Special Training Before the Martial Arts Exam

(This chapter can be skipped without affecting the continuity of the plot.)

But Su Qi wasn’t quite ready to pull his hand back just yet.

Liu Yuan kept her head lowered, her long lashes fluttering faintly.

Then, Su Qi felt his wrist being grasped by a small, cool hand.

The grip wasn’t forceful, but it carried an air of undeniable insistence.

Su Qi paused and looked at Liu Yuan.

The shyness in those glistening eyes had faded somewhat, replaced by a bright, almost reckless determination.

Su Qi understood what his sister meant.

This was a civilized society, so there certainly weren’t any uncivilized thoughts involved.

It was simply that the martial exam was approaching.

Su Qi felt the urge to give his sister an intensive training session tailored for the exam.

Improving her performance would be a good thing—a healthy, optimistic, and proactive endeavor.

And Liu Yuan seemed to grasp his intentions.

She had no reservations about pre-exam training.

Of course, the condition was that it had to be Su Qi.

A friendly spar between Card Bearers seemed unavoidable now.

A faint, intangible current began swirling between them—not an actual breeze, but something more like an… aura.

"Please go easy on me, Brother."

Her voice was soft, but it couldn’t mask the tension beneath.

A cool night breeze slipped through the open window beside Su Qi, sweeping away the last traces of hesitation.

This was just a sibling spar, after all—nothing to be ashamed of.

Su Qi tried to pull his hand back, only to find that the girl’s seemingly delicate fingers now held surprising strength, firmly locking him in place.

"Brother, as a sixth-tier Card Bearer, your defense seems a bit lacking."

Her fingers tightened slightly around his wrist, and a strange, tingling force traveled up his arm.

The energy wasn’t overwhelmingly powerful, but it carried a peculiar penetrating quality, as if it could directly affect his nerves.

Su Qi grunted as his arm went weak.

His soul force instinctively surged within him, trying to resist the invasive energy.

But Liu Yuan was faster.

She leaned in further, nearly pressing against him.

Her other hand shot out like lightning, aiming straight for his chest!

The speed was so fast that Su Qi barely had time to react.

He could only dodge on instinct.

Rip—

His jacket was sliced open by a sharp blade of energy.

Su Qi’s pupils contracted.

What a terrifying technique…

But Liu Yuan’s assault didn’t let up.

Her body twisted with fluid grace, her legs pushing off the sofa as she lunged at him like a nimble cat.

Ding-ling! Ding-ling!

The bells on her ankles rang urgently, a clear and crisp battle cry.

The lingering sweetness of chocolate cake in the air now felt like an intoxicating poison.

Su Qi was caught off guard by the sudden ferocity of her attacks.

He could only retreat, trying to create distance.

But Liu Yuan clung to him like a shadow, her strikes relentless.

Her fighting style was unusual—not punches or kicks, but a series of probing, oppressive movements using every part of her body.

The light tap of a fingertip, the sharp jab of an elbow, the press of a knee…

Each touch carried that same tingling force, steadily dismantling his defenses.

What unsettled Su Qi even more was how precisely Liu Yuan targeted his weak points—spots that triggered involuntary reactions, as if she knew his body inside and out.

"Brother, your stance is slipping."

No!

This can’t go on!

Su Qi’s gaze sharpened as his energy erupted outward.

An invisible shockwave burst from him, trying to force Liu Yuan back.

It was an instinctive counterattack, fueled by all the power he could muster.

Yet Liu Yuan seemed to have anticipated it.

Instead of being repelled, she moved with the flow of the shockwave, pressing even closer.

Her arms wrapped around his waist in a flash.

At the same time, a stronger, more concentrated force erupted from her palms—directly toward his dantian!

The core of his power, and his most vulnerable point!

"Ugh!"

Su Qi stiffened as if struck by a heavy blow.

The flow of his energy was instantly disrupted, his defenses collapsing entirely.

"Brother’s soul force seems… unstable."

Truthfully, Su Qi hadn’t expected Liu Yuan’s offensive to be this overwhelming.

He had underestimated her, and now he was paying the price.

With his weak point exposed, he had no choice but to endure.

He could only bet that a fourth-tier Card Bearer’s strength couldn’t breach a sixth-tier’s defenses.

Oh, right—he was on the verge of reaching the seventh tier soon.

Breaking through his guard would be even harder.

In contrast, Su Qi could easily break Liu Yuan’s defenses—so easily that even the slightest misstep could leave her injured.

That was the nature of a sixth-tier facing a fourth-tier. Even holding back, injuries were inevitable.

All he could do was be as careful as possible.

The spar soon reached a stalemate.

Liu Yuan was trapped in a dilemma.

If she let go now, she’d be facing Su Qi’s relentless counterattacks.

The only option was to test their endurance.

Liu Yuan activated her Card’s power.

A faint trace of foxfire flickered around her hands.

Since this was just a spar, she couldn’t actually burn his soul.

This level of force was perfect—enough to exert strong control over him without causing real harm.

Then, the foxfire began pulsing in a specific rhythm.

With every flicker, Su Qi found it harder to resist.

The energy felt bizarrely invasive.

His muscles tensed uncontrollably.

An indescribable sensation—both painful and strangely electrifying—spread through his limbs.

Ding-ling… Ding-ling…

The bells’ chimes slowed, taking on a deliberate cadence.

Su Qi’s consciousness began to blur.

His rationality screamed at him to break free—now—but his body refused to move.

[Special Passive ③: Living Under Another’s Roof]

[Effect: Severely injured, you have no choice but to recuperate under someone else’s care. When sharing a space with someone of the opposite sex, your actions, words, and even aura may carry a faintly alluring effect, making it easier to capture their attention or lower their guard, while also dulling your own sense of shame.]

Clearly, Su Qi’s focus and vigilance had been dismantled by Liu Yuan’s special passive.

That was why, despite being a sixth-tier Card Bearer, he could barely even fight back.

But Liu Yuan was also under immense strain.

Even with her tricks, the tier gap was undeniable.

Breaking Su Qi’s defenses was nearly impossible.

She might have seemed composed, but she was stuck in a precarious position.

Su Qi’s soul force was steady and restrained, like an unshakable boulder.

Liu Yuan’s, however, was agile and corrosive—like creeping vines.

Sweat dampened the strands of hair clinging to Liu Yuan’s forehead.

Those cunning eyes were now tightly shut, long lashes fluttering like restless butterfly wings.

Ding-ling—

Another clear chime rang out.

With this chime, an overwhelming surge of spiritual energy erupted from Liu Yuan’s body—unrestrained, as if it were a long-accumulated final strike.

Truly a finishing move.

Su Qi could resist no longer.

Every last defense crumbled in that instant.

His spiritual energy spiraled completely out of control, running wild.

Boom—!

It seemed the outcome was decided.

Though, admittedly, Su Qi had gone easy on her.

But facts were facts—no room for excuses.

In this sparring match, Su Qi had lost utterly.

Or perhaps, from the very beginning, victory had never been within his grasp.

With the power of her special card, Liu Yuan’s combat prowess was simply overpowered for Su Qi.

And this training session, meant to prepare her for the martial exam, had benefited her greatly.

She never expected her unique talent to level up in a single attempt.

Such were the rewards of sparring.

[When Longing Overflows Like a Sickness]

[Rank: ????? (Fifth Tier)]

[Growth Condition: Accumulate 2.8 billion upgrade points from ‘specific targets’ (/2.8 billion)]

[Current Usable Ability: Heart’s Anchor (Beginner)]

[Soul’s Oath: No matter where you are, you will always meet ‘that person’]

[Love’s Curse: (Unlock Progress 33%)]

Liu Yuan blinked in dazed confusion at Su Qi. "Useless big brother, you lost the spar…"

Huh?

Wait, what?

But before she could finish, she suddenly felt her vision rise—as if she were being lifted.

Su Qi, a sixth-tier card wielder, couldn’t bear the humiliation of losing to his fourth-tier little sister in a spar.

Even though he was the one who couldn’t help holding back!

How could he blame her?

"Is there a second round?"

"Best two out of three."

True to his sixth-tier status, Su Qi had pinpointed Liu Yuan’s weakness in just one match.

Currently under the influence of her special card, Liu Yuan possessed the high-agility skill Fox Illusion Step.

All he needed to do was restrict her movement space, and she’d have little room to maneuver—somewhere narrow, like the hallway.

Caught off guard, Liu Yuan felt Su Qi’s hand seize her tail from behind.

Since this was just a spar, he couldn’t go too hard.

Worried that gripping her tail with one hand might hurt her, Su Qi supported her with his other hand at her dantian.

Liu Yuan flailed, her little legs kicking wildly as the bells on her jingled frantically.

Ding-ling~

Ding-ling~

"Su Qi, put me down! My feet can’t reach the ground!"