Sword Heart's Protection

The day after Yun Zhishu stabilized her soul power, the autumn sun was just right.

She pestered her sister to take her out. Her amber-gold eyes shone like two stars steeped in honey as she tugged Yun Zhiyu's sleeve and swayed it back and forth. "Sister, I've been cooped up for two days. My bones are rusting!"

Yun Zhiyu could only sigh helplessly as she was jostled around. She had planned to hammer out the rough form of the Primal Sword Embryo today, but seeing her little sister's pitiful face, her heart softened at once.

"Is Sister Yuan En coming too?" Yun Zhishu asked again.

"I'm coming!" A hoarse voice sounded from the doorway. Yuanen Yehui entered carrying a bag of dried soul beast meat, her grayish-white face looking slightly awkward. Coming to Sea God's Pavilion had become routine for her now, yet she always announced herself before entering, as if afraid of disturbing something.

Yun Zhiyu smiled and untied her work apron. "Let's go. We'll take a walk around the Inner Court. No running too far, and no causing trouble."

"Got it!"

The three of them strolled along the stone path by Sea God Lake. The autumn waters glittered with broken-gold ripples, while the Inner Court's buildings stood scattered in the distance. Every so often, students flew across the sky on swords, leaving pale trails behind them. Yun Zhishu skipped along at the front, sometimes crouching down to look at wildflowers by the road, sometimes chasing low-flying waterbirds for a few steps, like a sparrow freshly released from its cage.

"Sister, what kind of tree is that?" She pointed at a tall tree with reddish leaves by the roadside.

"A maple tree."

"What about that one?"

"A parasol tree."

"And that glowing rock?"

"A soul-guidance lamp post, not a rock."

Yuanen Yehui walked beside Yun Zhiyu, listening to the sisters' conversation as the corners of her lips rose unconsciously. She remembered her childhood, when no one had ever answered her questions so patiently. Her family had regarded her as an aberration, while children her age had avoided her like the plague. Yet now, walking between these two people, with the autumn sun warming her grayish-white skin, she strangely felt a sense of belonging.

"Sister Yuan En," Yun Zhishu suddenly ran back and took her hand. "There are sugar figurines up ahead! Have you ever had one?"

Yuanen Yehui shook her head. She had never eaten such snacks. Her family's meals had been nutritious but bland, and getting anything good at the Outer Court cafeteria required contribution points.

"Sister, buy one for me!" Yun Zhishu turned to Yun Zhiyu, her eyes wide and round. "Buy one for Sister Yuan En too!"

Yun Zhiyu was about to agree when a sudden clamor rose from ahead. In the direction of the Inner Court's sparring grounds, many students had gathered. Cheers, jeers, and the crisp clash of blades mixed together.

"Want to take a look?" Yuanen Yehui asked Yun Zhiyu.

Yun Zhiyu nodded and took her little sister's hand as they headed toward the crowd.

At the center of the sparring grounds, two figures were dueling with swords.

One was a boy around eight or nine years old, tall and sturdy, wielding a broadsword. Its blade was broad and heavy, and every swing brought a howling gust of wind. He had clearly awakened his martial soul one or two years ago. His soul power flowed smoothly, and every strike was powerful enough to force his opponent back again and again.

His opponent was a girl even half a head shorter than Yun Zhishu, barely over six years old. She wore a white training outfit that was slightly too large for her and held a thin sword with a blade as slender as a willow leaf. Under the broadsword's pressure, it trembled and hummed. She had clearly awakened her martial soul only recently. Her soul power was unstable, her footing unsteady, and several times she nearly got hit by the gusts from the broadsword.

Ye Xinglan. Yun Zhiyu silently recited the name.

One of the Shrek Seven Monsters from the original story. Her martial soul was the Star God's Sword, and she would one day become the Star God Douluo. Right now, though, she was only a stubborn little girl gritting her teeth to protect someone important.

"That boy awakened his martial soul at least two years ago," Yuanen Yehui analyzed quietly, her grayish-white face grave. "The little girl opposite him should be like Zhishu, having awakened only a few days ago. Her chances of winning... aren't good."

Yun Zhishu clutched her sister's hand, her little nose wrinkling with anxiety. "Sister, is that big sister going to lose?"

Yun Zhiyu did not answer immediately.

She watched Ye Xinglan in the arena. The girl's face was pale, fine beads of sweat covered her forehead, and the hand holding her sword trembled slightly—not from fear, but from the signs of soul power exhaustion. Yet her eyes, those ink-black eyes, shone with startling brightness. There was no retreat in them, no fear, only an almost obsessive determination.

As if they were saying: I can fall, but my sword cannot.

"She'll win," Yun Zhiyu suddenly said.

Yuanen Yehui froze. "Why?"

"Because she's a sword fanatic." Yun Zhiyu's lips curved faintly. "As long as the sword remains, so does its wielder. If the sword perishes, so does its wielder. People like that either win or die. There is no third possibility."

Yuanen Yehui and Yun Zhishu exchanged looks, both seeing confusion in the other's eyes. But Yun Zhiyu offered no further explanation. She simply watched the arena quietly, the vertical slit in her purple eyes opening slightly like some ancient dragon's gaze, examining the battle that had yet to end.

In the arena, the boy's broadsword came crashing down again with a shrieking gust. Ye Xinglan twisted aside to evade it, but she was a moment too slow. The sword wind swept across her left arm, leaving a bloody gash. She staggered and dropped to one knee, using her thin sword to brace herself against the ground. It gave a harsh scraping sound.

"Give up," the boy said, lowering his sword. His tone held condescending pity. "You're only six. I won't hurt you. Hand over that fatty. He stole my soul-guidance device."

"I didn't steal it!" A round figure poked his head out from behind Ye Xinglan. It was a boy even shorter than her, with chubby cheeks but bright eyes. "I found it by the cafeteria entrance! You—you dropped it yourself!"

"Enough nonsense!" The boy's face darkened as he raised his broadsword again. "I'll ask one last time. Are you handing him over or not?"

Ye Xinglan did not answer.

She slowly rose to her feet and held her thin sword across her chest. With two fingers of her left hand, she wiped across the blade. Blood seeped from the wound on her arm, staining her white training clothes and tinting the sword's ridge pale red. Her lips moved as though she were murmuring something, and a certain light in her dark eyes grew brighter and brighter.

"Feeding the sword with blood..." Yun Zhiyu murmured. "The winner will be decided now."

Before her words had even faded, Ye Xinglan moved.

That strike was unbelievably fast. It was not a soul skill, nor was it a secret technique. It was simply the fusion of will and swordsmanship. Her thin sword became a streak of silver-white light, piercing through the broadsword's defenses before stopping half an inch from the boy's throat. The blade tip trembled and hummed ceaselessly like a snake poised to strike.

The boy froze in place, his face deathly pale. He felt it—the chill transmitted by the sword tip. It was not the cold of temperature, but something deeper, like having a beast's gaze locked on his throat and being unable to move.

"Y-you..." His voice shook.

"Get lost." Ye Xinglan spoke only one word.

The boy fled in a panic, even forgetting to pick up his broadsword. The spectators let out a wave of murmurs and gradually dispersed, but Ye Xinglan seemed to have had all her strength drained away. Her thin sword fell with a clang, and her whole body pitched forward.

A pair of hands caught her.

At some point, Yun Zhiyu had passed through the crowd and gathered Ye Xinglan into her arms. Looking at the girl's paper-pale face and the savage wound on her arm, a complicated feeling welled up in her heart—heartache, admiration, and a resonance born of kindred spirits.

"Showing off," she murmured as she took out some medicine.

Ye Xinglan opened her eyes. The sharpness in those ink-black eyes had yet to fade. She looked at the silver-haired, purple-eyed girl before her and paused. "...Who are you?"

"Yun Zhiyu." She gently applied ointment to the wound. "From Sea God's Pavilion."

"Sea God's Pavilion..." Ye Xinglan's pupils contracted slightly. Of course she knew the name. It was the most mysterious place in Shrek Academy, the residence of Pavilion Master Yun Ming.

"Don't move." Yun Zhiyu pressed down on her struggling shoulder. "The wound is deep, and your soul power is exhausted. If you keep moving around, it'll leave lasting damage."

Ye Xinglan stiffened, then eventually quieted down. She watched Yun Zhiyu's lowered lashes and the concentration in those purple eyes, and suddenly felt her throat tighten. No one had ever treated her wound like this before. Her family had seen her as an heir, while her peers feared her as though she were mad. Yet this girl, whom she had only met once, treated her as if she were some precious object, careful and meticulous in every motion.

"Why..." she asked hoarsely.

"Why what?"

"Why help me?" Ye Xinglan's voice carried stubbornness. "You don't even know me."

Yun Zhiyu raised her eyes and met her gaze. In those dark eyes were wariness, confusion, and a deeply buried, nearly fragile expectation. She suddenly recalled how Ye Xinglan in the original story had repeatedly drawn her sword to protect Xu Lizhi and defend Shrek Academy's honor, suffering wounds all over her body without ever regretting it.

Because some people, and some things, were worth protecting with one's life.

"Because you are a swordswoman," Yun Zhiyu said softly. "So am I. Between swords, there is no need for introductions."

Ye Xinglan was stunned.

Yun Zhiyu finished bandaging the wound, rose to her feet, and beckoned to Yuanen Yehui and Yun Zhishu nearby. Yun Zhishu immediately ran over and curiously examined Ye Xinglan. "Big sister, you're amazing! You scared that big brother away!"

Ye Xinglan awkwardly turned her face aside, the tips of her ears reddening faintly. She was not good at getting close to people, much less accustomed to such blunt praise.

"Her name is Ye Xinglan," Yun Zhiyu introduced her to her sister and Yuanen Yehui, then pointed toward the chubby boy who had edged out from a corner. "That's Xu Lizhi, Xinglan's..."

"Friend!" Xu Lizhi quickly cut in, his round face bearing a simple, honest smile. "Sister Xinglan is the best! She always protects me!"

The tips of Ye Xinglan's ears reddened further as she scolded quietly, "Shut up."

Xu Lizhi immediately covered his mouth, though his eyes curved into crescents.

Warmth rose in Yun Zhiyu's heart as she watched them. The Shrek Seven Monsters of the original story were all still children now, yet the beginnings of their future bond had already emerged. She gave Yuanen Yehui a look, and the gray-skinned girl understood, handing over a bag of dried soul beast meat. "Want some? It's from the Outer Court cafeteria."

Xu Lizhi's eyes immediately lit up. He reached out to take it, only for Ye Xinglan to slap his hand away. "You can't just take things from strangers."

"It's alright." Yuanen Yehui's voice was soft, carrying a gentleness born of shared understanding. "I... didn't have friends before either. Now I do."

She looked at Yun Zhiyu and Yun Zhishu, and warmth flickered in her dark brown eyes. Ye Xinglan paused, seeming to see something familiar in this grayish-white-skinned girl.

"Your martial soul," Yun Zhiyu suddenly said, looking at Ye Xinglan. "Is it the Star God's Sword? An inherited martial soul?"

Ye Xinglan's whole body tensed, and wariness rose in her eyes once more. "How did you know?"

"I guessed." Yun Zhiyu smiled. "A sword like a meteor, carrying the force of a startled swan. Other than the Star God's Sword, I can't think of another possibility."

She paused. The vertical slit in her purple eyes opened slightly, and an ancient, majestic aura flashed past. "My martial soul is a sword too."

"What sword?"

"Xuanyuan."

Ye Xinglan's pupils shrank sharply. Of course she had heard that name—the Human Emperor's sword, the weapon of the Sacred Dao, a god-tier martial soul found only in ancient legends. She stared fixedly at Yun Zhiyu, as if trying to discern the truth from those purple eyes.

Yun Zhiyu let her scrutinize her, the faint curve never leaving her lips. She extended her hand, palm upward. A thread of purple-gold soul power leaped out and condensed in the air into the phantom of a small sword. One side of the blade was engraved with the sun, moon, and stars; the other bore mountains, rivers, and vegetation. A giant dragon with closed eyes coiled around its hilt.

"Xuanyuan Sword..." Ye Xinglan's voice trembled. "It really is the Xuanyuan Sword..."

"So, as I said," Yun Zhiyu said as she withdrew her soul power and held out her hand to Ye Xinglan, "there is no need for swords to know each other. Let's practice swordsmanship together from now on and learn from each other. Alright?"

Ye Xinglan looked at that hand. It was fair and slender, with thin calluses on the knuckles from forging, yet it remained steadily extended in the air like a promise. She recalled the countless nights she had practiced alone, the mocking or pitying looks from her family, and the loneliness that no one had understood whenever she drew her sword.

And now, someone was telling her, "Let's practice swordsmanship together."

"...Alright." She reached out and took that hand.

Yun Zhiyu's hand was warm, carrying the distinctive metallic warmth of the forging room, yet it strangely made her feel safe. Feeling that warmth, Ye Xinglan suddenly found her eyes stinging. She hurriedly lowered her head, unwilling to let anyone see her lose composure.

"Sister Xinglan," little Zhishu leaned closer, her face full of mischievous delight. "You're blushing!"

"I'm not!"

"You are! Like a ripe apple!"

"Yun Zhishu!"

Everyone burst into laughter. Xu Lizhi scratched his head and laughed foolishly along with them. The corners of Yuanen Yehui's lips rose slightly, rare softness appearing on her grayish-white face. Yun Zhiyu draped an arm around her little sister's shoulder, autumn sunlight reflected in her purple eyes as though they held an entire warm afternoon.

"Oh, right." Yun Zhiyu looked at Ye Xinglan and Xu Lizhi. "Where do you live? Inner Court dorms?"

"Mm." Ye Xinglan nodded. "Freshman dormitory, room 307."

"Come to Sea God's Pavilion when you have time," Yun Zhiyu said. "There's an open space beside my forging room, good for sword practice. Zhishu draws there too, and Yuanen..."

She looked at the grayish-white-skinned girl. Yuanen Yehui understood and said softly, "I... hold up the drawing board there."

"Hold up the drawing board?" Ye Xinglan blinked.

"Sister Yuan En is really strong!" Yun Zhishu said proudly. "She can lift a forging table with one hand!"

Ye Xinglan looked at Yuanen Yehui with greater curiosity. She noticed the grayish-white skin, the fine fur over her knuckles, and the faint golden ring at the edges of her dark brown eyes—the traits of the Titan Giant Ape martial soul. She had seen them in her family's records.

"Titan Giant Ape?" she blurted out.

Yuanen Yehui's body stiffened, and she instinctively took half a step back. She had grown used to rejection and fear, and had even prepared herself for another round of mockery.

"It's impressive," Ye Xinglan said instead, her voice calm but sincere. "A top-tier beast martial soul. When we spar in the future, you can be my practice partner."

Yuanen Yehui froze.

"I—I..." She opened her mouth, not knowing what to say.

"Then it's settled." Yun Zhiyu made the decision. "Every afternoon from now on, we'll gather in the open space beside the forging room. Practice swords, hold drawing boards, eat snacks. Whoever doesn't come is a puppy."

"Sister, what's a puppy?" Yun Zhishu asked curiously.

"...A very cute soul beast."

"Then I want to be a puppy!"

"No."

Everyone laughed again. The autumn sun was just right, the sea breeze cool, and fallen leaves on the sparring grounds were swept up by the wind, spinning into the distance. Five small figures walked shoulder to shoulder along the stone path, silver hair, reddish-brown hair, black hair, and dark green hair interweaving into a strange picture.

Yun Zhiyu walked on the outermost side, holding her little sister's hand with her left hand while Ye Xinglan walked on her right. She could sense the sword intent still lingering around the girl beside her—sharp, pure, and resolute, like an unparalleled sword that had yet to be unsheathed.

"Yun Zhiyu," Ye Xinglan suddenly said softly, "who taught you your swordsmanship?"

"I practiced it myself," Yun Zhiyu answered. "Ancient texts, manuals, and... some things from dreams."

"Dreams?"

"Mm." She looked up at the horizon, flowing clouds reflected in her purple eyes. "I dreamed of a huge place filled with countless swords. Some were stuck in mountains, some sank beneath the sea, and some turned into stars hanging in the sky. In the dream, I pulled out one of them. When I woke up, I knew some sword techniques."

Ye Xinglan fell silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "I dream too."

"What do you dream about?"

"I dream that I become a star." Ye Xinglan's voice was somewhat distant. "A very bright star, but all alone, with nothing around me. Then... then a sword flew over and cut me apart. The fragments fell to the ground and grew into many blades of grass."

Yun Zhiyu's steps paused slightly.

She recalled the ending of the Seven Monsters in the original story.

"That isn't a dream," she said softly. "It's a prophecy."

"A prophecy?"

"You will become a star." Yun Zhiyu tightened her grip on Ye Xinglan's hand. "But you won't be alone. There will be many, many swords with you—mine, yours, and... those of our friends."

Ye Xinglan stared blankly at her. Sunlight filtered through Yun Zhiyu's silver hair, casting scattered flecks of light across her face. Those purple eyes were crystal clear, filled with a promise she did not yet understand but somehow found reassuring.

"...Mm." In the end, she only responded softly, but clasped that hand a little tighter.

By the time they returned to Sea God's Pavilion, dusk had already fallen.

Yun Zhishu had fallen asleep on Yun Zhiyu's back, still clutching half a sugar figurine she had not finished eating. Yuanen Yehui and Ye Xinglan parted ways at a fork in the road, agreeing to meet tomorrow afternoon. Xu Lizhi followed behind Ye Xinglan, looking back every few steps. His chubby face bore an honest smile as he waved at Yun Zhiyu.

"See you tomorrow!"

"See you tomorrow."

Yun Zhiyu watched their backs disappear down the tree-lined path, complicated feelings welling in her heart. Of the Shrek Seven Monsters, three had now gathered—Yuanen Yehui, Ye Xinglan, and Xu Lizhi. As for Xu Xiaoyan, Tang Wulin, Gu Yue, Xie Xie, and Yue Zhengyu, fate would bring them together in time.

And she was slowly drawing these people to her side, using friendship as a rope and trust as knots to weave a net—a net that would be enough to protect them all in the storms to come.

"Sister..." Yun Zhishu mumbled indistinctly on her back. "The sugar figurine... melted..."

Yun Zhiyu laughed and hoisted her sister higher. "If it melted, we'll buy another tomorrow."

"Buy two... give one to Sister Xinglan..."

"Alright, we'll buy two."

Moonlight spilled down, paving the stone path with silver. Yun Zhiyu carried her little sister along that road, walking slowly forward. Her silver hair drifted gently in the night wind, while her purple eyes reflected the stars filling the sky.

In the distance, the lights of the forging room still burned. The Primal Sword Embryo and the Dragon-Patterned Purple Gold waited quietly in the darkness. But at this moment, she only wanted to be an ordinary seven-year-old girl, carrying her sleeping little sister down the road home.

Never forget why you started, and you will achieve your goal.

Yun Zhishu smacked her lips on her back. The phantoms of a golden lotus and a sparrow alternated in her palm, faintly illuminating the night.