The battle began instantly.
Three Wind Wolves lunged forward in a triangular formation, their speed swift as a gale.
Yan Zu did not retreat but instead advanced, his footwork shifting as he executed the “Spiral Nine Shadows” from the Nine Yin Manual.
His figure left several afterimages within a confined space, drawing the attention of two Wind Wolves.
“Xiao Yu!” he called out softly.
The Qilin Phantom on his shoulder raised its head, and a pale green “Corridor of Vitality” spread out from Yan Zu as its center, covering a fifteen-meter radius.
Within this domain, Xiao Wu felt her body lighten, and the circulation of her soul power noticeably accelerated.
“Now!” Yan Zu shouted.
Xiao Wu moved like lightning.
Seizing the moment the third Wind Wolf lunged at Yan Zu’s flank, she activated the footwork of the Wind God Leg Technique and slipped into the battlefield like a phantom.
Her first spirit ring lit up as she activated “Waist Bow,” instantly maximizing the flexibility of her body.
Her right leg lashed out like a whip toward the Wind Wolf’s abdomen.
Thud!
The Wind Wolf was kicked flying, but its robust physique as a spirit beast allowed it to quickly flip over and charge again.
“Don’t get greedy!” Yan Zu’s voice rang out timely.
“Strike and retreat!”
Xiao Wu retreated as instructed, just as the claws of the other two Wind Wolves swept through the spot she had occupied moments before.
A cold sweat broke out on her back—had Yan Zu not warned her, she would have been injured.
Yan Zu was now locked in combat with the two Wind Wolves.
Though he had not summoned the Xuanyuan Sword, he employed grappling techniques from the Nine Yin Manual.
His hands moved like butterflies flitting through flowers, always finding openings to strike the wolves’ vulnerable joints between their attacks, disrupting their momentum.
“Xiao Wu, the one on the left front has an old injury on its right hind leg!” Yan Zu suddenly called out.
Xiao Wu focused and indeed noticed the left Wind Wolf dragging its right hind leg slightly while running.
Understanding his intent, she advanced again.
This time, instead of a direct clash, she circled the injured wolf, targeting its wounded leg.
After a few exchanges, the Wind Wolf howled in pain and collapsed, dissolving into points of light.
“Well done!” Yan Zu praised.
“Two left. Let’s finish them together.”
The ensuing battle flowed much more smoothly.
Yan Zu used his movement techniques to control and distract, while Xiao Wu seized opportunities to strike fiercely.
Yan Zu’s Corridor of Vitality continuously replenished their condition, and Xiao Wu’s speed within the domain grew increasingly faster.
When the last Wind Wolf dissipated, Xiao Wu panted heavily, her face brimming with excitement.
“A’zu, we won!”
Yan Zu nodded with a smile.
“We coordinated well. But there’s still much room for improvement—your timing on advances could be more precise, and my control could be more seamless.”
With a wave of his hand, new opponents materialized in the void: this time, two human Soul Master phantoms—one a shield-bearing defensive type, the other an archer for ranged attacks.
“Come, let’s continue.”
That night, the two fought several battles within the mimetic space, with both victories and defeats.
They faced spirit beasts and Soul Masters, engaged in one-on-one and group battles, and fought in open terrains and complex environments.
After each battle, Yan Zu would analyze their performance in detail, pointing out issues in their coordination.
To Xiao Wu’s delight, as the number of battles increased, she felt a strange and wonderful connection forming between her and Yan Zu.
Especially when the Qilin’s vitality field enveloped her, her Phantom Jade Rabbit Martial Soul would unconsciously become active, with soul power circulation speeding up by more than twenty percent compared to usual.
“Brother A’zu,” Xiao Wu suddenly said during a rest break, “I feel… your Qilin Martial Soul seems particularly compatible with my Martial Soul.”
Yan Zu’s heart stirred.
He had noticed it long ago—when the two fought side by side, the Qilin Phantom in his spiritual world seemed to resonate with something.
And on the System panel, the hidden value for “Martial Soul Compatibility” was slowly increasing at a visible rate.
“Perhaps it’s because we both have beast-type Martial Souls,” Yan Zu didn’t reveal the truth, only smiled and said, “This is a good thing. The higher the compatibility, the stronger our cooperation will be in the future.”
Xiao Wu nodded vigorously, her eyes filled with anticipation.
When Yan Zu felt mentally fatigued, he ended the cultivation session.
“Let’s stop here for today. Sister Xiao Wu, we should go back.”
Their consciousness returned to reality.
Outside the window, the moonlight was bright—less than two hours had passed.
“Brother A’zu,” Xiao Wu hugged her pillow and scooted to the edge of his bed, her eyes sparkling, “Can we come again tomorrow?”
“Every day,” Yan Zu ruffled her hair, “but remember, this is our secret.”
“Got it!” Xiao Wu happily slipped back under her own blanket and soon fell into a deep sleep, a smile still lingering at the corner of her mouth.
Yan Zu, however, remained awake for a long time.
He summoned the System panel and indeed saw a new notification:
[Detected that the host and bound target ‘Xiao Wu’ have improved their tacit understanding in actual combat. Martial Soul Compatibility +3%. Current compatibility: 53%.]
[Note: When compatibility reaches 60%, initial attempts at Martial Soul Resonance can be made. At 80%, there is potential to awaken the prototype of a Fusion Skill.]
“Martial Soul Fusion Skill…” A thoughtful gleam flashed in Yan Zu’s eyes.
In the original work, Martial Soul Fusion Skills were extremely rare abilities, often capable of unleashing combat power far exceeding one’s level. This chapter was taken from novelping(.)com without permission.
If he and Xiao Wu could truly develop one, it would undoubtedly become a powerful trump card.
“It seems the Mimetic Training Ground needs to be put to good use.”
As the morning sunlight first filled the small courtyard, Yan Zu silently recited “Check-in” in his mind.
[Ding! Today’s check-in successful!]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining: Basic Soul Tool Blueprint ×1, Spicy Strip Gift Pack ×1 (contains twenty packs of spicy strips in different flavors)]
[Basic Soul Tool Blueprint: Contains complete design plans for three basic Soul Tools: Constant-Temperature Soul Tool Furnace, Simple Soul Power Lamp, and Soul Power Water Pump. Requires materials such as Soul Tool Metal for production.]
Yan Zu felt a surge of joy—the Basic Soul Tool Blueprint was exactly what he needed, aligning with the civilization development path.
But he quickly calmed down.
Soul Tool Metal couldn’t be found in Five Soul Village at all; he would have to wait until he went to Nottingham City to figure it out.
So, he stored the blueprint in the System warehouse and instead picked up the pack of spicy strips.
“Sister Xiao Wu, look what I brought you?” Yan Zu shook the gift pack in his hand.
Xiao Wu was instantly captivated.
She sniffed the air, her eyes shining like stars: “Spicy strips! And it’s a gift pack!” She snatched the pack, tore open a packet, and stuffed it into her mouth.
The spicy, savory flavor exploded in her mouth, making her squint with satisfaction.
“Eat slowly, no one’s competing with you,” Yan Zu said with a laugh.
“But these spicy strips aren’t free.”
Xiao Wu, her mouth stuffed with spicy strips, mumbled indistinctly, “Wha-what conditions?”
“Complete the physical training I assign every day: run three laps around the village in the morning, practice the basic footwork of the Wind God Leg Technique in the morning, cultivate the breathing techniques of the Nine Yin Manual in the afternoon, and join me in the training ground in the evening for coordinated drills. Only after completing these can you receive a pack of spicy strips—no exceptions for any missed item.” Yan Zu listed the requirements, his gaze carrying an undeniable seriousness.
Xiao Wu pouted, looking at the spicy strips in her hand, and ultimately couldn’t resist the temptation: “Alright, alright, I agree!” But her eyes darted around as she began scheming in her mind whether she could slack off—after all, Yan Zu might not be watching her every moment.
Yan Zu had already seen through her little thoughts and added, “I’ll supervise you the entire time. If I catch you slacking off, not only will I confiscate the spicy strips, but I’ll also increase your training load and ban you from the training ground for a week.”
Xiao Wu’s face instantly fell, and she muttered, “A’zu, you’re so mean!” Still, she obediently nodded in agreement, hurriedly swallowing the spicy strips in her mouth before tearing open another pack.
In the afternoon, Yan Zu arrived under the old locust tree at the village entrance, carrying several handwritten booklets.
This was the gathering spot for the children of Five Soul Village to play, and at that moment, seven or eight children were chasing and roughhousing under the tree.
“Xiao Shitou, Er Ya, come here,” Yan Zu beckoned.
Several children immediately gathered around.
They were all ordinary village children, the oldest no more than nine, the youngest just five.
They loved listening to Yan Zu tell strange and fascinating stories—after all, this “little immortal boy” from the Yan family knew far too many things.
“Brother Zu, what story are you telling today?” a boy named Xiao Shitou eagerly asked.