Aolai City

"Once you get home, you can try cultivating tonight and see if you can feel anything different."

In Chu Yan's mind, if this girl were like the original character and didn't care much for cultivation, he wouldn't have brought up the Martial Soul attribute early. However, since she seemed quite diligent, he decided to mention it.

Hearing this, Xu Xiaoyan blinked, tilted her head in thought, and a moment later, her large eyes lit up.

"Oh, right! When I was fusing with my Soul Spirit, I did feel a strange, chilly sensation. It wasn't quite like the cold from the Ice Staff; it felt more like... like the cool, breezy feeling you get when looking at the stars at night."

Chu Yan didn't say anything more, simply reaching out to ruffle her hair with a smile. "So, you can try it out yourself tonight and see if your Martial Soul undergoes any different changes during the night."

"Mm-hmm!" Xu Xiaoyan nodded vigorously. She carefully tucked away her Soul Spirit Contract, leaned in half a step, and lowered her voice, acting mysterious.

"Brother Yan, if my Martial Soul really does have some kind of starry sky attribute, wouldn't that be much stronger than my brother's ordinary Ice Staff?"

Chu Yan couldn't help but laugh; the girl was already looking to knock her brother off his pedestal.

"That will depend on you cultivating hard so you can bring out that advantage."

"I will definitely work hard!" Xu Xiaoyan clenched her small fist, then, as if remembering something, she tugged on Chu Yan's sleeve, looking at him with sparkling eyes.

"Brother Yan, school is starting soon. Do you think we'll be in the same class?"

"Most likely," Chu Yan replied.

New student placement at Tianheng Primary Academy was usually determined by Martial Soul type and Soul Power level. Since they were both in the Tool Martial Soul category and both possessed innate full Soul Power, the chances of them being placed in the same class were extremely high.

"That's great!" Xu Xiaoyan gave a little hop of excitement.

Then, as if something else had occurred to her, she tilted her head and looked at Chu Yan, her voice filled with curiosity. "What about you, Brother Yan? What is the age of your Soul Ring? You didn't tell me last time I asked."

Chu Yan chuckled, reached out, and gave her forehead a light flick. "I'll tell you that later. You should focus on figuring out your starry sky attribute first."

Xu Xiaoyan covered her forehead and pouted, but she didn't press the issue. Although she was young, she had known since she was small that Brother Yan kept many things to himself. She didn't mind; as long as Brother Yan was good to her, that was enough.

She stayed in Chu Yan's courtyard for another half-hour, pestering him for tips on circulating Soul Power and excitedly practicing her new Soul Skill. A palm-sized ice cone condensed in her palm, radiating a biting chill.

Although the power wasn't great yet, for someone who had only absorbed her Soul Ring a day ago, she was picking it up quite quickly.

Chu Yan watched from the side, offering a few suggestions on improving her force and condensation speed. Xu Xiaoyan listened intently, and after trying a few more times, she found it much smoother, which made her incredibly happy.

As lunchtime approached, the Xu Clan arrived to pick her up, and Xu Xiaoyan left the Chu Clan with great reluctance.

"Goodbye, Brother Yan!"

"Right, goodbye!"

The next day, at noon.

Chu Yan stood before the main gate of the estate, dressed in a simple white short-sleeved shirt with tight cuffs, a black leather belt at his waist, and a pair of lightweight, soft-soled boots.

Beside him stood a burly middle-aged man, roughly in his early forties, with a square face, a deep complexion, and dressed in a plain, dark gray martial outfit. A silver Soul Guidance Communicator hung from his waist.

This man was Pang Shan, the head of the Chu Clan guards. A level 55 Agility Attack System Soul King with the "Gale Leopard" Martial Soul, he had served the Chu Clan for over thirty years and was one of Chu Yuntian's most trusted confidants.

Pang Shan stood at Chu Yan's side, silent and capable, his gaze habitually sweeping over the surroundings as if confirming that everything was secure.

A dark gray Soul Guidance Off-road Vehicle was parked in front of the gate. The body was slightly higher than a standard Soul Guidance sedan, with a sturdy chassis suitable for long-distance travel.

"Young Master, the vehicle is ready, and the route has been checked in advance."

Pang Shan's voice was steady as he continued, "From East Sea City to Aolai City, it takes about an hour and a half via the coastal highway. We should arrive around one in the afternoon."

"Mm, let's go." Chu Yan nodded, opened the car door, and sat nimbly in the back seat.

Pang Shan walked around to the driver's side, closed the door, and started the ignition. The engine let out a low hum, and the off-road vehicle pulled smoothly out of the Chu Clan gates, merging into the afternoon traffic of East Sea City.

Chu Yan leaned back against the soft cushions, his gaze fixed on the streetscape rapidly receding outside the window.

Although his father and mother didn't know why he wanted to go to Aolai City, they hadn't pressed him for details.

Chu Yuntian had simply given a few words of caution about safety before sending Pang Shan along.

He knew his father had his doubts; a six-year-old child suddenly proposing a trip to an obscure little seaside town didn't look like a mere whim.

But Chu Yuntian had chosen to respect his decision without digging for answers.

This trust touched Chu Yan, though he didn't show it.

After the car left the urban area of East Sea City, it headed south along the coastal highway.

The traffic on the road gradually thinned, and the vehicle's speed increased accordingly.

Chu Yan watched the window quietly, his fingers tapping lightly on his knee as he reorganized the information about Na'er in his mind.

The description in the original work was vague, only stating that Tang Wulin met Na'er on his way home from school.

Tang Wulin attended Red Mountain Primary Academy, which was located in the central area of Aolai City, while the Tang family lived in the civilian district; the route home was generally fixed.

If the timeline hadn't deviated too much, Tang Wulin should encounter Na'er being bullied by a few thugs on his way home within these next few days after school started.

Today was September 3rd, and Red Mountain Academy had only been open for two days. The window of opportunity was right now; if he met her today, it was fate, and if he didn't, there was nothing he could do.

An hour and a half later, the car drove into a low-lying urban area.

They had arrived in Aolai City.

Looking out the window, the scene before his eyes formed a stark contrast to the prosperity of East Sea City.

Low-slung houses with white walls and red roofs spread out along the coastline; the streets were narrow, and the road surfaces were far from smooth.

The pedestrians on the road were mostly fishermen and ordinary residents, dressed simply and moving at a leisurely pace. The entire city was permeated with a lazy, seaside atmosphere.

Clearly, this was a city well-suited for retirement.

After entering the city, Pang Shan slowed the vehicle, cast a glance around both sides of the street, and asked, "Young Master, where shall we head first?"

"Park near Red Mountain Primary Academy, we'll walk for a bit," Chu Yan said.

Hearing this, Pang Shan did not ask further. He nodded, turned the steering wheel, and the off-road vehicle veered into a slightly wider street.

Within a few minutes, the car pulled into an empty spot on the side of the road.

Pang Shan killed the engine, stepped out, locked the doors, and then silently followed half a meter behind Chu Yan.

Chu Yan stepped out of the car and looked up to survey the surrounding environment.

This street was one of the main thoroughfares of Aolai City, lined with various shops and stalls selling seafood, daily groceries, and snacks.

In the distance, a complex of red and white buildings was visible, with a sign standing on the roof of one building that read "Red Mountain Primary Academy."

That must be the place.

Chu Yan withdrew his gaze and, instead of heading straight for the academy gate, began to walk unhurriedly along the street.

His pace was casual, and while his eyes seemed to be scanning the shops and pedestrians on either side, he was actually secretly observing every corner of the street.

He paid particular attention to the spots easily overlooked—the alley entrances and the shadows beneath the eaves.

Pang Shan followed behind him, maintaining the distance expected of a bodyguard.

His gaze appeared to sweep over the surroundings casually, but with the alertness of an Agility-type Soul King, any abnormal movement on this street could not escape his perception.

However, since the Young Master had not stated his intentions, he would never ask. This was the professional conduct he had cultivated over thirty years of working as a bodyguard.

After walking for a while, Chu Yan stopped in front of a small shop.

The shop was not large, and several glass cabinets were placed at the entrance, filled with various snacks: dried grilled fish, seaweed rolls, roasted nuts, and the like.

He took out money to buy a pack of dried grilled fish and a small bag of roasted peanuts. The shopkeeper, a white-haired old lady, took the money with a chuckle and tucked two extra candies into the bag.

Chu Yan thanked her, tore open the package of dried fish, and took a bite. The taste was decent—salty, fragrant, and crispy.

As for why he bought them, it wasn't out of hunger, but purely to avoid drawing suspicion.

Before long, Chu Yan stopped again, his gaze slowly sweeping over the surrounding section of the road.

At that very moment, his line of sight paused on a certain spot.

On the corner diagonally across the street, a small figure was crouching at the base of a wall.

It was a little girl with silver hair.