"It’s fine!"
Duan Xianxing gave a grand wave of his hand. Even if there were no stakes, he had won, and he was certain he had left a tall and heroic impression on his little junior sister’s heart.
Zhu Yinxi and Li Nanzhu exchanged a look, wordlessly agreeing not to speak. Why did they always feel like joining the conversation at a time like this would lower their IQs?
In the end, it was Zhu Yinxi who broke Duan Xianxing’s self-indulgent reverie.
"Little Junior Sister, did you feel anything while watching the two of us fight just now?"
Li Nanzhu pondered for a moment before saying, "Second Senior Brother, you should be practicing basic swordplay, yet the swordplay you used at the end was light and elegant, more like overcoming hardness with softness. I also carefully studied Seventh Senior Brother’s style. From some of the sword moves, I can tell they share the same source, but when he uses them, they are exceptionally sharp and fierce. If they are both from the same basic swordplay, why is there such a massive difference in style when the moves are executed?"
"That’s because our Five Elements Dao Sect’s swordplay relies more on personal comprehension!" Duan Xianxing was genuinely delighted now. For his little junior sister to see that his variations originated from basic swordplay, she must be exceptionally gifted. "Since you have such insight, Little Junior Sister, why not switch to the path of the sword? I’ll teach you personally, and I guarantee that within three years..."
Zhu Yinxi’s jade flute accurately pressed against Duan Xianxing’s forehead, pushing him away. "What he says is correct. The basic swordplay of the Five Elements Dao Sect—the Five Elements Sword Scripture—was originally developed based on the variations of the world's natural forces. One could say that depending on the spiritual roots of the practitioner, there will be certain changes. At the same time, one can integrate the characteristics of other cultivation methods they practice. That is why the final styles differ so much. You could even say that the swordplay itself is alive."
"Does that mean the more spiritual roots one has, the more they can comprehend and vary the moves?"
Duan Xianxing gave Li Nanzhu an appreciative look and nodded.
"In theory, yes. However, practicing even a single cultivation method already consumes a great deal of energy. Even I have only integrated the methods of my primary water spiritual root, combined with my own insights. The result is what you saw."
"I’m different, Little Junior Sister!" Duan Xianxing ducked out from under the jade flute. "No one understands innovation better than me! My sword moves are entirely researched and improved based on my own insights. Although I’ve integrated my own thunder-attribute cultivation methods, even the First Senior Brother can’t match me when it comes to further variations and advanced versions! Take that move just now, 'Thunder-Walk Wind-Cutter'; it was improved from a basic sword stance!"
"Yes, yes, Seventh Senior Brother is the most amazing!" Li Nanzhu said with a smile.
"Seventh Junior Brother, no matter how much you want to teach her, Little Junior Sister doesn't even know the basics. How can you expect her to practice?" As he spoke, Zhu Yinxi handed Li Nanzhu a book. It was none other than the Five Elements Sword Scripture.
"Little Junior Sister, you can look over the manual first, but before you truly start practicing..." Zhu Yinxi suddenly smiled, and even Duan Xianxing wore a mischievous grin.
"But what?" Li Nanzhu suddenly had a bad feeling.
"You must first perform basic exercises like gripping the sword and swinging it. Otherwise, you won’t be able to hold your sword steady." Duan Xianxing’s smile grew even more brilliant as he watched Li Nanzhu’s face change. "Let’s start practicing with ten thousand swings!"
Li Nanzhu immediately wanted to turn around and leave. Was he joking? One of the reasons she hadn't gone to the Sword Heart Sect was because she didn't want to swing a sword three thousand times a day. Now that she was at the Five Elements Dao Sect, it had turned into ten thousand? Was it too late to quit the sect?
"Little Junior Sister, don’t listen to Seventh Junior Brother. That is the requirement for sword cultivators. Since we use swordplay as a supplementary cultivation, a thousand times for basic practice is enough."
Zhu Yinxi’s comfort made Li Nanzhu breathe a sigh of relief, but then he uttered the second half of the sentence. "Per day."
Second Senior Brother, how can you use that warm, human mouth of yours to say such cold-blooded words?
She repented.
Truly.
She shouldn't have come to the Five Elements Dao Sect.
Farewell.
Seeing Li Nanzhu turn to leave without hesitation, Duan Xianxing lunged forward and grabbed her sleeve.
"Little Junior Sister! Little Junior Sister, just try it! Just try!" Duan Xianxing began to wail. "I promise you can become a super, super powerful sword cultivator! When the time comes, the two of us will be an unstoppable duo, and even the First Senior Brother won't be our match! Little Junior Sister!"
"Let go!" Li Nanzhu gritted her teeth and struggled to step forward, but Duan Xianxing was even more ruthless, directly hugging her leg with an air of 'I won't let go unless you agree.'
Li Nanzhu’s temple throbbed. Heaven knew she hadn't used such rogue tactics since she was five years old. How old was her seventh senior brother? How could he be so shameless?
"I won't!" Duan Xianxing still refused to let go. "Unless you promise me!"
"Impossible!" Li Nanzhu stomped her feet in anger, but she couldn't hit him. He was her own senior brother, after all. They could only remain in this stalemate.
To the side, Zhu Yinxi had already silently retreated to watch the show. A hint of helplessness appeared on his jade-like face. This childish way of bickering was still a bit too advanced for an aloof flower like him.
The tug-of-war between the two ended with Duan Xianxing’s persistence winning out.
There was no helping it; Li Nanzhu truly couldn't beat him when it came to being shameless.
"A thousand is too many," Li Nanzhu tried to bargain. "Five hundred swings!"
"No, no, a thousand is already very few. How can you hold a sword steady without a thousand swings? How can you master the moves?" Duan Xianxing shook his head frantically. When he used to practice, ten thousand was his baseline. A thousand was already being very considerate of his little junior sister.
"I’m not a sword cultivator to begin with!"
"That’s why you need a good foundation even more!"
"Eight hundred!" Li Nanzhu bit her lip and made a concession.
"No," Duan Xianxing was unexpectedly firm on this point, refusing to budge an inch. "One thousand!"
Li Nanzhu: Maybe she really should just quit the Five Elements Dao Sect.
Finally, Zhu Yinxi offered a compromise. "How about this? Little Junior Sister, you practice according to the thousand swings, but you can have one day of rest every five days?"
"Two days," Li Nanzhu said expressionlessly. Back in modern times, legal holidays were two days; don't even think about tricking her with just one.
Zhu Yinxi looked at Duan Xianxing, who was nodding frantically behind Li Nanzhu, and let out a chuckle before agreeing.
Fine. Little Junior Sister wasn't focused on the path of the sword anyway, so an extra day of rest wouldn't hurt. After all, the other junior brothers and sisters had been known to slack off occasionally too.
Seeing that his goal was achieved, Duan Xianxing’s grin practically reached his ears. The First Senior Brother had always been the one teaching him; now, it was finally his turn to teach his little junior sister. He could finally satisfy his craving to act like a master!
However, seeing as the best time for sword practice had already passed today, the three of them discussed and decided to start from tomorrow at the hour of Mao. Every day, Li Nanzhu would go to find Duan Xianxing, and Zhu Yinxi would also be there to guide her until she completely mastered the Five Elements Sword Scripture.
Rate on N.U.
