Xiao Wu's Chaotic Wind

Clang, clang, clang.

A continuous series of rhythmic strikes echoed throughout the Blacksmith Shop.

All the blacksmiths in the shop were gathered around, watching Tang San demonstrate his Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique, clicking their tongues in amazement.

Even though they had already seen it once yesterday, seeing it again today still left them filled with admiration.

What's so impressive about that? Xiao Wu muttered to herself.

Glancing to the side, she noticed Jiang Jiu was also observing Tang San's continuous forging method with great focus.

"Xiao Jiu, let me teach you!"

"Huh?"

Xiao Wu took Jiang Jiu's forging hammer, but she didn't hold it in her palm.

She took out a handkerchief, tore it in two, then crouched down and tied the forging hammer to her lower leg, using the other half of the handkerchief to tie up her scorpion braid.

"Xiao Jiu, help me secure it."

Hearing this, Jiang Jiu secured the pig iron in the furnace.

Xiao Wu stretched her body, placed her hands on the ground, and flipped into a nimble handstand.

Then, she pushed off with her hands, lifting them from the ground, and her body began to leap through the air.

"Ha!"

Xiao Wu's body rotated with incredible finesse in mid-air, tracing a graceful curve.

The forging hammer on her lower leg was held firmly in place by her soul power and the centrifugal force of her rotation. As her center of gravity shifted, a loud "clang" rang out as the hammer struck the pig iron with remarkable force.

As the wind brushed past his ears, Jiang Jiu's mouth twitched.

Wait, Xiao Wu could actually do that?

Such an eccentric forging method, yet the effect of a single strike was better than his strongest blow—it was absurd.

Xiao Wu remained in her handstand, her body swaying in the air.

As she neared the ground, she pressed her fingers against the floor and pushed off again. Her entire body sprang up like a coiled spring, this time rotating in the opposite direction. After a mid-air twist, her lower leg struck the iron once more.

Clang—

The sound of the second strike drew the attention of everyone else.

"Are the little ones these days all this monstrous?" Shi San truly felt he had seen something new.

The other blacksmith masters were also left staring in a daze.

That delicate little girl had never learned to forge, yet she started off by pulling such a ruthless stunt.

Xiao Wu, however, wasn't quite satisfied.

With her hands still supporting her on the ground, her two legs descended slowly and steadily through the air, seemingly unaffected by the weight of the forging hammer.

Once her feet touched the ground, her upper body returned to a standing position, performing a live display of contortionism.

Xiao Wu brushed the dust off her hands, looking a bit embarrassed. "Xiao Jiu, wait for me to study this a bit more."

Her handstand technique could also achieve the effect of exerting force from the entire body.

Unlike the Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique, which started the force from the lower leg, Xiao Wu could initiate the force from her hands, channel it through her entire body, and unleash the strength of her whole frame with a single kick—the power was truly astonishing.

However, she realized she lacked the ability to accumulate that power for the next strike.

With Xiao Wu's insight, she could naturally see the miraculous effect of the Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique, where each strike grew stronger than the last.

Still, she was confident she could eventually achieve this; she just needed some time to refine it.

"Teaching this move first is fine too."

The Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique started the force from the lower leg, running through the entire body; once mastered to a certain level, one could even use this technique with their fists.

Jiang Jiu wasn't greedy; learning the technique of full-body exertion would be a success.

Having understood the logic of Xiao Wu's movement—from hand to shoulder, shoulder to back, extending into the waist, and finally exploding in the leg—to condense the whole body into a single unit, wouldn't it be a logical progression to reverse it: from leg to waist, and waist to back, spreading the force in reverse?

"Huh? Hehe, alright. Should I teach you now?" Xiao Wu scratched her cheek, then realized something and hid her hands behind her back, though her face was already a bit dusty.

"No need, let's talk about it when we get back."

Jiang Jiu untied the half-handkerchief from Xiao Wu's head and wiped her face.

Xiao Wu's face was flushed, soft and pink, and Jiang Jiu couldn't resist pinching her cheeks twice.

"Bad guy."

"Cough, hmm."

It was getting a bit inappropriate for children.

Jiang Jiu turned back to see the blacksmiths continuing to watch Tang San forge as if nothing had happened, their expressions so focused it was as if they hadn't seen a thing.

After tidying up a bit, Jiang Jiu and the others went back to watching Tang San work.

Only this time, Xiao Wu was much quieter.

She leaned her head against Jiang Jiu's shoulder, focusing intently on Tang San's force-exertion technique and the rotation of his movements, hoping to learn the craft and integrate it into her own leg techniques so she could teach them to Xiao Jiu later.

What is this hand technique?

She watched carefully this time and immediately noticed Tang San's Mysterious Jade Hand. She wasn't a blacksmith, so she wouldn't be so focused on the collision between the hammer and the pig iron that she ignored those glowing white palms.

Is it used to protect his palms?

Xiao Jiu's hands have indeed become a bit rough from forging for so long; I should use my soul power to help him nourish them.

I'll have to develop a soul power technique for palm protection as well.

Without Jiang Jiu knowing, Xiao Wu had become a rabbit who loved to think.

Lazy as she was, being a deep thinker already put her far ahead of the rest.

Before they knew it, it was time for dinner, and Shi San arranged for the three youngsters to eat together.

Technically, Xiao Wu wasn't supposed to be included in the meals, but Jiang Jiu had covered her food expenses, and Shi San had simply remarked, "Consider her family," effectively allowing Xiao Wu to eat there as well.

"Tang San, your forging skills are truly extraordinary," Jiang Jiu said, taking the initiative to start a conversation while sitting in the middle.

"Not at all, yours are quite good too," Tang San replied modestly.

The two of them engaged in a bit of mutual flattery.

One wanted to make friends, and the other was of the same mind; aside from the slightly awkward atmosphere, things were going well enough, as neither of them were particularly warm or outgoing people.

The outgoing one was busy with her daily task.

Xiao Wu didn't join the conversation; she kept moving all the meat from her bowl into Jiang Jiu's. She preferred eating vegetables, so she wanted to let Xiao Jiu have more since he loved meat.

"Save some for yourself, at least."

Jiang Jiu tapped Xiao Wu on the head with his chopsticks; there wasn't a single piece of meat left in her bowl.

Wait, would not eating meat affect the development of a soul beast that has taken human form?

With the foundation of a self-condensed soul ring, she shouldn't suffer from stunted growth, right?

"Ouch!" Xiao Wu clutched her head, feigning pain and looking pitiful.

"Alright, alright, you can at least eat some tofu."

He would supplement Xiao Wu with some high-quality protein, and he decided to have her drink more soy milk in the morning as well; it would barely pass as a meat substitute.

Trying to surpass Zhu Zhuqing?

Tang San ate his meal in silence, feelings of envy stirring within him once again.

Geniuses were lonely, but they also longed for friendship.

Geniuses looked down on ordinary people, and only other geniuses could catch their eye.

Without a doubt, Xiao Wu was a genius.

However, Tang San felt that Xiao Wu was a bit too childish.

Jiang Jiu wasn't quite a genius, but his diligence and seriousness could make up for that.

Besides, his own soul power talent might not even be higher than Jiang Jiu's.

So, how could he become real friends with them instead of just having a "living in the same dormitory" relationship?