Invite Mistress to Practice Together

Before the morning mist had dissipated, a drop of dew fell from an icicle on the eaves and landed on the back of You Su's hand, which was holding a sword.

He watched the figure in pure white brewing tea under the eaves. The rising steam blurred the lotus pattern between her brows, like the clouds swirling around a snow-capped mountain.

Today, He Shutong wore her hair in a high bun, with a frosty silk ribbon hanging down to her waist, making her neck appear even longer and more like a crane's.

Despite having seen countless stunningly beautiful women, I still felt that none could compare to the woman before me; her beauty seemed beyond my reach.

Last night was as enchanting as a dream, even the lingering fragrance by his bedside seemed like a figment of my imagination.

He hadn't slept a wink all night, his mind filled with this thrilling and arousing dream. He felt that the experience was completely different depending on whether he could see it or not. What made it even more intriguing was that this dream didn't seem like reality.

In reality, his Mistress only helped him twice when he was helpless. After he found a proper dao companion, his Mistress would never lend him a hand again. But here, You Su 'only has his Mistress left', so the only person who can continue to help him is this aloof and peerless sword Fairy.

You Su was tormented by these audacious ideas and couldn't sleep all night. He tried to bring his consciousness back to reality to force himself to stop thinking about them, but he just couldn't do it.

At first, he thought it was because he was too excited. After struggling all night, he realized that it was because his physical body was too weak and his soul was too unstable, so his body was instinctively preventing him from waking up.

Despite knowing that overdrawing his finances to this extent was a terrible thing, You Su felt a secret delight, as if this gave him a legitimate reason to stay in this beautiful dream and be alone with his Mistress. He secretly watched the Fairy figure, feeling that he could look at her for a lifetime and never get tired of it.

He Shutong's fingertips traced the crackled ice patterns on the celadon teacup. How could she not notice You Su staring at her in a daze? She subtly turned her body to the side, as if trying to avoid the boy's gaze.

She meditated all night, unable to calm her mind due to the absurdity of the previous night. She wondered why, even though this wasn't the first time, she was so nervous and embarrassed.

She spent the entire night thinking about this question before she came to an answer.

In the past, she only regarded You Su as a good child who respected and valued her. When the child was unwell, she had no choice but to take care of him in a moment of panic. Afterwards, they maintained the respectful relationship between a master's Mistress and disciple.

But last night, she could no longer convince herself with the words "forced by circumstances," because she knew she wasn't solving a naive and innocent child's physical problems, but rather satisfying a man's desires for her. This man didn't see her as his Mistress, but as a woman he could pursue.

How can a man and a woman possibly treat each other with respect when they are alone under one roof?

Even though she had mustered her courage, even though this was a dream, this was still something this pure and ethereal Fairy hadn't experienced in three hundred years. She couldn't calm her flustered heart, and she was unsure how to face their relationship, so she could only get up early to brew tea, seemingly oblivious to the young man's waiting.

You Su's Adam's apple bobbed slightly. In the past, his master's Mistress would always call out to him when she saw him leaving the house, but today she deliberately ignored him. In his mind, this seemed like a deliberate snub from his Mistress, a punishment for his happiness last night.

"Good morning, Mistress?" he greeted cautiously.

He Shutong paused unexpectedly, but didn't dare turn around to let the young man see her blushing face.

Because she had roughly guessed beforehand that the boy here wasn't blind; he could see her.

Today we practiced the eleventh form of the "Eighteen Lotus Forms".

Her voice regained its usual coolness, making You Su feel as if she had returned to the time when she was twelve or thirteen years old, listening to her speak through a door.

You Su felt a sharp pain in his heart, filled with regret. If he had known that this would alienate his Mistress, he would never have led things to this point.

"Yes."

You Su respectfully bowed to the Fairy's back and then began to practice his sword dance.

The Lotus Birth Sword Technique originated from the Mandarin Duck Sword, but it is more intricate and orderly, like closely connected petals that together form a pure and refined lotus.

You Su was exceptionally talented and had a solid foundation. When he wielded the sword, the sword light was like Moon Essence spreading across the ground. However, as he continued to practice, he recalled the sword practice he had had in his dream the night before. His Mistress would often stand beside him, holding his hand and guiding him. But now he was alone, entertaining himself, and he felt an immense sense of loss.

A sword is a double-edged sword, and one must be careful not to be distracted when wielding it. But at this moment, You Su was only thinking about how to repair the relationship, so he could not remember the direction of the sword's movement. In a moment of carelessness, the sword's edge cut his left rib as it returned to its original position.

He hissed instinctively, but dared not let his Mistress know that he was practicing swordsmanship haphazardly. Ignoring the blood seeping out, he continued to execute his moves meticulously.

"Sword Qi that is too strong is easily broken," He Shutong suddenly spoke, the glass sword tassel shattering in the wind. "Give back three parts of your strength, and retain seven parts of your intent."

Upon hearing this, You Su quickly composed himself and did as instructed, knowing that neglecting his sword practice would only displease his Mistress.

After completing a full set of sword moves, You Su quickly and discreetly tightened his arms to appear upright, actually to conceal the injury on his left rib. He also secretly glanced around to make sure he wasn't easily exposed.

But when she looked up again, she saw a frost-colored skirt sweep across the blue bricks, and a fragrance of lotus mixed with the bitter smell of medicine wafted over.

He Shutong's dark eyebrows, as delicate as distant mountains, were slightly furrowed.

How could you be so careless?

You Su knew he couldn't hide it from his Mistress after all. "I just got out of bed... I haven't gotten used to it yet."

Seeing the boy's timid, downcast face, He Shutong felt a pang of pity and offered him a glass cup.

"Drink it, but don't practice if you're not feeling well."

You Su obediently accepted it, secretly delighted as if granted a pardon, only to sigh that his Mistress still cared about him after all.

"Thank you, Mistress."

As soon as he finished speaking, he put the medicinal soup that his Mistress had personally 'brewed' into his mouth, preparing to drink it all in one gulp.

But as soon as it entered my mouth, I found the medicine to be incredibly bitter, almost unbearable to swallow.

But You Su thought that this was brought by his Mistress, who was probably deliberately trying to make him 'taste some bitterness', he dared not spill a drop of soup. He forced himself to swallow the soup down in one gulp, even though he felt nauseous.

He Shutong smiled to herself; of course, she had deliberately made the medicine so bitter.

She felt sorry for the boy's anxious appearance, and she knew that You Su's fear was no less than hers.

You Su's unwavering sincerity over eight years finally won her over, and she couldn't bear to see the young man suffer from insecurity because of her. After all, she cared for him, but she didn't want him to think she was so easily swayed. As an elder, even if he didn't see her as one, she still needed to maintain some authority.

"Not bitter?"

You Su smiled broadly, "It's not bitter! My Mistress cooked it for me, of course it's not bitter!"

"Then I'm relieved. I was worried you wouldn't be able to endure this hardship. Since you're still mentally unstable, you'll have to drink this bitter soup three times a day from now on. If you can't drink it, don't force yourself. I can think of other ways to help you."

You Su was stunned for a moment, thinking to herself that even in a dream, having to drink such awful medicine repeatedly would be inhuman torture...

But then he thought again, how could he not have any lingering resentment after what his Mistress, such a pure and holy Fairy, had done with him, her disciple, last night? If he were to accept it openly, You Su would only find his Mistress strange.

The Mistress, being somewhat of a mistress in this dream world, deliberately made the medicine so bitter; it was clearly a test, as if to say—

Wanting to be close to her wouldn't be all sweetness; it would also be as bitter as medicine. If he wasn't afraid of the bitterness, then he could still take the medicine, and who knew that one day it might taste as sweet as honey? But if he was afraid of the bitterness, then he shouldn't drink the medicine she personally brewed for him anymore. They would still be the same close master and disciple as before, but it would be difficult for them to get any closer.

You Su hesitated for a moment, as if he were also asking himself the same question: Should he pull back from the brink and continue being the pampered, obedient disciple? Or should he follow his heart and try to cross that line, scooping a bowl of medicine from his Mistress's heart that might be extremely bitter or extremely sweet?

His hesitation lasted only a moment. The boy completely overturned the glass cup, as if determined not to let even the last drop remain. Although his throat felt as bitter as if he had swallowed a rusty sword, a clear smile bloomed on his face:

"Even the bitterest medicine brewed by my Mistress tastes sweet."

He Shutong paused, holding the handkerchief. The brown mark left on the boy's lips resembled a withered leaf. She reached out to wipe it away as if possessed, only realizing her mistake when her fingertips touched the warm lines of his lips.

Her wide sleeves fell hastily, but they couldn't hide her unintentional panic.

Everything has come to this point, all to satisfy his greed. I was merely going along with his wishful thinking out of various reasons. How could I possibly take the initiative...?

"How come I never knew you were so eloquent?" She turned her back to tidy up the medicine cups.

"I've always been like this, it's just that my Mistress was in seclusion before and couldn't hear me."

He Shutong seemed to have been hit where it hurt, and a barely audible sigh escaped her lips amidst the crisp sound of clinking porcelain, "Since you're not afraid of bitterness, increase the dosage by thirty percent tomorrow, and you'll recover faster."

As the bitterness subsided, the gloom in You Su's heart was swept away, and he vaguely felt that his Mistress had become the same Mistress again.

In his burning desire, he also felt a longing to impress the Fairy.

"Mistress, actually I wasn't feeling unwell. I was just lost in thought when I had a new insight."

Before he finished speaking, the Ink Pine Sword was already three inches out of its sheath.

"Insights? What insights?" He Shutong also became curious, looking at the boy's posture, as if she guessed what he was going to do.

"Please let Mistress try the sword; you'll know once you try it," the young man said with a light smile.

He Shutong smiled and casually summoned a Wooden Sword that flew into her palm.

She and You Su had naturally sparred in this dream, but it was always just a friendly exchange, mainly to familiarize themselves with the sword techniques. Now, You Su's serious demeanor gave her a good opportunity, a chance to openly 'avenge' the embarrassment and anger of last night.

"My Mistress can't catch this with Wooden Sword," You Su said confidently.

He Shutong wiped the Wooden Sword and answered with certainty:

That's enough.

You Su let out a muffled groan, as if in pain.

He Shutong's hand trembled slightly as she bandaged the boy's back. The warmth from the boy's back seeped through the bandage, reminding her of the burning heat she had held the night before, and her heart stirred again.

"Mistress, didn't you say we'd use Wooden Sword?" You Su lay on the bed, her tone tinged with a hint of complaint.

Hearing He Shutong felt her face flush even more, and noticing that the boy was about to turn over again, she quickly pressed him down:

"Lie down, it's not ready yet."

"Oh..." You Su responded, then asked with a grin, "Mistress, was my sword strike powerful?"

He Shutong pursed her lips, recalling the elegance of the young man's swordplay earlier; it was indeed a remarkable swordsmanship. However, she was worried that the young man would diminish her dignity, so she broke her promise and switched to her personal immortal Immortal Sword to meet the ink sword. Unexpectedly, she almost forgot that the young man's cultivation was only at the Spirit Platform Realm. Fortunately, she stopped in time to avoid more serious consequences, but it did cause You Su some physical pain.

Filled with guilt and self-reproach, she disregarded the romance of the previous night and insisted on personally bandaging and applying medicine to You Su said he was fine.

"Of course it's extremely powerful." He Shutong praised sincerely, but also secretly poked You Su's left rib wound with force, as if to reproach him, "But the Mandarin Duck Sword seeks the balance of Yin and Yang, not mutual destruction. How can you have such a violent sword intent?"

The wound wasn't actually that painful, but that didn't stop You Su from grabbing the Fairy's soft hand and acting coquettishly, crying out in pain. He Shutong's heart tightened, and she pretended to be angry as she slapped You Su's hand away, but she carefully applied the wound medicine.

"I remember telling my Mistress that blind people are always prone to panic, and the more panicked a person is, the more ruthless they have to be with their sword to feel at ease."

She spoke lightly, but He Shutong thought of how the boy had been blind since childhood and must have had a very difficult time exploring the world on his own. However, after Guan Chujun entrusted him to her, she had failed to fulfill her responsibilities, so she felt even more sad and guilty, and her hands became gentler.

You Su was very perceptive, and quickly added with a smile, "However, the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from the bitter cold. Without such an experience, I really couldn't have grasped my own sword intent so quickly. City Lord Liu even praised me, saying that there's no one in the world who has grasped sword intent at such a young age!"

He Shutong bit her lower lip lightly, realizing that the boy was actually comforting her instead. She couldn't help but sigh inwardly; it was this gentleness of the boy that was most unbearable for her.

"Never be arrogant or complacent. Throughout history, there have been many people with exceptional talent who faded young. Only by taking steady and solid steps can one achieve great things."

"This disciple will humbly follow Mistress's teachings."

"However... you are indeed the most imaginative person I have ever met." He Shutong carefully tied a bow on the strip of cloth. "You actually thought of merging my Lotus Birth Sword Intent with your Don't Cower Sword Intent. Throughout history, you are the first person to dare to think of such a thing and actually do it."

In his dream, he learned his Mistress's Lotus Birth Sword Lotus Birth Sword Intent, just like he did in the outside world. However, since he was showing off to his Mistress in the dream, he had to restrain himself in reality, otherwise his Mistress would inevitably see through the coincidence.

"I was thinking that since my Mistress and I get along so well, the sword intents we've each developed will surely coexist harmoniously as well. That's why I came up with this idea."

You Su felt the bandaging was finished, she quickly turned over and quietly watched He Shutong's reaction.

The fairy's jade-like fingers unconsciously brushed against the crease of his abdominal muscles before she hurriedly withdrew them. She pretended not to understand the implication in the boy's words, but then she was secretly annoyed at herself for overthinking things. Was the boy really implying something?

"The Lotus Birth Sword was originally something I comprehended by using the Mandarin Duck Sword from the Mandarin Duck Sword. You also cultivate the Mandarin Sword, so your sword intent can be fused. This is probably because the Mandarin Duck Sword are swords that are practiced by two people together. However, it can also be said that you have very high talent and accidentally followed the principles of swordsmanship. Otherwise, if you were to fuse other sword intents with yours, you might suffer a terrible backlash."

"I see. Luckily, I learned the Lotus Birth Sword from my Mistress." The boy's genuine smile was always bright, and He Shutong was somewhat taken aback by it.

"Mistress, I find this sword strike extremely profound and wish to continue studying it. Since you say it's because the Mandarin Duck Sword are meant for two people, could you...?"

Before she could finish speaking, He Shutong felt a sudden tightness in her chest.

You Su's eyelids drooped slightly, as if she were expecting something:

"Could we practice together with the disciple using the dual swords in the future?"

As if feeling that this was too direct, You Su quickly added:

"This disciple truly desires to comprehend this sword technique."

He Shutong's breath hitched. She knew beforehand that this was You Su himself, and she also understood his intentions. Therefore, it was hard for her to believe that the young man's purpose was pure when faced with this request.

The Mandarin Duck Sword were originally meant for dao companion to cultivate together. Since she began practicing swordsmanship, she had never practiced with anyone else. Was she now to practice those Mandarin Duck Swords with him as his Mistress's wife?

But... if his sword intent could truly reach a higher level of perfection, perhaps he could avoid the danger of premature aging?

"The Mandarin Duck Sword..."

Her voice was as soft as snow when she spoke, "It requires the two swords to resonate and their energies to be in sync. You are injured now, so let's wait... let's talk about it when you're better."