Feeding Moves

"Junior Disciple Sister, what brings you here?"

It was shortly after dawn when Yue Lingshan's lovely figure unexpectedly appeared before the old pine where Ji Boying practiced.

Though Yue Lingshan said nothing, she found herself speechless at the sight of Ji Boying's face covered in sweat.

"Junior Disciple Brother, you're working far too hard..."

Yue Lingshan pouted. There was less resentment in her expression now, and more helplessness.

She had not played with Linghu Chong these past few days. Ji Boying's diligence had spurred Linghu Chong on, and he too had been practicing hard lately.

That was why she had reluctantly come to her junior disciple brother alone. She had intended to demand an explanation, or perhaps use threats and bribes to establish her authority as his senior sister.

But seeing that it was still early, and that her junior disciple brother had clearly been practicing his swordsmanship for who knew how long, his summer clothes soaked through with sweat, she could not help but feel moved.

Ji Boying smiled. "Senior Disciple Sister, we are people of the martial world. Sooner or later, we may have to lick blood from the edge of a blade. In the martial world, many things are beyond our control. If we do not want others to bully Mount Hua, we must ultimately rely on the skill in our hands and fight our way to prestige. This is the foundation of our survival; I cannot afford to be careless. Master and Mistress have not had it easy these past years, holding up the Mount Hua Sect."

His heartfelt words left Yue Lingshan speechless. She knew she had not thought things through as thoroughly as her junior disciple brother had.

"Since... since that is the case, then as your senior sister, I cannot slack off either. Senior Disciple Brother is busy practicing, and my father has other matters to attend to. You have already learned the entire Mount Hua Introductory Swordplay, so I can spar with you."

Ji Boying was delighted. "Then thank you very much, Senior Disciple Sister."

Practicing diligently alone and watching one's martial arts improve bit by bit was certainly enjoyable, but testing one's skills in a match was enjoyable as well.

Ji Boying had joined the sect too recently, so it would not have been appropriate for him to bring the matter up with his senior brothers. Besides, his mastery of Mount Hua Swordplay was already quite high. If he won, it might seem too arrogant.

And having a beauty practice with him naturally made both body and mind feel all the more delighted.

Hearing Ji Boying call her "Senior Disciple Sister" sentence after sentence made Yue Lingshan happy as well.

"Junior Disciple Brother, draw your sword."

Ji Boying did not stand on ceremony. He used Welcoming Pine. "Senior Disciple Sister, be careful."

He thrust his sword with perfect steadiness. It was an ordinary-looking strike, yet its subtleties left no trace, flowing as naturally as drifting clouds and running water, displaying an extremely high level of swordsmanship.

Yue Lingshan was even more astonished. She had not expected her junior disciple brother's swordsmanship to have reached such a level.

Not daring to be careless, she drew her sword to meet him.

Her sword light swept sideways in a block, and she immediately followed with Refreshing Breeze. It was truly like Mount Hua's cool breeze brushing across one's face, yet it contained perilous killing intent. Though Yue Lingshan was not diligent enough in her martial arts practice, she possessed exceptional intuition and had grasped some of the true essence of Mount Hua Swordplay.

Yet Ji Boying still had the leisure to smile faintly.

He used no other sword technique. Welcoming Pine shifted with the momentum, and with a casual block and deflection, he broke Yue Lingshan's Refreshing Breeze, which she had thought she performed rather well.

Against his proficient-level swordsmanship, Yue Lingshan's swordplay was full of flaws. It had barely enough spirit to merit praise; the rest was not worth mentioning.

Seeing her Refreshing Breeze broken so easily, Yue Lingshan's pretty face filled with surprise.

Still unwilling to accept it, she launched three consecutive moves, one sword strike following another. She had truly put strength into them this time, fighting with complete seriousness.

White Clouds Emerging from Peaks, Distant Green Mountains, Dense Ancient Cypresses!

The coordination between these three moves was exquisite, and Yue Lingshan executed them smoothly, secretly pleased with herself.

After all, these were the fruits of nearly ten years of her efforts.

Yet Ji Boying still did not take the three fierce incoming moves seriously. Though Yue Lingshan's three moves appeared fluid to others, in his eyes they were merely mediocre.

With only a casual dodge, a horizontal strike, and a forward thrust, he blocked all three moves. His final forward thrust in particular happened to seal off the path of Yue Lingshan's sword technique, forcing her next move straight back.

It was like a speeding carriage on the open road suddenly being stopped short, leaving one thoroughly sickened.

Yue Lingshan's consecutive moves had all felt stifled. How was she feeding Ji Boying moves? It was clearly Ji Boying who was instructing her.

That made it difficult for Senior Disciple Sister Yue Lingshan to save face.

Taking a deep breath, her chest rose and fell as she unleashed another move, Auspicious Phoenix Arrival.

Auspicious Phoenix Arrival was an extraordinarily powerful move within Mount Hua Swordplay. Its techniques were complex, making it exceedingly difficult to learn.

Yue Lingshan had taken a liking to its great power and many variations. Since her parents refused to teach her other sword techniques, and since she was clever herself, she had chosen this move as her trump card.

On top of that, the name Auspicious Phoenix Arrival sounded lovely, so the young girl had put great effort into practicing it.

When she used it, layers upon layers of sword shadows indeed emerged, its variations unpredictable.

It was clearly not easy for Ji Boying to break it as casually as he had before, so he seriously employed a sword technique for the second time.

Without giving it much thought, he used White Rainbow Piercing the Sun with a backhand stroke. No matter how her moves changed, he advanced relentlessly. With several rapid clacks, he used speed to overcome variation and received every one of Yue Lingshan's changing moves.

Only, the Wooden Sword in his hand finally could not bear the strain and snapped into two pieces.

The smile on Yue Lingshan's face became slightly awkward, but seeing the Wooden Sword break actually made her sigh in relief.

Even her best Auspicious Phoenix Arrival could not defeat her junior disciple brother. Was this what a genius was like?!

"Ah... hahaha... Junior Disciple Brother, your swordsmanship is really good. The Wooden Sword broke, didn't it? I'm terribly sorry. Senior Disciple Sister will compensate you with an iron sword. Wait here, I'll go find my father right away."

"Junior Disciple Sister, wait..."

Before he could finish speaking, Ji Boying watched helplessly as Yue Lingshan skipped away into the distance.

Looking at the several Wooden Swords laid nearby, he could still use them to fight.

He shook his head with a smile, cast Yue Lingshan from his mind, and resumed his practice on his own.

Yue Lingshan had only run a few hundred paces before, seeing that Ji Boying had not chased after her, she patted her chest and let out a long breath.

Her face was both embarrassed and amused.

She had faced reality. Her junior disciple brother truly was a genius. If they kept fighting, she, his senior sister, would lose all face.

Fortunately, she had reacted quickly and run away.

No, she had to hurry and beg her parents to teach her a powerful sword technique.

As Yue Lingshan was thinking this, she ran into Lu Dayou head-on.

Lu Dayou immediately put on a fawning smile. "Junior Disciple Sister, where did you go to play? Why weren't you with Senior Disciple Brother?"

Yue Lingshan panicked somewhat, her eyes darting about. She hurriedly concealed her guilty conscience and replaced it with a proud, charming expression.

Wrinkling her delicate nose, she snorted. "I went to instruct Junior Disciple Brother in sword practice. Junior Disciple Brother really is a genius. His swordsmanship is skilled, and he works hard too. Sixth Monkey, look at you, wandering around again. Junior Disciple Brother has probably been up practicing for who knows how long."

With a wave of her little hand, Yue Lingshan passed Sixth Monkey as if nothing had happened.

"I won't chat with you anymore. I have important business to attend to. After my instruction, Junior Disciple Brother's swordsmanship has improved quickly, and he can use an iron sword now. I'm going to ask my father for a fine sword for him."

With that, she dashed off in a flash.

To Lu Dayou, that looked suspicious.

That junior disciple brother truly was talented and good-looking. Could Junior Disciple Sister have been seduced by him?!