Li Xun: Why Are They Still Brother and Sister?

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, a month had quietly passed.

Throughout that month, the continent's greatest powers never stopped searching for Li Xun and Tang San. But no matter how many connections they called on, how many watchers they posted, or how many cities they combed, they found nothing—not even the faintest trace.

After a long and fruitless search, the powers gave up one after another, abandoning their blind hunt.

Everyone understood without saying it: rather than waste people and resources, they were better off waiting. With the two boys' heaven-defying talent and the future foretold by the Heavenly Screen, they would surface sooner or later. Winning them over and forging alliances then would be far safer than searching aimlessly now.

The storm outside gradually subsided, and the clamor gave way to calm.

Meanwhile, in an elegant old residence deep in the heart of Heaven Dou City...

A fierce battle was unfolding on the broad, level ground of the rear courtyard.

At the center, Li Xun faced Tang San and Xiao Wu's combined assault alone. Outnumbered two to one, he held his ground with ease. Muffled impacts of colliding Soul Power rang out one after another. Tang San and Xiao Wu darted about, alternating attack and defense in seamless cooperation, yet neither could break through Li Xun's guard.

Under the shade of a tree, Tang Hao lounged against a reclining chair, his former gloom and murderous severity gone. Wine flask in hand, he tipped back his head for a swig now and then. His gaze drifted over the three fighters, his manner utterly relaxed.

A full month of instruction had brought a qualitative leap in Li Xun's and Tang San's theoretical knowledge and combat experience. As for the little rabbit Xiao Wu, she had spent every day playing and learned nothing at all. Her Soul Power, though, had reached level fourteen, just like theirs.

Now the battle had reached a critical moment.

Tang San made the first move!

A pale-yellow Soul Ring rose from beneath his feet and hovered around him.

First Soul Skill—Blue Silver Growth!

Dense clusters of Blue Silver Grass burst from the earth. Long, supple, and tenacious, they surged toward Li Xun like a tide that blotted out the sky. They sealed every route beneath his feet and closed in from all sides, intent on binding him fast.

At almost the same moment, Xiao Wu flashed forward, becoming a light, fleeting blur!

Her Soft Bone Rabbit Martial Soul quietly possessed her, and a century-old yellow ring appeared around her as well.

With the agility granted by the Soft Bone Rabbit, she swept through the air in a graceful arc. Her nimble, unpredictable path kept her clear of the Blue Silver Grass as she struck from the side and slipped behind Li Xun.

At the same time, she activated her First Soul Skill, Waist Bow! Her strength doubled, and she lunged at Li Xun's face with the force of a diving strike. Their attacks joined without a single gap.

One controlled the field and pinned down his movements; the other closed in for a powerful strike!

After a month of practice, Tang San's control and Xiao Wu's charge worked together like a well-tempered blade. Their combination of ranged and close attacks was near perfect. An ordinary Soul Master of their level would already have been trapped with no way to fight back.

But they were facing Li Xun, who wielded the Four Swords of Zhu Xian and possessed a Martial Soul of peerless killing power.

He stood where he was, straight-backed and composed, without a hint of panic.

Four ancient swords hovered around him, their forms simple and clear, their sword aura chilling. Cold light flowed across them as fine threads of sword energy wound around his body. A century-old Yellow Soul Ring appeared beneath his feet.

As the Blue Silver Grass swept in from every direction, Li Xun flicked his fingertips. The Immortal Slaughtering Sword's energy gave a faint, trembling ring!

Fine, razor-sharp strands of sword energy burst outward. They made no grand display, yet their edge was absolute. The tough, clinging Blue Silver Grass stood no chance. Great swathes snapped apart, and the cage of Entanglement Tang San had spent his Soul Power to create collapsed in an instant.

The moment the grass broke apart, Xiao Wu's close-range attack reached Li Xun, its force sending wind against his face!

Li Xun neither fled nor retreated. He turned and bent at the waist, his movement light but uncannily precise, narrowly avoiding the surprise attack. At the same time, he raised a finger. The Immortal Extinction Sword shot out like a streak of light, its biting wind aimed squarely at Xiao Wu's shoulder.

Whoosh!

The instant it touched her, Xiao Wu felt her shoulder go numb. The power she had gathered was scattered by the sword energy, and her airborne body faltered. Her attack fell apart at once.

And that was only because Li Xun had held back and used no Soul Power. Otherwise, she would have felt far more than a little numbness.

Before either of them could recover, the three remaining swords began circling Li Xun. Their energies crossed and interwove into a dense curtain of blades that guarded him on every side.

Tang San immediately drove the remaining Blue Silver Grass at him again, striking from the ground and both flanks in an attempt to break through the sword curtain. Xiao Wu landed and shed the force of her fall, then pushed off lightly with her toes. She flitted about, searching for a gap and waiting for a chance to strike again.

But no matter how the two changed their attacks or coordinated their pincer strikes, they could not break through Li Xun's sword defense.

The Four Swords of Zhu Xian carried a supreme killing intent. They countered both tenacious restraints and close-range surprise attacks, uniting offense and defense without letting a single drop through.

The sound of clashing Soul Power continued across the courtyard. Blue Silver Grass sprang up and was cut down again and again, the Soft Bone Rabbit darted and twisted, and swordlight flashed in every direction.

Outnumbered two to one from start to finish, Li Xun fought with effortless ease. He attacked and defended as he pleased, steadily suppressing their combined assault.

Beneath the tree, Tang Hao lifted his wine flask and slowly took a swig. A faint light entered his clouded eyes as he watched the fight, quiet approval hidden in his gaze.

In just one month of special training, the three had grown far beyond what most people could imagine.

Tang San could control the field, Xiao Wu could launch swift attacks, and Li Xun could command all four of the Four Swords of Zhu Xian at once. He already had what it took to fight opponents above his level.

Just as the three prepared to clash again and begin another round of attack and defense...

Tang Hao sat up, set down his flask, and said, "All right, stop there. That's enough training for today."

The moment he spoke, all three fighters stopped.

The surging sword energy faded away, the Blue Silver Grass covering the ground withdrew into the soil, and their Martial Souls vanished as well.

The intense battle had taken a heavy toll. Xiao Wu's cheeks were flushed from exertion, and fine beads of sweat dotted her brow.

Without a second thought, she skipped forward and sprang onto Tang San's back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and slumped against him.

"Finally! I'm exhausted! Brother, lend me your back. Let me rest for a while."

Her soft, sweet voice was full of affection, her tone easy and intimate.

Tang San instinctively reached back to support Xiao Wu's legs, afraid she might fall. Glancing at the girl on his back, he smiled indulgently and said gently, "All right. If you're tired, rest. I'll carry you."

Watching them, Li Xun looked utterly helpless. The corner of his mouth twitched, and he was at a loss for words.

He had thought that after the Heavenly Screen's revelation, the two would leave their innocent brother-and-sister routine behind. He had even secretly hoped they would soon break through that barrier and be honest with each other.

But who could have guessed that after spending all this time together, they would start calling each other "brother" and "sister" at every turn? They were close and completely at ease, yet showed not the slightest trace of a couple's romantic tension.

The questions that had piled up over the past few days finally became too much. Li Xun scratched his head and blurted out, baffled and unsure whether to laugh or cry:

"Seriously, what's going on with you two?"

He stared straight at them, utterly perplexed.

"The Heavenly Screen made it perfectly clear that you'll be lovers—husband and wife. So how have you somehow ended up acting even more like brother and sister?"