School Begins

Smack!!

Xu Bayan did not waste words. He raised the spotted bamboo rod and began striking, one blow after another.

Feeling the force of the bamboo rod against his backside, Xu Huxiao let out a muffled groan. His Yang Origin Soul Power and Martial Soul had both been suppressed within his body by Xu Bayan, leaving him unable to use Soul Power to protect himself.

Fortunately, his body had been nourished by the Primordial Nine Yang Divine Skill. Even without Soul Power enhancement, his vitality and natural defenses were far stronger than those of ordinary people.

But still... it hurt so much!

As Xu Huxiao gritted his teeth and endured, his brow furrowed and his thoughts raced.

The Eye of Omniscience's information could not be wrong, but why had Father failed to see through the fact that this Little Mermaid was a transformed Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast?

Could it be...

that there was something special about this Little Mermaid?

But the information from the Eye of Omniscience had not mentioned that she could hide the aura of a Soul Beast.

As Xu Huxiao considered every possibility, he saw his mother pull the mysterious little girl over and look at her nearly naked, peculiar outfit.

Suddenly, he thought of a possibility.

She was undoubtedly a Hundred-Thousand-Year transformed Soul Beast, yet she could deceive the eyes of a Title.

There was only one possibility.

This Little Mermaid definitely possessed an item capable of concealing the aura of a Soul Beast!

Yes, that had to be it!

Then...

what treasure had fooled the eyes of a Title?

Although Xu Huxiao was hanging upside down and being beaten, it did not stop him from staring at her and activating the Eye of Omniscience.

She only had a few things on her. He could eliminate them one by one, so first...

[Item]: Ordinary Scallop

[Effect]: Covers the chest

[Value]: One Copper Soul Coin

[Description]: What are you staring at, you filthy pervert!!

Uh, apparently not. Then what about this...

[Item]: Seaweed Skirt

[Effect]: Covers the body

[Value]: One Copper Soul Coin

[Description]: What are you staring at, you disgusting creep!!

I... didn't mean to.

Xu Huxiao felt depressed. He had actually wanted to inspect that string of Five-Colored Heavenly Pearls first, but his mother happened to be blocking it, so he had checked the other two items on the Little Mermaid first.

Hiss—

Why did being hit with this bamboo rod hurt so much?!

Finally, enduring the pain, Xu Huxiao saw the string of Five-Colored Heavenly Pearls in the Little Mermaid's hand.

Three seconds later, a piece of information entered his mind:

[Item]: Five-Colored Heavenly Pearl

[Effect]: First, responds to special Soul Power auras and perfectly conceals the aura of a Soul Beast. Not even a God can see through it. Once worn, it locks onto the wearer's aura and cannot be removed; second, refines heavenly treasures.

[Value]: Immeasurable

[Description]: With me, the one and only little pearl beneath the heavens, no one can make my master reveal her chicken feet.

...Was this some kind of black joke?

The description was so obnoxious that Xu Huxiao could not help but complain. There were so many things to mock that, for a moment, even the pain in his backside seemed to lessen considerably.

Still, it seemed this Five-Colored Heavenly Pearl was the culprit.

It could even prevent a God from seeing through it, and its value had reached "immeasurable."

No wonder a Title could not see through it, though it still could not escape my Eye of Omniscience.

"But perhaps this is better. The fewer people who know that this Little Mermaid is a transformed Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, the better. After all, walls have ears. With such a precious treasure, it is best if no one knows."

Since that was the case, this Hundred-Thousand-Year transformed Little Mermaid had to remain by his side. Once he was capable of absorbing a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring, she could become his.

But...

what reason could he use to keep this Little Mermaid around?

As Xu Huxiao gritted his teeth and pondered, the bamboo rod striking him stopped. A sweet, childish voice rang out.

"Stop hitting him! He is my Holy Knight. Mother said that a princess has to protect her Holy Knight too."

"I am Yun Ji, the Seventh Princess of Atlantis! I order you not to hit him again!"

"Huh?"

Xu Bayan looked at the little girl with her arms spread wide, blocking his bamboo rod, then at his son, who was still gritting his teeth and enduring. He was so angry that he laughed.

"You little brat, you certainly know how to set the mood. Playing out some Holy Knight and princess scene now, are you?"

"Hmph. There was only one strike left, but I'll give you another five to help you remember."

"..."

The little girl calling herself Yun Ji naturally could not stop Xu Bayan. Xu Bayan merely lifted Xu Huxiao higher and brought the rod down five more times.

"Speak! Do you know you were wrong now? Will you dare mess around again, you little brat whose feathers haven't even grown in yet?!"

Xu Bayan shouted, glaring furiously.

"Not talking? Then twenty more! I know you're tough, kid. Today, I'll beat you until you're completely convinced. School starts the day after tomorrow, and I'll have someone carry you there."

"I'll let all your academy classmates see just how imposing their little Holy Knight is."

"..."

"Father, I know... I was wrong." Xu Huxiao spoke with difficulty. His backside had already gone numb from the pain.

There was no helping it. Circumstances were stronger than he was; a true man knew when to yield and when to stand tall.

If he did not admit his mistake, then with his father's temperament, the day after tomorrow he might very well... no, Xu Bayan would definitely do it!

Hearing his admission, Xu Bayan snorted and set him down, then instructed a maid nearby.

"Go have Luo Ming arrange for a physician to apply medicine to the young master."

"Yes, Master."

After giving the order, the maid was about to help Xu Huxiao into the house.

But Yun Ji stopped her. Her little hand gently rested on Xu Huxiao's backside.

"Holy Knight, it hurts a lot, doesn't it? Yun Ji will heal you."

As soon as she spoke, seven-colored light spread from Yun Ji's body. A colorful scale appeared between her brows, her legs transformed directly into an azure fish tail, and a bright yellow Soul Ring pulsed around her.

Mermaid Martial Soul possession!

The Soul Ring lit up. First Soul Skill, Healing Bubble.

"Pure ocean, please grant me your power. Heal him~"

Yun Ji raised both hands and softly chanted, her beautiful voice drifting through the air.

At the same time, a blue bubble wrapped around the prone Xu Huxiao and lifted him up, releasing a gentle healing glow.

In an instant, Xu Huxiao felt a cool energy continuously enter his body. The pain in his backside gradually faded.

After a while, he stood up. The blue bubble burst apart, turning into specks of fluorescent light.

Xu Huxiao moved his legs and his backside. He was completely fine!

"Thank you, but my thoughts still won't change."

"You're welcome. I believe you'll be willing to become my Holy Knight, because this is fate's guidance." Yun Ji lifted her little face and smiled.

Xu Bayan had also noticed what was happening. He said to Ning Fengyu:

"Madam, what should we do with this little girl? Should I have Luo Ming find some decent family and send her there?"

Ning Fengyu looked at Yun Ji, who was as delicate as a doll and innocent as could be, her eyes full of affection—especially after seeing the little girl reveal her Martial Soul and heal her son.

"Brother Yan, I have an idea..."

Two days later.

Spirit Hall Junior Soul Master Academy began its term.

For the profession of Soul Master, children generally awakened their Martial Souls at the age of six, entered junior academies, and studied basic cultural courses and Martial Soul knowledge.

Within the six-year program, if their Martial Soul reached level ten and they obtained their first Soul Ring, successfully advancing to the rank of Soul Master, they could graduate from the junior academy and enter a middle-level Soul Master Academy, which also had a six-year program.

Afterward, talented Soul Masters could pass entrance examinations and choose to continue studying at an Advanced Soul Master Academy. Advanced academies had a graduation age limit of twenty-five, and their graduation requirements were far higher.

Xu Huxiao was very familiar with the entire educational process. It was similar to elementary school, middle school, and university on Blue Star.

There was simply the additional study of Martial Soul knowledge.

Xu Huxiao had already obtained his first Soul Ring several days ago and met the graduation requirements for a junior academy, but he was still only a six-year-old child.

Even if his strength was sufficient, Xu Bayan believed that learning knowledge was equally important.

After all, battles between Soul Masters did not rely solely on Soul Power. They also tested a Soul Master's mind, control over their Martial Soul, and the coordinated use of Soul Skills. All of these were crucial in battle.

Furthermore, Xu Huxiao had already been selected for the Spirit Hall Elite Reserve Team. According to the requirements, he had to study at the junior academy for a full year before he could participate in the preliminary selection, after which he would enter collective elimination training.

Thus, like every other ordinary child, Xu Huxiao entered school today alongside his... younger sister, Yun Ji.

Inside the carriage.

Xu Huxiao looked at the unusually excited Little Mermaid beside him, his feelings complicated.

Was this the so-called sibling, human-and-Soul-Beast curse of the continent?

As for arrangements for the Little Mermaid, Xu Huxiao had originally intended for her to remain by his side as a companion student or a maid.

But he did not know what had gotten into his mother. In a moment of impulsiveness, she had actually taken this Little Mermaid as her adopted daughter that very night!

The next day, she had even held a grand banquet in the eastern district and formally conducted the adoption ceremony, announcing to Spirit City that the Demon Bear Xu Family had accepted an adopted daughter.

Xu Yun Ji.

Brother and sister?

Human and Soul Beast?

At that instant, Xu Huxiao experienced an extremely familiar sense of déjà vu. Was this fate?

No, it was absolutely just a coincidence!

And he absolutely would not get involved in some ridiculous romance between human and beast. His heart held only the desire to grow stronger and become a God.

"Brother Huxiao, do it with me once, okay~?"

Yun Ji wore a short, fitted top and a light, lace-trimmed long skirt. Both were sky blue, matched with white ankle boots and a pale pink crossbody bag. She looked utterly adorable.

Her thick, long, pinkish-blue curls had been trimmed shorter, falling just around her waist and hips. A blue hair ornament gathered them neatly down her back.

Such an outfit was naturally Ning Fengyu's proud creation. The entire ensemble had cost more than two thousand Gold Soul Coins.

Clearly, Ning Fengyu doted greatly on this newly adopted daughter.

Xu Huxiao's outfit was much simpler: a set of black fitted clothes with dark patterns.

His originally brilliant golden hair had also been cut shorter, making him look cleaner and more capable. The only unusual part of his appearance was the pair of dark gold patterned earrings on his left ear.

Those earrings were Xu Huxiao's Storage Soul Tool—the Twin Dragon Rings.

When Xu Bayan had given him this Storage Soul Tool that day, Xu Huxiao had been considering how to wear the Dark Gold Twin Dragon Ring.

Because of the Multiplication Soul Skill, he could not wear it on his hand.

So after some thought, in order to make retrieving items convenient while avoiding the effects of his Soul Skill, he had thought of piercing the Twin Dragon Rings into his left earlobe as earrings.

It was indeed convenient, though it made him look a little roguish.

Yun Ji poked Xu Huxiao, who was a head taller than her, with a finger. Her voice was clear and pleasant, like the sounds of nature.

Xu Huxiao remained expressionless and did not answer, but a voice entered Yun Ji's heart.

"I will not perform any ridiculous Fate-Binding Ritual, nor will I become any loyal Holy Knight."

"If you want to play Holy Knight and princess, then once we arrive at the academy, plenty of people will be willing to play with you given your current status."

This was an ability Xu Huxiao had gained after the Fate-Binding Ritual had been completed halfway before: communication through inner thoughts.

However, this ability could only be used between him and the Little Mermaid.

"But Yun Ji really didn't lie to you. What am I supposed to do~?"

Yun Ji blinked, sending her own thoughts back. Her brows scrunched up adorably, and she looked deeply dejected.

"Yun Ji really is the Seventh Princess of Atlantis. Mother said that if I want to go home, only you, Holy Knight, can help Yun Ji. I really want to go home, sob sob~"

"..."