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The man nodded and spoke no more. The girl behind him, however, skipped over and squatted in front of Zhu Zhuqing, tilting her head to study her. The girl was very pretty, her eyes were pink, and when she looked at someone, her gaze was direct and piercing, making Zhu Zhuqing feel inexplicably uncomfortable. Xiao Wu's pink outfit hugged her developing curves, accentuating her perky breasts and the gentle swell of her hips. Her long legs were folded gracefully as she squatted, and a sweet, cloying scent wafted from her body.
"You're hurt so badly." The girl spoke, reaching out as if she wanted to touch the wound.
"Xiao Wu," the man called out.
The girl immediately withdrew her hand, stuck out her tongue, and obediently retreated to the man's side. But her eyes were still fixed on Zhu Zhuqing; that look... was like looking at a novel toy.
"The person chasing you is dead." The man—Mo Bai—said calmly. "If you need to treat your wounds, I have medicine."
Zhu Zhuqing was silent for a few seconds. Her instinct told her that this man was dangerous, ten times more dangerous than that Soul Ancestor just now. But he had saved her. And his method of making that blade disappear just now... she completely couldn't understand it.
"Thank you," she finally said, her voice very soft.
Mo Bai took a small porcelain bottle from his bosom and tossed it to her. Zhu Zhuqing caught it and pulled out the stopper to sniff it—it was top-quality gold sore medicine, mixed with several herbal scents she couldn't identify.
She no longer hesitated, tore open the ragged leather armor on the side of her leg, and poured the powder onto the wound. The moment the powder touched the wound, it brought a stinging pain, but that was followed by a cool, soothing sensation. The bleeding stopped quickly. As she did so, her torn armor gaped open slightly, revealing the smooth, pale skin of her big, firm breasts and the faint pink of her nipples.
"Your martial soul is the Hell Civet." Mo Bai spoke while she was applying the medicine, his tone like stating a fact. "Agility Attack System. But your attacks are too 'straight'—you want to deal a lethal blow too much, ignoring that the essence of the Agility Attack System is not power, but 'rhythm'."
Zhu Zhuqing looked up abruptly.
"Your Hell Stab just now, the attack interval between the three afterimages was 0.3 seconds." Mo Bai continued, walking to the spot where she had just fought and tapping the ground with his toe. "If the second afterimage appeared 0.1 seconds later, and the third appeared 0.2 seconds later, that man's Blade Wheel Dance would have had a 0.3-second defensive gap—enough for you to tear his throat open."
Zhu Zhuqing's heart skipped a heavy beat. She subconsciously replayed the battle in her mind—and realized that what he said was entirely correct.
"You..." She opened her mouth. "How do you know?"
"I saw it." Mo Bai turned and looked at her. "Your physical condition is decent, and your soul power is considered solid. But you don't know how to use it."
These words were like a needle, stabbing into Zhu Zhuqing's most painful spot. She clenched her fists, her nails sinking into her palms.
"The people in the family also said... I don't know how to use it," she said in a low voice, her amber eyes churning with unwillingness and pain. "They said I only know how to run, only know how to hide... said I am unworthy..."
"They were wrong." Mo Bai interrupted her.
Zhu Zhuqing froze.
"It's not that you don't know how to use it." Mo Bai walked back to her, looking down at her. "It's that you were taught incorrectly. The 'Agility' in the Agility Attack System is not just speed; it's perception, anticipation, and—" He reached out, his index finger lightly tapping the center of Zhu Zhuqing's forehead.
A trace of cool aura drilled inside.
It wasn't soul power, but something else. Like a fine needle, it lightly pierced through a layer of fog shrouded over her thoughts.
"—absolute control over your own body." Mo Bai's voice lowered a bit, like a whisper. "Every inch of your muscle, every wisp of your soul power, should listen to you. But right now, they are afraid. You are afraid."
Zhu Zhuqing was stiff all over. She wanted to argue, wanted to retreat, but her body could not move. That bit of cool aura at the center of her forehead spread out, making her feel inexplicably... relaxed. Her tensed nerves softened bit by bit, and even the pain in her leg became distant. Her long black tail curled tightly around her leg, the tip twitching nervously.
"Relax," Mo Bai said, his finger sliding down the bridge of her nose and stopping in front of her lips. "Feel the flow of your soul power. Like a cat—before a cat pounces, it is completely relaxed."
His fingertips were very cool. Zhu Zhuqing unconsciously let out a breath, the warm air brushing against his finger. Then she truly felt it—the soul power within her, which had been racing due to fear and anger, began to circulate slowly and spontaneously along a much smoother path.
"Yes." Mo Bai withdrew his hand. "Remember this feeling."
That slight sense of detachment made Zhu Zhuqing clear-headed instantly. She took half a step back, her back pressing against the tree trunk, her heart thumping like a drum. What had happened just now? Why had she been so obedient?
"Teacher is very amazing, isn't he?" Xiao Wu's voice suddenly cut in. She had already sidled up to Zhu Zhuqing's side, close enough that she could smell a sweet, cloying scent from her, like nectar. "Following Teacher, you can become very strong. Stronger than everyone."
Zhu Zhuqing looked at Mo Bai. The man had already turned around, walking toward the depths of the forest.
"It's getting dark," he said. "There's a water source nearby. We'll camp there tonight."
He didn't ask Zhu Zhuqing if she wanted to follow.
But Zhu Zhuqing looked at his back, touched the wound on her leg that had stopped bleeding, and finally looked at the place where that Soul Ancestor had disappeared—not even a drop of blood was left there.
She gritted her teeth and stepped forward to follow.
The camp was chosen at an open space by a small stream.
When Mo Bai took out a simple tent and cooking utensils from his soul tool, Zhu Zhuqing was surprised once again—the capacity of that soul tool was clearly not small, not something an ordinary soul master could afford. But she didn't ask, just silently helped gather firewood.
Xiao Wu, however, did nothing but sit next to Mo Bai, her head leaning on his shoulder, her finger occasionally twirling the ends of her hair. Mo Bai didn't drive her away either, letting her cling to him.