"This won't do."
Mao Ruoyu rubbed her forehead and sighed, her face haggard.
"That scholar must have abundant energy and overflowing yang qi. If this drags on, I'll be the one unable to keep up. I need to change tactics."
Knock, knock.
The gate of the residence was suddenly rapped upon.
Mao Ruoyu hurriedly patted her cheeks to clear her head and perk herself up, then lifted her skirt and quickly walked out.
"Who is it—"
She slowly pulled open the gate, but the gentle smile that had just blossomed across her face instantly stiffened.
"Madam Mao, good morning."
Lin Tianlu was still dressed in that spotless white robe. He smiled at her and cupped his hands. "Madam, you specially gave me those pastries yesterday. After enjoying them, I found myself savoring them endlessly—their cool, silky texture and soft, glutinous sweetness. They truly were the work of a master.
"So this morning, I specially went to the market and bought some household supplies. I've come to return the favor to Madam, if only to express a little neighborly goodwill."
"Ah... Th-thank you!" Mao Ruoyu accepted the several bags of gifts he handed over, her expression instantly turning rigid.
The weight in her hands startled her. She asked in surprise, "Sir, why is this sack so heavy? What exactly is inside...?"
"I'm merely a scholar, and I truly have no skill in the kitchen."
Lin Tianlu smiled. "Yesterday, I heard that your household still had children who needed looking after, so I simply went and bought some provisions and silk. In the future, Madam can use them to sew the children some well-fitting clothes.
"There are also several books for the Imperial Examination, so they can have a look ahead of time. As the saying goes, 'Five years of Imperial Examinations, three years of mock exams.' If I have some free time in the future, I'll prepare some custom practice papers for Madam's children. I guarantee every volume will be top quality, and the children will praise them without end the moment they finish!"
"P-practice papers?!"
Mao Ruoyu's expression shifted slightly. She suppressed the strange feeling in her heart and hurriedly shook her head. "This gift is far too valuable. Sir, you really mustn't..."
"Oh, it's nothing!" Lin Tianlu waved his hand. "These worldly possessions are about all I have on hand that's worth giving. Madam, you may as well accept them without worry."
Seeing how resolute Lin Tianlu was, Mao Ruoyu could only answer helplessly.
After hesitating for a moment, she gritted her teeth. "Sir, please wait here for a little while. I'll go prepare some more pastries for you in return. Otherwise, I truly won't be able to rest easy!"
"This... all right."
Lin Tianlu gave an awkward laugh and cupped his hands. "Then I'll have to trouble you, Madam. But the pastries you make really are extraordinary. To me, they're worth a fortune."
"Sir, you flatter me."
Mao Ruoyu carried the silk and turned toward the kitchen.
A few minutes later, she quickly returned with an exquisite wooden box in her hands.
"Sir, please accept this."
"Madam, you really made those pastries awfully quickly..."
"It just so happened that I rose early today and made a little extra." Mao Ruoyu smiled faintly. "I hope you'll still like them."
Lin Tianlu smiled and nodded. "Thank you for your effort, Madam. Then I won't impose any longer. I'll go greet the other neighbors properly."
"All right, Sir. Take care."
As she watched Lin Tianlu's back recede into the distance, Mao Ruoyu's smile gradually faded. At last, she shut the gate with an expressionless face.
"That man..."
She drew a deep breath, then stamped her foot hard, shouting with humiliation and fury, "He actually treated the Heart-Enchanting Pastry I made as some delicious dessert! And he even said it had a cool, silky flavor... You ate the whole lot in one night, so why don't you go to sleep already?!"
"That stinking scholar even made up that nonsense about 'five years of Imperial Examinations, three years of mock exams'! Where did he get such crooked reasoning?!"
"Damn it! This time I deliberately added twice the usual amount of Heart-Enchanting Pastry. I refuse to believe you can stay awake and endure it again!"
Lin Tianlu was in a fairly good mood today.
After greeting and exchanging pleasantries with all the nearby neighbors, he soon headed home, thoroughly satisfied.
"It feels pretty good to talk with other people. Looks like even though I haven't spoken with anyone for half a month, my mouth is still fairly nimble. It hasn't rusted shut or grown tongue-tied."
There were no strange oddballs among the neighbors, and most of them were quite friendly.
The market's prices were low, its goods were plentiful, and it was fully equipped in every aspect of daily life.
It was truly wonderful.
Creak—
The moment Lin Tianlu pushed open the gate, his eyebrows rose slightly at the sight of the courtyard.
A beautiful, dashing young woman was swinging a long sword with total focus. Her body turned as though she were stepping through an elegant dance, while sword light flowed like brilliant ripples spreading beneath the sun.
It was Hua Shuya.
Unlike the sword dance she had performed in the deep mountains, she now wore a light dress that made her figure appear even more graceful and supple, her swordsmanship soft and fluid. As she repeatedly thrust and jabbed with her sword, the ringing cries of the blade cleaving the air echoed through the courtyard. Her black hair and skirt hem flew and danced, creating a scene of picturesque grace and breathtaking beauty.
"Whew—"
Only after she finished practicing her sword forms did she reverse her grip on the hilt and let out a long breath. Crisp applause soon rang out.
"Miss Hua, you started practicing so early. You really are diligent."
"Senior!"
Hua Shuya turned her head, her eyes darting around as she looked back. A charming smile blossomed across her face. "You're back!"
Lin Tianlu smiled. "Have you finished dealing with your affairs?"
"That flying thief who had been roaming around committing crimes has been captured and taken to the authorities." Hua Shuya sheathed her long sword, then approached in quick, light steps. She blinked her beautiful eyes curiously. "Senior, where did you go just now? The gate was only left ajar..."
"I went to visit a few neighbors."
Lin Tianlu lifted the pastry box in his hand. "One of the ladies has truly excellent culinary skills. Come try these pastries later."
"Mm! If that woman earned such praise from Senior, her skills must surely be astonishingly good!"
Hua Shuya tucked back her hair and smiled. Her bearing shone brightly.
However, she soon noticed that Lin Tianlu's gaze seemed to drift toward her sword. She asked in surprise, "Senior, are you interested in my sword?"
"I wouldn't say I'm interested. I'm just rather curious." Lin Tianlu entered the main hall, gently set down the pastry box, and turned back. "After all, I've never touched a real sword before."
"Senior is being far too modest."
Hua Shuya smiled sweetly and handed him the long sword.
"Thank you."
Lin Tianlu gripped the hilt and slowly drew the sword from its sheath, examining its keen edge as his eyes flickered.
This sword truly was a fine one. Even a layman like him could tell how sharp its edge was.
However, holding the sword in his hand produced no strange sensation.
Perhaps the Spiritual Energy in his body simply had nothing to do with the Sword Dao?
Hua Shuya's eyes suddenly lit up. "Senior, could you offer me some pointers on my sword forms?"
"Hm?"
Lin Tianlu froze at that. "You want me to guide you?"
"That's right." Hua Shuya nodded repeatedly, her expression serious. "Senior's strength is extraordinary. Even if you aren't well-versed in the Sword Dao, your martial cultivation realm must surely be far above mine. A little guidance from you would already be an immense gain for me!"
"Trying it once shouldn't hurt. However—"
Lin Tianlu gave an awkward laugh and set down the long sword. He quickly walked outside into the courtyard, pulled two branches from the flower bed by the wall, snapped off their twigs, and handed them to the young woman.
"Let's leave the real swords aside. Since this is only a friendly exchange, we should use branches instead, so neither of us accidentally gets hurt."
"Senior is right."
Hua Shuya accepted the branch and smiled reservedly, her lips pressed together.
She thought that Senior was truly considerate and gentle to be so concerned about her.
But after taking a deep breath, her expression suddenly changed. It became as sharp and incisive as a drawn sword, with Killing Intent fully revealed. Though she held nothing more than a withered branch, her presence remained extraordinary at that moment.
Seeing her surging momentum, Lin Tianlu's heart gave a thump. He felt as though he was about to suffer a heavy blow.
Although he had killed a wandering ghost in the deep mountains back then, he had ultimately relied on the Spiritual Energy in his body. Perhaps that thing had some effect on demons and evil spirits, but against ordinary humans... it should be little different from ordinary internal energy?
What was more, with his current weak cultivation, he did not even know how much Spiritual Energy he could mobilize.
If he truly fought this Sword Dao girl, he would probably be suppressed with ease.
Lin Tianlu waved the branch around a couple of times, then finally steeled himself and assumed a crooked, lopsided stance.
"...Let's begin. Ahem... Miss Hua, try to hold back a little later."
"Yes, Senior!"
Since Senior wanted to hold back out of consideration for her, she could not shrink back in fear!
She had to let Senior see all the arts and abilities she possessed!
The young woman suddenly shouted in a low voice and charged straight at him with overwhelming momentum, already exerting all her strength.
Seeing this, Lin Tianlu's mouth twitched. He hurriedly tried to block the attack.
The two branches suddenly collided.
"Huh?"
Lin Tianlu's expression froze slightly.
Looking at the branch lying on the ground, he almost failed to react.
It was Hua Shuya's branch that had fallen.
After thinking it over, he immediately understood.
He then bent down with a chuckle and picked up the branch.
"Miss Hua, your acting still needs work. If you wanted to amuse me, shouldn't you have exchanged a few more blows with me before deliberately dropping the branch?"
"I, I..."
Hua Shuya opened her mouth, then stopped, her body rigid and her expression turning somewhat complicated.
Before you continue