Teaching Sword

The sparse sound of cicadas mingled with the watery night, making the entire Sect Residence seem exceptionally quiet.

You Su stood in the courtyard, eyes closed and face upturned, bathing in the clear, bright moonlight.

A shadowy figure, however, crept stealthily, constantly approaching the young man from the darkness.

Ji Lingruo tiptoed behind You Su, her eyes filled with the smug delight of an impending prank. She stared at the young man's unguarded backside and quietly drew her wooden sword.

She felt like a genius at stealth, a silent viper in the night. With such talent, why bother learning swordsmanship? This annoying Senior Brother, who hadn't paid any attention to her for days, why was he suddenly checking her homework?

As if about to achieve ultimate revenge, she suppressed her "hee hee" laughter and struck without hesitation.

The blow landed, but instead of the sound of flesh meeting something soft, it was the impact of a hard object.

Ji Lingruo marveled inwardly, Are men's butts really this hard? When she looked closely, she saw that You Su had noticed her long ago and had already blocked her with his wooden sword held backward.

Ji Lingruo looked up again and found her Senior Brother had turned around, his vacant eyes staring intently at her. Ji Lingruo steeled herself and drew her sword to attack again. She knew that if she backed down now, she would face even greater trouble.

She swung her sword like rain, her movements ancient, unadorned, refined, and orderly. Anyone watching could recognize the unique rhythm and flow of the Mandarin Duck Sword style.

You Su didn't attack proactively, merely parrying each blow. His Junior Sister's every move was precise and well-executed, yet the actual effect was hollow and powerless, baffling him.

Unable to break through his defense after a prolonged assault, Ji Lingruo felt disheartened looking at the composed You Su. She was frustrated by her body's weakness, which rendered all her efforts futile.

In the end, she wasn't a stupid girl, nor was she lazy. She had reached this level within her first year of learning swordsmanship. Every night she felt like giving up, she would still fight against fate and practice diligently. Yet, with three years almost complete, the power of her sword techniques remained so soft.

As her frustration grew, Ji Lingruo's offensive gradually subsided. You Su noticed this, and after a few more exchanges, they both stopped.

Sensing the girl's dejection, You Su clicked his tongue twice and said in surprise, "Junior Sister, have you achieved enlightenment? Your progress is so significant!"

Ji Lingruo's eyes widened at his words, and she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Really? I've improved?"

"Of course! You even learned to sneak attack!"

Ji Lingruo's face, which had just lit up with excitement, instantly fell. She was so angry she wanted to punch her Senior Brother, gritting her teeth, "Only you can be so sarcastic!"

You Su put away his wooden sword and said earnestly, "Didn't I teach you? The biggest difference between a cultivator's sword and a worldly warrior's sword isn't in the moves, but in the aura. Aura refers to the Mystic Qi you need to mobilize from within yourself, and rhythm is the Qi you need to harness from heaven and earth. The stronger the aura generated by your sword swing, the more powerful your sword technique will naturally be. You had many good moves just now, but your aura was weak, naturally unable to break my defense."

"Got it, got it," Ji Lingruo mumbled softly to herself, her long, dense eyelashes drooping, "As if I don't want to."

Although she mumbled, You Su, with his keen hearing, caught it. He had always suspected his Junior Sister had some hidden difficulties, but every time he asked before, he got no results.

Being unable to unleash a sword with aura meant she wasn't suited for the path of a Sword Cultivator. Yet, Ji Lingruo grasped sword techniques incredibly quickly. If placed in the mundane world, she would undoubtedly be a top-tier swordswoman. This contradictory situation was truly perplexing.

"Heaven and man commune, Qi and body resonate. The feeling of mobilizing Qi is similar to when you first guided Qi for Channel Opening. Junior Sister, don't be discouraged. Practice more, and you'll definitely be able to control your Mystic Qi." You Su encouraged her sincerely.

"I just can't be bothered to exert myself to hit you," Ji Lingruo said, crossing her arms. She regained her arrogant demeanor as if the word "dejected" had never appeared on her face.

"What are we learning today?"

"We're not learning new sword techniques today. We're reviewing the old to understand the new."

"Huh? Why?"

"The Mandarin Duck Sword Scripture's Mandarin Duck Sword has six chapters, six sections, and thirty-six forms. You've already learned them all."

"That's it? After learning the superficial moves, shouldn't we learn the hidden ultimate techniques?"

"The Mandarin Duck Sword Scripture has no hidden techniques," You Su shook his head.

The Mandarin Duck Sword Scripture was divided into two parts: men learned the Mandarin Sword, and women learned the Mandarin Duck Sword, each with thirty-six moves in six chapters and six sections. On the surface, it seemed less extensive than most Sword Sect techniques, but in reality, the Mandarin Duck Sword was a pair sword technique.

The pair responded to each other, with each move capable of coordinating with over ten moves from the other sword style, achieving myriad changes and extremely complex effects. If a man and a woman cultivated the Mandarin Sword and Mandarin Duck Sword to mastery, and were intimately close and of one mind, this sword technique would reveal its true power, like a kaleidoscope of swordsmanship.

Unfortunately, the Great Dao of Yin and Yang had become a heretical path in the current era, disdained by many. Sects like the Heaven and Earth Yin Yang Harmonious Union Mandarin Duck Sword Sect were labeled as evil sects, leading to their further decline.

You Su also feared his Junior Sister would misunderstand, so he never told her that the Mandarin Duck Sword could also be practiced as a pair. After all, the prerequisite for paired practice was still too early for them, and his Junior Sister might not be willing to practice with him, a blind man.

"Ah?" Ji Lingruo pouted her thin lips and furrowed her delicate brows. "Then what's the use of these few moves?"

Setting aside the paired sword techniques, the Mandarin Duck Sword, when practiced individually, was definitely a quasi-first-class sword technique and not as useless as Ji Lingruo claimed.

"There's no sword technique in this world that can make you invincible after learning it," You Su said, raising his wooden sword again and performing a beautiful sword flower. The moonlight glinted off the polished wood, making it look exceptionally sharp. "Only your every breath, every swing, will make you stronger. Instead of complaining that the sword technique isn't good enough, think about whether you've truly understood it. Pick up your sword, we'll review from the first form."

"So many platitudes," Ji Lingruo stuck out her tongue, but obediently drew her wooden sword and assumed the starting stance of the Mandarin Duck Sword.

"First form, Fluttering Wings Flowing Flight."

"Second form, Crane's Flight Through Clouds... To practice sword, your body must be relaxed, your mind calm, and your spirit contained. Why do you keep looking at me?"

"Self... Self-indulgence!"

"Offense and defense must be clear, sword moves must be distinct. Every move must focus on hiding yourself with the sword. What you're doing isn't swordplay, it's almost knife work."

"How so?"

"Good, keep practicing like this. Do the third form's upward slash another thousand times, and you can rest tonight."

"A thousand times? You Su, you're doing this on purpose!"

"That's already considered few. Practice it yourself, I'm going to sleep." You Su waved his hand and returned to his room, leaving behind the fuming girl, who glared hatefully at his retreating back.

You Su returned to his room and lay on the bed, letting his thoughts wander.

It was late now, and the chaotic insect chirps had quieted down. According to his routine, he should have been asleep, but he dared not close his eyes. He had a premonition that the monstrous Junior Sister and Mistress awaited him in the world after he next opened his eyes.

But he had a reason to conserve his energy, as a fierce battle was destined to occur the day after tomorrow. He also wanted to confirm the pattern of his switching between two worlds; it seemed to happen after he fell asleep, intentionally or unintentionally.

You Su felt quite helpless. He hadn't expected sleep to become something to be feared.

To the sound of his Junior Sister's sword practice outside, sleepiness gradually overcame him. You Su didn't resist and gently closed his eyes.

In a daze, You Su opened his eyes again. He got up and looked out the window. Under the moonlight, the corpulent mountain of flesh was clumsily practicing swordplay. He was already very calm.

"Senior Brother, I'm so stupid..."