"Big brother, can we go out to eat something good?" Na'er asked as she looks up at Tang Wulin with her innocent eyes.
"...Sure." Said Tang Wulin, as he forcibly turns the boat around. Na'er gazed at her brother as she felt a huge burden leaving her shoulder.
She never liked keeping things from him and she felt so relieved from telling him.
'Even though I told him I was sent to kill him, he didn't hold a grudge.' Na'er thought as she begins wondering what would have happened if she stayed with him when they were younger.
Tang Wulin summoned his wing and then grab scope up to fly to the shore. Na'er eye softens as she smiled sweetly at him and made a promise to herself.
'Brother, I don't care about anything else other we are finally reunite. So I promise we will face everything together.' Na'er thought to herself as they landed onshore.
Tang Wulin put her down, then Na'er grabs his hand and then followed behind him.
Tang Wulin didn't mind since they have been doing this since they were kids. He wonders what happened to her shyness though.
It had taken them a while before they reached the snack street of Shrek. Tang Wulin allowed Na'er to pick whatever she desired.
The streets look slightly empty because of the holidays but it also meant quicker service for them.
Tang Wulin and Na'er went through most of the food stands, as he begins telling her about what he was up to since they parted.
"Brother you actually defeated a Shrek Inner Court Member!"
"You really took off one of Elder Cai arms!"
"You beat everyone in your class!"
"Wow, brother you reached the top of the Everglades in less than two weeks!"
"You're already a Soul Ancestor too!"
Na'er was absolutely entranced at her brother's spectacular feats. She always knew her brother was amazing but to hear the things he did was a different story. Yet at the same time, she was jealous and troubled.
'Gu Yue was with him and experience those adventures with him.' Na'er couldn't help herself from feeling jealous about how Gu Yue was able to stand by her brother's side as he went through each of those challenges.
'It's not like he would fall in love with her, right?' Na'er unconsciously gripped Tang Wulin's arms together as he was recounting to her his story.
"Is something wrong?" Asked Tang Wulin as he shifts his gaze down to Na'er.
"Oh! Nothing is wrong." Said Na'er as she realizes what happened. Tang Wulin gave Na'er a hard stare, causing her to tremble.
"I just wish I was there to experience those adventures and challenges with you." Said Na'er, as she leans on to Tang Wulin arm.
It was then Na'er communicator begins to ring, she quickly took it out and begins talking to the person on the other line.
Tang Wulin went back to eating his food, as he waited for her to be done.
"Big Brother, my teacher, and his wife is worried that I didn't go to meet them on the Sea God Island. So I have to go back now." Said Na'er as she lowers her head.
"Do you want to go back?" Asked Tang Wulin.
"I do. They have been so good to me for the past years, I wouldn't feel alright to not go see what they wanted." Said Na'er.
Tang Wulin nodded his head and then told her to give him her number. Na'er hastily started telling him her number and saved it in his communicator.
"When you're done, just give me a call and we can do this again." Said Tang Wulin, as he begins rubbing her hair. Na'er nodded and then she told him she will make sure to call him as soon as she was done.
Tang Wulin watches as Na'er was getting farther and farther away. He felt his stomach twisting but disregarded it as his communicator was beginning to ring.
"Tang Wulin it's Ye Xinglan, come to the Training Facility." Said Ye Xinglan on the other line.
"Why?"
"I want to have a rematch with you." Said Ye Xinglan as she hangs up.
Tang Wulin lips twitch and got up to go back to the Sea God Island, he had already wasted enough time.
"Acnologia, don't keep one of your friends waiting." Said Zeref as he appeared in front of him with a smile on his face.
"Friends?" Said Tang Wulin as he raised a brow.
"Don't act like you haven't started to accept them as your friends." Said Zeref, causing Tang Wulin to roll his eyes.
"Besides, you can use this chance to test your spear skills against someone who is an expert with the sword." Said Zeref.
Tang Wulin narrowed his eyes at Zeref, as he knew Zeref was leaving something out. Whether it be this life or his old life, it was always hard to get a good read on Zeref.
Still, he does make a good point, he could use this spar to test his mastery of the spear. It took him about twenty minutes to reach Shrek's training facility.
"So you wanted a rematch?" Asked Tang Wulin, as he walks into to see Ye Xinglan catching her breath. He looks around and saw that most of the training dummies were destroyed.
"Yes." Said Ye Xinglan as she sends a glare at him. Tang Wulin arches a brow but then nodded his head.
"Alright but no soul power. You can only rely on your Stargod sword, and I will rely on my spear," Said Tang Wulin.
Ye Xinglan arches a brow at their sparring condition, as they were oddly was playing in her favor.
"What is the reason for these conditions?" Asked Ye Xinglan.
"Does it matter?" Asked Tang Wulin.
"No, It doesn't," Said Ye Xinglan.
Tang Wulin held out his hand, as his Golden Dragon Spear appeared out of thin air and then he begins to twirl it around.
Ye Xinglan was surprised but still summon her Stargod sword, as she got into her stance.
"Alright, let's go."
#
"I wonder where she is." Said a young woman. She was pure and elegant beauty with long evergreen hair flowing down her back. She had a slender figure and bright complexion full of life as she gazes out at the sea.
"You shouldn't worry too much about her Ya Li." Said the very handsome young man behind her as he held her in his embrace.
"But Big Brother Yun Ming, this isn't like her." Said Ya Li, as she laid back in his embrace. Yun Ming chuckles as he held her close to him.
"Well, you already called her rights?" Said Yun Ming, causing Ya Li to nod her head.
"It should be fine. Still, it's pretty cute to see you acting like a mom to her." Said Yun Ming, causing Ya Li to blush.
"And I guess I would be the father huh." Said Yun Ming as he was laughing out loud.
#
"How is it that you're still annoying when just using a weapon." Said Ye Xinglan she was laying down against the wall behind her. She was catching her breath from the spar she had with Tang Wulin.
"What do you mean?" Asked Tang Wulin as he was sitting down next to her, he was sweating just like her. His shirt was already soaked, and his hair was slightly wet from the workout.
"You told me you only started practicing the spear for over a month. Yet you don't move or fight like a total novice." Said Ye Xinglan as she remembers how Tang Wulin was able to adequately defend her attacks even though he doesn't have much combat experience with the spear.
Tang Wulin was thinking about how his combat experience allowed him to predict where Ye Xinglan was going to strike and his overwhelming strength allowed his swings to force her to go on the defense.
Although that didn't last long as Ye Xinglan showed how much of a monster she was with the sword.
She didn't fight back against the swings of his spear but used the force of his attack to counter-attack him.
His combat experience allowed him to predict all of her attacks but her sword mastery allowed her to counter his spear swings.
It ended up becoming a match of who was faster in their reaction speed and stamina. In the end, it ended up with both of them tieing because their stamina was exhausted.
'Still, that was pretty fun.' Thought Tang Wulin, as he ignored Zeref who had a smug smirk. It has been a very very long time since he fought until his stamina became exhausted.
Ye Xinglan was gazing at him while he was busying going through the match and then moved him closer to her, so he could lean on her.
"Just lean on me for now." Said Ye Xinglan. Tang Wulin arches a brow as he was surprised that she would do something like that.
"Don't look so surprised. This is just my way of a thank you for motivating me." Said Ye Xinglan.
"Motivating you?"
"When we fought, I felt so powerless and weak as you completely demolished me. I didn't understand how I was beaten so badly, as the fight kept on replaying in my mind." Said Ye Xinglan, as Tang Wulin listen silently.
"Every time I thought about that fight. It pissed me off to the point I had to go back to training the basics of the sword. Every second that passed for the past four years was me training my sword. It got to the point where I sometimes forget to cultivate, but I didn't care as I kept remembering the person who beat with just his skill alone." Said Ye Xinglan as her eyes shined with determination.
"Because of this, I was able to reach a level I never thought I would reach until I was much older." Said Ye Xinglan.
"You're welcome?" Said Tang Wulin as this was the first time someone thanks him for beating them down to the ground. Ye Xinglan rolled her eyes and chuckle a bit.
"At least I wasn't wrong in my assumption about you." Said Tang Wulin, causing Ye Xinglan to give him a questioning glance.
"Those were?"
"You're just like me. You want to fight people who are stronger than you and you're very stubborn," Said Tang Wulin.
Ever since he saw Ye Xinglan, he could tell she had the same battle lust as he did and the stubbornness to rise back up.
Ye Xinglan hummed but didn't say anything as both of them lay against each other. Ye Xinglan didn't understand why she pulled Tang Wulin close to her.
She sneaks a glance at Tang Wulin as he was staring off into space.
'I wonder what he did to get so strong.' Thought Ye Xinglan, as she begins imagining Tang Wulin's training.
From what she heard, it was basically hell, and he was a slave driver that didn't stop until the last second.
'I wonder If I were to follow him. Would I be able to come across even stronger people?' Ye Xinglan was thinking about her future and begins to wonder what would happen if she journeyed together with Tang Wulin.
She didn't notice a small smile was forming on her face, and a hint of red was on her cheeks. As she was too busy daydreaming.
#
"So brat your finally back." Said Zhou Shi as he stared at Tang Wulin who had a stoic look.
Zhou Shi was impressed the brat could keep in his anger but then remembering the brat was scamming some favors out of them, his eyes begin to twitch.
"So, are you ready to teach something new to me?" Asked Tang Wulin.
"Well since you are done mastering Dragon Shock the Heaven. Then we can move to the next step, Dragon Shock The Earth." Said Zhou Shi as he begins to give him an example of how the attack looks.
Tang Wulin went behind the house and for the next couple of days, he was practicing the skill.
Na'er came over to where he was and watches him train. He didn't question her on why, but he did have her help him with his spear skills.
He was surprised at her level of mastery, but she helps give him pointers as they spar.
He asked her about the inner court training and she told him she didn't know much about the other teacher.
Tang Wulin was alone practicing the Dragon Shock The Earth when he heard his communicator go off. He checks the Id and found out it was Mu Xi calling him.
"You're back?" Asked Tang Wulin.
"Yep! But that's not important right now. Where are you right now?" Said Mu Xi on the other line.
"The Sea God Island." Said Tang Wulin.
"If it was anyone else, that told me that, I wouldn't believe them. When can we meet up?" Asked Mu Xi.
"Just take the boat and come meet me at Sea God Island shore." Said Tang Wulin.
"Is that really okay?"
"Sure it is." Said Tang Wulin, as he hangs up the communicator. Zeref just gave him a blank stare but he ignores it as he went to the shore.
After a while, he saw a boat coming towards him with Mu Xi in it and she was looking all around. She spotted him and a smile bloom on her face as she quickly went toward him.
"This place looks amazing." Said Mu Xi as she remembers how peaceful she felt on the boat ride here. Tang Wulin nodded his head and then ask her what she wanted to show him.
Mu Xi begins telling Tang Wulin about her trip meeting the Divine Smith Zhen Hua.
She told him about how he was so amazed by her skills, that he was willing to give her some pointers and even take her as his disciples.
"Is that it?" Asked Tang Wulin, causing Mu Xi to roll her eyes and ignored his rudeness.
As she continues talking about her trip with him. Tang Wulin always wonders why Mu Xi made time to talk with him about the simplest thing.
Strangely enough, a little part of him actually enjoy these small talks with her. With Mu Xi, she would come to talk to him about everything that happens in her day and other meaningless things.
"My batter armor is almost ready. I already made the metal for my one-word battle armor. Right now I am just waiting for my teammates to do the finishing touch." Said Mu Xi.
Mu Xi then begins talking about her classmates and her teammates. She then asks him about everyone else and how her junior was doing.
"Xu Xiaoyan is doing fine, she visited me yesterday and then went back to cultivating. She is trying to get her fourth ring before the semester starts back." Said Tang Wulin, causing Mu Xi she nods her head wishing good luck on her.
"You're taking care of yourself right?" Mu Xi gave Tang Wulin a hard stare.
"Yes?"
"Good! I don't want you to collapse from overwork. After all this senior sister will get worried about you."Said Mu Xi.
"You know, I enjoy having these small talks. Everyone is either too busy cultivating or too busy asking me to make them metal." Said Mu Xi as she moves her gaze to the ocean.
"Well anyway, I have to go now. That crazy teacher of mine is going to kill me if he found out I was slacking off." Said Mu Xi as her face became miserable. Tang Wulin nodded as she begins walking back to the boat with a smile.
"...If you need to talk, come back here." Said Tang Wulin, causing Mu Xi smile to become wider.
"See, under that cold exterior you do care." Said Mu Xi as she was laughing at Tang Wulin who begins to ignore her and walk away.
"You're starting to change Acnologia." Said Zeref as he appears beside Acnologia. If this was the past Acnologia, he would completely ignore them all.
Tang Wulin didn't say anything as he goes back to training.
'I'm changing, huh.'