Suotuo City, First Meeting with Flender, Planning to Use Connections

Hearing Xiao Wu's vicious words,

Tang San looked at Xiao Xian helplessly. His sorrowful mood truly vanished completely.

In the end,

Xiao Wu still could not become his little sister.

However, Xiao Xian was willing to be his big brother, which gave Tang San some comfort.

Perhaps there was not much difference anyway...

Tang San thought silently.

It was already late. The sun had completely set, and countless stars emerged across the sky.

Xiao Xian could not help but smile.

After waiting around for half the day, the sworn brotherhood had come to nothing.

Xiao Wu had actually refused.

Lowering his head, Xiao Xian fiddled with the Hidden Arrow in his hand. It was indeed quite exquisite, so he casually strapped it onto his left wrist.

Tang San said it was a gift for his elder brother, in celebration of their sworn brotherhood.

Xiao Xian's Blowing Fire Palm was no problem in battle, and at least sufficient for self-defense, but its killing power was lacking.

This Hidden Arrow could make up for that.

As for Xiao Xian, there was no need for him to return a gift. The Blowing Fire Palm and Suction Palm were far more valuable than this Silent Hidden Arrow.

Xiao Wu had initially only been a little curious.

But after Xiao Xian tried it out under Tang San's guidance,

Xiao Wu immediately stared at Tang San with an incomparably expectant gaze.

However, Tang San did not have any extra Silent Hidden Arrows himself...

Xiao Wu completely blew up, declaring that she would never speak to Tang San again and that they could no longer be friends.

In the end, Tang San could only look at Xiao Xian with a bitter expression.

Yet Xiao Xian ignored him, merely patted his shoulder, and headed down the mountain.

"..."

Returning to Tang San's shabby little house,

Xiao Xian took out some drinking snacks he had bought in Nuoding City for Tang San's father from his Storage Spirit Tool.

It was rather dark, and there was not enough lamp oil.

There was no need to light a lamp.

Xiao Xian summoned Xiao Jue and placed his Soul Ring around Xiao Jue.

The golden Hundred-Year Soul Ring instantly illuminated the shabby little house.

Tang San and Xiao Wu looked utterly shocked. They had never imagined such an operation was possible.

In that setting, the three of them and one martial soul enjoyed a hearty meal.

Xiao Wu even tried to drink alcohol.

In the end, Xiao Xian only poured her a small cup.

As for the rest, Tang San suggested they bring it back to the academy for Master.

Once the meal was over,

the relationship between the red-faced Xiao Wu and Xiao Xian had eased considerably.

Then,

Xiao Xian sat cross-legged and cultivated.

Xiao Wu, meanwhile, dragged Tang San aside and chattered away about who knew what.

But early the next morning,

Tang San, who had originally planned to return to the academy, enthusiastically began sorting through the iron materials at home.

Before long, he found several pieces he was satisfied with.

Clang—! Clang—!

Tang San took out the Big Hammer he had prepared for his father and fiercely hammered the iron.

Xiao Xian stood helplessly to one side, occasionally adding a Blowing Fire Palm where the bellows had once been...

"..."

Four years later.

Outside Suotuo City, Balak Kingdom.

A calm-faced youth jumped down from a merchant caravan's carriage. After paying five Copper Spirit Coins, he strode away stylishly.

"Finally here."

Xiao Xian raised his head and looked toward Suotuo City's western gate.

Balak Kingdom was one of the Heaven Dou Empire's vassal states. Its territory was only seventy percent the size of Fasnu Province, where Nuoding City was located.

However, Balak Kingdom directly bordered the Star Luo Empire to the south. Thus, although it was merely a kingdom roughly the size of a province, it possessed a massive army.

Suotuo City was also Balak Kingdom's granary, making it a location of utmost importance.

This had created the city's prosperity. It was a true major city, far larger than Nuoding City.

Xiao Xian's destination was naturally Shrek Academy, located south of Suotuo City.

This was somewhere he had no choice but to come.

He was already twelve years old, yet his Soul Power was only Rank 28.

Just as he had guessed before,

even with the Mysterious Heaven Skill, his cultivation speed would only grow slower and slower.

His Innate Soul Power was too low.

His cultivation speed was as slow as a crippled snail.

Tang San had begun cultivating the Mysterious Heaven Skill from birth. When his meridians were taking shape, they had been nourished by the Mysterious Heaven Skill's Soul Power. Even if he had not possessed Innate Full Soul Power, he had become the equivalent of it.

Xiao Xian had awakened at six years old with only Half-level Innate Soul Power, and his meridians had already solidified.

Even after obtaining the Mysterious Heaven Skill, his meridians were still not as broad as Tang San's.

When Soul Power was weak, it did not matter much if one's meridians were not broad enough.

But as Soul Power grew stronger, the narrowness of his innate meridians increasingly restricted his cultivation speed.

The only thing worth celebrating was that he had Xiao Jue.

He had taught Xiao Jue how to cultivate.

With their combined efforts, along with the First Spirit Ring and Second Spirit Ring,

his cultivation speed could barely keep pace with Tang San and Xiao Wu.

At this point, the Third Spirit Ring became crucial.

It was a powerful dragon-type spirit beast several thousand years old.

It was a spirit beast that could truly and completely solve his meridian problem.

Only a Spirit Saint like Flender, a Spirit Saint with close ties to Master, would be willing to help him hunt it.

"Flender... opened a shop in Suotuo City."

"I don't know the exact location, but it should be near the Rose Hotel."

"When he had nothing better to do, he was probably sitting in his shop waiting for fat sheep to walk in and be slaughtered."

As Xiao Xian pondered, he followed the crowd through Suotuo City's western gate.

Master had given him a letter and told him to hand it to Flender only after he gained admission to Shrek Academy.

But...

He was not Tang San. He was not going to listen to Master so obediently.

If he had connections, naturally he had to use them.

That would save him from wasting time and having to fight.

"Hello, may I ask where the Rose Hotel is?"

Xiao Xian bought some food from a roadside stall and casually asked.

The stall owner looked at Xiao Xian in surprise, then revealed an ambiguous smile and pointed him in the right direction.

Before long, Xiao Xian saw a unique hotel. It was only three stories tall, its outer walls entirely rose-red, and its shape resembled a blooming rose.

He did not go inside.

If he remembered correctly, a single night here cost ten Gold Soul Coins.

He was not that extravagant.

After searching several streets around the Rose Hotel,

Xiao Xian soon spotted a shop with a distinctive sign.

It depicted a sword, a hammer, and a Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon.

Any shop with such a symbol was related to spirit masters.

"This should be it." Xiao Xian glanced at it and walked straight inside.

The shop was somewhat dim. There was no counter, only one person and three cabinets set against the walls. A faint fluctuation of Soul Power emanated from the cabinets, clearly indicating that they were filled with Soul Tools.

And that sole person

was reclining in an old rocking chair, his eyes closed as he slowly swayed.

He looked to be over fifty. Though he had the appearance of a middle-aged man, his body was extremely robust. Under his weight, the old rocking chair faintly creaked as though it could not bear the strain.

He wore crystal glasses on his face. His chin protruded slightly, and his nose was somewhat hooked, giving him a sly appearance.

The moment Xiao Xian saw him,

he immediately walked straight toward him.

However, Flender seemed not to have noticed Xiao Xian at all. He continued breathing evenly as he swayed in the rocking chair.

Until...

Xiao Xian bowed and respectfully said, "Martial Uncle."

"...?"

Flender opened his eyes in surprise.

Before him

stood an unfamiliar youth. He was over five feet seven, rather handsome, yet his face still carried a trace of childishness. He could not have been more than twelve or thirteen.

Flender was certain he did not know him.

But... Martial Uncle?

Was it... Xiao Gang... or...?

Countless thoughts flashed through Flender's mind in an instant.

Until his gaze fell upon Xiao Xian's belt...