When it came to admiring beautiful women, even swordsmanship experts weren't immune to the habit, much less when there were two beauties. The effect was definitely greater than one plus one.
Swordsmanship training refined the spirit, but that refinement absolutely did not mean turning yourself into a stone.
When ordinary people admired beautiful women, their minds would run wild and all sorts of delusions would spring up. Those who had achieved something in their cultivation, on the other hand, simply appreciated what they saw.
Compared to "beauty," it was "fate" that could truly stir the hearts of powerful cultivators.
The only thing that could ever truly move the heart was another heart, never "beauty."
Thus, the teachers present watched with calm composure, one after another. The students, however, mostly lacked the discipline to keep their minds steady.
They didn't fall prey to too many wild thoughts, but their hearts were still unsettled.
Even Zhao Cheng, had his swordsmanship not reached lv8 and improved his state of mind considerably, might not have been able to remain calm. As it was, a ripple stirred within him.
Zhao Cheng didn't resist it, nor did he think there was anything wrong with it. He simply faced his own "weakness."
Only by facing it could he correct it, and only then could he surpass it.
With very few exceptions, most strong people had gone through this.
There was no need to fear being temporarily weak; cultivation was meant to change that. What mattered was not refusing to face yourself and being trapped all day in conflicted, tangled emotions, unable to break free.
Only by accepting your own weakness could you become strong!
As for this kind of principle, Zhao Cheng wasn't sure he could put it into words, but he naturally acted on it.
"Pretty, aren't they?"
Wu Nian smiled and patted Zhao Cheng on the shoulder.
"Even your teacher thinks they're pretty!"
Wu Nian didn't explain the principle. He simply taught by example.
Even a person like your teacher thought they were beautiful, so why would it be wrong for your heart to stir?!
When it came to cultivation, many people had a misconception: they believed they should remain unmoved no matter what they faced.
That idea wasn't wrong, but the mistake lay in thinking that people at their level could achieve such a state.
Trying to force it would only lead them astray.
"Alright, young men, come back to your senses. You'll never run out of beautiful women to admire!" Wu Nian said with a laugh, giving each of his students a tap.
The two women walking over together were Zhao Yue and Li Qingmeng.
Li Qingmeng was Zhao Yue's student, but seeing the two of them arrive together made it clear their relationship had gone beyond that of an ordinary teacher and student.
There were rumors around Qingyuan that they were related, but they were nothing more than speculation, with no evidence to back them up.
Li Qingmeng wore the school's standard training uniform, without a single fancy accessory. Her glossy black hair fell to her waist, tied with nothing more than a red ribbon.
Though she was still young, she already embodied the saying that the lotus emerged fresh from clear water, needing no adornment.
As for Zhao Yue, she wore the standard training uniform for instructors. It was nearly as loose as the students' uniforms, but a few small differences in the details lent it a more dignified air.
Zhao Yue's lustrous black hair fell straight down like a clear stream, though she tied it with a black ribbon. She was already nearing forty, yet still looked no older than a girl of eighteen or nineteen.
Walking beside Li Qingmeng, the two looked like sisters. It was impossible to tell that they were nearly twenty years apart in age; only the occasional hint of mature charm gave away the difference.
This was partly because the other woman had extended her life and therefore aged slowly, and partly because she took good care of herself, sparing no effort or expense.
It was said that once swordsmanship reached a certain realm, one could lock away the passage of life. Even at a hundred, one wouldn't age a bit. Some could even return to youth and reclaim another sixty years.
Of course, such a realm and such people were as legendary as the notion of returning to youth itself.
In Yanhuang's long history spanning thousands of years, there had been few such Sword Immortals.
"Teacher Zhao, you're looking well. I swear, you just keep getting younger."
A teacher went over to chat with her.
Zhao Yue replied courteously, without any hint of distance.
People always had the mistaken impression that beautiful women had to be aloof, but in truth, what seemed like aloofness was usually just unfamiliarity.
Zhao Yue greeted people as she made her way over, showing that she had quite a few friends.
Being beautiful might make people look twice, but good relationships depended on one's character.
No matter how beautiful someone was, if she had a foul temper, the people around her would naturally grow distant over time.
Zhao Cheng watched silently, while mentally sketching out the personalities of the people around him.
You could tell a lot about a person's character from the little details. It might not be completely accurate, but it was enough to get the general idea.
After all, some people were bound to be remarkably good at acting.
But most people didn't have that kind of cunning.
Take Teacher Wu Nian in front of Zhao Cheng, for example. In ancient times, he would have been the chivalrous type, and he also loved to teach others.
Of course, not everyone wanted to be that sort of person, but one thing was certain: no one would dislike being friends with someone like him.
A little while later, everyone had finally arrived. Just then, a bald, middle-aged man walked to the center and clapped his hands loudly, drawing everyone's attention.
He was somewhat heavyset, but it didn't make him look unattractive. If anything, it gave him a kind and benevolent appearance, like a Maitreya Buddha, inspiring goodwill at first sight.
Clapping his hands, he said, "Alright, everyone's here. But before today's Sword Trial begins, I have something to announce."
"I'm sure you've all noticed that we have a new face here."
"You guessed right. He's Teacher Wu Nian's new student, Zhao Cheng, a second-year student."
"Now, let's have Zhao Cheng come up and introduce himself. Give him a warm welcome!"
His voice rang out with force, carrying an impressive presence without sounding imposing. Instead, it was very approachable.
His name was Shi Tianyi. He was said to be over sixty. In his youth, he had been quite renowned, but later, he suddenly abandoned the sword.
He no longer taught swordsmanship or took on students. A few years ago, at the principal's invitation, he became the director of Qingyuan Sword Class.
To Qingyuan's students, Director Shi was shrouded in mystery. Some said he had gained the sword and then forgotten it, that he was breaking through after reaching rock bottom and was about to enter a whole new realm of swordsmanship.
Others said he had suffered a crisis of the heart and been ruined, which was why he was like this.
In short, rumors abounded.
There were all sorts of claims about his swordsmanship, too. Some said he was only a Swordsman, while others said he was actually a Sword Master, a hidden expert.
In short, no one had reached a definitive conclusion.
But one thing was certain: his authority at Qingyuan was immense. He could keep the teachers in line, and naturally had no trouble keeping the students in check either.