Last night's rain clouds had already dispersed.
Beyond the peaks, the morning sun traced a winding, beautiful red line.
Morning light fell on Qingrong Peak nearby, gently stirring the clouds and mist between its heights.
Jing Jiu stood at the cliff's edge, silently watching a peak farther away.
Zhao Layue came out of the cave abode.
She had gone another night without sleep.
Lately, she had devoted all her attention to that scroll of sword techniques, rarely taking her eyes off it. When hungry, she ate an earthroot or gnawed on a mountain fruit; when thirsty, she drank a couple of mouthfuls of spring water. Only when she was utterly exhausted would she sit cross-legged and meditate for a while. Once her energy recovered a little, she would begin practicing her sword again.
Before dawn, she had suddenly grasped a crucial point. Amid her joy, she also knew it was time to rest, so she left the cave to clear her mind.
She was somewhat surprised to see Jing Jiu.
His white robe was very clean, as though freshly changed, but his hair was a little damp, as though he had been caught in last night's rain.
Even if he had been caught in the rain, why hadn't he dried himself with sword essence? Unlike her, Jing Jiu had never known what it meant to conserve sword essence.
She followed his gaze and discovered that he was looking at Shangde Peak.
Shangde Peak was very far away. Though the clouds and mist between the Nine Peaks were thin, it was still impossible to see clearly.
"You just told me that the Nine Peaks shouldn't be on guard against one another," she said.
Jing Jiu said nothing, still watching Shangde Peak quietly.
His gaze lacked its usual indifference. Instead, it was