Na'er Was Leaving

The next morning, the academy organized an end-of-term soul power retest for the entire class.

The silver soul power tester lit up with a gentle glow that enveloped Tang Wulin, and a clear number slowly appeared—level 10.5.

Not only had he successfully crossed the threshold of level ten, but his soul power reserves had already quietly approached level eleven.

Soul Master cultivation had always followed this rule: every ten levels marked a major barrier. Only by merging with a soul spirit and absorbing the power of a Soul Ring could one fully break through the shackles of the meridians and properly advance. But that did not mean soul power could no longer accumulate after level ten. The excess would remain hidden deep within the meridians, quietly building up. Ordinary soul power testers simply could not detect it accurately, nor could it manifest as an increase in combat strength.

In the past, only supreme experts such as Titled Douluos could rely on their formidable perception to discern a Soul Master's hidden soul power level from the breadth of their meridians and the reserves within their body. Now, however, with the rapid development of soul guidance technology in the era of Douluo III, precision soul power testing Soul Tools could already measure those hidden reserves accurately.

The results of this test also meant that Tang Wulin had officially met the standard.

Among the fifteen students in Martial Soul Class One, he became the seventh to successfully break through level ten, crossing the dividing line between a Prospective Soul Master and a candidate for becoming an Official Soul Master.

Their homeroom teacher, Lin Ximeng, looked at the data on the tester, a flicker of surprise crossing her eyes before she instructed him earnestly, "Tang Wulin, have your family take you to the Spirit Pagoda as soon as possible to buy a suitable first soul spirit. Once you successfully merge with it, you will be a true One-Ring Soul Master and can receive a monthly Soul Master allowance of one thousand Federation Credits from the Federation Government. That will be more than enough to cover your tuition at an intermediate Soul Master Academy."

"I'll remember, Teacher." Tang Wulin nodded firmly, his eyes filled with a boy's delight at seeing his efforts bear fruit.

After school that evening, he followed his usual routine and went to Mang Tian's forging workshop for his daily forging training. He had kept at it for three years without a single interruption.

News that Tang Wulin's soul power had broken through level ten also reached his father, Tang Ziran, right away. Although he had already learned about it yesterday, he was still delighted for his son. The academy sent a special notice inviting a parent to accompany the child to the Spirit Pagoda. His mother, Lang Yue, had been eager to join them, but work was too busy and her leave request had not been approved, leaving her no choice but to stay home full of regret.

Along the path home from school, the sun slowly sank toward the sea. The warm afterglow draped like gauze over the two figures walking side by side. Tang Wulin walked slightly ahead. Casually turning his head, he looked at Na'er, who had remained silent beside him the entire way, and a few doubts quietly rose in his heart.

Na'er was unusually out of sorts today. Something was clearly weighing on her mind.

The girl's expression was placid, yet an elusive trace of distance lingered beneath that calm. Their fingers were interlocked, but her usual attachment—the way she wished she could cling to his arm, unwilling to leave his side even by half a step—had vanished completely. An uneasiness and awkwardness she could not conceal also lingered in her features.

Looking at her quiet, downcast profile, Tang Wulin felt his chest inexplicably tighten, and a faint, dull ache began to spread.

When they returned home, the fragrance of food drifted out of the kitchen. Tang Ziran was busy putting away the cooking utensils. Seeing the brother and sister enter, Lang Yue's eyes curved into a gentle smile, but as her gaze settled on the two children who had come home together, she could not help falling briefly into a daze, a trace of complexity surfacing in her expression.

"Dinner's ready."

At the call, Tang Wulin and Na'er went to the dining table together.

With the golden dragon king bloodline within him bolstering his body, Tang Wulin had always eaten far more than others his age. Na'er's appetite had often astonished Tang Ziran and his wife as well; such a petite, sweet little girl could easily finish five bowls of rice in a single meal. Tonight, however, Na'er ate unusually slowly, taking tiny bites with little enthusiasm.

Tang Wulin noticed, and the inexplicable ache in his heart grew a little stronger.

After dinner, Na'er raised her eyes to Tang Wulin. Her usual sweet, wheedling tone was gone, replaced by a cool voice tinged with faint sorrow. "Big Brother, I want to take a walk by the sea. Will you come with me?"

Tang Wulin's heart clenched tightly. Every comforting word lodged in his throat, and he could not utter a single one. Silently, he extended his right hand and firmly clasped Na'er's soft little hand. With their fingers tightly intertwined, he slowly headed toward the shore of Aolai City.

As they walked, Tang Wulin quietly sighed to himself. Deep down, he had a faint premonition: what was coming would come in the end.

Six years had passed since he crossed over into the Douluo World, and he had experienced countless changes, yet he had never forgotten the unforgettable, pivotal details of the original story.

The seaside...

This was where Na'er had left him for the first time in the original story.

At that moment, countless thoughts swept wildly through his mind, stirring towering waves in his heart.

He could clearly feel that the little hand he held was still soft, and the person before him was still the familiar little silver-haired girl.

It was evening now. The setting sun sank entirely beneath the horizon, and dusk swallowed the final streak of sunset.

A cool, luminous full moon slowly rose, climbing little by little until it hung high in the center of the night sky. Its clear radiance spilled everywhere, bathing the entire coastline in silver-white.

The evening breeze carried the salty dampness of the sea as it brushed gently across the beach, stirring fine grains of sand. Waves lapped tenderly against the shore again and again, their low sounds soothing.

The whole seaside was utterly quiet, with only the interwoven sounds of wind and waves. The night was chilly, and the mood grew hushed and sorrowful with it.

Holding Na'er's little hand, Tang Wulin stepped across the soft, slightly cool sand, slowly making his way toward the water. He remained silent throughout, his palm tightly gripping the girl's cool little hand, unwilling to loosen his hold even a fraction.

He knew perfectly well that tonight's trip to the seaside was destined to be a farewell.

The little girl beside him walked quietly. She no longer skipped along as she once had, nor did she chatter and wheedle at his side. The sea breeze gently lifted her short silver hair. Her eyes, clear as amethysts, gazed at the boundless ocean, holding an enduring loneliness and remoteness. The childlike innocence and dependence of the past were gone.

The innocence that belonged to Na'er was disappearing completely.

Gu Yuena's soul had fully awakened.

Tang Wulin turned to the quiet girl beside him. Looking at her delicate yet cool profile beneath the moonlight, his Adam's apple shifted slightly. A thousand words crowded his heart, but he did not know what to say.

He had spent three years preparing, hoping to use gentle companionship, the kindness of fairy tales, and a balanced outlook to dissolve her hatred of humanity and rewrite their destiny of turning their blades against each other.

Through three years together, through countless days and nights of gentle companionship, Tang Wulin had already, without realizing it, subtly reshaped Na'er's pure, blank personality.

He had never forcefully drilled principles into her, much less deliberately imposed his views. He had simply guided her through the little moments of daily life, teaching her to consider all things from different sides: to understand that the world was not merely black and white, that there were gentle, kind people as well as selfish, sinister ones; that judging an event or a person from a single perspective was never enough, and one-sided conclusions were always unfair; that the road of life was winding and rough, with hardships ever present, but light and hope always remained in the future.

Little by little, he wove that way of thinking into their companionship and casual conversations, slowly building a complete, objective, and clear-sighted understanding of the world for Na'er.

He had never known whether this lasting, gentle influence could offset the racial hatred engraved deep within the silver dragon king bloodline, or whether it could overturn the fate that destined them to stand against each other. Yet he had done it without hesitation, pouring in all his sincerity and leaving himself no regrets.

But despite all his painstaking care, parting still arrived on schedule.

Na'er turned to face the endless ocean and lifted her head toward the dazzling river of stars overhead. The evening breeze stirred her soft silver hair, and her voice was as light as a wave that vanished in an instant upon the sea. "Big Brother, there are so many stars tonight."

Tang Wulin's fingers abruptly tightened, gripping her cool little hand even harder. His throat constricted, and his chest swelled with a bitter ache. He could only answer blankly, "Yes, so many."

His mind was in turmoil. He had no idea what he was answering, nor could he think of anything to say that might persuade her to stay. He could only mechanically echo the final tenderness of the girl before him.

Na'er gently shook her head. Her amethyst eyes brimmed with starlight, but also held a reluctance and melancholy she could not hide. She asked softly:

"Big Brother, tell me... if one day I left... would you miss me?"

They sat together by the sea. The cool sea breeze brushed their cheeks, bringing a faint chill. Na'er gazed toward the ocean, her eyes holding resolve and regret, but more than anything, reluctance to part.

This day.

It had come at last.

Tang Wulin did not hesitate in the slightest. His voice was firm and hoarse as he answered solemnly, word by word, "Yes. I would miss you very, very much."

At his words, a thin mist instantly veiled Na'er's eyes, clear as amethysts. Glistening tears trembled within them, but never fell.

"Big Brother."

"Do you still remember what you said when you first asked me to be your little sister?"

That was what Na'er asked.

"Of course I remember."

Tang Wulin nodded.

"Could you say those words again?"

The evening breeze brushed gently over the sea. Na'er's voice was soft and tender as she raised her misty purple eyes and quietly gazed at Tang Wulin beside her.

Tang Wulin's eyes held a complicated expression, a faint ache and tenderness churning in his heart. After a brief pause, he slowly spoke, his voice gentle and solemn. "Na'er, would you like to be my little sister?"

"Yes."

A clear, radiant smile lifted Na'er's lips, gentler than all the moonlight in the sky. She leaned softly against Tang Wulin's shoulder, her hair stirring in the evening breeze. Her sweet voice was sincere and certain. "Big Brother, whether in the past, the present, or the distant future, Na'er will always be your little sister—your one and only little sister."

The sea breeze blew softly, waves lapped gently at the shore, and stars twinkled in the night sky. The seaside sank into wordless stillness.

Neither of them spoke, but both already understood in their hearts. Not another word was needed.

Parting was approaching. They both knew that their three years of constant companionship were finally nearing their end.

For three full years, they had stayed together day and night, never leaving each other's side. Tang Wulin had long since learned every little habit and mood of Na'er's; a single glance let him see through to the loneliness and reluctance in her heart. And Na'er had come to know Tang Wulin's gentleness, restraint, and every concern, reading the panic and plea for her to stay that he hid beneath his calm exterior.

Let me take one more good look at you in the time we have left, my big brother—Tang Wulin.