An Ambiguous Atmosphere

At this point, Xiao Qingyu's total favorability toward him stood at 40 points.

According to the system's explanation, 50 points was the dividing line. Above 50 meant friendship; below 50 could only count as a passerby's goodwill.

Although 40 points was not particularly high, after Xiao Qingyu had spent the entire day feeling down, someone had finally helped her find happiness again. Naturally, she would not refuse Qin Yi's suggestion.

"Sure. Sparring with you last time benefited me a great deal, Senior Brother Qin. I hope this time will be just like the last."

"Then let's begin."

As before, Qin Yi snapped a branch off a tree beside the road to use as a sword, then vaulted over the railing and took the initiative to exchange moves with her.

Just like last time, he restrained his strength, bringing it as close to hers as possible, or even making himself twenty percent weaker than her.

Only then would she have room to put her skills to use.

Throughout the process, every time their weapons touched, that [sensation of pleasure] once again traveled through her sword into Xiao Qingyu.

Stimulated by the pleasure, Xiao Qingyu's low spirits lifted, and she grew increasingly happy.

"How strange. Sparring with you always seems to make me happy, Senior Brother Qin," she suddenly said.

Qin Yi said, "That's because we're both fully immersed in it. Haven't you noticed? When people focus intently on something, they feel happy, and even time seems to pass quickly."

"Mm." She nodded in agreement.

That was it.

The pleasure came from both her and Qin Yi taking it seriously and immersing themselves in it, enjoying the happiness brought by combat.

After this session, she was also certain that her Dao companion, Shangguan Qing, had indeed been going through the motions with her every time. If he had not been, why had she never felt this pleasure when sparring with him?

"Junior Sister Qingyu, the essence of the Jade Pivot Sword Art lies in gathering force. The final move of the Heavenly Secrets Sword Technique is [Nine Stars Flash in Unison], while the final move of the Jade Pivot Sword Art is [Ninefold Primordial Force]. Its principle is like these waves: the more waves pile up, one after another, the greater their impact.

"The same principle applies to gathering force in the Jade Pivot Sword Art. Although you can gather force now, you aren't fast enough, and your method isn't smooth enough."

Xiao Qingyu listened attentively. "Then how can I correct that?"

Everyone had a different way of gathering force for the Jade Pivot Sword Art. Each person could create a different method based on their own talents and habits.

In short, to wield the Jade Pivot Sword Art deftly, one had to build up that force.

A Jade Pivot Sword Art without sufficient accumulated force was a substandard Jade Pivot Sword Art.

In other words, as long as one could gather nine layers of force anytime and anywhere, claiming a division sword chief title at the Sword Debate for First Place would be an absolute breeze.

"I do have a few movements, but they're a little complicated. Do you want to learn them?" Qin Yi dangled the bait again.

"Mm. If you're willing to teach me, Senior Brother Qin, I'd certainly be willing to learn."

"How about this? I'll hold your hand and demonstrate once. What do you think? If I simply demonstrate for you, you might not grasp the subtleties."

"That... all right."

At first, Xiao Qingyu hesitated a little. Holding her hand would, after all, be rather like standing in a melon patch or beneath a plum tree-inviting suspicion.

But then, considering how kindly he was teaching her, how could she let her thoughts run wild like that?

And so she agreed.

After Qin Yi came to her side, he did indeed behave properly.

During this first hands-on lesson, he neither put an arm around her waist nor touched any other part of her body.

He merely held her wrist gently with his right hand. "For the opening stance, use what I taught you last time. First, gather a portion of True Qi at the Lieque acupoint. Then swing your sword diagonally like this to release the True Qi, and follow up with another move in the same direction and at the same position. That way, you can immediately build up two layers of force.

"After that, gather seven portions of True Qi along your Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian, and release the force with the ninth and seventeenth forms. You'll immediately have nine layers of force accumulated."

These insights from experience had actually been taught to Qin Yi by Gu Yanshan.

They might not have seemed difficult, but Gu Yanshan had spent many years studying before developing them. In his youth, this very method had allowed him to stand head and shoulders above the rest.

After learning it, Qin Yi had found it too complicated.

Applying modern principles, he felt that the essence of the Jade Pivot Sword Art was stacking. To accumulate nine layers of force, he could do it even faster using inertia.

His method, however, was somewhat complicated for people of this era, so he simply passed on what Gu Yanshan had taught him to Xiao Qingyu.

After he guided her through it by hand for the first time, Xiao Qingyu did indeed successfully accumulate all nine layers of force.

The surprise was like hearing celestial music, making her ears suddenly clear.

Joy overflowed in her heart, and she could not conceal the excitement on her face.

"Senior Brother Qin, this method of yours really seems to work very well."

"Of course. My master, the Dripping Water Sword, taught me this. Don't tell anyone else."

"Ah? Martial Uncle Gu taught you this? Then... is it all right for me to learn it?"

"You aren't secretly learning it. I'm teaching you, so just learn it openly. You're a disciple of the Famous Sword Sect too, after all. Passing it on to you doesn't break the rules."

Xiao Qingyu smiled sweetly. "Then thank you, Senior Brother Qin."

Her mood grew sunnier still. With hand-over-hand instruction, the pleasure's effect was even better.

Qin Yi had her practice it once herself, but she was still unfamiliar with it and got several moves wrong along the way.

So Qin Yi guided her through it by hand once more.

Afterward, at her own request, he gave her three more hand-over-hand lessons.

By this point, the atmosphere between them had unknowingly taken on an ambiguous intimacy.

But immersed in pleasure, Xiao Qingyu was entirely unaware of it.

[Favorability +30]!

Qin Yi's efforts, bolstered by the pleasure, had ultimately not disappointed him. He had actually gained 30 favorability points in one go. Added to the previous points, her favorability now stood at 70.

Seventy favorability points meant they were good friends.

If it reached 80, that would mean she liked him.

Just ten more favorability points. It seems I still carry a little less weight in her heart than Shangguan Qing.

At this point, however, it would not be wise for him to go further.

For instance, if he kissed her now to push their relationship forward, he might well frighten her, and then she would stop seeing him.

After all, they had only met twice so far.

When it came to their relationship, he could only go so far and stop.

Once he had taught her enough, Qin Yi politely took his leave again. Before they parted, Xiao Qingyu even took the initiative to invite him to come practice swordsmanship with her here again tomorrow if he had time.

But how could Qin Yi possibly do as she wished?

For the next two or three days, he did not go.

Only at dusk on the fourth day did he descend the mountain again. This time, in the moonlit twilight, he once again encountered this beautiful girl.

Unlike last time, when he saw her this time, she was sitting on a rock beside the river, hugging her feet, her eyes vacant.