Night shrouded the land.
Having already finished dinner and washed up, Ye Qiu spread out his sun-dried old quilt on the wooden bed.
Xiao Wu stood beside him, looking at Ye Qiu prettily, a slight blush on her face.
It had been a long time since she had slept with Ye Qiu, not to mention the quilt he was using was the one he used when he was little. Its size was naturally incomparable to the one bought at Nuoding Academy. With a quilt like this, if the two of them were even slightly far apart, one would end up sleeping outside the covers.
Looking at Ye Qiu, who had already climbed into the quilt as soon as the bed was made, Xiao Wu clutched the corner of her clothes, looking at him in confusion.
"Ye Qiu, don't you have any other quilts at home?"
"Do you think there's anywhere else in my house to hide things?"
Ye Qiu's somewhat lazy voice came. His closed eyes opened again, looking at Xiao Wu, and he instructed, "If you don't want to sleep, you can sit by the bed and cultivate. Don't disturb me, I'm very tired after walking so much today."
As soon his voice fell.
Ye Qiu closed his eyes without a care, lying on his side and leaving a decent space for Xiao Wu.
"Hmph! Xiao Wu-jie is just worried you'll be at a disadvantage..."
Xiao Wu pouted, shaking her little fist at Ye Qiu. Looking at Ye Qiu who was no longer paying attention to her, she touched her still slightly damp hair and had no choice but to sit cross-legged by the bed and cultivate silently.
After about half an hour, Xiao Wu opened her eyes again.
Feeling Ye Qiu's now steady breathing and looking at his fair little face, Xiao Wu pursed her red lips, crawling onto the bed, unable to resist the urge to reach out and touch Ye Qiu's cheek.
Ye Qiu's warning from before sleeping suddenly echoed in her ears.
Xiao Wu could only sheepishly withdraw her restless little hand. Lightly and quietly, she slowly burrowed into the covers with a red face. Perhaps it was because it had been sun-dried, but this old quilt was surprisingly warm.
Looking at Ye Qiu, who was less than ten centimeters away, Xiao Wu gently moved her body, leaning a little closer towards him, until Ye Qiu's breath brushed against her face. Only then did she stop, sniffing Ye Qiu's scent... feeling an impulse to throw herself into Ye Qiu's arms.
...
The next day.
In the sky, purple energy came from the east, and dawn broke.
While Tang San was cultivating his Purple Demon Eyes, Ye Qiu was still wrapped up in a soft embrace.
Ye Qiu, whose breathing was somewhat obstructed, could only smell a faint, familiar fragrance. He slowly opened his eyes and looked at Xiao Wu, who was lying on top of him, his eyelids twitching.
This rabbit is still so restless when sleeping!
Looking at Xiao Wu's flushed ear tips, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, and her little hands still tightly clenched, Ye Qiu, who had originally planned to pull her away forcefully, smiled gently, slowed his movements, and slowly pulled Xiao Wu off him.
Creak!
The sound of the door opening echoed. When Ye Qiu walked out.
Xiao Wu, who was still in bed with her eyes closed, suddenly opened them. Covering her hot, pretty face with both hands, she burrowed into the covers and turned into a constantly wriggling caterpillar.
...
Time flew by like a white Colt passing a crevice.
The holiday at Nuoding Academy quickly ended.
Ye Qiu, Xiao Wu, and Tang San returned to the familiar Seven Dorm and resumed their respective cultivation. Even with new students joining, they still couldn't shake the status of Ye Qiu and the other two.
Xiao Wu was still the big sister of the entire Nuoding Academy.
Outside the quiet Seven Dorm.
Suddenly, a clear, excited shout came.
"Ye Qiu, Ye Qiu, I'm back!"
A pink figure quickly rushed in, her crimson Kasilan eyes quickly locking onto Ye Qiu, with a hint of longing in her eyes.
"You're back, you're back. Why are you shouting so loudly? It's deafening. Don't people need to cultivate?"
Ye Qiu, who was sitting cross-legged on the bed and cultivating, his face darkened. He opened his eyes and looked at Xiao Wu, who had grown into a somewhat graceful young lady, and couldn't help but complain.
"How is Xiao Wu-jie so noisy? Look, they didn't even hear." Xiao Wu quickly rushed to Ye Qiu's bedside, pointing at the others in the Seven Dorm. No one dared to meet her gaze.
Xiao Wu smiled triumphantly, and with a plop, she threw herself onto Ye Qiu's quilt. Smiling, she took out a small cloth bag and handed it to Ye Qiu like presenting a treasure. "Ye Qiu! Look, Xiao Wu-jie has successfully broken through to Soul Elder! There are one hundred gold soul coins inside!"
"Oh~"
Ye Qiu, who had long expected this, just responded softly, his expression as calm as an ancient well.
"You! What kind of attitude is that... Now I broke through to Soul Elder even faster than Tang San, shouldn't you praise me? And I can beat you now, so you better watch out!" Xiao Wu sat up, glaring unhappily at Ye Qiu who was perfunctory with her. She raised her fist, as if ready to teach Ye Qiu a lesson if he didn't agree.
"Beat me?" Ye Qiu smiled teasingly, turning his head to look at her. He reached out and pinched her chin, shaking it. "I'm also a Soul Elder now. Are you sure you can beat me?"
"Anyway, anyway, I'm better than you now! If you dare to bully me again, I'll make you pay! My third soul skill is Instant Transmission... You definitely won't catch me." Xiao Wu's face turned red. She swatted away Ye Qiu's arm and shook her long scorpion braid.
"But you seem to really like letting me catch you?"
Ye Qiu glanced at Xiao Wu, silently moving her foot, which was still wearing a shoe, off his bed.
"Where did I?! You, you can't talk nonsense!"
Caught by the ankle by Ye Qiu, Xiao Wu's body trembled slightly, her little face bright red, with a hint of shyness in her eyes.
"Next time you dare to deliberately put your shoes on my bed again, be careful or I'll throw you out." Ye Qiu rolled his eyes at this well-deserved hooligan rabbit. She was really getting more and more disrespectful.
"I, I didn't deliberately put them on. This time it was because I was too happy and didn't notice, and even if it gets dirty... Xiao Wu-jie will help you wash it clean..." Xiao Wu lowered her head, pursed her lips, and patted the quilt which still had a faint shoe print. Her face, fair with a rosy blush, looked obedient, like she was willing to work tirelessly.
Looking at her like this, Ye Qiu couldn't help but show a slight smile on his face. It seemed... he had raised her quite well, she was just a little rebellious.
But it's good to be a little rebellious, that's just her.
Since entering the second year, Xiao Wu's attitude towards Ye Qiu had been getting better and better. Not only would she often give Ye Qiu the allowance she received to keep, but when Ye Qiu was lazy, she was even willing to help wash clothes... she just liked to negotiate terms, often requiring Ye Qiu to accompany her on strolls.
Nuoding Academy had a total of six grades. Xiao Wu, Ye Qiu, and Tang San were all fifth-year students at this time, which meant Ye Qiu was already eleven years old.
While cultivating with Xiao Wu, Ye Qiu's cultivation steadily improved, long surpassing Tang San, and he broke through to Soul Elder before Xiao Wu.
This cultivation speed was also thanks to Ye Qiu's second soul skill.
Little Black Worm!
It came from a linear leech over seven hundred years old.
It could parasitize the human body and lurk within the opponent's meridians, feeding on the host's soul power as the soul power flowed.
Naturally...
Ye Qiu used it on Tang San. A father's debt is paid by the son; he could consider this repaying the money for his old man.
In just a few days, Ye Qiu obtained the Mysterious Heaven Skill and Purple Demon Eyes he wanted through the Little Black Worm. In the time that followed, he even continuously sought out Tang San for sparring, learning his Mysterious Jade Hand, Ghost Shadow Perplexing Step, and the like.
It's worth mentioning.
Xiao Wu didn't know about these things.
Ye Qiu was already able to skillfully control his martial soul, blurring a small amount of memories...
He had only taught the Mysterious Heaven Skill to Xiao Wu.