"Level fifteen Battle Soul Master, Tang Yin. Martial soul: martial soul meridians. Please enlighten me."
"Level fourteen support Soul Master, Tang San Niang. Martial soul: mutated Blue Silver Grass. A pleasure to meet you."
Xiao Wu smiled mischievously, her hands clasped behind her back. "I'm a level fifteen beast Soul Master. My martial soul is the Soft Bone Rabbit."
"Well, who would have guessed? You're all little geniuses."
Huo Wu raised her finely sculpted chin.
"My martial soul is Fire Shadow. We're only one realm apart, but since I'm fighting three against one, I won't hold back."
She was fiercely competitive. Once she entered battle, she would give it everything she had.
She would never pull her punches simply because her opponents were weaker.
"Just don't start crying when you lose."
Xiao Wu stuck out her pink tongue. A yellow Soul Ring rose around her, two long rabbit ears stood upright atop her head, and a short, fluffy tail appeared behind her little bottom.
Tang Yin and Tang San Niang exchanged a glance, then awakened their martial souls in turn.
Two azure lights shone together as pale purple Soul Rings spiraled upward.
"Thousand-Year Soul Rings? How is that possible?!"
Huo Wu's beautiful eyes flew wide, her face filled with shock.
"Nothing is impossible. With enough talent, anything is possible."
Tang Yin spoke calmly.
Are you mocking me for being less talented than you?
What a guy. He's asking for a beating.
Huo Wu secretly clenched her teeth, her competitive spirit ignited.
"Fine! Then let me see just how talented you really are!"
Huo Wu gave a sharp cry, and two Soul Rings suddenly appeared beneath her feet.
As the two yellow Soul Rings circled her, a humanoid silhouette wreathed in flames appeared behind her.
She unleashed the fluctuations of her level thirty soul power without reservation.
"Let's go, Xiao Wu!"
Tang Yin shouted low, pushed off with his toes, and shot forward like an arrow loosed from its bow.
Tang San Niang's beautiful eyes flickered. In perfect unspoken accord, she activated her Blue Silver Emperor martial soul.
Blue Silver Entanglement-!
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
Three Blue Silver Emperor leaves traced with golden patterns shot out. Though launched later, they reached Huo Wu first, winding toward her.
"Fire overcomes wood, yet you're using a plant martial soul against me?"
Huo Wu scoffed, and her first Soul Ring flashed beneath her feet.
First Soul Skill-Blazing Inferno!
The Fire Shadow martial soul behind her instantly turned into several fiery snakes, which howled forward and collided with the Blue Silver Emperor leaves.
Azure and fiery red met, like water and fire blending together.
Tang Yin's attack followed close behind. With a flick of his fingertips, he sent a pebble shooting out.
"You've got quite a few tricks."
Huo Wu laughed lightly, swept her wrist over her Storage Belt, and drew a fiery-red fan to block the pebble.
At the same time, Huo Wu raised her right leg to intercept Xiao Wu's sweeping kick.
But the force against her leg withdrew the instant they touched. Huo Wu's expression shifted slightly. "A feint?"
A sly gleam flashed in Xiao Wu's eyes. Her waist moved as though it had no bones, and she used the force to spring into the air, scissoring her legs straight toward Huo Wu's neck.
First Soul Skill-Waist Bow.
Huo Wu cried out, "Watch out!"
Her second Soul Ring instantly lit up. Second Soul Skill-Explosive Fireworks!
The flames locked in a struggle with the Blue Silver Emperor leaves suddenly grew hotter and burst apart, burning the leaves to ashes.
The flames swept back, forcing Xiao Wu's expression to change slightly. She had no choice but to leap backward to evade them.
Tang San Niang's gaze sharpened. Pushing off with her toes, she immediately chose to close in on Huo Wu.
First Soul Skill-Desolate Wind!
Countless azure leaves rained down like a raging storm, carrying a menacingly keen edge.
"You call this a support Soul Master?!"
Huo Wu narrowed her beautiful eyes, her bright-red hair whipping wildly.
The Iron Fan in her hand danced like the wind, and the ringing clash of metal filled the air.
Suddenly, a figure darted close, his fingers instantly locking around Huo Wu's fair wrist.
Tang Yin's gaze was cold and stern.
"This ends here!"
"In your dreams!" Huo Wu snorted coldly and sharply twisted her waist.
Snap!
The wine gourd at her waist came loose and rolled onto the ground.
"Forgive me!"
In a flash, Tang Yin's other hand slid down Huo Wu's spine. He quickly found a slightly recessed pressure point and pressed it lightly with his fingertip.
Huo Wu's waist suddenly went numb. An involuntary soft moan escaped her lips, and she collapsed limply into Tang Yin's arms.
"You..."
Huo Wu's beautiful eyes widened, an indescribable mixture of embarrassment and anger on her face.
This was the first defeat she had suffered in her entire life.
The warmth radiating from the boy's chest made her feel especially strange.
The distinctive, fresh fragrance of the Blue Silver Emperor lingered at her nose.
Huo Wu's gaze went blank.
Do boys have a natural fragrance too?
"You lost!"
Tang Yin gently released her slender waist.
Xiao Wu and Tang San Niang gathered around as well, smiles on their faces.
This was their first time fighting other Soul Masters.
Victory tasted as sweet and intoxicating as fine wine.
Tang Yin picked up the wine gourd from the ground, unscrewed its cap, and sniffed it. "Firefloss Fruit Wine? You have good taste."
"You know wine too? Want a taste?"
Huo Wu raised an eyebrow.
"Sure." Tang Yin chuckled.
He tipped his head back and poured without touching the rim.
The bright-red wine traced a crimson streak through the air and slipped down his throat, its sweet, crisp, mellow fragrance filling his mouth.
"Excellent wine!" Though called wine, it was actually a fruit brew with very little alcohol, sweet and hardly intoxicating.
Tang Yin praised it and tossed the gourd back.
His bold yet courteous manner instantly won Huo Wu's favor.
"Thank you. If you like it, this gourd of wine is yours."
"What could be more fitting than giving fine wine to a kindred spirit?"
Huo Wu broke into a smile, her expression carrying a boyish carefree air, and offered him the wine gourd.
Xiao Wu curiously leaned her head closer. "Brother, I want to try some too."
Tang San Niang's bright eyes were likewise fixed on the wine gourd. She was clearly curious about the flavor her brother had praised.
Judging their feelings by his own, Tang Yin did not say anything about children being forbidden to drink.
"Just try a little sip. Don't drink too much."
Tang Yin cautioned them.
Xiao Wu put it to her lips and took a great gulp.
"It's spicy. It doesn't taste good."
She stuck out her tongue, looking thoroughly disgusted.
Her adorably silly reaction made everyone burst into laughter.
Unbothered by Xiao Wu's saliva, Tang San Niang took a sip herself, and her eyes lit up.
"Excellent wine."
Just as I'd expect of something Brother approved of.
Tang San Niang added that silently to herself.
"If you like it, I'll bring you a few more gourds next time."
Huo Wu arched her graceful eyebrows, a distinctive charm in every glance.
It was not the usual coquettishness of a delicate woman, but a heroic spirit uniquely her own.
She looked remarkably like the actress who had played Dongfang Bubai in The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, a film Tang Yin had watched in his previous life-dashing and valiant, yet still full of feminine charm.
"Then thank you, Sister Huo Wu."
Tang Yin cupped his hands in salute.
As the saying went, friendship could grow from crossed fists. After their bout,
they grew familiar with one another, chatting and laughing in a harmonious atmosphere.
Huo Wu also learned from Tang Yin that she had strayed slightly off course, and she could not help smiling.
"So that's it. Thank you for pointing me in the right direction, Brother Tang Yin. Once I return from soul hunting, I'll definitely spar with you again."
"As for the crimson sun stone, I'll have to wait until I return to the academy before I can find it for you."
Huo Wu blinked playfully.
"Brother Tang Yin, you're not worried I'll go back on my word, are you?"
Hearing that, Tang Yin took a swig of wine and laughed heartily.
"Sister Huo Wu, you underestimate me. To me, crimson sun stone is nowhere near as precious as your friendship."
"Good! That's the spirit!"
Huo Wu snatched the wine gourd and took a hearty drink.
She rose from her seat, her robes fluttering, and looked back with a smile.
"Brother Tang Yin, when I return victorious, we'll drink our fill together."
Tang Yin suddenly raised his hand, pressing it downward in a halting gesture.
"Wait, Sister Huo Wu. There's something puzzling me, and I won't rest until I say it."
"Speak freely, Brother Tang Yin."
Huo Wu raised an eyebrow and chuckled.
Tang Yin swayed his head, a faint drunkenness showing on his face.
"Though speaking too deeply with a new acquaintance is a grave taboo, I feel as though Sister Huo Wu and I are old friends already."
"So today, I'll dare to speak plainly. During our spar just now, Sister Huo Wu, you were clearly full of offensive power. Your affinity for fire was astonishing too, and your temperament is as fierce as flame."
Huo Wu's gaze sharpened slightly.
Tang Yin gulped down another large mouthful of fine wine and wiped the corner of his mouth.
"Burp... So, since you're clearly better suited to the power attack system, why do you call yourself a Control System Soul Master? Strange, very strange!"
Having said that, Tang Yin tipped his head back and toppled over.
A thin veil of gray clouded Huo Wu's bright eyes.
"Brother Tang Yin is drunk. Help him home to rest."
A piercing whistle rang out, and the Firelie Bird swooped down.
Huo Wu jumped onto the bird's back and departed.
Resting in Tang San Niang's arms, Tang Yin opened his eyes.
His gaze was perfectly clear, without the slightest trace of drunkenness.
With a complicated expression, Tang Yin looked in the direction Huo Wu had gone.
Dark clouds blanketed the sky, obscuring the blazing sun.
Gale-driven rain hung a long curtain along the horizon.
In an instant, it became too dark to see one's own fingers.
Darkness shrouded heaven and earth.
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