Time flew like a white colt flashing past a crack; the years raced by like a shuttle.
A year passed in the blink of an eye.
Today marked the final exams for the second semester. The students in the Soul Master class had to sit written tests on theoretical knowledge as well as take practical exams.
Everyone was fighting fiercely on the trial grounds. Many students from the regular classes had come to watch, hoping to witness one spectacular match after another.
After all, there was never a shortage of spectators eager to watch the action.
Meanwhile, the Tang brothers were taking their little sister on a trip through the Minecraft Plane.
Why weren't they taking the exams?
One was a seven-year-old One-Ring Soul Master (though he was actually already Level 23), and the other was so strong he'd earned the nickname Little Tyrannosaurus.
The final exams were no challenge for them. Any student in their year who faced the brothers was beaten black and blue. Nearly everyone who drew either of their names simply forfeited.
So for the practical test, the teachers had no choice but to give them both a perfect score.
While everyone else was taking exams, Tang Heng could take his younger brother and sister out to have fun. That was a privilege reserved for geniuses.
A streak of golden light cut across the deep blue sky.
Na'er, nestled in Tang Heng's arms, watched the scenery below race past and cheered, "Woohoo! We're so high up! I'm flying too~"
Her violet eyes brimmed with curiosity about this new world.
This was the third time Na'er had come with him to the Minecraft Plane.
"Those Soul Beasts look so silly. They're not like the ones I remember."
Wrong. Soul Beasts in the real world are silly too. Maybe they inherited the Dragon God's World-Shocking Wisdom.
Tang Heng silently grumbled to himself, then said, "Maybe it's because the laws of this plane are different. Anyway, they're creatures similar to the Soul Beasts on Douluo Planet, but not exactly the same."
"Brother, when will we get there?"
Below them, Tang Wulin, dangling from a rope, looked about ready to collapse. After all, he'd been stuck in that position for a whole day.
"Almost there~"
"Just hang on a little longer."
This was the thirty-third time Tang Wulin had heard those words.
He looked up at Na'er, nestled in Tang Heng's arms. The two of them were laughing and chatting, and a bitter pang of envy rose in his heart.
Why? I was here first.
But then he reconsidered. He was a boy, so it made sense to let his little sister have her way.
Brother must be testing me! I have to hang in there.
After reassuring himself, Tang Wulin went back to gripping the reins with one hand and, face blank, gnawing on a piece of bread.
Chomp, chomp, chomp.
In truth, Tang Heng simply found Na'er more comfortable to hold than Tang Wulin.
After all, who didn't like a soft, sweet little cake?
Before long, a vast cherry grove came into view.
A rosy haze greeted them. They were in a valley, where cherry trees grew wild along the cliffs. In the middle lay a smooth, mirror-like blue lake.
The cherry trees on the cliffs were reflected around the lake's edge, like pink diamonds set around a sapphire, lending the water a dreamlike beauty.
(PS: Inspired by the Cherry Blossom Sinkhole.)
It was a stroke of luck for such a beautiful landscape to generate here.
Tang Heng had stumbled upon it while exploring the world some time ago. Unfortunately, he hadn't marked down its coordinates and only remembered the general direction.
If Na'er hadn't said today that she wanted to see some new terrain, he might have forgotten this cherry-blossom valley entirely.
Tang Heng landed on a relatively flat patch of grass, gently set Na'er down, and released Tang Wulin's... reins.
Finally able to catch his breath, Tang Wulin sprawled out on the Grass Block to rest. Tang Heng had carried Na'er the whole way, and he'd shielded her from the fierce wind with his command of the wind element, so she was still full of energy.
Inhaling the faint fragrance of cherry blossoms and grass, Na'er happily scampered around the clearing.
Compared with the hustle and bustle of the city, she preferred this peaceful, quiet scenery.
Tang Heng smiled and let her play.
There didn't seem to be any Soul Beasts in the valley capable of threatening them, at least for now.
And perhaps because her true form was the Silver Dragon King, Na'er had gained a permanent buff as soon as she arrived in this world: no Soul Beast would attack her unprovoked.
He had only gained the same buff recently, after the Dragon God Vortex inside him gradually expanded as the three siblings trained together. With the exception of special Soul Beasts like the Golden-Haired Lion Mastiff and the Dark God Evil Demon Tiger, ordinary Soul Beasts wouldn't attack him unprovoked either.
So did that mean he was a little Dragon God now?
Tang Heng wasn't sure. After all, he couldn't find any Soul Beasts on the Douluo Plane to test it on.
Aside from Di Tian and the other Ferocious Beasts, most land-dwelling Soul Beasts had been driven to extinction over the past ten thousand years. The Spirit Pagoda had surely played a major role in that.
Otherwise, did they think Artificial Soul Spirits had just appeared out of nowhere?
"Aolai City is by the sea. Maybe next time we take a few days' holiday on an ocean liner, I can look for Sea Soul Beasts to test this on."
Tang Heng murmured to himself, when Na'er's call suddenly rang out beside him:
"Brother—"
Na'er came trotting over, her steps a little unsteady. She carefully cupped a handful of pixel-art cherry blossoms in her palms, though the petals wouldn't stay put; one or two drifted through the gaps between her fingers and caught in her silvery-white hair.
"Here, these are for you. Do you like them?"
She rose onto her tiptoes and held them up with both hands. The pink and white blossoms filled Tang Heng's view.
Na'er was smiling.
Her smile was completely unguarded, as pure as a sky washed clean by spring rain.
A soft pink flush from running colored her cheeks. A few tiny baby teeth showed as she grinned, and her eyes curved into crescents. Her violet irises were like newly blossomed violets, brimming with undisguised affection.
It was the kind of affection only a child could have, so utterly matter-of-fact that liking her brother was the most natural thing in the world. There was no need to be shy, and no need for a reason.
A small cherry blossom petal clung to the tip of her nose, but she didn't notice. She only tilted her face up toward him, waiting for him to take the flowers.
Tang Heng stared, momentarily stunned. It took him a long while to accept the blossoms from Na'er.
"Mm. Brother likes them very much."
"That's great!"
Tang Heng couldn't resist giving Na'er's little head a vigorous ruffle. That look had truly caught him off guard.
For a moment, he could understand why a father looked so conflicted when his daughter was about to get married.
If he had such a thoughtful little sweetheart, he definitely wouldn't want to let her marry and leave.
"Na'er, what about mine? I want some too!"
"Hehe, if Brother Wulin wants some, go pick them yourself. A real man should learn to do things on his own~"
Tang Wulin pouted and muttered, "But why does Brother..."
Na'er promptly wrapped both arms around Tang Heng's, speaking as if it were only natural. "Brother Heng went to all the trouble of bringing us here. These are my thank-you gift. But where's your thank-you gift for him, Brother Wulin?"
"I-I was resting just now..." Tang Wulin blushed. Looking at the affectionate scene between the siblings, a strange anxiety welled up inside him. "There's a lake here. Let's go fishing together."
"Brother, this time I'll catch you a few big fish! You definitely won't get skunked this time."
Damn it! Could you stop bringing up my getting skunked?
Before you continue