A few days later, Lin Qiyou’s body had fully recovered, and Qingmu had returned from his outside commission.
Year after year, time after time.
The immortal-like master sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, while the two youths—one clad in black, the other in white—faced each other, swords raised, waiting for the master’s command:
“Draw swords!”
At those words, the master’s face was suddenly illuminated by the gleam of swords, immediately followed by the sharp clang clang clang of blades clashing.
They had been sparring together since they were children, over a decade now, and what used to be playful practice had grown into a truly captivating sword duel.
Previously, Lin Qiyou had always taken the offensive, while Qingmu played defense. The former’s swift sword strikes were lightning fast, with fierce moves and steps full of aggression. The latter evaded and dodged gracefully, a long sword parrying countless deadly attacks with the elegance of a falcon.
Yet the more they sparred, the more evident Lin Qiyou’s rapid progress became. Qingmu showed some improvement too, but Lin Qiyou was quickly closing the gap until it was almost nonexistent.
The only advantage Qingmu seemed to have left was his innate sense of the sword.
Since two years ago, Qingmu had been struggling increasingly to keep up with Lin Qiyou’s explosive strength.
“Whoosh—”
By the time the master regained his senses, the duel had reached its conclusion.
The young man and woman faced each other, swords pointed at each other’s necks. It appeared to be a draw at first glance, but a closer look revealed the boy’s blade was only mere millimeters from the girl’s slender neck, while her sword still maintained some distance from his Adam’s apple.
However, from their expressions, the boy’s breathing was completely off, while the girl, though panting, maintained a relatively steady rhythm.
“You’ve grown weaker.”
Despite her best efforts, Lin Qiyou was still a step behind, and naturally felt frustrated. She seized upon the flush on Qingmu’s face and his ragged breathing as evidence—this made her feel better inside.
Qingmu’s decline was real, not something she was making up.
“It’s because Miss has improved by leaps and bounds. Qingmu is just mediocre; it was only a matter of time before you caught up,” Qingmu said, sheathing his sword, though Lin Qiyou’s sword glow still did not wane.
She immediately assumed Qingmu was mocking her again.
What did he mean by “mediocre”? If he was mediocre, then having lost to her all this time, didn’t that make him even more useless?
Qingmu was truly sent by heaven just to torment her!
“Alright! Sword duel’s over.”
The master clapped his hands, reminding Lin Qiyou.
“Hmph!”
Reluctantly, Lin Qiyou retracted her long sword, frowning. “I see it now—you’ve been drained by wine and women. Your footwork is off, your strikes weak, and your technique sloppy. Father really spoils you, doesn’t he? Are you a death warrior? How many traps worthy of your sacrifice have you ever encountered since you were a child? No sense of duty as a death warrior, and on top of that, you have a beautiful Dao Companion and are always cozying up to her for no reason? If you had any shame, show me some sense of responsibility as a death warrior. Even if you won’t give your life for me, at least train properly. Can you do that?”
Lin Qiyou spared no cruelty. Her words caught Qingmu off guard; he was silent for a long while before nodding and muttering:
“Yes, Miss is right.”
“Tsk, boring.”
The seventeen-year-old immortal flicked her sleeve and left, leaving behind a faint lingering scent.
“Sigh…”
The master withdrew his gaze from Lin Qiyou and looked at Qingmu, who was clutching his chest, breathing heavily, then sighed deeply.
Truly a talent envied by heaven.
If Qingmu’s origins had been better, he wouldn’t have ended up like this.
…
…
Lost again!
Lin Qiyou felt a little downhearted. She could comfort herself, telling herself this time victory was only a hair’s breadth away, but it had always been just short all these years.
There was no choice but to accept it and keep telling herself she would win next time.
But she said that every single time!
While wandering around the sect, a female disciple suddenly bumped clumsily into Lin Qiyou.
Lin Qiyou was already irritated and about to speak, but the girl quickly lowered her head to apologize. Her earnest posture made Lin Qiyou clamp her mouth shut.
After all, Lin Qiyou was not one to hold grudges easily. She raised a hand and said, “It’s nothing,” only to notice the girl was panting and already on the verge of tears.
What kind of nonsense was this?
She bumped into me and I’m not crying, but she’s already lost it?
“Senior Sister, I’m sorry. I was just in a hurry about something unrelated to you. It’s just that… my Dao Companion has been involved with another woman. I’m heartbroken and can’t bear it.”
“There’s that too?”
Lin Qiyou’s anger flared up instantly.
She suddenly empathized with this female disciple.
But why was she empathizing? Why did she feel that way?
Lin Qiyou paused, then shook her head. She was truly furious.
Men who betray love and have affairs—deserve to die!
“Um, someone told me they saw my Dao Companion secretly meeting that woman. I want to go, but I don’t dare.”
The girl wiped her tears; her look made Lin Qiyou’s heart break.
Without hesitation, she said, “Don’t be afraid, Junior Sister. I’ll go with you!”
She refused the girl’s attempts to decline and insisted on accompanying her. The girl hesitated but eventually agreed.
The girl led Lin Qiyou on a winding path through the sect, arriving at a very secluded spot on the back mountain. Lin Qiyou thought it was indeed a perfect place for an illicit meeting.
“Where is it?”
They stopped behind a large rock. The girl pointed in a direction, and sure enough, a man and a woman were sitting together, chatting quietly. Lin Qiyou stepped forward and looked closely, her expression suddenly stiffening.
She recognized the woman—it was Qingmu’s Dao Companion of many years!
Qin Shuang!
Why was she here, alone with Junior Sister’s Dao Companion? It definitely wasn’t to discuss anything proper!
Qingmu and Qin Shuang were considered a model Dao Couple nearby, so why was Qin Shuang cheating?
For a moment, Lin Qiyou felt both indignant and oddly pleased.
She didn’t quite understand why she was both angry and happy.
Maybe… she just didn’t dare admit it?
“Junior Sister, you—”
Lin Qiyou turned around, only to find the girl missing.
Strange. Could it be… she had fled?
Was she too afraid to face this?
Thinking her junior sister was hopeless, Lin Qiyou gritted her teeth and hurried over to confront the adulterous pair.
Her reason?
To help her junior sister catch them in the act!
And to accuse Qin Shuang of cheating!
“Qin Shuang! And you too!”
Pointing at their faces, she sneered, “I said the dogs in the sect had gone missing recently—turns out they’ve all been hiding together!”
Qin Shuang didn’t seem surprised to see Lin Qiyou. She exchanged a glance with the young man, who silently got up and left.
“Don’t go! You—”
“Miss Lin, this has nothing to do with him.”
Qin Shuang stopped Lin Qiyou from blocking the young man’s departure.
“What do you mean nothing to do with him?”
Lin Qiyou frowned.
“He was just beyond his control, forced to be with me.”
Qin Shuang replied.
“You mean you forced him… you’re really shameless.”
Lin Qiyou gave Qin Shuang a disdainful look.
“Well, I am someone who can give up my dignity for certain benefits.”
Qin Shuang rubbed her cheek and added, “But I didn’t force him. In fact, I am also a victim.”
After saying this, Qin Shuang lowered her eyes and glanced at Lin Qiyou’s chest. She extended her finger and waved it left and right, and from Lin Qiyou’s chest came the clear “ling ling ling” of a silver bell.
“So the silver bell wasn’t lost after all?”
Lin Qiyou frowned sharply, clutching her chest, glaring at Qin Shuang, who had already swept her sleeve and left.
“What exactly… does this mean? This bell was given to me by Father. Why would I lose it?”
Muttering to herself, a scene from years ago suddenly flashed through Lin Qiyou’s mind—Qin Shuang accepting a gift from Qingmu.
Could it be…