"Grandpa Jack, I'm back!"
Suifeng retracted his Misty Steps technique and skipped merrily back home.
"Hmph, what took you so long? Off messing around again?" Old Jack set the dishes on the table and frowned at Suifeng.
"Why are you drenched in sweat? And your face is so filthy!"
Suifeng rubbed his nose awkwardly.
"Uhh, Tang San and I saw a rabbit just now and wanted to catch it for you—to add something extra to dinner. But I accidentally fell into a pit, took a long time to climb out… and by then, the rabbit was gone."
Old Jack was taken aback. So the kid ended up like this trying to bring him some fresh meat?
He was caught somewhere between frustration and laughter.
It was like a child scrawling "I love you, Mom" with a brand-new lipstick.
Do you scold them or not? That's the eternal dilemma.
Old Jack lightly tapped Suifeng's forehead with his knuckle. "I appreciate the thought, but next time don't run off like that. What if something happened to you? I'd be worried sick. Go take a bath first—then come eat."
"Okay~!" Suifeng chirped and ran off to enjoy a nice, hot shower.
Maybe it was just his imagination, but after bathing, his skin felt even smoother and more radiant—rosy, fair, and soft to the touch.
"Hm? Am I becoming some kind of pretty boy?" Suifeng stroked his face with mock vanity.
His wet hair draped behind him. Clad in a light green robe, his tall and slender frame gave off a graceful, otherworldly air.
It was this ethereal aura that often made Old Jack suspect that Suifeng wasn't just some ordinary child. That delicate appearance—maybe he was a noble heir who'd been cast away in a political struggle and left near Holy Spirit Village.
By sheer luck, Jack had found him.
He gently reached for the jade pendant tucked beneath his shirt, debating whether or not to pass it on to the boy.
Jack already had two grandsons, but neither had turned out well. They wandered around aimlessly and gave him endless headaches. But Suifeng… he was kind and well-behaved. A little mischievous at times, but always listened when it counted.
Not his biological grandson, yet closer than blood.
He didn't expect the boy to become rich or powerful—just to live a safe and peaceful life.
We'll see in a few days what kind of Martial Soul he awakens. If he has potential as a Soul Master, I'll give him what was left in that bamboo basket. If not, well… a simple life in Holy Spirit Village isn't so bad either.
Jack made his silent decision.
"Grandpa Jack, eat your veggies!" Suifeng snapped Jack out of his daze and placed some greens on his plate.
"Haha… You eat, child. I'm old—I've tasted everything there is. You need the nutrition."
Suifeng scrunched up his little nose. "Hmph, I'm still young. I've got plenty of time to eat later. You eat more!"
A warm and cozy scene played out between them.
---
A restful night passed.
Early the next morning, Suifeng hopped out of bed for breakfast. His daily routine had become disciplined: early to bed, early to rise.
Not like he had much choice—this was Douluo Continent. No phone. No computer. No Wi-Fi.
The pain…
Stretching his limbs, Suifeng began his warm-up exercises.
Elementary school radio calisthenics! First: stretching… Second: chest expansion…
By the end of the routine, he felt energized and limber.
Time to start his second day of running.
Let's go, kid! A brighter tomorrow awaits!
With yesterday's experience, Suifeng was no longer a novice. This time, he fell right into rhythm, chasing that exhilarating feeling he'd found before.
Yes—this feeling. This addictive, unforgettable sensation.
He opened his arms wide and ran toward the rising sun.
Nothing can stop my longing for freedom.
A great poet once said: "The heart is the strongest muscle."
My will is iron, unshakable. With both wisdom and courage, my spirit soars!
That was the thought burning in Suifeng's heart as he ran, completely unaware of time slipping by.
He couldn't even remember how many laps he'd done—just vague memories of villagers greeting him as he passed, to which he merely waved without slowing down.
---
As the sun set in the west, his pace finally slowed.
Aside from a brief pause for lunch, he hadn't stopped all day.
The craziest part? Back on Earth, running for just thirty minutes would leave him exhausted. But here, he'd jogged for five hours at a steady pace—something he'd never thought possible.
He opened the mission panel:
Mission: Run 100 laps around Holy Spirit Village in one week.
Progress: 35/100
Time Remaining: 5 days, 7 hours
Reward: Random
---
Suifeng stared, stunned.
I already ran 25 laps today?! When did I become this durable?!
Two days in, and he'd already completed a third of the mission. At this rate, he might finish early.
Huh? Was that Tang San sitting over there?
"Hey, Tang San! What are you doing?"
Tang San's breath was slightly ragged.
He'd been cultivating in the back hills, a place usually undisturbed. Apart from Suifeng, he rarely spoke to anyone in the village. Since his friend hadn't shown up that afternoon, he figured they wouldn't meet today. He had spent the morning training his Purple Demon Eye, and the afternoon on Mysterious Heaven Skill.
It had been a productive day—until that shout broke his concentration and caused his internal energy to spiral chaotically.
He was just about to calm it down when—
A slender, smooth hand—almost delicate like a girl's—landed on his shoulder.
"You okay?" Suifeng asked with concern.
Pfft—! A mouthful of blood burst from Tang San's lips.
He looked pale as he stared at the seemingly harmless Suifeng.
"What the—?! You're hurt?! What happened?!" Suifeng exclaimed in shock.
Tang San gave him a blank, dead-eyed stare. "You tell me...?"
Seeing how much blood Tang San had just spewed, Suifeng couldn't help but marvel—
Man, that's a lot of blood. If he's this intense at his age… how's a rabbit supposed to survive him?
"Ahem… Nice weather today. Uh, my grandpa's calling me for dinner. Bye!"
Suifeng glanced at the glowing sunset and tried to quietly tiptoe away.
"I didn't say you could leave." Tang San's cold voice drifted from behind.
Suifeng turned back awkwardly.
"Come at me, then!" he said boldly, though his body language betrayed otherwise.
Tang San frowned slightly, but the image of Suifeng's strange footwork yesterday came to mind.
"Hmph. I was going to go easy on you. But since you're asking for it—watch yourself."
He grabbed a few pebbles.
"Left shoulder." With a flick of the wrist, he launched one using Tang Sect hidden weapon techniques.
Suifeng's gaze sharpened. He knew just how deadly Tang San's hidden weapons could be—even capable of injuring Soul Masters several ranks higher.
The stone whistled through the air, cutting the wind with terrifying speed.
But then—it seemed to slow?
In the blink of an eye, Suifeng shifted his stance ever so slightly. The stone grazed his chest, missing by a hair.
Whew… good thing I'm a guy. If I were rocking a 36D…
Tang San's eyes gleamed. He really isn't ordinary.
"Right shoulder. Left leg. Right leg."
Three more stones flew out, their trajectories bizarrely shifting mid-flight.
Mysterious Heaven Skill!
Suifeng realized it instantly.
With a desperate backflip, he narrowly dodged all three.
Tang San's expression faltered. He wasn't expecting all of them to miss. He pulled out more pebbles.
"Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers!"
Suifeng weaved through the storm of stones using Misty Steps and Insight of the Wind, dodging left and right with effortless grace. He slipped through the barrage like a flower petal dancing in the wind—untouched, unscathed.
"Heh. That's it?" Suifeng grinned. Sure, I can't beat you… but you can't hit me either.
Tang San couldn't accept this humiliation!
He dashed forward with Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, activated Mysterious Jade Hand, and his pupils turned a noble, eerie shade of purple. He shifted into a grappling stance—Controlling Crane, Capturing Dragon!
Suifeng didn't even hesitate—He turned and ran.
This was bear strength, eagle eyes, cheetah speed… and all I've got is demon-level footwork and a wind sense that's currently useless?!
Nope. Nope. Tactical retreat!
One fleeing, one pursuing—two figures streaked across the sunset horizon.
That, my friends, is the spirit of youth.
As he sprinted at full speed, Suifeng was struck by two revelations:
1. Wow… I'm faster than I thought.
2. Wow… I'm also way less durable than I thought.
He glanced over his shoulder at the rapidly approaching Tang San.
"Why're you chasing me so hard?! I'm not cough syrup!!"
Tang San didn't know what cough syrup was, but he got the gist.
"Didn't you tell me to come at you?"
"I said bring your mom, not yourself!"
In those few exchanges, Tang San had already caught up.
He reached out with Controlling Crane, Capturing Dragon, summoning a suction force—but the wind around Suifeng's body suddenly shifted and neutralized it.
The grappling technique failed.
But Tang San didn't hesitate. His technique still had potential to restrain him.
Suifeng, however, danced through the air with Misty Steps. Every time, he just narrowly evaded capture.
Again and again, the two finally collapsed onto the grass—completely spent.
After all, Tang San was still a child. His cultivation was limited, and his earlier disrupted breath hadn't recovered fully. That he'd lasted this long was already impressive.
Two small figures lay side by side in the soft grass, staring at the glowing dusk.
If this were a movie, the caption would read:
"History rolls on like a chariot of fire."