Martial King's Retired Life

Su Xiao’s new friends barged into the clinic to see Su Xiao leaning against the bed and spacing out. At long last, they heaved breaths of relief. Since Wang Zi first heard the news from Ye Luo, it was no surprise for Ye Luo to be present, as well. Su Xiao had yet to catch up on current affairs as he had just woken up.

Shi Weiliang inquired, “Sister Ye, what happened to Su Xiao?”

Wearing a grim expression, Ye Luo answered, “I don’t know myself. I found him unconscious by my home entrance, so I brought him here straight away. The physician said it’s no big deal, but his not sure what caused Xiao Han to pass out.”

With the exception of Ye Luo, everyone was relieved. Although Su Xiao looked out of it, she spotted an aura waiting to jump out from his eyes – a sign that he was ready to advance to the next level in his internal discipline. When she placed her hand on his forehead, potent energy deflected her hand hard enough for her to hiss. She knew it couldn’t be a reaction he’d purposely give considering how close they were. His internal energy was never that much inferior to hers. The new energy suggested he had improved noticeably. Whether it was from the perspective of a friend or a girl with a crush on him, she had every reason to be happy for him, but there was a big “if” there.

Su Xiao improving to this extent between when he returned to the capital to now was borderline impossible without a miracle, which left one other possibility – qi deviation. Hence, Ye Luo planned to have her father diagnose him again despite his lack of other qi deviation symptoms.

“Eh? Why am I here? Eh? Why is everyone here? Ah, you’re here, too, Sister Ye?” Su Xiao just came to, but he sounded the same as his usual self.

Wu Dayong shed tears of joy. “I’m so glad to see you’re okay. Do you know what enormous price I had to pay to get here?”

It wasn’t hard to imagine what the aftermath at the academy would be following Wu Dayong’s “period”, and it certainly was something to look forward to.

He Shi: “Don’t be so harsh on yourself. We understand.”

“It’s all your fault in the first place! All because of you, I’m now Tiankui Yong instead of Wu Dayong! Show some remorse!” cried Wu Dayong.

“How can you say that? Is Su Xiao’s friendship worth so little to you? What’s spilling a little blood to a man?”

“Except I bled in the wrong spot! It’s precisely because I’m a man that I can’t spill blood there! How is this guy the top student of the academy?! He doesn’t even know basic physiology!”

Su Xiao had a good laugh before he got curious about what happened to him. Once he recalled how he was training in the back and then started swing, he reached to his waist for Ancient Cold. “Hmm? Where’s my weapon. Sister Ye, did you see my broadsword?”

“What broadsword? When I found you unconscious by my house’s door, it was just you,” answered Ye Luo.

“Impossible! I always keep it on me!” Su Xiao got out of bed extremely deftly. “I need to go find Ancient Cold.”

“Su Xiao, relax. You must’ve forgotten it somewhere. You can find it after you recover.”

“No, I need to have Ancient Cold in my sights.”

Now that he was on his feet, they could See Su Xiao properly. His appearance appeared to be glowing pink unlike how it just used to look as supple as a young girl’s. Su Xiao was Su Xiao, yet there was something different about him. He used to have a childish air about him, but he now emitted a sense of aloofness and transcendence. Even Su Xiao noticed the visible and invisible changes to his body.

“Ew, why do I stink?!”

While they had no idea what Su Xiao was on about, Ye Luo had some conjectures based on the observable changes he exhibited. “Xiao Han, have you been practicing a new discipline and had some success? I noticed even your presence is different.”

Su Xiao nodded, then shook his head. “I’ve been training the same discipline as always.”

“Is Su Xiao here?” Three young men dressed in Confucian robes barged in without the slightest care in the world.

Zhou Teng: “Ironhead Palace’s Ouyang Xiong!”

As the deputy leader of Ironhead Palace and their third best fighter, Ouyang Xiong saw no reason to bother with Zhou Teng. “Su Xiao here?”

Su Xiao bobbed his head.

Ouyang Xiong, wearing a smirk, swept his gaze over those present and stopped on Wu Daong. “You are Su Xiao?”

Wu Dayong shook his head as if his life depended on it. “No, no.”

“No? Is Su Xiao here then?”

Su Xiao: “Yes.”

Ouyang Xiong: “Where is he?”

Su Xiao pointed to himself. “Right here.”

“You’re Su Xiao?! I thought Su Xiao is a guy!”

Ouyang Xiong: It’s a she, no? A pretty one for that matter.

“Who are you people?” asked Su Xiao.

One of Ouyang Xiong’s companions thundered, “We’re here to teach Su Xiao a lesson. Don’t try being funny with us, little girl!” then went over to slap Su Xiao across the face.

The swing looked so slow that Su Xiao grew curious enough to step forward and casually catch his assaulter’s wrist and pull. Following a sonorous “crack”, his assaulter screamed as if he was trying to expel his lungs from his body.