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--- Chapter 13 ---
After settling down at the Xia Manor, Yu Long slept for four hours before something woke him up.
"Nyuu!" Woby rubbed its head against his cheek.
"You know, I was pretty tired." Yu Long sighed, patting the slime.
"OwO?" Woby bounced left and right.
He fed Woby with a water-attributed essence sphere and jumped from his bed, stretching slightly.
"How quiet." He commented, not hearing any sounds in the Xia Manor.
Yu Long grabbed his coat and walked out, seeing a bright white moon beaming up the courtyard near his room. He searched for a comfortable place and sat down on a rock, enjoying the view of a starry night.
Ten years have passed since Yu Long reincarnated in this world.
He became more accustomed to the Cultivation World's culture, fully embracing it thanks to his family and companion. Several deep thoughts about what he should do in the future flashed momentarily, causing Yu Long to laugh helplessly.
'I shouldn't overthink it.' Yu Long expected something outrageous to happen sooner or later. His literal existence would definitely cause a butterfly effect.
He closed his eyes and cultivated the Arts of Ghost, utilizing the Yin Element from the moon. His presence becomes colder and less pronounced as time passes.
After an unknown time, Yu Long noticed the noise of one's step.
It was light and somewhat clumsy.
"Oya, oya. Young Lady Xia, what are you doing there?" Yu Long turned around and grinned at the girl in red pajamas.
Xia Qingyue froze in the open hallway.
She looked at the courtyard and saw Yu Long sitting on the ornamental rock. "It's not your concern..." She coldly replied, walking even faster to avoid him.
Yu Long shook his head gently, "That was colder than I expected."
"Then, again... We aren't that close."
Xia Qingyue stomped her foot against the floor.
She was thirsty and wanted to grab a glass of water in the kitchen but met with that irritating fellow instead. She quenched her thirst and brought a pot full of water so she wouldn't have to come here again.
Walking in the hallway where Yu Long spotted her, Xia Qingyue couldn't help but check the courtyard to see if Yu Long was still there.
"He should have returned to his room." Xia Qingyue sighed in relief.
"Do you miss my handsome face or something?" Yu Long's head suddenly popped out from the open hallway's railing.
"Kyaa!"
Xia Qingyue was spooked. She threw the pot in her hands away, which Yu Long caught without spilling anything.
Yu Long smoothly placed the pot back in her hands and commented with a chuckle, "Oops there, you almost dropped that, haha."
"Well, I'm done here." He patted Xia Qingyue's head, tidying her scattered black hair. "Have a nice night, Young Lady Xia."
"..." Xia Qingyue stared down at the pot of water in her hands. There is no ripple as if she didn't throw it earlier.
She stared at Yu Long, who disappeared on the corner, and frowned, "Just who is he?"
...
The next day.
Yu Long woke up in perfect condition. After changing his clothes, he went to the courtyard and started doing exercises to stretch his tight muscles.
Several workouts finished quickly, leaving Yu Long with slightly damp clothes.
He entered a lotus position and placed his hands on the abdomen. The ultraviolet light from the morning sun bathed his body, triggering a change in his vitality.
Arts of Violet Mist. Warm currents flowed to all of Yu Long's limbs and strengthened them.
And Yu Long felt his strength increase quite a bit.
2nd Level of Elementary Profound Realm!
Yes, Yu Long just had a breakthrough.
At Elementary Profound Realm, strength, speed, and senses are above ordinary living beings.
However, for Yu Long, who had long exceeded ordinary living beings, this was an insignificant increase in force.
Well, Yu Long can't complain. Progress is progress, regardless of how little or significant they are for his growth.
"I have gained the balance of Yin and Yang Elements. It seems last night's cultivation session wasn't that bad." Yu Long recalled Xia Qingyue's shocked face.
He burst out laughing, feeling a little bad for startling her.
Cough! Cough!
Someone faked a cough, trying to gain Yu Long's attention.
"Uncle Hongyi." Yu Long spotted Xia Hongyi and a bricked youth behind him. "Morning, and this fellow is?"
"He's my son I talked about yesterday. Xia Yuanba and he's one year younger than you." Xia Hongyi answered calmly.
"Yuanba, this is Yu Long. The son of Father's friend."
"He's very skilled in martial arts, so I hope you can learn one or two from him."
"Greet him." He added with a smile.
'Very skilled, huh?' Yu Long saw Xia Hongyi in a completely different light now.
"M-Morning, Big Brother Yu Long!" Xia Yuanba timidly greeted, bowing his head rapidly like a chicken.
It makes Yu Long feel awkward.
And here is why.
Xia Yuanba is a muscular youth around the same height as Yu Long, who's 4'9 or 154 centimeters. He has short, messy black hair and an innocent face.
He wore a blue and black martial robe, but these clothes couldn't hide his muscles, especially his arms. Anyone would have never thought this youth was only nine years old.
The only child-like appearance is his face.
'Yu Long observed Xia Yuanba with [Insect King's Vision] and [Profound Sense] and commented internally, 'As expected from the possessor of the Tyrannical Emperor's Profound Veins.'
Due to some innate energy within his body, Xia Yuanba is nothing sort of a miracle.
His bones are thrice as hard as kids of the same age.
His muscle tissue is denser.
And lastly, his blood is filled with vitality.
These factors alone make Xia Yuanba a natural-born fighter.
After recovering from the shock, Yu Long waved his hand casually and responded, "Just call me Big Bro or Brother Long from now on."
"T-Then, Big Bro!" Xia Yuanba smiled brightly at him.
'Ah, so bright...' Yu Long squinted his eyes.
Xia Hongyi felt proud of himself when Yu Long didn't mind his son's timidness.
"Learn well, Yuanba." He patted Xia Yuanba's shoulder with a chuckle and then walked away, leaving them alone in the courtyard.
'He really dumped his son to me.' The corner of Yu Long's mouth twitched slightly.
Yu Long stared at the muscular youth and said, "I don't know much about your current condition. So, we will start from the basics."
"Run, Yuanba!"
"Start running as if your life depends on it!"
"B-But..." Xia Yuanba panicked.
"I said run!" Yu Long pulled a sword from his spatial ring, starting to chase the muscular youth.
"Uwaaaa!"
Xia Yuanba ran away from Yu Long, circling around the Xia Manor for several hours.
They did a 'cat and mouse' chase until noon when Xia Yuanba spent all his stamina and dropped to the courtyard. A cloud of dust flew everywhere as the sweaty youth fainted.
'Such immense stamina.' Yu Long stared at Xia Yuanba with an amused expression. He looked around and dragged Xia Yuanba under a big tree with shade.
He created a small needle with his bone and secretly collected some drops of Xia Yuanba's blood.
He also recorded the muscular youth's profound patterns to research the 'aspect' of the Tyrannical Emperor's Profound Veins.
"Ugh..." Xia Yuanba slowly woke up.
He sat on the grass and rubbed his head painfully.
"Wake up already?" Yu Long grinned at the muscular youth.
He handed him a muscle recovery medicine and added, "Here, drink this. Your body will feel a lot better."
"Thank you, Big Bro." Xia Yuanba nodded, drinking the medicine without doubting Yu Long. As Xia Hongyi said, he's a very trusting child.
"Aren't you mad at me?" Yu Long asked. It's just a simple question to loosen up the mood.
Xia Yuanba shook his head a few times and replied, "No. I'm not mad at all."
"I know to become a martial artist, I must work hard. When I become powerful enough and can cultivate, I'll protect my father and older sister!"
"Is that so?" Yu Long chuckled at Xia Yuanba's simple yet challenging goal. After all, the heroine is almost the source of every problem in the Cultivation World.
"You're a good kid, Yuanba."
"Funny, Big Bro. You're only one year older than me." Xia Yuanba giggled, patting dust from his body. "Aren't you a kid too?"
Yu Long gazed into the distance, "Haha, I wish..."
Not long after, Yu Long and Xia Yuanba became friends.
...
Not far away, Xia Qingyue observed Yu Long and Xia Yuanba from a bush.
She has been doing this for hours, from when Yu Long chased Xia Yuanba to this amiable moment.
She also overheard Xia Yuanba's words about protecting her, which caused the cold girl to smile.
Xia Qingyue stared at Yu Long's relaxed expression and mumbled, "Maybe..."
"Maybe he isn't that infuriating..."