Chapter 93: Convincing Aunt Liu (Special Bonus Chapter for the Patron 'Loli Destroyer')

“After buying the herbal packets, someone still needs to decoct them. Is there an experienced aunt in the back courtyard who’s good at preparing medicine?” Xiao Yu asked again.

“Having them brew soup is certainly no problem, but as far as I know, different herbal packets require vastly different decoction methods.”

“It’s not just about fire control or when to add water—some even require internal strength to assist in catalyzing the medicinal effects.” Liu Gugu’s gaze toward her grew slightly hesitant.

Mass-producing sword maidens through herbs might be “unprofitable” (earning less is equivalent to bleeding out), but this little Fengxian before her had clearly demonstrated the bearing of a “Sword Immortal Maiden.”

Moreover, she purchased the herbal packets herself; if Hongxiu Fang didn’t help her grow, it would be a slight loss.

The higher the “Sword Immortal Maiden”’s sword skill, the greater her reputation in the martial world, and the higher her performance fee would naturally rise—Hongxiu Fang would earn more.

If the “Sword Immortal Maiden” failed to fully realize her potential due to minor issues like herbal packets, Hongxiu Fang wouldn’t earn the silver it expected—that would be a loss.

Liu Gugu thus suggested: “Don’t buy overly precious herbs yet—just bone-strengthening soup and spirit-warming soup are fine.”

Wait a few years until you turn sixteen, then make your official stage debut—you’ll surely dance your sword before the Heavenly Gate.”

Your name might even spread across the land.”

At that time, you can buy a grand mansion in the city center, like Shao Yao, Zi Xuan, and Hong Wei, and keep many servants, hiring a dedicated pharmacist just to prepare and decoct your medicine.”

“I planned to ascend to the Human Immortal realm before I turn sixteen, and you’re telling me I only start cultivating at sixteen? No, it’s too late—you’re wasting my prime years.” Xiao Yu shook her head vigorously.

“A Human Immortal at sixteen? How dare you dream!”

Liu Gugu first gave her a skeptical look, then her mind stirred: “Lately I’ve seen you bouncing around, no signs of discomfort, even leaping on rooftops early in the morning—could your Sword Bone still have hope of recovery?”

If the Sword Bone still existed, perhaps she could truly become a Human Immortal before thirty.

After all, it was a Sword Bone enhanced to “Perfected Realm” by the Ninefold Bone Transformation Pill.

As for a Human Immortal at sixteen—she’d never heard of such a thing in her life.

“The Sword Bone is utterly ruined. Previously, when I channeled Sword Intent into my Sword Bone, my body became like a hundred-forged blade—the bone rang sharply, and my flesh and sinew were supple and powerful.”

Even after being slashed multiple times by Zhou Lang’s Sword Qi, I only slightly bled from the corner of my mouth, with no serious injury.”

That was Zhou Lang, the Wave Moon Hermit!”

If it were an ordinary swordsman, I could even use my palm as a blade and clash directly with his precious sword, eventually shattering it.”

Xiao Yu shook her head and sighed regretfully: “Now it’s impossible. My body is stronger than an ordinary person’s, but the Sword Bone can no longer be activated.”

Forcing Sword Qi into it brings only bone-scraping agony—no more ringing sound.”

What she said was largely true.

The Sword Bone was indeed ruined.

But what she didn’t say was that when she first woke up yesterday afternoon, she tried channeling pure Sword Intent (the spiritual essence of the technique) into the Sword Bone—only bone-scraping agony, unbearable.

This morning, she tried channeling internal qi mixed with Sword Intent into the Sword Bone—besides the bone-scraping pain, there was also a faint tingling pleasure.

She immediately thought of two people: the first was the “Supreme Bone” Emperor who had erased the Great Dao; the second was Qing Song, the Daoist acolyte.

The “Supreme Bone” Emperor had his Supreme Bone ripped out—well, the Supreme Bone Emperor was ultimately a fictional figure and couldn’t offer her much encouragement.

The key was Qing Song had once said: collect as many sword technique manuals as possible, cultivate as many types of Sword Qi and Sword Intent as you can, then channel Sword Qi and Sword Intent into the Sword Bone to refine it.

A swordsman’s internal breath and will can nurture ordinary iron into a divine weapon with spirit.”

Sword Qi and Sword Intent have the same miraculous effect on the Sword Bone.”

At the time, Qing Song merely gave her tips on how to unlock the Sword Bone’s spiritual power.”

Now she realized: Sword Intent and Sword Qi could not only enhance the Sword Bone’s “spiritual vitality,” but might also repair it.”

“Even without the Sword Bone, my martial cultivation won’t regress—my ‘Clear-Mirror Sword Heart’ still remains,” Xiao Yu said.

Not to mention the Sword Bone’s repair was still a distant dream—even if it recovered fully, she wouldn’t blab about it unless one day her Purple Mansion or the Pengpeng Wisdom Skill faced exposure, and she needed the Sword Bone as a shield.

“Hmph, your existing realm might not vanish, but to advance as swiftly as before when your Sword Bone was intact? Impossible!” Liu Gugu said.

“Auntie, you don’t have a Sword Bone—you don’t understand,” Xiao Yu shook her head. “The Sword Bone is merely a sharp sword. If the sword breaks, is the swordsman no longer a swordsman? As long as my Sword Heart endures, I am still who I was.”

“Sigh, no matter how eloquently you speak, I can’t arrange a dedicated pharmacist to decoct medicine for you. Hongxiu Fang can’t afford such a person.”

Liu Gugu waved her hand: “If there’s nothing else, return to Xiao Jingxuan and rest. I have many matters to attend to.”

“You gave Zi Ying a copy of the Nine Flower Sword Manual—I can’t practice it.”

Xiao Yu pulled out the simplified score and explained she’d never seen the real “Imperial Flowers.”

“Liu Gugu, really—you want others to practice the Nine Flower Sword, yet Hongxiu Fang doesn’t even have those nine flowers. I’ve never seen them, Zi Ying hasn’t either—how are we supposed to practice?”

Liu Gugu pondered. She’d only known the Nine Flower Sword was extremely advanced and difficult, and had deliberately pulled it out to test the “Big Talker” Fengxian (she’d heard Xiao Yu’s boasts at Lixiang Garden).

Now, hearing Xiao Yu’s words, she suddenly understood.

Upon reflection, the logic was simple: to imitate the spirit and grace of flowers, how can you imitate if you’ve never seen them?

Yet it took this little Fengxian to finally voice this obvious truth.

This girl was truly a sword prodigy!

This was Liu Gugu’s first thought.

Indeed, teaching a disciple starves the master—teachers always hold back!

This was her second thought.

The Nine Flower Sword was hard to master, yet many girls had succeeded—but no one had ever pointed out its crucial secret.

“Actually, Hongxiu Fang has a garden—right outside is the flowerbed.”

Before Liu Gugu finished speaking, Xiao Yu interrupted: “The flowers in a brothel are roadside blooms, plucked at will—how could they possibly carry nobility or purity?”

If you don’t believe me, go visit the flowerbeds of wealthy households—better yet, go to the royal garden. The flowers there are certainly different from these.”

Liu Gugu was puzzled: “How do you, a little barbarian girl, know royal flowers differ from these?”

South of Tianmen Town, many princely villas have been built—their flowers are no different from these.”

In fact, we use the same flower seeds.”

Xiao Yu smiled.

She shook the Nine Flower Sword manual in her hand: “Though the nine flowers each have unique spirits, the heart incantations describing their essence radiate unmistakable opulence.”

I suspect the creator of the Nine Flower Sword must have been a court noble.”

Possibly male, possibly female, possibly neither.”

But certainly not an ordinary person, let alone a woman from a pleasure house.”

A prostitute costing two taels a night and a queen born into a noble family are both flesh and blood.”

To a cannibalistic demon, their faces and bodies might seem identical—just meat.”

But tell me—aren’t they vastly different? And where does the difference lie?”

Liu Gugu murmured: “Women differ greatly in bearing and spirit—some worlds apart. Flowers aren’t people, yet they too have spirit and soul.”

Liu Gugu snatched the Nine Flower Sword manual, flipped rapidly to the fifth form: “Lush Blossoms—Azalea.”

Gradually, her face lit up with realization and ecstasy. “Clang!” She drew the Mingzhu Red Tassel Sword from the wall and leapt into the garden, slashing swiftly, swiftly, swiftly.

At first, the sword forms were ornate and complex, yet chaotic, lacking spirit and vigor.

But slowly, the scattered, disordered moves coalesced into clusters of blooming azaleas.

Flourishing, thriving.

As if wherever Liu Gugu stepped, azalea brocade unfurled beneath her.

“Interesting.” Xiao Yu watched intently, eyes fixed on the sword tips blooming with Sword Intent, gradually constructing a mental image of “Lush Azalea”—a brand-new Sword Intent surged forth within her soul.

“Wow, Liu Gugu is amazing, so beautiful!”

Even Zi Ying, who knew nothing of martial arts, could see Liu Gugu’s transformation.

“Hahaha! Hahahaha! Nine Flower Sword—I’ve finally mastered it!”

Liu Gugu sheathed her sword, panting, laughing until tears streamed down her face: “Nearly thirty years! If I’d had this insight thirty years ago—or even twenty—I’d have lived a completely different life.”

She walked to Xiao Yu and bowed three times respectfully.

Xiao Yu sidestepped nimbly and cried: “What are you doing, Auntie?”

“You helped me awaken the Nine Flower Sword Intent. Not only do you deserve these three bows—I could even call you ‘Master Yu.’”

Xiao Yu shook her head: “I don’t even know the Nine Flower Sword myself—I just gained inspiration from your Sword Intent just now. How could I teach you?”

Liu Gugu sighed: “True transmission is one phrase; false transmission fills ten thousand scrolls.”

Your single phrase shattered the greatest obstacle to practicing the Nine Flower Sword—more valuable than anything else.”

Xiao Yu was puzzled: “You’ve practiced the Nine Flower Sword for decades—no one ever told you anything like this before?”

Liu Gugu’s expression turned complex: “If I’d mastered the Nine Flower Sword thirty years ago, I wouldn’t have told anyone. I’d have made excuses to visit noble gardens frequently, observed the flowers, then returned home to practice.”

“Why go to such lengths? Even if you perfect all nine sword forms, you can’t dominate the martial world,” Xiao Yu sighed.

“Hmph, only fools think of ruling the world. We in the pleasure quarters—we consider our lives complete if we ever outshine all others in beauty.”

Xiao Yu sighed again: “Ah, with such a narrow spirit, you’ll only ever master one ‘flower.’”

“What does spirit have to do with practicing the Nine Flower Sword?” Liu Gugu asked, puzzled.

Xiao Yu said: “The creator of the Nine Flower Sword didn’t just love flowers—her character was refined and magnanimous.”

She loved flowers more than herself, yet she didn’t love just one kind.”

She loved all flowers—even all beautiful things.”

If you want to practice her manual, how can you not learn her character and bearing?”

Liu Gugu exclaimed in surprise: “Are you serious? But you don’t even know if the creator of the Nine Flower Sword was male or female.”

Xiao Yu shook her head: “Does gender matter? Even whether they were human or demon doesn’t matter.”

What matters is: to learn the spiritual intent of the sword, you must understand the spirit the manual seeks to convey.”

The Nine Flower Sword isn’t necessarily limited to nine Sword Intents—‘nine’ is merely the ultimate number.”

I dare say the creator understood far more than nine ‘Flower Sword Intents.’”

She simply chose the nine most representative ones.”

Beauty is like a flower; the flower is like beauty.

How broad-minded and loving one must be to understand and accept the spirit of all flowers?

Aunt Liu stared blankly, murmuring: “No wonder in all these years no one has fully mastered the Nine Flower Sword. Most, like me, practice only one sword intent; even the most gifted manage only two. It has nothing to do with talent—it’s about breadth of spirit. Sigh, yet in the end, it’s still talent.”

She looked at Xiao Yu with a complex expression. “Your talent extends far beyond sword bones.”

“Mm, I was also born with innate wisdom,” Xiao Yu said calmly.