Chapter 511: Discussing the Sword

"Ahahaha, Miss Cui is truly humorous." Pei Ye laughed hesitantly, unable to grasp her angle for a moment.

However, the young lady did not say anything strange again. She returned his smile, turned her eyes to Changsun Jue beside her, and said gently, "Changsun, could you help us brew a pot of tea?"

"..." Changsun Jue suppressed an eye-roll with great cultivation, turned, and left the small pavilion.

Pei Ye actually didn't want tea, but remembering how Xu Chuo had demonstrated the tea ceremony for him in the carriage earlier, he lowered his hand that was about to stop her.

Then he turned back. Only the two of them remained sitting at the table. He just didn't know why this young lady in the purple dress kept a smile on her lips, her bright eyes fixed on him.

"... Miss Cui?"

Cui Zhaoye pursed her lips and carefully pressed her palms together: "It's like this, Young Hero Pei. I would like to write a short profile on you in *Chang'an Sword Affairs*, so I entrusted Changsun to invite you over, to take the liberty of chatting with you. It just so happens that Pavilion Master Xu also sent me a letter; we can also set a time later to handle your important matters together."

Pei Ye thought that appearance, temperament, and personality really didn't necessarily align. This was clearly a very approachable, sincere, and polite young lady. He hurriedly smiled: "I remember it was Miss Cui who wrote a sword review for me in *Chang'an Sword Affairs* a few days ago; I was truly flattered."

"Young Hero Pei read it? How did you find it?" Cui Zhaoye's eyes brightened, and her hands tightened slightly.

"Too much praise!" Pei Ye felt a bit embarrassed. "I often seek guidance from Brother Yang and Brother Yan; their attainments are far deeper than mine."

"Yang and Yan each have their own sword paths dictated by their sects, which are different from the way ordinary people learn the sword. Young Hero Pei, you don't need to compare yourself to them." Cui Zhaoye spoke up for him, then took a set of paper and brush from the stone stool beside her and placed them neatly on the table. "So, Young Hero Pei hasn't replied yet... May I have the honor of writing a short profile for you?"

"... Why wouldn't that be okay? Miss Cui is too polite." Being spoken to so highly by such a young lady, Young Hero Pei couldn't help but feel a bit carried away. He suppressed it and said, "It's just that I'm a novice, and I don't have any achievements. Writing about me would inevitably feel a bit awkward."

Pei Ye had probably seen similar things before. In the past, the Bowang Prefecture gazette would often publish the life stories of local *Wu Lin* luminaries, recounting their illustrious lives. Now, his *Wu Gong* was naturally stronger than those people, but in the Divine Capital, he still considered himself a greenhorn. It was fine for *Chang'an Sword Affairs*, the Divine Capital's largest newspaper, to mention his name, but writing a dedicated biography made him blush a little.

"There's nothing awkward about it." Cui Zhaoye shook her head. "In a month, it will be the 'Chang'an Winter Sword Gathering.' This is precisely the time when people are paying attention to the various swordsmen in the Divine Capital, and the discussions about them are in full swing. Many sword critics are writing articles for the swordsmen they favor—some swordsmen whose reputation doesn't match their reality even pay money to hire sword critics to write for them, or to disparage their opponents."

"Hmm." Pei Ye thought that in a place like the Divine Capital, fame is indeed often profit.

Cui Zhaoye pressed her palms together: "Of course, Young Hero Pei disdains such things. We will just write our own down-to-earth piece. *Chang'an Sword Affairs* can be considered the most upright in terms of reputation—this publication has repeatedly urged me to produce an article. Young Hero Pei, just treat it as helping me, alright?"

"... Fine."

"Good!" Cui Zhaoye clapped her hands lightly, revealing a sweet smile, and immediately asked with earnest curiosity, "Young Hero Pei, may I ask where you studied?"

"Um..."

"Wait, wait—let me guess first." Cui Zhaoye rolled her eyes. "Among the Northwest Sword Sects, Kongdong's *Bawu*, Qingsang's *Roujiu*, none of them fit Young Hero Pei's sword. The Yijian Southern Sect often says 'the sword precedes the technique,' which is somewhat similar to you, but they have always been high-profile in their conduct. If they had such a brilliant disciple, news would have spread long ago... I know! Young Hero Pei carries the Jade Emerald Sword, and recently Tianshan and Jade Emerald have been very close. Could Young Hero Pei be a celestial descended from the Snow Kingdom?"

"Hahaha." Pei Ye laughed. "I know a few seniors from Tianshan, but I haven't had the luck to be initiated into their sect."

In truth, Tianshan paid far more attention to him than the youth realized, but he currently thought that since declining their invitation to join, he had no further connection with this Northwest Sword Sect.

Cui Zhaoye was surprised: "Then where does Young Hero Pei come from?"

"There is no background... I learned the sword at a village *Wu Gong* school since I was small, and later, after I left, I learned a bit everywhere." Pei Ye smiled, still pausing subconsciously. "Along the way, I received guidance from many seniors... I dare not speak of any formal apprenticeship."

Cui Zhaoye was stunned, but she pursed her lips and said: "Young Hero Pei, are you deceiving me? With such astonishing sword art, how could you have achieved it without a famous teacher and a good sword?"

"No, no, no. There were famous teachers and good swords. I just meant that I don't come from a sect."

Cui Zhaoye's eyes brightened even more. Compared to growing up rigidly within a certain sect, this young lady who devoted herself to sword study was clearly more interested in the words "many seniors" and "learned a bit everywhere."

"What swords did Young Hero Pei learn?"

"Hmm, as a child, I practiced the *Opening Door Sword* and the *Supporting Willow Sword* at the *Wu Gong* school; nothing special." Entering the topic of the sword, both of them relaxed. Pei Ye tapped the cold stone table and thought, "Later, when I was about fourteen or fifteen, I learned a sword technique from an elder in my family called the *Snowy Night Flying Goose Sword Style*. Before leaving Fenghuai, I had only learned these three."

Cui Zhaoye keenly captured the unfamiliar name: "*Snowy Night Flying Goose Sword Style*? Forgive my shallowness, but I have never heard of this sword technique."

"That is not Miss Cui's fault." Pei Ye smiled. "It was created by an elder in my family, and currently... I am probably the only successor."

"Hmm? This elder..." Cui Zhaoye tilted her head. "Young Hero Pei just said you had no apprenticeship?"

A pair of bright eyes looked at Pei Ye, yet this mysterious youth from the west only smiled silently and said in a low voice: "We did not have the name of master and disciple... I felt I wasn't very promising, so I didn't dare claim to be a successor."

"... Hmm."

Then, as if seeing the atmosphere sinking, the youth looked up and smiled: "It's just, how does that saying go? One cannot lick the door and the wall..."

"It is 'to be unworthy of the master's gate'!" Cui Zhaoye usually wouldn't even roll her eyes at such jokes, but now she bloomed with a smile, quickly composed herself, and extended a finger. "Then this must have been a famous teacher, and a good sword."

"Naturally. He is the famous teacher I respect the most, and the sword technique I admire the most." Pei Ye smiled slightly. "It's just that the old gentleman has already passed away."

"I think, Young Hero Pei's use of the sword... must stem precisely from this senior and this sword."

She didn't say how he used the sword, but Pei Ye understood it instantly. He smiled knowingly, nodded, and admitted: "Correct, I just want to be that kind of swordsman."

"I also want to see Young Hero Pei be that kind of swordsman."

"..."

"Then, what about the future?" Cui Zhaoye tapped her chin curiously, looking at him with bright eyes. "In my shallow opinion, such a sword path is like a ten-thousand-fathom precipice. Young Hero Pei, you crossed it with a peerless sword, but I fear it is inevitable that your sword field is narrow and your foundation is not solid, lacking the process of building cognition of the sword from low to high. It is too easy to go down an evil path."

The young lady seemed never to have been so curious about someone: "But when I saw Young Hero Pei draw his sword that night, although the sword art was not yet full, the skeleton had already been built... Young Hero Pei said that senior has already ascended, so who else can stand on such a precipice and comb through the sword path for Young Hero Pei from a high vantage point?"

Pei Ye paused, looked up, thought for a moment, and smiled: "Hmm... I can say it, but Miss Cui doesn't need to write it down."

Cui Zhaoye's eyes brightened again: "I won't tell anyone!"

At this moment, footsteps came from the side. It was Changsun Jue finally returning with a tray of tea, on which three small cups were placed, clearly indicating the young lady's expectation to listen in with great interest.

However, after pouring two cups for them, Cui Zhaoye raised a hand to stop her and said gently: "Changsun, I suddenly feel a bit hungry. Could you go and get us some tea snacks?"

"..."

Changsun Jue did not speak.

Cui Zhaoye glanced at her.

Changsun Jue pursed her lips and left again. Cui Zhaoye turned back and gave another sweet smile: "Young Hero Pei, you can speak now."

"..." Pei Ye didn't have any thoughts of guarding against Changsun Jue, but at this moment he could only smile and continue: "Miss Cui is quite right. After I left Fenghuai, my sword path was indeed extremely biased, and every sword fight always drifted between total victory and total defeat. Miss Ming said at that time that I was a 'rootless blue cloud'."

"..."

Pei Ye recalled: "She gave me a copy of *General Theory of Six Dynasties Sword Art* and wanted me to study and interpret it thoroughly. At that time, I found this book very difficult to understand; every sentence and every word was hard to grasp. I wouldn't call the person who helped me interpret this book a 'famous teacher'."

He tilted his head and smiled: "Miss Cui must know this person; he is the Sword Pulse Senior Brother of the Long Jun Dongting—【Hidden Sword in Snow Case】 Zhu Gaoyang."

This was truly a name with great impact. Even setting aside the background, this name was already a truly big figure in the *Jianghu*. But at this moment, Cui Zhaoye had no reaction; she almost subconsciously grabbed the youth's sleeve: "Not Zhu Gaoyang... who did you just say gave you the *General Theory*?"

Pei Ye laughed "haha." Only in this situation did he dare to reveal a little of the intimacy and vanity this name brought him. He composed his expression and said earnestly: "I come from a remote place and have never seen the world... Spending her own time, tirelessly and meticulously teaching me the most basic sword principles, explaining to me bit by bit how a sword technique should be practiced, and even making me gradually understand what 'practicing the sword' is all about... Miss Ming Qitian, Miss Ming, is the only bright moon on my sword path."

Speaking of this name, the youth's voice inexplicably became much softer. He looked at the sky quietly, his thoughts not knowing where they had returned to.

"..." Cui Zhaoye was also quiet for a moment, staring blankly at the youth in front of her. After a long while, she sighed, half in realization: "So that's how it is. The Glazed Sword Master... has she had a deep influence on you?"

"Without Ming Qitian, there would be no Pei Ye, whether it's life or sword art." The youth smiled slightly. "Many times, that's how I think."

"..."

The two were quiet for a moment. Changsun Jue came over with tea snacks at this time, not knowing what she had missed. She poured tea for herself, head bowed, determined not to listen to another word of Cui Zhaoye's instructions.

Finally, Cui Zhaoye smiled: "Jade meets heavenly craftsmanship; no wonder. I had thought about this for many days; today I finally know where Young Hero Pei's skills come from."

Changsun Jue looked up with wide eyes: "What?"

Cui Zhaoye said nothing, took up her pen to take notes quickly. Pei Ye turned to smile at her, also saying nothing.

Cui Zhaoye raised her pen: "Then the framework for this short profile is set—Young Hero Pei, rest assured, I will definitely not mention the related people, only write about the stunning nature of your sword path."

Then she closed the small booklet and looked at Pei Ye earnestly: "Young Hero Pei, there is one more thing..."

She hesitated: "Let's put it this way... I see you use the Cicada Bird Sword so well; did you also study art at Jade Emerald Mountain?"

"That I have not." Pei Ye was a bit surprised. "Has Miss Cui seen Jade Emerald's sword before?"

"No, this is the first time I've seen it from Young Hero Pei." Cui Zhaoye pursed her lips and smiled. "But I can recognize it when I see it."

Pei Ye felt a sense of respect.

"【True Spirit Wind Transformation, Jade Feather Corpse Birth】. That night, Young Hero Pei made the Jade Emerald sword of four hundred years ago reborn on the West Pool. I think there is only Young Hero Pei in the world today who carries this sword."

"Currently, that is indeed the case. The old Pavilion Master of the Cuiyu Sword Sect, Senior Li Weiru, generously gifted me the entire true meaning of the Jade Emerald sword, teaching me his decades of insights without reservation. If I weren't standing on the shoulders of the predecessors of Cuiyu, I could not have plucked this long-lost Feather Immortal Sword." Pei Ye looked at the sky and thought, "This is another famous teacher, and another good sword... Although I did not study art from the old gentleman, I take the liberty of considering myself half a disciple."

"Then, I have a question I would like to ask Young Hero Pei for guidance." Cui Zhaoye's eyes were bright. "I have read about this sword from various places before. According to the records of predecessors, I have tried to infer the sword principles of the Jade Emerald Ascension, but I don't know if my thoughts are correct. I would like to ask Young Hero Pei to listen."

As the topic entered the specific sword, Pei Ye clearly felt that the emotions invested by the young lady in front of him had risen another level. He nodded earnestly: "Please speak."

"I think it is to use 'movement and stillness' to reach 'fullness and emptiness,' and use 'fullness and emptiness' to reach 'life and death'."

"..."

Pei Ye froze instantly, feeling that the true meaning he had gained from studying this sword for nearly three months was actually just these twelve characters.

"I don't know if I am right?" Cui Zhaoye blinked at him.

"Miss Cui's insight... truly makes me admire you."

Cui Zhaoye bloomed with a bright smile, but extended a finger: "Since that is so, then Young Hero Pei's 'Flying Feather Immortal' has one place where it is used incorrectly."

"... What?"

"The reason the Feather Immortal can be reborn after death and ascend to immortality within a corpse is precisely because it controls 'fullness and emptiness' through 'life and death.' When life ends at death, it is empty; then at the moment of rebirth, it is full like the sun. Therefore, it can make the corpse disappear and allow a stronger and more perfect self to appear." Cui Zhaoye looked at him and said, "Then, why did Young Hero Pei fall back to reality from the Feather Realm after this more perfect and powerful state was broken?"

"..."

"Just born, just dead; just dead, just born. Death can lead to life, and life can lead to death." Cui Zhaoye said, "Fullness and emptiness replace each other, just like the cycle of life and death. If the Feather Realm is not broken, killing me cannot kill me; if you kill me, I will just shake my feathers and be reborn."

Pei Ye stared blankly at the young lady. This was definitely a realm not mentioned in the Jade Emerald sword principles, and he suddenly thought that the *Flying Feather Immortal* was precisely at the third stage of the sword ladder, the "Cycle of Life and Death"... This might be the ultimate realm he must reach in this sword technique.

Cui Zhaoye pursed her lips and looked at the youth in front of her earnestly and solemnly: "If Young Hero Pei acknowledges that I have some understanding of the sword... then I have a hypothesis about the sword that no one has ever touched upon... and I want to tell Young Hero Pei." ===== CHAPTER 512 =====