Chapter Seventeen: He Is Frail

Seeing Xu Xing arrive, Xu Hai stood frozen as if turned to stone. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down, as though something was stuck in his throat. He was overcome with emotion, his hands trembling, unable to voice the words caught in his mouth.

Noting the flush of health returned to Xu Hai’s face, Xu Xing finally felt at ease.

“Brother, I’m here!” Xu Xing called out eagerly, rushing toward Xu Hai.

Xu Hai smiled in silence. Hearing Xiaofeng’s words, he made room at his side for her to sit. His gaze grew unfocused for a moment before he spoke:

“Brother, I’m fine. I’ve already heard of your valor. Thank you for clearing my name. That horse demon caught me utterly off guard.”

“Ah, it wasn’t only the horse demon. The one pulling the strings has yet to reveal himself. The horse demon was nothing but a puppet.”

“Let the past be carried off by the wind, best left unspoken. I just wonder when our father will return. He’s been at sea for over half a year and still hasn’t come home. I fear something may have happened…”

“Enough. How could anything happen to our parents?” Xu Xing cut in, interrupting his brother’s complaints and sighs.

Since ancient times, autumn has stirred sorrow and loneliness, yet words in autumn can surpass the swelling of tides. How could Xiaofeng, bursting with hope for the future, allow her brother to wallow in sadness?

The two lingered in the courtyard, talking long into the evening.

“Xu Xing, I see you’ve come through the darkest days. What are your plans from here?” Xu Hai asked.

Xiaofeng answered with a gentle smile, “I’ll take things one step at a time. The road ahead is fraught with hardships.”

“What a pity, your talent is plain for all to see—Su Mei and I both witnessed it. The auspicious sign that day, the appearance of the sacred tree in our family, surely happened for your sake. It’s a shame you can’t enter the Southern Mountain Academy to cultivate.”

As he spoke, Xu Hai punched the long-leaved cedar, making its branches quiver.

“It’s all that Li Chunyi’s fault—scheming and deceitful. If I ever see him again, I’ll tear him limb from limb!” Xu Hai snarled between clenched teeth.

In his heart, Li Chunyi and that woman from the Mo family were solely to blame for Xiaofeng’s inability to cultivate.

“Brother, I’ve met Li Chunyi, and even crossed hands with him. He’s grown strong—strong enough to rival Su Mei. We’re still a ways behind, but the outcome is far from settled.” Xiaofeng reached out, soothing the anger and sorrow in her brother’s heart.

“And that’s not the only good news—I have something even better.” Xiaofeng lowered her voice mysteriously, covering her mouth with a hand.

She was about to show Xu Hai the message from the North Sea Academy, eager to share the joy.

Just then, from the depths of the courtyard, a man and a woman appeared. The man’s features were sly—his eyes mere slits, his nose so flat it nearly merged with the rest of his face. The woman was slender and graceful, her legs shapely and just a touch plump. Her loose, white, pleated skirt with floral patterns swept the ground, yet picked up not a speck of dust.

At her waist hung a deep green flute. Her posture was elegant, her figure graceful, her lips a dewy pink—a delicate beauty.

“Well, well, am I seeing things? Isn’t this one of the Xu family’s two failures? Still looking like a miserable wretch. Not like me—I’ve already made it into the North Sea Academy. And you? Still stuck in place, even about to be expelled. If I were you, I’d have drowned myself in despair by now,” the man jeered.

The young woman pursed her lips, casting a glance at Xu Xing. Her eyes sparkled with surprise, then she spoke:

“Brother, don’t say that. Everyone has their low points.”

“Low points?” sneered the man. “Xu Hai has never risen from his. He’s just deluding himself. You’d best see the truth of this world, sister—only the strong are respected. No one cares for the weak, nor pities them.”

Xu Hai’s breath came in heavy bursts, his fists clenched. The man sauntered over, regarding Xiaofeng with a calculating gaze:

“So this is your brother, the one even more useless than you.”

“Brother, could you restrain yourself a little?” the woman chided softly, tugging at his sleeve.

Xu Xing raised his head. He didn’t care for insults directed at himself, but would not tolerate slander against his family—especially from someone so shameless.

Their eyes met. Xiaofeng’s gaze was cold and venomous, like a snake’s, causing the man to recoil a step and tread on the woman’s embroidered shoe.

“Brother, you stepped on me,” she complained.

The man’s complexion was sallow, his lips tinged with black at the corners, nose reddened, with dark circles under his eyes and a listless look. Xiaofeng immediately recognized the purpose behind his visit.

She patted her brother’s shoulder and whispered, “Leave this to me.”

Then she addressed the man with a mocking snort:

“Fond of ridicule, are you?”

The man looked at her, bewildered and momentarily lost for words.

“With your sallow face, darkened lips, red nose, and drooping earlobes, I’d wager your wife at home must be thoroughly disgusted with you.”

Xu Hai looked on in astonishment—every detail Xiaofeng cited was true, as if she’d plucked them straight from the man’s face.

“If I’m not mistaken, your problem is this: the arrow never leaves the bow, yet the blossom has already wilted. If you’re truly incapable, you ought to let someone else take your place, you three-second man,” she sneered.

Xiaofeng recognized the man’s condition at a glance—kidney deficiency from overexertion and poor stamina, the result of too many battles, each more disappointing than the last.

In her previous life, Xiaofeng knew these matters well and had studied them in detail.

“I was going to help you, but it seems there’s no need. Put an end to it soon—it’ll be better for all four of you.”

Xiaofeng’s words were sharp and unyielding. She’d not intended to mock him so mercilessly, but the man’s vicious tongue left her with no other recourse.

“Outrageous! Nonsense!” The man erupted in fury, shoving the woman aside. Gathering his vital energy, rage blazing in his eyes, he glared at Xiaofeng, fists clenched.

“Tenfold True Scripture: Extinction!” he roared, the swastika symbol condensing in the air, though clearly less powerful than in days past.

Xu Hai rushed in front of Xiaofeng, intent on shielding her from the blow. Witnessing her brother’s actions, Xiaofeng’s heart trembled—Xu Hai had always been a man of few words, but a steadfast protector.

No matter the time or place, Xu Hai would always stand before her.

Moved by his gesture, Xiaofeng wrapped her arm around him. “Brother, let me handle this. You’re still injured—don’t let your wounds reopen.”

Xu Hai said nothing, remaining in front of her. He knew, after recent events, that his younger sibling might now surpass him in strength, but as an elder brother, how could he allow harm to come to her?

“He’s at the early stage of Foundation Establishment,” Xu Hai whispered. “I’ve had dealings with him before. Were I not hurt, I’d subdue him easily.”

But the swastika had already gathered. With Xu Hai still recovering, how could Xiaofeng let him take the blow?

“In that case, don’t blame me for being merciless, you glass-hearted weakling,” Xiaofeng hissed, fixing her glare on the man.

“Incinerate the Will!” she intoned, and at once the wind howled and clouds churned.

The courtyard filled with ghostly wails, as if the heavens would overturn. Xiaofeng’s strength was clearly superior.

The woman, seeing things go awry, realized what her brother could not. Mouth agape, she cried out:

“Brother, you’re no match for him! Stop, quickly!”

The swastika symbol was fully formed now, and the tempest roared. Two golden characters hovered, poised to strike. Xu Hai stepped aside, finally recognizing just how formidable his sibling had become.

Perhaps, at the height of his power, he could have matched Xu Xing, but not now. He sensibly got out of the way.

The woman rushed between Xiaofeng and her brother, arms outstretched as she cried:

“Stop! If you want to fight, you’ll have to step over my dead body first!”