Chapter 10: This Damn Brat

Letting go? Impossible! If she let go, he’d run away!
Su Yanwei clung even tighter to the Sword Sovereign of the Clouds’ leg, determined to be the stickiest piece of dogskin plaster ever made.

The Sword Sovereign lowered his gaze, staring at her for a moment. Then he reached out, grabbed the back of her collar, and lifted her whole body up, like picking up a kitten.

She really was light. He weighed her in his hand: feather-light.

Caught off guard by the sudden move, Su Yanwei’s grip loosened. She looked up sharply, big round eyes blinking at him, half confused, half startled.

She really did look like a helpless little kitten who’d just been scruffed.

“What do you want to do?” she asked warily, her eyes alert.

The Sword Sovereign sneered lightly.

“Didn’t you say you’d accept being beaten or scolded?”

“…You promised not to hit kids,” Su Yanwei protested angrily.
“A man should keep his word!”

The Sword Sovereign clicked his tongue.

“What a cunning little imp!”

Then, still holding her with one hand, he started walking.

Down the stairs, as countless curious eyes turned toward them, the Sword Sovereign calmly announced,

“Just my mischievous child at home. Sorry you all had to see this.”

“When we get back, I’ll teach her properly, start with three days and three nights of discipline.”
His face even took on a pained, disappointed look, as if deeply troubled by a wayward daughter.

It looked convincing, like a father crushed by his rebellious child.

Su Yanwei: …
This guy can act even better than me!

I completely misjudged him!

From downstairs came voices trying to intervene:

“No need to go that far!”
“Just give her a beating, she’ll behave.”

The stress was on “a beating.”

The Sword Sovereign just gave a faint, helpless smile, and left the inn, still carrying Su Yanwei.

Behind them, someone called out loudly,

“Go easy, talk it out, don’t hit the child!”

“Hear that?” the Sword Sovereign said to Su Yanwei, a teasing smile on his face.
“These people care about you. Touched?”

Su Yanwei: I’m so touched I want to jump up and smack your dog head!

She started to question her own decision.
Is this man really trustworthy? Is this really the famed, noble, gentle, and broad-minded master of the Frostbite Sword, the “Cloud in the Sky” himself?

In the cultivation world, the Sword Sovereign was known by two titles: “Frostbite Sword” and “Cloud in the Sky.”
The Frostbite Sword referred to the sword technique of the Xiaohan Peak lineage of the Shushan Sword Sect, which he practiced.
The “Cloud in the Sky” described the man himself: pure, lofty, untouched by worldly dust.

Thus, people often called him Frostbite Sword or Cloud in the Sky.

They left the inn.

At the entrance, the Sword Sovereign put Su Yanwei down.

Released so suddenly, she was momentarily dazed.
She was still deep in thought, wondering whether she should beat him up: she’d even planned the moves kick him in the chest, make him drop her, then jump up and smack his dog head, then land lightly and run away.

Perfect!

In her head, this was the ideal counterattack.

The Sword Sovereign set her down, then started walking forward.

“Keep up,” he ordered.

Hearing that, Su Yanwei perked up instantly.
Yes! Opportunity!
She ran after him, then started hopping lightly as she followed.

The Sword Sovereign glanced back, seeing her bounce along like a happy little rabbit.
He couldn’t help but smile to himself: She really is a child.

So it ended up being him walking calmly in front, and Su Yanwei bouncing happily behind, like a little tail.

The Sword Sovereign stopped in front of a street vendor selling bright red candied hawthorn skewers.
Su Yanwei stopped too, face full of curiosity.
What’s he doing?

“Sir, one skewer of candied hawthorn,” the Sword Sovereign said.

The old vendor handed him a skewer.

“Here you go.”

Su Yanwei watched, amazed.
Never would’ve guessed that the legendary Sword Sovereign liked sweets!

Some people seem noble and mature, but inside, they’re really just big kids.

Out of revenge for him grabbing her by the collar earlier, Su Yanwei was now roasting him silently in her head.

The Sword Sovereign turned and walked over to her.
She was so caught up in her inner rant, she didn’t notice him approaching.

“Take it,” he said, and shoved the candied hawthorn into her hand.

Su Yanwei:  ????

She stood there, holding the skewer, blinking blankly at him.

“It really suits you,” the Sword Sovereign said, amused by how stunned she looked, like a startled little hamster.
“The moment I saw it, I thought it matched you.”

Su Yanwei:  ????

What kind of nonsense is that?

No logic, no reason!

The Sword Sovereign just kept smiling at her, clearly entertained.
When he’d laughed enough, he straightened up and turned to walk on.

“Don’t just stand there,” he said.

Su Yanwei looked at the skewer in her hand, face a bit conflicted.
But after a moment, she thought:
Who cares what he meant as long as it’s edible! She bit into it. Sour!

The sharp tang of hawthorn made her face scrunch up, but then the thick sweetness of the sugar coating spread through her mouth.
The clash of sour and sweet created a wonderful taste.
Her expression relaxed, and she took another bite, cheeks puffing up like a little hamster.

Walking ahead, the Sword Sovereign glanced back at the sight of her nibbling happily on the skewer, and his smile deepened.

Maybe having a cute little girl at home wouldn’t be so bad after all?

He stopped at a dessert shop by the street.

“Boss, two bowls of red bean soup.”

“Coming right up!” the shopkeeper called back.

When the Sword Sovereign turned around, he couldn’t help but laugh.

Su Yanwei had already sat herself down at one of the tables.

The Sword Sovereign shook his head, amused, and sat across from her.

She looked up at him, still chewing the candied hawthorn.

“In this weather, a bowl of red bean soup is perfect. Good taste!” she mumbled with her mouth half full.

Seeing how cheerful and relaxed she looked, the Sword Sovereign realized: She’s got a sweet tooth.

“Crunch, crunch!”
In two bites, Su Yanwei finished the last two pieces, wiped her mouth, and looked up at him.

“I thought it over,” she said.
“If you really don’t want a daughter”

“It’s not that I don’t want one,” the Sword Sovereign interrupted, looking at her seriously.
“It’s just… inappropriate. I’m not old enough to have a daughter your age.”

Su Yanwei gave him a scornful look, as if disappointed in him.

“If you had a bit more ambition, you could have one older than me!”

The Sword Sovereign’s mouth twitched at that.
This kid really needs a lesson!

“I thought about it!” Su Yanwei continued helpfully.
“If life doesn’t give us the right conditions, we make them.”

“As they say, ‘Once a master, always a father.’ If you take me as your disciple, then technically I’m like your daughter. Then you’d have someone to pass things on to!”

She looked pleased with her own idea.

“Isn’t that brilliant?”

The Sword Sovereign just stared at her silently, expressionless.

I’m just going to sit here and watch you talk nonsense.

“Aren’t you happy? So excited you can’t speak?” she went on, beaming.
“Look at you, you’re thrilled speechless!”

The Sword Sovereign couldn’t hold back anymore.
He smacked her on the head, pressing her face gently against the table.

“Silly child,” he said softly, looking down at the back of her head, voice unexpectedly tender.
“Why are you saying such nonsense in broad daylight?”

“Do you want the antidote or not,” Su Yanwei retorted stubbornly, face squished against the table.