Chapter 10: Xiaolongnu Did It Too

“Plant chrysanthemums in the small garden!”

Xiaolongnu applied the Jade Maiden Sword Art, her posture elegant and charming, her sword movements fiercely sharp—this single strike blocked Li Mochou’s dust whisk, yet the whisk’s filaments surged toward Xiaolongnu’s front, forcing her to sidestep in a flash; at that moment, Gu Qing launched a Complete Truth Sword Technique, slicing through the gap beside Xiaolongnu, straight toward Li Mochou!

Li Mochou’s dust whisk techniques, though derived from the Jade Maiden Sword Art, were naturally the counter to Complete Truth Swordplay—but now, facing this thrust, she felt unable to respond and could only retreat.

Because Gu Qing’s swordplay blended perfectly with Xiaolongnu’s Jade Maiden Sword, Li Mochou dared not advance.

After that thrust, Xiaolongnu and Li Mochou slightly pulled apart on the rooftop, both turning to gaze at the unexpected intruder.

“Miss Long, long time no see.”

Gu Qing stood beside Xiaolongnu, his voice carrying the scent of tea.

Yang Guo, watching from the windowsill, felt his blood rush straight to his head—this man was rinsing his mouth with tea just to speak to his aunt?

Yang Guo could even imagine the tea scent Xiaolongnu must be smelling!

Xiaolongnu looked at Gu Qing; frost instantly spread across her jade-like face.

The Ancient Tomb Sect’s arts consist of Twelve Few and Twelve Many.

The Twelve Few: Few thoughts, few desires, few attachments, few words, few laughs, few sorrows, few joys, few pleasures, few angers, few likes, few dislikes.

The Twelve Many: Too much thought exhausts the spirit, too much longing scatters the essence, too much joy causes confusion, too much laughter injures the organs, too many affairs drains qi, too much speech drains qi, too many desires damage resolve, too many likes distract focus, too much sorrow tightens the heart, too much anger unsettles the meridians, too much pleasure overflows the mind, too many dislikes wither the spirit.

With these Twelve Few and Twelve Many, Xiaolongnu lived without joy or sorrow, without thought or worry—her inner energy thus purest; yet when her cultivation weakened or emotions surged, her passion burned hotter than any ordinary person’s. Today she had already slain several Complete Truth Sect disciples chasing her, depleting much of her inner energy, then been pursued by Li Mochou—now she was weak. Seeing Gu Qing suddenly appear beside her, she felt everything was chaotic, all because of his meddling, and she didn’t know whether she was angrier at him or more grateful—she merely exhaled and said, “I don’t want to talk to you!”

Gu Qing nodded, fell silent, waited a few breaths—but the system showed no [Satisfied Xiaolongnu’s Wish to Not Speak to You] virtue point.

This kind of bug, it seems, can’t be exploited easily.

Gu Qing turned to Li Mochou, noting her bright eyes and fair features, lovely and alluring, and said, “Li Mochou, Xiaolongnu refusing to let you see the Jade Maiden Heart Scripture is an act of mercy.”

What mercy?

Xiaolongnu was slightly surprised—she was merely obeying her master’s command.

Li Mochou, who had been studying Gu Qing, now darkened in expression and sneered, “So you understand the Jade Maiden Heart Scripture?”

Gu Qing nodded and stepped behind Xiaolongnu.

Seeing this, Li Mochou grew even more furious, flicking her dust whisk toward Xiaolongnu.

Normally, Xiaolongnu could counter this move with four techniques—but now, her qi was depleted; she used only “Chess Beneath the Pine,” her blade’s light flickering unpredictably, winning through surprise.

As Li Mochou’s whisk clashed with the sword, she prepared to strike at Gu Qing behind Xiaolongnu—when suddenly Gu Qing’s Complete Truth Sword Technique wove into the Jade Maiden Swordplay; the two blades entwined, producing astonishing variations that startled Li Mochou into retreating instantly, while Gu Qing and Xiaolongnu merely crossed their blades once, tearing two corners from her Daoist robe.

This sudden turn left Li Mochou drenched in cold sweat, and Xiaolongnu stared fixedly at her sword.

Lin Chaoying created the Jade Maiden Heart Scripture and the Jade Maiden Sword Art, seemingly designed entirely to counter Complete Truth martial arts—but when the Complete Truth Sword and Jade Maiden Sword are united, they instantly transform into the seamless Jade Maiden Pure Heart Sword Art.

Even the Golden Wheel Law King, who could match Guo Jing, could not withstand these sword techniques.

Li Mochou glanced at her torn sleeve, then at Xiaolongnu, crying out, “Sister, again!”

Xiaolongnu raised her sword and thrust—a move called “Sweeping Snow, Brewing Tea”; Gu Qing wielded his blade beside her, their swordlights interweaving as they pressed forward against Li Mochou.

At this moment, Li Mochou’s strikes carried no lethal intent; Xiaolongnu, facing her senior sister, also held back slightly—they were merely testing sword techniques. Xiaolongnu’s blade bloomed like flowers in the wind, Gu Qing’s sword elegant and refined; together, they carried a subtle tenderness.

The Jade Maiden Sword forms inherently carry the rhythm of lovers—sweeping snow to brew tea, playing the zither, blowing the flute—and as Xiaolongnu channeled her heart into each movement, a trace of affection naturally emerged; when it met Gu Qing’s sword, it recoiled like a shy mimosa. This delicate bashfulness, this tender longing, is precisely what best expresses the early, bittersweet stage of young love.

Xiaolongnu’s feelings toward Gu Qing were already deeply complex—and this complexity now formed a strange bond between their swords.

As they moved, they seemed to grasp the true intent behind Lin Chaoying’s creation of this sword art.

But to Yang Guo, Xiaolongnu’s expression made him feel as if he might vomit blood.

He had teased Lu Wushuang merely as a substitute, imagining what Xiaolongnu’s face would look like in such a moment—yet now he saw Gu Qing and Xiaolongnu’s swords interlock flawlessly, their faces barely a foot apart, bodies swaying close yet distant, expressions shifting between anger and delight…

This was too much for Yang Guo.

He had eaten the substitute.

Xiaolongnu did it too!

“Swish! Swish!!”

The two blades crossed, knocking Li Mochou’s whisk from her hand, slicing open her sleeve, and resting against her throat.

Faced with this sword art, Li Mochou suddenly burst into tears.

Few in the Jianghu knew Li Mochou was a heartbroken lover; after Lu Zhan yuan’s betrayal, all these years, she had never let go. Now, seeing the Jade Maiden Heart Scripture she had long sought was, in truth, a lovers’ sword art, Li Mochou’s last defenses shattered completely.

In this moment, Li Mochou finally understood why Gu Qing had said: “Xiaolongnu refusing to let you see the Jade Maiden Heart Scripture is mercy.”

Because the Jade Maiden Heart Scripture requires two to practice together—and now she stood utterly alone. Where could she find another?

“Sister, you are well!”

Li Mochou looked at Gu Qing and Xiaolongnu standing side by side with their swords, and said, “Two people are willing to die for you…”

When the twin blades unite, if one is struck by a killing move, the other must risk everything to protect them—only then can the next sequence follow. Li Mochou spoke these words based on this truth.

“In this world, what is love? It compels life and death to be pledged…”

Li Mochou was now utterly broken, her spirit hollow; she recited the verse and leapt away, needing to find a quiet place to rest and heal her wounded heart.

“Puh…”

Yang Guo, on the windowsill, heard Li Mochou’s words, his vision darkened from rage, and he fainted.

“Brother Yang!”

Lu Wushuang cried out urgently.

Gu Qing, looking down from above, saw Yang Guo’s unconsciousness and smiled inwardly: The protagonist should sleep hard!

(End of Chapter)