Growth and Urgency (Seeking Monthly Votes)

Ouyang Lan's eyes were red-rimmed as she carefully pried open the left hand of this unknown Senior Sister from Bright Moon Palace, separating her five fingers.

What greeted her eyes was half of a warm yellow jade pendant.

Its color was lustrous and warm, subtly translucent, showing its excellent quality.

On it was yin-carved a seal script character "Qing."

"It should be some kind of token..."

Ouyang Lan turned her head, her brow furrowed with confusion.

Half a jade pendant could represent many things, or it could mean nothing at all.

The two of them had too little information, and they didn't know what use this item actually had.

"Don't overthink it. When you see a Senior Sister from Bright Moon Palace later, return the item. For now, let her rest in peace."

Lu Wu-bing sighed.

He offered comfort.

A boy's growth could happen overnight.

A girl's growth could also happen in a single day.

That night, after practicing [Dripping Water Force], taking ginseng slices, and opening three more acupoints, Lu Wu-bing finally did not, as usual, practice his sword until dawn.

At some point, he was lying askew on the makeshift bed in the stronghold, sleeping soundly.

For days he had been pushing himself to train relentlessly, like a vengeful spirit, but he was human after all; some things were beyond human will...

After enduring several days and nights, he finally couldn't hold on.

Early morning.

When the bright red light from outside the window shone through and landed on his eyelids, Lu Wu-bing was startled and sat up abruptly.

His first instinct was to feel around him, his hand finding the sheathed longsword by his side.

Seeing the slightly soiled thin blanket that had slipped off his body, he almost didn't react.

"I slept so soundly all night, I don't even know when I was covered."

Mao Mao, sleeping soundly beside his pillow, half-opened its eyes, let out a soft "meow," stretched, and then closed its eyes again.

As if saying, it's still early, let me sleep a little longer.

This lazy cat.

Where was Senior Sister?

There was no need to search. Looking out the broken window, he saw a graceful figure in the empty clearing in front of the house, bathed in the early morning sun.

As sword light flashed, the figure leaped and dodged, with thin mist swirling around her.

He could see that Senior Sister Xiaolan's back was already damp, the imprint of her underclothes visible.

Her neck was wet, and fine hairs, illuminated by the sun, appeared slightly yellowish.

Her lips were pressed tightly together, her expression resolute, as if she were fighting an unknown, powerful enemy with every sword strike...

"How long has she been practicing this?"

Lu Wu-bing almost 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 sword.

Or rather, she hadn't slept all night.

Quietly watching Ouyang Lan's sword dance, Lu Wu-bing suddenly thought of that Senior Sister from Bright Moon Palace and vaguely understood something.

"Once you enter the martial world, time flies... worldly affairs surge like tides, and people are like water."

"Junior Brother, practice sword with me."

Perhaps it was unspoken understanding, or perhaps a person's eyes could betray their emotions, allowing others to sense their gaze.

Ouyang Lan stopped her sword light, turned her head, and a smile bloomed on her face as she called out.

It was as if her previous concentration had been an illusion.

"Okay."

Lu Wu-bing's eyes were dazzled by her smile, and he did not refuse the wonderful offer.

He grabbed the longsword by his pillow and leaped through the window.

He charged forward with two quick steps, thrusting his sword out like a rainbow of light.

He only practiced one sword, and he only knew one sword.

Even though he knew his sword path, Ouyang Lan still felt it was difficult to defend against and block, her eyes barely keeping up.

The sword light flashed and was already in front of her.

It let out a sharp, piercing whistle...

"Junior Brother is already like this just by using his proficient rapier."

No wonder his opponents always die in disbelief."

In an instant, Ouyang Lan swept her sword like clouds, and with a move of [Light Clouds Obscure the Moon], she narrowly blocked the incoming sword light, secretly breaking out in a cold sweat.

She saw the sword light flash, whistling from the left, and attacking again.

She no longer dared to think too much, and all the sword techniques she had learned and practiced came out like flowing water.

For a time, Ouyang Lan performed thirteen sword forms in a row, from [Clear Wind Flowing Clouds] to [Drunken Cosmos], then from [Three Rings Encircle the Moon] to [Calm Lake Rising Waves].

She retreated step by step, and only after thirteen steps did she manage to stabilize her stance.

Only then did she seize an opportunity to counterattack.

Her sword technique changed again, from [Thirteen Life-Snatching Swords] to [Yaoguang Sword].

Her three fingers were held empty, and her sword style became more agile and exquisite. The sword body swayed, and the blade turned into specks of starlight.

From three feints and one real move, to five feints and one real move, and then to nine feints, not a single move was fully utilized.

Clearly, they were all offensive moves.

As a result, the sword style remained within three feet of her body, and she could no longer extend it.

The whistling white rainbow became faster and more urgent.

Until it was silent.

Only the sword light flickered...

"Stop!"

Ouyang Lan quickly shouted.

Seeing her junior brother withdraw his sword, she said angrily, "Do you want to kill me? Why did you use your perfected sword style? But this sword is really fast."

As she spoke, she chuckled again.

She thought to herself, although her junior brother is handsome and refined, his straightforward personality greatly detracts from him. How could he go all out when practicing swordsmanship with his senior sister?

He would definitely not find a wife in the future.

When her senior brother practiced with her back then, it was like playing.

Thinking of her senior brother, Ouyang Lan's expression flickered. How long had it been since she thought of him?

Although her senior brother's sword was swift and exquisite, it never put such pressure on her. However, for some reason, she preferred practicing with her junior brother.

Being pushed to her limit and responding with her full attention, she clearly felt her swordsmanship improving.

Such sparring was effective.

After all, in a life-or-death situation, no one would hold back.

"It's because Senior Sister's swordsmanship is too strong! For a moment just now, I almost couldn't resist and unconsciously used my full strength,"

Lu Wu-bing said with a slight embarrassment.

Alright.

I was wrong.

With your silver tongue, you'll be able to find a wife.

Upon hearing this, Ouyang Lan's expression immediately turned from gloomy to sunny. She smiled with her eyes curved, and even the fine hairs on her face seemed to glow with color.

The so-called sparring between senior and junior disciples, if you say it's useless, then it's really not very useful.

After all, no one would fight for real.

It was just to practice proficiency.

To gain a little experience.

But if you say it's useful, it is also useful.

Senior Sister Xiaolan doesn't know, but for Lu Wu-bing, witnessing his senior sister's various counter-moves against enemies in the Celestial Star Swordplay gave him some enlightenment.

Swordsmanship is dead, but people are alive.

Everyone's understanding of sword moves is different, and when to choose which moves to use in combat involves many considerations.

"When I have a little more time, I must make up for all the sword forms I've fallen behind on,"

Lu Wu-bing thought to himself.

After destroying the stronghold yesterday, today they distributed money and grain, allowing the innocent villagers who were captured on the mountain to go down.

It was foreseeable that after the news of the "Heroic Couple" wiping out Chaoyang Stronghold spread, the enemies following closely behind would definitely receive the news.

Especially the Eastern Sea Sword Sect. With their style of doing things, they would not give up halfway.

They would surely catch up soon.

Lu Wu-bing even felt that Gu Dongting and his ilk would follow them all the way to the vicinity of Celestial Star Peak, waiting for an opportunity to strike.

Don't underestimate some people's patience and arrogance.

There have never been a shortage of people in this world who want to snatch chestnuts from the fire.

What's more, in the eyes of the Eastern Sea Sword Sect, his own family of three was essentially a soft persimmon.

And the powerful Celestial Star Sect couldn't possibly spend all day hovering around a newly initiated disciple.

There would always be opportunities...

This was precisely why Lu Wu-bing trained tirelessly, always feeling that he was too weak.

He understood better than many others the opponent's determination to seize the Yuanling Swordplay Manual.

It was truly because this swordplay manual was too formidable.

You could barely find a few martial artists in the entire Jianghu who could easily give it up.

"The time left for me is actually running out."

Lu Wu-bing knew it well.

Seeking monthly votes.