Paralysis

"You tell me—why did it take you so long to come see me? Did you find someone new out there and forget all about me?"

Wang Dong'er pouted as she asked.

Xue Xiao Ran looked at Wang Dong'er in surprise. Her personality had become rather more straightforward too.

"You're thinking about that sort of thing at such a young age?" Xue Xiao Ran said helplessly. It would still take him some time to fully understand her personality.

"S-So what if I am? Believe it or not, I'll tie you up in the Clear Sky Sect!"

Wang Dong'er put her hands on her hips and said angrily.

Xue Xiao Ran's face darkened as he looked at Titan for help. This personality change was way too terrifying. Wasn't Father-in-law worried about split personalities?

"Alright, alright, Dong'er. Can't you see Xue Xiao Ran is embarrassed?" Titan stepped forward at just the right moment and quickly changed the subject. "By the way, now that you both have your First Soul Ring, how about a match?"

"Dong'er and me?" Xue Xiao Ran glanced at Wang Dong'er, seemingly seeking her opinion.

"No problem. I definitely won't lose."

Wang Dong'er giggled, taking several steps back as she looked at Xue Xiao Ran.

"For real?" Xue Xiao Ran asked calmly.

Wang Dong'er gave a particularly dashing smile and raised one hand. Behind her, a pair of wings emerged from her back.

"This is my martial soul, the Light Goddess Butterfly."

At that moment, Wang Dong'er possessed a trace of heroic spirit that Tang Wu Tong had never had. Valiant and gallant was the perfect description for her now.

Xue Xiao Ran clasped his hands behind his back as a yellow soul ring appeared behind him.

"Come on, let's see how I beat you." Wang Dong'er rubbed her fists together eagerly.

"..." Xue Xiao Ran said nothing, merely glancing at Titan.

Titan coughed softly, then brought down his large hand.

"Xue Xiao Ran versus Wang Dong'er, begin!"

Wang Dong'er's long hair fluttered, and the wings behind her trembled. Like an arrow released from a bow, she shot toward Xue Xiao Ran. A yellow soul ring flashed upon the Light Goddess Butterfly.

"Winged Guillotine!" Wang Dong'er cried out. Four blades of light condensed from her wings and, under the control of her Soul Power, instantly flew toward Xue Xiao Ran.

Xue Xiao Ran remained unruffled. A flash of purple passed through his emerald-green eyes as the Purple Extreme Demonic Eyes activated. The four light blades seemed to slow before him, and he could see every one of their trajectories clearly.

Having already calculated where the four light blades would strike, he simply leaped backward and turned sideways at the same time.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The four light blades brushed past Xue Xiao Ran's body, allowing him to sense the light attribute contained within them.

A surprised light appeared in Wang Dong'er's eyes. She had not expected the light blades to be dodged so easily.

"But what I'm best at is close combat!"

A Clear Sky Hammer appeared in her hand, and she swung it down at Xue Xiao Ran's head.

Xue Xiao Ran neither dodged nor evaded. He simply stood where he was.

As though he were waiting for something.

Thud!

The sound of something heavy hitting the ground.

The Clear Sky Hammer in Wang Dong'er's hand fell to the ground. At the same time, her hands and feet went numb, and even controlling her own body became difficult.

"What's going on?"

Wang Dong'er wanted to move, to pick up the Clear Sky Hammer from the ground, but she could not control her hand, as though her body no longer belonged to her.

Then she collapsed weakly to the ground.

"Xue Xiao Ran wins!"

Titan shouted loudly, as though he had known the outcome all along.

A trace of sadness showed on Wang Dong'er's face. This was a blow to her confidence. She had not expected to lose after only a few exchanges.

Xue Xiao Ran nodded, and the yellow soul ring gradually faded away.

"Are you alright?" He extended a hand toward Wang Dong'er.

Seeing her low spirits, he stroked Wang Dong'er's pink-blue hair and comforted her in a low voice. "Dong'er is very strong, so I had to use my real strength too."

"I don't care. A loss is a loss."

Wang Dong'er turned her head away and snorted, clearly sulking.

Titan walked over and changed the subject. "Xiao Ran, did you attack just now? I only sensed a fluctuation of Soul Power, but you didn't use a soul skill."

Hearing this, Wang Dong'er could not help lifting her head to look at Xue Xiao Ran. She too was curious how her fiancé had defeated her.

"I used poison." Xue Xiao Ran spread his hands calmly. Wang Dong'er then felt sensation gradually return to her numb body. "The most basic kind: Paralysis Poison."

"But when you demonstrated it for us in the Clear Sky Sect before, wasn't that Extreme Poison green mist?"

Xue Xiao Ran could not help laughing when he heard that. "Uncle Titan, if poison could be seen, how could it defeat an enemy?"

"The poison I control is usually colorless and odorless."

Titan gave Xue Xiao Ran a deep look. "What a dangerous martial soul. But fortunately, the one who possesses it is you, kid, so I don't need to worry too much..."

"Come on, let's go back to the main hall."

Titan smiled and winked at Xue Xiao Ran before walking indoors with light steps.

"Can you stand up?" Xue Xiao Ran was speechless for a moment, but he still bent down and asked.

Even after the Paralysis Poison was removed, the body would remain sore and numb for a while. Xue Xiao Ran had reached that conclusion through personal experiments on himself.

"I can't..."

Seeing Xue Xiao Ran's face draw close, Wang Dong'er hurriedly shrank back, her cheeks flushing pink.

"Oh." Xue Xiao Ran nodded, then reached out and picked her up.

"Y-You, what are you doing?!" Wang Dong'er pounded her tiny fists against Xue Xiao Ran's chest. How had she ended up being carried in a princess carry by him?

"Didn't you say you couldn't walk?" A hint of mischievous amusement appeared on Xue Xiao Ran's calm face as he strode indoors.

"Fine, so that calm act of yours was all fake!"

Xue Xiao Ran quickly returned to his poker face, ignoring Wang Dong'er's attacks, which felt like the light scratching of cat paws.

Titan, Niu Tian, and Cang Xue were all waiting in the main hall. When they saw Xue Xiao Ran calmly carrying Wang Dong'er back in a princess carry, they exchanged looks. There was hope for the next generation.

The meaning in their gazes toward Xue Xiao Ran was clear: Kid, you've got skills. Impressive, impressive. We admire you.

Two words: damn impressive.

One word: badass.

"Dong'er is about to attend Shrek Academy. What are your plans, Xiao Ran?"

After Xue Xiao Ran placed Wang Dong'er on the sofa, Niu Tian asked gently.

Xue Xiao Ran sat beside her and replied, "Uncle Niu Tian, I'll be attending Sun Moon Royal Academy."

Wang Dong'er's face instantly turned pale when she heard that. Her large eyes immediately turned toward Xue Xiao Ran.

"Oh? Why?" Niu Tian did not object, only asked curiously for the reason.

He knew Xue Xiao Ran would not say such a thing without cause, and he believed Xue Xiao Ran understood the difference between Shrek Academy and Sun Moon Royal Academy.

"I want to develop my Sea of Consciousness."

"No, I want to go to Shrek Academy with you!"

Wang Dong'er blinked her beautiful pink-blue eyes, which revealed intense reluctance to part with him.

"Dong'er, don't be childish."

Niu Tian spoke gently, then shifted his gaze back to Xue Xiao Ran.

"Sun Moon Royal Academy, is it? Although the Sun Moon Empire has been lying low these past few years, its ambitions are great. Xiao Ran, you must be careful."

"Thank you, Uncle Niu Tian."

Seeing the reluctance in Wang Dong'er's eyes, Niu Tian could not help clapping his hands.

"How about this? Since Dong'er can't bear to part with Xue Xiao Ran, why not let him escort you to Shrek Academy? You'll have someone to look after you along the way, and you'll have company."

"W-Who can't bear to part with him?"