Chapter Two: Let Your Sister Attend to You

Countless tiny silver needles shot through the air toward Gu Chen with a sharp whistling sound. The toxins on the concealed weapons that had just struck him began to take effect. Gu Chen felt an icy chill spreading through his body, numbness creeping into his limbs, making his movements sluggish.

“Almost there, almost there. If I can just reach the forest ahead, I’ll have a greater chance at survival. Sister said as long as I live, there’s hope. My life was exchanged for by my sister—I cannot die...” He was only a step away from the forest when he heard the dense sound of weapons slicing through the air behind him. He knew deep down that escape was nearly impossible.

Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks and spun around. If he was to die, he wanted to see clearly whose hands would end his life. In the next life, he could seek vengeance...

Just as Gu Chen braced himself to face death, a melodious female voice echoed in his mind: “Awakened the Chameleon Martial Soul? Not bad! You’re qualified to be my disciple!”

“However, I’ve just awoken and my soul power is weak. I can only help you once. Whether you live or die depends on your own fortune!”

“Soul Weapon—Heavenly Net Umbrella, emerge.” In his hand suddenly appeared an oil-paper umbrella painted with a scene of riverboats drifting on misty southern waters. Instinctively, Gu Chen raised the umbrella as a shield.

Before he even completed the motion, he caught a clear glimpse of his assailant—a boy of about fifteen or sixteen, his features sharp and striking, with a hint of handsomeness. The youth glared at Gu Chen with burning rage, and all around, those who had heard the commotion were rushing over.

“Fight, then!” Gritting his teeth, Gu Chen threw the Heavenly Net Umbrella into the air and darted toward the forest.

As the umbrella soared upward, it rapidly expanded, creating a magnetic field that spanned ten miles. Every silver needle was pulled toward it, even the hidden weapons embedded in Gu Chen’s body were drawn out. In that moment, Gu Chen seized his chance and slipped into the forest.

Once inside, he quickly concealed himself and fled deeper, though in truth his pace was far from swift. Perhaps the umbrella had activated a protective function, for Gu Chen felt he’d put a great distance between himself and his pursuers, yet heard no sounds of them giving chase. But his consciousness began to blur, and just as he faded into unconsciousness, he glimpsed the silhouette of a slender woman approaching.

He fell fully into darkness, and when he next awoke, he was lying on a soft, spacious bed.

Opening his eyes, he gazed through pink veiled curtains at a star-lit ceiling decorated in the style of medieval Europe. He realized he must have been saved by that mysterious woman.

“You’re awake.” Entering the room was a mature woman of enchanting figure, dressed in a long green dress and carrying a tray of fruit. Seeing Gu Chen awake, she greeted him with a gentle smile.

“Was it you who saved me?” Gu Chen instinctively assumed this beautiful woman was his rescuer.

“No, it was our lady.” The woman in green smiled sweetly, twin dimples appearing on her alluring face, like cups filled with fragrant wine, making one feel as if embraced by a gentle spring breeze.

“Heh... So it was your lady who saved me! You’re so beautiful, Sister—I thought it must have been you,” he replied with a boyish grin.

“You! Even with your injuries, your tongue is still so sweet. Once you’ve recovered, I suspect all the pretty girls in the area will be charmed away by you!” She laughed, her low-cut neckline revealing a deep valley, swaying with her every graceful movement like drifting clouds above a radiant forest—a dreamlike beauty.

Gu Chen couldn’t help but swallow—a vision of softness, whiteness, and suppleness...

His gaze fell on the two ripe white peaches in her fruit tray, and he unconsciously licked his lips.

“Are you thirsty, young sir? These peaches are freshly washed. Please, try one.” With another gentle smile, the woman in green picked up a juicy peach and offered it to him.

“Thank you, Sister!”

He tried to lift his hand to take it, but found himself too weak to move without aggravating his injuries, which drew a cough from his lips.

“You mustn’t move yet, young sir. Your wounds haven’t healed. Allow me to serve you.”

“That wouldn’t be proper, would it?”

“What’s improper? It’s a servant’s duty to care for others. Besides, you called me Sister, didn’t you? Isn’t it natural for a sister to look after her little brother?”

When she uttered the word “Sister,” something inside Gu Chen trembled fiercely. His eyes grew moist in an instant.

“Why are you crying?”

“I’m not—it’s just a bit of dust in my eye.”

She chuckled softly and let the matter drop, leaning closer to feed him the peach.

“Open wide…”

“How does it taste?”

“Mmm, it’s sweet and crisp, with a fragrant flavor.”

“I knew you’d like it. This is a specialty of our Dragon Serpent Valley—the Water Nectar Peach. Not only is it delicious, it also helps restore soul power.”

“Sister, is this really Dragon Serpent Valley?”

“Of course! Don’t you know where you are?”

“I must have wandered into the territory of the Winged Mice before I lost consciousness. I was poisoned by their needles and didn’t know where I collapsed.”

After waking, Gu Chen began to merge with the memories of his body’s former owner. He had been reborn—into the body of the Gu family’s good-for-nothing young master, who shared his name.

The Gu family was a branch of the Martial Soul Hall’s Intelligence Division in Notting City. His predecessor had died from a deadly poison, and his appearance in Xiao Wu’s room was likely connected to his fiancée, Nolan Jia.

Nolan Jia was famed as the most beautiful woman in Notting City, with a talent that defied the heavens—innate full soul power, and a rare Ice Phoenix Martial Soul, second only to the Golden Dragon Martial Soul among beast souls. Admirers of hers could circle Notting City thirty times. It was rumored that five years ago, she became the disciple of Elder Situ Qing of the Martial Soul Hall. She remained in Notting City to fulfill the marriage contract her father had made with Gu Chen’s father.

As the young clan leader of Notting City’s Intelligence Division, Gu Chen was well aware of Tang San. Tang San was born in Holy Soul Village, the son of a blacksmith, and his mother died shortly after giving birth to him. At age six, he awakened the Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul and was sent by the village elder to Notting City’s Primary Academy, where he met Xiao Wu and became the disciple of Master Yu Xiaogang. Under Yu Xiaogang’s guidance, his cultivation proceeded smoothly. Later, he went to study at Shrek Academy, where he met the other six Shrek Monsters. Together, they formed a team and competed in the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament, during which their soul power soared.

But none of this was the main point. The main point was that this was Dragon Serpent Valley, the domain of the legendary Dragon and Serpent couple. Tang San knew them and their granddaughter, Meng Yiran, quite well. The reason Gu Chen knew so much about Tang San was because they were born on the same day, month, and year, and his own family often compared him to Tang San…

So when the woman in green asked about his injuries, Gu Chen dared not tell the truth and made up an excuse instead.