Near the Holy Spirit Village
After the breakfast prepared by Tang Wutong, she said goodbye to Xiaolong and left to convince her father to let her enroll in Nuoding Academy. But before leaving, she thanked the blonde girl once again and asked her to meet later that afternoon in the mountains near the village. With nothing else to do and curious about what the blue-haired girl wanted, Xiaolong easily agreed to meet her there later.
So, after tidying up her house and with no other tasks left, Yang Xiaolong went to the location Wutong had mentioned. The first thing that crossed her mind was how breathtaking the view was—it was so stunning that she stood there for a while, simply admiring the scenery.
Once satisfied, she sat down in a meditation position she had learned from studying with Zeus and began cultivating to increase the level of her martial soul. Without realizing it, due to her deep concentration, many hours passed. When she finally opened her eyes again, Xiaolong jumped in surprise at the sight of curious eyes staring straight at her.
"How long have you been here, Tong'er?" she asked, startled, after recovering from the scare.
"I'm not sure... maybe one or two hours? But you looked so focused I didn't want to interrupt," Wutong replied with a chuckle.
"So... did your father let you enroll?" Still a little annoyed by the scare, Xiaolong puffed out her cheeks and pouted adorably—but her curiosity quickly got the best of her, and she asked her friend.
"Yes! I managed to convince him to let Grandpa Jack register me at Nuoding Academy!" Wutong exclaimed with joy, remembering her father's approval and the training that awaited her over the next three months.
'Well, he only agreed after I showed him I had twin martial souls... but permission is permission.' Even so, Tang Wutong's happiness remained intact—especially when she saw her blonde friend's reaction.
"Really?! That's amazing! We'll get to study together!" Overflowing with excitement, Xiaolong immediately threw herself into a hug around the little butterfly girl.
"Long'er, that meditation technique you were using just now... where did you learn it?" Wutong asked, curious despite her joy.
Thanks to her Purple Demon Eyes, though still at the initial stage, she could sense that the technique was used for gathering internal Qi. Although it didn't seem as refined as the Mysterious Heaven Skill, it was enough to pique her interest.
"Oh, that? It's something a woman taught me as a reward after I helped her." Xiaolong didn't like lying, but Zeus had warned her not to reveal the truth about how she had learned—or would learn—certain things, as it was a matter of protection for them both.
"Do you think you could introduce me to her? I'm really curious about that technique she gave you."
"I don't think I can… after she taught me that, she disappeared. I haven't seen her since. But if you'd like, I can teach it to you." Xiaolong quickly declined the request but offered, innocently, to teach Wutong the technique herself.
"Thanks, but no need! Honestly, I just wanted to compare notes with her. I actually have a meditation technique of my own." Looking into Xiaolong's seemingly innocent eyes, Wutong didn't doubt her and revealed her real reason for wanting to meet the mysterious woman.
"Oh wow, that's amazing, Tong'er! You have a meditation technique too!" Xiaolong's red eyes sparkled like stars as she looked at her blue-haired friend.
"Originally, I wanted to teach it to you too, but... I wasn't sure if you'd want to learn it since you already—"
"I do want to learn it, Tong'er!" Xiaolong interrupted her without letting her finish.
"I mean… even though I already know a technique, learning yours would mean deepening our bond even more." After her sudden outburst, her cheeks turned red with embarrassment, and she explained herself in a soft, shy voice, avoiding Wutong's gaze.
"Really? That's great! I thought you might say no, haha." Blinking in surprise, Wutong took a moment to process Xiaolong's words before smiling brightly.
As she looked at the small, nervous red-eyed girl, Tang Wutong felt an almost irresistible urge to tease her. But since night was beginning to fall, she decided to restrain herself—for now. Instead, she gently took Xiaolong's hand and said:
"Come. I'll pass you the Mysterious Heaven Skill now."
Following Wutong's instructions, the two girls sat cross-legged and intertwined their hands. Then, they closed their eyes and pressed their foreheads together. At first, nothing happened. Xiaolong was just about to open her eyes and ask what was wrong when a sudden surge of information flooded her mind like a tidal wave, leaving her completely dazed.
"W-what was that…?" Xiaolong asked, her voice sluggish as she tried to process the rush of knowledge now embedded in her mind.
"That's one of the secrets of the Mysterious Heaven Skill," Wutong explained with a small laugh, remembering when she had gone through the same experience. "It allows me to transmit knowledge directly into your consciousness. I bet everything you need is already in your head now."
"Try meditating with what I just taught you. It'll help you clear your thoughts."
Following the little butterfly's advice, Xiaolong closed her eyes once more and began practicing the new technique.
It didn't take long for her to notice the difference. This new form of meditation felt smoother, deeper, and more natural. She was instantly captivated. Within minutes, she could clearly tell how distinct this method was compared to what she had learned from Zeus.
"So? How do you feel?" Wutong asked, watching her open her eyes with visible awe.
"It was surreal… like I had merged with the world," Xiaolong replied, still immersed in the lingering sensation of meditation.
"Good, good. That's just the beginning. As you go deeper into the Mysterious Heaven Skill, that feeling will only grow stronger—along with the benefits," Wutong concluded, clearly pleased with her friend's progress.
"From now on, you and I will train together here every day. What do you think? We can also practice combat to prepare for Nuoding Academy." Her tone was light, but Wutong was also keen to observe how Xiaolong would handle the energy technique she had taught.
"Sure! I'd love that! Spending more time with you and getting stronger at the same time sounds perfect!" Xiaolong responded without hesitation, brimming with enthusiasm.
Watching the excited girl, a warm and genuine smile bloomed on Tang Wutong's face. Even though she had only known Yang Xiaolong for three years, this girl had filled a gap in her heart left by the absence of familial love in her past life. To Wutong, Xiaolong had become a little sister—one she now felt destined to protect.
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Author's Note 📝
Hey there, everyone! 😄
Wow... I honestly never thought I'd make it to Chapter 5 with this story, hahaha. This idea had been stuck in my head for a while, but I was always a little scared to actually write it. I'm really glad I finally grew a pair and decided to give it a go!
Now, about the story... I totally understand if some of you feel like it's lacking fight scenes or more action so far—and you're not wrong! But in these first five chapters, my main focus was to give a little context to the personalities of the protagonist, the Goddess Zeus, and especially our gender-swapped Tang San (aka Tang Wutong 💙).
Since this is an alternate universe and I plan on making a lot of changes to the original world, I wanted to lay down a solid emotional and narrative foundation first. So thank you so much for your patience and for sticking with me 🙏✨
That said... starting in the next chapters, we're finally gonna see some action from our dear Xiaolong! Whether it's short training bouts or clashes with other kids—especially a certain mysterious bunny girl 🐇👀—it's time for things to heat up!
Thanks again for reading and supporting this little project of mine. You're amazing. 💖