Silent Companionship and the Hope of Rejoining the Team

Xiao Xiaoxiao's Spiritual Power recovered more slowly than expected. Although she could already get out of bed and move around, and her complexion was gradually returning to normal, Teacher Shao Xin repeatedly warned her that she absolutely could not use Soul Power within the next month, especially not any soul skills. Otherwise, it could easily cause irreversible damage to the source of her Spiritual Power.

This made her the most unusual "idler" at Shrek Academy.

Every day, she watched her companions sweat profusely on the Training Ground, listened to Master's harsh commands and Zhao Wuji's rough roars, while she could only hold the little Bell Tang San had given her and quietly watch from beneath the trees or beside the corridor. Whenever her Spiritual Power stirred restlessly, she would gently shake the Bell. Its low, hoarse sound always strangely soothed the turbulence in her sea of consciousness.

Tang San remained as silent as ever, but he appeared within her line of sight with unusual frequency. Sometimes, during breaks in training, he would naturally walk over to drink from the water vat nearby, his gaze seeming to sweep over her by chance. Other times, after dinner in the evening, he would sit on the stone steps not far away and polish his Hidden Weapons. A neither-too-near-nor-too-far distance lay between them, while the air held only the faint sound of Metal Friction and the rustling of leaves in the wind.

Xiao Xiaoxiao gradually grew accustomed to this silent companionship and even began to rely on it. She no longer tried to find things to say as she had at first. Instead, she came to enjoy this wordless tranquility. She would read through a travel journal of the continent that she had picked up from Dean Flender, and whenever she looked up, she would see that lean, upright figure. Then, for no reason at all, she would feel at ease.

Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong often came to chat with her, chattering about amusing incidents from training or whichever guy had embarrassed himself again.

"Sister Xiaoxiao, look at Boss Dai. He's as fierce as a real tiger when sparring with Zhu Qing, but the second they're done, he runs right over to ask, 'Zhu Qing, are you alright?' That look in his eyes, tsk tsk..." Xiao Wu waggled her brows.

Ning Rongrong covered her mouth and giggled. "Oscar too. Yesterday, he used up all his Soul Power making Mushroom Sausages and nearly fell face-first into a mud pit. Ma Hongjun laughed at him for ages."

As Xiao Xiaoxiao listened, her gaze drifted involuntarily toward the other side of the Training Ground. Tang San was in practical combat against Dai Mubai. His Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track was elusive and unpredictable, while Blue Silver Grass waited for its chance to strike. Though his Soul Power Level was lower than Dai Mubai's, he always managed to force his opponent into a flustered scramble with precise control and an endless stream of Hidden Weapons.

His movements were clean and sharp, his gaze focused and calm. Sweat slid down the sharply defined line of his jaw, glinting beneath the sunlight.

"Hey, come back to yourself!" Xiao Wu waved a hand in front of her face, then leaned close to her ear and lowered her voice with a sly smile. "Who are you staring at so intently?"

Xiao Xiaoxiao's face heated up. She hurriedly withdrew her gaze and forced herself to remain calm. "I... I was watching how Boss Dai breaks through Xiao San's Blue Silver Grass."

"Oh~ You were watching Boss Dai~" Xiao Wu drew out her words, exchanging a knowing look with Ning Rongrong. They grinned like two little foxes that had stolen chickens.

Xiao Xiaoxiao's ears burned from their teasing. She pretended to hit them, and the three girls immediately dissolved into laughter and playfulness.

The days passed peacefully and slowly. Until one afternoon, Master gathered the seven of them, excluding Xiao Xiaoxiao.

"Xiaoxiao's recovery is better than expected, but it will still take time before she can return to battle." Master's gaze swept over the group. "Your team coordination cannot stagnate because of this. Starting today, you will undergo training to refine your seven-person formation."

He spread out a simple formation diagram. "Without Xiaoxiao's Mental Interference and illusion support, your battlefield control and ability to adapt will be greatly reduced. Tang San, the pressure on your control will be greater. Mubai, your direct attacks must pay more attention to timing. Xiao Wu, your entries must be more decisive... Everyone must adapt more quickly to a combat rhythm without Xiaoxiao's support."

On the Training Ground, the coordination among the seven immediately showed obvious sluggishness. With Xiao Xiaoxiao's illusions providing cover in the past, Tang San could control the battlefield more calmly, and Dai Mubai could find better angles for his direct attacks. Now, without that layer of support, the seven looked rushed and disorganized when facing the various complicated battle scenarios simulated by Master, revealing flaw after flaw.

"Too slow! Someone with Osler's speed could easily break through your flanks!" Master rebuked coldly.

"Your coordination is disconnected! There's a gap between Tang San's control and Mubai's direct attack! If this were Dugu Yan's poison, half of you would already be down!"

Failure after failure, regrouping after regrouping. Sweat soaked everyone's clothes, and their breathing grew heavy and exhausted.

Xiao Xiaoxiao sat at the edge of the field, watching her companions grit their teeth and persevere. She watched Tang San repeatedly try to make up for the missing control through more precise calculations and faster reactions. Seeing his face turn pale from overexertion, she unconsciously clenched the little Bell in her palm.

For the first time, she understood so clearly what her place in the team was. For the first time, she so desperately wished to recover her strength quickly and stand beside them again.

By evening, training had ended. The seven of them practically dragged their feet as they left the Training Ground.

Tang San walked at the very end, his steps much heavier than usual. The continuous high-intensity calculations and Soul Power control made his temples throb.

As he passed Xiao Xiaoxiao, his steps paused.

Xiao Xiaoxiao stood up and handed him a clean, damp towel. "Wipe your sweat."

Tang San glanced at her, silently accepted it, and roughly wiped his face. The cool, damp sensation refreshed him slightly.

"Today... was exhausting, wasn't it?" Xiao Xiaoxiao asked softly.

"It was alright." Tang San's voice was hoarse with fatigue. "I'll get used to it."

The two walked side by side toward the dormitory area, their shadows stretched long by the setting sun.

"Master's formation... is it very difficult?" Xiao Xiaoxiao could not help asking.

Tang San fell silent for a moment, as if organizing his thoughts. "Without your illusions, many tactics can't be used. There are also more defensive gaps, so we need faster reactions and more precise positioning to make up for them."

He spoke objectively, without complaint, merely stating the facts. Yet Xiao Xiaoxiao could hear the pressure behind his words.

"I'm sorry..." she said softly. "I held everyone back..."

Tang San stopped and turned to look at her. The lingering glow of sunset reflected in his deep eyes, but she could not read his emotions.

"No one is holding anyone back." His tone was calm, yet carried an unquestionable strength. "That's what a team is. Some attack directly, some control, some support. Today, you need to recover. Tomorrow, it could be me or Mubai. What matters is that when the time comes, everyone does their best in their own position."

He looked at her and continued, "Your position right now is to recover properly. Don't overthink the rest."

Xiao Xiaoxiao stared at him blankly. The bitterness and guilt in her heart were strangely soothed by his few simple words. She nodded firmly. "Mm! I'll get better as soon as I can!"

Tang San gave a quiet "Mm" and started walking again.

When they arrived beneath the girls' dormitory building, they stopped as they always did.

"This." Tang San took a small paper packet from Twenty-Four Bridges Moonlight Night and handed it to Xiao Xiaoxiao. "Teacher Shao asked me to bring this to you. He said it's calming medicinal powder. Soak it in water before bed."

Xiao Xiaoxiao took it, and her fingertips brushed his by accident. Both of them paused slightly.

"Thank you," she said quietly.

"I'm leaving." After saying that, Tang San turned and walked away. His back looked somewhat thin in the dusk, yet exceptionally straight.

Xiao Xiaoxiao held the packet of medicine powder, still warm with his body heat, and watched his figure disappear around the corner. Her heart felt as though something had filled it to the brim.

She lowered her head and gently shook the Bell in her hand.

"Ding—"

The low, hoarse chime echoed leisurely through the dusk, carrying a reassuring strength.

She knew there would still be many challenges ahead: the team's coordination, her own recovery, the dangers of the future... But at this moment, she was no longer anxious or lost.

Because someone had told her that this was what a team was. Some charged ahead, some protected, and some needed time to recuperate. What she needed to do was recover as quickly as possible, then return to the place that belonged to her and fight side by side with her companions—with him.

Night deepened, and only scattered lights shone at Shrek Academy. Before one young girl's window, a tiny silver Bell gleamed softly beneath the moonlight, like a star quietly lit in the darkness.