Beneath the Vast Heaven, Mistress Sees

On Lotus Peak, beneath the ginkgo trees.

You Su and Ji Lingruo had just finished Swordsmanship practice session, which was, of course, a proper Swordsmanship.

This time, they were no longer sparring with Wooden Sword, but with real, sharp blades— the Ink Pine Sword and the Muyan Sword.

You Su sheathed his sword, his eyes showing approval; Ji Lingruo the other hand, was dejected and filled with sorrow.

I've practiced swordsmanship diligently enough, so why can't I hit my senior brother?

This made her start to doubt herself.

Sunlight filtered through the withered branches, casting dappled shadows. Only a few lonely, withered leaves remained on the old ginkgo tree, while the grass beneath it was covered with a layer of golden leaves, soft and rustling underfoot.

A cold wind swept by, blowing away the last remaining leaves.

Seeing this scene Ji Lingruo felt even more sorrowful, You Su casually picked up a newly fallen leaf, held it to his nose and took a deep sniff, revealing a look of intoxication.

Instead of directly commenting on the girl's swordsmanship, he asked:

"Junior sister, don't you think these ginkgo leaves smell especially sweet?"

Ji Lingruo followed suit, picking up a leaf from the ground. Her nose twitched slightly, and she asked, puzzled:

"It's just a light, normal scent. What's so special about it?"

You Su's lips curled into a playful smile as she handed over the leaf in her hand. "The leaf you picked up fell before. You need to smell the ones that fell today to know the difference."

Ji Lingruo looked puzzled, took the one from You Su's hand and sniffed it, but still couldn't detect any difference:

"Aren't they all born from the same tree? What's the difference?"

"No, the leaves that fell before were nourished by mountain spring water and rainwater, so their fragrance was naturally faint. But the leaves that fell today were nourished by... yesterday..."

Before You Su could finish saying the words "holy water," Ji Lingruo's eyebrows furrowed, her face turned red, and she covered You Su's mouth in shame and indignation.

"Shut up!"

Ji Lingruo she thought about the absurd things that had happened under this tree the day before.

No wonder this blind man fought and retreated, bringing the battlefield all the way here before finally deciding the victor! He must have come here on purpose to mock me!

The thought of the thrill of being exposed to others at any moment yesterday sent a jolt of electric-like tingling through Ji Lingruo's body.

"You knew my senior sister wasn't here, yet you deliberately teased me! I'm ignoring you!"

Ji Lingruo crossed her arms, turned around, and puffed out her cheeks in a huff.

Actually, she said the same thing after learning the truth yesterday, but the joy she felt throughout the day made her forget her anger.

Today, her senior brother knew she had lost and was in a bad mood, yet he still dared to deliberately mock her. She couldn't easily forgive this blind man.

You Su quickly leaned over and rested his shoulder against the girl's. Ji Lingruo took a step away in disgust, so he fawned over her again.

"You're like a leech, I can't shake you off." Ji Lingruo glared at You Su.

"Junior sister, don't rush, listen to me first."

You Su took the Muyan Sword from Ji Lingruo's hand and examined it closely.

This is indeed a remarkable sword, both in terms of craftsmanship and materials. However, its overly refined and ornate style makes the blade too rigid and even somewhat bulky, making it unsuitable for Ji Lingruo's stature.

"Junior Sister's skill with the Yang Sword is already quite remarkable, a world apart from that of Chuyun City. So Junior Sister must not underestimate herself."

"So you mean I was really bad at training when I Chuyun City?"

When a girl is angry, her skill in finding fault automatically reaches its maximum.

"No, that's good too, but it's even better now."

Ji Lingruo raised an eyebrow, "You're always so good at flattering and bootlicking. It's because of you that I haven't made any progress."

The girl was sharp-tongued, but she knew in her heart that she had definitely made progress, and that this significant progress was all thanks to the teachings of Lotus Sword Venerable.

He Shutong is a true successor of the Yang Sword and has a profound understanding of it. With her complete instruction, Ji Lingruo's Yang Sword skills naturally improved significantly.

However, Swordsmanship is something that requires 20% learning, 30% practice, and 50% comprehension, so Ji Lingruo's talent in Way of the Sword is definitely worth acknowledging.

The girl was truly indignant; why couldn't she beat You Su?

"Then tell me, why can't I beat you?"

You Su finally got a chance to speak, "The competition we had in my junior sister's room last time..."

"If you try to say anything dirty, I'm really going to ignore you!"

Ji Lingruo interrupted You Su ruthlessly.

She vividly remembered the scene of her sparring session with You Su in the room last time. That You Su actually used the guise of a friendly match to take off her pajamas, which was truly outrageous.

"How could that be? I'm being very serious." You Su chuckled and continued, "Last time I said that Junior Sister had too little practical experience and could only recite from the book without being flexible. Today, when Junior Sister drew her sword, her instincts had already taken the lead. There were even some moves that I had never thought could be used in that way. This shows that Junior Sister's understanding of the Yang Sword has surpassed mine."

That's true. Ji Lingruo followed her instincts and drew her sword. She not only grasped the strategic planning of the Yang Sword, but also combined it with the agility of the snake race, making the Yang Sword even more unpredictable.

"Swordsmanship is originally practiced by women. Is it something to be proud of if you, a man, surpass it?"

Ji Lingruo pursed her lips, but inside she was overjoyed by You Su's affirmation.

"I taught my junior sister how to use the Yang Sword technique, but now her understanding of it has surpassed mine. What does that mean?"

Ji Lingruo lit up. "That means I've graduated!"

You Su also smiled with satisfaction and reached out to pinch the girl's rosy cheeks:

"That's right."

With her senior sister not home, You Su became a bit more unrestrained in her intimate actions.

Ji Lingruo was overjoyed, and unlike usual, she didn't find You Su's little actions annoying. In her extreme happiness, she became humble instead:

"Actually, it was my master who taught me. I couldn't have learned it so quickly on my own. Although I've graduated from your tutelage, I'm still a long way from my master's level."

You Su could, of course, guess that his Mistress's wife had taught his sister the Yang Sword, and smiled indulgently:

"What did I promise you on the day you graduated, Junior Sister?"

"A sword that belongs to me?"

Ji Lingruo a mixture of surprise and worry.

"And it's the best sword."

As soon as You Su finished speaking, he took out a sword hilt with an ancient and elegant design from his Universe Bag. It was the Cheng Ying Sword obtained from the Lingxu Mountain Range.

The hilt of the sword is a translucent dark blue-green color, and the moment it appears, it exudes a sharpness as if it could cut through jade and shatter gold.

"So you were prepared all along!"

Ji Lingruo in disbelief at the sword hilt in You Su's hand.

She was worried that this promise would put too much pressure on You Su, but she didn't expect that You Su was already prepared.

The young girl was moved, but her nose tingled with tears. She then noticed something amiss with the sword, composed herself, and asked:

"But why is there only a sword hilt?"

As expected, You Su lightly touched the ground with his toes, raising a ginkgo leaf. He then slashed with his sword, and although he only swung the hilt, the flying ginkgo leaves suddenly split in two, scattering softly to the ground.

Ji Lingruo no longer a novice in Way of the Sword; she clearly saw that You Su's sword strike hadn't used Mystic Qi, nor had he deliberately mobilized the Mystic Qi of heaven and earth. How could such a casual swing have cut down all the leaves?

"What exactly is going on?"

Ji Lingruo quickly moved closer and curiously examined the sword, which had only a hilt.

You Su stopped being mysterious and lightly pressed his thumb on the sword guard, causing a fleeting shadow to appear on the ground.

Ji Lingruo stared intently and realized that it was a blade as thin as a leaf. The blade trembled slightly in the breeze, appearing and disappearing as if even the light was being shattered by this thin blade.

"The Cheng Ying Sword Sect the ancestral sword of the Cheng Ying Sword. Under the nourishment of Cheng Ying Venerable's life essence, it has been elevated into an Immortal Sword rarely seen in the world."

If we're talking about the best sword in the world, then the Immortal Sword is undoubtedly the one.

At the level of the Immortal Sword, it is no longer possible to judge good or bad by quality. Each Immortal Sword has its own unique characteristics, and the only standard to judge its quality is whether the Immortal Sword is suitable for the person wielding it.

"The Immortal Sword?!"

Ji Lingruo was clearly frightened by this title; the fervor in her eyes faded, and her surprise far outweighed her delight.

It should be noted that You Su's own sword was not even an Immortal Sword, yet he found such a precious sword for himself.

She seemed somewhat apprehensive in the face of such a generous gift.

"Senior brother, let's sell it... we can definitely get a lot of money from it..."

You Su smiled wryly, realizing that his junior sister could have been a pampered young lady, but instead had developed a greedy nature.

"Don't rush to sell it. Immortal Sword all possess a spirit; they are swords that recognize their masters. If it cannot be used by our junior sister, then we can sell it later."

Ji Lingruo still hesitated, not daring to accept it, "But... this is too precious, how can I possibly use it..."

"You are the successor of the Yang Sword, a disciple of the Lotus Sword Venerable, the Second Young Lady of the Snake Clan, and my junior sister, You Su. Why can't you use it?"

You Su lightly pressed the sword guard, and the thin, seemingly invisible blade retracted. He gently twisted the hilt and then pointed it at Ji Lingruo.

But Ji Lingruo still hesitated, her delicate hand trembling as she dared not touch it.

She wasn't really afraid of the Immortal Sword; it was just that the gift You Su had prepared for her was too expensive, making her feel embarrassed to accept it.

"The Cheng Ying Venerable's sword strikes are formless, leaving only fleeting shadows in his wake. My junior sister's swordsmanship also deeply understands the principles of agility, which matches the nature of this sword. Before his death, the Cheng Ying Venerable entrusted me to choose a worthy master for this sword, so I cannot sell it. If my junior sister feels unworthy, I will find someone else."

After saying this You Su pretended to sheathe his sword. Upon hearing this, Ji Lingruo mustered her courage and grabbed You Su's wrist.

"Why let the good stuff go to outsiders? I'll give it a try..."

Ji Lingruo's greedy nature kicked in. She thought that since she and her senior brother had this kind of relationship, no matter how valuable the gift was, she would just keep it to herself. She could simply compensate You Su later...

But if someone else benefits from it, it will be a loss not only for You Su, but also for her.

Thus, driven by the unwavering resolve not to let the benefits slip away, Ji Lingruo make Cheng Ying acknowledge her as his master burned like wildfire.

You Su found it amusing, having already guessed what the girl was thinking.

As Ji Lingruo's aura intensified, the hilt of the sword in You Su's hand began to tremble slightly, flashing with a blue light, as if in response.

The Ink Pine Sword at You Su's waist also trembled. You Su reached out and gently patted it, as if to say:

"From now on, this is your wife, not your enemy. Don't act like some kind of superhero all the time."

Ink Pine Sword's surging fighting spirit actually subsided.

At that very moment, a sudden gust of wind arose, the clouds in the sky swirled rapidly, and the shadows cast on the ground flashed by.

The ginkgo leaves that fell beside Ji Lingruo rose with the wind, swirling around the girl like flowers.

A mysterious atmosphere enveloped Ji Lingruo and the Cheng Ying Sword. The girl stared intently at the Cheng Ying Sword, her gaze as firm as a rock. Only one thought occupied her mind:

Senior brother absolutely cannot give you away to someone else!!

"Snap."

Ji Lingruo gripped the hilt of the sword.

In that instant, the clouds stopped, the leaves fell to the ground, and the world fell into silence.

In her daze, Ji Lingruo seemed to see a woman in a green dress shedding tears in the sky before gradually fading away.

"He's really acknowledging his junior sister as his master!"

You Su was genuinely happy for the girl.

Ji Lingruo in a daze, unable to believe that she could really do it.

Her best achievement was forcing the Ghost Mite, who was a major realm stronger than her, to use a deadly poison that she rarely used, but she was ultimately saved by You Su.

Therefore, she wasn't actually very confident in herself. Even though her senior brothers and master praised her, which pleased her, she still only thought of herself as a female Sword Cultivator with some talent.

But it wasn't until the moment she was recognized as the master of the Immortal Sword that she realized she was truly a genius, one in a million.

She casually swung her sword, and a tall, ancient pine tree not far away trembled slightly. Then, its lush canopy gently fell over in a gust of cold wind, revealing its exposed rings of age.

Upon seeing this scene, her eyes welled up with tears.

"Waaaaah..."

Like a fledgling returning to its nest, the girl threw herself into You Su's arms, sobbing uncontrollably, and saying in broken sentences:

"Thank you, senior brother..."

You Su gently stroked the girl's fragrant back, constantly saying encouraging words to her.

The two remained in each other's arms until the girl grew tired and her crying subsided.

At this moment, she lost her usual arrogance and reserve. Since her senior sister wasn't around anyway, she simply leaned against You Su's chest to rest.

She carefully put away the Cheng Ying Sword and said apologetically:

"Senior brother, I'm sorry... You haven't even used Immortal Sword yet, but I've already used one... I'll definitely find you an Immortal Sword too!"

You Su hugged her tighter affectionately.

"Don't apologize. My junior sister and I are family. Of course, the best things should be given to my wife first."

This was the first time Ji Lingruo had heard those two words from You Su's mouth. She immediately went limp, hurriedly turning her head away, her face and neck flushed red, her beauty dazzling.

"Who's your wife...?"

"Junior sister, you accepted my betrothal gifts, and now you want to deny it?"

Using Immortal Sword as a betrothal gift is a feat that even the three great immortal families of Henggao City might not be able to accomplish.

"This was clearly my graduation gift, how did it turn into a betrothal gift?"

Ji Lingruo still bickered with You Su as usual, but she was actually overjoyed and deeply moved, so she could only whisper:

"The betrothal gifts must be given separately..."

"Marrying my junior sister isn't cheap at all." You Su's lips curled up, and he leaned close to the girl's ear to coax her, "Since it's so expensive, shouldn't you give your senior brother a little taste first? What if I back out?"

"If you back down now, I'm not returning the Immortal Sword."

Ji Lingruo a light snort, knowing full well that You Su was deliberately teasing her. However, she had just received a generous gift, so it was only right that she compensate You Su in kind.

"What... what kind of treat do you want to try?"

You Su smiled mysteriously, without saying a word, but picked up another ginkgo leaf, held it to his nose and sniffed it lightly, as if he could smell the sweet scent he had mentioned earlier.

Upon Ji Lingruo was immediately blushing with embarrassment. How could sweet water be considered a sweet treat?!

The young couple, deeply in love and with no one else around, were inseparable.

And beyond the Immortal Forest, in the Lotus Birth Pool.

He Shutong severed his Divine Sense as if he had been electrocuted and withdrew his gaze.

Her eyelashes trembled slightly, her bright eyes sparkled, and the snow-capped peaks hidden beneath the water rose and fell violently, creating ripples, as if she had been greatly shocked.

Although she was trapped in the Lotus Birth Pool, it didn't mean she couldn't extend her Divine Sense to explore the outside world; it was just that her current cultivation level only allowed her to barely maintain this immortal forest maze.

To see further outwards, she would need to utilize her unstable and fragile cultivation. However, this cultivation might be like spilled water, never to return.

Therefore, she never used her Divine Sense to spy on her disciples' lives. Firstly, she was not the kind of person who would secretly spy on others; secondly, it was to ensure the safe refining of the Lotus Root Heart; and thirdly, her disciples lived in harmony, so she had no need to spy on them.

However, just now, when she was refining the medicinal power of the Nine Revolutions Spirit Returning Pill with her eyes closed, she was awakened by a soaring Sword Qi. She frowned and looked around, only to realize that Immortal Sword on Lotus Peak was recognizing its master.

She didn't know if it was You Su or Ji Lingruo, but she was happy for them.

She intended to continue her cultivation, but suddenly sensed that a tree on the outermost edge of the Immortal Forest Formation had been cut down!

This forced her to be on high alert, mistakenly believing something was amiss. Out of concern for her disciples, she forcibly extended her Divine Sense, only to witness a scene that left her speechless—

The Su'er he saw was polite, well-mannered, gentle, and humble...

How could I bury myself in Lingruo's place like an excited puppy?!

Su'er is supposed to be the one who respects and cherishes women the most... How could she let Lingruo make that kind of expression?!

He Shutong's cheeks flushed crimson, her mind a jumbled mess.

She was well-versed in the scriptures of her sect and understood the principles of male-female desire, but that didn't mean that someone whose heart had been frozen for two hundred years could readily accept such stimulating activities...

Even though I know the couple couldn't control their emotions, they shouldn't have done it in broad daylight!

Recalling Ji Lingruo's pitiful appearance, He Shutong's heart suddenly tightened...

Could it be... that Su'er orchestrated all of this?

To be honest, although she had advised You Su to remember to expel his yang energy many times, and even personally expelled it for him twice, in her eyes, who was over two hundred years old, You Su was still a naive young man just starting out.

But at this moment, the innocent image of You Su in her mind crumbled instantly.

She then realized that You Su was already a real man...

Suddenly, an even more shocking possibility occurred to her: what if Wangshu and Su'er really did become dao companion...?

She listens to You Su so much, she and Lingruo wouldn't...

If he hadn't finished refining his Destiny Item by then, wouldn't he be enjoying peace and quiet here while war raged outside?

No! Absolutely not!

He Shutong clenched her fists tightly, then suddenly released them.

She looked at her flawless jade hands, and then remembered what had been mixed into the Lotus Birth Pool to make it so effective; her resolve instantly wavered by half.

What if their relationship with You Su was consensual? This would not only be a matter of course, but also in line with the principles of the Mandarin Sword Sect.

That meddling in other people's business... doesn't that make me look bad? Am I being too old-fashioned?

Thinking of this, He Shutong's body went even weaker.

"Doesn't Mistress like Master?"

"Mistress, we are friends."

With You Su's words still ringing in her ears, He Shutong looked at her jade feet, lightly covered in black silk, under the shimmering water.

She knew she could no longer treat You Su like a child.

Three days later.

Central Yuan Continent, Jinhua City.

Inside the antique-style high-rise building, the wooden floors, weathered by time, still retain their deep brown hue, exuding a serene and profound atmosphere.

Exquisite wooden lattice windows divide the sunlight into thin rays, which fall onto the luxurious bed.

Those were a pair of plump, jade-like legs, and the tight, smooth black stockings added a unique allure to them.

Following the stockings upwards, one finds a perfectly tailored black and gold cheongsam, outlining the woman's graceful figure, exuding nobility and charm.

Her hair is tied up in a high bun, she has beautiful eyes, and a beauty mark on her lip. On her tall nose, there is a pair of gold-rimmed glasses, adding a touch of intellectuality to her classical temperament.

Opposite her sat the Wangshu Fairy, dressed in pure white, sitting obediently in a chair.

"There are no evil spirits here at all; you're lying."

Wangshu's blue eyes were fixed on the noble woman before him.

The noblewoman's lips curled slightly, and her eyes suddenly sharpened:

"Wangshu Fairy, you don't want the Bihua Pavilion that your junior brother just saved... to go bankrupt right away, do you?"