Chapter 772: Midnight Martial Competition: Testing the Edge (27)

"The martial performance ceremony? I don't care, but that sword that rewards the winner, I will definitely…"

"Guh—"

Yun Li's stomach let out a timely growl.

"Yun Li?"

General Huai Yan appeared behind Yun Li at some point, looking kindly at the little girl who had been endlessly busy melting swords.

"Are you hungry?"

"Um…" Yun Li nodded a bit embarrassed.

"Finish eating before you go back to melting swords," General Huai Yan patted her head.

"Um… but I want to eat Qiongshi bird skewers…" Yun Li whispered, "Qiongshi bird skewers… Qiongshi bird skewers…"

"Hurry, you can eat them at Luo Fu."

——

Hui Ye Da Xiao Jie wants me to confess.

(So, so cute!)

When he saw the girl in the sky dome pucker her lips, wanting Qiongshi bird skewers, Shi Shang felt his breath involuntarily held.

(No, I can't… this is way cheating…)

Shi Shang felt his cheeks heating up; instinctively he raised the comic book higher, trying to shield his possibly reddened face. Yet his gaze was magnetically drawn to the sky dome, unable to look away.

Just then, someone suddenly approached from behind.

"Nana, Shi Shang classmate~"

Teng Yuan Qianhua had somehow gotten close to him, bent down, looked up at his face hidden behind the comic book, her eyes sparkling with a Columbus‑discovering‑new‑continent shine.

"Do you think Yun Li is super—cute?"

Shi Shang arched back like a startled cat, quickly closed the comic book in front of him, forcing himself to shift his gaze from Senior Teng Yuan's trademark smile to the cherry trees outside the window: "W‑what? I didn't! I was just thinking about the demon sword, it seems many ACG works have similar…"

"Eh~ really?" the secretary tilted her head, her smile even brighter, "But your face is so red, like a ripe tomato~"

"That's because it's too hot!" Shi Shang hurriedly defended, instinctively tapping his cheek with the back of his hand—indeed scorching.

"Ah la~ even redder~" the secretary clapped and laughed, "Sure enough, Shi Shang likes this cute type of girl! Let me guess, a bit tsundere, preferably soft…"

"Alright, Senior Teng Yuan, please stop saying things that bother me."

In the corner unnoticed by the two, Xiao Mi Zi on the sofa was gripping a document tightly, the paper edges already creased. The girl's cheeks puffed slightly, her lips pursed into an upward curve.

(He actually likes that type? Shi Shang… truly annoying!)

——

"Uncle Yang, Jizi, Pam: Received your letter. We're fine in Luo Fu, please rest assured. Is your journey going smoothly?"

"Recently, due to some chance, I became a disciple of two Cloud Rider swordsmen, following them to practice swordsmanship. One is the younger brother of Yan Qing we once met, the other is General Zhu Ming's granddaughter, General Huai Yan's descendant, Yun Li."

"The two masters are very strict, making me deeply feel the hardship of sword practice. I wanted to drag Xing into the water, but she refused. I also wanted to drag Dan Heng into the water, but Master Yan Qing wouldn't let me."

"Nevertheless, I never shied away from the hardship. In just a few weeks, my swordsmanship advanced by leaps and bounds. Both masters praised me as a rare sword prodigy, racing to teach me with their own methods."

"Now, under the careful guidance of the two masters, my swordsmanship has made some progress. Once I return to the train, I will definitely show you a little skill, making you look at me anew!"

"San Yue Qi, I look forward to your reply."

"The cavernous heavens rotate day and night, and the time for the martial performance ceremony quietly approaches unnoticed. Under the strict tutelage of the two masters, San Yue Qi trains incessantly, almost developing tennis elbow."

"After a day's sword practice, Yan Qing and Yun Li also acknowledged San Yue Qi's progress."

"San Yue Xiaojie's dual‑sword technique has made some progress. Even at the martial performance ceremony, she would not be outclassed."

"Could it be… I have a chance to defeat the two masters?" San Yue Qi's complexion quickly brightened, the previous fatigue swept away, replaced by excitement.

——

Naruto.

"Heh, this little girl really dares to think that."

Qian Shou Fei Jian let out a short snicker, "Only a few weeks of training and you want to dare challenge her two masters? Her talent is indeed good, but those two masters are also one‑in‑a‑million geniuses, probably no chance even after a few more years of training."

"Is that so?" Zhu Qian heard and burst into hearty laughter, "I actually find her idea interesting. If you want to get stronger, you must try to challenge those 'impossible to defeat' opponents; if you don't even dare to think about it… then getting stronger is out of the question. In my view, if San Yue Qi continues to travel with the train through a few more worlds, perhaps she'll have the strength to defeat Yan Qing and Yun Li; the experiences of new worlds will also become part of her swordsmanship."

"Big brother, your expectations for San Yue Qi are too high. Even if she learns these sword arts, she won't catch up to Xing and Dan Heng anytime soon. To defeat Yan Qing, huh…"

Fei Jian shook his head helplessly. Since Big Brother was revived by the Earthly Evil Rebirth, he has always held extraordinary expectations for these people in the sky dome. Though the so‑called 'Fate Power' is indeed miraculous, swordsmanship, which requires solid time and practice, has no shortcuts.

On the other hand, that star who swings a club… fights with no form, his moves seem purely instinctive, which is actually worth looking forward to.

——

Yun Li and Yan Qing finally shared a rare moment of tacit understanding, exchanged a smile, and shook their heads together.

"What are you thinking? You've only trained for such a short time, how could that be possible?"

Yan Qing said leisurely from the side, "With San Yue Xiaojie's talent, if she were willing to put in a few more decades of hard work, it's not impossible to defeat Yun Li."

"Pah, pah, pah!" Yun Li glared at Yan Qing in protest.

"Decades… by then I'd be an old granny… impossible, impossible."

Yun Li couldn't help but sigh, "I didn't expect that in just a few weeks, San Yue Qi has already trained so competently. I now understand the feeling of my grandfather's satisfied smile when he taught me sword techniques back then."

Yan Qing teased from the side, "Then it should be a satisfied smile."

"Get lost!"

Seeing the two masters constantly bickering, San Yue Qi quickly mediated, "Hehe~ after all, it's thanks to the two masters' good teaching!"

Yan Qing suggested San Yue Qi try other weapons from Xian Zhou to find a feel. San Yue Qi curiously asked, "Hmm… let me think… among Xian Zhou's swords, which is the strongest? Single sword, heavy sword, or flying sword?"

"There is no single most powerful sword, only a more powerful swordsman," Yun Li said, winking one eye, glancing at Yan Qing: "Your master Yan Qing likes to wield many flying swords, but your master Yun Li only uses one sword; didn't he get beaten into a squeal in Dan Ding Si?"

Yan Qing retorted irritably, "First, I never squealed! Second, you're not my opponent at all! Third, shall we test right now who can beat the other into a squeal?"

Seeing the two about to argue again, San Yue Qi opened her mouth wide, at a loss for what to do. Just as they were about to continue, a light laugh interrupted them.

Jiao Qiu, shaking a fan, leisurely walked in through the main gate; from afar he heard two people bickering and curiously asked, "Tomorrow is the day of the martial performance ceremony; aren't you both supposed to sharpen your edges? Why are you still here engrossed in teaching?"

"Ah, you are… that… uh, that… right! The pink‑haired fox from Yaoqing!"

"Pfft…" San Yueqi couldn't help covering his mouth and laughing out loud.

"What are you laughing at? You're pink‑haired too."