After Breaking Off the Engagement, I Started Pursuing My Master-Chapter 27 - Sword Practice

Chapter 27: Sword Practice

Early morning.

After a storm, the Tianxuan Sect seemed renewed.

The fallen petals fluttered after the rain. Jiang Huai got up early to clean up the peach petals in the courtyard. The yard was planted with only peach and locust trees. Jiang Huai collected the swept petals, which after a thorough wash could be used to make peach blossom cakes later. Then he pruned the peach tree branches so that the peaches would grow big, sweet, and juicy in the summer.

Luo Qingyu had been getting up obediently every morning lately, and today she didn’t need to go out. She stretched lazily at the doorway in her light beige spring dress, her chest seemingly about to burst the seams, while Chu Xianning opened her door punctually every day.

Jiang Huai had already prepared black sesame-filled glutinous rice balls in the kitchen.

These days, the inner sect competition was for those fighting in the revival matches, so Jiang Huai didn’t need to participate and could continue to laze around in his courtyard. He usually didn’t practice swordsmanship, spending most of his free time pondering over talismans, the Way of the Pill, and formations.

And occasionally, he would glance at his tricky system mall.

His system mall was quite cunning, refreshing once a day with a hundred items, including all sorts of strange things. For example, today he saw items like 【Three Hundred Tang Poems】, 【Evil-Repelling Ice Silk Over-the-Knee Socks (color selectable)】, 【Nude-colored Handmade High Heels (size selectable)】, 【Crescent Moon Earrings】 – all of which only required one point to purchase.

Items like 【Winter Storm Magic Scroll】 belonged to the combat consumables category, with this scroll starting at a million points.

【Soul Severing Sword】 was a weapon, which in this world’s ranking would be considered a low-grade heavenly weapon, priced at a million points.

There were also knowledge books like 【Introduction to Magic Technology】, 【Introduction to Alchemy】, ranging from ten thousand to one million points.

Jiang Huai’s most joyful daily activity was checking the refreshed system mall; of course, he only browsed without buying anything.

He had the system for so many years and had only accumulated two hundred thousand points, almost all of which were quietly gleaned from his master, Chu Xianning. Trying to fleece his master was always a risky venture, with the chance of earning points if lucky or getting hung up and beaten if not.

If the daily system mall refresh wasn’t good, Jiang Huai could spend ten thousand points to refresh it again. The second time would cost twenty thousand points, the third time forty thousand, the fourth time eighty thousand, and so on.

After looking for a while, Jiang Huai ended up buying a pair of Evil-Repelling Ice Silk Over-the-Knee Socks in black and then didn’t buy anything else.

He could recite most of the Three Hundred Tang Poems, so he saved points where he could.

The most useful aspect of this system was actually its backpack space, which was very large and could hold a lot of things. Therefore, the ring in his pinky was just for show, and the real treasures were all in his system backpack.

Since he had nothing to do, Jiang Huai simply went to the backyard to brew wine, with Luo Qingyu sitting beside him by the stove, keeping him company. Jiang Huai enjoyed the view of her skirt revealing a section of her white legs.

At noon, Jiang Huai took down a piece of cured meat, used some to make stir-fried garlic leaves with cured meat, steamed a pot of rice, and prepared two small dishes of vegetables. The aroma of the cured meat spread throughout the entire yard, and around this time, there was a knock at Jiang Huai’s courtyard door.

Chu Xianning moved her thoughts, and the door opened with her spiritual energy.

The woman outside the door was dressed in a white Taoist robe, her black hair tied up with a thin black cord, her skin fair, and her eyes clear, as lovely as a lotus flower emerging from the water.

Chu Xianning glanced at him indifferently and did not speak, simply turning her gaze to Jiang Huai in the kitchen and pointed,

“He’s cooking.”

Wen Wanwan walked in carefully, and upon hearing footsteps, Jiang Huai turned his head and his eyes lit up when he saw Wen Wanwan.

“Here to practice swordsmanship?”

“Mhm…” Wen Wanwan’s voice was slightly uneasy, revealing a hint of coolness.

“Have you had lunch yet?”

“Not yet…”

Wen Wanwan usually didn’t eat. Her Foundation Establishment cultivation was enough for her to go without food for a long time, but the aroma from the kitchen made her inexplicably hungry.

“Then it’s perfect, let’s eat together. Qingyu, go wash another pair of chopsticks.”

“Mhm.”

Luo Qingyu obediently went to wash the bamboo chopsticks.

So Wen Wanwan lost the opportunity to refuse, her eyes filled with unease. Jiang Huai smiled at her lightly.

“It’s okay.”

......

At the dining table.

Luo Qingyu picked up a piece of vegetable for Jiang Huai with her chopsticks.

Jiang Huai glanced at her, “Hm? So obedient today?”

“I’ve always been obedient,” Luo Qingyu pouted, looking wronged.

“Alright, alright.”

So Jiang Huai also picked up a piece for her.

Chu Xianning never spoke while eating, just silently held her bowl and after tasting a bite, went to the pavilion to watch the peach petals fall.

Wen Wanwan carefully picked up a piece of vegetable with her chopsticks and tried it, her eyes sparkling with delight.

After lunch, Luo Qingyu dutifully cleaned up the dishes while Jiang Huai took two wooden swords from the rack in the yard and tossed one to Wen Wanwan, winking at her, “Come on, I’ll accompany you to practice the Tianxuan Thirteen Swords.”

While she had excellent talent in cultivation, Wen Wanwan’s talent in swordsmanship had always been mediocre, which she was well aware of.

So she listened very carefully to Jiang Huai’s instructions, afraid of missing any detail and worried that Jiang Huai Senior Brother would think she was stupid. She listened attentively, her nerves taut, which made her seem particularly uneasy.

Jiang Huai laughed helplessly.

“Why do you look so anxious?”

“No… I was just, just listening carefully.”

“Actually, when it comes to swordplay, I don’t think talent is that important.”

Jiang Huai pondered before sharing his understanding.

“Sword techniques are fixed, but people are flexible. Swordplay is simply about countering each other’s moves. If you haven’t seen results from your sword practice before, maybe it’s just that the sword technique you’ve been practicing isn’t right for you.”

“Your sword strikes are fast, and your style is straightforward and decisive. However, the Tianxuan Thirteen Swords involve too much adaptability and aren’t really suited for you. Let me teach you a different move.”

Jiang Huai began to earnestly teach Wen Wanwan a sword technique he was currently using.

【Silver Radiance】

This technique wasn’t his creation; the founder was Chu Xianning, who was sitting in the pavilion at that moment. Silver Radiance consisted of only three moves, which together made up three strikes. Jiang Huai intended to teach her the second strike, Slashing the Mist.

To execute this strike, one needed to channel spiritual energy into specific acupoints before directing the body’s full strength into the sword. Upon release, all the spiritual energy and power would converge at the tip of the blade. It wasn’t as difficult as it sounded; what was required was utmost tranquility of the mind.

With a focused mind, the blade naturally becomes sharp.

There was only this one strike, the posture for exerting force, and the flow of spiritual energy. Jiang Huai had explained everything clearly to her, and what followed was slow practice. Wen Wanwan started learning very earnestly, but after half an hour, she still couldn’t grasp the essence.

On the other hand, Luo Qingyu, who had been resting her chin on her hands at the stone table and watching for a while out of curiosity, stood up and mimicked Jiang Huai’s sword-swinging posture. She executed a strike, and her spiritual energy surged to a point, creating a ripple in the air that looked quite convincing.

“Is this how it’s done, Brother Jiang Huai?”

Luo Qingyu looked at Jiang Huai with anticipation, waiting for praise.

“Yes, that’s right,” Jiang Huai said, reaching out to ruffle her hair before turning back to Wen Wanwan, who slightly bowed her head, gripping the sword tightly, her body tensing up.

She was too clumsy.

“I think it’s enough for today… I… I won’t bother Senior Brother Jiang Huai anymore.”

“Take your time to learn.” Jiang Huai moved behind her, gently grasping her wrist in a move that seemed a bit too intimate, causing Wen Wanwan to tense up even more.

Jiang Huai slowly lifted her wrist and said, “I’ll channel a thread of spiritual energy into your body. Sense the flow of my spiritual energy, remember the key points I taught you, and try again.”

Chu Xianning glanced over unintentionally, and in a place hidden from Jiang Huai’s view, Luo Qingyu’s eyes darkened with faint jealousy. Unfortunately, as soon as she noticed Chu Xianning watching her, her eyes instantly reverted to an innocent and obedient expression.

As if what Chu Xianning had just seen was nothing but an illusion.

......

The afternoon sunlight was warm and fragmented, and time stretched on.

“Yes, that’s it. You’re getting the hang of Slashing the Mist. Just follow this trajectory, take it slow, it’s okay.”

Jiang Huai sat quietly on the side, brewing tea and encouraging Wen Wanwan, who was practicing the sword diligently in front of him.

Wen Wanwan’s forehead was covered in sweat. Hearing Jiang Huai’s praise, her ears turned a slight pink. She had been practicing in the yard for two hours, but she was well aware that the strike she had just executed was not as good as the casual one Luo Qingyu had made.

So Jiang Huai’s praise felt like coaxing a child.

“Alright, take a break. Come and try the hibiscus tea I’ve been experimenting with.”

Jiang Huai winked at her, pouring a cup of tea for her. Wen Wanwan obediently sat down on the stone chair, and Jiang Huai handed her a handkerchief.

“Wipe your sweat.”

Wen Wanwan carefully took it, wiped the sweat from her cheeks, and said softly.

“I’ll… wash it and return it to Senior Brother Jiang Huai.”

“Okay.” Jiang Huai then laid out some pastries, knowing that Wen Wanwan would probably be too shy to take any, so he picked up a piece of mung bean cake and brought it to her mouth, “Want to try?”

Wen Wanwan instinctively opened her mouth and took a soft bite of the mung bean cake.

Luo Qingyu sat quietly on the side, cooing softly, “I want some too.”

Jiang Huai also fed her a piece, and after she bit down, she picked up another piece of mung bean cake and brought it to Jiang Huai’s mouth, who obediently bit off a piece.

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After resting in the courtyard for a while, Jiang Huai looked at Wen Wanwan, who was sitting there, and winked at her.

“Practice some more?”

“Yes.”

Wen Wanwan picked up the wooden sword, and Jiang Huai moved behind her, holding her wrist and channeling a faint thread of spiritual energy into her body, whispering in her ear.

“Close your eyes and feel the flow of the spiritual energy.”

Wen Wanwan obediently closed her eyes. In front of her was darkness, and she couldn’t see anything, but she could sense the breath that seemed to fall on her neck, making her cheeks burn hot.

Luo Qingyu still sat obediently on the stone bench, her eyes innocent and pure.

She picked up a piece of mung bean cake, her pink lips parting slightly, but the force with which she bit down was filled with gritted determination, as if she were chewing on the flesh and blood of a mortal enemy.