Dai Hao's Instructions

"Your Martial Soul is Spirit Eyes. It's a spiritual-type Martial Soul. It isn't trash; it's a treasure. The others just don't understand because they've never seen anything like it."

Dai Yutong looked into Ye Tianming's eyes. There was no mockery in them, no empty reassurance—only a confidence she couldn't quite understand.

Dai Yutong sniffled and nodded hard.

"I believe you!"

"Then hold your head up. Let's go."

Ye Tianming took her small hand and led Dai Yutong out of the Training Grounds, step by step, under everyone's gaze.

The laughter behind them had long since died away. Only Dai Huabin's livid face and a group of servants exchanging bewildered looks remained.

They had walked a long way before Dai Yutong spoke softly.

"Brother Tianming, is my Martial Soul... really not trash?"

"It really isn't!"

Ye Tianming stopped and looked into Dai Yutong's eyes.

"And I'll tell you a secret."

"What secret?"

"Spiritual-type Martial Souls are the most unusual kind. Their power isn't in the body. It's here."

Ye Tianming gently tapped the spot between her brows.

"If you find the right method and train your Spiritual Power, your Spirit Eyes will become stronger than anyone else's Martial Soul. Starting tomorrow, I'll teach you. How does that sound?"

Dai Yutong's eyes widened at once.

"R-really?"

Ye Tianming smiled and spoke slowly.

"Of course."

"I promised to protect you, but protecting you isn't enough. I want to help you grow strong too."

Dai Yutong looked at him, and at last, she couldn't hold back her tears. This time, though, she cried with a smile.

She threw herself into Ye Tianming's arms, wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, and buried her face against his chest.

"Brother Tianming, you're so good to me! When I'm strong, I'll protect you too!"

Ye Tianming laughed as he gently patted her back.

"All right. I'll be waiting for the day you grow strong enough to protect me!"

From that day on, Ye Tianming had one more lesson to teach.

He began teaching Dai Yutong to train her Spiritual Power.

But Ye Tianming couldn't tell her about the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, so he drew on the principles of spiritual cultivation from the original story and worked out a clumsy method suited to a child.

She would use her Spirit Eyes frequently until she exhausted her Spiritual Power.

Dai Yutong trained with extraordinary diligence. Other children who awakened a Trash Martial Soul would have cried and given up long ago, but she got up every day before dawn.

Then she would sit in the courtyard with her eyes closed, practicing her perception or using up her Spiritual Power.

Ye Tianming worried about her and tried to get her to rest, but Dai Yutong shook her head.

"It's okay, Brother Tianming. I want to get stronger quickly. Then no one will dare laugh at my mother, and no one will dare bully you."

Every time Ye Tianming heard her say that, his heart ached, and he felt helpless.

He knew why Huo Yuhao had pushed himself so hard in the original story. If he hadn't fought with everything he had, he would have had nothing at all.

Yutong had him now, but the unease carved into her bones would probably take a long time to slowly fade.

Their days continued like that until spring was nearly over.

War broke out at the border, and Dai Hao had to lead his troops into battle. He would be gone for at least half a year, perhaps as long as a year.

Before leaving, he summoned Ye Tianming to his study and handed him a Command Token.

"While I'm away, keep this with you. If something comes up that you can't settle, go to the military camp and find Deputy General Zhou. He's one of my men. And..."

"Take good care of your Concubine Huo and Yutong for me."

Ye Tianming accepted the Command Token at once and nodded.

"Don't worry, adoptive father. I'm here."

Dai Hao looked at him as though he wanted to say more, but in the end, he only patted his shoulder.

The more time Dai Hao spent with the adopted son he had brought home, the more he felt that the boy was far too mature for his age. He could leave Yutong in Ye Tianming's care with peace of mind.

As soon as Dai Hao left, the atmosphere in the Duke's Mansion changed.

With the Duchess in charge, she didn't dare move against Ye Tianming openly. Dai Hao had given specific instructions before he left, and Ye Tianming had the Command Token.

But the petty schemes aimed at the Side Courtyard grew more frequent.

Medicinal herbs, for instance, would only be delivered after several reminders. The servants followed the wind, and the respect on their faces faded.

Ye Tianming saw all of it, of course, but he didn't lash out.

He knew the Duchess was testing his limits and waiting for him to make a mistake.

He couldn't rush things now. The calmer he remained, the harder he would be for her to read.

Dai Huabin, on the other hand, was the first to lose his patience.

One day, while Ye Tianming was helping Dai Yutong practice perception in the small garden behind the mansion, Dai Huabin came straight over with two lackeys and blocked their path.

He had grown a little taller over the past few months. He looked at Dai Yutong with undisguised contempt.

"Well, look at that. Still training that trash Martial Soul?"

"Hah! Train all you want—you're still trash with no Soul Power!"

Dai Yutong instinctively shrank behind Ye Tianming.

Ye Tianming shielded her and spoke to Dai Huabin in an even tone.

"Move."

With his mother running the mansion, Dai Huabin was plainly bolder than he had been last time.

"I won't. What are you going to do about it?"

"Ye Tianming, don't think you're somebody just because Father dotes on you. You're only an adopted son he picked up."

"When Father comes back victorious, I'll be the one calling the shots in the Duke's Mansion. As for this little bastard—"

Before Dai Huabin could finish, Ye Tianming moved.

No one saw how he struck. All they saw was Dai Huabin yelp and land on his backside in the garden pond, sending up a great splash.

Ye Tianming had grown considerably stronger over the past few months. While teaching Yutong, he had been cultivating diligently himself.

The Soul Power of his Azure Dragon Martial Soul had grown more refined too. Dealing with Dai Huabin, who hadn't even obtained his First Soul Ring and could only run his mouth, didn't require a second move.

Dai Huabin climbed out of the pond, soaked from head to toe and looking utterly wretched.

"You! You actually dared push me!"

"I'm telling my mother!"

"Go ahead."

Ye Tianming looked down at him, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

"While you're at it, tell your mother that before he left, my adoptive father told me to take good care of Yutong."

"Anyone who causes trouble for her is slapping him in the face. Do you think your mother would risk angering him for your sake?"

Dai Huabin froze. Arrogant as he was, he knew how much his father meant to his mother.

His mother would never openly oppose something his father had specifically instructed them to do before leaving.

"Let's go!"

Angry and embarrassed, Dai Huabin fled with his lackeys, their tails between their legs.

Dai Yutong peeked out from behind Ye Tianming. Watching Dai Huabin flee in disgrace, she couldn't help bursting into laughter.

"Brother Tianming, he looked like a drenched chicken when he fell in!"

Ye Tianming first smoothed down the hair the wind had blown out of place, then spoke softly.

"If he comes looking for trouble again, call for me."

"But it would be even better if you grew strong soon—so strong that he wouldn't even be worthy of speaking to you."

"Mm!"

Dai Yutong nodded firmly, more determined than ever to grow strong.

Ye Tianming had thought Dai Hao's Command Token and his instructions before leaving would keep them safe at least until he returned.

But he had still underestimated the Duchess.