Super Soldier

Princess Nami was nonplussed. “Grandpa, I’m confused. Since he could not say what he had grasped, then why did you say he is teachable? You were not lying, right?”

Iza Kawatani chuckled, “It’s inappropriate to talk to your grandfather like that.”

“You really scared me. You must have summoned us to your practice room for a reason.”

Iza Kawatani stroked Princess Nami’s head and said, “Let’s go inside. What’s that thing in your hand?”

It was the authentic art piece by Tang Bohu. Xiao Bing gave it to Nami since he was asked to enter first. Princess Nami was so nervous that she nearly forgot about it. After Iza Kawatani mentioned it, Princess Nami smiled instantly, “It’s a gift for you. Tangbohu’s authentic work.”

“Really?” Iza Kawatani took it with interest. “Come on, have a seat in my room. Tang Bohu is a famous Chinese calligrapher. I heard his works are hard to find…”

“Of course. So now do you know how capable your granddaughter is? So you might consider criticizing your granddaughter less?”

Iza Kawatani’s mind went blank for a moment, then he smiled.

Then the three of them walked out of the practice room. Xiao Bing was silently smiling all the time. Though Iza Kawatani was almost 100 hundred years old, he was shrewder than anyone. He was not only testing Xiao Bing’s true strength, he was also trying to find out if Xiao Bing was hiding something. If it were not for Xiao Bing’s strong willpower, this old man would have sensed something wrong and killed him.

Iza Kawatani was walking in the front, while Princess Nami was half a step behind him. Xiao Bing was half a step behind her. The ground beneath Iza Kawatani echoed like a drum, bringing a magical rhythm to his pace, which Princess Nami could not help following. Though Xiao Bing could get himself free from it, he followed this old man’s pace, lest he sensed that something was amiss.

They walked through the passage, down the hall and arrived at the passage on the left. It was not long, but was less creepy than the other one. There were several rooms scattered on both sides.

Iza Kawatani stopped when they reached the room at the end of the passage. He gently pushed the door open and walked in, Xiao Bing and Nami following him. The room was big and well-lighted. There were a big bed, some wooden furniture and several writings hanging on the wall and nothing else. It was simple, but very neat.

Iza Kawatani asked Xiao Bing and Nami to sit down. Then he unrolled the calligraphy piece that Nami bought for him, and hung it on the wall.

He looked at it, his eyes sparkling. Suddenly he gazed at the sigil. Then he looked at his granddaughter and asked, “You bought this?”

Nami did not know what he meant by that. “Is it really a fake? Aoki Ichiro made a mistake?”

Nami answered with diffidence, “Of… Of course.”

“Someone suggested this to you, right?” There was a hint of laughter in his eyes.

Nami felt relieved upon hearing it. “You’re right, grandpa. It’s Aoki Ichiro. He told me that it is authentic. So I bought it at a low price. I heard that Tang Bohu was quite famous in the Cathaysian State.”

“He is.” Iza Kawatani sighed, “And this work is real. But few people can tell it’s real. Aoki Ichiro, I was not aware that you know so much about calligraphy. It’s a rare thing nowadays.”

Xiao Bing spoke hurriedly, “Sire, you honor me. But it’s just luck.”

Iza Kawatani sat opposite him and looked at Xiao Bing with his deep eyes. “Luck is not that capable. Son, you have studied calligraphy?”

“Only for a short time.”

“I see.” Iza Kawatani nodded and said, “If you have not been studying for a long time, then you must be far smarter than the others.”

Xiao Bing put on a wry smile, “Perhaps it’s true.”

“You did well for a young man. I don’t like someone who is too modest or too proud.” Then Iza Kawatani fixed his eyes on Xiao Bing’s saber. One must be unarmed when he enters the Kokyo, but it was not necessary when it came to the Hall of Martial Gods. Maybe it was because Iza Kawatani was so confident that he did not care about it.

Iza Kawatani asked, “Your weapon is a saber?”

“Yes.”

“Do you think the art of sabers is the same as the art of swords?”

Xiao Bing pondered for a moment and said, “There are similarities and also differences.”

“Good. You can start practicing in my room. I’ll have a talk with my granddaughter first, then I will come to you.”

Xiao Bing rose to his feet and left. Princess Nami did not stop him. It was inconvenient for her grandfather to talk to her if Xiao Bing was here.

The moment Xiao Bing walked out, Iza Kawatani exhaled. It was said that the older a man is, the shrewder he is. Xiao Bing found this to be true. Iza Kawatani could see through a man from any aspect. If Xiao Bing was not meticulous enough, his efforts would go to waste.

He felt lucky that he was to stay in the Koyoko tonight, instead of the Hall. Otherwise he might get into trouble during his search for Gods’ Blood. Though the Koyoko was well-guarded, Xiao Bing was not allowed to go out. The real problem for him was this old man in the Hall of Martial Gods.

Xiao Bing walked out of the practicing room before he realized it. When he thought that he was asked to wait for the old man inside the practicing room, Xiao Bing wondered if this Iza Kawatani was truly obsessed with martial arts, or he thought others were just like him. Normally, the host would make tea for his guests. But this old man asked him to practice martial arts.

Though this man was old, Xiao Bing did not think he was obsessed with it. He believed that there was a reason behind it.

The moment Xiao Bing had left, Princess Nami instantly trotted towards Iza Kawatani, and sat behind him. She kissed on his face and chuckled, “Grandpa, I miss you so much.”

Iza Kawatani smiled, “Then you should come here more often… Alas, I’m almost 100 years old. I don’t know how much time is left for me. Now my biggest wish is to see you getting married and have a child of your own.”

Princess Nami sounded awkward, “You’re still strong. I believe you can live for another 100 years.”

Iza Kawatani grinned, “Silly, won’t I be a demon if that’s true. Unless my power can advance… But that’s not easy.”

The level of immortality was a rather high level. No one had reportedly reached that level. It was something Iza Kawatani had been aspiring for his whole life.

Every time he made a progress, Iza Kawatani would find it hard to reach another level of progress.

Iza Kawatani suddenly said, “That Aoki Ichiro, you seem to like him…”

Nami did not deny it. “Yes, he’s different from other men. I will not marry anyone, unless it’s him. But he doesn’t seem to like me.”

Iza Kawatani asked in surprise, “You wanted to date him, but he rejected you?”

“Yes. Grandpa, don’t you think he’s strange. There are so many men who want to marry me, but none of them interests me. And I don’t know if he has cast a spell on me, because I love him from the bottom of my heart.”

Nami seemed happy, “Though he has not agreed, I believe that he’ll be mine one day. Grandpa, if that day comes, will you give us your consent? I want to marry this man!”

Iza Kawatani asked, “You are the goddaughter of the emperor, which means that you’re one of the royal family. What if they don’t agree with your marriage.”

Nami said stubbornly, “I’ll decide my own fate. If they don’t agree, I will renounce the title of princess, and run away with my man.”

Iza Kawatani shook his head, “Run away with him? How immature you are. You are a spoiled kid. If you don’t have these maidens to serve you, you’ll soon be eager to come back.”

Princess Nami was well aware about that. She pouted and said obstinately, “What should I do then? Grandpa, at least you’re on my side, aren’t you?”

Iza Kawatani seemed to be pondering. Then a flash of light appeared in his eyes. “If he truly is a sensible and reliable man, I would love to help you with it. I suppose that the royal family will not defy me.” His voice was somehow profound.

Iza Kawatani’s eyes were filled with confidence and imposing dominance!