Chapter Three The Art of Invisibility

"Look at this character, and then look at this one. I don't believe you actually know this one," Xiaoyu exclaimed, standing with Yuan Wuji in a small, resplendent palace, one hand holding a book and the other pointing at the page.

"I already told you, this is simple," Yuan Wuji replied. After all, he was a graduate from a top university. He hadn't expected the script to be regular script, but as a literature major, regular script was barely more difficult than simplified characters for him.

"A bet is a bet. Come on, come on, hurry and teach me how to use magic," Yuan Wuji said, looking at the stubborn Xiaoyu.

"Her Highness will teach you tomorrow. Why are you in such a rush?" Xiaoyu fumed inwardly: Her Highness had finally given her a task, but he seemed to know everything, making it impossible for her to fulfill it. She had no intention of paying him any more attention.

Yuan Wuji, seasoned by the real world, could see through Xiaoyu's childish mind easily—especially since every thought was written plainly on her face. She was obviously very young. That made her easy to coax—unlike someone like Nezha, who looked like a child after living hundreds of years.

"Xiaoyu, how old are you this year?"

"I want to guess how much magic you've learned from Her Highness."

"Then let me calculate my age."

"What? You need to calculate it? Are you pretending to be a child after living for centuries?"

"When I was born, I cultivated on earth for a year. After eating a fruit, I transformed into human form. Just then, Her Highness happened to pass by, saw me, and brought me to the heavens. One day in heaven is a year on earth. From the day I arrived in heaven till now, it’s been just over sixty days. So, by that calculation, I’m already over sixty years old," Xiaoyu explained, counting on her fingers.

"Is a day in heaven really as long as a year on earth?" Yuan Wuji asked. Did that mean he would have to wait until next year to learn magic?

"No, not really. It feels like a day in heaven and a day on earth pass the same, but a day spent cultivating in heaven is equivalent to a year on earth. Still, when a day passes in heaven, a year really does go by on earth," Xiaoyu explained carefully.

So by that logic, you’re barely a year and a half old at most!

"That means you’ve learned a lot of magic from Her Highness. Why don’t you teach me a couple of simple spells?" Yuan Wuji immediately dashed over to Xiaoyu, grabbing her small hand, his posture making it clear that if she refused, he wouldn’t let go.

"Ah… Monkey, let go first!" Xiaoyu struggled, trying to pull her hands from his furry grasp.

"No. I won’t let go unless you teach me."

"Fine, I’ll teach you. Hurry up and let go!" At her words, Yuan Wuji immediately released her hand.

Why is this little girl blushing?

There was nothing strange about two children holding hands, but Xiaoyu, who spent most of her time with the Lady of Golden Spirit, was somewhat known among the immortals of heaven. She’d heard a bit about mortal matters, too. So when Yuan Wuji grabbed her hand, her mind couldn’t help wandering.

"Her Highness said that what she taught me can’t be taught to others."

"You don’t keep your word," he retorted, pretending to pounce on her.

"Wait, Monkey, I’m not finished."

"What else is there to say?"

"I only said that what Her Highness taught me can’t be taught to you. But I do know a few spells of my own," Xiaoyu said, seeing the little monkey calming down.

"Monkey, I’ll teach you the invisibility spell!"

"First, you need the correct hand gesture. Then, you need to match your steps to the rhythm of the incantation, and use the incantation to guide your spiritual energy. Watch me do it," she said, stepping into the open space and signaling Yuan Wuji to pay attention.

"Step on the Seven Stars, walk the Heavenly Dipper, with metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—immortals cannot see me. Transform!" Xiaoyu performed a fluid sequence of gestures in time with the incantation, and, in the next instant, vanished before Yuan Wuji’s eyes.

Yuan Wuji had never seen someone just disappear like that. Even in magic shows, there was always a trick behind it.

"Well, Monkey, can you see me now?" came Xiaoyu’s voice.

"Transform," she said again, and reappeared as if out of nowhere.

"Now I’ll teach you the incantation. Give it a try," Xiaoyu said, passing on the spell.

This was Yuan Wuji’s first time using magic since coming to this world. It seemed daunting, but to him, it was a marvelous challenge—one he was determined to attempt, even if he failed over and over.

"Step on the Seven Stars, walk the Heavenly Dipper, with metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—immortals cannot see me. Transform!" It had seemed difficult at first, but as soon as he tried, it felt completely natural. Like being handed a food you’d never seen before, and all you needed to do was bite down with your teeth. It was his first time using magic, yet it felt effortless.

"Hey, Xiaoyu, can you see me?"

"Ah! Monkey, you really did it? Enough, come out now!"

"Okay—transform!"

Xiaoyu had meant to make a fool of him, so she’d chosen a spell that was a bit tricky. She wanted to teach him a lesson for grabbing her earlier. She’d never imagined Yuan Wuji would succeed on his first try, especially since he was still a newborn monkey.

"Heh, I’m impressive, aren’t I? Seems there’s nothing hard about this!"

Xiaoyu had wanted to teach the little monkey a lesson, but instead, she’d been humiliated and now he was showing off right in front of her. Immature as she was, she stormed off to her little nest, forgetting that Yuan Wuji was still following.

"Monkey, why are you following me? Get out!"

"Her Highness told me to stick with you," he replied.

"Hmph! Always hiding behind Her Highness’s authority," Xiaoyu pouted, her childish temper flaring up—something Yuan Wuji could easily recognize. After all, she’d taught him magic; he ought to cheer her up. Coaxing a child couldn’t be that hard.

"Xiaoyu, look at this," Yuan Wuji said, picking up a brush and writing three characters on a piece of paper, which he then held out to her.

"Yuan Wuji, what is this?"

"It’s the name I chose for myself."

"Hahaha, what a strange name you have!"

"See if I let you laugh at me," Yuan Wuji said, and playfully pounced, knocking her onto the small bed in her room.

"Monkey, get off me!"

Seeing Xiaoyu’s cheeks flush bright red, Yuan Wuji quickly rolled to the other side of the bed, despite them both being children. Turning to look at her, he felt a happiness and ease he’d never known before in his twenty-plus years of life.

In his previous life, he’d grown up in an orphanage, never knowing who his parents were. Even as a child, he’d told himself to study hard, make money, and escape his difficult circumstances. The children in the orphanage all believed they were dreaming, and the only support Yuan Wuji had was from an elderly man who lived next door. The orphanage only supported children through middle school; after that, they were on their own. Yuan Wuji knew that the only way to succeed was through education, and the old man scraped together enough money for him to attend high school. Yuan Wuji decided the old man would be his family, and once grown, he’d care for him and never abandon him like his own children had. But fortune was fleeting. In Yuan Wuji’s last year of high school, the old man passed away after being taken in by his children. Yuan Wuji never got to say goodbye. At least he finished high school and was admitted to a top university, but tuition and living expenses were a heavy burden. Faced with this, Yuan Wuji found one way out: underground fighting. With sheer grit, he earned enough to cover his expenses, but ultimately lost his life in the ring.

Although he hadn’t spent long with Xiaoyu, he truly cherished this pure and innocent girl before him.

"Xiaoyu, I promise that I’ll always protect you and never let you be harmed. Do you believe me?" Yuan Wuji said suddenly, gazing at her profile.