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Morning sunlight filtered through the curtains as Fang Yang rose early, ate a quick breakfast, and headed off to Red Mountain Academy.
The day's lessons passed without incident—until the afternoon dismissal bell finally rang.
Just as Fang Yang stepped out of the classroom, a familiar figure caught his eye.
There stood Na'er in a simple white dress, quietly waiting in the hallway. Her silver hair shimmered gently in the golden glow of the setting sun.
Fang Yang hurried over, surprised. "Na'er? What are you doing here?"
"Hehe—I missed Big Brother!" Na'er beamed, slipping her arm through his with a sweet smile.
Fang Yang raised an eyebrow. "Did Mom know you were coming to school?"
"It was my idea!" Na'er explained innocently. "Mom's still busy, but I saw it was almost time for you to finish, so I came to wait for you!"
Relieved, Fang Yang finally relaxed.
Just as he was about to lead Na'er away, a voice called from behind.
"Fang Yang… who's this?" Tang Wulin emerged from the classroom.
His eyes, however, were fixed on Na'er.
For some inexplicable reason, the moment he saw the silver-haired girl, a strange sense of familiarity surged within him—as if their souls had known each other long ago.
"Wulin, this is my little sister, Na'er," Fang Yang said, noticing Tang Wulin's intense gaze. He shifted subtly, gently placing himself between them.
"Nice to meet you, Na'er," Tang Wulin offered with a warm, friendly smile.
Na'er merely nodded politely—saying nothing.
"Wulin? You okay?" Fang Yang nudged him when he saw Tang Wulin still staring, lost in thought.
Tang Wulin snapped back, rubbing his head sheepishly. "Ah—sorry! Didn't mean to…"
Fang Yang smiled. "It's fine. By the way, how's your forging training at Mang Tian's workshop going?"
At this, Tang Wulin's eyes lit up. "Master Mang Tian has officially taken me as his disciple!"
As he spoke, his eyes flickered toward Na'er—clearly hoping to impress her.
But unlike his usual humble self, there was a hint of showiness in his tone.
Unfortunately for him, Na'er gave no reaction at all. Her violet eyes remained calm, unreadable—like still, deep water.
Fang Yang, having lived through enough novels to recognize this trope, saw right through Tang Wulin's little performance.
Still, as his friend, he offered sincere congratulations: "That's great, Wulin!"
"Thanks," Tang Wulin grinned bashfully.
They chatted a bit more—until Tang Wulin checked the time and said reluctantly, "I've got to head to the workshop. Let's talk later!"
With that, he left.
Once he was gone, Na'er tugged gently at Fang Yang's sleeve, her violet eyes glinting with playful mischief.
"Big Brother… you don't like that Tang Wulin, do you?"
Fang Yang blinked, then shook his head. "No, it's not that… I just…"
He hesitated, voice dropping slightly, "don't want him getting too close to you."
"Ohhh~" Na'er drew out the sound, eyes dancing. "Big Brother's jealous!"
"Na'er! Don't say silly things—I'm not!" Fang Yang's cheeks flushed instantly as he denied it.
Seeing his flustered expression, Na'er burst into laughter.
"Alright, alright," she giggled, still holding his arm. "I promise—I'll stay away from that Tang Wulin from now on!"
For some reason, those words filled Fang Yang with a deep sense of relief—as if a heavy stone he hadn't even realized he was carrying had finally dropped away.
After leaving Red Mountain Academy, the two strolled down the street.
Soon, Na'er suddenly stopped, pointing excitedly at a candy shop. "Big Brother, I want a lollipop~!"
She swayed his arm with playful affection, her silver hair fluttering with the motion.
"Alright, alright—you win," Fang Yang chuckled, ruffling her hair fondly before leading her into the shop.
Moments later, Fang Yang walked out with a bag full of colorful candies and snacks in his left hand, and Na'er's small hand in his right.
"Where are we going next, Big Brother?" Na'er asked, happily licking her lollipop.
Fang Yang's gaze drifted toward a distant, towering structure.
"We're going to the Spirit Pagoda."
In Aolai City, the local Spirit Pagoda branch stood at the city center—a modest three-story tower. It was the lowest-tier branch; medium cities boasted seven-story towers, while major metropolises rose to thirteen.
And the Spirit Pagoda's headquarters in Shrek City—expanded and refined over countless years—soared to a staggering eighty-one stories, hailed as the grandest building on the entire Douluo Continent.
The Spirit Pagoda itself had been founded ten thousand years ago by Huo Yuhao, the Spirit Ice Douluo. Its legacy was built on a groundbreaking, era-defining breakthrough: artificial soul spirits.
Now, its influence had grown so vast that it even surpassed the Tang Sect and Shrek Academy, becoming a superpower spanning the Sun Moon Federation, the Tian Dou Empire, and the Xing Luo Federation—with legions of elite experts under its banner.
When Fang Yang and Na'er arrived once more at the Pagoda's entrance, the same young female attendant immediately recognized him.
"You're back!" she exclaimed, eyes lighting up with a warm smile as she hurried forward.
She remembered this boy well—his quiet composure and polite demeanor during his last visit had left a strong impression.
Fang Yang bowed slightly. "Hello, Sister."
The attendant smiled gently. "It's been a while! And this adorable girl—is she your sister?"
Her gaze fell on the silver-haired child clinging shyly to Fang Yang's side.
Na'er ducked behind him, blushing.
"Yes," Fang Yang said, fondly smoothing her hair. Then, his expression turned serious. "Sister, I've come to see Master Su Tao—to fuse a soul spirit."
The attendant froze mid-smile—stunned.
'Just days after his Martial Soul Awakening… and he's already ready to fuse a soul spirit?!'
Professionalism quickly kicked in. She recovered with a graceful smile. "Please follow me. I'll take you to Master Su Tao at once."
Fang Yang nodded, tightened his grip on Na'er's hand, and followed.
Led through the grand halls, they arrived at the familiar reception room.
"Please wait here. I'll inform Master Su Tao immediately," the attendant said, bowing slightly before closing the door behind her.
Fang Yang set the candy bag on the coffee table and sat with Na'er on the sofa. She looked around curiously, fascinated by the room's elegant décor.
Soon, the door opened.
A middle-aged man in a deep blue robe stepped in—Su Tao.
His voice was deep and resonant as his eyes settled on Fang Yang.
"So—you're ready to fuse a soul spirit?"
Fang Yang stood without hesitation. "Yes, Uncle Su Tao. I've come to fuse a soul spirit and break through to the next rank!"
"Excellent," Su Tao said with a nod. "But first, we must test your spiritual power."
He turned and gestured down the hall.
"Follow me."
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