LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 11: 1 - 11
Chapter 11: Double Standard Xuan-Yuan Sword! Attempting Sword Flight!
Early the next morning, Tang San woke up early to absorb the purple air of dawn. After finishing his cultivation routine, he quietly packed his belongings and went to find Yu Xiaogang, who was planning to take him to the Soul Hunting Forest to obtain his first soul ring.
Shortly after Tang San left the dormitory, Xiao Tian opened his eyes. He glanced at the door, then shifted his gaze to Xiao Wu, still soundly asleep beside him.
Xiao Tian gently patted Xiao Wu's soft, delicate cheeks. When she didn't stir, he couldn't resist pinching and rubbing them lightly.
"Wake up, sleepyhead! The sun's already shining on your butt! Didn't you say you wanted to practice hard? A day's plan begins in the morning. Get up already!"
"(*peaceful snoring noise)"
"It's time for breakfast!"
"…Time to eat?" Xiao Wu mumbled groggily, rubbing her eyes. Her words were incoherent, but the mention of food made her little ears twitch.
Xiao Tian sighed helplessly. She had insisted last night that she would wake up earlier than him to practice, yet here she was, still lazing in bed.
After some coaxing, Xiao Wu reluctantly got up, washed her face quickly, and followed Xiao Tian outside.
---
As they stepped into the morning light, Xiao Tian suddenly had a thought. 'Why didn't I hear the system warning today?'
'System, check if Tang Hao is nearby,' Xiao Tian instructed inwardly.
[Ding! Host, the God of Slaughter, Tang Hao, is not in the vicinity.]
A faint smile appeared on Xiao Tian's face. His spiritual power might not be strong enough yet, but the "sand sculpture system" came in handy for detecting Tang Hao's presence.
From this, Xiao Tian deduced that Tang Hao had likely followed Tang San and Yu Xiaogang to the Soul Hunting Forest, secretly protecting his son.
In the original story, even if Tang San hadn't revealed his hidden weapons, Tang Hao would likely have intervened if danger arose. Xiao Tian had also considered whether Tang Hao might stay behind to monitor Xiao Wu near the academy. But thinking it through, it made sense. Xiao Wu, unaware that her identity as a 100,000-year-old soul beast had been discovered, wouldn't run away after enrolling in the academy.
As for Tang San, Xiao Tian found it amusing that Yu Xiaogang, who lacked any combat capability and stubbornly refused help, was taking Tang San to hunt soul beasts alone. Wasn't that just courting death?
The thought of how Yu Xiaogang turned the Light Holy Dragon into a pig that could only fart made Xiao Tian laugh inwardly. How could such a person claim to be a "master of theory"?
Any soul master with even basic understanding would know that if you had a dragon-type martial soul, you'd aim for soul rings from dragon-type beasts to maximize its potential. Yet, Yu Xiaogang's misguided decisions had ruined Luo Sanpao.
The fact that he managed to reach the twenty-ninth level of soul power was a miracle in itself.
Now that Tang Hao was preoccupied, Xiao Tian felt it was the perfect time to act. Having already reached level ten, it was time to find a suitable soul ring. Though he could technically continue accumulating soul power without one, absorbing a soul ring would enhance his overall attributes and cultivation speed.
Moreover, his sword techniques demanded significant soul power, making it imperative to increase his total reserves. And without specific technique or method, only through absorbing a soul ring could his total soul power capacity increase.
'I'll head to another nearby Soul Hunting Forest tomorrow morning to obtain my first soul ring,' Xiao Tian decided.
---
For the next hour, Xiao Tian practiced sword stances and moves as usual. Once he was satisfied, he set aside the iron sword and summoned his martial soul, the Xuan-Yuan Sword.
Xiao Wu, standing nearby, watched curiously.
"Xuan-Yuan, today we're trying something new," Xiao Tian announced with a mischievous grin. "Flying with a sword! Can you use your power to help me fly?"
The Xuan-Yuan Sword's blade quivered, its tip swaying left and right as if expressing refusal.
Xuan-Yuan Sword: I can't do that! (´⊙ω⊙`)
Xiao Wu chuckled. "Xiao Tian, your martial soul seems really lively, but isn't this too much? Xuan-Yuan is just a sword. If you want it to carry you, you'll need to support it with soul power."
Xiao Tian grinned. "My martial soul is a bit special—it has a certain level of intelligence. I like to call it a wisdom martial soul. You could even say it has a sword spirit. But are you sure my request is too much?"
His eyes sparkled mischievously as he looked at the limp Xuan-Yuan Sword.
"Xuan-Yuan, are you really refusing? Look at Xiao Wu. She's cute, even with that baby fat and though her figure may not be impressive, she will be quite a beauty when she grows up!How about you carry her instead?"
"Cute? Me? No, wait—whose body are you calling unimpressive!?" Xiao Wu's ears twitched, her face flushed with a mix of embarrassment and fury. Before Xiao Tian could react, she pounced on him like a small angry rabbit and sank her teeth into his shoulder.
"Ouch! Xiao Wu, I was just joking!" Xiao Tian winced, waving his hands in mock surrender. "Can't you take a compliment without turning into a little beast?"
Xiao Wu released him, her cheeks puffed out as she glared at him. "Calling me cute is fine, but you'd better take back that unimpressive comment!"
Xiao Tian rubbed his shoulder, feigning a hurt expression. "Alright, alright! I take it back. You're not unimpressive, okay? You're—uh—developing beautifully. Happy now?"
"Better," Xiao Wu muttered, crossing her arms but failing to hide the smug smile tugging at her lips.
Just then, the Xuan-Yuan Sword sprang to life. Its blade straightened, shimmering with renewed energy, and broke free from Xiao Tian's hand. It floated over to Xiao Wu, hovering in front of her as if offering its service.
Xiao Tian: "…"
Speechless, Xiao Tian glared at his martial soul. 'Since when has this sword had a soft spot for pretty girls? Couldn't it show its master some respect?'
Xuan-Yuan, Double Standard, Sword.
Xiao Wu hesitated, her expression a mix of curiosity and fear. "Xiao Tian, what if I fall? I might end up meeting my mom in the afterlife!"
"Relax. Start small," Xiao Tian said, waving his hand. "Let Xuan-Yuan hover just a few centimeters off the ground. Test it out that way first."
Feeling reassured, Xiao Wu carefully stepped onto the blade. The Xuan-Yuan Sword steadied itself, floating low and gliding gently across the lawn with Xiao Wu on top.
Meanwhile, Xiao Tian noticed his soul power depleting faster than expected. As he suspected, Xuan-Yuan Sword's strength relied heavily on his own reserves.
After a brief ride, Xiao Wu stepped off, still feeling a bit wobbly.
"Alright, Xuan-Yuan, it's my turn now," Xiao Tian declared, regaining control of the sword.
He placed his index and middle fingers together, imbuing the blade with sword intent. A faint aura enveloped the Xuan-Yuan Sword, sharpening its edge and giving it a subtle glow.
Xiao Tian smiled to himself. 'Let's see if this works. If sword intent can reduce soul power consumption, I might really be able to master flying with a sword. After all, every swordsman in those TV dramas made it look so effortless—and cool.'
And so, Xiao Tian took his first step toward realizing his dream of soaring through the skies on his sword, his determination burning as brightly as the morning sun.