The Swordsmanship Was Beyond Measure

Hua Shuya felt terribly guilty at that moment.

The senior had clearly been yielding to her all along. Judging from that frivolous posture, he had probably used less than a tenth of his strength.

But...

She had actually been unable to withstand even a casual move from the senior, and had even needed him to speak up and soothe her emotions.

Faced with this teasing, she was even too ashamed to offer an explanation for herself, left utterly speechless.

Lin Tianlu had no idea that the girl was blaming and reproaching herself. He casually waved the branch in his hand and said with a light laugh:

"A martial artist's swordsmanship is truly rather marvelous. If I get the chance in the future, I really ought to study it properly. I simply wonder what kind of power martial arts can unleash once one cultivates them to a profound realm."

Hua Shuya's heart trembled when she heard this. She inconspicuously hid both hands in her sleeves and pretended to remain calm as she said, "As far as this junior knows, the highest realm among martial artists in this world is that of a Grandmaster of the Five Meridians. Once one enters the grandmaster realm, one can control qi to attack enemies and injure people from afar. Even weaving through a thousand troops and ten thousand horses would be effortless, and one's stamina would flow without end."

"That sounds truly extraordinary." Lin Tianlu was somewhat astonished.

One man standing against a thousand—that was no different from the peerless experts in those martial arts novels.

After letting his imagination run wild for a moment, if he could cultivate such swordsmanship and martial arts in the future, combined with his abundant Spiritual Energy, perhaps he could become a carefree sword immortal and roam the world at his leisure?

Lin Tianlu laughed, tossed the branch aside, and stopped letting his thoughts run wild.

Rather than thinking about such distant matters, he might as well first consider what to eat for lunch.

"By the way, Miss Hua. How do you plan to arrange your journey from here on?"

Hua Shuya came back to herself slightly and hurriedly said, "To answer the senior, I plan to remain here in Changling County for the time being and settle down. I have no other trivial matters to attend to. As for a residence... I'll purchase an unoccupied house next door."

Lin Tianlu gave an awkward laugh and cupped his hands. "Miss Hua, as long as you're happy."

This girl really is loaded.

"Senior... would you mind if I came to your home to bother you from time to time?" Hua Shuya asked in a rather bashful whisper. "I want to study swordsmanship properly here."

"Of course not. After all, you paid for this residence yourself. I'm more than happy to welcome you." Lin Tianlu chuckled. "Besides, the house is rather quiet. Having one more person around will make it much livelier."

"Thank you, senior!"

Hua Shuya could not help revealing a sweet smile.

Only now could one see the youthful tenderness suited to her age, her smiling face shining with radiance.

After Lin Tianlu clasped his hands behind his back and returned to his room, the smile on her face faded slightly. She lowered her head and looked solemnly at her hands.

Her ten fingers trembled, and both arms quivered. She could barely muster any strength.

What truly haunted Hua Shuya was—

At the instant she crossed blades with the senior, she had actually lost the will to fight.

It was as though her consciousness had frozen. Her limbs had turned cold and rigid, and her mind had gone completely blank. Only after the branch in her hand was lightly knocked away did she belatedly react.

Such a thing...

For someone like her, who had practiced martial arts since childhood, it was simply impossible to believe.

The very first lesson for a martial artist was to temper one's will, rectify one's spirit, and gather one's mind into every move. Not to mention that she had not retreated or hesitated in the slightest just now—she had only wanted to display her skill as fully as possible before the senior.

Hua Shuya bit down on her soft lips, looking somewhat troubled.

To show such an ugly side of myself before the senior... Hmm?

She lightly blinked her beautiful eyes and stared blankly at the two branches on the ground.

At some point, the branches had already turned into fine dust and silently drifted away on the morning breeze. As the breeze brushed past her, she felt a faint chill across her chest.

Hua Shuya hurriedly lowered her head to look and stood there in a daze for a long while.

At some unknown point, the clothes over her chest had split open, revealing a glimpse of her tender skin.

So it had not been that her will and spirit were insufficiently focused. It was purely because, at that instant, she...

Had sensed "death" drawing near.

In merely one exchange, the victory, defeat, life, and death had already been decided. If the senior had not held back, then even with a fragile branch, her heart would probably have been pierced through in a single strike.

Hua Shuya let out a long breath, but her heart was still unbearably excited.

The senior's sword strike had actually been so profound!

"Miss Hua, let's go."

"Huh?"

Her shoulders jerked. She hurriedly turned around and saw Lin Tianlu emerge from the room carrying all sorts of cleaning tools. Astonishment appeared on her face.

"S-Senior, what are you..."

"Didn't you just buy a residence next door?" Lin Tianlu smiled and shook the broom in his hand. "I happen to have nothing to do right now, so I'll help you give the place a thorough cleaning first."

"H-How could I let you do that!" Hua Shuya waved her hands in a panic. "Leave these dirty and tiring chores to me..."

"Let's do it together."

Lin Tianlu stuffed a small wooden basin into her hands. "Housework is something both men and women can take responsibility for. There's no need to fuss over status and distinctions. Besides, I've already received plenty of help from you, so of course I should do my share."

"Senior..."

Hua Shuya pressed her lips together.

The senior's words and actions showed not the slightest trace of an immortal's bearing. Instead, he treated her with such warmth and gentleness, like a big brother next door.

As she touched the tear in the clothes over her chest, the girl's heart rippled faintly, and she actually felt wisps of warmth.

After cleaning for quite some time, Hua Shuya put down her broom, raised her head, and exhaled, wiping away the thin sweat on her forehead.

After all that effort, the residence had basically been cleaned inside and out. Even the high places beneath the eaves were no challenge for someone like her, who possessed lightness skills.

Besides, Lin Tianlu had helped share the workload.

"Miss Hua, come out and wash your hands. Have some pastries."

Lin Tianlu was sitting in the covered veranda of the courtyard outside the house, waving to her with a broad smile.

"I'm coming, senior." Hua Shuya smiled faintly, hurried out, and washed her hands and face clean with fresh water.

But after drawing near, she seemed somewhat nervous. She tidied her disheveled hair and smoothed her skirt before finally sitting down beside Lin Tianlu with her cheeks faintly flushed.

"These are pastries made by the wife of the neighbor next door. I tried them last night, and they were truly excellent. She gave me quite a few more today, so I specifically brought them over for you to try."

As the wooden box opened, a faint fragrance soon drifted through the air.

Hua Shuya's beautiful eyes lit up, and even her stomach began to stir with hunger.

After hesitating for a moment, her cheeks grew adorably rosy. She asked shyly in a small voice, "Senior, then I'll be presumptuous... and try one?"

Lin Tianlu laughed. "Go ahead."

"Mhm."

Hua Shuya carefully picked up a piece and took a small bite with her pearly teeth. Fragrance immediately flooded her lips and teeth, while the soft, springy texture made her let out a faint little hum. She felt that this was the most delicious dessert she had eaten in several years.

Even the chefs in her Household seemed incapable of such craftsmanship!

"Delicious!"

"Right?" Lin Tianlu gave a delighted laugh. "That woman's skills are truly marvelous. I really wonder where she learned them."

Hua Shuya eagerly finished the entire pastry in tiny, rapid bites, then narrowed her eyes in satisfaction and let out a long sigh.

If I could enjoy such sweet delicacies every day and stay together with the senior, how comfortable and carefree would that be?

But...

The girl shook her head and felt a touch of drowsiness rise in her heart.

"Miss Hua, if you like them, you can eat some more." Lin Tianlu pulled a go board from his robes and smiled. "But when we have some free time, why don't we sit down and have another proper match?

"I specifically went and looked through some records of Go games this time. I should be able to... Eh?"

Upon taking a closer look, he discovered that the girl had somehow leaned against one of the pavilion pillars and fallen peacefully asleep, her breathing calm and even.

"..."

That was fast.

Lin Tianlu stared in utter bewilderment.

"But come to think of it, this girl seems not to have rested at all since coming down from Taiyi Mountain."

He gave a helpless laugh, stood up, removed his outer garment, and gently draped it over the girl's shoulders.

Though she possessed superb martial skills and extraordinary courage, a closer look revealed that she was still a lovely young girl who inspired pity. Her sleeping face was as pretty and beautiful as a painting, her skin as smooth and delicate as if it could be broken by the slightest touch.

"If only I had a flute to play a tune right now. The mood would be beautiful."

But after touching the jade flute hidden in his robes, Lin Tianlu sat back down with a strange expression and quietly resumed eating pastries.

Better not disturb her peace.

If the neighbors complained, my morning visit would have been for nothing.

I might as well think about how to make that crispy fried chicken... Do I need to go to the market first and buy some wide oil?

They say a gentleman should keep away from the kitchen...

But that doesn't apply when he has a craving.

Wait.

Lin Tianlu had eaten half a pastry when he suddenly froze.

A beauty was sleeping peacefully right beside him, yet his mind was thinking about KFC.

Could it be that I looked at too many erotic pictures before transmigrating, and my heart has long since become as clear as ice, remaining unmoved even if the sky falls?

The Ice Heart Art had become second nature.

Lin Tianlu muttered to himself twice.

Then he pulled an ancient book from his sleeve and began reading as he turned the pages.

Sure enough, erotic pictures were nowhere near as interesting as reading.