Na'er

Na'er

Sea breezes slipped through the window cracks, carrying a salty, damp scent. In front of the dining table, Tang Wulin sipped his congee in small mouthfuls while his eyes kept glancing toward the door. Today was the day of his six-year-old martial soul awakening.

"Wulin, are you nervous?" Lang Yue put down her chopsticks and gently stroked her son's soft blue hair.

Tang Wulin nodded, then shook his head. "A little... Mom, what if the martial soul I awaken turns out bad?" He had heard too many street-corner discussions, knowing that the quality of one's martial soul practically dictated a commoner's entire life.

"Silly child." Tang Ziran swallowed the steamed bun in his mouth, his voice steady and powerful. "Good or bad, that's what other people say. In your mom's and my eyes, as long as you're healthy and upright, it doesn't matter what you awaken. Back then, the martial soul I awakened was nothing more than a shovel with practically no spirit power; didn't I still rely on my strength to support this family?" He paused, glancing at the old cloth scarf hanging perpetually around his son's neck. "Besides, our Wulin has great fortune—who knows, you might just get a surprise."

These words acted like a reassuring pill. Tang Wulin touched his scarf, then subconsciously pressed through his clothes against the Snowflake Necklace on his chest; the cool, familiar touch brought him a good deal of comfort. "Mm! I'll work hard!"

Lang Yue meticulously straightened her son's necklace chain, tucking it inside his collar, and whispered instructions. "When you get to the Spirit Pagoda, listen to Spirit Master Lin, and be poised and graceful. No matter the result, come home early and Mom will make your favorite braised fish."

The family's gazes intersected, warm and calm. Deep in Tang Ziran's eyes, however, lay a trace of imperceptible heaviness. He knew better than anyone that the awakening ceremony was an important milestone officially recorded by the Spirit Pagoda, and their identities would once again be exposed to the gaze of that colossal organization.

Spirit Pagoda branch, Awakening Hall.

The atmosphere inside the hall was solemn. Spirit Master Lin Tao, who presided over the awakening, wore a standard smile and amiable words, continually emphasizing the Spirit Pagoda's tenet of "serving spirit masters and harmonious coexistence." Yet as the children stepped forward one by one, awakening ordinary martial souls like hoes and Blue Silver Grass, the veneer of stylized gentleness at the bottom of his eyes concealed an impassive detachment born of long familiarity. Efficiency, and incorporating every potential spirit master into the management system, was what mattered most.

It was Tang Wulin's turn. He took a deep breath and placed his small hand on the crystal ball. The initial calm made his heart panic, and immediately afterward, the blossoming blue halo and the slender phantom of a Blue Silver Grass instantly submerged him in disappointment.

"Martial soul, Blue Silver Grass." Lin Tao's voice remained amiable, carrying professional encouragement. "Good vitality, child, the future is promising."

Just as these standard words of comfort were about to be finished, and the exact moment Tang Wulin himself had nearly resigned to his fate—

An anomaly suddenly arose!

From the center of those fragile blue blades of grass, without any warning, several dark golden veins burst forth, sharp as needles and dazzlingly brilliant! The veins didn't merely cover the surface; rather, like living blood vessels, they expanded and stood out fiercely within the grass blades, exuding an extremely brief yet heart-palpitating, overbearing aura. At the same time, the Snowflake Necklace on Tang Wulin's chest abruptly grew piping hot, a piercing chill stabbing straight into his heart as if violently confronting those golden veins!

"Hum—!"

Placed nearby to stabilize and record spirit power fluctuations, the dial needle of the auxiliary spirit guidance instrument went wild, vibrating frantically and emitting a harsh, alarming buzz! The light within the crystal ball twisted violently, as though a huge boulder had been dropped into a calm lake surface!

"What?!" The amiable smile on Lin Tao's face instantly froze, transforming into extreme shock and vigilance. With a single stride forward, his spirit power burst forth, quickly steadying the nearly out-of-control instrument while his gaze shot like lightning toward Tang Wulin, especially his small hand that had just been pulled back and still seemed to retain a trace of invisible tremor.

Blue Silver Grass? Dark gold veins? Triggering an abnormal resonance from the spirit guidance instrument? This completely exceeded the scope of his cognitive framework and daily operational manual! He immediately realized that this was by no means a simple "trash martial soul," but rather an unprecedented, special mutated martial soul capable of interfering with or even stirring up spirit guidance energy! Its value was perhaps far from being as simple as it appeared on the surface.

Tang Wulin was frightened by this turn of events and the spirit master's abruptly sharp gaze, his little face turning pale and helpless. Down below, Tang Ziran's heart plummeted to the bottom, and Lang Yue tightly gripped her husband's arm.

Lin Tao rapidly recovered his outward composure, but his gaze was entirely different. He first pacified Tang Wulin gently with spirit power (though the action carried a trace of undeniable probing intent) and completed the subsequent tests. "Innate spirit power: level three." Compared to the anomaly just now, this result seemed so mediocre, adding an extra layer of bizarreness.

He didn't say another word of encouraging nonsense, instead operating swiftly on the spirit guidance recording tablet. Beneath Tang Wulin's basic information, he clicked open a "Special Matter Remarks" interface framed in red, his fingers typing rapidly:

> "Subject: Tang Wulin (ID: AT-774-06)

> Observation item: Martial soul awakening abnormality.

> Details:

> 1. Martial soul is Blue Silver Grass; upon awakening, it displayed high-intensity, unknown-attribute dark golden internal vein mutation, lasting approximately 0.3 seconds.

> 2. At the moment of mutation, it triggered core data stream disorder in the 'Spirit Power Resonance Instrument-Type III' (Serial: SL-447), intensity rating: Class C (capable of causing low-level spirit guidance circuit overload).

> 3. Innate spirit power level three, severely mismatched with the mutated energy intensity, questionable.

> Preliminary judgment: Non-natural benign mutation, suspected recessive powerful energy carrier or special energy-affinities constitution. Recommendation: List under 'potential special sample' observation roster, initiate level three silent monitoring, periodically trace his family background information (associated person: Tang Ziran, formerly served as Cold Pine Town observer, records questionable). Subsequent arrangement of adaptability tests required to assess his martial soul's potential impact on spirit tools and application possibilities."

When typing the words "application possibilities," Lin Tao's gaze flickered slightly. The Spirit Pagoda's attitude toward all unconventional power was first "observation," then "evaluation," and the ultimate goal was forever "control" and "utilization."

He handed the most ordinary spirit master certificate to Tang Ziran, a flawless, shallow smile once again hanging on his face. "The formalities are done. The child's martial soul has distinct characteristics; perhaps he will have a unique developmental path in the future. Please pay more attention to relevant information from the Spirit Pagoda."

Tang Ziran took the card, feeling as though the thin card weighed a thousand pounds. He clearly saw Lin Tao's completely different, solemn expression during the operation, as well as the complex interface that had flashed across the screen a moment ago. He knew his son had been branded with an invisible label.

The road home was exceptionally long. Tang Wulin hung his head, the shock of those golden veins earlier quickly replaced by the heavy disappointment brought by the words "Blue Silver Grass." His parents' words of comfort still lingered in his ears yet failed to pierce that layer of dejection.

"Dad, Mom, I want to go for a walk by the seaside alone." As they neared the alley entrance, Tang Wulin said softly.

Tang Ziran and Lang Yue exchanged a glance, seeing the worry in each other's eyes, but ultimately nodded. "Come back early," Lang Yue said softly, understanding that the child needed a bit of space to digest his emotions alone.

Tang Wulin walked along the familiar coastline, wandering aimlessly. The setting sun dyed the seawater gold and red, yet failed to pierce his gloomy mood. Without realizing it, he walked into the secluded area behind the dock piled with discarded fishing nets and damaged wooden boxes.

Sobbing and giggling reached his ears simultaneously.

At the end of a dead end, three vagrant boys a few years older than him were surrounding a tiny figure huddled in the corner. It was a silver-haired girl, her hair dirty and matted, wrapped in an oversized, tattered coat, her exposed ankles slender and pale. Clutching half a loaf of black bread to her chest, she faced the pushing and mocking by simply biting her lower lip hard; beneath the fear in her purple eyes welled a nearly tangible, icy fury and humiliation. She was playing the weakling to perfection, but that portion of her soul belonging to the Silver Dragon King was boiling with rage over this clumsy offense.

Just as one of the youths reached out to tug her hair—

"Stop! You're bullying people!"

Tang Wulin rushed over. Even though his heart was still downcast over the martial soul matter, and even though he was quite scared himself, his body had already stepped in front of the girl first. He wasn't tall, but he straightened his back.

"Hey, blue-haired kid, mind your own business!" The ringleader waved his fist.

Tang Wulin didn't back down. Taking a deep breath, he said loudly, "I... I'm already a spirit master! If you bully people again, I... I'll go call the patrol squad!" He flashed the brand-new, nearly weightless spirit master card. In this civilian district, this identity carried a fair bit of deterrence.

The vagrant boys froze for a moment, curled their lips, and muttered curses as they scattered. They were merely bullies who picked on the soft and feared the hard, and they didn't want to tangle with any trouble that might be linked to a "spirit master."

Having chased away the punks, Tang Wulin finally let out a breath and turned around. The girl had already lifted her head, quietly looking at him. Their eyes met.

Tang Wulin saw a pair of extremely beautiful purple eyes the likes of which he had never seen before, only at this moment they were brimming with panicked tears, giving his heart a tug. "Y-you okay? Are you hurt?" He squatted down, his tone involuntarily softening.

The girl—Na'er—gently shook her head, yet her gaze never shifted from Tang Wulin's face. At the very moment he had stood before her to shield her just then, besides that childish bravery, she had sensed it even more clearly! That faint yet incomparably pure and noble dragon race coercion originating from the depths of his life's source, as well as the violent, destructive aura lurking beneath it that made one's soul tremble! Though weakened by heavy seals, that essential tier... far surpassed any spirit beast she had ever seen, even making her, an avatar of the Silver Dragon King, feel a trace of resonance and repulsion born of sharing the same status!

Fragments of the Golden Dragon King's power? Within a human child? Sealed by the Sea God's power and another frigid blessing? A tumultuous storm churned in Na'er's heart. This was by no means accidental! This boy was a riddle, a key, and perhaps even a... trap? Did Di Tian and the others know? No, if they knew, given Di Tian's obsession with the Dragon God's power, his reaction would never be like this now. Then...

In the flash of lightning, countless thoughts collided, analyzed, and reached a decision in her mind. The original plan had to change completely. This boy, Tang Wulin, must become the core target for her observation, comprehension, and perhaps even... control. Approaching him was not only a necessity for infiltrating the human world, but the key to unraveling this heaven-shaking secret.

"T-thank you..." she spoke, her voice as thin as a mosquito's hum with just the right amount of trembling, tears rolling down her purple eyes. "I... my name is Na'er... I don't remember my home..."

Seeing her disheveled and pitiful appearance, Tang Wulin's own troubles seemed to have washed away somewhat. He scratched his head. "My name is Tang Wulin... Where are your adults? How did they leave you here alone?"

Na'er only shook her head, her tears increasing, and reached out to gently tug at the corner of Tang Wulin's clothes, lifting her small face. That dependent expression was impossible to refuse.

Tang Wulin looked at the sinking setting sun, then looked at the homeless girl before him, and recalled his mother's usual teachings. Hesitating for a moment, he extended his hand. "It's getting dark, it's not safe here... How about you come home with me first? My mom will definitely find a way to help you."

Na'er looked at his extended hand, a flash of extremely complex shimmering light passing through her eyes—plan success. She slowly placed her own dirty little hand into Tang Wulin's palm.

Inside the Tang family's small kitchen, the lights blazed brightly. Lang Yue looked at the silver-haired girl her son had brought back, and after listening to the stuttering account, astonishment gave way instantly to maternal gentleness. She fetched warm water and gently helped Na'er clean up. When the stains faded, revealing that excessively delicate face and that head of silver hair cascading with the luster of moonlight, even Tang Ziran paused for a moment.

Na'er changed into the clean old clothes Lang Yue dug out, sitting quietly at the edge of the table and eating the hot noodle soup in small mouthfuls. Her manners were somewhat clumsy, as though she weren't accustomed to human tableware, yet her eyes were pure. To every question Tang Ziran and Lang Yue asked, she merely shook her head or gave brief replies, perfectly playing the role of an overly frightened, memory-fogged orphan.

Tang Wulin sat across from her, somewhat reserved at first, but quickly softened by Na'er's curiosity (she cautiously touched the ceramic bowl on the table and observed the flickering lamp flame) and the trusting look she occasionally cast his way. He took the initiative to speak to her, gesturing to explain the things around the house.

Late at night, the makeshift little bed sat right next to Tang Wulin's room. Na'er closed her eyes, her breathing steady. Yet her perception, like formless mercury, permeated the entire small cottage, focusing heavily on the boy in the next room.

Tang Wulin was fast asleep, the daytime dejection seemingly dissipating in his dreams. The Snowflake Necklace and the old cloth scarf quietly fulfilled their duty of guardianship. Deep inside his body, meanwhile, that shattered divine core seemed somewhat more "active" than usual in its silence due to the slight stimulation during today's martial soul awakening, and a trace of almost imperceptible dark gold breath swept through his meridians like smoke.

Na'er's consciousness was as cold and clear as ice. The Golden Dragon King's aura... the Sea God's seal... What on earth was this boy named Tang Wulin? She realized that she had inadvertently touched upon a vortex concerning the ultimate secret of the Dragon God's origin, one that perhaps even Di Tian had never noticed. The internal ideological divergences of the spirit beasts and the deadlock between humans and spirit beasts seemed destined for re-evaluation in the face of this secret.

She made a decision: everything about this boy would become her exclusive, highest-level secret until she (as Gu Yuena) could clarify the truth and weigh the most advantageous path. Even to Di Tian, it must never be revealed. Under the identity of "Na'er," she would firmly root herself in this family, observing and probing at close range until she mastered every last puzzle piece.

Just then, Tang Wulin in the next room mumbled vaguely in his dream, "...Not a trash martial soul..."

Na'er's long silver eyelashes fluttered imperceptibly in the darkness. Her purple eyes quietly opened a crack, devoid of childish innocence, holding only the deep, endless contemplation and resolve belonging to the Silver Dragon King.