Chapter 87: Request and...

Chapter 87: Request and... One was unconscious, while the other suffered grave injuries. However, before they could even fully register the pain, a wave of green Qi washed over their bodies. "T-This is...!" Uriel gasped, feeling her wounds reverse as if by magic. Her fractured bones, dislocated shoulder, and even her depleted Qi—everything returned to how it had been before the spar! Not only her—even Henrietta, who lay face-down in the sand, was healing rapidly. Her injuries vanished, and her consciousness snapped back in an instant. Gasp! A second later, she bolted upright, taking a deep breath. She touched her nose, checking if it was still there—then sighed in relief. "Great work, the two of you." Xu Tao stepped forward, praising them with a calm voice. "You both fought with everything you had. I watched the entire match from start to finish. Well done." "Y-Yes, Master...!" The two scrambled to their feet and bowed, slightly panicked. Their awkward reaction brought a smile to Xu Tao’s face. "Henrietta," he began, "your plan to drag the fight into a battle of endurance was good. But as expected, you still lack battle sense. You didn’t even notice Uriel faking her Qi exhaustion." Ashamed, Henrietta lowered her head. "...Yes. It’s just as Master said." "No need to feel down," he said, softening his tone. "If you hadn’t forgotten to use proper martial arts instead of just throwing wild punches, you might’ve even won." Though his words might sound like lip service, both girls knew Xu Tao wasn’t the type to sugarcoat the truth. Everything he said was grounded and honest. "As for Uriel..." He turned to her next. "Your bait at the end was clever, but your final attack severely injured you. It was an uphill battle, I know—but you should try to retain battle potential even after a fight ends. There’s no guarantee you’ll face only one enemy." "It was my oversight!" Uriel acknowledged her errors immediately, bowing in earnest. "I will take Master’s teaching to heart!" "That’s a good attitude. Keep it up." After a few nods, a heavy silence fell between them—awkward and foreboding. "Now, before we move on to your assignments..." Xu Tao said, breaking the silence. "Uriel, as promised, you won the spar. You may ask for anything. What would you like?" "Huh?" she blurted, surprised, before snapping back to attention. "Ah, right!" AHEM! Uriel cleared her throat loudly and turned to face Xu Tao with a serious, albeit slightly embarrassed, expression. "I-If possible, I would like to request an ancient defensive artifact, Master," she said, voice shaky but resolute. "Something I can use to protect myself—and those around me." "..." Xu Tao immediately understood her wish. It was a mix of personal resolve and a desire to defend Henrietta more effectively. He shook his head with a soft, amused smile. "Well, I do have something like that," he replied, pulling an object from his pouch. What he revealed and handed toward Uriel was— "A... bracelet?" —two loops. One was made of obsidian-black jade. The other, pure white, like a flawless pearl. Hearing her mutter, Xu Tao chuckled. "You’d think that, right?" he said, before clanking the two rings together. As they met, both expanded to the size of hula hoops, glowing faintly as they floated behind Xu Tao like twin halos. "These are the Bracelets of Yin-Yang Unity—a legendary artifact said to protect even against the wrath of heaven itself. Crafted by a certain hermit sage hundreds of thousands of years ago," he explained. "Harnessing the powers of Yin and Yang, they form a barrier that protects the user—and their allies—with certainty." CLANG! The two hoops struck one another again, combining into a single large shield shaped like the Yin-Yang symbol. It hovered before Xu Tao momentarily before splitting apart again into the two individual bracelets. "You can have this. Just use it the same way I demonstrated," Xu Tao said casually, tossing them toward her. "Woah!" Uriel flinched, half-panicking as she tried to catch the fragile-looking loops. But before her hands could reach them, the bracelets moved on their own, slipping smoothly onto her wrists. The white pearl loop clamped around her right, and the black jade loop around her left. Though briefly confused, she didn’t forget to bow her head deeply. "Thank you, Master. I’ll treasure it—and use it well." Xu Tao nodded silently in response. Once more, silence returned. A silence that made Henrietta feel queasy—like something "bad" was coming. "Let’s move on to your assignments, then," Xu Tao finally said, his tone shifting slightly. "First, Henrietta. Each day, master five additional verses from the scroll I gave you. Focus on learning it, rather than practicing. Right now, you lack the basic knowledge needed." "...Master?" Henrietta muttered. For some reason, his words sounded like... a goodbye. "Uriel. Same goes for you—read five more lines of your scroll daily," Xu Tao continued, ignoring the looks they were giving him. "But unlike Henrietta, I want you to focus more on practicing the techniques. I’m sure they’ll help improve your Taiji." "Yes, Master." She bowed, keeping quiet. "Master! Are you leaving us?!" —unlike a certain excitable redhead. "..." Xu Tao paused, staring at Henrietta’s anxious eyes with a firm expression. Then, he parted his lips and spoke with certainty. "I... have some business to attend to. So I must leave you both for a while," he admitted. At those words, Henrietta’s face turned pale. She stepped forward, grabbing his robe with trembling fingers. "Y-You’ll return... right?" She clung to the fabric like it was the only thing keeping her world from falling apart. Her voice wasn’t just anxious. It was layered with emotions—fear, sadness, confusion. Her grip on his robe tightened. Xu Tao, however, shook his head. "I... can’t say for sure," he said flatly. "But... no matter what happens, I promise I’ll be here for your birthday." "...!" Henrietta gasped, not expecting such a response. "You... knew?" she asked. Her voice was vague, hinting at something more than just the date. "I figured," Xu Tao said with a crooked smile. "And I asked your brother about it. That confirmed it." "I... I..." Henrietta stammered. The very reason she pursued cultivation so desperately was because of that upcoming birthday. A day that might mark the turning point of her life... or, at worst, the end of it. Just as she faltered in thought, a large, calloused hand landed atop her head, gently ruffling her hair. "Don’t worry. I know..." he whispered. "Believe in me, your Master. Don’t give up until the very last moment. Struggle against fate—and win." His words were cryptic, but reassuring. Henrietta’s anxious expression quickly softened, and a fragile smile returned to her lips. "I... I will, Master." She nodded firmly. "I’ll fight until I wring out the last drop of my Qi!" "Good." As he continued patting her head, Xu Tao averted his gaze, looking at a floating window beside him. A timer. [Cooldown Time Remaining: 00:03:01] Only three minutes remained before the cooldown of the Lost System ended.