Chapter 86: Inner Disciple (Part 4)

Last night, Xu Qianyu lit the incense Xu Binglai had sent her. She had never slept so soundly before and was completely unresponsive to the slightest sound.
Shen Suwei watched her quietly for a moment.
Xu Qianyu was exceptionally peaceful when she slept. Her long lashes cast soft shadows, and a faint blush tinted her cheeks, making her appear warm.
Shen Suwei called her name softly a few times, but she didn’t wake. He stopped, silently placing a hand on her cheek.

Due to his cultivation in the Frost and Snow Path, his hand was cooler than others. Sure enough, Xu Qianyu frowned in displeasure and turned her face away.
“It’s time to get up,” he said softly.
Xu Qianyu clung to the blanket, unmoving.
Shen Suwei, accustomed to their daily tug-of-war, didn’t find it bothersome.
He was inherently patient and had grown used to Xu Qianyu’s delicate nature. He even found some life in their little battles. Yet he couldn’t help but wonder how he had once brought himself to kill such a vibrant person with a single strike.

As he thought this, Xu Qianyu, who had now adjusted to the warmth of his palm, instinctively held onto his wrist, pressing her cheek against his hand. Feeling the warmth and softness against his palm, Shen Suwei grew slightly uneasy and withdrew his hand.
Xu Qianyu, unwilling to let go, grew annoyed when she couldn’t keep hold. In frustration, she leaned over and bit him firmly.

Shen Suwei quickly pulled his hand back, surprised, staring at the faint teeth marks on the back of his hand. Though the pain was minimal, it stirred an inexplicable flutter in his heart.
Glancing at the time, he realized it was already late.
The cold aura from his sword seeped into the blanket, finally rousing Xu Qianyu, who kicked off the covers and sat up irritably. Seeing Shen Suwei standing by her bed, having clearly been trying to wake her for a while, she stifled her temper and reluctantly reached for her disciple robe from the corner of the bed.

Shen Suwei lowered the curtain for her, but he suddenly sensed the aura of a powerful cultivator lingering around her and paused.
A small illusion talisman hidden on Xu Qianyu’s body rolled and tucked itself behind her waist. When he tried to sense it again, the aura had already faded.

While combing her hair, Shen Suwei noticed from the corner of his eye that Xu Qianyu was dozing off again. Without a word, he simply tightened his grip on her hair to keep her awake.
Participating in this hairpin flower conference so hastily was indeed risky. Yet, as a cultivator, one’s cultivation was the foundation of their survival; everyone wanted to become stronger, Xu Qianyu included. This endeavor, therefore, could only benefit her.
When Xu Qianyu opened her eyes, she saw that today’s hairstyle involved two braids, twisted like butterfly wings. Her senior brother had tied a red ribbon securely, with a loose bow that dangled gently, her shoulders adorned with small braids—beautiful and lively. Her eyes sparkled with delight.

She wondered to herself, since her senior brother’s face always showed no expression, when had he thought of such a hairstyle?
Thinking about this, she found it somewhat intriguing.

Shen Suwei noticed Xu Qianyu sneaking a glance at him but remained expressionless, his gaze lowered as he said calmly, “Come out and practice swordsmanship.”
Xu Qianyu felt quite apprehensive about practicing swordsmanship with Shen Suwei. He had his own sword style, sharp and intense, exuding an overwhelming and distant aura that made it impossible to approach casually. So, when she took up her wooden sword and stepped out of the doorway, she was fully prepared.
In a single breath, the two exchanged hundreds of moves.

Shen Suwei’s sword moves were swift and unrelenting, leaving no room for reprieve. At first, Xu Qianyu could think of ways to counter, but soon, she found herself hacking and blocking haphazardly, using everything she could to defend but still falling back, step by step.
“Too slow,” Shen Suwei remarked simply, sheathing his sword.
Xu Qianyu picked herself up from the ground, her face burning, and looked at him with intense, unwilling eyes.

Her expression said it all: Then give me a way to improve.
So Shen Suwei offered a solution: “Practice swinging your sword ten thousand times a day. I’ll watch you practice.”
Xu Qianyu stood there, swinging her sword.
Seventy-eight, seventy-nine… a thousand and eight…
Who knew how many swings she’d completed by then? She was lost in a rhythm, almost like a meditating monk, nearly dozing off when Shen Suwei suddenly attacked, his sword flashing like lightning towards her knee.

Xu Qianyu gasped and leapt aside, stumbling as she landed. Even though Shen Suwei hadn’t called a halt, she didn’t dare relax her grip, still swinging her sword.
“Your stance is unsteady,” Shen Suwei commented as he struck again. “Hold your ground.”
Xu Qianyu was forced backward into the water, leaping among the lotus leaves as droplets splashed everywhere.
Icicles sprouted among the lotus leaves, forming a pattern like plum blossoms.

The sun was at its peak, and koi fish leapt through the water, golden light reflecting in rainbow hues across the pond. Surrounded by beauty, Xu Qianyu’s movements grew lighter as she recalled her earlier state, floating and stepping gracefully on the water like a white heron. Her robe billowed as she descended, the crystal ornaments on her skirt never clinking together, not even disturbing the koi swimming nearby.

Shen Suwei’s attacks became faster, and Xu Qianyu misstepped, nearly falling into the pond. Suddenly, an ice ledge formed beneath her feet, lifting her up.
Regaining her balance, Xu Qianyu’s eyes brightened, and with a light push of her toes, she sprang forward, fiercely slashing at him.
Shen Suwei hadn’t expected her to counterattack, and with a quick flicker in his gaze, he retreated gracefully, his white robes fluttering as he moved across the icy platform as if weightless, as elegant as a startled swan.
Xu Qianyu sliced through the mist, but her target had vanished.

While she wondered where he’d gone, a sharp sword was already aimed right at her forehead. Xu Qianyu widened her eyes, deflecting the blade, but Shen Suwei had somehow moved behind her. His voice came from above her head, soft yet carrying a chilling menace that made her break out in a cold sweat: “Be cautious. Use feints to lure the enemy in.”
Xu Qianyu paused briefly, then spun around.

She reached out and pushed her senior brother, a move she’d learned from their eldest senior brother in the flower grove. His boxing style had the flow of wind, smooth and elusive but tricky to counter. Imitating him, she managed to replicate some of the essence, creating a gap between them as both left two water trails on the pond’s surface.
Seizing the opening, Xu Qianyu gripped her sword tightly and attacked again.
Shen Suwei stood still, his gaze calm and bright, tilting his head as he only defended. When he spotted an opening in her sword stance, he raised his sword suddenly. This strike was powerful, breaking her move completely. Just as she was about to fall into the water, the surface froze beneath her. She rolled over, sitting up and muttering, “Lost again.”
That afternoon, Xu Qianyu sat on the rooftop with her sword, analyzing the match with her senior brother.
“You keep letting me lead,” Shen Suwei observed, “and that leaves you too passive.”
Xu Qianyu wanted to argue that his skill level was higher, so how could she possibly take the initiative?

But after thinking it over, she realized that her senior brother hadn’t used any moves beyond what they had covered in swordsmanship class. He’d simply rearranged the basic techniques, executing them with flawless fluidity, which made her envious.
“However, you attacked twice proactively, which was unexpected,” Shen Suwei said. “That’s good.”
“Still, when I stepped into the water, I’d already lost,” Xu Qianyu replied. “If you hadn’t frozen the water under me, I would have fallen in and lost any chance to go on the offensive.”
“Who said falling into the water means losing?” Shen Suwei said. “If you sink below, hold your breath, and aim for his lower body. If that doesn’t work, pull your opponent down with you. Unless they have water-based abilities, they’ll still be in a tough spot.”
Xu Qianyu gained a new perspective on the dangers of the upcoming hairpin flower conference.
This was less like a sparring match and more like a fight for survival.
“Don’t stick too closely to arena rules,” Shen Suwei advised. “If you’re fighting, fight to win.”
Xu Qianyu nodded.
“Do you think I’m being too strict with you?” Shen Suwei asked, noticing her silence. “Previously, I was guiding you as a student; I was an instructor, and you only needed to meet the course standards.”

“But now you’re my junior sister, and we are of the same sect. So I hold you to the same standards I set for myself, hoping that one day we can be equals in a real match.”
Xu Qianyu thought back to her past life, where she had never once defeated her senior brother, then remembered how he’d ascended to greatness, becoming a Dao Sovereign. The goal felt almost unreachable, and she blurted out anxiously, “But you’re like that frozen dragon in Master’s cave, with no weaknesses.”
Shen Suwei paused, then said after a moment, “I’m human, too.”
He turned to face her, his eyes, fine and elegant, holding a pure clarity that struck deep: “As long as I’m human, how could I not have flaws?”
With that, he took her hand, and they leapt down from the rooftop.

The two walked to the back of the armory, descending a series of steps from an ancient array, until they reached an underground chamber. The air was thick with spiritual energy but cold and damp, stretching into a long, narrow passage that was pitch black.
Xu Qianyu felt her way along, noticing the cool stone walls were etched with sword marks and holes. “What is this place?”
“This used to be the sword grave of Penglai,” Shen Suwei replied. “But the swords were transferred to the armory’s array, so it’s abandoned now.”

“The spiritual energy here is abundant,” he continued. “When I first joined the sect, I often came here to practice swordsmanship.”

Xu Qianyu’s heart shook. This place was so quiet and desolate, not even the sound of cicadas could be heard. Why would anyone want to stay here to practice swordsmanship? “But it’s too dark here; you can’t even see the depth of your sword marks.”

Shen Suwei didn’t reply. He placed a bundle of “Stars in the Sky” in Xu Qianyu’s hand, and when it lit up, she saw a glimmer of brilliant light.
Shen Suwei suddenly drew his sword, cutting off the burning tip of the fireworks.
Xu Qianyu quickly threw down the bundle and drew her wooden sword to defend against his attack.

As she retreated, she marveled at how terrifyingly skilled her senior brother was at controlling his sword. He was able to position the thin smoke from the incense exactly on the sword’s edge—neither cutting it nor extinguishing it, and yet drawing a fierce killing intent from its soft, entangled movements.
She could only see a single brilliant spark dancing, tracing a fiery trail.

The clash of their weapons filled the air, the wind roaring in her ears, and the icy blade stung her face. She remembered her senior brother’s teachings, calmed herself, closed her eyes, and instead of looking, she sensed with her consciousness. In the darkness, she saw a sword.
Its blade was a greenish hue, like a narrow stream of flowing fire, cutting, twisting in mid-air, its flames shifting in rhythm.
So the killing intent on the sword could be seen with consciousness alone!
Xu Qianyu disregarded her opponent’s status and skill, closing her eyes, and focused entirely on battling this sword.
Their strikes grew faster and faster, like a storm against heavy rain. At last, she “saw” the shadow of her own wooden sword—its killing intent was a fleeting, dark red flame, soon entwined with the other sword.
The sword blazing with blue flame swung straight toward her face. She held her ground, eyes shut, and met it head-on.

When she opened her eyes, her back was against the wall, her sword blocking before her, and her senior brother’s sword resting atop hers.
Sparks flew, brilliantly illuminating Shen Suwei’s pale chin and crimson lips. In a moment, the firework went out, leaving a wisp of smoke drifting upward.

But the darkness didn’t return; the spiritual energy here was so abundant that the traces of smoke remained suspended in the air. The two had fought deeper into the sword grave, and the trail of light left behind formed an intricate, three-dimensional pattern.
Xu Qianyu walked through the shimmering patterns, observing closely. From the start of his moves to the finish, her senior brother’s sword traced a seamless path, like the movements of a soaring dragon.

“Can you see it?” Shen Suwei watched the golden glimmer with her. “This is my sword’s essence.”
He pointed to a flaw within the pattern with his sword. “Here’s my weakness.”
“Here, and here.”
He pointed out his weaknesses with precision.
“Remember it?” Shen Suwei suddenly asked. “These traces only last for a moment.”
Recalling the scene just now, Xu Qianyu realized that if she’d been able to seize those flaws and strike within the gaps, she could’ve won.
She imagined the fight in her mind and felt an understanding dawn on her. “I’ve remembered.”

_
Since entering the inner sect, everyone had fewer opportunities to meet. Ruan Zhuqing was feeding pigeons at Mengdu when he finally spotted Yu Chu and waved him over.
Yu Chu had grown taller, his face much healthier, and he sat beside Ruan on the steps. “As soon as I entered, my master assigned me a new furnace, a valuable one that has produced several artifacts before. But Master said he doesn’t expect me to make anything of worth right away, so I’m to start learning from the Chronicles of Refining Weapons and Mortal Things.”

His senior sister, Jian Yao, who had also joined Elder Fang, was easygoing. According to her, she had wanted a place where she didn’t have to push herself too hard, so she specifically chose a master with a gentle temperament. Upon joining, she immediately laid back to relax.
Elder Fang indeed had a wonderful disposition; in the first few days after their entry, he’d still blush nervously while speaking to them. Fortunately, as an artist, he spent most of his time facing the furnace instead of people.
In short, it was a polite and peaceful sect.

Ruan Zhuqing, however, looked somewhat troubled. Yu Chu asked, “What’s wrong? Senior Brother Su Mingyu is a good person; you two should get along well.”
Ruan Zhuqing threw a stone into the water. “He’s too good, and because of that, Master doesn’t pay any attention to me anymore.”
“Let’s not talk about it.” Ruan waved his hand. “Let’s go find Qianyu for a meal.”
Yu Chu gave him some of the pastries fresh from the oven. “Qianyu’s preparing for the Hairpin Flower Conference; she’s been too busy lately and hasn’t even taken a break.”

“Can we go to the Hairpin Flower Conference, too?” Ruan Zhuqing bit into a pastry, surprised. “But we haven’t even formed our cores.”
“We can go, as long as we win first place in the sect competition.” Yu Chu’s tone was calm. “Senior Sister Jian Yao said she’d stay behind and guard the gate so I could go. I think, wherever Qianyu is, I’ll be there too.”
Ruan Zhuqing thought for a moment, his expression becoming resolute. “Yes, I want to go too!”
Since that day at the sword grave, when Xu Qianyu passed by the foot of the massive ice dragon, she began to circle it, studying it closely.

She tried to observe the trajectory of the dragon as it emerged from the water.
At night, Xu Qianyu practiced her sword on a water platform outside the Zhaoyue Pavilion, barefoot, with the wind softly blowing her hair.
She burned a talisman paper, attaching it to her sword and using the flame to leave her own mark.
Across the water from her, Shen Suwei’s pavilion stood. He opened the window and gazed at the girl leaping and spinning in the evening breeze, a small flame glowing on her sword tip, illuminating her face in a soft blush like flowing twilight.
Dark clouds gathered, and rain was coming.
Thunder rumbled, yet Xu Qianyu remained unaware until a golden messenger butterfly appeared in front of her.
Catching the butterfly, she realized it had begun to rain outside.

She sat cross-legged beneath the eaves, watching the butterfly. The water before her began to flow faster, forming numerous whirlpools.
The letter bore only four sparse words: Rest early tonight.
Her senior brother must have feared that if she didn’t sleep soon, she wouldn’t wake up in time tomorrow.

Caught up in her training, Xu Qianyu didn’t want to leave. She folded the butterfly and leaned against the door, staring blankly at the swirling water, where fish struggled and leapt, only to sink straight down.
Suddenly sitting up, Xu Qianyu realized this pattern was just like the symbol she’d drawn, seen from above.

Whirlpool, downward, flowing.
Thunder rumbled in the sky. Xu Qianyu had a sudden inspiration. She quickly flipped over the paper and, without time to go inside for a pen, bit her fingertip, closed her eyes, and slowly drew a spiral funnel within her spiritual pool.
She was skilled enough to spin a top using only a loquat branch, so now, carefully channeling the energies of heaven and earth, she draws with perfect precision.
As soon as the funnel was completed, the rain above her head ceased. The previously sparse dots of spiritual energy began swirling like fish in a whirlpool, descending in a frenzy, gathering at the bottom, and bursting into a cluster of golden sparks!
Xu Qianyu felt an enlightening sensation as if a master had laid a hand on her head, filling her spiritual pool with energy.

When she opened her eyes, there was a vibrant, complete red vortex symbol on the paper.
She had learned to draw the Spirit-Gathering talisman!
Xu Qianyu was delighted.
Suddenly, realizing that her blood was on the letter, she hesitated to return it to her senior brother. So, she stuck the Spirit-Gathering talisman on her Dream Reflection Tube.
Shen Suwei, seeing Xu Qianyu had gone back, felt a bit relieved, but then, noticing the empty board amidst the rain, he sensed a trace of melancholy.
However, after a moment, Xu Qianyu came out again, holding an umbrella. She lit a sparkler, waved it toward him, and drew a wave, followed slowly by a circle.

“…”
Xu Qianyu looked into the distant darkness, thinking that Shen Suwei was likely already asleep. His strict routine ensured he would wake up at dawn, so this gesture was pointless. She stuck the sparkler by the door and went back inside.
As the solitary sparkler was about to burn out, a pale figure appeared.
Shen Suwei stood under the eaves, silently picking up the sparkler.

Bending down, his gaze sharpened as he sensed another cultivator’s aura within the house, a presence above the Nascent Soul level. Someone must have spent considerable time in Xu Qianyu’s quarters earlier today to leave such a strong impression. Yet she had been busy practicing swordsmanship all day—when could she have hosted a guest?
Amidst the flickering light, Shen Suwei suddenly thought of the sword that had been sealed away.

A close bond, willing to wait—a promise from childhood.
Perhaps… It was intended for Wuzhen.
Shen Suwei raised his hand to summon his message butterfly.
The Spirit-Gathering talisman activated, transforming back into a butterfly. Suspended in the air, Wuzhen reached out and grabbed its wings. “…”
He needed spiritual energy.

He could no longer discern who had arrived, only sensing their battle intent, knowing the late-night visitor bore ill will.
He folded the butterfly into a paper symbol and pressed it back onto himself.
Shen Suwei felt the cultivator’s power resisting him, a chill creeping down his spine as a wild possibility dawned on him.
Had they not just been here earlier? Were they still in the house at this very moment?
He gazed at the light inside, an inexplicable unease spreading within him.
“Brother.” Shen Suwei suddenly heard Xu Qianyu’s voice and stepped back slightly.
Xu Qianyu touched the symbol behind her collar but didn’t know how to use it. She only remembered her senior brother saying that if she called “Brother,” he would come. Unsure if it was an incantation, she used the butterfly to relay, “Brother, I forgot to pick flowers today. I want to wear a white one tomorrow.”

Lying in bed, she placed the butterfly brooch beside her pillow and drifted between wakefulness and sleep, waiting.
After a while, with no response, Xu Qianyu felt a bit disappointed. Just as she was about to try again, she heard Shen Suwei’s voice say, “Alright, sleep well.”
The words seemed to carry a magical power, immediately calming her as she closed her eyes and fell asleep.

Shen Suwei walked to the pear tree. With a water-repelling spell, the rain didn’t touch him as he broke off a half-bloomed branch, the rainwater dripping coldly into his sleeve.