X-ray Vision

Time flew by, and he had already been in Nuoding City for over a year.

Ye Qiu, seated cross-legged on his bed, opened his eyes and picked up Xiao Wu's small mirror from beside him.

"Finally... finally, Two-Tomoe!" An irrepressible smile spread across Ye Qiu's lips. He could not help marveling at how useful the Mysterious Heaven Skill and Purple Demon Eyes were.

With the Sharingan evolving once more, his Soul Power had risen from level six to level eight. Moreover, his cultivation speed had reached the level of someone with Innate Soul Power at rank seven.

His cultivation speed would only grow faster from here on.

He glanced at Xiao Wu, who was still sleeping soundly, then swept his gaze over Tang San's empty bed.

Ye Qiu tied the Black Silk Ribbon back over his eyes as well and hurriedly got up. The morning purple qi could not be missed; it could greatly increase the cultivation speed of Purple Demon Eyes.

Over the past year or so, every day of his life had been full.

When the morning sun rose, after Tang San left, Ye Qiu would leave as well and secretly cultivate Purple Demon Eyes.

He listened attentively in class during the mornings. Without a good teacher, he could only study hard on his own. He was still sorely lacking in knowledge about Spirit Masters.

He was not worried about knowledge of soul beasts, though. With a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast at his side, he could ask questions from time to time and benefit greatly.

In the afternoons, he worked as a Carving Apprentice. With the Sharingan's assistance, his carvings had already gained a modest reputation, and he even had his own little workroom.

At night, he cultivated diligently, or accompanied Xiao Wu on walks or sparred with her.

Ever since the day Tang San obtained his Spirit Ring, when Xiao Wu and Tang San defeated Xiao Chenyu's group, Xiao Wu had become the boss of Nuoding Academy!

So that Ye Qiu could spend more time playing with her, she had even handed off his work at the academy to someone else.

As he passed Xiao Wu's bed, he straightened the blanket she had kicked off.

Outside, he found the treetop where he often stayed. He first scanned the surroundings with his Sharingan, and only began cultivating after confirming there was no one nearby.

As the rising sun emerged, wisps of purple qi surged forth from the east.

He removed the Black Silk covering his eyes. His black pupils turned blood-red, two black tomoe slowly rotating within them. Purple light emerged in the black pupil between the tomoe.

Perhaps due to Purple Demon Eyes' influence, whenever he activated the Sharingan, the originally black pupils between the tomoe turned purple as well. When he focused his attention, they even gained the ability of X-ray Vision!

As for this change, Ye Qiu could only attribute it to a mutation in his Martial Soul. Whether the mutation was good or bad...

Well... it had quite a few benefits. It was just becoming increasingly improper, so he had better not tell anyone about this ability. It would be too easy for people to misunderstand.

The purple qi lasted only a short while. Ye Qiu soon finished cultivating, and by the time he returned, Xiao Wu was already up.

"Xiao Qiu~" The moment he opened the dormitory door, a soft body pounced on him and crashed into his arms.

"Xiao Wu, how many times have I told you? Girls need to be a little more reserved!" Ye Qiu tried helplessly to push her away.

"I know, I know."

"..." Ye Qiu looked at her speechlessly. A rabbit's mouth was a lying ghost; she said she knew, yet held him even tighter.

"Huh, Xiao San, you're back too." Xiao Wu looked at Tang San at the door and let go of Ye Qiu.

"Good morning, Xiao Wu!" Tang San smiled and waved at Xiao Wu. "And... Ye Qiu."

When he looked at Ye Qiu, Tang San's expression stiffened slightly, looking unnatural. He had already begun to regard Ye Qiu as a romantic rival.

Fortunately, Ye Qiu did not care much about that. Ever since copying Tang San's cultivation method, he had known that once it was exposed, it would surely become a matter of life or death.

The concept of sects had seeped deep into Tang San's bones.

Still, as classmates and roommates, Ye Qiu remained polite to him. He nodded in acknowledgment to show respect.

"Perfect timing. Let's go to class together." Xiao Wu grabbed Ye Qiu's hand and was about to head out.

"No, I have something to do." Ye Qiu smiled apologetically and pulled his hand free in refusal.

"Why do you have something to do again?" She stomped her foot angrily, dissatisfied with Ye Qiu's behavior. He never spent enough time with her.

"Ye Qiu, if you have any difficulties, you can tell me. Maybe I can help!" The ever-courteous Young Master Tang San's eyes lit up as he extended a helping hand to Ye Qiu.

"If you could help, then of course I'd be happy to accept. But cultivation is ultimately one's own affair." Ye Qiu's face fell, his brows knitting together as worry surfaced. He added, "You two are almost level twenty already, while I haven't even reached level ten. Of course I have to cultivate twice as hard."

"Sister Xiao Wu can protect you!" Xiao Wu said matter-of-factly.

Ye Qiu felt nothing at the foolish rabbit's words, but Tang San's words nearly made him burst out laughing.

"I can protect you together with Xiao Wu." Tang San's voice grew quieter and quieter, until he himself seemed unsure.

Good heavens, since when did Tang San start having thoughts like this?

"No need to say any more. Go to class." He turned around, waved his hand, and walked away with practiced ease.

In truth, Ye Qiu said such things every month or two, constantly putting his own weakness on display.

His purpose was simply to reassure Tang San that he was not worthy of Xiao Wu, so Tang San still had a chance;

And to reassure Tang Hao in the shadows that he was not worthy of a Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Ring and was no competition for his son at all.

Surely the father and son would not be so intolerant that they could not even accommodate a "waste" who had not reached level ten?

Ye Qiu's figure gradually faded into the distance.

Xiao Wu watched Ye Qiu, while Tang San watched Xiao Wu.

This was completely different from when Tang San understood his feelings in the original story. Perhaps this was what they meant by how what one could not have would always stir one's heart.

After spending more than a year together, Tang San felt that Xiao Wu was the person he wanted to protect for the rest of his life.

He did not understand why Xiao Wu always clung to Ye Qiu. Ye Qiu was clearly so ordinary, yet so confident. Tang San was clearly so much better than Ye Qiu.

But he would not give up. With Ye Qiu's talent, the distance between him and Xiao Wu would only grow wider and wider.

Having figured that out, Tang San suddenly felt as though his Soul Power was about to break through. If Ye Qiu knew, he would surely cry out, As expected of the protagonist!

"Xiao Wu, let's go to class!" Tang San's voice brought Xiao Wu back to her senses.

"Mm, let's go! Ignore that guy."

"Huh? All right, all right."

Hearing that, joy welled up in Tang San's heart. He nodded repeatedly, quickly caught up with her, and walked beside her. Looking at Xiao Wu's profile, an ugly smile appeared on his slightly darkened face from years of blacksmithing.

He had no idea that "ignore him" was merely Xiao Wu's habitual phrase for Ye Qiu. Whenever she saw Ye Qiu, she could not help but stick herself to him.

Meanwhile, Ye Qiu had already left Nuoding Academy and arrived on the streets, heading toward an ore shop.

That foolish rabbit really is naive. If her identity were exposed, it would be hard to say who would be protecting whom!

Ye Qiu smiled bitterly, feeling immense pressure. Now that he was level eight, he needed to make some preparations for his first Spirit Ring.

A quarter of an hour later, he finally reached his destination and walked up to the shop owner, who was unloading goods.

"Boss, has the Saltpeter I ordered last time come in?"

"Hm? It's you, little brother! Yes, yes, it's here. Come with me." The shop owner remembered Ye Qiu, this strange customer, quite well. At first, there had even been a misunderstanding, and he had thought Ye Qiu was blind.

After all, what normal person tied Black Silk over his eyes?

Ye Qiu: I'm a perfectly normal person. It's just that these eyes aren't normal eyes.