The Name of Brother and Sister Quietly Spread

The afternoon sunlight was gentler, spilling over the training grounds of Shrek Inner Court and bathing the entire field in a warm glow.

The Seven Monsters gathered once more, ready to continue refining their team formation. After resting and talking individually that morning, everyone was in excellent condition. Even Xie Xie, usually so lively and mischievous, had reined in his antics and listened seriously as Tang Wulin arranged the next round of joint training.

"We'll go through the finals formation again later. Focus on the gaps between transitions and try to make the switches seamless," Tang Wulin said steadily from the middle of the group, his golden eyes holding a seriousness rarely seen in someone his age.

His companions nodded and took their positions, preparing to circulate their soul power.

Xu Xiaoyan naturally moved to her control position, but before settling in, she subconsciously looked up at Tang Wulin and softly called out:

"Brother, I'm ready."

The call came naturally and smoothly, as though she had practiced it countless times in her heart.

Tang Wulin merely gave a casual hum, not finding anything strange about it. Still focused on arranging the formation, he replied offhandedly, "All right. Wait for my signal and be ready to control the field at any time."

Yet that word, "Brother," landed clearly in the ears of several people nearby.

Xie Xie's eyes widened on the spot. He looked at Xu Xiaoyan, then at Tang Wulin, his mouth hanging open for a long while before he finally muttered in disbelief, "No way, no way... since when did you two start calling each other brother and sister?"

Ye Xinglan raised an eyebrow slightly as well, her gaze moving between the two of them. Though she said nothing, her eyes were clearly filled with curiosity.

Yuanen Yehui remained as quiet as ever. She merely cast them a faint glance before withdrawing her gaze and adjusting her breathing, as though she did not care.

Le Zhengyu smiled gently, wearing an understanding and tolerant expression.

Gu Yue stood beside Tang Wulin, her expression calm and unruffled. Only the slightest flicker passed through her eyes before she returned to normal, as if she had merely heard the most ordinary thing.

Xu Xiaoyan grew a little embarrassed under Xie Xie's stare, the tips of her ears reddening slightly. Yet she pursed her lips softly and did not deny it, simply returning quietly to her position.

Only then did Tang Wulin realize the unusual reaction caused by that form of address. He paused for a moment, then smiled openly and explained in a natural tone:

"Oh, we just mentioned it casually while chatting earlier. Xiaoyan is younger, so I'll take better care of her from now on. I'll just treat her as my little sister."

He said it lightly, without any special intention behind it. He had neither deliberately announced it nor tried to conceal it. He simply brought up the agreement from beside the stone table as though it were the most natural thing in the world.

There was no sentimentality, no ceremony. He had not even taken it too seriously himself, as if they had merely added another layer of closeness to the relationship between teammates.

Xie Xie immediately understood and slapped his forehead. "Oh—so that's what happened! I was wondering why you suddenly changed how you addressed each other! Not bad, Wulin. You've got yourself a pretty little sister. Nice, nice!"

"Don't talk nonsense." Tang Wulin shot him a helpless look. "Hurry up and get ready. We're starting the joint training."

"Yes, Captain!" Xie Xie immediately answered with a grin and stopped asking questions.

Everyone focused, and their soul power slowly began to circulate.

The domineering power of the Golden Dragon King, the agility of elemental power, the icy chill of the Starwheel Ice Staff, the weight of the Titan Giant Ape, the holiness of the light element, the swiftness of an agility attack-type Soul Master, and the warm aura of the food-type system intertwined, gradually forming a complete and perfectly coordinated team formation.

Under the shade of a tree some distance away, Adult Tang Wulin still stood quietly.

He watched the two of them naturally accept the identities of brother and sister, watched their companions react as though it were nothing unusual, and a faint gentleness passed through his eyes.

There was no awkwardness, no embarrassment, no unnecessary disturbance.

A careless agreement, a casually spoken form of address, and a small change that no one had deliberately pushed forward quietly settled their relationship for good.

Sunlight fell upon the young men and women. Soul power flowed in orderly patterns across the training grounds, and their coordination grew ever more seamless.

Xu Xiaoyan's gaze toward Tang Wulin still carried dependence and closeness, but it had now fully become the calm, gentle affection between brother and sister—pure and open, leaving no room for misunderstanding.

As for Tang Wulin, he remained open and sincere from beginning to end, believing only that he had gained a younger sister who needed his care. He had no idea that, beneath the subtle ripples of time, this gentle change had quietly taken place.