12 Xia Talents

A flash of blue lightning and black lightning sparked in the cousin's room. The glow of their lightning aura had gone away, but electricity still crackled from their eyes.

Once the crackling died down, both Luke and Andrea's eyes gained a subtle difference. Luke's eyes possessed an enchanting bright blue glow to them. Gazing into this glow would make for a magical sight, drawing people in and creating a favorable impression for himself.

In direct contrast, Andrea's eyes were of a menacing dark black glow. Eyes would get pulled into hers not for a whimsical sight but for a fear they couldn't look away from. Although immediately after the glow died down a bit because of Yurei lessening her curse effect as from Andrea's practice, it arouses.

"Despite not sleeping, that was one of the most restful nights I ever had!" Luke remarked, stretching out his arms. Before he knew it, Spooky had informed him the time with the Xiao's was now, and his progress was already good enough.

"Indeed, it was. I feel a lot more...assure of myself through doing this. I'm starting to think our soul is getting rid of our fundamental basic human needs, I'm still not really hungry at all. In any case, you ready to head off to that floating city?" Instead of finding it weird now, Andrea found it more convenient that they didn't have to keep up with standard basic human needs.

Besides the cousins changing into the Xiao's robes during their practice, they haven't done anything else besides that. The soul is a profound, mysterious property that a lot of cultivators dedicate their whole lives too. But for the cousins, it went a massive step further.

Their soul lightning connected with their physical bodies, and both cousins did notice the constant strengthening, but they more so felt themselves getting lighter and lighter. It was like past hardships they thought they forever buried behind was getting peacefully lifted, taking a heavy load off from them.

In a sense, they felt at one with themselves. And from Spooky and Yurei perspective, they felt and saw their fuse soul developing a bit more because of it.

"Floating cloud city Andy, and I'm never more ready than I am now! Trust me when I say this, but there's one sight, in particular, that'll surely knock your socks off." Luke held a secure tone, recalling the female lead in Against The God.

The beautiful woman knows as Xia Qingyue. Thinking about her, Luke wonder what kind of small or drastic changes she would have, though, given her vital status, he didn't believe God would go too far for her. Yet Xiao Lingxi, the girl who never fought, was talented in combat here, so who knows?

All Luke could tell for sure it will be an intriguing meeting to see how beautiful one woman can be. As he stood from his bed, axe in his hand, he heard his cousin voice in a slightly teasing tone,

"That grand of a sight, eh? Perhaps it'll be another ten out ten women like the Lingxi girl? Speaking of her, she seemed to favor you quite a lot and so quickly too." Andrea also stood from her bed, her sword in hand, and gazed at Luke pondering expression.

"I suppose she does, but remember it mainly happens because of Spooky's curse. A curse that just seems to have no downside mind you. And-Ah!" Luke suddenly cut himself off mid-sentence. His eyebrows furrowed, and he called to Spooky.

'Spooky, did you sense like small bouts of energy dropping from the beasts we killed?'

'Yes, why? W-was it something important?' Again with that oh so ever slight stutter for this ghost girl. But her tone didn't ever change despite stuttering, always having the same even soft sound. Luke just pushed down this thought saying,

'Never mind you do not know about this universe anyway.'

"Suddenly, remember a crucial detail that would've been helpful for us in the future." Andrea basically manages to explain it all out without even having Luke say it. Have most of your life spent together will tend to let you pick up on your partner's emotions rather well.

"Yea, I totally forgot about these cores beats drops above the Elementary realm. Haah, well with our power, I know we can at least get some early level nascent cores. You can guess why these cores are pretty valuable, right?"

"Goods, trade, powering up and shit like that, right?" Luke smiled in response. Adaptability was always the strongest point of humans.

"Exactly. Well, let's go meet them now."

….

Walking through the halls and back down to the lounge of the, it became immediately apparent to the cousins' something changed about their appearances. They couldn't see themselves, but the lingering stares did cause them to wonder.

'Did you or Yurei like multiply the curse or something?' Luke asked Spooky.

'No, it's only the effect of your ongoing soul. It won't be too bad as of now, but soon I'll have to teach you control over the curse.'

"Ah! L-Luke? Andrea?"

Before Luke knew it, the two were already near the Xiao's who were already waiting for them in a secluded corner. And for Xiao Lingxi and Xiao Yun, they were taken aback some seeing the cousin overnight change.

The white robe that held a similar appearance to Xiao Yun precisely fitted Luke. His dirty dried up bloody clothes was already thrown away, and this new style was fashionable for him. However, the most noticeable change they obverse was Luke's slightly lighter shade of his dark blue hair and his radiant, glowing blue eyes!

It amplifies a natural charm and charisma to him, making a lot more people take a second double-take at him. And to his left was Luke walking polar opposite in presence.

Xiao Lingxi robes snuggly fit Andrea. It showed off her attractive body, highlighting her exquisite curves. But the main attraction of her beside the similarly lighter darker shade of her black hair was her dark glowing eyes.

Even when Yurei lessens their curse effect, the increase in soul development was evident through her eyes. It pulled in and intimidated all who bore into her. Not even Xiao Lingxi got spared who previously wasn't that much or at all affected by Yurei's curse.

Although Xiao Lingxi quickly got over the slight intimidating presence and felt more drawn into Luke's existence. He looked more confident, vigorous, filled with energy, and the calming smile he gave her made her heart skip several beats.

Xiao Yun was in a between mix of awe and slight intimidation. Unlike Xiao Lingxi, who got mark by Spooky and resisted Yurei's curse, Xiao Yun didn't have such benefits. But magically enough Luke words sent a calming effect to Xiao Yun as he said,

"Surprise with our new look? Andy and I also consider this a fine upgrade from our shabby clothes."

"A-ah! Y-you two do look good, Right! So are we all prepared??" Xiao Lingxi fought down a blush as quickly change the subject.

"Don't suppose you two have any flying birds we could use? Or are we going to have drag our feet to the city?" Andrea asked, not really feeling that much distress over the thought of walking long distances.

"I'm afraid, not Andrea. But with our realm and pace, the distance shouldn't be that cumbersome." Xiao Yun told, and neither of the cousins held many complaints. With how light they feel now, both felt they could walk through a whole country on their first world without getting tired.

"Well, then we'll depend on you two to lead the way this time! We're not familiar at all with the paths here." Luke words got Xiao Lingxi to feel a rush, and proudly she stated,

"Under our guide, we'll get to the city at a record pace. Let's go!"

….

"Ehh? So it really just been you and Andrea on your own this whole time? You two are amazingly independent and talented!"

"Maybe, but we've had receive help from time to time. Honestly, being more in tune with the wild style of life isn't so bad. Someone like you, Lingxi, I'm positive could understand it." Idle chit chat like that remained constant as the four made their way to Floating Cloud City.

They were on a brisk pace, passing through mostly vibrant forest areas going to Floating Cloud City, but it didn't take away from the scenery for Luke and Andrea.

This style of traveling reminded the cousins of the more rural side of countries where there's nothing but woods; only this time, they were actually interested in walking through it.

Luke was the one that answers most questions either of the Xiao's had. Andrea prefers to stay more quiet feeling out her soul. But she did sometimes contribute only if to give out a more cynical answer compared to Luke.

Currently, for this subject, Luke fabricated a bit of an excuse on their origins. He didn't necessarily lie as he told them they woken up in a forest at a young age with no memories and had explored many villages since then. And the cousin honestly did wake up in bodies of similar appearance to theirs, no prior memories of the original bodies.

From the way Luke told the story and a hint of his charming blue, glowing eyes, Xiao Lingxi and Xiao Yun bought into him.

"Mnh! When there aren't ferocious beasts roaming around nature can be really pretty. Our Xiao clan has several spots like that too. My grandfather has a unique spot that I always love to go to and bask under a tree." Xiao Lingxi nodded in agreement with Luke. She was feeling incomparably comfortable and relaxed, exchanging simple small talk like this.

Suddenly thinking about the Xiao clan, Luke had some question and asked,

"So what's your clan like in this city is it big?"

"We're not a particularly large clan, but in the city, we're the strongest clan there, with the second one being the Xia clan. Plus, for us, we have close ties to the Xia clan as well." Xiao Yun explains, and Luke thought a bit.

Everything still seemed relatively the same in terms of status and power so far. But before he could ask another question, Andrea beat him to the punch asking,

"I'm curious about people our age. What's their talent like?"

"Ah! In terms of talent, Xiao'er and I are the top genius in our clan. And as well, at least everyone around our age has been able to enter the Elementary realm. But our talent is rivaled or even surpass by two siblings in the Xia clan."

Two talented youths in the Xia clan? So far, no cripple kid in the Xiao clan basically confirmed Yun Che must be in the Illusory Demon Realm. However, as far he remembers, only Xia Qingyue had extreme talent unless...

"Your friend, you mention, Yuanba, right? I assume he's the top talent, but what about the other one then." Luke did recall World Spiritists did need to strong bodies to support their spirit energies, so somehow Yuanba must've cultivated to that level.

"Yep, it's him and his sister known as Xia Qingyue. Despite brother Yuanba being a World Spiritists, she far surpasses him in cultivation. It's to the point where she even made it to the Nascent Origin realm peak and will soon join one of strongest sects in the empire, the Frozen Cloud Immortal Palace!"

Xiao Lingxi spoke in a tone that held respect, and even Xiao Yun's eyes carried respect for her. So it's official this time around, huh, Luke thought. Although it didn't matter too much for him, later on, he would be taking a trip down to that sect and see what's all the hype around it.

"Hoh, quite a hex girl genius. This will be interesting, Luke." Andrea seemed to have other thoughts in mind, and Luke only told them,

"Still, no matter what, you two are certainly special and hardworking. In fact, you wouldn't mind if you give me some pointers in cultivation Lingxi?" A huge smile bloom on Xiao Lingxi face hearing the invitation as she cheerfully answered,

"I wouldn't mind at all, Luke! I'll be sure to give you all the help you want!"

"Then I'll in your care, I'm grateful to have a cute hardworking girl like you point me around." Luke earnestly said. Xiao Lingxi cheek heated up and holding her nose high so he wouldn't see the blush she said to him,

"Hmph! You better be I don't do this for just anyone!" Like this, the four happily talk with each other nearing Floating Cloud City soon.