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Song Zhizhi choked for a moment. She took a sip of the water Xie Xiuji handed her before recovering. She glanced at Xie Xiuji, then at the fragrant pan-fried dumplings before her. Stuffing one into her mouth, her tone softened considerably. "Why are you telling me all this? I'm not angry. Do whatever you want. There's no need to report everything to me."

Actually, Song Zhizhi was not usually this sensitive. She had once left Xie Xiuji without saying goodbye herself. She was not so hypocritical as to think she could do it while Xie Xiuji could not. His disappearing without a word for three days had not affected her life, so there was no reason for her to be angry.

It was only because she was pregnant and the hormonal changes in her body sometimes made her feel angry, sensitive, and wronged for no reason at all. This was Song Zhizhi's first pregnancy too, and she did not know how to handle these sudden shifts in emotion.

After breakfast, perhaps because delicious food could brighten one's mood, the gloom in Song Zhizhi's heart vanished without a trace. Watching Xie Xiuji pack away the food box, she rested her cheek in one hand and asked, "What am I learning today?"

Sword Venerable Mingxiao considered it, then said, "You are now at the Qi Refining Ninth Layer and not far from Foundation Establishment. Once you choose a suitable cultivation method and establish your foundation, I will teach you new sword techniques."

Song Zhizhi nodded. "All right, then what am I supposed to do these next few days?"

Sword Venerable Mingxiao took a neatly folded square of paper from his storage space. "For the next few days, elders at the Dao Lecture Peak will be teaching the essentials of Foundation Establishment. It has been too long since I established my foundation, and I have never taught disciples before. In this regard, I am not as experienced as the elders. You may attend these classes."

Song Zhizhi took the paper and unfolded it. Written on it in Xie Xiuji's vigorous, forceful handwriting was a detailed schedule of which elder's class she should attend each day.

Song Zhizhi could tell that this class schedule had not been scribbled down carelessly. He had considered her circumstances and pondered it thoroughly before deciding on it. He had put his heart into it.

Song Zhizhi put away the paper and said to Xie Xiuji, "Thank you."

A faint smile appeared in Sword Venerable Mingxiao's eyes. He said to Song Zhizhi, "An elder is teaching at Dao Lecture Peak today, but it is too far from Clear Snow Peak. You do not know how to ride a sword yet, so I will take you there on mine."

Song Zhizhi remembered that the first class listed on the paper was at the hour of the Snake today, which was nine in the morning. It was already eight o'clock, so time was indeed rather tight.

She nodded, then saw Xie Xiuji bring two fingers together and summon a narrow, snow-colored sword only two fingers wide. Its blade gleamed with cold light. Song Zhizhi suddenly felt a little worried. Could she really stand on such a narrow sword without falling? Even if she did not fall, would the blade cut her feet?

Just as she hesitated, a familiar crane cry sounded overhead.

"Chirp!" Princess, look at me, look at me! Are you going out? This crane can take you!

Song Zhizhi's eyes lit up. She said to Xie Xiuji, "The white crane can take me there, so I won't trouble you."

Sword Venerable Mingxiao's face darkened for an instant. He raised his eyes and swept a cool glance at the white crane flying in midair, his gaze sharp and chilling.

The white crane, just about to land, suddenly sensed a burst of killing intent. It looked down and met Sword Venerable Mingxiao's icy gaze.

Heavens! What a disaster! This is the end of this crane! Why is he here? With that look in his eyes, does he want to boil this crane alive?

"Chirp!" The white crane let out a terrified cry, flapped its wings, and flew away again.

Song Zhizhi:?

"Why did it fly away again?"

"Perhaps something urgent suddenly came up." Sword Venerable Mingxiao spoke blandly.

"That white crane still has the temperament of a child. Last time, it even threw the person on its back off. You cannot ride a sword, so riding it is unsafe. For the next few days, I should take you to Dao Lecture Peak."

Song Zhizhi let out a surprised "Ah" and believed him. Mainly because she felt Sword Venerable Mingxiao had no reason to deceive her over such a trivial matter. At once, she gave up the idea of riding the white crane to Dao Lecture Peak.

She carefully stepped onto Xie Xiuji's flying sword and clutched the clothes at his back. The sword was not long, and she was practically pressed against his back. "Fly slowly," she said softly. "I'm a little scared."

"Mm." Xie Xiuji nodded. He took Song Zhizhi's hand and placed it around his waist, saying seriously, "Hold me. Then you will not fall."

Song Zhizhi's hand rested against Xie Xiuji's firm, powerful waist and abdomen. She looked up at him, unable for a moment to tell whether he was doing it deliberately or was simply afraid she would fall.

Still, why was Xie Xiuji's waist so slim? He looked like a frail young master from a wealthy household. If she had not seen Xie Xiuji with his clothes off, she never would have imagined that abdominal muscles lay hidden beneath that delicate-looking exterior!

Song Zhizhi thought of some rather unhealthy scenes, and her face grew hot. Even after they arrived at Dao Lecture Peak and she stepped off the flying sword, the heat in her cheeks had not faded.

Sword Venerable Mingxiao stared at her face in confusion, a slight furrow between his brows. "Why is your face so red?"

Song Zhizhi said, "...The wind was too strong. I told you not to fly so fast. You even blew my hair all out of place."

Song Zhizhi adjusted her utterly unmussed hair and lied through her teeth.

Sword Venerable Mingxiao began to suspect that he had gone too long without riding a sword and had become rusty, forgetting to set up a protective formation while flying and allowing Song Zhizhi to be buffeted by the wind.

"Class is about to start, so I'm leaving first." Song Zhizhi successfully fooled Xie Xiuji and turned to head up Dao Lecture Peak.

Sword Venerable Mingxiao nodded. Like an old father seeing his child off to school, he quietly reminded Song Zhizhi, "Do not wander around when you are done. Wait for me to pick you up."

Song Zhizhi waved a hand to show that she understood.

The courses Song Zhizhi attended had been carefully selected and tailored for her by Sword Venerable Mingxiao. They were somewhat challenging for her, yet not so difficult that she could not understand them. At the very least, after one class, Song Zhizhi had gained a little something from it.

However, Song Zhizhi's appearance at Dao Lecture Peak drew some attention. Most of those who came to attend classes there were outer sect disciples without masters. Other inner sect disciples had experienced masters of their own to impart the Dao, teach them their arts, and resolve their doubts. Unlike Song Zhizhi, whose master had vanished somewhere the day after accepting her as a disciple, while Sword Venerable Mingxiao, her temporary senior brother, had little teaching experience.

Rankings

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Transmigration into a Book

Sweet Romance

Transmigration and Rebirth Romance

Tu Yanyan

Amnesia Trope