The sun sank toward the west, and the crimson sunset cast two shadows across the abandoned courtyard.
One stood straight as a spear; the other curved generously at bust and hips.
Holding Green Bamboo, Ye Jingtang stood in the courtyard and began with a flourish of his spear.
Crack-
A crisp, whip-like snap rang out.
Ye Jingtang had practiced sabers, spears, staffs, and cudgels since childhood, so he was well versed in flashy tricks like this. With his long, masculine limbs, he looked strikingly handsome performing them.
Pei Xiangjun nodded slightly. "Not bad. But these flourishes only fool wandering heroines. They're useless in a real fight."
Ye Jingtang did not reply. Entirely focused, he imitated Pei Xiangjun's movements, slowly spinning Green Bamboo as he stepped forward, then bringing the spear down in a cleaving strike, carefully probing the mysteries hidden within the technique.
Seeing that Ye Jingtang could remember the movements after watching them just once, Pei Xiangjun looked quite approving. Assuming the air of a master, she circled him and began explaining:
"You can copy the tiger after looking at the cat just once. What an excellent memory. In martial arts, the martial part is the techniques, while the cultivation is internal force... force..."
When her voice fell silent, Ye Jingtang inwardly shook his head and continued concentrating on the methods of circulating his energy hidden within the technique. Though he moved slowly, every attempt brought immediate, visible progress.
After only three repetitions, a breeze arose over the open ground, lifting the fallen leaves around him.
Whoosh~~ Whoosh~~
After five repetitions, a crosswind swept through the bamboo grove.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh-
Fallen leaves whirled like a tornado.
(⊙_⊙)
Good heavens...
What is this...
Pei Xiangjun froze where she stood, her red lips slightly parted and her almond-shaped eyes round with shock.
Ye Jingtang was accustomed to this. He spun Green Bamboo around himself, faster and faster. Once he felt he was ready, he abruptly pivoted and brought the spear crashing down with both hands.
Boom!
The ground shook violently. The dead leaves dancing in the wind instantly scattered, shooting toward the edges of the abandoned courtyard like a torrential downpour.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh-
The two nearest bamboo stalks gave a sharp crack. That single blow had actually split them with its shock wave!
Pei Xiangjun stood thirty feet away, yet the impact still made the soles of her feet tingle. The tremendous internal force behind that spear strike was easy to imagine.
Rustle, rustle, rustle...
Dead leaves drifted down from the sky like great goose-feather snowflakes.
Ye Jingtang drew Green Bamboo back and inspected it, only to find that he had smashed his "spear" into a bamboo brush. Looking slightly ashamed, he said:
"I think I used too much force. I'll try again."
Wielding a weapon required technique, not brute strength. Otherwise, even the finest spear could not withstand an all-out smash from one of the Eight Great Beauties. Breaking the bamboo pole was indeed a sign that he had applied his strength incorrectly.
But Pei Xiangjun had no intention whatsoever of scolding or correcting him.
The shock and bewilderment in Pei Xiangjun's eyes surpassed even Luo Ning's and Qiu Tianhe's. She blurted out:
"How did you..."
Halfway through, Pei Xiangjun remembered Ye Jingtang's prediction and forcibly swallowed the rest. Doing her best to preserve a master's composure, she asked:
"You grasped the basics in one attempt? Or did Second Brother teach you before?"
Ye Jingtang took the bamboo pole from Pei Xiangjun's hands and continued practicing in the courtyard.
"My foundation is solid, so I really do pick up the basics faster than most people. But that's all. I've been studying the saber techniques my adoptive father taught me until now, and I've only figured out two and a half moves. I still feel a little slow."
Pei Xiangjun blinked her almond-shaped eyes, unsure how to judge that. She had seen plenty of people whose talent reached the ceiling, but this was her first time seeing someone whose talent reached the heavenly palace.
No wonder such a beautiful heroine threw herself at him...
If it were me...
Pah...
As the female head of the Red Flower House, Pei Xiangjun had spent years feigning composure. The self-control she had cultivated forcibly suppressed her urge to gape, but she no longer knew what to say.
After practicing with Green Bamboo for a while, Ye Jingtang noticed that Third Madam remained silent and offered no assessment. He stopped again and asked in puzzlement:
"Third Madam?"
"Hmm?"
"What do you think?"
Afraid of losing her dignity as a teacher, Pei Xiangjun nodded unhurriedly.
"Hmm... You have good talent, but all you can do is follow the forms, and your control of force is still imprecise. You can't use it in an actual fight yet. Practice hard. When we visit the Righteous Gathering Tower and the Watercloud Sword Pool next month, it might come in handy."
Though her words were calm, Pei Xiangjun was so excited inside that she wanted to pick Ye Jingtang up and spin him around a few times.
They would soon visit the Zhou Family of the Watercloud Sword Pool. She had originally intended to adopt a humble stance and negotiate peace, but with Ye Jingtang's talent this outrageous, he could make his debut outright when the time came-first delivering a resounding slap to the Zhou Family's face, then showing all the martial artists present what the Red Flower House's true foundations looked like!
Never mind Zezhou's renowned martial elders; even the Moon Palace Goddess, whose husband ranked first among the Eight Great Beauties, would probably have her jaw drop...
Naturally, Ye Jingtang knew nothing of Pei Xiangjun's thoughts. Hearing her praise, he smiled and asked:
"How many moves does the Overlord Spear have?"
"Seven basic spear moves. Combined, they can produce endless variations. How much power they unleash depends on you."
"Yellow Dragon Reclining is one of the seven?"
"Yes."
Hearing there were only seven moves, Ye Jingtang smiled. "I thought it would be much more profound. Just teach me through them once, Third Madam. Why would learning this spear technique take a month? If you teach me seriously, even an hour should be more than enough."
?!
Pei Xiangjun blinked her almond-shaped eyes. She wanted to admonish him in a teacher's tone, telling him not to get carried away or reach beyond his grasp, but she really could not find a reason. She merely cautioned him:
"I can teach you. But remember: 'A month for the staff, a year for the saber, a lifetime for the spear.' Even the dullest person can learn the moves if their teacher diligently teaches them how to circulate their energy. But learning them is one thing, and knowing how to use them is another. Do you understand?"
Ye Jingtang naturally understood. A real fight was not chopping at wooden posts. The strength of a technique depended on the timing of the strike; proficiency, footwork, strategy, and everything else had to work together flawlessly before one could claim to know how to use a martial art.
"I understand. I'll study diligently and practice hard, so I can wield it as naturally as my own hands as soon as possible."
Pei Xiangjun truly had not expected Ye Jingtang's talent to reach such heights, and her thoughts were somewhat tangled. Just as she was about to take her stance, she reminded him:
"Oh, right. The Pei Family has put down roots in the Capital City. If the court learns our identities, we'll certainly have to hand over a detailed account of our assets and submit to its control. They might even impose heavy taxes and slaughter us like fat sheep. The Overlord Spear is too famous. Unless your identity is concealed, don't rashly use it against an enemy except as a last resort."
"Don't worry, Third Madam. I know where to draw the line."
"Also, you haven't formally become my disciple, so by the rules of the martial world, I have to hold back the last two moves. Once our bond grows deeper, I'll teach them to you. Don't take it personally."
"Heh, I understand."
Before long, the moon rose above the branches.
Pei Xiangjun put her skirt back on and emerged from the small bamboo grove. Wiping the fragrant sweat from her forehead, she climbed into the carriage, thoroughly satisfied, leaving behind an utterly exhausted man.
After spending half the day practicing spear techniques, Ye Jingtang had expended considerable strength. He watched the carriage leave from the mouth of the alley, rested for a while, then returned to the courtyard with Niao Niao perched on his shoulder.
Creak-
The door opened onto a clean, tidy courtyard, peaceful and warm beneath the silver moonlight. But with no one there, it also felt lonely.
As Ye Jingtang opened the door, his gaze briefly grew distant. He recalled returning home alone last month after burying his adoptive father. Everything remained in the courtyard where he had grown up, yet the person who had made it a "home" was gone. It had felt as though, in a single instant, he had become the only person left in the world.
Standing outside the empty courtyard, Ye Jingtang did not feel the same hollowness he had last month.
After all, his adoptive father's soul had already returned to the earth, while the person who lived in this courtyard could still come back.
Carrying his saber, Ye Jingtang entered the main room and took out the unfinished strong liquor, then carried a small stool beneath the eaves and sat down.
Niao Niao crouched on the steps, staring gloomily at the empty kitchen.
"Chirp, chirp, chirp..."
"She'll come back."
"Chirp, chirp..."
"If she hasn't returned to the Capital City and I run into her elsewhere, I won't hold back. She broke her word first, so she can't accuse me of lacking chivalry... What did you say? Cook the raw rice into done rice? That might be... Remember, this was your idea..."
"Chirp?"
Niao Niao looked up blankly and spread its wings to convey-Niao Niao's hungry. Hurry up and cook some food. What nonsense are you talking about?
Ye Jingtang gazed up at the full moon and took a great swig of liquor, as though he had seen nothing...
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