The Shy Wen Shihan

The next three days were remarkably peaceful.

Under Jiao Yu's arrangements, the three of them took no missions. While recovering from their injuries, they also embarked on the path of cultivation.

After obtaining the meteor hammer, Wen Shihan immediately began training with it. Every day, the sound of it whistling through the air could be heard from the small courtyard.

Fox Murong, meanwhile, went to the archery range during the day. In Jiao Yu's words, unless she shot five thousand arrows, she could forget about going back to rest.

So by the time she returned home each day, it was already deep into the night.

Wei Xuanfeng had it relatively easy. During the day, Jiao Yu would find time to come beat him up, while at night he meditated.

The advantages of Myriad Arts Insight gradually began to show themselves in him.

Although all three had cultivated inner force at roughly the same time, Wei Xuanfeng was the first to advance to the sixth level of the Martial Artist realm.

That evening, Fox Murong was absent.

Wen Shihan was swinging her meteor hammer in the front courtyard.

Because the meteor hammer covered such a wide range when swung, and because her accuracy was truly limited—

Wei Xuanfeng could only practice his saber in the back courtyard.

"Huff... I feel like I'm just one step away."

After completing a set of the Grand Ancestor Saber Technique, Wei Xuanfeng wiped the rank sweat from his forehead.

He could clearly sense that his saber technique was only a hair's breadth away from the Entering the Hall stage.

Of course, aside from his high comprehension, his rapid progress also had much to do with sparring against Jiao Yu.

From being kicked flying by Jiao Yu at the start, to now barely being able to hold out for three moves—

the suffering he had endured and the beatings he had taken were beyond words.

After casually throwing on a coat, Wei Xuanfeng headed toward the front courtyard.

"Wen Shihan, stop for a moment. I'm going to wash up," Wei Xuanfeng called to the girl in the yard. "I'm heading to the mess hall later. Want to come along?"

The meteor hammer in Wen Shihan's hand was like a butterfly, fluttering gracefully around the girl.

Startled by the sudden sound, she applied the wrong amount of force, and the butterfly immediately flew toward her forehead.

"Ah... that hurts..."

A large bump rose on Wen Shihan's smooth forehead at a visible speed. The girl, usually so strong, immediately had tears welling in her eyes...

"I... I'm sorry..."

Wei Xuanfeng felt both heartache and guilt...

The meteor hammer she used was a type of Zheng Clan Meteor Hammer.

A fist-sized Li Fire Pearl was riveted to one end of a fine steel chain, while the other end was riveted to a handle.

Hidden beneath the handle were spiral short spikes.

This design allowed its wielder to fight at range while also giving them the ability to kill in close combat.

But the price was extreme difficulty!

In just three days, Wen Shihan's body had already been bruised black and blue by the Li Fire Pearl.

"It's nothing!" Wen Shihan waved her hand.

"Wait there. I'll get some medicine to rub on it."

Wei Xuanfeng walked toward the house.

Fox Murong had always been hostile toward Wen Shihan, so Wei Xuanfeng had been the one applying medicine to her these past few days.

Perhaps because he had already seen it when he saved her before, Wen Shihan did not resist it.

Of course, only on her back...

"No need. Watch out!"

After warning him, Wen Shihan immediately swung the meteor hammer, then hurled it out.

Meteor Hammer Throwing Stance—White Snake Sticks Out Its Tongue!

Wei Xuanfeng's reaction was not slow. Hearing the whistle of the wind, he immediately bent down to dodge.

"Wen Shihan, what are you playing at?" Wei Xuanfeng merely assumed she was taking her anger out on him, and did not get angry.

"Boss Jiao said I was to spar with you."

With a beautiful Queen Mother Hook-Line retrieval technique, Wen Shihan steadily caught the Li Fire Pearl in her palm.

The Li Fire Pearl was a rare type of stone. It looked utterly ordinary, but once infused with inner force, it immediately heated up.

The stronger the inner force, the higher the temperature.

The higher the temperature, the greater the Meteor Hammer's killing power!

Of course, this was only a spar, so Wen Shihan would not channel internal energy into it.

"If you want to practice, use a saber! One hit from that damned hammer could kill someone!"

Wei Xuanfeng complained.

They said blades had no eyes, but that depended on who was wielding them.

As for a Meteor Hammer, forget using it against an enemy—even if Wei Xuanfeng merely swung it around a couple of times, he could beat himself half to death.

And Wen Shihan was such a stubborn fool. When she swung that Meteor Hammer, it howled through the air with the wind in its wake!

A spar...

Spar my ass!

"If you don't want to die, use your full strength!"

Wen Shihan did not care about any of that. For the past few days, she had kept asking Wei Xuanfeng to spar, and he had always brushed her off.

Now that she had finally caught him, she had to use him to test the results of these past few days!

Still, she was considerate enough not to start by swinging the hammer.

Instead, she used One Reed Crossing River and flashed straight in front of Wei Xuanfeng.

Then she launched a flying back kick, her black boot striking directly at his face.

"The loser buys the drinks!"

Wei Xuanfeng bent his arm to block.

"Fine!"

When that strike failed, Wen Shihan immediately drew her spiral dagger and closed in for hand-to-hand combat.

With a Dragon-Bracing Hand intercepting strike followed by a downward thrust, she forced Wei Xuanfeng to block with both hands.

Then Wen Shihan held the dagger in one hand and formed a claw with the other, relentlessly pressing her attack against Wei Xuanfeng.

The manual Jiao Yu had given her contained not only the Meteor Hammer technique, but also the Emei Dagger Technique and a set of Dragon Claw Hand techniques.

To train with the Meteor Hammer, Wen Shihan also wore a black leather glove on her left hand, called the Iron Hand Armor.

The surface of the Iron Hand Armor was layered with darksteel, with grappling hooks embedded in each finger.

The hooks were every bit as sharp as an Embroidered Spring Blade.

Caught off guard, Wei Xuanfeng did not even have time to draw his saber and could only meet her with the Black Dragon Grappling Hand.

Fortunately, Wen Shihan was petite, and her strength was far inferior to his.

Moreover, she knew this was only a spar, so she retracted the hooks on the Iron Hand Armor.

That was the only reason Wei Xuanfeng was not injured.

"Are you ever going to stop? Take this!"

The more Wei Xuanfeng fought, the more alarmed he became, terrified that he might be stabbed by the dagger if he slipped up even once.

Spotting an opening, he drove an Iron Mountain Lean straight into her chest.

As a soft, full sensation pressed against his shoulder, Wen Shihan flew several zhang away like a torn sack.

Taking advantage of the opening, Wei Xuanfeng finally drew his saber.

Before he could attack, the Li Fire Pearl came flying at his face again.

Wei Xuanfeng: ...

Was there any weapon more underhanded than the Zheng Clan Meteor Hammer?!

An inch shorter, an inch more dangerous.

An inch longer, an inch stronger.

Fuck, this thing had both!

How the fuck was he supposed to fight this?!

Breaking through the Li Fire Pearl, Wei Xuanfeng lunged at Wen Shihan.

Seeing him draw his saber, Wen Shihan no longer held back either, whirling the Meteor Hammer until it roared like a tiger in the wind.

Whenever Wei Xuanfeng tried to close in and grapple, the Li Fire Pearl forced him back...

"Fuck, are you spinning a top?!"

The longer Wei Xuanfeng fought, the angrier he became. At last, gritting his teeth, he decided he would endure a hit from the Li Fire Pearl if that was what it took to get within three feet of Wen Shihan.

Otherwise, she would wear him down until he died.

Seeing that he had abandoned defense, a flicker of panic flashed through Wen Shihan's eyes.

She knew all too well how powerful that hammer strike was. If it hit him, he would be bedridden for at least three months...

In her haste, she abruptly withdrew her strength.

But she had only been practicing for a short time, after all. She couldn't wield it as freely as she wished.

By then, Wei Xuanfeng had already closed in with his saber raised. Less than half a fist separated them.

The meteor hammer suddenly transformed into an immortal-binding rope, tightly tying their bodies together...

"Wen Shihan, what kind of martial art is this?!"

Wei Xuanfeng caught a whiff of fragrant perfume, followed by a warm, soft body in his arms.

Lowering his head, he saw Wen Shihan's delicate little face staring back at him in equal astonishment.

Their eyes met, and both of them blushed...

The meteor hammer's refined steel chain was a full three zhang and three chi long, winding around them dozens of times.

"I... I didn't control it properly... I'm sorry..." Wen Shihan's voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz.

"No need to apologize. Hurry up and untie us."

Feeling the softness of the girl's body, Wei Xuanfeng was gradually losing control of himself.

He could be a beast, but the problem was that he couldn't move right now.

If he let desire burn him any longer, wouldn't that be nothing but torturing himself?

"I... I can't move... Ah, ah, ah!"

Thud!

Before Wen Shihan could finish, the two of them lost their balance and fell straight down.

With Wen Shihan pressed atop him, Wei Xuanfeng saw stars.

"Wh... what do we do?"

For once, Wen Shihan's voice carried the helpless confusion of a little girl.

"Do you care about your dignity?" Wei Xuanfeng asked.

"What do you mean?"

"If you don't, then yell for help right now." Wei Xuanfeng smiled. "If you do, wait for Fox Murong to come back."

"I... I care about my dignity... What about you?"

"I do too..."

After that, neither said another word. Fortunately, Wen Shihan was petite, reaching only to Wei Xuanfeng's chest.

That spared them the awkwardness of being face-to-face...

"Whew, I'm exhausted. I shot so much today, my hands are about to cramp."

It was not until the moon hung over the treetops that Fox Murong's voice came from outside the courtyard.

"Old Wei, Shihan, are you resting? Want to go get something to eat together... Eh... what are you two..."

"Keep your damn voice down and untie us already!"

"Treat me to dinner!"

"No problem!"

The instant they were freed, Wei Xuanfeng felt as though the two great mountains pressing on his chest had finally been moved away!

Under Fox Murong's teasing gaze, Wen Shihan put away her meteor hammer and headed for her room without looking back.

But how could the blush on her face escape Fox Murong's fox eyes?

"Shihan, are you still coming to eat... Alright, looks like you're not..." Fox Murong leaned close to Wei Xuanfeng and couldn't resist teasing him. "Sister Shihan is still so young. How could you bring yourself to make a move on her?"

"Say one more word, and I'm not treating you." Wei Xuanfeng snapped.

"Got it. You didn't get her, so you won't let me talk about it." Fox Murong gave a wicked grin. "Alright, alright, let's eat. I'm starving to death. Oh, right—I have something huge to tell you..."