Where's the Stick We Agreed On?

"Brother Xiaoyu, don't be fooled by the color of this soul ring. It's just a special deep-yellow five-hundred-year soul spirit I absorbed."

Chu Yan spouted this nonsense with a straight face, not even blushing; anyone who didn't know better would have believed him.

A special soul spirit?

What quality of special soul spirit could change the color of a soul ring?

"Brother Yan, you're joking, right? What kind of special five-hundred-year soul spirit could have this color?"

Xu Xiaoyu frowned, staring at that deep-yellow soul ring. His brow was furrowed; he didn't recall learning about this in his cultural classes.

Hearing this, Chu Yan's expression remained unchanged as he continued to explain with a straight face, "Brother Xiaoyu, you don't know, but Spirit Pagoda technology is becoming increasingly advanced. There is a rare soul spirit called 'Gold Pattern' that produces a soul ring of this color. Although its age is only five hundred years, the high quality of the soul spirit makes the color deeper than a standard five-hundred-year ring, though its form is merely light patterns."

He had thought up this explanation that morning.

Since he couldn't reveal the secret of self-condensing soul rings, he had to fabricate a reasonable source.

In any case, the Spirit Pagoda released various new types of soul spirits every year, and outsiders had no way of knowing the specific details. Even if the Xu family went to ask, the Spirit Pagoda wouldn't disclose client information.

Xu Xiaoyu looked at Chu Yan, half-doubting, but eventually nodded.

Although he felt it was a bit strange, he didn't believe Chu Yan would lie to him.

"Then let me test just how strong this special soul spirit of yours is!"

Xu Xiaoyu stomped his foot, his body rushing toward Chu Yan like an arrow released from a bow. The ice staff in his hand traced a white arc through the air, and a biting chill instantly permeated the space.

Although he hadn't used a soul skill, the speed and power of a two-ring Great Soul Master were undeniable. If this strike had landed solidly, an ordinary person would have been sent flying.

Chu Yan's eyes narrowed. He held his Yan Divine Weapon horizontally before him, knees slightly bent, his center of gravity lowered.

Hunyuan Staff Technique: Opening Stance!

This was something he had only learned that morning, yet he wielded it with ease.

Clang!

The ice staff collided with the long staff, emitting a crisp sound.

Chu Yan's body shuddered slightly, and he took a step back.

Xu Xiaoyu, however, remained motionless, a look of surprise appearing on his face.

"What a stable stance!"

He had expected this strike to force Chu Yan back at least three or four steps; he hadn't expected the boy to stabilize himself after only one.

This future brother-in-law, six years his junior, possessed physical fitness that far exceeded his expectations.

Chu Yan steadied himself, a flicker of excitement in his eyes.

This was his first real combat since awakening. Even though it was just a spar, the feeling of physical impact made his blood boil.

"Brother Xiaoyu, watch out!"

He took the initiative, sweeping his Yan Divine Weapon outward.

Hunyuan Staff Technique: Sweeping Stance!

The long staff swept horizontally with a whistling sound, aiming straight for Xu Xiaoyu's waist.

Xu Xiaoyu calmly pressed his ice staff downward, precisely blocking the blow.

Ding!

The ice staff and the Yan Divine Weapon collided once more. This time, Chu Yan was prepared; his stance was as firm as a pine, and he managed to stabilize himself after only half a step back.

Xu Xiaoyu raised an eyebrow slightly. He was a Great Soul Master, and his strength far surpassed that of a child who had just awakened.

Although he had held back his strength, the fact that an eleven-level Tool Soul Master could take his strike head-on without showing signs of defeat was, in itself, incredible.

"Brother Yan, your physical fitness is not like that of a child who just awakened," Xu Xiaoyu praised sincerely.

"Brother Xiaoyu is too kind," Chu Yan smiled slightly. After all, he had been training even before he awakened. He didn't stop for a moment, stepping back, turning, twisting his waist, and thrusting the Yan Divine Weapon upward from below, aiming straight for Xu Xiaoyu's chin.

Hunyuan Staff Technique: Lifting Stance!

The move came suddenly. Xu Xiaoyu dodged it by slightly tilting his body, but as the wind of the staff brushed his cheek, he clearly felt a sharp aura. It didn't feel like being grazed by a staff-type martial soul; it felt more like... being grazed by something sharp.

However, Xu Xiaoyu didn't dwell on it. Since Chu Yan claimed his martial soul was a staff, perhaps it was just a derivative characteristic. It was strange, but not entirely unacceptable.

"My turn."

Xu Xiaoyu stepped back half a pace to create distance, spinning his ice staff lightly. The blue gemstone at the top of the staff suddenly lit up.

A yellow soul ring flickered beneath his feet, and the cold air condensed at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"First Soul Skill: Ice Spike!"

Whoosh!

A crystal-clear ice spike, about half a meter long, shot out from the tip of the staff. It was extremely fast, reaching Chu Yan almost the moment it left the staff.

Chu Yan's pupils contracted, his body reacting instinctively. He swiped the Yan Divine Weapon horizontally, using the staff body to deflect the ice spike.

Bang!

The ice spike struck the protective wall at the edge of the training ground, shattering into a spray of ice shards. The cold air spilled out, and a thin layer of white frost instantly formed on the ground.

Xu Xiaoyu was stunned. Although his first soul skill was only from a hundred-year soul ring, the ice cones flew at an extremely high speed; even an average two-ring soul master might not be able to deflect them easily. How had Chu Yan, a child who had just awakened, managed to knock them away with nothing but a staff?

This kid... his reaction speed is way too fast, isn't it?

Chu Yan did not give him time to ponder. He pushed off the ground, lunged forward, and spun the Yan Divine Weapon in his hand, shifting from a sweep to a downward strike, smashing it toward him from above.

This move carried the heavy momentum he had practiced all morning. Even though he had switched from the Ironwood Staff to the Yan Divine Weapon, the feel of the staff remained, and the force of the strike was three parts heavier than before.

Xu Xiaoyu naturally would not be injured by such an attack; he held his ice staff horizontally and caught the blow with ease.

However, after catching it, he realized that while Chu Yan's strength was far inferior to his own, his technique of leveraging force was remarkably mature. The moment the strike failed, he withdrew the staff, leaving absolutely no openings.

"Interesting..." Xu Xiaoyu's lips curled, his fighting spirit ignited. He continued, "Brother Yan, it seems your staff technique wasn't just practiced at random."

"Brother Xiaoyu, we've only just begun." Chu Yan retracted his stance and widened the distance between them. His breathing had quickened slightly, but his eyes were shining much brighter than before.

Xu Xiaoyu nodded, a rare sense of seriousness rising within him. He slowly raised his ice staff, and the blue gemstone at its tip lit up once more. This time, the light was even more intense than before, and the surrounding temperature plummeted.

"Second Soul Skill: Ice Wheel!"

The ice staff spun rapidly in Xu Xiaoyu's hand, drawing in the surrounding cold air to form a circular barrier of ice crystals.

The ice crystal barrier was about the height of a person, its surface shimmering with a pale blue light. It looked like a shield, yet also like a trap capable of charging forward to restrain an enemy at any moment.

"Brother Yan, see if you can break this." Xu Xiaoyu's voice came from behind the Ice Wheel, carrying a hint of expectant amusement.

His defense was something even an ordinary two-ring soul master could not break; he was merely teasing Chu Yan.

Chu Yan looked at the ice crystal barrier and quickly calculated in his mind. The Ice Wheel was a defensive and restrictive soul skill; it could protect the user while also charging to bind enemies. With his current level eleven soul power combined with pure physical staff strikes, there was a high probability he could not break through it by force.

Then... I suppose I'll try my soul skill.

Chu Yan took a deep breath, his mind made up.

"Brother Xiaoyu, then you try this as well."

He gripped the Yan Divine Weapon tightly, channeling his mental energy into it.

Fine, intricate patterns cracked open along the dark gold surface of the staff. One, two, three, four small golden swords flew out from the fissures, hovering around him with their tips pointing outward. A sharp, piercing aura suddenly permeated the air.

At the same time, that deep yellow soul ring flared brilliantly!

"First Soul Skill: Phantom Sword Style!"

Swish, swish, swish, swish!

The four golden swords shot out like living things, carving four golden trajectories through the air as they struck the Ice Wheel barrier in front of Xu Xiaoyu from four different angles simultaneously!

Xu Xiaoyu's pupils contracted sharply.

What is this?!

What happened to the staff?!

Why are there flying swords?! And this aura... it's so sharp!

His reaction was lightning-fast. The Ice Wheel accelerated its rotation, cold air condensed frantically, and the ice crystal barrier thickened by another layer in an instant.

Clang, clang, clang, clang!