As night fell, Ning Jinyu tucked the little rabbit into its quilt. She wasn’t wearing the standard uniform for Inner Sect Disciples, having chosen a thicker, plain robe she had brought from her farming village.
The night was deep and dark. The Sect had guards on duty at night, both at the gates and within the grounds, to prevent demonic beasts from sneaking in or escaping.
Having been here for over a season, Ning Jinyu had already figured out the Sect’s rules.
It was still best not to be discovered going out.
The emerald bamboo of Elegant Bamboo Peak was thin and dense. A magnificent sight by day, it became rather frightening at night, with the rustling sounds of wild grass in the autumn wind.
The Sword Sect was still quite good; the rooms of Inner Sect Disciples were all supplied with oil lamps and candles.
Candles were better for indoor use, while oil lamps were a bit more convenient for carrying outside.
Ning Jinyu carried the lamp and followed the bamboo forest to its end, where she indeed found a small wooden cabin.
Her tense nerves relaxed slightly. She approached the cabin with the oil lamp, and just as she was about to knock, a voice came from behind her.
“I’m here.”
She turned around. The youth’s black robes blended into the night, his eyes seeming to shine. Those beautiful eyes were deep and clear, yet cold, giving her a sense of déjà vu, though she couldn’t place where it came from.
“How come I didn’t see you when I just walked over?”
“I was up there.”
Ning Jinyu raised her head and saw only the thin, tall, precarious-looking bamboo stalks.
“Can you go up there again?”
Song Qingyan looked at her and held out his hand. “Give me the sword.”
Ning Jinyu handed him the sword, then hung the oil lamp on a bamboo stalk before sitting on the ground, propping her chin on her hands to watch him.
“For this stance, your foundation must be stable.”
“For this stance, turn the sword sideways, let the spiritual energy flow through the blade, then slash.”
“…”
Seriously, buddy, you actually know this stuff.
She had been a little sleepy, but now she was wide awake.
Ning Jinyu watched him perform with spirited and passionate enthusiasm, indicating that she had learned it by watching. Then, when she tried, she forgot again.
In the end, Song Qingyan had to guide her hand to teach her.
“Sink your qi into your Dantian… and what spiritual power? Where is the Dantian, and the qi, and the spiritual power? This is so hard, waaaah…”
“You… why don’t you learn again tomorrow?”
“Are you a completely clueless straight guy? You don’t know how to comfort me when I’m crying? That makes me even sadder, waaaah…”
“…Don’t cry.”
“…” He was like a machine.
Sighing, Ning Jinyu wiped the corners of her eyes and hugged her knees, leaning against a bamboo stalk. Her fair, delicate face was etched with disappointment, looking utterly wronged.
Watching her, Song Qingyan’s heart stirred. He squatted down to look at her. “You have a Water Spiritual Root, so it’s normal for your cultivation to be slow. Take your time.”
“What about you? What’s your Spiritual Root?”
Song Qingyan had never been tested; he always felt that any element worked just fine for him.
“I don’t have a Spiritual Root.”
He could become this skilled even without a Spiritual Root. He, an Outer Sect Disciple, was already in such a pitiful state, so why couldn’t she do it?
Ning Jinyu shuffled closer and hugged him, her voice soft and gentle as she comforted him in return, “It’s okay. You’re amazing even without a Spiritual Root. I can do it too. We’re both amazing.”
Song Qingyan felt the warmth in his arms, stunned for a moment, then smiled. “Mm, you’re right.”
Ning Jinyu released him and sat up, reaching for the sword again. She once more stood in the darkness, her sword dancing with the wind.
Winter Solstice.
It was the Sword Sect’s annual competition.
Only the Personal Disciples and Inner Sect Disciples who had newly joined the Sect this year were allowed to participate.
The previous Personal Disciples had long since gone down the mountain for training, while a portion with insufficient aptitude remained in the Sword Sect, like Zhou Zhetian and Luo Jingmin.
“The matches will be decided by drawing lots. The competition will last for three days.”
Ming Lu and Ning Jinyu held hands and prayed to the heavens. “The four of us must not draw each other as opponents.”
Qi Mu scratched his head. “It’s not that serious.”
Zeng Rui Wen slung an arm over his shoulder and whispered, “It would be great if I drew Ning Jinyu for swordsmanship, and then Ming Lu for alchemy, hahaha.”
But imagination was, after all, just imagination.
“Jinyu, Brother Qi Mu said he could teach you swordsmanship before. Why didn’t you go?”
“I’ve already found a master to help me. But about your alchemy, did you remember what I told you before?”
“Of course! It’s all thanks to you, Jinyu.”
“Number 37.”
“It’s my turn. We’ll talk after the match.”
Ning Jinyu walked onto the stage with her number plate.
There were four categories in the competition, and the event one competed in against an opponent was also randomly drawn.
Swordsmanship, Alchemy, Talismans, and Forging.
The first three were practical, while Forging only required answering questions.
For Ning Jinyu, the most difficult category now was Talismans. Her swordsmanship, with the help of “Doesn’t Talk,” had already reached a state of perfection.
Come to think of it, he could talk now. She still hadn’t asked for his name. She would go ask after she won.
“Alchemy!” The opponent she drew was a male fellow disciple. He let Ning Jinyu draw the lot, not expecting her luck to be so good. Everyone had witnessed her skills during class, so he could only resign himself to his misfortune.
The competition continued until the afternoon. Ning Jinyu returned to her room to wash up.
For these three days, the Sword Sect provided one meal a day just outside the arena, so she had told “Doesn’t Talk” in advance that they wouldn’t meet for these three days, and she wouldn’t be cooking for him either.
Over the three days, Ning Jinyu’s luck was truly excellent.
It wasn’t until the final day that she drew a match for swordsmanship.
The match began. Ning Jinyu’s sword cut through the air in a series of sharp arcs, the wind from her blade whistling and carrying a watery sheen.
Seeing this, her opponent didn’t dare to be careless and hastily made his move, attempting to block Ning Jinyu’s attack. However, Ning Jinyu’s sword techniques were like a sudden storm, leaving her opponent struggling to cope.
Her every strike contained endless power, the blade glinting with a cold light, as if it could sever any obstacle. Under her fierce assault, her opponent was gradually forced onto the defensive.
After an exquisite sword move, Ning Jinyu found an opening in her opponent’s defense. With a kick, his sword fell to the ground, and he lost the ability to fight.
Ning Jinyu sheathed her sword, and they bowed to each other.
“Is this an Inner Sect Disciple from Sword Seeking Peak? Quite interesting, and she bears some resemblance to that girl Qing Yue.”
The Sect Master was in seclusion, so this time only the three Peak Lords were observing.
Elegant Bamboo Peak, Sword Seeking Peak, and Sword Storage Peak.
The ranking of the Sword Sect was the Sect Master Su Han’s Soaring Sword Peak, Zhang Guoyi’s Sword Storage Peak, Peng Jing’s Sword Seeking Peak, and Wang Yunya’s Elegant Bamboo Peak.
“Old Peng, the two Personal Disciples you took on are only at this level so far. I think this little girl is very good. Could it be that your old eyes have gone blurry?” Wang Yunya loved to mock others. The disciples of her peak were always being bullied by other peaks, and the Sect Master wouldn’t even intervene.
Peng Jing stroked his beard and sighed. “My judgment was poor. As for this girl, if any of you fancy her, feel free to take her.” Jingmin was his granddaughter, and he knew her very well. If he really took this Ning Jinyu girl as a Personal Disciple, her cultivation would probably become even more difficult.
They all understood the unspoken meaning.
Zhang Guoyi spoke up first. “Then it’s settled. Let this little girl come to my Sword Storage Peak. My three Personal Disciples are all male; it wouldn’t be bad to take on a female disciple.”
Wang Yunya smiled. “Yes, yes, back then you fought with the Sect Master over Qing Yue and lost, so you didn’t want to take any more female disciples. Have you gotten over it now?”
“…”
Well, now no one was happy.