Tang San had already realized the danger. To dodge Xiao Wu's long leg coiling around him, he had leaped into the air, intending to use the pull of the hair in his hand to change direction. But the hair suddenly slipped away, leaving him with nothing to push off, his body suspended helplessly in midair.
No matter how miraculous the Ghost Shadow Phantom Trail was, there always had to be something to borrow force from—but how could Tang San manage that now?
The leg Xiao Wu had swept toward his waist had been feint all along. As she retracted her hair, her body had already sunk into a slight crouch, and the next instant she sprang upward, launching herself after the airborne Tang San.
Her soft little hand coiled around his neck once more. Left with no choice, Tang San channeled all his power into both arms to block. But could Xiao Wu's hands be blocked so easily? Those supple hands, attached to arms as limp as boneless, slid smoothly along Tang San's arms and wrapped snugly around his neck. Her entire body pressed up against him.
Tang San felt his waist tighten as Xiao Wu's powerful legs locked around him. Whether it was his arms or his legs, everything Xiao Wu did to him radiated a flexibility that was almost frightening—even more resilient than his own Blue Silver Grass. The most terrifying part was that this resilience was as smooth as her flowing hair. The moment Tang San exerted force, the power he released was immediately neutralized by the subtle undulations of Xiao Wu's body.
If Tang San were to describe it using the martial arts from his previous world, the ability Xiao Wu was demonstrating right now was the ultimate expression of "four ounces deflecting a thousand pounds." No matter how hard you tried, you simply could not shake her off. Both his arms and his neck were completely locked by Xiao Wu's embrace, leaving him unable to launch any attack at all.
If this were a real enemy, Tang San's only option would have been to drive his head straight into them. But how could he bring himself to do that to Xiao Wu? What if he hurt her? Besides, if Xiao Wu were truly an enemy, the moment she had coiled around his neck, her Waist Bow should have already activated—she wouldn't have given him any chance to resist.
But Xiao Wu didn't activate the Waist Bow. Her black hair billowed behind her, her arms tightening around Tang San's neck, and the two of them descended from the sky face to face.
Even after his feet touched solid ground, Tang San could hardly believe this was real. Looking at Xiao Wu, so close he could feel her breath—warm and fragrant like orchids—he was rendered momentarily speechless.
Tang San was certain he had not been careless. He knew full well how dangerous Xiao Wu was in close combat, and from the very start he had employed the Ghost Shadow Phantom Trail. Yet he had still fallen into her trap. The key had been Xiao Wu's long hair and the changes to her body.
Xiao Wu's close-combat ability had clearly become far more formidable, but it didn't seem to be something granted by her Soul Rings. Tang San was deeply curious—how had she managed it?
"I won~" Xiao Wu said with a cheerful grin, her legs still wrapped around his waist and showing no sign of letting go. At this distance, they could hear each other's breathing.
Looking at Xiao Wu this closely, Tang San's gaze seemed to freeze. It was as if a flame were burning in his chest, and his breathing had grown noticeably heavier.
Xiao Wu quickly noticed the change in Tang San, and the smile on her face gradually faded. She gazed back at him just as intently. Her hands, still wrapped around his arms, moved gently to release them, but her arms remained around his neck. Her breathing had grown just as ragged, and she could even hear the rapid pounding of her own heart.
"Whoo—"
The cry of a night bird suddenly shattered the silence. Tang San's mind cleared at once, and he hurriedly reined in his thoughts.
She's my little sister. What's gotten into me?
Subconsciously, he released his hands from her waist. A little flustered, he grabbed Xiao Wu's shoulders and turned his face away. "Xiao Wu, how did you do that? Your close-combat ability seems to have gotten... much stronger." At a moment like this, changing the subject was the only thing he could do—it was the only way to ease the embarrassment churning inside him.
"Mmm..." Sensing the shift in Tang San's emotions, Xiao Wu gradually calmed down as well. But she was reluctant to break away from him entirely. Though her legs slid off his body, she still kept her arms around his neck, leaning her weight against him, her head resting on his shoulder. A faint, natural smile played across her face.
Tang San wanted to push her away but couldn't quite bring himself to do it. Then Xiao Wu spoke. "Ge, do you know why my close-combat ability has improved so much?"
Tang San shook his head blankly. He was usually sharp, but right now his mind seemed to have lost the ability to think clearly.
Xiao Wu said, "I knew there were flaws in my techniques, but recently I understood the 'softness' within the Soft Technique. Soul skills don't have to be granted by Soul Rings alone. A truly powerful person possesses many abilities of their own that are no less impressive than Soul Skills. Just like your Purple Extreme Demon Eye and its spiritual shock—wasn't that something you developed yourself? We all have enormous potential within us. To unlock even one aspect of it is to gain a new Soul Skill. A Soul Skill you create yourself—your understanding of it runs even deeper than what a Soul Ring provides, and it's far more practical."
Hearing Xiao Wu's words, Tang San was momentarily stunned. He even forgot to push her away, immediately sinking into deep thought. Xiao Wu's words had opened an entirely new door for him. If Du Gu Bo's earlier insight had given him a rough outline of how his future skills might develop, then Xiao Wu had swept away the haze in front of his eyes, making everything clear.