Soon, Yun Baojian clambered out again, his eyes shining.
"Again."
The Azure-Robed Man smiled.
"Come on."
Over the days that followed.
When the Azure-Robed Man was in a good mood, he taught him a couple of sword moves. When his mood was even better, he taught him a few more.
Every so often, he offered an exquisitely profound insight into swordsmanship. More often, he could not be bothered to speak and simply sent the youngster flying with a slash, letting him land in the water and think it through himself.
Every moment here offered a supreme opportunity to advance in the sword Dao, one rarely found anywhere in the world.
Yun Baojian silently decided that unless someone from the Azure Lotus Sword Sect came to drive him out, he would stay put in Myriad Lotus Heaven.
During that time, Yun Baojian asked about the White Jade Short Sword he had encountered earlier.
The Azure-Robed Man was amused.
"Oh my, it didn't take a fancy to you?"
He casually offered a few pointers. Yun Baojian's eyes lit up, and he turned to go find the White Jade Short Sword.
But the Azure-Robed Man caught him by the back of his collar.
"Come back. Receive this strike first."
Yun Baojian obediently returned.
Strangely enough, these two were nothing alike in temperament.
One was so indolent that wherever the wind blew him, he would lie down, a blade of grass between his lips all day long. When inspiration struck, he recited a couple of lines of poetry; when it faded, he leaned against a lotus leaf and slept.
The other wore an icy expression, and his daily activities could have earned him the names Yun Sword-Hugger, Yun Sword-Practicer, and Yun Sword-Polisher.
Yet the two got along exceptionally well.
Yun Baojian considered him a