Chapter 259: Testing the Sword

Pei Ye felt as if his heart was being clenched to death.

At the same time, annoyance surged up like fire—thinking of his own cowardly acceptance, halfway flight, and indecision just now, he felt the air suffocating in his mouth and nose.

He couldn't understand how he could have been so stiff and dull. Once he saw the young girl, that inexplicable timidity and panic would entangle his heart, and everything he had thought about was erased, his brain blank.

That wasn't what he really thought last night.

He should have either pretended to know nothing and blocked all the young girl's probes, or decisively rejected the young girl and then stood quietly in front of her, accompanying her until the stars fell at night.

In any case, it wasn't leaving behind an ambiguous sentence and then running away like a coward.

Because in this matter, he should have been in the superior position, should have possessed such composure, calmness, and patience.

He was clearly in an invincible position, and the thread that moved the young girl's emotions was in his hands. He should have taken the responsibility of carefully returning it.

But this process cut him first.

The annoyance at his own performance was not the worst part of Pei Ye's messy heart.

That just made him feel as frustrated as a waste, but it could be relieved. No one could do everything perfectly forever, and he was just a youth who was panicked by this kind of emotion.

At this moment, what was truly pressing down on him deeply was something else that made him unable to breathe.

It came from the pitch-black stone street, from the cold-caged green willows, from the cool rain, from the gray walls and black tiles, from everything around him now. This was a discomfort Pei Ye had never experienced before. It wasn't pain or sorrow; it was like stuffing his heart into a sealed steamer, stifling and twisting.

Although he performed a mess, he did show his attitude. The things that had been suppressing him these days had an outlet. He should have felt a kind of relief from unloading a burden in his depression.

However, there was none.

Only a deeper suppression covered him. Pei Ye walked quickly, suddenly let out a heavy breath, and kicked the willow tree beside him.

The broken rain splashed like flying pearls.

He grabbed his hair in annoyance, lowered his head, and walked quickly back to the martial arts hall.

As soon as he pushed the door, Yang Yan was still reading 【Crashing Snow】 under the eaves. Seeing him return, he raised an eyebrow and stood up to hand him the book: "Did you chat for so long? You need to practice sword quickly..."

"Don't bother me!" Pei Ye waved his hand and drilled into the room, slamming the door shut with a "bang!" The sound of him throwing himself onto the bed came from inside.

The courtyard returned to silence, as if no one had returned at all.

Yang Yan was dazed: ".?"

——

Lakeside.

The drizzling rain was like weaving, and the thin waves were like layers.

Li Li Piaoqing stood quietly on the boat, her exquisite hairstyle softened and collapsed by the light rain. Until the youth's panicked back completely disappeared from her field of vision, she still stood motionless like a statue.

For a long time, she lowered her head and walked off the boat lightly, re-tying the mooring rope she had untied, and then squatted in place and started to daze again.

She still felt she couldn't find her own body.

Beauty like petals requires many pieces of laughter to accumulate, but it only takes a light push to shatter.

So Pei Ye doesn't like me.

This sentence floated up blankly from her heart; she couldn't even feel the sharpness and cutting it should have had.

It was quiet for a while, and there was no one around. No one helped her. The young girl supported herself on the mooring pile and stood up, feeling the cool rain and cold mist again.

A cool breeze blew from behind. She looked back at the lake surface. This clear scene had just stirred her heart's suppressed, budding jump, but now it was just a common picture.

She shivered lightly, used Qi to warm her body, lowered her head, and walked onto the stone street. The young girl kicked her steps lightly.

Actually, it's nothing.

She thought.

Pei Ye... doesn't like me... that's also very normal.

You've been too happy these days, Li Li Piaoqing, you were definitely going to be deducted a bit. How can everything go as smoothly as you wish?

Actually, Pei Ye must have been very uncomfortable these days too. That awkwardness and suppression were imposed on him by her. Now that it's spoken and fallen through, that's just right.

There is nothing between them anymore. This strange thing has been unloaded, and they are still close, good friends who can talk about anything.

Pei Ye should be very relaxed now.

Thinking of this, the young girl's heart truly fell, but she also felt comfort.

You're too much trouble, Li Li Piaoqing. Apologize to him properly tomorrow.

The young girl's heart was covered in a thin, invisible membrane, thinking blankly.

——————

Returning to the Cuiyu courtyard, she pushed open the door, and Li Li Weiru was sitting in the hall drinking tea.

Seeing the young girl, he raised an eyebrow and smiled: "Why didn't you even use an umbrella? You're all wet."

The warm room and this familiar, kind smile made Li Li Piaoqing's nose sour. She lowered her head and didn't speak, walking around toward the inner room.

". Hmm?" Li Li Weiru leaned forward and grabbed her, pulling her to his side with a smile. ". What's going on? Are you going to cry?"

". No," Li Li Piaoqing said in a low voice.

". What's going on? Is there anyone in Bowang who can make our Cuiyu Young Sect Leader feel aggrieved?" The old man joked as usual, but the concern and heartache in his eyes were truly revealed. He pulled the young girl to his side gently. "What's wrong? Tell Master."

This was the comfort she often received when she cried as a child. Now that the distant reflection responded, Li Li Piaoqing's nose was sour again.

But it was no longer childhood. She had been away from the age when she would chatter in front of the old man whenever something happened for a long time. She could tell these things to Senior Sister Shen, but she was no longer willing to reveal them in front of the old man.

". It's nothing," Li Li Piaoqing lowered her head. "Just a small matter... I'll go back to my room first."

". Alright," the old man lowered his eyes, but his smile remained, and he didn't pursue it. "But you can't go back to your room yet."

"Hmm?" Li Li Piaoqing looked up.

"I have something to tell you—I made an appointment for Lord Sui to see you tomorrow."

". Oh, is it about the Sword Academy?"

"Right," Li Li Weiru nodded with a smile. This was a truly happy and proud moment for the old man. He sighed lightly, "I've always said, while I can still support you for two years, I must send you to a higher place, so as not to waste your talent for a lifetime. I chatted with Lord Sui today, and his tone was very loose, saying you were already on the list of candidates and he was willing to take some time tomorrow to take a careful look at you."

". Oh." This was indeed a serious matter. Li Li Piaoqing cheered up a bit. "Then I... should prepare?"

"Hmm, don't be nervous. The 【Washing Tree Copper Shadow】 you just learned during the martial competition was used very well. Just show it to Lord Sui."

"Good." Li Li Piaoqing nodded, turned, and walked two steps toward the room, then remembered and turned back. "Where is it, the Immortal Terrace or the Prefecture Office?"

"It's the Changdao Martial Arts Hall," Li Li Weiru smiled.

". Why there?"

"The gathering matter today."

"Oh."

"And Lord Sui won't show his face. You just go to the martial arts field of the martial arts hall tomorrow morning and practice the sword technique. He will see it in the dark."

". Good."

Li Li Piaoqing was about to return to her room, but saw the old man also stand up with his sword: "I won't be back for these few days. You and Shen Yao take care of things in Cuiyu."

The young girl was startled: "What are you doing?"

"It's also a task from the gathering," Li Li Weiru smiled. "Things have started to be handled, everyone is busy."

". Shang Shang Huaitong?"

Li Li Weiru smiled approvingly and put on his cloak: "Alright, I'm leaving. Sleep early."

". Hmm." Li Li Piaoqing didn't know what to say. She felt her brain was still somewhat sluggish. "Take care, Master."

Li Li Weiru nodded and smiled, turning and disappearing into the darkening sky.

Li Li Piaoqing stood quietly in the hall for a while.

Although she really didn't want to reveal her heart to the old man, the old man sitting in the hall did give her warmth and support. Now that this figure was gone, the whole room was somewhat empty. She thought for a while, knowing she should prepare for tomorrow's sword test.

So she returned to her room, took out the Lost Emerald Sword, and practiced for two hours until it was completely dark.

Everything around was quiet.

Marking some small problems in her heart, she practiced repeatedly several times to ensure there would be no mistakes tomorrow. The young girl stood for a while, feeling the quietness around her wanting to hook up something in her heart. She took a light breath, sheathed her sword, and walked back toward the room.

Lighting the candle, the young girl opened 【Yellow Emerald】 at the table, which was filled with dense notes from her previous practice, the oldest of which was two years ago.

Li Li Piaoqing flipped through them page by page, carefully reading. Although there should be no sword logic quiz tomorrow, one's realization of sword logic can be reflected in the sword. It is said that compared to the practical school of the wild road, the Sword Academy prefers those who are clear about sword logic. This aspect must be paid more attention to.

【Stepping on Water to Pick Scales】

【Hiding Clouds to Catch Sparrows】

【Sweeping Fire through Waterfall】

【Immovable Dangerous Wind】

The young girl flipped through them one by one, reading every summary and analysis of each sword move carefully with her own notes. The candlelight flickered, the young girl's face was calm, and she gestured lightly with a finger sword in her hand.

Flipped to the next page.

【Broken Leaves Returning Waves】

Suddenly, the young girl frowned, seeing the sentence: "The boundary of the third chapter lies in this sword;

Li Li Piaoqing felt a slight sense of relief in her heart.

Pei Ye, however, felt a tightness in his.

He had just walked past the front of the martial arts field as if nothing were the matter.

He was fetching water to wash up.

Holding a basin of ice-cold well water, his hair as messy as kindling, he cast a casual glance inside as if he didn't care, and that familiar, nimble figure instantly reflected into his field of vision.

He certainly wouldn't linger, but one always had to fetch water to wash up, and he didn't like using the well in the courtyard.

One always had to pass by to fetch water, and a casual glance was nothing. However, the moment he saw the young lady's posture as she danced with her sword, his body froze, and he understood the purpose of her visit.

He had attended the assembly yesterday, and Sui Sui Zaihua was in some dark place near him, monitoring every stranger who approached. And the young lady wanting to enter the Sword Academy was something that had been mentioned for a long time.

So... today was such an important day for her.

What was happening now was such an important matter for her.

A height and destiny that would almost influence her entire life.

Pei Ye's heart tightened instantly. After standing still for a moment, he immediately ran back to the courtyard to put down the water, grabbed a random sword, tensed his body, and walked into the martial arts field lightly and silently, standing in a corner.

For a moment, he didn't consider how inappropriate this behavior was.

At this moment, watching the young lady stop her sword and stand still after dancing earnestly, the young man frowned, his hand gripping the sword hilt tightly.

—Just now, in this set of drills, there were at least five mistakes.

Two were excusable, two he had mentioned to her before, but he figured they were hard to change for the time being, and the remaining one was a place where points would absolutely be deducted.

Li Li Piaoqing indeed hadn't noticed who had entered behind her—it was normal for people to enter and exit the martial arts field anyway.

At this moment, she took a deep breath and raised her sword again.

The second pass was a sequence she had choreographed herself. This set of changing moves was not very effective in actual combat, but it truly and solidly demonstrated her thinking and keen understanding of the sword, which was just right for this examination.

The 【Washing Tree Copper Shadow】 she had just mastered hadn't been incorporated yet. The current sequence was: 【Immovable Dangerous Wind】, 【Stepping on Water to Pluck Scales】, 【Breaking Leaves Returning Waves】, 【Hiding Clouds Catching Sparrows】, 【Sweeping Fire Piercing Waterfall】.

Quietly shaking clear wind, thin blade silent. In the two continuous transformations between lightness and sharpness, the young lady's control and spiritual understanding of the sword were revealed without reservation. And more importantly, it was the deep understanding and ingenious use of sword theory reflected in this choreography.

After this set was finished, the field fell quiet for a moment.

Pei Ye's brows were knit and his eyes were straight, his heart slowly lifting—there were at least thirteen mistakes in this pass. But fortunately, the stunning colors within were equally eye-catching. As far as the entrance examination was concerned, this pass was actually better than the first.

Because mistakes can always be corrected, but the upper limit of talent is fixed right there.

However, it was also more dangerous.

Pei Ye knew that what was reflected in this pass must have moved that lord, but he also clearly saw that the young lady's grasp of this set of things was actually still a bit strenuous.

It wasn't that her talent was lacking, but that she lacked sufficient time for precipitation and tempering.

So when the old man made a deeper inquiry, whether the young lady could catch it became a question hanging high up.

Silence for a moment.

Pei Ye couldn't hear anything, but the old man's voice had already sounded in the young lady's ears again: "Between your second move and third move, a leap appeared."

The young lady was suddenly startled.

"By the fourth move, it fell back down." The old man's voice continued peacefully, "You handled such a sudden change very smoothly, which is very good. But I want to see clearly the straight ascent and steep descent of these three moves."

The young lady's heart relaxed.

The old man's question was a deep dig into this set of sword moves, because "smoothness" would cover up many problems. The old man wanted to lift this veil to see if the skeleton underneath was glossed over by her or if it was solidly built.

And she, of course, had built it up clearly and distinctly.

She immediately performed the middle three moves again. This time, 【Breaking Leaves Returning Waves】 stood out so vividly.

The young lady slowly sheathed her sword, suppressing her somewhat coarse breathing, her eyes slightly bright.

Pei Ye didn't know what kind of question she had received, but this time she drew her sword, and he saw it clearly in his eyes. He couldn't help but clench his fist in excitement.

It was truly precise and beautiful.

Then there was another moment of silence, and the old man's next sentence sounded in the young lady's ears: "This sword move and the other four seem to have some differences in essence. Can you use your sword to answer me?"

(End of chapter)