Chapter 267

Seeing Pei Ye felt a little guilty, but at this moment he was willing to say this to the pale-faced girl in front of him.

As long as it could make her happy.

From too early on, the girl's low-spirited demeanor had made him feel uncomfortable to touch. Recalling that night by the lake, when the girl was pale and at a loss, trying to win him back, the youth would always hug his quilt tightly.

Now standing in front of her, looking at the red-rimmed eyes and the dazed, miserable expression, Seeing Pei Ye used all his strength to coax her quietly and gently.

The effect of these words was also outstanding.

Li Piaoqing stood in the field, completely stunned by the heavy hammer. Her mouth was whispering, not knowing what expression to show, and a tear had already flowed down.

This was the second time the youth had brought her a feeling of being in a dream.

She stared blankly at the youth who had stiffened after finishing his words, and only one thought returned to her heart: "So... his nervousness was for me."

This silence lasted too long, until Seeing Pei Ye became a bit panicked: "Li, Li Piaoqing, I actually... have always liked you, but I was too stupid and didn't understand... Now I've figured it out. Are you still willing to go boating with me? I am now also..."

His voice lowered: "... know how to row."

Another moment of silence, and then, the girl's low voice with a crying tone finally sounded through sobs: "Seeing Pei Ye, are you... on good terms with Ming Ming Jianzhu Ming?"

"..." Seeing Pei Ye was stunned, not knowing how to answer for a moment. Perhaps he should try hard to wipe away all the girl's worries, but in the end, he told the truth, "I... I dare not say I am Miss Ming's friend, but, Miss Ming is very important to me... However! I am not that kind of—"

Li Piaoqing interrupted him softly, raised a pair of teary eyes, and said in a low voice: "Then can you let me say two words to Ming Ming Jianzhu Ming?"

"... Ah?"

——

"Miss Ming, this is the friend I told you about," Seeing Pei Ye brought Li Piaoqing, whose hands were tightly twisted together, to the woman, feeling the girl behind him had completely held her breath, "Her name is Li Piaoqing, she is the Young Sect Master of the Cuiyu Sword Sect, and she told me very early on that she likes you very much."

Ming Qitian looked at the girl whose face was nervous and expectant, nodded lightly: "A branch of the Yufei Mountain in Shao Long. When I was learning the sword in my childhood, the lecturer mentioned it."

A surprise suddenly bloomed on Li Piaoqing's face.

Then she heard the woman continue peacefully: "Thank you, you are also very beautiful."

"..."

The State Yamen gathering had ended.

In the envious eyes of many, the Young Sect Master of the Cuiyu Sword Sect invited the Liuli Ming Ming Jianzhu to her home.

Along the way, the girl with red eyes followed the woman carefully, her mouth asking questions endlessly, and finally couldn't help but say: "Ming Ming Jianzhu Ming, do you think I am very annoying?"

Ming Qitian shook her head lightly: "No."

So she laughed happily and continued.

Seeing Pei Ye even saw her ambition to stick to her and hold her arm, but she finally chickened out.

Regarding the questions asked at the State Yamen, the girl hadn't given him a clear answer until now. Seeing Pei Ye followed the two of them with a nervous heart. Several times, when the girl asked a stupid question, he would rush to interrupt before Ming Qitian could answer, and then he would receive a fierce glare from the girl.

Until they arrived at the Cuiyu courtyard, Li Piaoqing still couldn't bear to leave Ming Qitian's side. Seeing Pei Ye was so anxious that he finally couldn't help it. He took Li Piaoqing's sleeve and pulled her aside: "Miss Ming still has to read and practice the sword. Don't disturb her."

Li Piaoqing was unwilling: "I'm not disturbing her. Ming Ming Jianzhu Ming is reading... I'm also reading. I'll just sit quietly beside her."

"... That's also annoying."

"Then what's annoying?"

"..." Seeing Pei Ye couldn't help it, "I'm annoyed."

Li Piaoqing looked at him, her eyes still a bit red, but she couldn't help laughing: "What are you annoyed about?"

"You come... to chat with me," Seeing Pei Ye said in a muffled voice, "You haven't answered me yet. Are you willing to go boating with me?"

Silence for a moment. Seeing Pei Ye's heart tightened. He looked up and saw the girl blushing and lowering her head, her voice very small: "We can... go at night. Ming Ming Jianzhu Ming finally came once, I don't know when she will leave, but we can, for a long time."

His heart swelled, as if something was expanding. The hanging heart landed steadily, spilling a piece of fluffy happiness. The youth's smile bloomed on his face, and he touched his head: "Then, at what time?"

"... I don't know," Li Piaoqing turned her head to look at the tall tree in the courtyard, whispering, "You asked me."

"Then, is the Xu hour okay?"

"Sure," the girl said nonchalantly, "I'm fine with anything."

"Hehehe." Seeing Pei Ye laughed for a while. The girl was standing in front of him. After three days, there should have been many things to say, but at this moment, the two seemed to have become mutes.

The atmosphere was a bit quiet. Seeing Pei Ye looked at the sky: "Then, I'll go busy myself with Yang Yan's sword practice first, and we'll meet again tonight."

Li Piaoqing raised an eyebrow: "Yang Yan's side, isn't it just practicing a sword?"

"... Right."

Li Piaoqing lowered her head: "Then just take the sword manual over."

"..."

The girl pushed him lightly: "Go tell Zhang Shixiong Chu Nian and ask him to call Yang Yan over."

Seeing Pei Ye was dazed for a moment: "... I'm not in a position to order Zhang Shixiong Chu. Or, you go."

Li Piaoqing glared at him: "You go."

"... Oh."

————————

In the courtyard shaded by cold trees, the white-clothed figure sat under the tree holding a book, and the girl moved a small stool and leaned vaguely beside her.

The two read a volume together.

"Ming Ming Jianzhu Ming, what does this 'Five Sages of the Immortal' mean?"

"A discussion on evaluating sword talent, don't worry about it," Ming Qitian skipped this paragraph and continued to look at the reasoning below.

"But... Ming Ming Jianzhu Ming," the girl raised her head and whispered, "I want to worry about it a little bit."

Ming Qitian moved her gaze back: "'Five' refers to Sword Heart, Sword Sense, Intellectual Logic, Spiritual Enlightenment, and Fate. It is a composition of sword talent proposed in the *General Meaning of Sword Performance*. Now everyone mostly adopts this theory. Sword Heart is the heart of holding the sword, which is different from the heart nature generally spoken of; Sword Sense is the body of holding the sword; some people will be more intimate and fit when holding the sword, which is this principle; Intellectual Logic is the ability to learn the sword and analyze logic, which can be cultivated later; while Spiritual Enlightenment is the flashing light of spirit, close to the 'enlightenment' of Dao and Buddhism; as for Fate..."

The woman pondered slightly: "You should know that the sword is different from other weapons."

Li Piaoqing nodded hurriedly.

"This is precisely where it responds. Many people have superior heart nature, control other weapons well, are clear-headed when reading and analyzing logic, and even practice other paths such as arrays, vessels, and alchemy, and their inspiration often bursts out—but they just can't learn the sword well."

Ming Qitian said peacefully: "It's not very prominent when shallow, but once it reaches a high place, it's like having one's throat strangled. With a lifetime of effort, one can no longer advance an inch—sword talent is something that comes with fate. Therefore, the first four mentioned in the *General Meaning of Sword Performance* are actually general. Proposing the two words 'Fate' is the crystallization that has been passed down through the ages."

"... Can sword talent never be changed in a lifetime?"

Ming Qitian pondered again: "Roughly speaking, yes. However, more than twenty years ago, Yunlang Mountain excavated this principle and produced a *Theory of Sword Talent of Three Thousand People*, which can be considered to have pried open some gaps, but after all, one cannot change fate or reverse the great block."

Li Piaoqing nodded slowly.

"As for the so-called 'Immortal,' it is its own thing," Ming Qitian weighed the booklet in her hand, "It is the four stages of 'Mortal, Spirit, Jade, Immortal.' This is the author's own evaluation. The Dao-Enlightenment Society will not divide it like this."

"Is what it says wrong?"

"It's not wrong, but boring," Ming Qitian said. "The quality of sword talent, how good it is, how bad it is, can be clearly seen. There are no obvious gaps or levels in itself, so why divide it into four segments artificially? Therefore, this paragraph does not follow sword logic, but the author's own desire for fame. It is boring."

"Oh," Li Piaoqing nodded heavily, and couldn't help but say, "Then Ming Ming Jianzhu Ming, if according to this boring division, what grade am I?"

Ming Qitian looked at her carefully.

The girl was expectant and worried, whispering: "Everyone says my spiritual energy is very sufficient... Seeing Pei Ye also said so. Do you think I have the talent to enter the Sword Academy?"

But after looking for a while, Ming Qitian shook her head lightly: "No. You should often encounter places where you can't grasp and can't think through when practicing the sword. This represents that your 'Spiritual Enlightenment' and 'Intellectual Logic' are slightly inferior, and you actually don't quite reach the threshold of the Sword Academy."

"Ah," Li Piaoqing lowered her brows, and then she remembered that her sword test was precisely lost in the lack of precision and accuracy in the distinction between mortal and spirit in *Yellow Emerald*, even though she had studied this sword manual for three years.

Low-spirited for a moment.

"Your truly superior place actually lies in the Sword Heart," the woman said peacefully. "First is extreme toughness. Climbing the mountain of the sword path, there are many rugged rocks and thorns. The further back you go, the more so it is. Yunlang Mountain recruits disciples, and the first thing is a tough heart; second is extreme clarity, pointing directly to what one wants, without confusion or obsession."

Glancing at the girl's wide eyes, she explained: "It's just that there are some mists covering it for now, and it's not easy to see, but it will be fine after grinding. In addition, your sword sense is excellent. Although learning the sword is difficult, using the sword should often be on the right path."

"As for fate... I can't see it now, but I think reaching the Intent Sword should be no problem," the woman withdrew her gaze. "You can enter the Sword Academy. Later, I will write a recommendation letter for you."

"... This, this is enough?" Li Piaoqing was a bit dazed.

The qualification test for the Sword Academy requires a series of steps to detect talent. Yesterday, Sui Zaihua's screening only looked at a sword performance and asked a few questions, which was also supported by the intuition of old experience and high-level vision. And now, this woman only looked at her a few times and told her five talents one by one, which was too incredible.

"Don't I need to perform a sword, Miss Ming?" Li Piaoqing was a bit uneasy, "That, Seeing Pei Ye told me just now, saying he wanted to ask you to write a recommendation letter... You must not listen to his nonsense..."

Ming Qitian shook her head: "If it works, it works. If it doesn't, it doesn't. I don't lie."

"Oh," Li Piaoqing responded, relieved, but soon couldn't help but lower her head and smile—although Miss Ming was still in a peaceful and composed tone, she suddenly felt that the woman who seriously said "I don't lie" was a bit cute.

"Then, what grade am I?"

"When your sword heart is bright, you should be able to reach 'Jade'."

"Oh... then, what about Seeing Pei Ye?"

"Seeing Pei Ye should be 'Immortal'."

"... Oh." Li Piaoqing glanced over there, and when she came back, she looked at the woman brightly, "Then Ming Ming Jianzhu Ming, you must also be an 'Immortal,' and the most, most powerful Immortal!"

Ming Qitian nodded, her voice still peaceful like water: "If according to its saying, I should be even higher."

She raised her hand and flipped a page.

When Yang Yan came over with the sword manual, what he saw was this scene, while Seeing Pei Ye sat on the steps in the distance, holding a small booklet and reading with his head raised. Hearing him push the door and enter, he immediately stood up and showed a happy smile.

——————

"I read it for a while last night, and I feel it's about the same," Seeing Pei Ye smiled and took the *Snow Collapse*. He was now calm and clear-headed, especially thinking of the boating appointment tonight, he was even more excited and full of learning energy, "I should be able to break through the first layer today."

But Yang Yan's expression was not too good.

This youth seemed to be also troubled by worries, sitting beside Seeing Pei Ye in some distress: "Seeing Pei Ye."

"Hmm, what's wrong?"

The youth never sold suspense: "Tianshan wants me to join."

"..." Seeing Pei Ye's movement of spreading the sword manual paused for a moment, "You don't want to go?"

Seeing Pei Ye indeed knew that Tianshan was contacting Yang Yan, but he didn't expect that they wanted to take him into the sect. But for the youth carrying a deep blood feud, this should be an easy thing.

Yang Yan was silent for a moment: "It's not that, there are many things... that I haven't figured out yet."

"When did they ask you?"

"The day before yesterday, they wanted me to give an answer before they left."

Seeing Pei Ye raised an eyebrow: "Things from the day before yesterday, and you only say it now? If you asked me earlier, I would have helped you think about it for two more days."

"..." Yang Yan looked at him silently, a pair of eyes cold, "Did you pay attention to me the past two days?"

"..." Seeing Pei Ye said as if nothing had happened, "Tianshan is a sword sect. If you go there, you have to major in the sword."

"I know that. Our sect also practiced both sword and saber, and isn't the jade pendant the same?" Yang Yan said, "I'm thinking... I don't know what the secrets of our sect are, but since it requires the second layer of *Swallowing Sea* and *Snow Collapse* to open, the things inside must also require practicing both saber and sword—I think my senior brother was... after mastering both saber and sword..."

"Then are you worried that once you go to Tianshan, you will lose the trail of your enemy?"

"..." Yang Yan whispered, "The days of learning the sword in the sect are like no years in the mountains."

Seeing Pei Ye stopped flipping the scroll and thought silently for a while: "Do you want to take revenge and just feel relieved in your heart, or do you want to pass on the sect?"

Yang Yan was a bit dazed: "I want both."

"Then I think... just go," Seeing Pei Ye thought, "Power must be accumulated before it can be struck out. Joyful Huan Si Lou, you have seen their movements these days. Masters have all arrived. What do you have to take revenge with at the fifth rank? Besides, without the protection of the sect, running around every day will only slow down your own progress."

Yang Yan was silent.

"... Is it because there is nowhere to vent your anger and you are unwilling?"

Yang Yan nodded.

So Seeing Pei Ye was also silent.

"This is something that can't be helped," he sighed lightly.

"Actually, the one I hate the most is not Joyful Huan Si Lou," Yang Yan suddenly whispered.

Seeing Pei Ye looked at the youth, and the next sentence made him dazed and speechless.

"It's my senior brother," the youth lowered his head, his voice as light as a sharp blade, "He colluded with outsiders to kill my master, took away the things that the sect had guarded for thousands of years, and finally threw the blame on me. I want to stab my blade into his heart... and ask him why he did this."

Seeing Pei Ye raised his hand and patted his shoulder lightly.

After a long while, he said: "So, this is the thing you want to do most, right?"

"Right."

"Then you..."

"Then you should go to Tianshan," a clear and light voice suddenly appeared in front of them. The two raised their heads. Li Piaoqing didn't know when she had stood here. She said seriously, "Some hatreds won't become dim just because they have been put aside for a long time. Forcing yourself to complete the revenge is more valuable than rushing up and dying."

"... Thank you, I know," Yang Yan was startled, "I'll think about it again."

"But you must also live well before the revenge," the girl smiled and poked his shoulder, "Every year and every day that passes will never come back again—by the way, if you go to Tianshan, you must speak well of our Cuiyu."

Yang Yan blushed and smiled: "Alright."

The girl also smiled, and then she looked at Seeing Pei Ye, lowering her head slightly: "That... there are still two hours, I'll go practice the sword for a while, and then... go change clothes."

"Alright," Seeing Pei Ye watched her and smiled.

Yang Yan watched the girl walk away. When he turned his head back, what he faced was Seeing Pei Ye's dangerous, narrowed-eyed stare.

"... What's wrong?"

"Why are you blushing?"

Yang Yan glared: "What's wrong with me blushing?"

Although they had known each other for a long time, he really hadn't had much communication with this girl. Being comforted so kindly by such a strange friend, he just couldn't help but blush.

"Don't blush casually," Seeing Pei Ye frowned, "It's easy to misunderstand."

"..."

The small courtyard fell silent. In the time that followed, Seeing Pei Ye read the *Snow Collapse* solidly for two hours, understood the first move, and then, under the gaze of Yang Yan and Ming Qitian, blew up a three-zhang-high water column in the well with one sword. At the same time, the starry night curtain had also descended on the small city. Seeing Pei Ye put away his sword and stood up. When he looked up, the girl was already pacing back and forth at the courtyard gate with her head lowered.

He immediately showed a smile and was about to walk over.

But he was pulled back by Yang Yan.

Seeing Pei Ye turned his head, only to see him also looking at Li Piaoqing at the courtyard gate, his brows deeply furrowed.

"What are you doing?" Seeing Pei Ye said.

Yang Yan seemed to be hesitant and long-winded at this moment, as if he had discovered something he didn't know whether to say or not.

"Speak."

"No, I think..." he bit his teeth and whispered to the side, "Seeing Pei Ye... do you think Li Piaoqing likes you?"

"..."

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 268 =====

(End of chapter)