"What are you thinking? That's my younger sister." Xu Xiaoyu said helplessly. Did they really look that little alike?
"I see." Xiao Mu glanced at the blue-haired boy, then at Xu Xiaoyan and her mother.
They really did look alike. What a shame. He'd wanted to try using his first Soul Skill to see if he could control bioelectricity—or electricity itself.
So it really was Xu Xiaoyan. If he'd known, he would've just zapped her. There went another experimental subject.
The thought circled through his mind once before he suppressed it. He took his hand back and slipped it into his pocket. "Sorry. I didn't recognize you at first."
Ye Ran had already struck up a conversation with Xu Xiaoyu's mother. The two women knew each other from before; the younger generation simply hadn't met.
Xiao Mu didn't join in. His gaze fell on Xu Xiaoyan, who was still nestled in Xu Xiaoyu's arms.
This was the future number-one control-type Soul Master beneath the stars.
She should only be five now. She hadn't awakened her Martial Soul yet.
She was exceptionally gifted, though she didn't much like cultivating. Still, she'd been born with full Soul Power.
After three years of cultivation, she'd only reached rank seventeen.
The Xu Family was one of the most prominent families in all of Eastsea City. Xu Xiaoyu and Xu Xiaoyan's father was the city's chief financial officer, a man of great influence and authority.
Going by the original story, the characters could use their power and wealth to get an extra entry card for the Riot Spirit Ascension Platform. It was clear the two siblings had never lacked resources.
And after they went to Shrek Academy, they'd reach level one in a secondary profession...
If he took the exams for mecha design, manufacturing, and maintenance now, he was confident he could reach level one in all of them.
As for forging, he wasn't sure. He should be able to manage it, though. At worst, it would take some time.
It was a shame that the future number-one control-type Soul Master beneath the stars was currently curled up into a tiny figure, hugging a bunny plushie and yawning in her brother's arms.
He was genuinely curious what level of strength she could reach if she worked hard at cultivation.
Holding Na'er's hand, Xiao Mu continued walking. He reminded Xu Xiaoyu, "Your sister's clearly more talented than you. Make sure she cultivates hard in the future. That way, she can protect herself."
Xu Xiaoyu held Xu Xiaoyan in his arms. "My sister hasn't even awakened her Martial Soul yet."
"Besides, she has me to protect her. You don't need to worry about it."
Xiao Mu smiled. "There's no harm in cultivating hard."
"Say that again when you're capable of protecting your sister." Something indescribable suddenly welled up inside Xu Xiaoyu, and he couldn't help frowning.
Could this guy have a thing for my sister? What a bastard. If he weren't so young, I'd have already flung an Ice Wheel at him.
Xu Xiaoyan licked her ice cream, her voice a little sleepy. "Brother, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, Xiaoyan." Xu Xiaoyu shifted his sister higher in his arms and lowered his voice. "There's just a bad person here who has designs on you."
With Xiao Mu holding her hand, Na'er looked at Xu Xiaoyan. The two girls gazed at each other.
They greeted each other and became acquainted.
After Ye Ran finished chatting with Xu Xiaoyan's mother, she came over and took Xiao Mu's hand. Na'er waved at Xu Xiaoyan. "Goodbye."
"Goodbye." Xu Xiaoyan waved back.
Xu Xiaoyu held Xu Xiaoyan and said, "Let's go home."
He grumbled to himself, Finally, we're done shopping. Buying clothes is exhausting.
The two groups headed off in opposite directions, their footsteps swallowed by the night.
Half a year later.
Na'er successfully awakened her Martial Soul, too. A long spear coalesced in her palm, its silver-white shaft flowing with an ancient, majestic aura. The tip quivered slightly, and a distant dragon's roar rang through the air.
When Xiao Mu heard the news, he fell completely silent. Hadn't Na'er failed to awaken her Martial Soul in the original story?
What unknowable change had taken place in this world?
He really wanted to use classical mechanics to hit Tang Hao with a force of ten million newtons.
Of all the people who could stir up trouble on Douluo Continent, no matter how he looked at it, this was the only one who could be responsible.
Once he'd rested and recovered, he'd start from the east and blast Heaven Dou City clean off the map.
After all, the Clear Sky Sect was somewhere nearby. He didn't need to know exactly where. Under absolute firepower coverage, he was sure to hit it.
Na'er also had full innate Soul Power. Xiao Ming bought her a Thorn Dragon to serve as her first Soul Spirit.
Time passed, and Xiao Mu and Na'er had been in the first year of the junior Soul Master class together for a year.
According to the Sun Moon Federation's regulations, elementary and intermediate schools provided free compulsory education. Elementary school lasted three years, while intermediate school lasted six. There were several ways to enter an advanced school: one could either get in with excellent grades or pay a hefty sum.
Alternatively, students could attend a specialized school and learn a particular skill.
Xiao Mu didn't feel much of anything for advanced Soul Master academies. His main focus now was ballistics. At this point—
To put it nicely, he'd successfully mastered Seal-Style Ballistics.
To put it less nicely, he could fire it. As for which target the shot would hit, he really had no idea. But when it came to interception, he estimated that no one below Titled Douluo could stop it.
Xiao Mu felt that the Heavenly Book was too difficult. He really was useless after all.
It was painful. Truly painful.
A sack of rice has to be carried up several floors...
Xiao Mu and Na'er stood at the school entrance, each carrying a little backpack. Na'er still had half a croissant in her hand, and the milky scent mingled with the aroma of wheat in the air.
"Yummy, yummy..."
Na'er never stopped eating. Her Storage Soul Tool still held plenty of snacks Ye Ran had prepared for her.
It contained at least ten cubic meters of food, with almost every common food imaginable.
That Storage Soul Tool was specially made, too. It could keep things fresh.
Xiao Mu's Storage Soul Tool was different. It held more than ten cubic meters' worth of restricted Soul Tools. He felt that if he went out without carrying so many weapons, danger would be lurking all around him.
As a scientist who couldn't even truss a chicken, he considered it a great achievement that his laboratory hadn't been robbed.
When he went out, he had to make sure to protect himself even more.
The Soul Master class had its own teachers waiting at the academy entrance to receive the students. The treatment was clearly much better than that of ordinary classes.
The Soul Master class taught students born with Soul Power how to become Soul Masters, along with knowledge about Soul Masters, preparing them for intermediate school in the future.
The school gates opened that day, and the crowd streamed inside. Xiao Mu held Na'er's hand as they followed the throng.
"Brother, look over there. That looks like Xiaoyan." Na'er tugged at his sleeve and pointed ahead.
Xiao Mu followed her gaze and saw a little girl with blue twin-tails. Beside her stood a boy with an icy expression, impatiently looking around.
These days, he couldn't look at any of the boys around him without finding fault with them.
The two were none other than Xu Xiaoyu and Xu Xiaoyan.
Xiao Mu paused, then naturally walked over.
"Brother Xu, what are you doing here?" He already knew Xu Xiaoyan was old enough to start school.
The original story had mentioned that when she went to school, she'd been treated differently because her brother didn't want her to suffer even the slightest grievance.
She'd actually been rather reluctant to take this path, but after awakening her Martial Soul, she had no choice.
"Can't you tell? I'm here to bring my sister to school, of course." Seeing Xiao Mu put Xu Xiaoyu in an even worse mood.
Xu Xiaoyan's eyes brightened when she saw Xiao Mu and Na'er.
"Oh, I see. Well, goodbye." Xiao Mu didn't linger. Once he'd confirmed that Xu Xiaoyan went to the same school, he took Na'er and left for class.
Xu Xiaoyan looked at her brother and asked, "Brother, aren't I going to class with them?"
"You're not the same age as they are. Come on." Xu Xiaoyu ground his teeth, his mood souring further as his expression turned even colder.
He swore he'd train hard and find a chance to have a proper match with Xiao Mu.
And when the time came, he'd make sure Xiao Mu didn't blame him for bullying someone younger.
Xiao Mu suddenly sneezed, but he didn't suspect a thing. He was absolutely certain it was the boys in his class thinking about getting zapped again—or rather, wanting to devote themselves to science again.
His classmates really did love science too much. He had to make sure to satisfy them properly.
A great man had once said that, if he wished, he could split a planet in half. Xiao Mu was determined to study that ability properly.