Who Wielded the Sword; Congratulations from All Eight Directions

In a hazy dream, You Su felt as if she had transformed into a sword.

The sword contained divine intent sealed within it for an unknown period of time; it was born to be a magnificent sword that stood tall and upright.

However, this sword was held in the hands of a woman who was new to Way of the Sword.

Her performance disappointed You Su.

She shouldn't be using a broadsword like mine; she should be using a more delicate and understated sword.

Wait a minute... how could her aptitude for Way of the Sword be so high?!

The seal has actually loosened!

Woman! You are a true Way of the Sword genius! You should be using a broadsword like mine!

Come, lift the curtain covering me and let me see what you look like!

I approve of you!

Thump!

Hey, no... if you don't want me to watch, then don't watch. Why did you knock me out...?

"Mistress! I really didn't mean to!"

You Su sat up abruptly in bed, the blanket rolling off the bed to reveal his well-defined chest.

Only after his eyes adjusted to the clear world did he realize that he had awakened and opened his eyes. Judging from the surroundings, this was his own room.

You Su took two deep breaths to calm herself down.

What lingered in his mind was the fleeting glimpse he had just caught before he closed his eyes—the first time he had ever seen his Mistress's true face.

He seemed to understand why his spoiled and arrogant junior sister, after meeting their Mistress, changed her self-proclaimed title of "the most beautiful woman in the world" to "the most beautiful girl in the world".

No woman could be more beautiful than my Mistress, whether in appearance or in her perfect body. She was Goddess born from the Creator's ultimate imagination of beauty.

You Su thought this with certainty.

"Smack!"

You Su slapped herself hard without holding back, leaving a clear red mark on her not-so-fair face.

The beauty of the master's Mistress was almost sacred, making people dare not overstep their bounds. You Su felt ashamed that he could not forget and even still reminisce about that beautiful scene.

This was not the kind of beauty a disciple should see in his Mistress. Witnessing such exquisite beauty did not fill him with elation, but rather with endless fear and self-reproach.

Although he knew that he hadn't opened his eyes voluntarily, but rather that the Mystic Qi within his body had reached its limit, forcing him to open them, just like when he awakened after his Mistress planted the immortal seed in him.

He only hoped that his master 'Mistress hadn't noticed anything unusual about his eyes, so that he could keep this sense of indebtedness to himself and continue to act as if nothing was wrong, secretly showing her more respect and repaying Mistress, in order to make up for this debt.

If it weren't for his Mistress's excessive regard for him, which led her to allow him, a man, to bathe in the same pool even while she was in seclusion bathing naked, how could he have had the opportunity to witness this magnificent sight?

"Well..."

You Su sighed softly, then thought of her physical condition before she fell into a coma.

His awakening might not have gone unnoticed, but his sword-wielding stance couldn't have escaped the notice of his master's Mistress who rushed to his rescue. He wondered what Mistress would think of him...

Is he a rebellious disciple who was raised by his master but harbors inappropriate thoughts towards his master's Mistress, who is also his master's dao companion?

Will she regret allowing me into the lotus pond? Will she even regret taking me as her disciple?

Thinking of this, he felt even more ashamed and didn't know how to explain it. Although neither opening his eyes nor raising his sword was something he did intentionally.

You should know that for countless days in a row, every time he woke up, he would be in that proud, sword-wielding posture, and each time it would last for a long time, which greatly troubled him.

But today, the situation has changed.

Moreover, You Su felt completely comfortable and light all over, and the feeling that had been building up for so long and needed to be released was gone.

His knowledge of the Joyous Union Technique was limited to the three volumes of the Heaven, Earth, and Man Cultivation Method, as well as the entire Mandarin Duck Sword.

He knew very little about the fundamental theories of the Yin-Yang Joyous Union Sect, and Guan Chujun had not taught him any of them, only telling him to focus on the Way of the Sword. You Su didn't know whether his master did it intentionally or unintentionally; perhaps his master also believed that he should be a pure Sword Cultivator rather than the declining path of dual cultivation.

So much so that he didn't know exactly what was wrong with his body. Before, he only felt that he had a lot of energy, but after practicing the Sun Yang Sword Nurturing Art, he felt an overabundance of energy.

He had considered venting his anger by committing suicide, but decided against it. Suicide is strictly forbidden in the Mandarin Sword, as it severely depletes one's vital energy and is detrimental to Dao Path.

So he kept himself in check and tried his best not to show it. He believed that with his self-control, he could wait until his junior sister returned.

But clearly, he overestimated his self-control, since this is something that people cannot control.

You Su couldn't help but recall that absurd and blurry dream she had while she was in a deep sleep.

That dream... could it be real?

But how could Mistress...? This is impossible, absolutely impossible!

You Su's pupils contracted, and he shook his head repeatedly, trying to clear the thoughts from his mind. Suddenly, he felt a burning pain in his groin.

Ordinary physical attacks could not cause him any lasting pain; the pain in his groin was clearly caused by an attack containing Mystic Qi.

Why did someone spank me for no reason? Was it my Mistress?

No, although this person's whipping intent was filled with resentment and anger, which corresponded to the emotions that his Mistress would feel, You Su, who possessed the Lotus Immortal Seed, clearly sensed that the Mystic Qi remaining on the whip wound was completely different from that of his Mistress.

The lingering, rich fragrance in the air gave him a clue: Third Elder!

The Third Elder was the one who helped me the most?!

Did she offer to help, or was it her Mistress who asked her to?

A storm raged within You Su's heart. He felt that he and the Third Elder were far from being that close. In fact, he could sense a subtle rejection from the Third Elder, and that the Third Elder was only interacting with him because of his Mistress and senior sister...

But would she really be willing to do something like this for me...?

You Su didn't put on any clothes. He got out of bed, poured himself a cup of tea, and took a big gulp to suppress the turmoil in his heart.

Just then, the door was gently pushed open, and a cold and aloof Fairy wearing Rabbit Mask appeared in front of the door. Her pair of clear blue eyes blinked, and she looked at the naked You Su without any hesitation.

"Puff!"

You Su could even wipe the water from her mouth, she immediately turned to the side, shyly covering her **.

"Senior sister! Why didn't you knock?!"

Inside the room, You Su tightened his belt, smoothed out his newly changed robes, and then coughed a few times.

"Alright, senior sister, come in."

Having received permission, Wangshu Fairy pushed open the door and walked in, her movements natural and without any embarrassment at having just witnessed You Su's nakedness.

You Su's eyes were as black as ink, but she kept them open, looking at her senior sister's calm and composed appearance, feeling both speechless and envious.

If I could be like my senior sister and treat these unspeakable matters between men and women with a calm and ordinary attitude, wouldn't I be free from so many troubles?

However, he could only think about it. As the one who benefited, it would be incredibly irresponsible of him to act as if nothing had happened. Even if he guessed that no matter what the inside story was, the Third Elder and his Mistress probably wouldn't bring it up with him. Otherwise, he wouldn't have been sent back to his room the moment he opened his eyes again.

"Senior sister, please sit down."

You Su brought a chair for Wangshu Fairy and sat down at the tea table himself.

Wangshu Fairy sat down, but as if feeling too far from You Su, she moved closer to him. When she looked up again, facing You Su's questioning gaze, her calm, lake-like eyes seemed to ask in return: Is there a problem?

You Su remained silent, poured a glass of water for his senior sister, knowing she wouldn't drink it, but still wanting to be polite.

Even in his presence, Wangshu Fairy never removed her Rabbit Mask. The mask had no openings other than two eye holes, making it impossible to drink tea without removing it.

"Senior sister, you didn't stay outside the door watching over me while I was unconscious, did you?"

You Su pushed the teacup over. The timing of his senior sister opening the door was too coincidental; it was exactly when he was pouring water and making a noise, which made him suspicious.

"That's right, didn't my junior brother say that men and women should be kept separate and that I shouldn't just enter your room?"

You Su felt a warmth in his heart. His senior sister had accompanied him through the battles, and when he was tired or injured, she carried him back. Even now, when he was unconscious, she had stayed by his side and listened to him very well. He couldn't help but think to himself: there could never be a better senior sister than this.

"It's great that you remember this, Senior Sister. You don't actually need to watch over me like this. Also, remember to knock before entering anyone's room in the future." You Su still wanted to teach her Senior Sister correctly.

"But I didn't come in. I just opened the door, and I only came in because my junior brother allowed me to."

Wangshu Fairy spoke calmly, yet with a hint of self-righteousness.

"..."

"From now on, you can't even open the door without knocking."

"Hmm." Wangshu Fairy nodded, seemingly unwilling to continue the topic, and then asked, "Is Junior Brother feeling better?"

"Thank you for your concern, Senior Sister. Not only am I better, but I also feel healthier than before. The two battles in a row have enriched my spiritual realm considerably."

"Junior Brother's immortal seed is full again."

A lotus pattern appeared between You Su's eyebrows. Wangshu Fairy looked at it and said something casually, but You Su found it to be quite incomprehensible.

He hesitated for a moment, then replied, "Perhaps my Mistress felt sorry for my hard work in battle and replenished my immortal seed. I am indeed very grateful to my Mistress."

"But wasn't Junior Brother unconscious? How do you know it was Master who replenished your immortal seed?"

You Su glanced at her senior sister without noticing; her sky-blue eyes revealed no emotion whatsoever.

Did she really not say that on purpose to trick me into revealing my true colors...?

You Su shook his head inwardly and said, "Who else could it be but my Mistress? Only my Mistress would be willing to do this for me."

"Master is really good to Junior Brother."

"Perhaps it's because I'm still too weak as a beginner, but my Mistress must be extremely kind to my senior sister."

You Su really couldn't tell whether her senior sister was angry, jealous, or just expressing a simple sentiment.

Wangshu Fairy remained silent for a moment, lost in thought, then suddenly said:

"I feel that Master treats me and my junior brother with different kindness."

?

"We're all disciples, what's the difference?" You Su chuckled twice.

Wangshu Fairy shook her head, looking rather helpless:

"I can't explain it either. How did Master help Junior Brother recover?"

Did he rely on bathing naked with his Mistress in the same pool?

Looking at his pure and innocent senior sister, You Su couldn't possibly give her that answer. But in front of her innocent heart, he couldn't lie, so he could only say:

"I didn't see anything either. When I woke up again, I was in my own bed."

Wangshu Fairy stared at You Su for a while, as if trying to discern something from his face.

You Su dared not let her senior sister stare at her for so long, and quickly changed the subject. "Senior sister, what happened to me while I was unconscious?"

"Originally, the Third Elder used her Glazed Bed to help you recover, but later, at Master's request, she took you to where Master was in seclusion. Then, around 1 AM today, the Third Elder brought your naked junior brother back. She seemed very angry and wouldn't let me near you. So, after she left, I waited outside your room for your junior brother to wake up."

"We really have to trouble Third Elder. Senior Sister, does Third Elder have any weapons he is good at?" You Su asked in turn.

"Yes, it's called the Emerald God Whip."

It really is the Third Elder...

You Su was certainly not so narcissistic as to think that a female cultivator who had stayed on the mountaintop for hundreds of years would take a fancy to a novice blind man like him. But even if the Third Elder admired him, he should have stood by and done nothing in this situation.

Then it could only be that her Mistress asked her to do it. For the Third Elder to abandon the reserve of a female cultivator on the mountain peak, her Mistress must have paid a considerable price.

You Su was slightly lost in thought. Perhaps the Third Elder had already received compensation from his Mistress, or perhaps she simply didn't care about the matter. But for You Su, he still owed the Third Elder a favor, and he would have to show him more respect in the future. As for his master's Mistress's kindness, there was no need to say more; he would repay it tenfold.

"Why are you asking this, junior brother? You..." Wangshu Fairy hesitated for a moment, then asked cautiously, "Don't you want to learn swordsmanship anymore?"

"How could that be? I went to so much trouble just to stay on Lotus Peak and learn swordsmanship from my senior sisters Mistress!" You Su laughed heartily.

Wangshu Fairy didn't speak. She suddenly stood up, joyfully reaching for You Su's hand, but then, as if remembering You Su's warning, she withdrew her hand and said, "Junior brother, come out with me."

For some reason, You Su felt a little disappointed when he saw his senior sister withdraw her hand. He shook his head, stood up, and followed her out.

Stepping outside, Wangshu Fairy was already waiting under the peach tree, and around the tree were countless rare and precious treasures displayed in a dazzling array.

They all exude a magnificent charm, and any one of them is a rare treasure that immediately reveals its authenticity.

Seeing You Su's shocked expression, Wangshu Fairy seemed quite pleased and explained:

"These are all congratulatory gifts from the other elders because my junior brother successfully joined Lotus Peak. I have accepted them all on his behalf."

Upon hearing this, You Su snapped out of her surprise. Her senior sister didn't seem like the type to covet treasures, yet her tone rose, implying a threat. "If you stop learning swordsmanship, none of these treasures will belong to you."

He was touched, never expecting that simply asking what weapon the Third Elder used would lead his perceptive senior sister to think he was looking for a better job.

"It's all thanks to Lotus Peak."

These words came from the bottom of You Su's heart. He walked closer and began to examine these priceless treasures.

Some of them were obviously useful, such as the Calamity-Averting Pill sent by the Seventh Elder, who was skilled in alchemy, with a detailed explanation of the effects of this holy medicine for healing; there was also a precious Snow Fox Fur sent by the Eleventh Elder, who was skilled in beast taming, which he could give to his beloved; and the Ninth Elder, who was famous for his Saber Technique, sent a jar of top-quality Sword Nurturing Oil, which was of course the proper sword oil for nourishing the Ink Pine Sword.

Of course, there were also some unusual gifts, such as the exquisite wooden figure that You Su was fiddling with. The wooden figure was holding a miniature sword in its hand with great seriousness. You Su asked:

"Senior sister, what's the use of this?"

"This is the 'Scatter Beans into Soldiers' technique, a gift from the Twelfth Elder. As long as you let it perform a sword move once, it can repeat it endlessly, even mimicking the essence of the move. It can help my junior brother remember the sword moves when he forgets them; it's a very precious Law Treasure."

The treasures sent by the elder, who was an expert in Treasure Appraisal Technique, were indeed extraordinary... You Su secretly marveled.

"What about this one?"

You Su then took out a stack of talismans, but these talismans did not contain mysterious runes; instead, they depicted various beautiful and alluring women.

"These are Lady Talisman sent by the Second Elder, who is skilled in talismans. Each talisman can summon a paper female attendant to perform some chores for my junior brother."

You Su felt embarrassed. Was it really necessary to draw such a revealing image just for housework? Surely no one would use a paper doll for anything else, right?

He then took stock of all the congratulatory gifts, totaling eight items. Excluding his Mistress, four of the elders had not given any gifts.

As if reading his mind, his senior sister said:

"The Eighth Elder of Earth Wood Peak didn't know what to give, so he just said that if Junior Brother wanted to open cave abode, he could come to him; the Fifth Elder of Crimson Rainbow Peak has a sword Sword Pavilion and allows Junior Brother to go Sword Pavilion to take a sword at any time; only the Tenth Elder of Book Immortal Peak didn't give anything, and I dislike the Tenth Elder the most."

Book Immortal Peak...?

"What about the Third Elder?"

"The Third Elder said she has already given her gift to her junior brother. What was it?"

"The Third Elder... was afraid my junior brother would become arrogant, so she gave me a whip."