Whispers and Resolve
The warm, convivial atmosphere of the barbecue restaurant faded into the cool, familiar grounds of Donghai Academy. As the group dispersed toward their dormitories, Gu Yue's voice, soft yet deliberate, caught Yao Xuan's ear. She leaned close, her breath a gentle whisper against his skin. "Yao Xuan, come to my room later."
A simple request, yet it carried a weight that made his heart beat a fraction faster. "Okay," he nodded, offering no question, no hesitation. Under the predictable mix of teasing and curious glances from their friends—Xie Xie's raised eyebrows, Tang Wulin's knowing smile—he followed the silver-haired girl into the sanctuary of her dorm.
The room was neat, carrying her subtle scent—a crisp, clean fragrance like winter air and starlight. She turned to face him, taking his hand in hers, her touch as natural as breathing.
"What's wrong? Is there something you want to talk to me about?" he asked, though the echo of her earlier tension during the meal gave him a clear guess.
"Nothing much," she began, her thumb tracing a light, absent-minded circle on his knuckle. "I just suddenly wanted to ask you a few questions."
"Okay, what are the questions?"
She paused, her silver eyes searching his. "Well, it's mainly about that new classmate. Yao Xuan, do you think Xu Xiaoyan is pretty?"
The question was direct, delivered with Gu Yue's characteristic lack of social pretense. Yao Xuan answered with equal honesty. "Of course she's pretty." To lie would be an insult to both Gu Yue's intelligence and the simple truth.
A faint, almost imperceptible tightness appeared around her eyes. "Hmm, so you think she's pretty too, just like me." She leaned a little closer, the space between them humming with unspoken meaning. "So… who do you think is prettier, her or me?"
'Ah,' he thought, the pieces clicking into place. A fond warmth spread through his chest. He reached out, gently stroking her soft, silken hair. "Of course, Gu Yue, you're prettier." It was the absolute truth. Xu Xiaoyan possessed a lovely, lively beauty, but Gu Yue's allure was otherworldly—a combination of majestic grace and an innocent, captivating purity that was uniquely hers.
"Hmm, that's good." The tension seeped from her shoulders, replaced by a visible, sweet relief.
He couldn't help but smile, his voice gentle. "What's wrong? Are you jealous?"
"No!" she denied instantly, but a delicate blush bloomed across her cheeks, betraying her completely. "Don't overthink it. I was just asking."
"Alright, alright," he chuckled softly, his thumb brushing her warm cheek. "Look at your blushing face. Don't worry, I like you the most, Gu Yue."
The words, simple and sincere, seemed to wrap around her. "That's good," she murmured, her voice barely a whisper, her eyes downcast for a moment before meeting his again with renewed purpose. "By the way, Yao Xuan, do you have any other plans after the exams?"
"Other plans?"
"Yes. Didn't we agree that you would come to my house during winter break so I could… check your martial soul?" she said, using the pretense of their cover story, though the real intention hung clear in the air between them. "So, I came to ask about your plans."
The Stormy Period Spirit Ascension Platform ticket in his pocket briefly crossed his mind. But compared to a month with Gu Yue, to stepping into her world and solidifying the bond that was his anchor, it was no contest. "I don't have any other plans. Let's go after the final exams."
A soft, genuine smile lit up her face. "Okay, I understand. Let's set off after the exams." She paused, then asked, "By the way, Yao Xuan, where do you live?" It was a curious reversal, a subtle seeking of her own knowledge about him.
"Oh, my home is in Tian Dou City. You probably haven't been there before, have you?"
"No, I haven't," he admitted. "I'll have to trouble you to be my guide and show me around."
"Of course," she nodded, a gentle, promising look in her eyes.
They lapsed into a comfortable silence. He kept his arm around her, and she nestled closer, her head finding its familiar place against his shoulder. He could feel the steady rhythm of her breathing, the profound sense of rightness in her presence. The faint, celestial scent of her hair filled his senses.
After a long, peaceful while, she stirred. "By the way, it's getting late. You still need to cultivate, right?"
"Yes," he sighed, reluctant to break the moment. "It feels so good to be with you."
"Me too," she confessed, her voice muffled against his shoulder. "Your aura, your scent… are so pleasing to me."
The phrasing made him smile inwardly. 'My scent? That's a very… draconic compliment.' He slowly withdrew his arm. "Goodnight, Gu Yue."
"Goodnight, Yao Xuan."
He stepped out into the corridor, closing the door softly behind him, only to find four conspicuously casual figures loitering nearby.
"Hey, boss," Xie Xie stage-whispered, grinning. "What were you and Gu Yue doing in there? It's been half an hour and you're only just coming out."
Tang Wulin, Zhang Yangzi, and Wang Jinxi hovered with poorly feigned nonchalance.
Yao Xuan leveled a flat look at them. "You guys just love gossiping. Gu Yue and I just sat there for a while and chatted."
"Really?" Xie Xie pressed, skepticism written all over his face.
"Would I lie to you?" Yao Xuan retorted, a hint of exasperation in his tone. "Besides, Gu Yue and I are not even ten years old yet. What could we do? And we were only in there for half an hour. Do you think I'm a quickie?" He raised an eyebrow.
Xie Xie's hands flew up in surrender. "No, no, boss! How could I possibly think that!"
"Exactly. We just talked. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have cultivating to do." Shaking his head with a mix of amusement and fondness for his friends' antics, he made his way to his own room.
Alone at last, he sat on his bed, but his mind wasn't on rest. With a focused thought, his consciousness plunged inward.
The familiar void formed around him. After breaking through the second limit of his Ancestral Dragon Bloodline, gaining new abilities, and experiencing a monumental leap in physical prowess, theory was one thing. He needed to feel it, to wield it, to make it an extension of his will.
'Opponent: Wu Changkong simulation. Adjust parameters: Soul Power rank, early-stage Soul Master.'
It was a significant jump. Before his breakthrough, fighting a simulated Soul Elder had been his limit. Now, he aimed for the realm of three rings. The air in the simulated space solidified as the familiar, stern visage of Teacher Wu flickered into existence. The aura emanating from the illusion was palpably heavier, a dense, pressurized field that spoke of solidified soul cores and vastly greater energy reserves.
Yao Xuan took a deep breath. The second blood energy circulation hummed to life inside him, a brilliant, internal constellation. He didn't just activate his martial soul; he let the new depths of his power rise.
"Ancestral Dragon Body – Intermediate!"
"Right Claw Dragon Transformation! Left Claw Dragon Transformation!"
Nine-colored light didn't just flash; it erupted. Scales, thicker and shimmering with a deeper, more profound luster, cascaded over his skin. His arms transformed simultaneously, not just the right but the left as well, both becoming terrifying weapons sheathed in primordial energy. The synergistic effect was immediate—a surge of power that made the air crackle around him, doubling the enhancement to his entire physique. He felt invincible, a feeling he knew was dangerous but intoxicating to test.
Across from him, the Wu Changkong illusion observed, its programmed combat algorithms assessing the sudden spike in threat level. It didn't wait. With the efficiency that characterized their teacher, it moved, a blur that closed the distance in an instant, a hand-chop aimed not to kill, but to disable, carrying the concise, devastating force of a Soul Master.
Yao Xuan's eyes narrowed. Before, this speed would have been a serious challenge.
Now…
He didn't dodge.
He met it.
"Ancestral Dragon Sky-Splitting Strike!"
Both transformed claws crossed in a blinding X of nine-colored light. The collision wasn't a muffled thud, but a sharp, percussive CRACK that reverberated through the simulation space. The Soul Master-level force crashed against the Absolute Armor Penetration of his dual claws and the monstrous physical strength bolstered by his intermediate body.
The result? The Wu Changkong illusion's attacking arm shimmered violently, the simulation struggling to compute the feedback. It was forced back a full step, its expressionless face seeming almost surprised.
Yao Xuan stood his ground, his claws still glowing. A fierce, exhilarated smile touched his lips. This was his new baseline. The winter break with Gu Yue awaited, a journey of the heart. But here, in the silence of simulated battle, he was embarking on another journey—one of conquering the newfound power that would allow him to protect that heart, no matter what the future held.
The illusion reset, adopting a more cautious, complex stance. The real training was about to begin.