Have a Fight

The second day after Yun Jingheng woke up, the sunlight was excellent.

He stood by the Sea God Lake, stretching his limbs.

Having not cultivated for a month, his joints felt a bit rusty, creaking and popping as he moved.

Inside his sea of consciousness, Xiao Jiu lay down.

"How do you plan to train?"

Yun Jingheng thought for a moment.

"Let's warm up first."

He had just raised his hand, the Moonlight Sword not yet materialized, when he saw someone.

Ye Xinglan.

She stood ten meters away, her golden hair shimmering faintly in the sunlight, a pair of blue eyes fixed on him with an expression different from usual.

It wasn't that arrogant "I'm here to challenge you" look.

Nor was it that stubborn "I refuse to accept this" defiance.

She simply looked at him, silent, watching for a long time.

Yun Jingheng lowered his hand.

"Why are you here?"

Ye Xinglan did not answer.

She walked over, stopped in front of him, and remained silent for another moment.

"Fight me."

Yun Jingheng looked at her.

"Are you sure?"

Ye Xinglan nodded.

Yun Jingheng asked no more, the Moonlight Sword coalescing in his hand.

Ye Xinglan also gripped the Star God Sword tightly.

The two stared at each other for a second.

Then, Ye Xinglan moved.

She was faster than any time before.

The sword light was fierce, the sword intent rampant, one strike after another, giving him absolutely no chance to breathe.

Yun Jingheng swung his sword to parry, his figure dodging and weaving.

He quickly realized something was wrong.

It wasn't that Ye Xinglan had become stronger... well, she had indeed become stronger, but that wasn't the point.

The point was her fighting style.

Every time she had come before, every strike carried the intent of "I want to win."

The angle of her strikes, the distribution of force, the changes in rhythm—everything was aimed at finding openings and securing victory.

But today was clearly different.

Every strike now was an outlet for frustration.

She hacked ruthlessly and charged fiercely, not caring about defense, nor caring if she left herself exposed.

Yun Jingheng frowned.

He parried a strike and took two steps back.

"Are you alright?"

Ye Xinglan did not answer, thrusting her sword forward again.

Yun Jingheng sidestepped, casually unleashing a Crescent Slash.

The moon blade grazed her shoulder, leaving a faint mark.

But he did not follow up.

He simply watched her, continuing to defend.

One strike.

Two strikes.

Three strikes.

Ye Xinglan's offensive grew increasingly fierce, but her openings became more numerous.

It wasn't that she didn't know; she simply didn't care.

Yun Jingheng seemed to understand.

She was not here to win.

She was only here to hit him.

To hit him until she could no longer move.

He sighed.

His second soul ring lit up.

A silvery-white radiance spread from beneath his feet, instantly enveloping the surrounding ten meters.

Ye Xinglan felt her body lighten, and she slid uncontrollably toward Yun Jingheng.

She did not struggle.

She simply followed that pull, thrusting her sword toward Yun Jingheng.

Yun Jingheng turned his body to the side, the tip of the blade grazing past his clothes.

He raised his hand and pressed the sword against her neck.

The battle was over.

Ye Xinglan stood where she was, staring at the sword pressed against her throat, not moving.

She did not speak, either.

Yun Jingheng withdrew his sword.

"Are you done fighting?"

Ye Xinglan was silent for a moment.

Then, she suddenly sat down on the ground.

Yun Jingheng was stunned, looking down at her.

Ye Xinglan kept her head low, her golden hair falling forward to veil her face.

"That day," she began, her voice muffled, "I didn't manage to do anything at all."

Yun Jingheng did not speak.

Ye Xinglan continued.

"Even when you were in the greatest danger, I couldn't face the enemy alongside you..."

"That was the Spirit Ascension Platform; death inside is fake."

"But what if we face a situation like that in the future?"

She suddenly looked up, the corners of her eyes slightly red.

Yun Jingheng looked at her, silent for a few seconds.

Then, he sat down beside her.

"So you came to beat me up?"

Ye Xinglan was taken aback.

Yun Jingheng looked out at the lake, his tone indifferent.

"Will beating me up make you stronger?"

Ye Xinglan did not speak.

Yun Jingheng continued.

"Regarding that matter at the Spirit Ascension Platform, I was in a coma for two days. After I woke up, my father said I couldn't cultivate or practice swordplay for a month."

He turned his head to look at Ye Xinglan.

"Do you know what I did during that month?"

Ye Xinglan shook her head.

"Studying Soul Tools."

Yun Jingheng said, "I dismantled a pile of scrapped cores, assembled a bunch of useless circuits, and drew a stack of blueprints I couldn't even understand."

Ye Xinglan was stunned.

"Why would you study that?"

Yun Jingheng thought for a moment.

"Because I couldn't cultivate, I had to do something."

He paused.

"But after a month, I will return to practicing the sword."

He looked at Ye Xinglan.

"You will too."

Ye Xinglan did not speak.

Yun Jingheng withdrew his gaze and looked out at the lake.

"I remember what happened that day."

His voice was very calm.

"When you were swatted away, I saw you."

Ye Xinglan's hands tightened slightly.

Yun Jingheng continued.

"At that moment, my mind was blank. I just felt... that there was one less person again."

Ye Xinglan looked at him.

Yun Jingheng's profile was serene, so serene that he did not look like a nine-year-old child.

"After that, the bear died, and I lost consciousness."

"When I woke up, my mother was by my side, my father was by my side, and everything was fine."

He paused.

"But if that had been real, all of you would have been gone."

Ye Xinglan remained silent for a long time.

Then, she spoke.

"That is why I must become stronger."

Her voice was soft, but firm.

"Not to defeat you, but so that the next time we encounter such a situation, I can stand by your side."

Yun Jingheng turned his head to look at her.

The corners of Ye Xinglan's eyes were still red, but something was burning within those blue eyes.

"When you pushed me away, I couldn't do anything. I never want to experience that feeling a second time."

She looked at Yun Jingheng.

"Do you understand?"

Yun Jingheng looked at her for a few seconds.

Then, he nodded.

"I understand."

Ye Xinglan was taken aback.

"You understand?"

Yun Jingheng nodded.

"When someone blocked a blow for me, I couldn't do anything either."

He paused.

"I know that feeling."

Ye Xinglan looked at him, suddenly not knowing what to say.

The two sat in silence for a while.

Then, Ye Xinglan stood up.

"I'm going back to train, then."

Yun Jingheng stood up as well.

"Alright."

Ye Xinglan took two steps, then looked back.

"Yun Jingheng."

"Hm?"

"Next time, we do it together."

Yun Jingheng looked at her.

Sunlight fell upon her face, and there was a glimmer of light in those blue eyes.

He nodded.

"Sure."

Ye Xinglan smiled.

It wasn't the smile of "I won," but the smile of "it's a promise."

She turned and walked away, not looking back to ask for a bun this time.

Yun Jingheng stood where he was, watching her figure disappear into the woods.

Inside the sea of consciousness, Xiao Jiu blinked its eyes.

"This girl," it said, "is definitely going to be a ruthless one in the future."

Yun Jingheng did not speak.

He turned around and looked at the surface of the lake.

The Moonlight Sword condensed in his hand.

Under the sunlight, the blade shimmered with a faint silver glow.

He took a deep breath and began to practice his swordsmanship.

One strike.

Two strikes.

Three strikes.

His movements were a bit rustier than they had been a month ago, but he was quickly regaining his feel for it.

Sword energy swept across the lake, leaving behind ripples one after another.

In the distance, Ye Xinglan walked along the path, her footsteps much lighter.

She recalled what Yun Jingheng had said just moments ago.

"When someone blocks a blow for me, I, too, am unable to do anything."

She did not know who that person was.

But she knew that person was just like her.

Both of them wanted to stand by his side.

She gripped her sword tightly and quickened her pace.

Before the window of the Sea God Pavilion, Ya Li stood still and gazed out.

The figure by the lake was practicing his swordsmanship, the sword light flowing like water in the twilight.

Yun Ming walked to her side, his gaze also falling in that direction.

"That girl came again?"

Ya Li nodded.

"She was here. They fought a battle, sat and chatted for a while, and then she left."

Yun Ming watched the figure swinging the sword and remained silent for a moment.

"That child doesn't have many friends."

"Relationships like friendship," Ya Li said, the corners of her lips lifting slightly, "are about quality, not quantity."

Yun Ming did not respond.

He watched his son by the lake, whose sword momentum was continuous, just like the tone of his voice earlier—calm, clear, and without a ripple of emotion.

"When he said those words just now," Yun Ming said slowly, "he was very calm."

Ya Li was slightly startled.

"You heard it?"

Yun Ming nodded.

Ya Li was silent for a breath, then raised her eyes to look at him.

"And so what?"

Her voice was very soft, yet like a bell in the twilight, it landed steadily.

"Brother Ming, he is our son."

Yun Ming looked at her.

The twilight spread a layer of gentle light in her eyes.

He suddenly smiled.

"Mm."

He looked back out the window.

The sword light by the lake was still flowing, and this time, what he saw was not just calmness.