Zhao Liuyun's days were surprisingly leisurely and peaceful, spent daily using [Hypnosis] to tease Tang San, all under the guise of helping Xiao Wu research the patterns of dreams.
When his spiritual power was exhausted, he would meditate.
Xiao Wu, of course, was unharmed. It was merely a dream and would not cause any physical damage.
But Tang San was having a terrible time.
His emotions surged like a tide, his mind filled with distractions, pushing him to the brink of a nervous breakdown, and subtly showing signs of inner demons taking root.
Even the authentic Daoist technique, the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record, could not suppress his tumultuous inner sea.
"Grandmaster" tried to investigate the cause, offering counsel and comfort.
However, if he couldn't even manage two people infatuated with love, how could he be expected to untangle the knot Zhao Liuyun had woven, using Tang San's own emotions and thoughts as the catalyst?
Tang Hao, a steel-straight man, was similarly helpless.
This was clearly a psychological issue stemming from Tang San's own heart.
Should he, the father, reveal himself now and severely reprimand his son?
Was Tang San a mere child who couldn't cultivate independently without his father's presence?
Tang Hao deeply loved Ah Yin. Given this, how could he possibly turn a blind eye to the fruit of their love?
Tang San's character was overly precocious. Did Tang Hao, the Clear Sky Douluo, truly not notice his son climbing mountains every day and practicing unknown techniques?
Even if the Douluo Continent had no concept of 'body-snatching,' the situation was suspicious enough.
It was only the emergence of the twin Martial Souls that reignited the hope for revenge, causing Tang Hao's attitude to abruptly change and choose to ignore everything.
Now, facing Tang San's psychological problem, direct outside interference was the worst decision.
With his sworn sister Xiao Wu accompanying him, and his friend Zhao Liuyun acting as a mediator, the situation wouldn't necessarily continue to deteriorate.
Tang Hao thought this way.
And it was true.
Xiao Wu's companionship could slightly soothe Tang San's spirit.
Had it not been for the help of Zhao Liuyun's floral scent, Tang San would have found it difficult to maintain his daily cultivation.
However...
Don't ask where this "difficulty" came from.
Moreover, while it was named 'help,' it was actually a form of suppression.
There would always be a spark that would one day trigger a volcanic eruption.
And yet, Tang San now couldn't do without the floral scent, allowing the lava pool to continue accumulating.
It was the end of the second month after returning from the Spirit Hunting Forest.
"Xiao Wu, didn't you promise me last night that you would meditate properly today and not waste your talent? Why are you sleeping again?"
Tang San's voice suddenly rose, carrying a note of severity that startled the work-study students who were meditating nearby.
Under the moonlight, everyone stared blankly at the two, who usually joked and bickered, and for a moment, no one dared to speak.
The conflict between two innate full Spirit Power users was something outsiders dared not interfere with.
Perhaps, only Zhao Liuyun, who had a good relationship with both and treated them equally, had the right to speak.
Everyone unanimously turned their gaze toward Zhao Liuyun.
"Boom—"
At that instant, it was as if a celestial star had fallen near Zhao Liuyun's ear, or a tsunami was surging, and his heart pounded.
The time had come!
Two months of lying low, several bouts of provocation followed by several bouts of suppression, interspersed with occasional simple verbal comfort, and finally, he had waited for the opportune moment—
Tang San had crossed the line, speaking harsh words to Xiao Wu, his most cherished and beloved "sister."
It wasn't the words themselves, but the emotion that was gradually slipping out of control.
This signified that his control over himself had finally plummeted to rock bottom.
A chaotic mental state also meant the most fragile defense of the heart.
He couldn't find a more suitable time to intervene.
"Xiao San, you're interrupting my sleep again! What exactly do you want?" Xiao Wu was startled awake from her sweet dream once more. Her tone carried a hint of grievance, mixed with an unconcealable annoyance.
This wasn't the first time.
"Xiao Wu, do you remember what you promised me last time?"
Tang San looked at the pouting, angry yet increasingly adorable Xiao Wu. A wave of tenderness washed over his heart, and his originally tense emotions seemed to ease slightly.
No, is this all it takes?
This won't do!
As the mastermind, Zhao Liuyun cursed under his breath, and with a tiny hook of [Hypnosis], he subtly stirred Tang San's annoyance.
"Hehe." Xiao Wu chuckled innocently, hurriedly shaking Tang San's arm, trying to charm her way through.
"I forgot... I don't want to meditate, it's too tiring."
As a Spirit Beast who had taken human form, she already had profound cultivation accumulated. She only needed to slowly absorb and transform it, and her level would naturally increase. She didn't need to cultivate assiduously like ordinary people.
But Tang San didn't know that.
"No! You are lazy in meditation during the day and greedy for sleep at night! This is completely wasting your talent!"
He was heartbroken, his tone grew increasingly severe, looking like he was frustrated that his efforts to improve her were failing.
Zhao Liuyun continued to fan the flames, applying [Hypnosis] to Xiao Wu as well.
Xiao Wu finally couldn't hold back, her voice tinged with anger: "I haven't delayed my cultivation! My sleeping every day is still the same as your diligent meditation in terms of Spirit Power level!"
Tang San was stunned.
The suppressed powder keg finally exploded at this moment.
It's my turn to step in!
Zhao Liuyun sighed, finally jumping out of bed and slowly approaching the two.
"Stop arguing, both of you!"
"Tang San, you've been a bit off recently. How about we go outside and talk?"
Tang San glanced at him but did not speak.
Zhao Liuyun didn't mind. He smiled slightly at Xiao Wu and forcefully ushered Tang San out.
They walked from the dorm to the academy's garden.
The teachers naturally dared not interfere with two genius Spirit Masters.
The night was like water, moonlight spilled down, and the flower shadows in the garden swayed, so quiet that only the rustling sound of the wind sweeping through the leaves remained.
Zhao Liuyun and Tang San sat side-by-side on a stone stool.
"Tang San, are we friends?"
Zhao Liuyun didn't immediately jump into the main topic.
He knew that no one liked to be lectured; it would only arouse resistance in the other person's heart.
"Yes..." Tang San seemed to have been defeated by Xiao Wu's one sentence, his expression slightly distracted.
"Do you know? I'm an abandoned baby," Zhao Liuyun said, looking up at the bright moon in the sky, his tone calmly narrating his background.
Tang San listened quietly.
"Like the floating clouds in the sky, I didn't know where I came from or where I was going... until I was picked up by an old man."
"The old man's surname was Zhao, so I took his surname, and my name is Liuyun."
"He wasn't a good person. He was an old, impoverished thief who wanted to pass on his skill before he died."
This was a lie. The old thief was highly skilled, capable of stealing and pilfering.
When training Zhao Liuyun, he gave him much better food than the 'pig swill' the work-study students were given.
"The old man believed in using the body to remember. Every day was either a beating or a scolding. The slightest mistake meant a bruised face and swollen nose, or even being whipped until my skin was torn by extremely thin bamboo strips."
In fact, there was never any beating or scolding. Zhao Liuyun was diligent and hardworking, and the old man was a very decent person.
But if he didn't tell a tragic enough story, how could he win Tang San's sympathy?
Sure enough, he took the bait.
Tang San suddenly recalled when he first entered the academy and realized, "So... that's why you, as a support-type Spirit Master, had those skills when you enrolled?"
"That's right, but I didn't want to steal. It's wrong," Zhao Liuyun said righteously.
"You did the right thing." Tang San prided himself as a Tang Sect hero, naturally despising such thieving behavior.
A trace of approval flashed in his eyes for Zhao Liuyun.
"I went to the clinic and became an apprentice."
After the old thief died when Zhao Liuyun was five, he frequently visited the clinic.
Relying on their friendship, even a one-sided account had high credibility.
What's more, this was nine parts truth and one part fabrication, a slight temporal shift?
At that time, Tang San was still in Holy Spirit Village; what the hell could he possibly know!
Zhao Liuyun's expression shifted from melancholic to hopeful:
"Later, when my Martial Soul awakened and was tested to be innate Level 5 Spirit Power, I asked Grandmaster Su Yuntao for a work-study spot and came to Nuoding Academy."
"You know the rest."
Tang San nodded gently.