Qin Yu's Halberd Dance, Her Only Friend

"Mm."

Qian Renxue nodded with a smile.

"All right, get some rest." After that reminder, Qian Daoliu left.

Qian Renxue returned to her room and lay on the bed, staring at the ceiling as she replayed her earlier "clash" with Qin Yu.

She had never met a boy quite like him before.

Although Qin Yu was much younger than she was, there was much about him she admired. She even felt they were kindred spirits.

"Qin Yu... I refuse to believe I can't win you over."

Qian Renxue raised her right hand and spread her fingers, then quickly curled them into a fist, as though declaring that everything was within her grasp.

Then she turned onto her side and muttered, "He is good-looking, though. But after I beat him up, he looked awful. Like a pig..."

Perhaps Qian Renxue herself hadn't noticed that her smile never faded while she thought about all this.

Thinking of Qin Yu and murmuring his name, she gradually grew drowsy and drifted off to sleep.

On the other side of the courtyard, Qin Yu was also "thinking" about Qian Renxue. "Qian Renxue, if I don't beat you until your face looks like a pig's one day, I'm not human."

Things had gone smoothly for him for so long. This was the first time he had come off worse.

Without a doubt, Qian Renxue had given him a first experience he would never forget.

The next morning, Qin Yu rose early.

The bruising on his face had completely vanished, leaving him as handsome as ever.

After washing up and eating breakfast, he went to the courtyard to train.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

In the open space, Qin Yu wielded a great halberd shaped like a Fangtian painted halberd. Each swing sent a heavy rush through the air.

Its weight was obvious from the sound.

Qin Yu had also had this halberd custom-made for himself.

He had commissioned it and practiced halberd techniques to prepare for the day he would wield the Heavenly Saint Rift-Splitting Halberd.

"Why did you choose to train with a halberd?"

A familiar voice suddenly came from behind him.

Qin Yu's swings gradually slowed, but he didn't turn to look. "I just like it."

"You have unusual taste in weapons."

Qian Renxue chuckled. Sitting on a tree branch with her cheek resting on one hand and her elbow propped on her knee, she quietly watched Qin Yu practice below.

His halberd technique seemed to lack depth at first glance, but that was far from true. It had a distinctive beauty that held the eye.

It was rare to see anyone handle a halberd with such grace.

"He looks pretty good," Qian Renxue murmured.

There was a crisp, effortless flair to the way Qin Yu wielded his halberd.

Even without noticing his face or bearing, that flair was captivating. It was hard to look away.

And Qin Yu was already a handsome young man. Paired with his clean, decisive technique, he looked all the more dashing.

As she watched, Qian Renxue found her mind wandering.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—

Qin Yu's halberd cut through the air, stirring the currents around him. Fallen leaves swirled and danced, lending the scene an atmosphere all its own.

Chop, thrust, hook, peck, lift...

Qin Yu had mastered the halberd's basic moves. Every strike was clean and decisive, without a hint of needless flourish.

Time slipped by.

Qin Yu practiced for nearly two hours, and Qian Renxue watched for nearly two hours.

"Phew."

Qin Yu let out a long breath and casually planted the halberd into the ground at an angle. He picked up a towel nearby and wiped away his sweat as he looked at Qian Renxue. "Need something?"

"No."

Qian Renxue stood, stretched, and jumped down from the tree, landing in front of him with a faint smile. "Can't I come see you without a reason?"

"I was worried you'd come looking for trouble."

Qin Yu spoke plainly.

Qian Renxue's smile froze. Annoyance filled her face. "You're the one looking for trouble."

As expected, Qin Yu had plenty going for him. It was just his mouth that needed work.

"I've got enough to do. Why would I go looking for trouble?" Qin Yu draped the towel around his neck, walked over, and took several long gulps of water.

"Hmph."

Qian Renxue huffed and stepped up to him. After studying his face, she asked in surprise, "How did you dispel the power I left in your face?"

She had come because she was worried Qin Yu would be too proud to ask her to remove it, leaving a hidden problem behind.

She hadn't expected him to dispel it himself.

"I'd rather not say."

Qin Yu shook his head.

"Then... shall I beat you up again?" Qian Renxue asked with a sweet smile.

Qin Yu's mouth twitched sharply. Faced with that devilish smile, he chose a strategic retreat.

"The Purple Brilliant Heaven Destroying Dragon's power of destruction is strong enough to dispel the Six-Winged Angel's sacred power of light," Qin Yu said.

"I see."

Qian Renxue nodded in admiration. "As expected of a martial soul appearing for the first time in history. To think it possesses such terrifying destructive power."

"If it can dispel the Six-Winged Angel's sacred power, the Purple Brilliant Heaven Destroying Dragon martial soul shouldn't be inferior to a god-level martial soul."

"Even if it isn't god-level, it should be the finest martial soul below that level."

"Perhaps." Qin Yu changed the subject. "You haven't finished your undercover mission, so you probably can't stay long, can you?"

"What? You can't bear to see me go already?"

After teasing him, Qian Renxue smiled meaningfully. "If you really can't, you could come with me."

Qin Yu understood what she was getting at and shook his head at once. "No."

"You're no fun." Qian Renxue pursed her lips. After a moment's thought, she continued, "I can stay for a little over half a month this time."

"So what are your plans?"

"What else? I'll relax at Spirit Hall for a while and sort through my plans for what comes next."

"Sounds good. People are like bowstrings. Pull them too tight, and sooner or later they snap."

They chatted off and on like friends.

Although they had had a little "friction" the night before, Qin Yu wasn't about to avoid Qian Renxue over it. At most, he would remember it and settle the score someday.

Talking with Qin Yu also gave Qian Renxue a rare sense of ease. She didn't have to watch every word as she did in the palace.

Seeing that it was about time, Qin Yu stood and smiled. "Make yourself at home. You can walk around the courtyard, but stay out of my room."

With that, he made to leave.

"Where are you going?"

Qian Renxue stood too, the question slipping out before she thought.

"To eat, train, and get strong enough to settle the score with you as soon as possible." Qin Yu waved, leaving her with a carefree view of his back.

"...Then you'd better work hard."

Qian Renxue answered with a smile, but a trace of disappointment crossed her eyes.

When she said she "didn't have many friends," she really meant she had none. Qin Yu was the only friend she had made so far.

Deep down, she wanted to talk with him a little longer.

But Qin Yu had things to do as well.

Watching him walk farther away, Qian Renxue called out without thinking, "Qin Yu, can I come by often while I'm here?"

The moment she asked, she regretted it a little.

After all, the question must have seemed rather out of the blue to Qin Yu.