Chapter 289: Do Not Disturb

How does one quickly get close to a thirteen or fourteen-year-old girl?

Children at that age were particularly delicate since self-awareness began to strengthen precisely during puberty. Trying to quickly become familiar with Wang Xiaomiao was no easy task.

In the second half of their journey home, Wang Sheng pondered for a long while. He also discussed it at length with Mu Wanxuan and Xi Lian, but they were equally clueless. Without any experience befriending teenage girls, there was little they could offer.

In the end, he failed to come up with any brilliant ideas.

Xi Lian was still in her childlike form, seemingly fond of being a little kid. Watching her touch her small chin in thought, Wang Sheng could not help but feel a ripple in his heart. It wouldn't be so bad if only she were truly his daughter.

"I think girls at that age like the whole idol drama atmosphere," Xi Lian said solemnly. "If you act a bit colder, you'll actually attract more of her attention and win her favor, which will then lead to winning her heart."

"She's my younger sister! My biological sister!" Wang Sheng exclaimed, half-laughing, half-crying.

Xi Lian snorted slightly and waved her tiny fist indignantly. "It's the same principle."

"Be sincere," Mu Wanxuan suddenly said. She wrote a few words in the air with her jade-like fingers, then gave her junior brother a solemn expression.

With sincerity and love, fulfill your duty as her older brother. You'll get close to her eventually.

Mu Wanxuan made a sound argument, though it lacked any truly useful substance.

Wang Sheng agreed and began to contemplate. At the very least, he had to come up with a topic that could quickly bridge the gap and establish some basic trust between him and his sister.

***

After spending half the trip planning, he finally got a chance to speak with his sister alone. His first sentence ended up being impressively average.

"How are your grades lately?"

On the balcony, Wang Xiaomiao, who had been tending to the flowers, was briefly stunned. A bit speechless, she looked up at Wang Sheng, her eyes bright and expressive.

"It's... alright. Not bad, but not great either," she replied softly. She didn't sound particularly sweet or gentle, but her tone did have a certain clarity and purity.

The awkward air between them returned.

Wang Xiaomiao had already changed from her school uniform into a simple light-blue dress and tied her long hair into a ponytail. She looked even thinner in person than in the 3D projection.

"You don't like meat?" Wang Sheng asked with a smile. "Or do you have trouble absorbing nutrients?"

The middle school girl forced a rather strained smile and nearly rolled her eyes. "Being thin looks better."

"True. You do look quite healthy," Wang Sheng replied blankly, inwardly wailing in despair.

Not only was he newly ranked eleventh on the Heavenly Rankings, but he was also a sword cultivator at the verge of completing the Heavenly Abode Realm. Still, he couldn't find a topic to talk about with his own little sister.

Seemingly trying to sound casual, Wang Xiaomiao asked, "Hey, um, Bro... are you, like, a really powerful cultivator?"

Wang Sheng nodded. "More or less, but cultivation is not so easily judged. Daoist realms and actual combat ability are not necessarily equal. Are you interested in this stuff?"

"A little," Wang Xiaomiao replied softly. "The calisthenics exercises we do at school are said to be cultivation techniques. They say that if you have a good aptitude, you might get chosen to become a cultivator."

Wang Sheng frowned slightly. Given how many cultivators had been around his sister since she was little, this was a bit surprising.

At the very least, his master had probably considered training Xiaomiao. He had vaguely mentioned something to that effect before.

"Did Dad and Mom stop you from cultivating?"

"

Mm...

Not exactly." Wang Xiaomiao curled her lip. "I probably just have average aptitude. A few cultivators who visited the house and said they were your friends once talked about sending me to the mountains to cultivate. A few years ago, Dad and Mom asked for my opinion too, but I was afraid they would end up as bereaved old folks if I left, so I didn't go."

Wang Sheng sighed quietly. "I'm sorry. All this pressure only fell on you because of what happened to me."

"You had an accident?" Wang Xiaomiao put down her scissors. "All I heard was that you heroically sacrificed yourself to save the world..."

"It wasn't that grand." Wang Sheng patted the sword case on his back. "I just served as a vessel for an immortal to unleash her full power. I only survived because she discovered at the last moment that my treasured sword was a more suitable vessel for her divine soul."

Wang Xiaomiao blinked, visibly intrigued.

Naturally, Wang Sheng did not let such a heaven-sent opportunity go to waste. He began to slowly recount his experiences over the years, choosing only the more interesting ones, like heavenly tribulations and sword intent. When Wang Sheng made a cyan aura swirl and lightning flash in his palm, Wang Xiaomiao could not help but exclaim in awe.

Perhaps it was the bond of blood, but the siblings unknowingly found themselves talking more and more. Wang Xiaomiao no longer kept a cold expression.

As Xi Lian had said, getting a young girl's admiration only required looking cool, and nothing was cooler than the Sword-Controlling Art.

Wang Sheng conjured dozens of qi swords and made them fly outside the balcony. Flying Haze led them in a dazzling sword dance. No one knew if Qing Feng Zhenren had a spirit left in the heavens, but if he were watching the scene, he would surely have coughed up three liters of blood in rage.

Meanwhile, in the living room, Wang Sheng's parents had already read and understood Mu Wanxuan's explanations about Xi Lian's identity. Disappointment filled their expressions when they realized that the silver-haired little girl was merely a mischievous high-level cultivator.

Back out on the balcony, Wang Sheng dispersed the qi swords and recalled Flying Haze. Beside him, Wang Xiaomiao's eyes sparkled as she exclaimed, "You've got skills, Bro! That was so cool! This would win first place on 'Show Me Your Dao' for sure!"

"'Show Me Your Dao'? What's that?"

Wang Xiaomiao blinked. "Uh, it's a variety show that's been super popular the past two years..."

Wang Sheng chuckled. "I've been trapped for thirteen years. No wonder the world feels a little unfamiliar."

"It's okay," Wang Xiaomiao replied generously. "I'll bring you up to speed! Oh, is your senior sister really my sister-in-law?"

Wang Sheng nodded without hesitation. "Of course."

Wang Xiaomao smiled. "How'd you manage to win her over? It's not like we've got great advantages."

Wang Sheng was utterly speechless.

Girls her age know way too much.

"Stop chatting out there, you two! Dinner's ready!" someone called from inside the house.

Wang Sheng opened the balcony door and gestured for his sister to go ahead. Wang Xiaomiao, who had just begun to open up, became aloof again. In truth, she was simply a bit nervous; she was usually quite cheerful.

As they entered the living room, Wang Sheng noticed a news broadcast playing on the projection screen. He paused instinctively. According to the international breaking news report, terrorists had apparently attacked a passenger plane departing from the capital of the Saros. The plane exploded in the air, killing 192 passengers and crew. The rest were still listed as missing.

"Something happened overseas again," Wang Sheng's father casually commented as he walked over with his hands behind his back. "The rest of the world gets messier by the year, while Hua Republic grows ever more peaceful."

Wang Sheng gave him a brief reply and then glanced at the string of images flashing across the screen, not paying them too much mind. However, just as they began eating, Wang Sheng's and Mu Wanxuan's phones vibrated a few times and popped up a small projected notification.

Urgent S-rank mission. To all S-class or higher Daoist masters, please click the green button below if you are willing to accept this task.

Wang Sheng didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "We have a rank and class system now? Since when have we done things like this?"

Xi Lian snorted beside him. "That's nothing. In recent years, with cultivation merging with technology, they've come up with so many flashy gimmicks it's ridiculous."

"Accept?" Mu Wanxuan asked softly.

"Let's take a look first," Wang Sheng replied as he clicked on the event overview. A column of text immediately appeared before him.

Two hours ago, foreign forces attacked a passenger aircraft departing from Saros. A terrorist organization has already claimed responsibility. Though we do have Special Warfare Unit forces dedicated to counter-terrorism, this particular flight involved two classified matters that are closely tied to us.

First, two cultivators from Gelan were on this flight. It is not yet clear whether they were the targets. They are currently missing, but intelligence suggests that the terrorist group hasn't captured them.

Second, on this flight were three national-treasure-level ancient relics that were meant to be returned to the Hua Republic. Their locations are now unknown. The cultivators and the relics are of high value to us....

"National treasures?" Wang Sheng muttered under his breath, his eyes drifting past the projected image to catch his parents' helpless expressions.

Wang Sheng lightly tapped the red button labeled "Decline." The projection before him vanished immediately, and the phone that the organization had assigned to him fell silent.

Mu Wanxuan also declined. Her gaze returned to the dishes before her. "Let's eat!"

Wang Sheng raised his arm and called out, "I've just escaped from my entrapment. I've got to spend the next few years healing and resting. Let them sort things out themselves."

Finally, his parents breathed a sigh of relief.

Seemingly summoning her courage beside them, Wang Xiaomiao picked up a piece of chicken leg and placed it in her brother's bowl. She then lowered her head and focused on eating.