"Judging from your looks, you clearly misunderstand me, Jiaoqiu, as merely a weak scholar who presumptuously discusses martial arts. Actually, I'm not entirely ignorant of killing techniques—after all, the art of medicine is inherently a matter of life and death."
"Adults trying to get revenge on kids... sigh."
Jiaoqiu didn't say much, but instead you took out a bottle of medicine. "Do you recognize this bottle of medicine in my hand?"
"We don't know them," the three answered in unison.
"This is called [ Stumble Powder ], a decoction made from a rare flower from beyond the borders called [ Yabulu ]."
"Poison?"
"Alas, whether it's poison or a life-saving medicine depends entirely on the healer's intentions. Before performing procedures like bone-cleansing and abdominal surgery, just a single drop can render a patient painless."
Jiaoqiu introduced them to the three, then changed the subject:
"But... if the dosage is higher, and the concentration is higher, it will slow down metabolism, causing blood to flow poorly and even leading to the loss of all five senses—even immortal Long-Life Species who are immune to old age and disease cannot escape this."
"This thing can save lives, or it can kill them; it's far more useful than the swords and knives you have."
Yanqing had a different opinion. " Yanqing still prefers to place the outcome on the sword, rather than... uh..."
"I did misunderstand you." Yunli shook her head and said bluntly, "You're not a weak scholar, you're a shameless scholar."
"Hey, hey, why are you suddenly swearing?" Jiaoqiu said in surprise, "I was just sharing medical knowledge with everyone, not inciting you to poison people."
March 7th felt increasingly uneasy listening to this; just a few days ago, he had given Scott laxatives...
" Mr. Jiaoqiu gets all excited when he talks about poison; I don't know if that's considered upright or insidious..."
To make it easier for everyone to understand, Jiaoqiu gave an example:
"Suppose there are two people, one standing there treacherously and despicably, and the other lying down openly and honestly. Tell me, what means does the one lying down have to accuse the one standing of being 'treacherous and despicable'?"
On the battlefield, life and death are decided in an instant, all other thoughts vanish, and [survival] becomes the only principle.
"Anyone who comes back alive from war has all values redefined. Whether it's honorable or treacherous, it all seems as insignificant as a feather to me."
Yanqing and Yunli exchanged a glance. " Mr. Jiaoqiu underestimates Yunli and me. Although we are young, we have both been on the battlefield."
"My apologies. Since that's the case, you should know that the Wardance is just a competition for excitement, so why are you taking it so seriously?" Jiaoqiu asked.
"When I was chosen as the defender of the Wardance, I asked the general, 'It is our duty to Cloud Knights on the battlefield, so why do you need to brandish your sword on the stage to please the audience?'"
"The general answered me, [entering the battle, drawing his sword; ascending the arena, displaying his sword; with one sword drawn, the sharpness of a hundred swords is concealed]."
Yanqing's expression was serious. " The Wardance is a good opportunity to demonstrate martial virtue and make allies from all sides. The sword hanging above the ceremonial staff, drawn without being damaged, demonstrates not only the sword, but also the martial virtue and majesty of the Cloud Knights."
"That's quite insightful; it's my own limited knowledge. Well then, Brother Yanqing, I've been in Luofu for quite some time now, but I haven't had the chance to see the venue for this Wardance."
"Now that you're talking about it so eloquently, I'm quite Curiosity. Could you take me there to have a look?"
" Mr. Jiaoqiu wants to see the [ Skysplitter ]? Great! Yunli and Miss March 7th must have never seen it either. How about this, I'll take you all to see it."
Yanqing readily agreed and led everyone to Stargazer Navalia.
"I didn't expect so many people to come and look at the Skysplitter..."
Jiaoqiu looked around and noticed that two Foxian and a Cloud Knights were discussing something. He frowned slightly.
" Mr. Jiaoqiu, what's wrong?"
"No... it's nothing."
Countless people came to Stargazer Navalia to see the Skysplitter, Jiaoqiu couldn't rule out the possibility that he had misjudged it.
But... he always felt that the three of them were somewhat suspicious and that he needed to keep a closer eye on them.
Immediately, Yanqing's gaze sharpened, and he pointed to a distant silhouette, introducing it to the crowd. "Do you see that? That airship in the distance is the arena for this Wardance —the [ Skysplitter ]."
"This Skysplitter was converted from a decommissioned vessel from the Luofu. People are not allowed to disembark before the official commencement of the Wardance."
"But when the bells toll tomorrow and the cannons fire, Yanqing will represent the Xianzhou [ Luofu ] Cloud Knights, stepping onto the arena to accept challenges from valiant warriors from all directions."
Yanqing raised his head slightly, looking at the giant ship, his eyes burning with fierce fighting spirit.
Speaking of his upbringing, the young swordsman's lips curled into a focused smile, " Yanqing was taken in by the general from a young age, taught swordsmanship and military strategy. Every day, he swung his sword ten thousand times to slash and ten thousand times to thrust, and so on and so forth..."
Yanqing clenched his fist gently, as if he could still feel the heat and power of the sword hilt rubbing against his palm back then.
A gentle breeze ruffled the stray hairs on his forehead. He lowered his eyelids, his voice carrying a maturity beyond his years. "I understand. I seem to Ena from other kids."
"I have never envied their toys and freedom, nor have I ever felt that practicing swordsmanship was a boring or difficult thing."
"Even when I go to the battlefield, cutting down enemies and fighting against those vile and monstrous creatures, I have no fear."
"Every day I feel myself getting stronger, stronger, and a little stronger..." Yanqing raised her head, her eyes shining with a pure light, the joy of a martial artist witnessing their own progress.
"There is nothing more joyful in the world than holding victory in your hands time and time again."
However, the light suddenly dimmed. Yanqing seemed to be struck by an invisible memory, and her body tensed up almost imperceptibly for a moment.
"But later, I received a sword strike from Teacher Ye Yan. That strike shattered my once flawless confidence."
"Huh?" March 7th was surprised. "So you were talking about Teacher Ye Yan!"
Yanqing did not respond immediately; his eyes were somewhat unfocused, still immersed in the terrifying experience of that moment.
"The moment that sword struck, I felt fear for the first time. Perhaps this is what Mr. Jiaoqiu meant by 'Life and death in an instant, all thoughts vanish.'"
After that, Yanqing had to lower her head and pick up these fragments one by one, piecing them together in an attempt to recreate the happy self she once was.
Yanqing stared at her outstretched palm, as if examining those invisible fragments:
"But no matter what I do, I can't seem to recapture my former state of mind."
A sense of bewilderment enveloped him like a thick fog.
The young swordsman frowned, his eyes filled with unfathomable confusion. "I sometimes ask myself, what am I wielding this sword for?"
"If I am destined to face another defeat, why should I continue to wield my sword? Is it to rediscover the joy of victory? To fulfill the general's expectations? Or to leave behind the glory of the Cloud Knights?"
"The general could teach me swordsmanship, but he couldn't teach me the reason for wielding the sword. He told me: 'The reason for wielding the sword must be found by myself.' For this, Yanqing was extremely distressed and tossed and turned at night."
"But after this long conversation with Mr. Jiaoqiu, Yanqing already has her answer."
A look of relief, like moonlight breaking through the dark clouds, gradually crept onto Yanqing's face.
"As a member of the Cloud Knights, a disciple of the general, I bear a heavy burden, and I am destined to bear even more."
"But only when I swing my sword can I feel that I can let go of everything. I love that version of myself that throws a single, powerful blow at any obstacle in my path, charging forward without hesitation."
Yanqing slowly drew his sword an inch from its sheath, the cold light illuminating his resolute eyes, his fingertips gently tracing the icy blade.
Finally, gazing at his reflection on the blade, he spoke, each word clear and distinct:
"I wield my sword precisely for this version of myself."