“Xiao Chan, the sword technique I’m about to teach you is called the .”
Behind the mountain, on an open patch of ground.
Lin Ci picked up a long tree branch, split it in half, and handed one piece to Xia Xiaochan.
“I’ll definitely study hard!”
Xia Xiaochan exclaimed excitedly.
Senior brother is finally willing to teach me swordsmanship!
This is senior brother’s most formidable sword technique—she must treat it with the utmost seriousness, and not let down all the effort he has invested in her.
“I’ll demonstrate the sword moves first. They might be a bit complicated for you, so try your best to remember them. How much you can memorize and comprehend will all depend on your own talent…”
As Lin Ci spoke, he twirled the branch in his hand, spinning it into a sword flower.
‘So cool!’
Xiao Chan’s eyes sparkled as she stared fixedly at Lin Ci. In her eyes, senior brother wielding the sword seemed uniquely graceful and carefree, so dazzling that for a moment she forgot to even pay attention to the moves themselves.
Handsome, isn’t it?
Handsome is good enough.
Lin Ci felt justified. After all, he had spent several sleepless days, going through hundreds of Sword Manuals, copying down all the most magnificent and elegant sword moves, and then stitching them together with the Mortal Sword Manual to create this sword technique.
Never mind its power—just look at how stylish it is.
Very soon, the sword technique demonstration was over. Lin Ci flung the branch forcefully, stabbing it into the ground.
A sharp sword aura rippled out from his feet, stirring up fallen leaves into a swirling dance.
That stylish finishing move—he learned it from dramas.
“How much did you remember?”
He looked at Xiao Chan.
Xia Xiaochan was startled, just then snapping out of her trance:
“Ah! Sorry, senior brother, the sword technique was so profound I got mesmerized and got distracted. I forgot to memorize the moves,” she stuck out her tongue.
“……”
Lin Ci was speechless. Was this unlucky child really cut out for sword training? She couldn’t even memorize a single set of moves.
“No matter. This time, watch carefully.”
Lin Ci picked up the branch again and once more demonstrated the—well, the stitched-together… uh no, the Sealed Lotus Sword Technique.
Xia Xiaochan perked up, full of spirit, earnestly trying to commit every move to memory.
However, five seconds later:
Senior brother really looks amazing wielding that sword!
……
“You didn’t remember again?”
“Senior brother… Chan’er was wrong.”
“Last time.”
An hour later…
“Don’t tell me you forgot again?”
“Wuwuwu, senior brother…”
Seeing Xia Xiaochan’s pitiful look,
Lin Ci’s chest heaved—by now sweat had broken out on his back. What a joke! Demonstrating a set of unfamiliar sword moves three times in a row—he was exhausted, alright?
If he did it again, he’d be drenched in sweat and completely spent. That would look anything but cool.
“Alright then…”
Lin Ci took a deep breath and thought of a solution.
He took back Xiao Chan’s branch and infused a thread of spiritual energy into it.
“Xiao Chan, you know, in sword cultivation, the key is not in the sword moves themselves, but in Sword Intent!”
“Only by awakening Sword Intent can you be considered a qualified sword cultivator…”
“Just now, I’ve already infused a thread of Sword Intent into this branch. If you can comprehend even one ten-thousandth of it, learning my sword moves will be a breeze for you.”
He tossed the branch back to Xiao Chan, clapped his hands, and said.
Hearing this, Xiao Chan solemnly grasped the branch and focused her gaze.
So this contains senior brother’s Sword Intent?
Why can’t she sense anything…
No, if senior brother says it’s there, then it must be there. Not sensing it must be my own problem!
I have to comprehend it with my heart.
As Xiao Chan concentrated, she quickly seemed to vaguely sense a chilling presence radiating from the branch, shrouded in spiritual light.
Wow, there really is Sword Intent!
The presence was unfathomably profound, hard to pin down…
Still as frost and snow, quietly hiding its brilliance.
Yet when it moved, it was as if brilliant lightning burst forth, in an instant transforming into a silver serpent that could tear the sky asunder!
To infuse such unpredictable Sword Intent into a brittle, dried branch with such ease… truly worthy of being senior brother!
Xiao Chan couldn’t even imagine, if senior brother ever unleashed this Sword Intent with his full strength—unlike last time when he casually struck down that Rogue Cultivator—what a world-shaking scene it would be!
Who could possibly withstand such a sword?
“Thank you, senior brother! Chan’er will definitely do her best to comprehend it!”
Shocked to her core, Xiao Chan hurriedly said.
“Good. You can stay here and meditate. I’ll come tomorrow to check on your progress.”
With that, Lin Ci turned and
let out an almost inaudible sigh.
If she actually manages to comprehend anything…
Sword Intent, and all that—it’s all made up. He’d only infused a normal wisp of spiritual energy into the branch, which would dissipate by tomorrow.
Tomorrow, when his junior sister realized the spiritual energy was gone, he’d have rested enough, and could continue teaching her sword moves then.
Thinking of this, Lin Ci turned back and added,
“By the way, this Sword Intent knows no friend or foe. Be careful while meditating, don’t let it injure your spirit.”
“Understood, senior brother.”
Receiving Xiao Chan’s reply, Lin Ci nodded lightly, then headed up the mountain.
Hands clasped behind his back, Lin Ci returned to his quarters.
With Xiao Chan sent off, he could peacefully continue perfecting his Sword Manuals at home.
Yet, what he didn’t expect was—
Today, another uninvited guest was waiting outside his door.
“Hey hey hey! Loser, where did you run off to?”
Lin Ci found his way blocked at the door, and frowned slightly at the red-haired girl before him…
Who was this again?
“And you are?”
“Wah! You actually forgot this lady’s great name? So stupid! I’ll say it again—I’m Li Xingyao, and my father is the Sect Leader! Got it now?”
Seemed… vaguely familiar…
Wasn’t this the one who challenged him last time?
Lin Ci felt a headache coming—what a troublesome girl.
Though they weren’t much different in age, compared to obedient, sensible Xiao Chan, this one was worlds apart.
“Do you need something?”
Lin Ci’s expression didn’t change, still calm as water.
“Of course I do!”
Li Xingyao put one hand on her hip and the other to her mouth, giving a disdainful sneer,
“Hehe, I’ve heard all about it, you know! About the Great Sect Tournament next month… and your deal with Zhuge Cai!”
“Such underhanded, rule-breaking conduct—I, as the Sect Leader’s successor, absolutely won’t allow it!”
This Zhuge Cai, more like Zhu Pig Nose…
So unreliable—news spread so fast.
But no matter. He’d planned to go easy in plain sight anyway, so being found out was no big deal.
Of course, he couldn’t admit it outright.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Lin Ci replied coldly, ignoring Li Xingyao and walking into the courtyard.
But Li Xingyao, like she’d caught hold of some secret, relentlessly followed him.
“Hehe, running away like a stray dog, huh? Don’t think denying it gets you off the hook! I will expose your fake face and let everyone see what kind of person you really are!”
“What kind of person am I?”
Lin Ci didn’t even look back as he replied.
“You… you…”
Li Xingyao paused, snorted, “You’re a selfish loser, not worthy of my father’s praise, and not fit to sit in the Chief Disciple’s seat!”
With his back to Li Xingyao, Lin Ci rolled his eyes.
He knew it was just childish provocation, but it still genuinely angered him.
If he could, he wouldn’t want to be Chief Disciple either, nor endure the scrutiny of his fellow disciples.
But what choice did he have?
If anyone discovered he wasn’t the original owner of this body, what awaited him would be the cruelest soul-search after death.
And he… only wanted to live.
Expose his fake face?
“You’re welcome to try.”
Lin Ci left those words behind, pushed open the door, and walked straight into the courtyard, leaving Li Xingyao outside.
My life won’t be handed over so easily to anyone.
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