"Sis Yue, you seem a little absent-minded."
"What exactly did Director Shi and the others say to make you look so lost?"
On the other side, Li Qingmeng noticed that something was off with Zhao Yue.
From what she knew of this "big sister," Zhao Yue's willpower was undeniably strong. After all, she was a Swordsman. She might not be able to keep a straight face while Mount Tai collapsed in front of her, but ordinary things could never shake her composure.
Hearing this, Zhao Yue saw the curiosity and faint concern in Li Qingmeng's expression. She fell silent for a moment, then said, "Even if I don't tell you now, you'll find out sooner or later."
"That new student is a natural-born Sword Ghost too."
"Those born with the fate of a Sword Ghost rarely meet a good end."
"Actually, I know there are plenty of natural-born Sword Ghosts in the world. They aren't rare. It's just that this particular scene reminded me of some hazy memories."
Hearing this, Li Qingmeng looked toward where Zhao Cheng was standing. From her position, she could see only part of his profile and his back.
"Sis Yue, don't overthink it. He really doesn't look like him at all."
Li Qingmeng held her hand and gently comforted her.
She had no similar scene in her own memories, so there was nothing to stir old feelings. She had only remembered him and his name because of this unusual coincidence. That was all.
That was why she could see things more clearly as an outsider, and understood what was troubling her big sister.
"True!"
"Looks like I really am getting old. They say the older you get, the more likely you are to be swept up in old memories and sigh over the passing seasons."
Zhao Yue was a Swordsman, after all, and her will was strong. She quickly composed herself and said with a smile.
"Sis Yue, you're not old at all..."
Zhao Cheng, who was watching the action, only faintly sensed that gazes often fell on him. He didn't think much of it.
He assumed everyone was simply paying a little extra attention to the new students.
You watch the scenery from the bridge, while those watching the scenery watch you. As Zhao Cheng watched the action, he himself was also part of the "show."
At that moment, Wu Nian came over and said to Zhao Cheng, "I just went to sound out Director Shi. He thinks highly of you and says you've got great potential."
"Also, the strong all crave battle. So as your swordsmanship deepens, when you feel the urge to fight, don't think there's something wrong with you mentally. It's normal. Some people have a strong battle lust, others a weak one. Having a strong battle lust is a good thing."
"Of course, you can't break the law. You can't just decide you want to fight and pick someone at random to beat up. That's assault and public disorder."
"Some youngsters learn a few sword techniques and start thinking they're impressive, better than everyone else, and suddenly full of courage. Then they go looking for trouble. That's no good."
"I once had a friend surnamed Wang who did exactly that. He learned a few sword techniques and went straight out and beat up a bunch of gangsters. Luckily, the police chief who arrested him was decent. He saw that Wang was young and still a student, so he didn't put anything on his record and pinned all the blame on the gangsters. Otherwise, the road ahead would've been rough."
"Though he was a lawless sort, too. He's gone overseas to make a name for himself now, and I hear he's doing all right."
"But that's not the point. What I'm saying is, don't get into fights that bring you nothing."
Wu Nian went on and on in Zhao Cheng's ear.
It was the first time Zhao Cheng had realized that the instructor who'd taught him for so many years could be such a chatterbox.
Of course, he knew Wu Nian was going on about all this for his own good.
If he hadn't lived through another life, then at sixteen or seventeen, suddenly awakening part of his innate craving for battle would likely have left him at the mercy of his emotions.
He might seem mature, but he was still young.
By now, Zhao Cheng had also guessed that Director Shi had probably noticed the battle lust in his heart.
Unless his spiritual realm reached a state of subtle, profound mastery, it would be difficult to hide.
The battle lust lay deep within him, like the word "invincible" written across someone's face. To certain people, it was still obvious.
Wu Nian naturally had no idea that Zhao Cheng got beaten up every day in simulations. He'd had more than enough fights, and the feelings had already found an outlet. There was no chance he'd go looking for attention or cause trouble.
That difference in information was why Wu Nian had gone on at such length.
His concern was the very picture of a teacher's virtue.
So Zhao Cheng listened to every word without feeling annoyed.
At certain ages, people treat those who care about them like "enemies." Zhao Cheng had clearly long since outgrown that stage, and knew who truly had his best interests at heart.
After a while, Wu Nian changed the subject and began pointing things out in the arena. "Look at the one on the left. His defense seems watertight, but the tighter he makes it, the more openings he actually leaves."
"Swordsmanship was created for offense. If you defend for too long, you're bound to slip up."
"The key to real combat is actually simple. Once you overcome the fear in your instincts and stop trying to protect yourself completely, you've taken the first step."
"Of course, it's easier said than done. Fear is hard to overcome."
"Then there are tactics."
"And tactics differ from person to person, and opponent to opponent, so there's no fixed formula."
"But one thing matters: make full use of your strengths, refine your own style, and try to draw your opponent into your style and rhythm. That way, you've already won half the battle."
"You need to think this stuff through for yourself before anyone can offer advice. You have to develop something first, then you can refine it. Even the best teacher can't conjure it out of thin air for you."
Zhao Cheng listened quietly. As he compared Wu Nian's words with his own experiences and insights, every sentence struck him as true.
That was exactly how it had gone in the dungeon. At first, he'd been hesitant when facing the Fist Art Master, and so he hadn't stood a chance. He'd been beaten back again and again because he didn't know how to fight for real.
He knew how to train, but not how to fight.
Later, after he'd crossed that mental hurdle, his swordsmanship talent underwent a transformation and he reached enlightenment. Only then had he defeated his opponent.
Before overcoming that mental barrier, he'd been Zhang Wuji with his Nine Yang mastery—possessing the power, but unable to use it. After crossing the barrier, he could bring out a little of it, but still couldn't unleash it all.
It wasn't until he reached enlightenment and awakened the Battle Blood trait that everything changed. In that instant, it was as if Zhang Wuji, after mastering Nine Yang, had learned the Heaven and Earth Great Shift and unleashed the full power of his twelve layers.
The first step in real combat was to overcome instinct. That one sentence had already captured the very essence of fighting.
As far as Zhao Cheng knew, the first thing boxers in his previous life did was take punches. Aside from building their ability to withstand blows, the most important part was overcoming their body's instinctive fear of fists.
An ordinary person would see a fist flying toward them, instinctively squeeze their eyes shut, then get hit without being able to fight back. A skilled boxer, on the other hand, wouldn't close their eyes. They'd instinctively use the sturdy parts of their body to take the punch and look for a chance to strike back.