At the Xiao Manor's training ground.
Xiao Mo was once again practicing the God-Slaying Spear with his master today.
Perhaps it was because he had grown sowhat accustod to the God-Slaying Spear's moves; compared to the first day, Xiao Mo found learning the spear art much smoother today.
Of course, in Xiao Mo's eyes, this was still not enough.
Perhaps, as his master had truly said, it would take him four or five years just to commit the spear moves to mory but Xiao Mo knew there was no other way.
Haste makes waste; he couldn't simply apply the talents of his fourth simulated life to his current one.
Especially since he was cultivating the Martial Path, not the Demonic Path.
For a martial artist, staying grounded and progressing step by step was paramount.
As for the other Xiao family disciples, they were practicing fist arts. However, they weren't practicing the Heaven-Opening Fist, but rather a set of fist techniques called the "Eight Gates Fist."
It wasn't because they weren't Huang Shan's direct disciples that he deliberately withheld it; it was simply that their innate talent wasn't sufficient.
For soone with insufficient talent to forcibly cultivate fist and spear arts beyond their capacity wasn't helping them, but harming them.
Still, the grade of the fist arts they practiced wasn't low, and their talents weren't actually poor either.
It was simply that compared to Xiao Mo, they fell considerably short.
If they applied themselves diligently in the future, they might even reach the Nascent Soul Realm.
Should they join the army and go to war, progressing step by step, they could still achieve considerable success.
“That's all for today,” Huang Shan reiterated. “Again, don't rush. We martial artists absolutely must not act with undue haste. Move forward little by little. Compared to speed, stability is the most important thing. Do you hear ?”
Huang Shan emphasized this once more, even feeling a touch garrulous himself but there was no helping it.
This boy’s talent was simply too high; his cultivation was progressing too swiftly.
He worried Xiao Mo might grow too anxious if he encountered a bottleneck now, causing his cultivation speed to fall far short of before.
“Yes, disciple will rember,” Xiao Mo affird, saluting with his spear.
“Alright, go rest,” Huang Shan said with a smile to Xiao Mo. “Your little childhood sweetheart is here again. Go and keep her company.”
Xiao Mo straightened up and turned his head, spotting a small girl in a pink dress clinging to the training ground fence, peeking out with her little head, blinking as she watched him.
Seeing she’d been noticed, Qin Siyao happily extended her small hand and waved at Xiao Mo.
“Master, this disciple will take his leave,” Xiao Mo announced.
Xiao Mo bowed, gripping his spear, and walked towards the little girl outside the entrance.
“Greetings, Princess,” Xiao Mo said, bowing once he reached her.
Qin Siyao pouted, “You promised to call Siyao.”
Xiao Mo chuckled, “I will still call you Siyao, but proper etiquette, such as a greeting bow, cannot be omitted.”
“Fine,” Qin Siyao conceded, her small hands clasped behind her back. She happily stepped forward. “Xiao Mo, did you miss ?”
“I hadn't even had a chance to miss you, and Siyao had already arrived,” Xiao Mo responded. He had expected to wait at least a while longer to see her, yet only a day had passed...
“Hehe, that just ans I missed you!” Qin Siyao chirped happily. “Co on, let’s go play.”
“Still heading outside the city?” Xiao Mo inquired.
“Ermmm, I can't play that late today, or Empress Shi will scold ,” Qin Siyao pondered for a mont, her gaze falling upon the long spear in Xiao Mo’s hand. “Xiao Mo, why don't you teach spear practice?”
“Spear practice?” Xiao Mo mused. “The spear is too dangerous. How about I teach you so fist arts instead?”
Xiao Mo knew Qin Siyao rely wanted to play, but a spear had a blade. He thought it better to teach her so fist arts; it would be good for strengthening her body too.
“No, I want to practice the spear!” Qin Siyao puffed out her cheeks. “You look so good wielding the spear; I want to learn too.”
“But spear arts can’t be mastered overnight, and I’ve only just started learning myself. I'm afraid I might teach you incorrectly, Siyao,” Xiao Mo said with a smile. “How about this? Master said that one must first learn fist arts before practicing the spear. Siyao, learn fist arts with first, and once you've mastered them, I'll teach you the spear.”
“Really? You can't lie to then.”
“I won’t lie.”
“Pinky promise!”
“Pinky promise.”
“Pinky swear, hang in the air, a hundred years, never change~” The two children hooked their fingers together, the little girl singing a childish rhy.
“Xiao Mo, liars have to swallow a thousand needles, you know,” Qin Siyao said, bending slightly at the waist.
“I won’t lie,” Xiao Mo affird, nodding.
“Hehe, let’s go practice our punching!” Qin Siyao happily pulled Xiao Mo’s small hand and led him out.
Not long after, Xiao Mo led Qin Siyao to a small garden.
“Watch and learn,” Xiao Mo instructed Qin Siyao. “Do exactly as I do.”
“Mhm, mhm,” Qin Siyao nodded seriously, her eyes brimming with anticipation.
“Assu a horse stance, bend your back, use your hips and waist to drive your arms, and punch!”
“Like this?” Qin Siyao mimicked, throwing a punch.
“Mm, not bad. Now, step forward with your left foot.”
Xiao Mo was teaching Qin Siyao the “Eight Gates Fist,” the sa set of techniques practiced by the other Xiao family disciples, which he naturally knew as well.
Xiao Mo taught diligently, and Qin Siyao followed with earnest effort.
At first, Xiao Mo had assud the little girl was a bit clumsy. However, Xiao Mo soon realized Qin Siyao was learning quite quickly; she seed to possess genuine talent.
After Xiao Mo demonstrated the Eight Gates Fist once, he had Qin Siyao perform it herself.
Although Qin Siyao missed so of the finer details, she had almost completely grasped the moves of the Eight Gates Fist.
“Xiao Mo, how was it? Did I do well?” Qin Siyao stood up, wiping the sweat from her forehead.
“Mm, Princess, you did very well,” Xiao Mo replied truthfully.
“Really?” Qin Siyao’s eyes sparkled with joy.
“Of course it’s true,” Xiao Mo chuckled.
“Then let’s spar!”
“Hm?”
“Isn’t practicing fist arts all about sparring? Sotis I see First Prince and Second Prince doing it all the ti,” the little girl said, eager to try.
“Well...”
“Co on, co on, let’s play, please...” Qin Siyao pleaded, shaking Xiao Mo’s arm.
“Alright, then, Princess, please forgive my presumption,” Xiao Mo relented. He figured it wouldn't hurt to play with her for a bit.
“Here I co!” Qin Siyao happily bounced away, creating so distance, her small fists clenched. “This heroine is coming for you!”
“Please,” Xiao Mo said with a smile.
“Hup!” Qin Siyao charged towards Xiao Mo, her tiny fist aiming for his chest.
Xiao Mo dodged sideways, then gently offered a punch.
Xiao Mo deliberately held back, his every punch lacking significant force or speed, just enough for her to block, then he’d find a way for her to land her own small jabs.
The two of them seed almost evenly matched but gradually, Xiao Mo began to feel that Qin Siyao’s newly learned Eight Gates Fist was actually quite interesting.
On a whim, as Xiao Mo intended to increase the difficulty for Qin Siyao, he accidentally lost control of his punch aura. With a little “Ah!” Qin Siyao was jolted by Xiao Mo’s punch aura, landing squarely on her bottom with a solid thud.
“Siyao, are you alright?” Xiao Mo gasped, startled, and quickly rushed forward.
“Xiao Mo, you bully ...” Tears welled in the little girl’s eyes.
“I...”
“I’m not talking to you anymore!”
Just as Xiao Mo was about to explain, Qin Siyao scrambled to her feet, clutched her small skirt, and scampered to the other side of the garden. There, she squatted by the pond, hugging her knees, looking utterly forlorn.
Xiao Mo glanced at Sister Huasheng, who stood nearby. The maidservant rely offered a slight smile and said nothing.
Watching Qin Siyao's small back, Xiao Mo scratched his head, unsure how best to explain himself.
Xiao Mo thought for a mont. Spotting so tender green vines and colorful wildflowers nearby, his eyes lit up, and he picked a few.
Squatting by the pond, Qin Siyao rubbed her bottom, which she’d just landed on. It didn't seem to hurt as much now.
Besides, the little girl’s anger flared up quickly and faded just as fast; she wasn’t really all that mad anymore but... Qin Siyao secretly peeked in Xiao Mo’s direction, wondering what he was doing.
Why wasn’t he apologizing to her yet?
Honestly!
She wasn’t ‘that’ angry anymore.
Co on, apologize to her already!
If he didn’t apologize, how could she keep playing with him?
Wait... Xiao Mo had tried to apologize earlier, but she’d run off in a huff...
Hmph, never mind that!
He could still apologize a second ti, couldn't he?
The more she thought about it, the more Qin Siyao found herself getting angry again.
Soon after, Qin Siyao saw Xiao Mo stand up and walk towards her. She quickly turned her head away, pretending to be angry as she gazed at the pond.
“Princess, I didn’t an it just now,” Xiao Mo said, offering his apology. “I still don’t control my martial artist’s aura very well. Would you accept this as an apology?”
Hearing Xiao Mo’s words, Qin Siyao stood up and turned her head to peek. When she saw the colorful flower wreath in Xiao Mo’s hand, her eyes instantly sparkled but quickly, the little girl turned her head away again, pouting. “It’s just a flower wreath. I won’t forgive you!”
“Then how can Princess forgive ?” Xiao Mo asked with a smile.
“Help put it on.”
Qin Siyao puffed out her cheeks again.
“Put it on , and I’ll forgive you.”
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