"One thing... Miss Ming, you just said to lean toward spiritual insight. Why study White Deer Palace, then? Doesn't that lean more toward technique? Don't they perfect technique before reaching intent, heart, and Dao? White Bamboo Pavilion probably doesn't have sword techniques that formidable."
"It needn't be that lofty. I meant spiritual insight into 'technique' itself."
"...Oh."
By now, the whole garden had grown rather quiet, and many people's eyes and ears still followed this Glaze Sword Master. Listening from a distance to the words reaching her, Li Piaoqing gradually lowered her face.
So he'd already found a way to talk to her. Of course. A Sword Dao genius like him, meeting the Bright Sword Master...
But that's perfectly normal. I'd really want to talk to the Bright Sword Master too, and if I did, I'd certainly be terribly nervous. Still, you're so clumsy at conversation, Pei Ye. The Bright Sword Master doesn't look particularly willing to talk to you, either.
Seeing the boy she loved so nervous and awkward before another woman did leave the girl feeling sour and low, but this was normal, after all. And the Bright Sword Master couldn't possibly...
Then she heard the boy suddenly ask, a little apprehensively, "Miss Ming, um... have you finished engraving it?"
Li Piaoqing froze.
She saw Ming Qitian nod and hand the boy a tiny strip of copper.
Why were they exchanging things, too?
The girl discovered that she seemed to have misread their relationship somewhat. She watched in bewilderment, and the next scene suddenly made what she saw feel unreal, her heart sinking deep.
Before her, Pei Ye was happily turning the copper strip over in his hands, examining it carefully, while the woman took a small booklet from inside her robes and held out Heart-Slaying Glaze to