A Simp Will Never Win His Senior Sister's Heart

The matter on Luo Yan's end had come to a close, and his synchronization value had finally climbed out of the danger zone.

So, after Shi Liuli took him to a private room in the Heavenly Crafts Workshop and settled him in, Luo Yan saved his progress there. Then he loaded a save and sent his body to Shushan, using Mirror Flower Water Moon to assume Ling Yunpo's identity.

[Location Two: Shushan Shangqing Sect, Green Snail Peak.]

[Character Identity: Ling Yunpo.]

[Mirror Flower Water Moon template activated. Traveling through time and space.]

Lately, Senior Sister An Zhisu had been especially enthusiastic. Even with his Innate Sword Bone and sturdy Root Bone, she'd trained him until he was practically in heaven and hell at the same time.

Also, to help him learn to control a sword with each hand, Senior Sister An had apparently invited someone to teach him. He just didn't know who it was yet.

Ling Yunpo lingered in his room for a while, then picked up Qingping Sword and decided to go for a walk.

But before he even reached the main hall, he heard an unfamiliar man's voice coming from inside:

"Shi Ziming's senior sister fell by your hand back then. So Shi Ziming wasn't acting on behalf of the Hall of Government Affairs at all. He came after you to settle a personal grudge..."

"I know, Junior Brother Lin," An Zhisu said irritably.

Ling Yunpo instinctively thought she was calling him. Then he realized she'd said "Lin," not "Ling."

Well, Senior Sister An spoke in the soft Wu dialect, so it was only natural for her to blur the sounds.

"Shi Ziming is already dead, so I don't plan to pursue the matter any further," An Zhisu continued. "The pressing matter now is..."

"Listen to me first!" the man interrupted, speaking urgently. "Shi Ziming's False Core method came from Purple Cloud Peak's Purple Qi Gathering at the Crown!"

"Do you understand? Shi Ziming may have hated you, but it was Purple Cloud Peak that fanned the flames behind him!"

"Because Purple Cloud Peak failed to harm you that time, they shifted their target and went after your junior brother."

"If Ling Yunpo fights Lou Zhizheng, he'll be stepping straight into the trap they've laid."

"If I were you, I would never let Junior Brother Ling walk into danger alone!"

An Zhisu sighed.

"Junior Brother Ling has already made up his mind. I really can't persuade him..."

"Then I'll do it," the man said.

Who the hell are you? Ling Yunpo erupted in fury and strode into the main hall with his head held high.

An Zhisu stood in the middle of the hall, dressed in a white robe and skirt, worry etched between her brows.

A strange young man stood beside her, wearing a blue-green robe and carrying a sword case on his back. His face was stern, and he was still speaking to her in a low voice.

When she saw Ling Yunpo coming in from the back courtyard, An Zhisu immediately put away her worried expression and smiled again. She beckoned him over.

"Junior Brother, this is Senior Brother Lin Duanshan. I asked him to teach you the art of controlling a sword with each hand."

"Greetings, Senior Brother Lin." Ling Yunpo gave him a faint bow.

"Lin Duanshan, King Kong Peak." The man returned the bow, then said arrogantly, "Let me make this clear first."

"Your Senior Sister An asked me to teach you. I agreed, but that doesn't make me your master. I have no obligation to explain things in a way you can understand!"

"If you don't have the talent to learn what I teach, then give up the duel as soon as possible. Don't make your senior sister worry about you!"

Oh? Ling Yunpo was so angry he laughed.

What kind of nobody were you, to dare get in my face in front of my senior sister?

"Senior Brother Lin is third on the Immortal Sword Ranking," An Zhisu said with a smile. "He may sound harsh, but he's really warmhearted beneath that cold exterior. Since he's agreed to teach you, he'll certainly do it properly."

Third on the Immortal Sword Ranking? Ling Yunpo furrowed his brow, realizing this man was no simple character.

The so-called Immortal Sword Ranking was a damn contraption the Shushan Shangqing Sect had designed to encourage its Foundation Establishment Realm disciples to compete with one another.

Every so often, the Shangqing Sect held an internal tournament and used the results to determine the rankings.

In a sense, the Immortal Sword Ranking did serve a purpose: it offered a clear picture of each disciple's relative strength.

If you ranked thirtieth, you'd better know your place. Don't go challenging anyone in the top ten, or you might die without even knowing how it happened.

After all, the world of cultivation had no internet, and news traveled poorly. Unless you were as powerful as the Immortal Sword Ranking's top-ranked Grass Cutting Sword Immortal, who'd practically made an enemy of every Sword Peak, it was hard for your reputation to spread to the other peaks.

For example, Ling Yunpo had never heard of Lin Duanshan of King Kong Peak before.

But once he heard "third on the Immortal Sword Ranking," he understood. A mighty Abode Transformation Stage expert, just a little weaker than his senior sister. Now he had a clear idea of the man's level.

"Then I'll be in your hands, Senior Brother Lin," he said with composed courtesy.

"Hmph." Lin Duanshan snorted and headed outside.

In the open space beyond Green Snail Peak's Daoist temple, Lin Duanshan summoned two flying swords and suspended them side by side before him.

"The one on the right is my Destiny Sword Artifact, the ninth-rank earth-element flying sword Mountsplitter."

"The one on the left is my usual auxiliary sword, the ninth-rank metal-element flying sword Longblade."

"To teach you the energy-circulation methods of controlling two swords at once, we only need to spar with our swordsmanship. There's no need to use our cultivation or the Daoist Magic on our swords." His voice suddenly sharpened. "Ling Yunpo! Draw your sword!"

Ling Yunpo immediately formed a sword sign with his fingers. Qingping Sword shot from his back and stopped in front of him.

"This is my tenth-rank water-element flying sword, Qingping," he said loudly. "As Senior Brother says, we'll test our swordsmanship alone—no Daoist Magic, and no cultivation!"

"Good!" Lin Duanshan shouted. "Senior Sister An, give him another flying sword!"

Standing nearby, An Zhisu pointed, and Shuangjiang Sword shot from her fingertip like lightning, stopping in front of Ling Yunpo.

Ling Yunpo reached out with his left hand and established an energy link with Shuangjiang Sword.

With An Zhisu guiding him, he attached his divine sense to it without difficulty and smoothly took control of the sword.

"What energy-circulation route do you use with your right hand to control Qingping?" Lin Duanshan called out.

"The Small Intestine Meridian of the Hand-Taiyang!" Ling Yunpo answered loudly. "From Jugu, through Quchi, past Hegu, turning at Shangyang, and linking to Qingping Sword!"

"Good!" Lin Duanshan said quickly. "Yin and yang must complement each other! Circulate energy through the Pericardium Meridian of the Hand-Jueyin in your left arm. Start at Tianchi, pass through Quze and Laogong, turn at Zhongchong, and try to control Shuangjiang Sword!"

Ling Yunpo followed his instructions, circulating energy in the prescribed order. Before long, he discovered that while controlling Qingping Sword, he could also direct Shuangjiang Sword as easily as his own arm.

Watching from the side, An Zhisu couldn't help smiling with delight.

When she practiced controlling two swords at once, she circulated energy through the Small Intestine Meridian of the Hand-Taiyang in her right arm, and the Lung Meridian of the Hand-Taiyin in her left.

But when she'd simply taught Ling Yunpo the same method, he hadn't been able to learn it at all.

Now it seemed that because everyone's constitution was different, the energy-circulation route that suited them was different too.

"Dividing your focus to wield two swords at once is just the most basic of basics!" Lin Duanshan said coldly. "The important thing is to blend it into actual combat and use it with practiced ease!"

"First, tell me: what sword techniques have you learned since joining the sect?"

"Of course, the Shushan Sword Control Art and our sect's Seven Kill Sword Technique!" Ling Yunpo answered at once.

"Only Shushan sword techniques?" Lin Duanshan said coldly. "We sword cultivators use the sword to break magic. There are ten thousand kinds of magic, so how can you break them all if you know only one sword technique?"

His face was full of scorn, and his eyes brimmed with the frustration of a teacher who'd given up on a hopeless student.

"Those of us in the Seven Kill Sword lineage are known for controlling two swords with entirely different styles. But you only know Shushan sword techniques. What, are you going to use Shushan swordsmanship with your left sword and Shushan swordsmanship with your right? You might as well tie the two swords together!"

"With skill like that, you're sullying Senior Sister An's reputation. From now on, don't go around calling yourself her junior brother!"

"Lin Duanshan!" An Zhisu's brows shot up, and she snapped, "How my Green Snail Peak trains its disciples is none of King Kong Peak's business! Junior Brother Ling called you Senior Brother, and now you think you're one of us?"

"Yes, Senior Sister An," Lin Duanshan replied hurriedly with a conciliatory smile. Then he turned and glared at Ling Yunpo. "I'll start by using the Huashan Sword Technique against you. Watch my sword movements carefully!"

The Shushan storyline had officially begun!