I Swear, I'm Really Not a Pervert!

Ling Jing stood beside Yu Shen, quietly watching him.

Yu Shen's mouth hung slightly open, and he stood frozen with a look of sheer terror.

Yu Shen knew that if this had been a real battle, his head would already have been cut off.

It was as if Yu Shen had just woken from a dream. No wonder this senior hadn't used a real blade just now. No wonder he'd said they shouldn't go somewhere more open...

Ling Jing, standing off to the side, was completely dumbfounded. He'd watched that whole scene very carefully.

Unlike the others, Ling Jing was a saber cultivator. From the start, he'd expected Jing Pu's saber technique to be incredibly impressive, so he'd prepared himself to observe it closely.

But in that instant, he still hadn't seen a thing. There'd only been a flash, and then... it was over!

Jing Pu pulled back the wooden stick and let out a faint sigh. How boring...

He'd thought he and Yu Shen would at least trade a few blows. But when Yu Shen charged at him, all Jing Pu could see were openings. He hadn't been able to help himself and had ended the fight in one move.

Yu Shen, who'd been standing there in a daze, came to his senses and suddenly shouted angrily,

"That's not fair!"

Jing Pu was completely baffled by Yu Shen's words. How was that not fair??

He'd used a wooden stick, and Yu Shen had used a real saber. How was that not fair?!

Yu Shen gritted his teeth. "It's only because you're so powerful, Senior. And I've only cultivated the Great Yi Imperial Saber to the third level. Even if your saber technique is ordinary, you've probably already cultivated it to its peak. So this doesn't prove anything."

Jing Pu paused, then understood what Yu Shen meant. He nodded repeatedly.

"That's right, that's right. I was just speaking off the cuff. It wasn't very rigorous, so don't take it to heart. Fighting you just now, I could tell the Great Yi Imperial Saber really is powerful."

Jing Pu didn't want to show off. Sure, Yu Shen might not be very strong, but his master—the one who was supposedly among the strongest under heaven—was Yu Xiu!

If Jing Pu said the Great Yi Imperial Saber was no good, what if Yu Xiu came and hacked him to pieces? Even though Jing Pu felt that, based on what he'd seen so far, the Great Yi Imperial Saber really wasn't anything special, he didn't want to invite trouble.

Yu Shen clenched his teeth slightly at Jing Pu's words. What was that supposed to mean? Was he mocking him?!

He hadn't even managed to make a single move before losing, and now Jing Pu was saying he'd learned something from fighting him.

Yu Shen gritted his teeth. "I, Yu Shen, was presumptuous today and disturbed you, Senior. I'll take my leave."

With that, Yu Shen bowed to Ling Ju, who hadn't even been looking at him, and left straight away.

Jing Pu stood where he was, scratching his head as he watched Yu Shen go. He seems like a very competitive person.

When Jing Pu turned around, Ling Jing suddenly dropped to his knees and looked up at him, visibly excited.

"Senior, will you take me as your disciple?!"

Huh??

Ling Jing's sudden kneel startled Jing Pu. He hurriedly said,

"I'm just an ordinary mortal. If you really want to learn my saber technique, come back in a few days. I've got some things I like doing to take care of first. But I'll say this upfront: my techniques are all mundane skills. I don't know whether they'll suit cultivators like you. It might all be a waste of effort, so think it over."

Jing Pu was quite happy that Ling Jing wanted to learn his saber technique. It was better than having this guy dig holes for him with a hoe every day, wasn't it?

Ling Jing was incredibly excited, but after carefully considering Jing Pu's words, he realized that although Senior was willing to teach him, he wouldn't take him as a disciple. In other words, he still wasn't worthy...

As for coming back in a few days, Ling Jing understood. Senior meant he shouldn't reach for the stars, but should take things one step at a time and first finish what Senior wanted him to do!

And that last part—mundane skills might not suit cultivators and could be a waste of effort—had to be understood in reverse.

What Senior really meant was that his techniques were peerless secrets, so an ordinary person like Ling Jing might not be able to comprehend them at all. In that case, it really would be a waste of effort.

Ling Jing thought he was a genius. He'd understood Senior's words just like that.

He nodded furiously.

"Senior, I understand! I'll work hard. I won't disappoint you, and I won't bring shame on you either!"

But after he'd finished speaking, Ling Jing suddenly froze. Wait... what did Senior mean by the things he liked doing?

Jing Pu was speechless. What was he supposed to be disappointed about? And how could Ling Jing bring shame on him? He said,

"Get up first."

Jing Pu had just pulled Ling Jing to his feet when he heard a thud beside him. Lie Chun had dropped to his knees too, and shouted,

"Senior, please teach me swordsmanship as well!"

Jing Pu: "..."

At noon, Jing Pu sat in the pavilion eating lunch. These cultivators didn't eat, and he hadn't prepared anything for them, so he ate on his own.

Ling Ju sat nearby, blushing as she secretly watched Jing Pu. She was quite curious to see him eating mortal food.

In the morning, Ling Jing and Lie Chun had filled in all the holes in the front courtyard. In the afternoon, Jing Pu planned to have them tamp down all the soil in the yard.

The previous week, they'd dug up all the soil in the front courtyard. If it rained now, the whole place would turn into a muddy pond. Jing Pu planned to go to Qinghe Town tomorrow and buy some paving bricks for the courtyard.

That was what he'd meant by the things he liked doing earlier. This was going to be his home from now on, so of course he wanted to take good care of it.

The Divine Sword Sect had paving bricks, but theirs were all blue stone slabs, which Jing Pu didn't think looked very nice. He had to go to Qinghe Town to buy food anyway, since he was nearly out of what he'd bought last time, so he might as well pick up the bricks while he was there.

That afternoon, Ling Jing and Lie Chun worked hard, pressing down the soil with their tools, while Jing Pu patiently taught Ling Ju the Tea Dao.

The three of them didn't leave until dusk. After seeing them off, Jing Pu went back inside to make a detailed shopping list so he wouldn't forget anything tomorrow.

But before he could finish the list, someone suddenly knocked at the courtyard gate.

Was it Ling Tiannan or Di Chen?

Curious, Jing Pu went to the gate. When he opened it, he saw Ling Jing standing outside with a smug grin.

For some reason, the smug look on Ling Jing's face gave Jing Pu a bad feeling.

Just as Jing Pu was about to ask what he was doing back, Ling Jing suddenly handed him a wooden box and said with a smug smile,

"Senior, I've figured it out! This must be the thing you like!"

Huh??

Figured what out?

What was this??

Jing Pu frowned and opened the box. When he saw what was inside—

??!!

It was a pair of Crystal High-heeled Jade Shoes... the very same pair Ling Ju had worn today.

I swear...

He really did think I was a pervert!

Ling Jing planted his hands on his hips, looking very pleased with himself.

"Senior kept staring at my sister's shoes today, so I understood. I never would've guessed Senior had that kind of hobby."

Jing Pu gritted his teeth and looked up, about to return the shoes. But the moment he lifted his head, he nearly fainted. Ling Ju stood not far away, her face flushed as she looked at Jing Pu and the pair of Crystal High-heeled Jade Shoes in the box he was holding.

Jing Pu's face looked as if he'd just eaten shit. Ling Jing had been watching his expression the whole time, and suddenly froze, as if he'd realized something. Slowly, he turned around—and when he saw his sister,

Ling Jing shot off in a flash, leaving only a few words behind.

"Se... Senior, I just remembered I have something to do. I'll be going..."

Ling Jing's voice echoed through the courtyard, leaving Jing Pu standing there, utterly bewildered.

Ling Ju walked up to Jing Pu with light, graceful steps, her face flushed. As if she hadn't noticed that he was holding her pair of Crystal High-heeled Jade Shoes, she took out a wooden box and gazed off to the side, too shy to look at him. In a soft, bashful voice, she said,

"To... today... I saw that Senior seemed... seemed to really like the little treats people eat... I... I learned to make them with my mother when I was little... so I made some myself and brought them... brought them for Senior... Please... try Ling Ju's cooking..."

Ling Ju was clearly nervous, stumbling over every word. But in truth... Jing Pu was the one who was a whole lot more nervous!

He'd been caught red-handed, but the problem was, Jing Pu was still completely confused. Just two minutes ago, he hadn't even known what was going on.

No, he absolutely couldn't let anyone think he was a pervert. Jing Pu took Ling Ju's wooden box and hurriedly prepared to explain.

But the moment he'd taken the box, Ling Ju bowed, her face still flushed, then turned and left.

Jing Pu stood at the courtyard gate, frozen for a full half minute.

"...I... swear... I really am not a pervert!"

"I really am not!"

"Believe me!"