First Meeting with Wu Sidu

As dusk deepened, the cool evening breeze slipped through the gap in the window and stole into the bedroom. It brushed across the desk, gently shifting a casually placed map and revealing a spot circled in red.

Eastsea City.

Nan Liujing sat in his chair, the glow of the computer screen illuminating the handsome features he had inherited from his father. At his young age, however, his face still retained a trace of childishness.

His fingers deftly entered a website address, then clicked.

"Mingdu," "Heaven Dou City," "Star Luo City"—one regional name after another appeared before Nan Liujing's eyes. He ignored those top-tier major cities, his gaze constantly searching until it finally stopped on a red box labeled "Eastsea City."

He clicked the mouse.

The screen changed, displaying the various Soul Master Academies under Eastsea City's jurisdiction. At the top was an introduction to Eastsea Academy, whose headmaster was Yu Zhen.

If he clicked into it, he would be able to see a more detailed introduction, as well as the academy's address.

But that was not Nan Liujing's goal. He dragged the mouse downward.

At last, his gaze settled on an academy called Red Mountain Academy.

Within the Sun Moon Federation, academies in different regions had different start and end dates each year. A typical example was that Mingdu began school two months earlier than Heaven Dou City, and likewise broke for vacation two months earlier. Their schedules were staggered.

Eastsea City, which belonged to the Skysea Alliance, was naturally no exception.

As Nan Liujing's deep dark-blue eyes swept across Red Mountain Academy's introduction, a slight ripple passed through them. He leaned back, clasped his hands behind his neck, and looked up at the ceiling.

He did not know exactly what point in the timeline he was in, so he planned to make a trip to Aolai City himself. If he could run into the people he wanted to meet, it would be much easier for him to make his arrangements early.

There were still a few days before the new term began—enough time for him to go there after awakening his Martial Soul.

Amid countless admiring gazes from passersby, a hovering Soul Guidance Vehicle whose appearance and performance far surpassed the surrounding vehicles sped past.

Nan Liujing sat in the back seat, calmly observing this city with more than twenty thousand years of history. Yet after looking around a few times, he lost interest.

Compared with Heaven Dou City, which actively preserved its ancient culture and had almost no skyscrapers, Star Luo City was the complete opposite.

At a glance, this city seemed to have no fewer skyscrapers than Shrek City. Humans moved through this vast world of steel like busy worker ants.

Ancient buildings were almost nonexistent.

The hovering Soul Guidance Vehicle smoothly left the bustling city center, winding through the roads until it arrived outside a beautiful estate.

The estate gates stood open, and more than fifteen guards were stationed around them. Every one of them carried powerful Soul Tools.

The driver had accompanied Sun Kong here many times and knew the route well. Under the guards' respectful gazes, he drove straight inside and finally stopped before the entrance of a luxurious villa.

Several people had already been waiting outside. They appeared to be around Sun Kong's age.

Once Nan Liujing got out of the vehicle, he saw a completely different side of Sun Kong from usual.

The grown men embraced each other as if they had not met in ages, utterly lacking their usual composure and the imposing authority they carried while in high positions.

"Liujing." After briefly exchanging words with his four old friends, Sun Kong called out to Nan Liujing, who stood nearby.

Nan Liujing walked forward, drawing everyone's attention.

Today, he wore a simple white-and-gray tracksuit. His short black hair was smooth, neat, and tidy. Though his young age made his handsome features appear somewhat immature, his dark-blue pupils and the faint smile naturally curling at the corners of his lips gave him a gentle air that made people's eyes light up.

His Spiritual Power had already far surpassed that of ordinary people, and these people could not possibly be wary of a child like him. As a result, Nan Liujing keenly noticed that one of them was studying him with a scrutinizing gaze. He found it rather puzzling, but did not mention it.

"So this is the nephew you mentioned?" Wu Jingru examined Nan Liujing and asked with interest.

"Mm." Sun Kong nodded.

Nephew?

Surprise appeared in the eyes of the other three distinguished middle-aged men.

As far as they knew, their old brother had neither a wife nor children. He had devoted himself wholeheartedly to cultivation, reaching the realm of a Titled Douluo in his early forties. Yet under such circumstances, a nephew had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

"Liujing greets all the uncles." Though he did not know what they were thinking, Nan Liujing understood proper etiquette and stepped forward to bow.

No matter how curious they were, as elders, they could not ask directly. Everyone smiled and nodded in response.

After Sun Kong gave a brief introduction, Wu Jingru led everyone into the villa to begin his daughter's Martial Soul awakening ceremony.

As they passed through the main hall, Nan Liujing's gaze paused briefly.

A particularly unusual painting hung on the wall directly ahead.

Within the painting was a lifelike White Tiger. That alone would not have made him stop, but beside the White Tiger was a phantom beastly silhouette. It somewhat resembled a cat, though it was much larger, and its fur was dark purple. Perhaps because of the paint, it appeared faint and indistinct.

Only after entering farther inside did they discover that there was more to the place than met the eye.

A passageway gradually appeared before Nan Liujing, leading somewhere unknown. After proceeding several dozen meters, a hall resembling a church came into view.

The hall was not as lavishly decorated as the villa's main hall, but it possessed an additional solemnity born of time.

On the left and right stood two beast-shaped statues.

Just like the painting Nan Liujing had seen in the main hall.

They were a White Tiger and a Hell Spirit Cat.

The identity of this Wu Family was obvious.

At this moment, around thirty people were already standing inside the hall. Every gaze was fixed upon a girl kneeling with her hands pressed together before her chest, her eyes closed in prayer.

From Nan Liujing's angle, his gaze was drawn to her in just a second.

As though her prayer had received a response, countless tiny rays of light slowly filtered down through the stained-glass window above the hall, all of them falling upon the girl in the pure white dress. The surroundings were dim, and only she radiated a holy white glow, as if she were the only one left in the world.

The entire hall fell silent for several minutes. At last, the girl separated her clasped hands, stood up, and turned around.

This time, Nan Liujing saw her appearance clearly.

She had an exquisitely delicate, fair face, one so flawless that it was difficult to find any imperfection. Her brownish-red hair fell to her shoulders, with slightly curled ends. Paired with her features, it gave her a coolness that did not belong to someone her age. Yet what drew the most attention were the girl's eyes—she had heterochromia.

Her left eye was platinum, while her right was dark purple. Surrounded by the fragmented light filtering through the stained-glass window, they were as magnificent as gemstones.

Before Nan Liujing could take a few more looks, a tall elderly man stepped out and said to Wu Jingru, "Jingru, it's time."

"Yes, Second Uncle." Wu Jingru was very respectful toward the old man. Then, under everyone's watchful eyes, he walked over to the girl and said, "Qiming, Cheng Yu, come over here as well."

Two children around Nan Liujing's age soon stepped out of the crowd. Both were boys. Interestingly, compared to the girl, the two of them were so nervous that their bodies were trembling slightly.

Nan Liujing stood to one side with Sun Kong's group and watched with great interest.

Especially the girl, because he had vaguely guessed her name.

Once the three children were in position, white Soul Power swiftly emerged from Wu Jingru's body. Like an arrow, it crashed into the stained-glass window above the hall. Upon receiving the Soul Power, the window seemed to come alive. As it twisted, the fragmented light originally shining through it gathered into patterns that spread along the ceiling and all the way down to the floor.

They finally settled beneath the feet of the three children.

For a moment, everyone's attention was locked on the three of them.