Jiahao's True Nature

The evening breeze swept over the steps by the school gate, stirring up scattered fallen leaves.

The two sat down side by side. The girl still clutched the thin letter tightly in her fingers, its edges slightly wrinkled from her grip.

After hesitating for a moment, she could not hold back any longer and handed the letter to Chen An.

As the paper unfolded, neat lines of writing filled with reluctant farewell came into view. Every word conveyed Tang Ziran and his wife's concern and helplessness—their parting had been unavoidable.

Chen An lowered his eyes and read it quietly.

He had long prepared himself for this. He had come here with a mission.

From the very beginning, his life with the Tang Family had been colored by selfish motives and calculations. He should have remained unmoved, not become entangled by such warmth.

Yet after truly reading the tender words of farewell across the page and recalling the Tang couple's meticulous care over the past two years, he still felt a trace of bitterness.

It had nothing to do with his mission or bloodline. Chen An simply felt sorrow for this bond.

Tang Wuling had been secretly watching his expression. Seeing his lowered eyes and somber face, she quickly suppressed the grief in her own eyes and asked softly.

"Xiao An, are you all right?"

By now, she had completely embraced the role of an elder sister who depended on him for life.

In her eyes, Chen An was her only family, the younger brother she had to protect. They were both alone in the world, sharing the pain of being separated from their loved ones.

Chen An looked up and happened to catch sight of the lingering redness in her eyes. Her lashes were faintly damp; she had clearly struggled to hold back her tears just moments ago.

A thought flashed through his mind. After 0.1 seconds of deep consideration, he chose to go along with the script and the girl's wishes, gently playing his part.

He softened his tone, his voice carrying the gentle warmth unique to a young boy as he spoke quietly.

"Wuling, they only left temporarily, right? As long as we become strong enough, one day, we'll definitely find them again, right?"

Upon hearing this, Tang Wuling gently shook her lowered head as the emotions she had been suppressing surged within her.

She suddenly raised her head. The confusion in her eyes faded, replaced by a determined gleam.

"Yes, we have to become stronger..."

She had no other choice now.

Becoming stronger was the only way out—the only foundation for finding her family again and protecting each other.

Just as the two had begun to calm down, the academy's broadcast speakers suddenly came to life. A clear announcement spread across all of Eastsea Academy, breaking the campus's quiet.

"Emergency notice: Due to extreme weather conditions, a typhoon will soon sweep through Eastsea City and is expected to last several days.

"Starting today, the entire school will be suspended for one week. All teachers and students are to remain on campus and avoid going out whenever possible..."

The repeated announcement echoed again and again.

Tang Wuling had been filled with anxiety over the seal within her body, but the instant she heard "school suspended for one week," a spark of light suddenly lit up in her eyes, and most of the gloom on her face dispersed.

This week of free time was far too precious to her.

She immediately rose from the steps. A trace of resolve flashed in her eyes, and after a brief hesitation, she turned around and gently placed both hands on Chen An's shoulders, her expression serious and solemn.

"Xiao An, there's something very important that I have to do right now."

Seeing her resolute expression, Chen An did not question her at all. His eyes were clear and calm as he answered softly, "I believe you."

Those four simple words instantly soothed all the unease in Tang Wuling's heart.

She bent down and gently hugged Chen An again, giving him a quiet instruction.

"Help me tell Teacher Wu Changkong that I've gone to the Blacksmith Association."

"Mm." Chen An nodded, then unhurriedly asked, "Can I come find you later?"

Tang Wuling paused slightly before answering gently, "Mm, anytime."

As soon as the words left her lips, she no longer hesitated. Turning around, she rushed out through the academy gates and sped toward the Blacksmith Association, her back resolute as she raced toward her own way of breaking the deadlock.

Chen An stood where he was, watching her retreating figure. He slowly folded the letter in his hand with care and tucked it into his clothes, then turned and headed toward Wu Changkong's office to pass along the message.

Night had fully fallen. In less than two hours, a torrential storm swept over Eastsea City.

The howling wind battered the glass windows of the teaching buildings, producing a rapid series of loud crackles.

The rain poured down in sheets, blurring the streets and alleys and flooding the roads. Everything between heaven and earth was a vast expanse of white, and there was not a single person left on the streets. The entire city lay shrouded in wind and rain.

Inside the boys' dormitory, most of the students obediently remained indoors, sheltering from the extreme downpour.

Chen An raised a hand and pushed open the dorm room door, his footsteps breaking the room's silence.

Zhang Yangzi, who had been sitting in meditation, opened his eyes at the sound. Looking at the raging storm outside, he asked in confusion.

"The wind and rain are so bad outside. You're still going out?"

Chen An replied in a relaxed, teasing tone, "Going for a walk."

He shut the door behind him and stepped alone into the storm.

The torrential rain struck his shoulders, soaking his clothes in an instant.

To ordinary people, this dreadful rainstorm was something to avoid at all costs. But for Chen An, it was an excellent opportunity for cultivation.

His martial soul bloodline was compatible with water. Moreover, the Roulette had previously unlocked part of the Silver Dragon King's elemental control abilities. Now that he stood amid the rain, water elements were everywhere around him.

He had not used elemental control within the academy because Gu Yue was there watching him.

But now that he was outside the academy's grounds, all he needed to do was avoid revealing his Soul Ring and suppress the range of his soul power fluctuations so as not to alert the guards' detection.

Chen An walked slowly down the empty, deserted street, allowing the rain to wash over him.

The Dragon Scale on his chest glimmered with faint light. As though guided by an invisible force, the rainwater broke free of its natural path and slowly gathered in his palm.

Controlling water with spiritual power was far easier than he had expected.

A glint flashed through Chen An's eyes as he decided to test it.

With a thought, the stream gathered in his palm condensed into a ball of water.

Not far away stood a thick stone wall, an abandoned roadside barrier.

Chen An flicked his hand, and the water ball compressed to its limit shot through the air in an instant, moving so fast that it left only a watery afterimage.

There was only a faint whoosh, no earth-shattering commotion, yet it possessed terrifying piercing power.

The solid stone wall was instantly pierced through, leaving behind a tiny, bottomless hole.

Chen An swiftly scanned his surroundings. The entire street was empty, and the wind and rain concealed every sound.

Another thought arose in his mind. He summoned a faint trace of earth-element spiritual power and quietly filled in the hole, restoring the wall without leaving the slightest trace.

After finishing all this, he continued forward at an unhurried pace, letting the heavy rain drench him.

When he reached the eaves of Mang Tian's Blacksmith Workshop, Chen An stopped.

He activated the soul skill Ripple. Fine waves of soul power spread over his body, instantly shaking every drop of rain from his clothes and hair. He was dry in the blink of an eye.

The warmth of the Dragon Scale on his chest grew increasingly distinct. Even through the building and from a distance away, he could clearly sense Tang Wuling's presence inside.

She had already successfully obtained the crucial spiritual item from the Blacksmith Association that would suppress the seal, and she was currently in seclusion, focusing her mind.

Chen An lightened his movements and opened the door.