Senior Brother Long Aotian

Dai Tu sat cross-legged on a protruding rock by the pool, his eyes closed as he let the mist soak his hair and clothes.

After cultivating for seven days, his Soul Power had risen from level twenty-six to level twenty-eight. Though the progress was fast, Dai Tu knew it was far from enough.

"Too slow..." Dai Tu opened his eyes and looked at his reflection in the pool.

His black, spiky short hair lay wet against his forehead. Those distinctive large eyes remained clear, but deep within them, the sunlight and childishness of the past could no longer be found.

In their place was a bottomless stillness, a deathly silence born from having seen through life and death...

The two marks on his brow faintly burned beneath his skin.

The Mark of Life was warm, like a stove in winter. The Mark of Destruction was cold, like water drawn from a deep well.

One warm and one cold, one life and one death—they formed a subtle balance upon his forehead, constantly reminding him of the path he had chosen.

"Is Junior Brother Dai here?"

A clear male voice came from the woods beyond the waterfall.

Dai Tu turned his head and saw two figures walking toward him through the mist.

The one in front was a young man who looked seventeen or eighteen.

He was tall and broad-shouldered, dressed in simple white martial attire with a black belt around his waist. He stood as straight as a spear.

He was very handsome, with sharply defined features and a distinctly masculine air. His brows were like swords, his eyes like stars, his nose high, and his lips set in a firm line.

What drew the most attention were his eyes—amber eyes, bright and sharp, carrying an innate, unquestionable confidence whenever he looked at someone.

Following behind him was a girl of sixteen or seventeen. She wore a light pink gown embroidered with delicate silver patterns along its hem, which gleamed softly beneath the sunlight.

She was breathtakingly beautiful, possessing the dignified and elegant beauty of royalty. Her skin was like snow, her brows like distant mountains, her eyes like autumn water, and her lips naturally crimson.

Her chestnut hair was arranged into an exquisite bun at the back of her head, secured by a white jade hairpin. A few loose strands fell over her forehead, adding a touch of softness.

The two had completely different temperaments. The young man was like an unsheathed sword, his sharpness fully exposed and his dominance unmistakable. The girl was like a precious flower raised deep within a palace, gentle, dignified, and noble by nature.

Yet they had one thing in common—they were both very strong.

Although Dai Tu had not activated his Mangekyō Sharingan, its basic perceptive ability remained.

He could sense the young man's vast Bloodline Power, as immense as the sea. His Soul Power fluctuations were at least at the level of a five-ring Soul King.

The girl's Soul Power fluctuations were somewhat weaker, but she was still at the level of a four-ring Soul Ancestor. Moreover, her spiritual power was extraordinarily strong, like a bottomless lake.

"Senior Brother Long Aotian, Senior Sister Vina." Dai Tu rose to his feet and cupped his fists in greeting.

Before he came here, Du Busi had already told him about these two direct disciples.

Long Aotian was a five-ring Soul King. His martial soul was his skin, one of the most important and mysterious types of Body Martial Souls. He had undergone a second awakening, reaching Silver-Grade Awakening.

His combat ability ranked first among the younger generation of the Body Sect. He could even exchange blows with some of the elders.

Vina was a four-ring Soul Ancestor with Twin Martial Souls: Snow Lotus and Brain.

Snow Lotus was a top-tier plant-type martial soul, while Brain was a Body Martial Soul—an extremely rare one directly connected to spiritual power.

She was the princess of the Heaven Dou Empire, of noble status, but within the Body Sect, she was merely Du Busi's disciple.

"No need for such formalities, Junior Brother."

Long Aotian strode up to Dai Tu and grinned, revealing a mouthful of white teeth. His smile was open and hearty, the kind without any ulterior motives, straightforward and direct.

"Vina and I just returned from an assignment outside. We heard that Master had taken in a new junior brother, one with Twin Martial Souls and a Gold-Grade Awakening, so we hurried over to take a look."

His tone was natural, without jealousy or probing—only pure curiosity and enthusiasm.

Dai Tu's heart stirred slightly, but his expression did not change. He merely nodded. "You flatter me, Senior Brother and Senior Sister."

"What's there to flatter?" Long Aotian waved a hand and casually sat down on a rock beside Dai Tu, not caring whether it was wet.

"I heard Master say that you have the Mangekyō Sharingan and Tree of Life as Twin Martial Souls, and that you completed a Gold-Grade Awakening. Impressive. I only had a Silver-Grade Awakening, while you've already reached Gold."

He paused, looking Dai Tu up and down as approval flashed through his eyes.

"And your physical constitution... You absorbed the Whale Rubber essence blood quite well. The width of your meridians, your bone density, and your muscle strength are all at least three times greater than those of Soul Masters at the same level. No wonder Master values you so highly."

Dai Tu said nothing and simply listened quietly.

He could tell that Long Aotian's words came from the heart. There was no veiled mockery or sour jealousy, only simple appreciation and recognition.

That loosened the last bit of wariness in his heart.

"Senior Brother Aotian, don't scare Junior Brother."

Vina stepped forward, her voice as gentle as a spring breeze brushing across a lake. She sat on Dai Tu's other side, took out a food box from her storage Soul Tool, and opened it. Inside were several delicate pastries and a pot of tea.

"Junior Brother, try these. They're pastries from Tingyu Pavilion in Heaven Dou City. I bought them on my way back."

Vina pushed a pale green pastry toward Dai Tu, then poured him a cup of tea. Her movements were elegant and natural, without the slightest trace of a princess's airs.

Dai Tu looked at the pastry, then at Vina's gentle smile. He fell silent for two seconds before finally picking it up and taking a bite.

The pastry melted in his mouth, carrying a faint tea fragrance and sweetness. It was not cloying, only fresh and light.

"Thank you, Senior Sister," Dai Tu said softly.

Vina smiled and poured him another cup of tea. "No need to thank me. We're family now. If you need anything, just say so."

She paused, looking at Dai Tu's calm, unruffled eyes, then added softly.

"Master told us everything. We know what happened to you. Junior Brother, let the past stay in the past. From now on, the Body Sect is your home. We are your family."

Family.

That word caused Dai Tu's hand around the teacup to pause slightly.

He raised his head and looked at Vina. Her eyes held undisguised sincerity and pity. That look was very much like... the way Aunt Li in Konoha had looked at him.

Warm, accepting, like sunlight in winter.

Dai Tu turned his face away and looked toward the water in the pool, his voice somewhat dry.

"Senior Sister... don't you think I'm trouble?"

"Trouble?" Vina froze for a moment, then smiled, her expression carrying a little helplessness and a little heartache.

"Silly child, what nonsense are you saying? How could there be such a thing as trouble between family? If you're in trouble, we help you. That's only natural. When family faces hardship, are we supposed to first calculate whether we can help or whether it will bring us trouble?"

Long Aotian spoke as well, his voice steady and powerful.

"Dai Tu, remember this. In the Body Sect, there is no such word as 'trouble.' There are only 'our own' and 'outsiders.' You are one of our own, so your enemies are our enemies. Your hardships are our hardships. What is the White Tiger Duke Mansion? What is the Star Luo Empire? If they dare come for you, Master, I, and every one of our fellow disciples will kill alongside you."

He spoke calmly, as though he were stating the simplest fact in the world.