Martial Spirits

The Great Oni

Volume (1) Benoni chapter (25)

When Li Fan got home, Ma and Pa were already eating, so he sat down and ate with them.

Mother Li, chewing, looked at him with a teasing smile.

"Li Fan, you're late. It's almost eight o'clock. Were you out with a girl?"

Father Li's eyes brightened; he lifted his head, still eating.

At the same time, Li Fan was inwardly puzzled:

Why are enemies popping up so often?

As far as he could recall he was just a normal kid, nothing special.

Yet today trouble came at him again and again.

Like in the novels he read, maybe he had the "protagonist-magnet" ability.

While he was thinking, Mother asked again.

Li Fan raised his head, nodded. "Yeah. I was out walking with a girl."

Mother Li's eyes lit up; she quickly asked,

"What's her name? And how old is she?"

Seeing how lovely his mother was, Li Fan smiled.

"Her name is Yue-Yin-A. She's seventeen."

Father Li, normally quiet, also smiled and spoke up:

"Did you walk her home properly?"

Li Fan shook his head.

"Uh-huh. She said not to bother."

Father Li's face blanked.

Mother Li's eyes went wide and she scolded him:

"Hey, Li Fan, girls always say 'no' when they mean 'yes'.

Boys have to insist—if you don't, it shows no real heart."

Father Li chimed in:

"Next time you must walk her home. Period."

Li Fan nodded and kept it in mind.

"Okay! Got it!"

The whole supper table became a lecture—Pa and Ma explaining how dating works.

Li Fan kept nodding, silently storing every tip.

By the time they finished, it was 8:30.

Li Fan washed up, went to his room, and texted Yue-A.

Elsewhere, in a huge, luxurious dining hall, six people were eating in silence—no warmth, only a chill.

At the head sat a grey-haired grand-father about sixty; though old, his life-force still blazed.

The other five were four young men and one girl—Yue-Yin-A.

Grandpa sampled the elegant dishes, looked at Yue-A and asked:

"Yue-A, you're late. Were you out with a boy?"

As soon as Grandpa spoke, all four elder brothers lifted their heads and questioned:

"So, our little sister has a boyfriend?"

The eldest brother, sitting closest to Grandpa, stiffened.

Another brother narrowed his eyes, asking coldly:

"Who? Which family?"

Caught like a kitten stealing fish, Yue-A froze.

Their Yue family has five siblings: four big brothers, with Yue-Yin-A the youngest pearl.

The brothers spoil her; no one may lay a finger on her.

"Uh… yes," she admitted after a moment.

Eldest brother Yue-Than swallowed his rising anger, eyes sharp.

"Who? Which family?"

Yue-A rolled her eyes and answered,

"Big brothers, don't investigate him, okay?

I'll invite him to Grandpa's birthday—then you can meet."

Grandpa smiled wanly.

"I'd like to see the boy who can charm my little gem."

"But Grandpa," Yue-A said quickly,

"He's traveling for a month. He'll come for my birthday instead. You'll see him then."

Grandpa nodded, chuckling.

"Fine, Grandpa will wait one month for Yue-A's boy."

Blushing, Yue-A couldn't bear her four brothers' burning stares; she dropped her head.

Fortunately supper ended; she fled to her room.

Ding—

Her phone lit: a message from Li Fan. She beamed.

They chatted until nearly nine, exchanging good-night texts.

Because they were new lovebirds, the topics never ran dry.

Smiling sweetly, Yue-A put the phone down and sat cross-legged on her bed.

Suddenly, behind her, a one-meter-wide green jade phantom appeared.

Invisible energy around the room flowed into the jade, which filtered impurities and sent refined power back into her body.

At the same moment, strange events were happening on Li Fan's side.

Li Fan stood in his room, holding a crimson sword.

"Interesting—so this is a Martial Spirit," he smiled coldly.

He'd thought no one could match him in this world, but clearly Cultivator existed.

From the dark thug he'd drained earlier he had obtained this crimson Martial Spirit.

It fed memories straight into Li Fan's mind: cultivation methods, the Spirit's own data.

Martial Spirits awaken at age fifteen, then deliver techniques and info straight to the host.

There are six grand tiers: Mortal, Ordinary, Earth, Heaven, King, and Imperial.

Fine sub-levels exist but aren't listed here.

The crimson sword Spirit from the thug was Ordinary tier, named the Flare-Blade Spirit.

Its matching technique: Flare-Soul Absorption.

First step of any Spirit: cleanse the body, expel impurities, and strengthen flesh—called the "Martial Scholar" stage.