Ouyang Lan's eyes were red-rimmed as she carefully pried open the five fingers of this unknown Bright Moon Palace senior sister's left hand.
What came into view was half of a warm yellow Jade Pendant.
Its color was soft and lustrous, faintly translucent; one could tell at a glance that it was of exceptional quality.
The seal-script character "Qing" was engraved into it.
"It should be some kind of token..."
Ouyang Lan turned to look at him, her brows filled with confusion.
Half a jade pendant could stand for many things, or it could mean nothing at all.
The two of them had obtained too little information and had no idea what use this item had.
"Don't think too much about it. If we meet any senior sisters from Bright Moon Palace in the future, we'll return it to them. For now, let her rest in the earth."
Lu Wu-bing let out a sigh.
He comforted her.
A boy could grow up overnight.
A girl could grow up in a single day as well.
That night, after practicing [Dripping Water Force], taking ginseng slices, and opening three more acupoints, Lu Wu-bing finally did not practice his sword until dawn as he usually did.
At some unknown hour, he had sprawled crookedly across the bed in the stronghold and fallen into a deep, sweet sleep.
For days on end, he had driven himself to train diligently as though a vicious ghost were demanding his life. But he was human, after all; some things did not bend to human will...
After staying awake for several days and nights, he finally could not hold on any longer.
Morning.
When crimson light streamed through the window and fell upon his eyelids, Lu Wu-bing's heart gave a start. He abruptly sat up.
The first thing he did was feel around beside him until his hand found his sheathed longsword.
Seeing the slightly grimy thin quilt that had slipped from his body, he nearly failed to react for a moment.
"I slept peacefully through the whole night just like that. I didn't even know when someone covered me with a quilt."
Mao Mao, who was sleeping soundly beside the pillow, half-opened its eyes, gave a soft "meow," stretched lazily, and shut its eyes again.
It seemed to be saying that it was still early, so let it sleep a little longer.
What a lazy cat.
Where was Senior Sister?
There was no need to search. Looking out through the broken window, he saw a slender figure in the open space before the house, bathed in the newly risen morning sun.
Sword light flickered as the figure leaped and shifted, thin mist swirling around her.
He could see that Senior Sister Xiaolan's back was already damp with sweat, the outline of her undershirt visible beneath her clothes.
Her neck was wet, and each fine strand of down caught the sunlight, appearing faintly golden.
Her lips were pressed tightly together, her expression resolute and stern, as though every thrust of her sword was aimed at some unknown mortal enemy...
"How long had she been practicing?"
Lu Wu-bing nearly thought the sun had risen in the west.
In his memory, Senior Sister Xiaolan had never been such a diligent person.
He had never seen her get up in the middle of the night to practice swordsmanship.
Or perhaps she had not slept at all.
Watching Ouyang Lan's sword dance in silence, Lu Wu-bing suddenly thought of that Bright Moon Palace senior sister and vaguely understood something.
Once one entered the martial world, the years drove one on... worldly matters surged like tides, and people drifted like water.
"Junior Brother, practice swordsmanship with me."
Perhaps their hearts were in tune, or perhaps one's eyes could betray emotions and let another sense the gaze upon them.
Ouyang Lan halted her sword light and turned toward him. A smile bloomed across her face as she called out.
It was as though her earlier complete concentration had been nothing but an illusion.
"Alright."
Lu Wu-bing's eyes blurred slightly at that smile, and he did not refuse such a wonderful suggestion.
He snatched up the longsword beside his pillow and shot through the window like a leaping fish.
After charging forward in two great strides, he thrust out a sword like a rainbow of light.
He practiced only one sword strike, and he knew only one sword strike.
Though she clearly knew his sword path, Ouyang Lan still found it difficult to defend against or block. It seemed as if even her eyes were not enough to keep up.
The sword light merely flashed once before arriving before her.
It let out a piercing shriek...
Junior Brother was only using a thrust at the Proficient Realm, yet it was already this fast.
No wonder every one of his opponents died in disbelief in the end.
In an instant, Ouyang Lan swept her sword like clouds. With [Light Clouds Obscure the Moon], she barely deflected the incoming sword light, secretly breaking into a cold sweat.
When she saw that flash of sword light howl in from the left and attack again,
she could no longer spare any thought for anything else. Every sword technique she had learned and practiced flowed forth like running water.
In a moment, Ouyang Lan unleashed thirteen sword forms in succession, from [Clear Wind Flowing Clouds] to [Drunken Cosmos], then from [Three Rings Encircle the Moon] to [Calm Lake Rising Waves].
Step by step, she retreated until she had taken thirteen consecutive steps back before barely steadying herself.
Only then did she seize an opportunity to counterattack.
Her swordsmanship changed again, shifting from [Thirteen Life-Snatching Swords] to the [Yaoguang Sword].
Her three fingers curled around empty air, making the sword forms even more nimble and exquisite. The sword body swayed, its blade turning into specks of starlight.
From three feints and one real strike, to five feints and one real strike, then to nine swords all being feints, not a single move was carried through to its end.
They were clearly all offensive moves.
Yet the sword forms remained within three feet of her body and could no longer extend outward.
That white rainbow of light, howling back and forth, grew faster and more urgent.
Until it became soundless.
Only flashing sword light remained...
"Stop!"
Ouyang Lan hurriedly cried out.
Seeing her junior brother withdraw his sword and retreat, she said irritably, "Are you trying to kill me? Who told you to use a fully mastered sword form? Still, this sword really is fast."
As she spoke, she suddenly burst out laughing.
She thought to herself that although her junior brother was handsome and refined, this blunt temperament of his was a tremendous deduction. Who went all out when practicing swordsmanship with their senior sister?
He would definitely never find a wife in the future.
When Eldest Senior Brother had practiced swordsmanship with her in the past, it had been like playing around.
Thinking of Eldest Senior Brother, Ouyang Lan's expression froze slightly. How long had it been since she had thought of him?
Although Eldest Senior Brother's sword was swift and exquisite, he had never given her such immense pressure. Yet for some reason, she would rather practice with her junior brother.
Forced to her limit and made to respond with utter concentration, she could clearly feel her swordsmanship improving.
This kind of sparring was what produced results.
After all, at the brink of life and death, no one would show mercy.
"Who told Senior Sister's swordsmanship to be so strong? Just now, there was a moment when I nearly couldn't hold it off, and before I knew it, I used all my strength."
Lu Wu-bing spoke with slight embarrassment.
Alright.
I was wrong about you.
With that silver tongue of yours, you'll be able to find a wife.
The moment Ouyang Lan heard this, her cloudy expression turned sunny. Her eyes curved into crescents as she smiled, and even the fine down on her face seemed to shine with color.
As for senior sister and junior brother practicing swordsmanship, to say it was useless would be true—it truly was not of much use.
After all, neither of them would fight for real.
It merely trained familiarity.
It added a tiny bit of experience.
Yet to say it was useful was also true.
Senior Sister Xiaolan might not have known it,
but Lu Wu-bing had gained some vague insights after witnessing the many variations Senior Sister used in the Celestial Star sword techniques against an opponent.
Sword techniques were dead; people were alive.
Everyone understood sword moves differently. When facing an enemy, what move to choose and when to use it held countless subtleties.
"Once I have a little more time, I must make up all the other sword forms I've fallen behind on."
Lu Wu-bing thought to himself.
After destroying the stronghold yesterday, they would distribute money and grain today, then send the innocent villagers who had been abducted to the mountain down the mountain.
It went without saying that once news spread that the "Heroic Couple" had wiped out Chaoyang Stronghold, those enemies closely following behind them would certainly receive the news.
Especially the Eastern Sea Sword Sect. Given their usual conduct, they could not possibly give up halfway.
They would soon catch up.
Lu Wu-bing even felt that Gu Dongting and the others would follow them all the way to the vicinity of Celestial Star Peak, waiting for an opportunity to scheme.
Never underestimate certain people's patience and arrogance.
There had never been any shortage in this world of people who wanted to fish chestnuts from the fire.
What was more, in the Eastern Sea Sword Sect's eyes, his family of three were merely soft persimmons to be squeezed.
And the powerful Celestial Star Sect could not possibly spend every day circling around a newly accepted disciple.
There would always be an opportunity...
This was precisely why Lu Wu-bing practiced without pause and always felt that he was too weak.
More than many others, he understood his opponents' determination to obtain the Yuanling Swordplay Manual.
This sword manual was simply too formidable.
Across the entire martial world, one could hardly find more than a few martial artists capable of easily giving it up.
"In truth, I don't have much time left."
Lu Wu-bing knew this clearly.
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