As night fell, the chirping of birds gradually faded, replaced by the loud chorus of crickets! The paths of Saint Village were illuminated by the soft glow of candlelight from each house.
"Alright, since the harvest earnings have been handed over to the village chief, we'll escort you and the children while taking the path to store the cart and put the horses in the stable!" said Uncle Boris.
"Alright, thank you, Boris and Asis, for teaching me how to sell the harvest in the city!" replied Uncle Jack.
"Don't mention it! As fellow villagers, we should always help each other!" Uncle Asis responded enthusiastically.
Upon arriving at Uncle Jack's house, his friends helped unload the goods. Uncle Jack himself carried Arthur and Jing Liu, who were fast asleep—perhaps Jing Liu was exhausted, while Arthur had dozed off out of boredom. But Arthur hadn't stopped practicing his "White Aura Hunt" technique, which seemed to only yield 40% of its intended effect!
"They look so adorable when they're asleep! Even Arthur, who's usually so active, looks absolutely precious right now!" said Uncle Jack as he tucked them both in.
The next morning, as usual, Arthur woke up at 4 a.m. But he was startled to find Jing Liu sleeping on his bed, separated only by a pillow! Well, it made sense—Uncle Jack had bought sleeping essentials for Jing Liu but hadn't gotten her a separate bed, so she ended up sharing with Arthur.
"A new morning, a new day! I'll continue training my spirit energy control until I can stand on the river and perform the iconic 'Rasengan' technique! Though that might take a while..." Arthur murmured quietly, his voice filled with determination.
Unbeknownst to Arthur, Jing Liu had already woken up—but she decided to go back to sleep as soon as he left the room!
"I'll write a note for Uncle Jack to let him know I'm going out to train!" Arthur said as he scribbled on a piece of paper and left it on the dining table.
Arthur headed to the forest near the village, where a medium-sized waterfall fed into a lake, and began his training there. He had just realized that the lake where he used to train was actually fed by this very waterfall—though it was a bit farther than his previous spot.
"I should try something new after today's energy control training... like delving deeper into my 'Wuhun Spirit'! Because it seems my 'Wuhun Spirit' doesn't fit into either the 'Weapon Spirit' or 'Beast Spirit' categories—neither in characteristics nor appearance! So, I'll dedicate some time to that this afternoon!" Arthur muttered as he sat cross-legged, focusing on his "spirit energy" control.
After two hours of unwavering concentration, Arthur finally achieved a breakthrough in mastering his spirit energy! He had reached the threshold of control he had been striving for all this time.
As he felt the rough bark of the tree beneath his fingers and the cool, refreshing mist from the waterfall, Arthur slowly opened his eyes—just in time to see the first rays of sunlight creeping toward him. Dawn had revealed itself!
As dawn began to blanket the land with warmth, Arthur stopped training and prepared to catch fish at the lake to bring back to the house where he would return.
"Art, you've finally arrived! I told you not to overdo your training. Rest and relaxation are also necessary, especially for a kid like you! Alright, now I'll cook the fish you brought first—it'll add to our side dishes and help meet your growth needs," said Uncle Jack in a worried tone.
After Uncle Jack left, the atmosphere became slightly awkward as Jing Liu watched him from the dining area. Unable to bear the tension any longer, Arthur took the initiative to start a conversation.
"Hey, did you sleep well last night?" Arthur asked awkwardly.
"Well, after living on the streets for almost a year, this was the best sleep I've had," Jing Liu replied calmly.
The silence grew even more uncomfortable, so Arthur decided to ask about her martial soul and whether she possessed spiritual power. Though it was a sensitive and private question, since Jing Liu was still a child, Arthur wanted to gauge whether he should train her rigorously or gently to ensure her safety.
"So, have you awakened your martial soul yet? And do you have spiritual power?" Arthur asked, trying to lighten the mood.
"No, I'm not six yet, so I haven't awakened my 'martial soul' and can't confirm if I have spiritual power," Jing Liu answered quietly.
"So, when do you turn six? I'll ask Uncle Jack to take you for your martial soul awakening!" Arthur said enthusiastically.
"I turn six tomorrow. But… doesn't Uncle Jack need rest after going to sell the harvest yesterday?" Jing Liu asked calmly.
"You're probably right. I'll tell Uncle Jack about this later when he's not as tired," Arthur said, thinking about the master dwarf who could craft spirit equipment.
"I should probably ask the 'master dwarf' about this tomorrow," Arthur thought to himself.
"The fish is ready! Time to eat!" Uncle Jack announced with a smile.
After a quiet meal, Uncle Jack instructed Arthur to take Jing Liu around the village to help her get familiar with the paths and avoid getting lost.
"Alright, where should we start first? The mountain or the lake?" Arthur asked excitedly.
"I'd like to go to the lake first," Jing Liu replied softly.
In truth, Arthur wasn't taking her through the village streets of Saint but rather to his usual training grounds—to test whether her physical condition was suitable for the training he had in mind.
"Alright then, let's go! This journey will be long and winding!" Arthur said in a teasingly ominous tone.
With that, the two began exploring Arthur's training spots, though he deliberately took a longer, roundabout path.
"Are you still holding up?" Arthur asked, glancing back.
"This is just the beginning—I'm not even sweating yet!" Jing Liu responded coolly.
After answering, a glimmer of light appeared ahead, and Jing Liu ran forward to see a crystal-clear lake, its bottom visible through the pristine water. The sound of birds in the air made the place feel even more extraordinary.
"Don't be too surprised—this is just the start! We'll follow this small stream connected to the lake to see something even more amazing!"
"Really? Then let's go!" Jing Liu said, her excitement beginning to show, though she still seemed somewhat reserved.
The two walked side by side, following the stream that led them onward, accompanied by the rustling wind and the distant roar of a waterfall waiting ahead.
TO BE CONTINUED...