"Hmph! How dare you look down on Big Brother Goku!"
Yue'er puffed her cheeks and shot Tianming a fierce glare.
Tianming flapped his hands in a panic. "No, no—I'm just curious, that's all…"
"This young lady," Gai Nie said, turning to Yue'er, "the art you used just now—was that Yin–Yang sorcery? Judging from your technique, you're no weaker than a top expert of our era."
"What? I'm the weakest at home," Yue'er mumbled, suddenly bashful. Growing up in a household full of "monsters," it was no wonder she was humble.
"The weakest…?" Shaoyu and the others were speechless. A little 'monster' who one-shotted Wei Zhuang's third-ranked Heavenly King is the weakest in her house? What kind of monsters live there?
"How should we deal with him?" Tianming asked, eyeing the crippled Wolf King where he lay, unable to move.
"Since he's an enemy, better to remove future troubles," Fan Zeng said, signaling the guards. "Take him away."
Several Xiang household guards stepped forward to drag the Wolf King behind the group.
"Damn it—let me go, you bastards! Awooo—!" the Wolf King howled at the sky.
At once, more wolves burst from the darkness—eyes glowing blood-red, fangs bared, fear forgotten as they hurled themselves at the group.
"What? Didn't the wolves run away already? Why are they back?!" Tianming yelped.
"Hmph."
Goku gave the faintest snort. A wave of unseen dominance swept out and vanished. The charging wolves froze as if struck, then collapsed, shuddering, terror flooding their eyes.
"Leave."
Goku's voice was light.
"Awuu…" The pack answered him meekly, tails tucked, before scattering into the night.
"A-amazing… He scared off the wolves with a single word!" Tianming stared at Goku, eyes filling with worship.
"Now you see," Yue'er said, hugging Goku's arm and tossing Tianming a triumphant look.
"With aura alone he made the pack prostrate themselves… This man's strength is truly unfathomable. The legends were not false," Gai Nie thought, then bowed. "Your control of intent is free and effortless, Sir Goku. I am in awe."
Goku waved it off and glanced at the Wolf King.
"Come back! Get back here!" the Wolf King raged, eyes burning with bloodlust. "Humans can't be trusted—and now even wolves betray me? Damn humans! I'll kill you all!"
His murderous glare was that of a wounded, abandoned lone wolf—terrifying in its despair.
"Those eyes… scary," Tianming muttered, shivering.
"You spurned humans and chose the wolves—now even they've left you," Goku said mildly. "A pitiful life. A dangerous beast like you can't be left loose." He looked to Shaoyu. "He killed many of your men. I'll leave him to you."
Shaoyu blinked, then gazed at the fallen bodies around them. His eyes hardened. He cupped his fists toward Goku. "Thank you, Brother Goku."
He stepped forward, spear in hand, and stopped before the Wolf King. "Good and evil both meet their end. Wolf King, you were a legend once. Dying by my hand—Xiang Shaoyu's—you can close your eyes."
The spear flashed. Under the Wolf King's pinprick pupils, the tip punched through his chest. Shaoyu's strike was clean and ruthless—the hand of a young general forged in war.
"Damn… The Wolf King… slain by a snot-nosed brat…" His glare fixed on Shaoyu, then the light went out of his eyes and darkness claimed him.
"Come. It's late," Goku said softly. "I'll take you to Mirror Lake Medical Manor."
A shared breath of relief passed through the group.
Goku sat with Yue'er atop the carriage, counting stars with her as the night rolled by. Under the moon, the carriage dwindled into the distance.
They later transferred to a small boat, gliding over still water. As dawn paled the sky, Mirror Lake came into view.
Goku looked down at the sleeping Yue'er in his arms and smiled. He lifted her carefully, stepped ashore, and said to the others, "We're here. Everyone off."
"So this is Mirror Lake Medical Manor? It's beautiful!" Tianming was first to hop ashore.
He peered up at the plaque over the gate. "What does it say? I can't read a single word."
"That's written in Yan script," Shaoyu explained. "Since Ying Zheng pushed script unification, it's technically banned. But here, Qin law doesn't matter."
"So what does it say?"
"It's Miss Duanmu Rong's clinic rules—the 'Three No-Saves.' First: no Qin patients. Second: no one with the surname Gai. Third: no treatment for injuries from brutal duels or brawls." Shaoyu shot him a solemn look. "So whatever you do, don't mention that your Uncle Gai Nie's surname is Gai."
Beside them, Gai Nie's brow twitched. He turned to Goku. "Since my name is on her list… perhaps I shouldn't intrude."
"It's fine. You're a friend I brought. Miss Duanmu will give me that much face," Goku said with a casual smile. "Come."
In the courtyard, Xue Nu and the others were already waiting. Goku chuckled. "Up early, are we? Waiting out here so soon?"
"Yue'er fell asleep?" Xue Nu asked softly, looking at the girl in his arms.
"Sleep? I'd say the little rascal just doesn't want to leave his arms," Chi Lian teased, hips swaying as she came over. Mischief glinted in her eyes.
"What? I only just woke up!" Yue'er protested, cheeks flushing as her bright eyes popped open.
Gai Nie and the others offered polite bows to the women—eyes steady, manners impeccable.
"Shaoyu, Tianming…" Xiao Li's gaze softened with memories. Once they had faced life and death together; now, somehow, they felt distant.
Goku looked to Duanmu Rong and inclined his head toward Gai Nie. "This is Gai Nie, titled the Sword Sage—surname Gai, which is on your 'no-treat' list. But as a favor to me—he's my friend—could you make an exception?"
Duanmu Rong studied Gai Nie, brows knitting briefly. Then she looked back to Goku and nodded. "Come in."
They entered the manor as Master Ban came ambling over, smiling. "Busy day at the clinic—so many guests at once."
Xiang Liang stepped up and bowed. "Master Ban, it has been years. You haven't changed at all."
"Haha—likewise, likewise!"
"We've come for two reasons," Xiang Liang said, getting to the point. "First, to see to Mister Gai's treatment. Second, we wish to meet your Juzi. We have important matters to discuss."
"I see… please wait a moment."
Master Ban slipped into a wooden hut and emerged with a wooden mechanism bird. He set it on his palm; its wings flapped as if to fly.
"Ooh, what's that? Looks fun!" Tianming's eyes lit up.
Even Goku glanced over with interest. He had always wondered how a wooden bird could possibly fly.
Before their eyes, the mechanical bird beat its wings and soared into the sky.
Goku only shook his head with a wry smile. "As expected… two-dimensional worlds don't have to make sense."
"Big Brother Goku," Yue'er asked curiously, "if it's just a mechanism bird, how can it fly?"
"Because the rules of this world allow it," Goku said with a gentle smile. "So it flies."
"So if it went to another world, it might not fly?" Yue'er was quick as ever. Raised by Goku and the others, she knew such things better than most.
"Exactly," he said.
_____
T/N:
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