Chapter 456: Meeting Again

Sword theory industry is taught every three days, and sword-sparring industry is practiced every seven days. Today was the first day of lectures at the Sword Academy. The sword students were all present, sitting in a bright hall. Pei Ye saw such a layout for the first time—three zhang of flat ground was left empty in the middle, and the sword students sat around the outside in rings. It was clearly for the convenience of demonstrating swords during lectures.

What was surprising was that there were many strange faces, probably previous generation sword students who came to audit.

Today came a teacher from Qingcheng, wearing a neat Daoist robe, over forty years old, with jade face and cultivated eyebrows, and a quite elegant temperament.

He should have a lot of experience in lecturing, and he talked eloquently from the beginning. This was the first time Pei Ye listened to a stranger lecturing on sword principles, and it was from such a distant and strange southwest. He listened to this lesson with great novelty and earnestness, as if seeing a sword sect he had never met before slowly peeling away the fog in front of him.

He held a blank little booklet and a fine brush, and after a lesson, he filled five pages with things he might not be able to understand after a while.

"With 【Chunshou】 here, what is the point of you taking this?" the black cat asked calmly.

Pei Ye ignored it.

Qingcheng has always had a tradition of wandering immortals, and its sword arts are deeply influenced by it, with a style that is very elegant and focuses on using the sword to lead the body. I don't know if it's because of the deep and dangerous Shushan, but the sword arts are also biased toward being strange, which is refreshing.

This is indeed very different from the Central Plains style, but the more Pei Ye listens, the more he feels a kind of intimacy like a distant relative—the Jade Jade Sword he is most familiar with is also an elegant and strange mountain sword. Comparing them, he feels quite enlightened.

The difference between the two is that Jade Jade uses cicadas and birds as spirits, the so-called jade-transformed corpse birth, which has a sense of life change; Qingcheng sword is more like a deep green mountain, with immortal apes in between.

Overall, this lecture made Pei Ye feel quite rewarding, and he was still unsatisfied after it ended, only feeling that there were two things that were not good:

One is that this senior's conversation is too elegant, always mixed with poetry and allusions. After the class, he left seven books on Qingcheng sword principles, saying it was just for introductory use, which dampened Pei Ye's wonderful mood by more than half.

The second is that Pei Ye decided not to sit with Yang Zhenbing next time—this person is really not willing to help fellow students. It was fine for the first quarter of an hour, he answered when asked, but he ignored him after the twentieth question, which was quite cold.

Pei Ye also tried to enter the Sword Ladder yesterday, and it was indeed as Qiu Qiu Ji Zi said, it is not just a plan, but more like a cultivation method specifically for sword practitioners. The connection and combination between sword arts can really produce some kind of mystery.

It's a pity that the time was too short, and he didn't really get the hang of it.

The class ended at noon. Pei Ye was chatting with Wang Shousi, Ning Shuhong, and Zhu Shishi while walking out of the academy, because Wang Shousi said there was a noodle shop outside the street that was delicious, and invited the two of them to taste it.

"... Seven days later there will be a spar, and then we will see the truth."

"Brother Pei, are you sparring this afternoon?"

"No, I won't return to the Sword Academy after lunch."

"Oh?"

Pei Ye was about to answer, but at this moment, stepping out of the academy gate, he was stunned.

Only to see a noble carriage parked quietly by the roadside opposite, the horse pulling it was divine and docile.

The carriage curtains were hanging down, not revealing the slightest identity of the owner.

"... This noodle seems to be missed." Pei Ye smiled apologetically, "Let's make an appointment next time."

"Ah... good." The two looked at each other blankly.

Pei Ye walked to the carriage, straightened his clothes, restrained his expression, lifted the curtain and boarded the carriage. A pearl illuminated this space softly, a small stove on the table was lit, and the climate was like spring.

Xu Chuo was sitting under the pearl, put down the book, raised her eyes and said peacefully, "Meeting again, Young Hero Pei."

"Thank you for your care." Pei Ye sat opposite her, "Thought you would wait for me at the Cultural Museum."

"Later I knew I was meddling." Xu Chuo poured tea and said faintly, "In the Daoqi Society, the name of the Young Sword Lord is indeed easier to use than mine."

"No, no, your greeting is also very important."

"Are you very close to Ming Qitian?"

"... Ah?"

"I know you know each other, but I didn't expect her to be willing to recommend you, and even construct a Sword Ladder." Xu Chuo raised her eyes to look at him, "As far as I know, she is very indifferent in the Divine Capital and almost doesn't talk to anyone."

Pei Ye blurted out: "That's because people in the Divine Capital are all harboring evil intentions, and Miss Ming doesn't like it."

"..."

"..."

"It seems the relationship is very good." Xu Chuo placed a small cup of crystal-clear tea in front of him, white porcelain and light green, fragrance lingering.

"..." Pei Ye clasped his hands, somewhat embarrassed, but still said frankly, "Miss Ming and I are friends who have entrusted each other with life and death."

"Oh."

"..."

"You don't know how to make tea?" Xu Chuo asked.

Pei Ye was stunned: "I don't."

Xu Chuo nodded: "Tea is a common courtesy. Whether close or distant, you can always make a pot when sitting together. There are many nobles in the Divine Capital. When meeting, it's not like in the martial arts world where you determine height by force. In most occasions, there is no chance to show off martial arts. At this time, how elegant the etiquette is becomes the third window for people to observe you besides appearance and conversation."

"Oh, oh." Pei Ye nodded, and hesitated, "But Xu... Pavilion Master, even if I learn a few elegant etiquettes, I'm still a rough person in my bones... Isn't this deceiving people?"

Xu Chuo's lips hooked slightly: "Follow the customs when you enter the village. Teaching you politeness is not teaching you to pretend to be a noble young master."

"Oh."

"Moreover, changing status is not that simple." Xu Chuo lowered her eyebrows, "Not to mention a few elegant etiquettes, even if you really read the Four Books and Five Classics, and are proficient in governing strategies, poetry, calligraphy, and chess... What determines the height is still that bit of blood in the bones."

She said this coldly, Pei Ye listened blankly, just took a sip of tea and nodded.

It was discovered why her eyes were deep and quiet—her pupils were light brown, but not too bright, instead covered with a layer of ethereal mist.

"Besides Ming Qitian, and... this cat, you shouldn't have any other friends who have entrusted each other with life and death, right?"

Pei Ye quieted for a moment, thinking instantly of that green dress in Bowang City. Further back, the man's free-spirited and heroic posture appeared in his mind again, followed by Zhang Junxue, Yang Yan, and so on.

"Still... still have some." Pei Ye said somewhat awkwardly.

"..."

"..."

Xu Chuo sighed faintly: "When I got your news, they said you were an orphan from the deep mountains, with no one to rely on, and were coming to the Divine Capital to rely on me. I thought we were fellow travelers, and could trust each other with life and death. You came to the Divine Capital alone, and I was your only reliance."

"Who knew that on the way, so many life-and-death acquaintances would appear." Xu Chuo raised her eyes and looked at him, "I became an outsider instead."

"..."

Pei Ye pursed his lips. He thought that you knew me early, but I didn't know you early. This was your wishful thinking. I have lived and died with several friends and fought side by side, but I have only met you for the first time. Although gratitude is sincere, it is inevitable that the friendship is not deep.

But he certainly didn't say this, just made an embarrassed look.

"Let's talk about small talk later." Xu Chuo didn't care, drank the last cup of tea, "The matter of the barbarians assassinating you has made progress." ===== CHAPTER 457 =====