Mercy, Heroine

Clink, clink, clink, clink!

Four crisp metallic clangs rang out almost at once.

The golden swords pierced the surface of the Ice Wheel, but the spinning ice crystals immediately deflected them. Three slid off to the sides and struck the Martial Arts Arena's floor, ringing out with a sharp, metallic clang.

But the last little sword actually pierced about three inches into the ice barrier, lodging in midair as it quivered faintly.

Xu Xiaoyu looked at the golden sword embedded in the ice shield, and felt a slight chill run down his back.

His second Soul Skill came from a high-grade Hundred-Year Soul Ring, and its defensive power was quite good for a Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster. Yet a first Soul Skill from a child who'd only just awakened had pierced a third of the way through it?

A Deep Yellow Soul Ring... a special Soul Spirit... Was the Soul Spirit he'd mentioned just a little too powerful?

Chu Yan didn't press his advantage. With a thought, the four golden swords flew back from the ice shield and the floor, once again hovering around him. He let out a soft breath and dismissed his Soul Skill.

With his first Soul Skill at full power, his mental energy drained rather quickly. Attacking with all four little swords at once had already pushed his control to its limits.

Judging by the result of that last strike, the four swords would have been more than enough against an ordinary One-Ring Soul Master. But against a defensive Soul Skill from a Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster, they still fell short. They could only pierce three inches deep—not even enough to break through.

But that was only natural. He'd only just awakened, after all.

Xu Xiaoyu dispelled the Ice Wheel and strode over to Chu Yan. Looking down at the boy, who was a head shorter than him, he wore a complicated expression.

"Yan, you..." He carefully considered his words for a good while, but couldn't help asking, "What was that thing called again? The Yan Divine Weapon? Is that really a staff-type Martial Soul?"

"It's a staff." Chu Yan nodded, his expression unchanged, then continued, "It just has a special property. It can split into little swords and attack."

Xu Xiaoyu's mouth twitched. What staff-type Martial Soul had a property like that?

Still, it wasn't like the traditional Martial Souls of the Chu Clan. It must be a special Mutated Martial Soul.

"Your Soul Skill is strong." Xu Xiaoyu finally gave his assessment, his tone earnest, without the slightest hint of insincerity. He continued, "Even though you're only a One-Ring Soul Master, those four little swords are already powerful enough to threaten the defenses of an ordinary Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster. Give it a few more years... and you might really be able to go toe-to-toe with me."

Chu Yan smiled but didn't reply.

He knew he could actually have done better.

If he'd driven all four little swords to their limits and paired them with the close-range pressure of his staff technique, he might well have forced Xu Xiaoyu into a scramble.

But if he had, he would have revealed too many of his cards. He'd already tested part of the Phantom Sword Style's practical effect when paired with the Hunyuan Staff Technique. He could save the rest for later and explore it bit by bit.

Besides, in his heart, Xu Xiaoyu had never been an enemy. He was one of his own.

There was no need to make one of his own look bad.

"Alright, alright, stop fighting!" Xu Xiaoyan ran over from the edge of the Martial Arts Arena and threw herself into Chu Yan's arms. She looked up at him, anxiously inspecting him as she asked, "Brother Yan, are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine." Chu Yan reached out and ruffled her little head, smiling as he said, "Brother Xiaoyu went easy on me."

Xu Xiaoyu rolled his eyes. Who went easy on whom? He really had held back a third of his strength, but that was only so a child who'd just awakened wouldn't get beaten too badly. And then this kid's Soul Skill had nearly pierced through his Ice Wheel. How was that supposed to mean he needed to go easy?

But he couldn't be bothered to call him out. He simply drew the Ice Staff back into his body, walked over to the two of them, and bent down to pinch his little sister's cheek. "You little rascal. You only have eyes for Brother Yan. You can't even spare a thought for your own brother?"

Xu Xiaoyan turned around and stuck out her tongue at him. "You're not hurt, so what's there to worry about?"

Xu Xiaoyu laughed helplessly, then straightened up. His gaze rested on Chu Yan, and something brightened in it.

He could tell that Chu Yan hadn't used his full strength in that last strike. The four little swords had moved with fierce precision, but Chu Yan had still held something back. It seemed Chu Yan wasn't nearly as weak as he'd imagined.

"Yan, your talent is even better than I thought. But now that I've seen what you can do, I'm actually more at ease," Xu Xiaoyu said seriously.

"At ease about what?" Chu Yan asked.

Xu Xiaoyu glanced at his little sister, who was clinging to Chu Yan's arm and refusing to let go. The corners of his mouth lifted as he said, "At ease that my sister won't be at a disadvantage if she stays by your side in the future."

Xu Xiaoyan's cheeks instantly flared red. She let go of Chu Yan's arm, turned around, and punched Xu Xiaoyu. "Brother, what are you saying?"

"Ah! Mercy, my lady hero!" Xu Xiaoyu raised his hands in surrender, playing along as he laughed and backed away two steps. He continued, "Alright, alright, I'm sorry, okay? You two take your time. I'm going to cultivate."

He turned and walked a couple of steps, then looked back at Chu Yan. "Yan, Xiaoyan's awakening is in three days. Remember to come."

"I will." Chu Yan nodded.

Only then did Xu Xiaoyu wave and stride away from the Martial Arts Arena.

It wasn't until her brother had gone a good distance that Xu Xiaoyan finally recovered from her embarrassment. A faint blush still lingered on her cheeks.

She went back to Chu Yan's side, tugged at the corner of his sleeve, and gazed up at him with big, blinking eyes.

Her voice was soft and sweet, tinged with a little anticipation. "Brother Yan, I'll turn six in three days, and I'll be awakening my Martial Soul too. You have to come, okay?"

Chu Yan looked down at the little girl who'd been by his side since they were young, at her clear eyes, free of the slightest impurity.

He reached out and gently stroked Xu Xiaoyan's hair. Her soft strands rested against his palm, carrying a faint floral scent.

"Mm. I'll definitely be there."

"Pinky promise!" Xu Xiaoyan held out her little finger.

Chu Yan smiled and held out his own, hooking it around hers.

"Pinky promise, cross my heart, hope to die. No changing your mind for a hundred years!"

Their tiny fingers hooked together, the sunlight spilling across the Martial Arts Arena and casting their two shadows over one another.

Xu Xiaoyan smiled until her eyes curved into crescents, her big eyes narrowing like a little cat that had stolen a dried fish.

Chu Yan looked at her, and his own smile grew warmer.

Whenever he was with this little girl who'd grown up by his side, it was easy to set aside his wariness and calculations. Xu Xiaoyan's kindness toward him had never come with conditions.

Chu Yan understood that simple truth very well.

"Brother Yan, I'll take you to the backyard to see the flowers! I planted an Ice Crystal Orchid recently, and it's just started to sprout!"

"Okay."

"Come on, come on! It's so pretty!"

Xu Xiaoyan tugged Chu Yan along by the hand, hopping toward the backyard like a cheerful little rabbit.

The Martial Arts Arena fell quiet again. The faint marks left on the floor by the golden swords bore witness to the brilliance of their brief battle.

But in an inconspicuous patch of shadow at the corner of the Martial Arts Arena, Xu Xiaoyu hadn't actually gone far.

He leaned behind a veranda pillar, watching his sister pull Chu Yan away, and the corners of his mouth curled up without him realizing it.

"That kid..." he murmured, his eyes filled with approval and curiosity. "The Yan Divine Weapon... the Deep Yellow Soul Ring... four flying swords... The secrets he's hiding are probably even greater than I guessed."

But he didn't try to dig any deeper.

The Xu and Chu Clans had been on good terms for generations. He and Chu Yan had grown up together, and Xu Xiaoyu knew Chu Yan's character and temperament well. If Chu Yan had secrets he didn't want to share, he wouldn't press him.

After all, who didn't have a few cards of their own?