A Generous Starter Reward: The Four Swords of Zhu Xian Martial Soul

Inside the hotel suite, the large bed strewn with rose petals practically radiated intimacy.

Tang San stood at the foot of the bed, embarrassment and shyness on his plain face.

"Xiao Wu, this... this bed..."

He seemed unable to finish.

Xiao Wu hadn't given it that much thought. A soft, spacious bed was exactly what she wanted.

She leaped onto it and rolled around several times before reluctantly climbing down.

"Brother, this bed is so comfortable."

In her innocence, she knew nothing about matters between men and women.

Tang San stood beside her, talking as though he was reluctant to sleep in such a bed.

Yet his eyes occasionally drifted toward Lin Xiao on the sofa.

Xiao Wu didn't notice, but Lin Xiao saw it all.

There he goes again, pretending to be an innocent young man.

He's over forty. Who's he trying to fool?

Lin Xiao naturally looked down on that little act.

Tang San had already been thirty before crossing over.

Add the twelve years since, and he was at least forty-two.

Yet now, of all times, he was putting on an act.

What was he trying to prove?

Xiao Wu didn't know his circumstances, but Lin Xiao knew them inside out.

To Tang San, Xiao Wu was as innocent as a blank sheet of paper.

He could win her over with a few tricks.

"System, we're already sharing a room. Where's my reward?"

Getting the reward was the urgent matter.

The first starter mission offered an exceptionally generous reward.

Only with Soul Power could he use Soul Skills.

He was itching to try the Enhanced Invincible Golden Body he had drawn.

But without a shred of Soul Power before, he couldn't use it at all.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, on completing the starter mission. Rewards are being issued!]

The system notification sounded, and a surge of pure energy washed through his organs.

Level twenty Innate Soul Power!

The immense energy filling his body made Lin Xiao feel as though he could kill an ox with one punch.

[Ding! Martial Soul Awakening in progress. Congratulations, host, on awakening the Four Swords of Zhu Xian Martial Soul. Spirit Hall certification is included.]

[Ding! New system feature unlocked: affinity checks for goddesses and people of Heavenly Mandate!]

The notifications kept coming.

Lin Xiao closed his eyes and sensed the Martial Soul within him.

"The Four Swords of Zhu Xian? A little old-fashioned, maybe, but undeniably powerful."

"And this Heavenly Mandate Affinity Check... interesting."

The affinity check showed a goddess's affinity for the person destined to be with her.

Simply put, the person linked to Xiao Wu was Tang San.

Being able to check that seemed useful.

"System, check Xiao Wu's affinity for Tang San."

[Xiao Wu's current affinity for Tang San: 75!]

Her affinity was as high as seventy-five?

That surprised Lin Xiao, though it wasn't beyond his expectations.

According to the system, affinity levels were divided as follows:

0—strangers, with no feelings whatsoever;

30—ordinary friends;

50—acquaintances;

60—very close friends;

80—lovers;

100—devotion until death;

An affinity of seventy-five meant they were more than friends, but not yet lovers.

Given where the story stood, that made sense.

Still, he had to be careful. Her affinity might rise at any moment.

Then they would be lovers.

But judging by how the novel's plot unfolded, Tang San still had work to do before reaching that point.

Those last five points of affinity wouldn't come easily.

Little Tang San would have to try harder.

Now that Lin Xiao had stepped in, Tang San was destined to fail.

Xiao Wu's affinity for Tang San might even keep falling.

How should he raise Xiao Wu's affinity for him next?

It currently stood at fifteen, still a long way from fifty.

While he pondered, Xiao Wu came over and sat beside him.

"Lin Xiao, why don't you take a bath first? Your clothes are dirty."

As she spoke, she glanced at his chest.

He had coughed up blood, and now his clothes were stained with it.

Lin Xiao snapped back to attention. She had approached him herself, so he might as well try.

"Why don't you two go first?"

"But your clothes are dirty..."

"Uh... I don't have any money, so I can't replace them."

At that, Xiao Wu remembered.

Lin Xiao had said he couldn't afford a hotel room and had planned to find a place outside the city to treat his injuries.

In that case, they needed to solve the clothing problem first.

"Brother, could you buy Lin Xiao some clothes? You're about the same build, though he's a little taller."

"What?"

Tang San was stunned.

What was that supposed to mean?

She wanted him to buy clothes for Lin Xiao?

Damn it, he wanted nothing more than to throw Lin Xiao out.

How could he possibly buy the man clothes?

Seeing his reaction, Lin Xiao immediately said, "Don't trouble yourself. Once I get into the academy, I should be able to earn some money."

"The academy?"

Xiao Wu's eyes lit up. Was Lin Xiao planning to enroll?

That made sense. He was at an age when he should be studying.

"Yeah. I'm planning to apply to Shrek Academy."

At that, Xiao Wu's eyes brightened further. She stood up and said with a grin, "That's great! We're planning to go to Shrek Academy too. What a coincidence."

"You're going to Shrek Academy as well?"

Lin Xiao looked surprised.

Xiao Wu nodded repeatedly. "We heard Shrek Academy is pretty good, so we want to go."

"I see. Then we might end up classmates."

[Ding! Affinity +5. Current affinity: 20!]

That sudden increase in affinity made everything click for him.

If chatting could raise affinity, what was there to hesitate about?

Time to talk!

Today, he'd chat until there was nothing left to say.

The two began chatting, while Tang San felt more and more uncomfortable watching them.

Xiao Wu had always revolved around him before.

She had always chattered happily in his ear and barely said a few words to anyone else.

So what was happening now?

"Xiao Wu, I..."

Tang San tried to speak, but Xiao Wu turned to him, looking surprised.

"Brother, you haven't bought Lin Xiao any clothes yet?"

That question nearly shattered Tang San's resolve.

Had she completely forgotten he was standing right there?

"Fine. I'll go buy them."

Tang San forced down his displeasure and left the room.

He returned in less than a few minutes, even slightly out of breath.

Lin Xiao knew exactly why: Tang San was afraid he and Xiao Wu might grow closer if they kept talking.

He was certainly possessive.

And sharp, too. He sensed the threat.

"Lin Xiao, go wash up first."

Xiao Wu took the clothes and handed them to Lin Xiao.

Lin Xiao took them and went into the bathroom.

"Xiao Wu, you get along with Lin Xiao that well?"

"And you even let him stay with us?"

Once Lin Xiao entered the bathroom, Tang San couldn't hold back.

With a rare chance to speak to her alone, he had to ask what was going on.

In the six years his little sister had been with him, nothing this strange had ever happened.

Xiao Wu blinked. "Yeah, we get along pretty well."

"Besides, weren't you the one who hurt him? Of course we have to take responsibility!"

For the first time, Tang San regretted striking out.

Why had he been so quick to throw a punch?

If he hadn't attacked Lin Xiao, the man most likely wouldn't be staying with them now.

One moment of satisfaction had caused him this much trouble.

A crushing loss!

So crushing even his own grandmother wouldn't recognize him.