Xiao Wu's large eyes fluttered, filled with undisguised longing and excitement, and she shook Ling Feng's arm even harder.
"Teach me! Please, Ling Feng!"
Her voice was crisp and bright, carrying a hint of wheedling, and rang especially clearly across the empty training ground in the early morning.
Ling Feng could feel the gaze from the shadows, which had merely been observing him, instantly sharpen.
It pricked his back like needles.
He knew who it was without turning around.
Tang San.
He must have seen what had just happened, too.
Ling Feng's thoughts raced.
Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track was one of Tang San's signature techniques.
Now an "outsider" like him had mastered it, and Tang San had witnessed it himself...
If he readily agreed to teach Xiao Wu now...
What would Tang San think?
His suspicions would deepen.
But if he refused Xiao Wu outright...
This girl clearly would not be so easily brushed off. Her ability to pester people was first-rate.
Besides, befriending Xiao Wu offered more benefits than drawbacks.
Ling Feng put on just the right look of difficulty and gently eased Xiao Wu's hands away.
"This movement technique... has been passed down in my family. We don't usually teach it to outsiders." His tone held some hesitation and deliberation.
Xiao Wu's little face immediately fell. Her lips pouted enough to hang an oil bottle from them, and a film of moisture instantly veiled her eyes. She looked utterly aggrieved.
"Huh? Why does it have to be like that...?"
But Ling Feng changed tack.
"However..." He looked at Xiao Wu, his gaze sweeping over her long, powerful legs. "I can see that you're extremely flexible and fast, too. Your foundations are excellent."
Xiao Wu's eyes immediately lit up again, like stars rekindled.
"Really?"
"Yes." Ling Feng nodded, patiently guiding her along. "My movement technique demands exceptional strength in the waist and legs, as well as bodily coordination. Not just anyone can practice it. You really are a promising seedling."
First, butter her up a little and satisfy the little girl's vanity.
Sure enough, Xiao Wu immediately puffed out her little chest, wearing a smug expression that said, "At least you have a good eye."
"But," Ling Feng shifted again, his expression turning serious, "I can't break my family's rules. I can't directly teach you the core footwork."
Xiao Wu's expression instantly collapsed again, and she looked ready to kick up a fuss.
"However-" Before she could speak, Ling Feng presented his true objective. "We can try another approach. Learn from each other and spar together."
"Learn from each other?" Xiao Wu blinked her large eyes, not quite understanding.
"Right." Ling Feng looked at her, an almost imperceptible curve lifting the corner of his mouth. "I think your close-range grappling techniques are impressive. I'm very interested in that flexible way you generate force and those joint techniques."
He pointed at Xiao Wu's springy long legs.
"Practice that... hmm, Soft Skill of yours with me? Be my sparring partner, feed me moves, and help improve my close-range reactions."
"In exchange," he paused, watching Xiao Wu's eyes suddenly brighten, "you can watch from the side when I practice my movement technique. How much I can grasp will depend on your own ability. Also, I can offer you some general advice and pointers on the footwork's basic force generation and use of the waist and hips. Those don't count as the core inheritance, but they should be very useful to you."
"What do you think? A fair trade."
Having finished, Ling Feng watched her quietly.
This was called "better to teach someone to fish than give them a fish."
Teaching her the footwork outright would bring endless trouble.
But letting her observe and giving her pointers on the basics would satisfy her desire while avoiding the risks as much as possible.
More importantly, he could gain a top-quality sparring partner-a transformed Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast!
Her Soft Skill and close-range combat prowess would absolutely make her the best whetstone for honing his techniques at this stage!
Xiao Wu tilted her head, her large eyes rolling around a few times.
It's a bit of a shame I can't learn the whole set directly.
But I can watch! And even get pointers!
Besides, all I have to do is fight him. That's what I'm best at!
No matter how I look at it, I won't lose out!
"Deal!" She immediately held out her pinky, a brilliant smile blooming on her face. "Pinky promise! No going back on it!"
Ling Feng smiled at her childish gesture and held out his own pinky to hook hers.
"Shall we start now?" Xiao Wu already could not wait, rubbing her fists and palms together, eager to try.
"Right now." Ling Feng stepped back a few paces to put some distance between them and assumed an opening stance. "Come on. Use your strongest moves."
"Watch out!" Xiao Wu cried, instantly lowering her body and darting forward like a nimble cat, astonishingly fast!
Although she had yet to obtain her First Soul Ring, her physical capabilities and combat instincts already far surpassed those of ordinary people!
Her legs snapped out in alternating kicks, striking straight at Ling Feng's lower body!
A fierce gust rushed toward him!
Ling Feng's gaze sharpened, and he instinctively activated Improved Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track!
His body drifted backward as though weightless, narrowly avoiding the sweeping kick.
His footwork shifted, instantly carrying him around to Xiao Wu's flank.
"So fast!" Xiao Wu exclaimed, twisting her waist at an incredible angle as her other leg lashed like a whip toward Ling Feng's neck!
Ling Feng neither dodged nor retreated. His right hand reached out, attempting to apply the force-dissipating techniques of Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer as he made contact with her ankle, trying to guide it aside.
But Xiao Wu's Soft Skill far exceeded his expectations!
Her ankle slipped like a loach, easily escaping his hand without changing the course of her attack!
Slightly startled, Ling Feng changed his footwork again and opened up the distance once more.
The two instantly became locked in combat on the empty training ground!
Xiao Wu's attacks came like a raging tempest. As she unleashed her Soft Skill, every part of her body became a weapon-entangling, coiling, locking, kicking... Her moves were tricky and vicious, yet possessed a unique beauty.
Ling Feng, meanwhile, pushed his newly acquired Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track to its limits!
His figure flickered like a phantom as he wove and dodged through Xiao Wu's dense barrage of attacks.
At times, he was like willow fluff riding the wind, sliding away just beside her attacks.
At others, he was like a fleeting swan, darting in and retreating from incredible angles.
He used Xiao Wu as the finest touchstone, constantly testing and refining the insights into the movement technique in his mind.
From a little awkwardness at first, his movements grew increasingly practiced and fluid.
He gradually became more composed in responding, too.
Occasionally, he also tried blocking or counterattacking, applying Chaotic Cloak's force-generation techniques with fierce, domineering power, but Xiao Wu deftly neutralized them with softness every time.
One hard, one soft; one swift, one slow.
Two figures crossed and wheeled through the morning light, their movements dazzlingly fast.
Cries, the whistle of wind, and the scrape of footsteps against the ground rang out without cease.
The longer Xiao Wu fought, the more excited she became.
She discovered that Ling Feng's movement technique practically made him a sparring partner tailored just for her!
Every dodge was perfectly timed, stimulating her desire to fight and her ability to adapt to the utmost.
Through this intense confrontation, Ling Feng was also rapidly digesting the knowledge the system had imparted, turning it into genuine combat prowess.
Both became immersed in this evenly matched, exhilarating sparring session.
Amid the exchange of punches and kicks, they unknowingly grew much closer.
They rapidly shifted from somewhat unfamiliar classmates toward "friends forged through fighting."
At the edge of the training ground.
Behind that large tree.
Tang San quietly watched the two sparring, his feelings too complicated to put into words.
Ling Feng's strange, unpredictable movement technique, which nevertheless seemed vaguely familiar...
The rapidly growing familiarity and rapport between Xiao Wu and Ling Feng...
All were like tiny thorns piercing his heart.
He could tell that Xiao Wu was happy.
The excitement of meeting an opponent, of finding an equal across the chessboard, came from her heart.
He could also tell that Ling Feng was using Xiao Wu to hone his skills, and was improving at tremendous speed.
This person...
Was far too mysterious.
The speed at which his strength improved was frightening.
Was he approaching Xiao Wu truly just to spar, or did he have some other purpose?
Tang San's hands silently clenched.