Xu Qingjia blinked. "Mm, impressive."
Was he surprised?
Not at all.
After all, she was a powerhouse who had sealed her own cultivation.
Even if Na'er said she possessed Spirit Domain Realm spiritual power now, Xu Qingjia would believe her.
He wondered how much strength the Silver Dragon King still had left after spending so long recovering from her injuries.
"But my soul power is still recovering," Xu Qingjia said.
"Then I'll wait for you." Excitement shone in Na'er's eyes.
Wahaha~ I'm going to have my very own little brother to boss around!
As for losing?
How could she possibly lose!
After lunch.
Shen Xi served as referee, while Ye Xinglan watched, bearing witness to the battle that would decide which of them would be the older sibling.
Shen Xi was delighted to see a match like this.
Because she had absolute confidence in her son.
Besides, if her precious boy wanted a girl in each arm, then emotional bonds aside, his actual strength would have to surpass both Xinglan's and Na'er's. Every genius had their pride. Without talent that towered over an entire era, how could he persuade two daughters of heaven to willingly stay by his side together?
There was no shortage of men in the world who lacked the force of character to keep a foot in several boats, only to capsize and see their relationships fall apart.
The two stars of this match, however, had much simpler thoughts. Na'er was determined to acquire an obedient little brother, while Xu Qingjia was simply curious about this little white-haired puffball's true strength.
Clang-
A clear metallic note pierced the courtyard's tranquility. Silver light surged in Na'er's hand, and a Silver Dragon Spear over four meters long abruptly appeared. Chilly silver radiance flowed along its length, creating a curious contrast with her petite, delicate figure. Yet the moment she gripped its shaft, she displayed a mastery far beyond her years. It was as though the spear were an extension of her body, every minute turn utterly natural.
"Come." Xu Qingjia activated Martial Soul Possession, his voice echoing through the courtyard in three overlapping layers. A touch of gravity entered its inhuman calm and divine indifference.
Na'er usually looked like the queen of gluttons, but she was an avatar of the Silver Dragon King. Whatever astonishing wisdom the Silver Dragon King possessed, she had, after all, been a genuine God King at her peak.
"Hehe~" A sharp glint gathered in Na'er's eyes, like a true dragon hatchling entering the hunt. She drew the spearhead back, and astonishing explosive force erupted from her slender calves. Her little figure became a streak of silver lightning, charging straight at Xu Qingjia.
Xu Qingjia remained unhurried and flicked his fingers.
Snap-
As the crisp finger snap sounded, a deep purple soul ring lit up beside him. A fissure connected to an unknown space immediately appeared out of thin air. Several ink-black chains as thick as giant pythons roared out, tearing through the air with shrill whistles as they lunged to ensnare and kill Na'er.
Facing the chains howling toward her, Na'er's gaze sharpened slightly. Rather than slowing, her charge accelerated, and a purple soul ring appeared and lit up beside her hand.
"First soul skill, Silver Dragon Break!"
There were no flashy effects. Everything was concentrated on a single word: break. It could ignore energy defenses of any kind.
"Break!"
With a sharp little cry, the Silver Dragon Spear in her hand erupted with dazzling silver light. Its tip swept forward like a meteor chasing the moon, like a silver dragon baring its claws, striking the leading end of a chain with unerring precision.
Clink-!
A crisp metallic collision rang out. The chain, powerful enough to smash a boulder, was knocked upward by that unstoppable thrust, its ferocious offensive instantly shattered.
Na'er twisted her wrist and drew the spear back with the motion. As though weightless, she spun lightly with the force of the collision, neatly evading the latter half of the chain as it swept in from the side. The spear followed her body, tracing a perfect silver arc as she moved.
"Oh?" A flash of admiration crossed Shen Xi's and Ye Xinglan's eyes.
Xu Qingjia remained composed. His fingertips moved slightly, remotely directing the chains to change their offensive.
Clatter-
More of the long ink-black chains poured out of the unknown space. Those knocked aside no longer lunged directly at their prey. Instead, they spread out like circling dragons, their long lengths weaving and intertwining into one airtight ring after another around Na'er. Clearly, they intended to coil around her and crush her to death.
Naturally, Na'er would not sit and await her doom. She tapped the ground with her toes and abruptly sprang upward. The Silver Dragon Spear seemed to come alive in her hands, its trembling tip humming like a dragon's cry.
"Break!"
Another sharp cry rang out, and dazzling silver radiance surged at the spear's tip. Na'er thrust rapidly, her spear shadows scattering like pear blossoms in flight. Dense collisions merged into a continuous patter, like rain beating against banana leaves. Every gleam of the spear struck the exact same point on the ink-black chain with flawless precision. Exultant dragon cries resounded through the courtyard as the spear danced, and silver light made the courtyard flicker between brightness and shadow. At that moment, the Silver Dragon Spear's sharpness and the dominance of her spear intent erupted in full.
Crack-!
At last, beneath that storm of relentless attacks, even the Soul Lock Chain, with its power to suppress magic, could not withstand such violent impacts. A crisp snap rang out as the metallic collisions faded.
The ink-black chain broke in two, turning into specks of energy that dissipated in the warm sunlight.
A flicker of astonishment crossed Xu Qingjia's eyes.
Was this little white-haired puffball really that fierce?
Shen Xi's eyes, meanwhile, brimmed with delighted surprise, and she could not hide the smile at her lips. She saw no techniques belonging to any established school in Na'er's spearmanship, yet it possessed an utterly natural grace. The spear seemed alive in her hands. Compared with those geniuses who practiced spearmanship step by step, she was more than a hundred times better.
That was spear intent!
They really had stumbled upon a treasure this time!
Even Yun Ming, the greatest spear master of the age, hailed as the most gifted person in the ten thousand years since the Spirit Ice Douluo, had only comprehended spear intent in his teens.
Who cared whether she was a spy? Once she entered their Xu Family, she was one of theirs.
"Hehe~" Na'er proudly lifted her little face and lightly flicked the spear's tip upward. The flowing silver radiance made it seem as though she had tossed up a miniature silver moon. She blinked her sparkling eyes, her tone carrying a hint of smugness and mischief. "Well? Isn't it time you called me Big Sister Na'er?"
Xu Qingjia could not help chuckling at that. He gently shook his head. "We've barely gotten started. The real show is still to come."
Before his words had faded, he snapped his fingers again.
"First soul skill-Soul Hook and Spirit Lock!"
"Hundred-thousand-year Sea Princess soul bone skill-Mermaid Control!"
Two crisp finger snaps sounded in succession. An ethereal, breathtakingly beautiful mermaid slowly appeared behind Xu Qingjia. Her tail swayed gently, her song drifting through the air with soul-captivating magic. At the same time, two ink-black chains reached out of the void.
"Little Sister Na'er."
A teasing smile lingered at Xu Qingjia's lips, and a hint of provocation entered his eyes. "Come on. Keep going."
Na'er said, "..."
Her heart gave a sudden lurch, and an inexplicable sense of foreboding rose within her.
But even if I lose, I can't lose my nerve! How could the mighty Queen Na'er ever chicken out!
The white-haired puffball put on a brave face. "Who's afraid of whom! Again!"
The fierce battle in the courtyard intensified once more. Silver radiance and ink-black shadows intertwined, dragon cries resonating with the shrieks of chains. Sunlight filtered through the gaps between branches and leaves, casting dappled light and shadow over them both.
A few minutes later, Na'er, whose soul power level was slightly lower, became the first to falter. Her soul power was nearly exhausted, leaving her barely able to maintain her summoned martial soul. Yet spear intent was practically "cheating" among low-ranking soul masters, and she also possessed blood and vitality as formidable as a true dragon hatchling's. Clearly, all Na'er's diligent eating had not been for nothing. It actually sustained her, allowing her to maintain the same fierce offensive as before without falling behind.
Xu Qingjia, who had been sustaining twice the soul power consumption all along, finally felt his own reserves bottoming out as well-unless he used his innate domain to restore them. He had also refrained from using his even more dangerous double spiritual attack throughout the battle.
"Wahaha! I won!" The white-haired puffball's eyes lit up. Instantly forgetting her exhaustion, she cheered and launched herself at Xu Qingjia.
Caught off guard, Xu Qingjia took the full brunt of her pounce, and they tumbled together onto the courtyard's soft grass.
The fresh scent of grass mingled with the faint, sweet milky fragrance on the girl, lingering around Xu Qingjia's nose. It was so sweet that his head felt a little dizzy.
Clearly, Na'er had secretly eaten milk candy after lunch.
Xu Qingjia had caught evidence of Na'er's "sin of gluttony."
Na'er sprawled on top of Xu Qingjia, her exquisitely sculpted little face brimming with smug triumph and her sparkling eyes curved into crescents. As she lifted her head, the tip of her tiny nose accidentally brushed his cheek. Her voice was soft, yet carried an unquestionable imperiousness:
"Little Brother Xu Qingjia, hurry up and call me Big Sister Na'er! Otherwise, I won't let you get up!"
"Heh." Xu Qingjia chuckled. He had trained painstakingly since childhood, and his physical conditioning far surpassed that of an ordinary person. This little bit of force could not pin him down.
With a slight exertion of his waist and a clean roll, the boy pinned the white-haired puffball beneath him instead.
The faint coolness of grass and earth seeped into Na'er's back. Her pupils contracted, and she suddenly felt that something was wrong. She tried to struggle, but their fierce battle had already exhausted her strength. Now, no matter what she did, she could not break free.
Xu Qingjia sat on her thighs, his hands gently pressing her shoulders to keep her from squirming. His gaze settled on her rosy little face, his eyes full of laughter and his tone teasing. "Little Sister Na'er, isn't it your turn to call me Big Brother now?"
"In your dreams!" Na'er pouted, her cheeks puffing up like an angry little hamster's. "Let me go!"
As she spoke, she reached up with a soft white hand, pinched Xu Qingjia's cheek, and gave it a gentle tug.
Xu Qingjia blinked. This white-haired puffball still dared to fight back even when she was pinned down?
He looked at the girl's plump, rosy cheeks beneath him. Her long eyelashes fluttered gently like little fans, and her eyes were full of stubborn defiance. She was so adorable that his heart softened. At last, he had a chance to do what he had wanted to do for the past few days.
Xu Qingjia extended his thumb and forefinger and gently pinched Na'er's rosy cheek. Soft, delicate flesh met his fingertips, plump and springy, like the finest mutton-fat jade, or the most delectable dessert. He could not bear to use even a fraction more force and merely kneaded it gently.
"Mmph... let me go!" Na'er's cheeks grew slightly red from his kneading, but her gaze only became more stubborn. Squirming her little body, she reached up with her other hand and pinched Xu Qingjia's face too. They went back and forth, pinching each other's cheeks.
Ye Xinglan stood to one side, eagerly awaiting the battle's outcome.