The morning air still held a touch of lingering chill.
Lin Xiao woke early as usual. After washing up, he made his way to the rear courtyard to practice his forms.
"Huh?"
Lin Xiao raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Did the sun just rise from the west?
Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling were already up and—was he seeing this right?—in the middle of practicing punches beneath the long veranda in the rear courtyard?
Except... both of them were still wearing their pajamas and looked half-asleep, moving groggily through the motions. Clearly not self-motivated early risers—more like they'd been dragged out of bed by Auntie Ye.
"Morning, Auntie Ye," Lin Xiao greeted.
Ye Qingxian was dressed in a white martial outfit. Her figure was so graceful that even the loose fit of the uniform couldn't hide her curves. Her skin glowed with healthy color, her expression lively and full of energy.
In stark contrast to Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan, who looked like they'd barely escaped their pillows.
"Morning," Ye Qingxian replied. Her lips were painted a faint red, as if she had applied rouge upon waking. Though middle-aged, she looked younger and more elegant than ever.
Lin Xiao didn't rush to practice. Instead, he stood off to the side, observing the forms the two girls were attempting, and shook his head slightly.
At the rate they were going, it might take them months to grasp even the basics.
"Yan-jie, Lingling-jie," Lin Xiao called out, "punching may look slow, but the rhythm must be steady—fast and slow in harmony. It's all about precision and awareness. You need to concentrate."
"Otherwise, you might as well just go back to bed."
If you're this tired, you can't even play a game properly—let alone train.
His voice startled both girls wide awake.
Their eyes snapped open, minds clearing instantly.
"Lin Xiao? When did you get here?" Dugu Yan asked in a daze.
Lin Xiao stood right in front of them.
They didn't even notice until now? What on earth did they do last night—stay up without sleeping at all?
Shaking his head, Lin Xiao stepped forward.
He gently took Dugu Yan's wrist, causing her to flush deeply—and become completely alert.
"Yan-jie, try to feel my rhythm," he said softly. "The steady flow of motion, the harmony of tension and ease. Form training isn't just about imitating movements—it's about grasping the intent behind them."
He guided her wrist with care, demonstrating the fluid, graceful nature of the Eight Brocade Movements, which balanced softness and strength in perfect harmony.
Dugu Yan's face reddened again, but she focused intently on his movements.
To her surprise, practicing with Lin Xiao felt completely different. His rhythm was smooth and steady, like flowing water.
For the first time, she began to understand the true essence of the technique—its tranquility, its inner power.
Before she knew it, an entire cycle had passed. When Lin Xiao finally released her wrist, Dugu Yan blinked in confusion.
Wait… when did I finish the whole form?
"Yan-jie, I only guided your hand techniques," Lin Xiao said gently. "For the footwork, follow the same rhythm you just felt."
He didn't teach the footwork directly—for two reasons:
First, guiding footwork would require their legs to be pressed together, and it would be too inappropriate.
Second… he was shorter than Dugu Yan. Even if he wanted to, he physically couldn't reach.
Done with her, Lin Xiao turned to Ye Lingling.
"Lingling-jie, want to give it a try?"
Ye Lingling nodded, her cheeks already glowing red.
Lin Xiao reached out to guide her, and she immediately felt heat rise to her ears. She had the distinct feeling that both Ye Qingxian and Dugu Yan were watching her intently.
Lin Xiao had a clean, refreshing scent—like autumn maple.
"Lingling-jie," he said gently, "focus your attention."
Ye Qingxian couldn't help but chuckle.
"Shameless girl."
Ye Lingling scowled and huffed, "Mom! Lin Xiao's a much better teacher than you!"
"If he had taught me earlier, I might already be proficient!"
Ye Qingxian raised an eyebrow and quipped,
"Oh yes—when he's guiding you hand-in-hand, even an idiot could pick it up."
Ye Lingling's face burned.
But faced with her mother's dominance, she could only mutter under her breath,
"Not going to argue with you…"
As Lin Xiao guided the girls through their movements, he circulated his own soul power. It wasn't a complete practice session for him, but it was close enough.
"All done."
After leading Ye Lingling through the cycle twice, he let go of her slender wrist.
"Time to wash up and head to the academy."
Everyone took turns bathing.
Ye Qingxian stayed home to continue researching the whale resin, while Lin Xiao left for Heaven Dou Royal Academy with Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling.
Walking down the city streets, the sight of a red-haired boy flanked on either side by a short silver-haired girl and a tall green-haired beauty drew a lot of attention.
And as they approached the gates of Heaven Dou Royal Academy—
They became the center of attention.
After all, both Ye Lingling and Dugu Yan were renowned figures at the school.
Ye Lingling was known for her icy demeanor. She never spoke to boys.
Dugu Yan was infamous for her noble pride and dangerous aura—she wasn't easy to approach either.
Both came from prominent families. Neither had siblings.
So… who was this red-haired boy between them?
Some whispered he might be their younger brother—but that couldn't be. Weren't they both only children?
In the end, curiosity or not—no one dared approach to ask.
Dugu Yan and Ye Lingling led Lin Xiao to the administration office to complete his transfer paperwork.
Since he was enrolling mid-term, he had to fill out several documents and submit a profile.
On the way, Lin Xiao stole a glance at Ye Lingling, who was keeping her expression stiff and distant.
"Lingling-jie… are you always this cold at school?"
"You're like a completely different person—your aura's even chillier than Yan-jie's. Just looking at you makes people back off."
Dugu Yan snorted.
"Cold? Please. She's not cold—she's just socially anxious."
"She puts on that frosty act because she's afraid of people talking to her. The second a boy tries to chat with her, she goes silent until he gets awkward and walks away."
"Eventually, all the guys at school gave up trying."
Lin Xiao stared at Ye Lingling, astonished.
"…Seriously?"
Her ears turned bright red.
But even so, she maintained her stoic facade until they reached a quieter area. Then she muttered softly:
"I'm not anxious. I just don't know what to say…"
Dugu Yan hit her with a critical blow:
"Great! Then today I'm having lunch with Lin Xiao, and you can eat alone!"
Ye Lingling panicked.
"W-What!? Yan-jie, that's not fair!"
Watching her stomp her foot in frustration, Lin Xiao's mind flashed with a single word:
Adorable.
So she has a soft, awkward side after all…
Lin Xiao suddenly felt he'd discovered a weakness.
Social anxiety types like her—too easy to tease.
They soon arrived at the administration office.
Lin Xiao glanced around. Unlike a regular school office, Heaven Dou Royal Academy's admin wing looked more like a luxury lounge: spacious, well-lit, with real leather sofas that were astonishingly soft to the touch.
The administrator, a middle-aged man, looked up from Lin Xiao's file.
"You're really this young?"
According to his paperwork, Lin Xiao was only seven.
And not just a Spirit Master—but a Grandmaster already?
Unbelievable.