Chen Yi’s body was sent flying backward.
He landed heavily on the ground, stirring up a cloud of dust.
Chen Yi clambered up from the ground in a rather disheveled state, his mind montarily dazed. What had just happened? He could scarcely make sense of it.
"Though you and I are master and disciple, nonetheless..."
Zhou Yitang didn’t even look at him, rely stated:
"So words should be said, so words shouldn’t be. You need to understand this."
"Yes, yes, yes..."
Chen Yi wasn’t angry, laughingly brushing the dirt off his clothes.
When it ca to won he cared deeply about, he always held extraordinary patience.
And besides, he wasn’t currently a match for Zhou Yitang in strength.
"You’re at the Fourth Rank now, but what was it that repelled earlier? I couldn’t see clearly."
Chen Yi asked curiously, as the courtyard was empty save for the two of them, making it unnecessary to hide such matters.
Zhou Yitang had fallen to the Fourth Rank after breaking her sword, and while she was still recovering, Chen Yi considered himself nearly at Fifth Grade perfection. Judging purely by cultivation level, the gap between the two shouldn’t have been this wide.
"The Living Sword."
Zhou Yitang spoke calmly.
Chen Yi looked sowhat baffled.
"Draw your sword."
Zhou Yitang appeared to intend for a hands-on demonstration.
Chen Yi obliged by unsheathing the Hou Kang Sword. Seeing her serious expression, he naturally wouldn’t spoil the mood.
The sword’s blade was pitch-black, and despite the presence of light, it seed to absorb rather than reflect it. Though not a renowned weapon, it was undoubtedly a fine blade.
The one-ard woman plucked a half-withered leaf and approached Chen Yi’s sword, placing the leaf upon its blade.
Zhou Yitang then lightly tapped the sword’s surface.
The half-withered leaf imdiately split down the middle, the cut smooth and neat, as though cleaved by a single stroke.
Chen Yi’s pupils contracted slightly, but he remained confused.
"The Broken Swordsman’s blade is just like this. When unsheathed, it charges forward with unstoppable montum, akin to the resounding thunder. People often say, ’The tallest tree in the forest is the first to be felled,’ but is that truly the case? If so, how have the ancient giants endured through the ages? This saying, ’The wind will demolish the tallest tree,’ rely reflects an absence of extre resilience and strength."
Zhou Yitang spoke slowly,
"A single sword strike, vested with true intent, can cut through two asures of wind.
This is the Killing Sword."
"Are you saying... the tallest tree in the forest instead blocks the wind?"
After the demonstration with the half-withered leaf and Zhou Yitang’s elaboration, Chen Yi began to grasp the underlying philosophy.
"Indeed."
Zhou Yitang replied before fetching another half-withered leaf.
She placed it on the sword blade and tapped lightly again.
This ti, the leaf trembled slightly, then returned to its original form, seemingly untouched.
"Years ago, the master ancestor bestowed with a saying: ’Sword Intent reaches Tongxuan to sever the six strands of mortal dust, shaking without harming, slicing without killing. At first glance, all seems as it was, yet is it truly? This is the Living Sword, invisible yet clear, inactive yet accomplished.’"
Zhou Yitang spoke at a asured pace.
Chen Yi suddenly understood her intent behind the two demonstrations but chose not to call it out. Instead, he asked:
"So, the force that repelled earlier was Sword Intent?"
"That’s correct."
Zhou Yitang didn’t deny it,
"If it had been the Broken Swordsman, shaking without harm wouldn’t have been possible."
Chen Yi chuckled lightly.
The one-ard woman seed dissatisfied with his laughter, casting him a cold glare.
"I understand now. The Living Sword is truly the highest skill."
Chen Yi quickly added.
Zhou Yitang withdrew her gaze, speaking faintly:
"There is no distinction of superiority. It’s just that my sword isn’t ant for killing, whereas his sword lacks longevity."
Chen Yi smiled silently and said nothing further.
Either way, having a woman willing to be jealous for him felt delightful.
"What about my sword?"
Chen Yi suddenly inquired.
"Your sword resembles his, but it lacks true intent."
Zhou Yitang replied bluntly.
"True intent..."
Chen Yi lowered his gaze in contemplation.
Would infusing it with hundreds or thousands of years of True Qi yield true intent?
As he lifted his eyes, he was startled to find the one-ard woman staring straight at him.
For no apparent reason, Chen Yi felt a lump in his throat.
"I can roughly guess that you want to take shortcuts."
Zhou Yitang’s seldom-gentle voice softened slightly,
"However, intent is sothing you must comprehend yourself. Only then is it truly yours. If external forces were to assist in your understanding, it would never genuinely belong to you."
.........
Yin Tingxue opened her eyes, waking with a faint stir.
She glanced at the empty bedding on the other side and realized Chen Yi had already left.
She sat up and let out a long exhale.
In truth, Yin Tingxue had awoken at the second crow of the rooster earlier. Seeing Chen Yi’s profile as he slept, she had imdiately closed her eyes again.
"Love..."
Yin Tingxue murmured the word.
The previous night, Chen Yi had sought an answer, but Yin Tingxue hadn’t given one—and couldn’t give one.
How could she possibly love him?
Yin Tingxue couldn’t imagine such a scenario; she had always feared him, and so hatred lingered as well.
She didn’t like this, didn’t like him, but she wouldn’t flee and couldn’t flee anymore.
Even if he were to open the door now and say, "You’re free to go; I’ll never look for you again," Yin Tingxue wouldn’t dare. Instead, she would obediently nestle into his arms.
Since that one incident, the word "escape" had seemingly been erased from her dictionary. Yin Tingxue thought it through; for her, the ideal outco would be if Chen Yi stopped making her bear children, didn’t touch her anymore, and gave her a spare room where she could stay alone all day without seeing him.
That’s all she wanted—not freedom, just separation.
But... such fantasies were no more than fleeting illusions. Now, her choices were either obediently bearing children or loving him. The decision was a multiple-choice question with two options...
"I don’t want either..."
Yin Tingxue murmured.
She climbed out of bed, and after freshening up, a plan ca to mind.
Yin Tingxue reconsidered it carefully and suddenly realized the plan might actually work. This way, she wouldn’t have to bear children or love him.
The little fox confird that Chen Yi had left, then headed to the guest room’s door. She took a deep breath and knocked.
Soon, the door opened, and the one-ard woman’s face ca into view.
"Master Zhou..."
Yin Tingxue hesitated before speaking.
"Are you here for alchemy?"
Zhou Yitang recalled the last request and asked.
Yin Tingxue shook her head vigorously, glancing left and right nervously, as if afraid Chen Yi might suddenly pop out of nowhere and drag her back to their room with a sinister laugh.
"If not, then speak your mind,"
Zhou Yitang said.
Yin Tingxue pondered for a long mont before softly suggesting:
"He’s been pestering these past days. You’re his master; could you perhaps help persuade him?"
As soon as the words left her lips, Yin Tingxue saw the one-ard woman’s face turn cold.
"You... you’re jealous?" Yin Tingxue asked in alarm.
"Not at all."
"But your fist is clenched..." she whispered.
"My hand’s itching."
The one-ard woman responded impatiently:
"One more word, and I’ll invoke my authority as his master to command him to father ten children with you."
"No, no, no!"
"Heh, when the ti cos, do you think you’ll have any choice?"
"I don’t want to..."
"What if he insists?"
Yin Tingxue visibly wilted. If he truly insisted, she wouldn’t be able to refuse. Last night, after crying and begging for ages, all she had earned was a single "Give it so ti."
She pouted her lips and hesitated for quite a while before suddenly asking:
"Master Zhou... are we friends?"
The ntion of children imdiately reminded her of that plan; now, she gathered her courage.
Zhou Yitang didn’t understand her motive but still replied:
"Barely."
"But friends should step in to help, right? To go to extres if necessary? Besides, you practice the Living Sword, which should save from misery, shouldn’t it?"
"In principle, yes."
Yin Tingxue’s face lit up with excitent,
"Then how about... you have the children for ?"
User Comments
0 comments from readers