straight onto the roof, and after a few leaps, they disappeared behind the teaching building.

Wang Dong'er called out "Xiao Wu!" from below and chased after them for a couple of steps, but they were already gone. She turned to Gu Yuena and Huo Yutong, and the three stared at one another.

"Should we chase them?" Huo Yutong asked.

Gu Yuena folded her arms, her long silver hair fluttering in the wind Ma Xiaotao had stirred up as she swept past. Her tone was calm. "What for? A Soul Emperor wants to take him away. Can you catch up?"

Wang Dong'er stamped her foot. "We can't just stand here and watch!"

"Don't worry." Gu Yuena headed back at an unhurried pace. "Your mother isn't so easily taken advantage of."

Ma Xiaotao flew for about a quarter of an hour with Jiang Wu in tow, then landed in a secluded grove behind the academy.

There was no one around, and a clearing lay among the trees.

She set Jiang Wu down, brushed nonexistent dust from her hands, then turned around and folded her arms as she looked at him.

Jiang Wu steadied himself and straightened the collar that had been pulled askew. "Senior, why did you bring me here?"

Ma Xiaotao looked at Jiang Wu. "My teacher said you were the one who knocked me unconscious. I don't quite believe it, so I want to test it myself."

Jiang Wu fell silent for two seconds. "Test what?"

"Fight me." Ma Xiaotao got straight to the point. "You knocked out a Soul Emperor with three rings. I can't accept that getting around. I need to see for myself what you're really capable of."

Jiang Wu took a step back and raised both hands in refusal. "Senior, I'm not fighting."

Ma Xiaotao frowned. "Why not?"

"The gap in our strength is too big." Jiang Wu spoke earnestly. "You're a Soul Emperor, and I'm a Soul Elder. There are two major realms between us: Soul Ancestor and Soul King. I only succeeded yesterday because you'd lost control, your Soul Power was unstable, and your defenses were down. On top of that, I ambushed you from behind. Now you're standing here clearheaded. I can't even break through your defenses."

Ma Xiaotao froze for a moment. She hadn't expected the kid to be so frank, admitting so openly that he'd ambushed her.

She snorted. "I'm not asking you to fight me at full strength. I'll suppress my strength and bring my Soul Power down to around your level. Three rings against three rings, using our Soul Skills as normal. All right?"

Jiang Wu still shook his head. "No, that won't work either. Even if you suppress your Soul Power, Senior, your physical abilities and combat experience are still there. I can't beat you."

Ma Xiaotao was so annoyed by how impervious he was that she laughed. "Why are you such a coward, kid? You were pretty fierce when you hit me yesterday, weren't you?"

"I had no choice yesterday. You charged at me, and if I hadn't fought back, I would've been burned." Jiang Wu's expression didn't change. "There's no danger now, so why would I go looking for trouble?"

Ma Xiaotao took a deep breath, then suddenly thought of something. "How about this? Fight me, and if you win, I'll agree to one request. Anything that isn't too excessive."

Jiang Wu's eyelids lifted slightly.

Seeing that Jiang Wu seemed a little tempted, Ma Xiaotao added, "Don't worry. While I'm suppressing my strength, you can hit me however you like. I won't hit back too hard, and I promise we'll stop before anyone gets hurt."

Jiang Wu gave it serious thought.

A promise from a Soul Emperor carried considerable weight.

Ma Xiaotao was Yan Shaozhe's disciple and a favored daughter of heaven from the inner court. A favor from her could come in handy in the future.

Besides, with her voluntarily suppressing her strength, three rings against three rings, he really wasn't afraid of anyone.

"How excessive is excessive?" Jiang Wu asked.

Ma Xiaotao thought for a moment. "Don't ask me to set fire to the school or beat up a teacher, and anything else is open to discussion."

Jiang Wu considered it for two seconds and decided it might be worth a try, but he still said, "Senior, I don't think it's worth it. If I win, I get one request. If I lose, I get beaten up. The risk and reward in this deal don't match."

The corner of Ma Xiaotao's mouth twitched. "Then what do you want?"