Master Qing Cheng had slipped away under the pretext of using the restroom, leaving only Fu Yu and Qing Yao alone in the vast courtyard.
Fu Yu thought to herself that since she hadn’t yet mastered the sword techniques, she might as well practice a few more times. So, she sought Qing Yao’s opinion.
“Senior Sister, shall we go again?”
Qing Yao had already deftly sheathed her sword. “You should practice on your own a bit more.”
Fu Yu asked, “And what about you?”
“I never forget what I’ve seen.”
Her tone was casual, but Fu Yu found it incredibly irritating. The flutter of excitement she had felt while practicing swordplay with Qing Yao vanished instantly.
Fine, she’d practice on her own!
Fu Yu raised her sword and began practicing her moves alone. Admittedly, she had been an underachiever in her previous life, and her intelligence hadn’t improved much in this one. Her execution of the sword forms was clumsy and disjointed. At one point, she even lost her grip, and the sword flew straight toward Qing Yao’s forehead.
Qing Yao extended her right hand, catching the blade between her index and middle fingers. Her gaze was cold as she remarked, “Your aim is quite precise.”
Fu Yu chuckled awkwardly, “It’s precisely because my aim is off that I hit you.”
Retrieving her sword, Fu Yu continued practicing. After three or five attempts, she finally managed to complete the entire set of sword forms with relative smoothness.
Wu Se, who had arrived at some unnoticed moment, stood watching for a long while, holding a tea caddy. As soon as Fu Yu finished her routine, Wu Se clapped enthusiastically. “Benefactor, that dance was truly beautiful!”
Fu Yu only then noticed Wu Se and laughed, “This isn’t a dance; it’s a sword technique.”
Wu Se exclaimed in surprise, “A sword technique? Then it’s even more impressive! It makes me want to learn it too.”
Fu Yu was generous. “Sure, I can teach you.”
Wu Se hurriedly placed the tea caddy on the stone table in the courtyard and looked around for a suitable branch to use as a sword. Finding none, she turned her gaze toward Qing Yao.
Wu Se approached her, clasped her hands respectfully, and said, “Amitabha, Benefactor Qing Yao, may I borrow your sword?”
Most people, when faced with a simple request, even if they wished to decline, would come up with a polite excuse to save face for the other person and avoid causing offense. But Qing Yao was not like most people. She glanced at Wu Se and calmly refused, “No.”
Wu Se was taken aback, frozen in place. The aura of this fairy-like Benefactor was so cold it seemed to freeze the air around them. Feeling awkward, Wu Se clasped her hands again, murmured “Amitabha,” and moved over to Fu Yu’s side.
Wu Se thought to herself that she had initially expected the notoriously spoiled princess to be difficult to deal with, but instead, she found her quite approachable. On the other hand, the renowned talented lady had a rather peculiar temperament.
Seeing that Wu Se had been rebuffed by Qing Yao, Fu Yu smiled and comforted her, “How about using my sword instead?”
Wu Se’s face lit up with a smile as she gratefully accepted the sword with both hands.
This was Fu Yu’s first time teaching someone swordplay, and she took it very seriously, guiding Wu Se step by step.
“Raise your hand a bit higher, spread your feet wider, yes, lower your head, turn around once… the waist… Hey, wait!” As she was instructing, a sword suddenly swept in, blocking her hand just as she was about to wrap it around Wu Se’s waist.
“Junior Sister, I’ve rested enough. Let’s begin!”
Fu Yu’s hand was pushed aside as Qing Yao swiftly disarmed Wu Se and tossed the sword back to Fu Yu. Before she knew it, Fu Yu found herself sparring with Qing Yao in a daze.
This time, Qing Yao’s swordplay was even faster. Fu Yu did her best to parry but was ultimately overwhelmed, ending the exchange with a posture called “Embrace the Moon, Halt the Sword.”
Embrace the Moon, Halt the Sword, Fu Yu found herself lightly encircled by Qing Yao’s arm around her waist, with Qing Yao’s sword resting against her neck.
Fu Yu’s legs went weak. “Senior… Senior Sister, let’s stop here.” What was originally an intimate and graceful sword dance had been executed by Qing Yao with an overwhelming, unstoppable momentum.
Just then, the Master Qing Cheng, who had just stepped out from the restroom, stood under the eaves and watched in astonishment. She had never imagined that this set of tender, lingering sword techniques could be performed with such ferocity.
Wu Se stood frozen to the side, slowly raising her hands and clapping gradually. “Marvelous, truly marvelous,” she murmured. How had all this unfolded right before her eyes? How had the benefactor who taught her swordsmanship been snatched away like this? Yes, “snatched”, that was the word. Qing Yao’s stance had clearly been one of seizing, as if tinged with a hint of displeasure.
With the sword at her throat, Fu Yu lost all interest in continuing the dance. She cautiously lowered herself and slipped out from under her Senior sister’s blade, forcing a chuckle. “Senior Sister, didn’t you say you weren’t coming?”
Qing Yao seemed to raise an eyebrow. “You don’t want to spar with me?”
Fu Yu shook her head hurriedly. “Of course not.”
Qing Yao said, “Shall we go again?”
Fu Yu waved her hands in refusal. “No, no more.” Another round might just slice her neck clean off.
In the afternoon, Wu Se brought over a food box filled with vegetarian mooncakes, and only then did Fu Yu realize it was the Mid-Autumn Festival.
On festive occasions, one misses their loved ones all the more. She wondered how her parents were doing now. She had transmigrated here with her soul, had her body back in her original world already been cremated and buried?
She remembered how every Mid-Autumn Festival, her family would gather on the rooftop terrace to barbecue and admire the moon. Her father was the master griller, while her mother and she waited to enjoy the feast. On this day, her mother, who usually avoided alcohol, would share a small drink with her father.
Her mother wasn’t much of a drinker and had poor tolerance, when drunk, she would act out and embarrass herself.
Fu Yu recalled one time when her mother had had too much to drink. Without a care for who was present, including her and her grandparents, she had pulled her father into a passionate kiss, leaving everyone else blushing.
She wondered if this year, they would still be barbecuing and moon-gazing on the terrace.
A sudden idea struck her: tonight, she would barbecue and admire the moon in the courtyard! While there was still daylight, she secretly sent Qing Li down the mountain to fetch a grill and some vegetarian ingredients. She had initially considered grilling meat but held back out of respect for the monastery’s pure, vegetarian environment.
However, she did ask Qing Li to sneak in some alcohol.
Since Qing Li’s home was in the city, Fu Yu granted her leave to return home after helping gather the “tools for the night’s mischief.”
The nuns seldom came to this area at night, so she could carry out her plan without worry.
After setting up the grill and lighting the charcoal, she went to knock on Qing Yao’s door. “Senior Sister, would you like to join me in celebrating the festival?”
Qing Yao opened the door and glanced at the grill in the courtyard.
Fu Yu grinned, her eyes curving like crescent moons. “We can boil tea by the fire.”
Qing Yao didn’t refuse. She stepped out of her room and took a seat on the stone stool beside the grill.
Fu Yu happily hurried over. “What would you like to eat? I’ll grill it for you.”
Qing Yao shook her head. “Some tea will suffice.”
Fu Yu insisted, “That’s not festive enough. Let me grill a little something for you.”
Two portions each of radish, cabbage, tofu, and chives were placed on the grill, sprinkled with seasonings, and soon the aroma of the vegetables wafted through the air.
The tea placed by the grill began to boil, and Fu Yu quickly picked up the pot to pour a cup for Qing Yao.
She remembered Xiao Mei mentioning that Qing Yao was allergic to alcohol, so she didn’t urge her to drink.
A plate of grilled vegetables was soon ready. Fu Yu placed it on the table, grabbed two pairs of chopsticks, and handed one to Qing Yao. “Come on, eat while it’s hot.”
Fu Yu poured herself a cup of wine, brought it to her lips, and took a sip. Hmm, a bit spicy, but refreshing. She then picked up a bite of chives and stuffed it into her mouth.
Qing Yao looked at her. “You’re drinking?”
Fu Yu nodded. “Yes, come try these chives. My cooking skills are really good. If someone were to become my cultivation partner, they’d be incredibly lucky.”
Qing Yao smiled faintly. “I don’t eat chives, cilantro, or fishwort.”
Fu Yu exclaimed, “Ah! Then what’s the point of your life? Those three are my absolute favorites!” As she spoke, she sprinkled a handful of cilantro over the grilled eggplant.
Qing Yao took a sip of tea, picked up her chopsticks, and delicately ate a small piece of tofu.
Tsk, tsk, tsk, such a refined young lady, so elegant. Fu Yu thought to herself, truly, an immortal’s way of eating was different from that of a mortal like her.
After a few sips of wine, Fu Yu’s tongue began to loosen. “Back when I was at home, we’d celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival like this too, grilling food with family and admiring the moon.” She looked up at the sky, where a massive full moon hung in the vast night sky.
She pointed at the moon. “Wow, why is the moon so red tonight? Could it be the legendary blood moon?”
Qing Yao followed her gaze. The blood moon hung high in the sky, and her eyes narrowed slightly.
“They say a blood moon always brings forth demons. Is that true?”
Qing Yao replied, “Yes.”
“That’s terrifying. By the way, Senior Sister, when can I go down the mountain to train? I’ve never seen what a demon looks like in my life. Are they all beauties? Before, I only ever paid attention to monkeys.”
By the latter part of her sentence, Qing Yao could no longer understand what she was saying. Of course, Fu Yu herself wasn’t entirely clear either.
Qing Yao said calmly, “Your cultivation is too weak. It’s not yet time for you to train outside the mountain.”
Fu Yu drank another cup. Oops! this wine was strong. She was now seeing double when she looked at Qing Yao. But this light, floating feeling was rather nice.
She pointed at the empty space beside Qing Yao and said, “Senior Sister, let me tell you, ever since I met you, I’ve known what an immortal beauty looks like. I just haven’t seen a demon yet. I wonder if they’re just as beautiful. If they are, then Tang Seng back in the day was truly ungrateful.”
Qing Yao glanced at her misaimed finger. “Junior Sister, you’re drunk.”
Fu Yu laughed heartily. “No way, I’m perfectly sober. Come, let’s toast!” She raised her cup but naturally missed Qing Yao, gesturing toward the empty space instead.
Amused, Qing Yao brought her teacup over and deliberately clinked it against Fu Yu’s wine cup.
Fu Yu giggled and downed the wine in one gulp.
At first, she had been sipping slowly, but now she was gulping it down cup after cup.
Qing Yao looked up at the blood moon. “It’s best if you never encounter a demon.”
Fu Yu didn’t catch what was said and let out a confused “Huh?” before pouring herself another cup. “Ah, I really miss the days when we could watch TV. So much spiritual and cultural enrichment, unlike here. My only spiritual culture now is probably just watching my senior sister every day.”
Qing Yao only half-understood, but she grasped the last part well enough and shook her head helplessly.
Setting down her wine cup, Fu Yu reached out toward Qing Yao with mischievous intent, though her aim was off by forty-five degrees. She gently cupped the air, mistakenly thinking she was holding Qing Yao’s face. “Senior sister, do you really not remember? That day in the cave…”
“What did you say?”