Chapter 47: That Guy

Xiao Xinran stood at the center of a group of newly acquainted fellow disciples, surrounded by admiration.

The Grand Elder had personally named her as a future personal disciple—smart, diligent, poised, and well-liked by both mentors and peers.

Compared to the aloof, unattainable golden-haired prodigy, Xiao Xinran’s lively and adorable sweetness made her all the more approachable.

Everyone doted on her like a little sister, showering her with affection and care.

If this were a game, this role should have belonged to Ji Shiyu.

Jing Tan’er’s red lips parted slightly, her eyes gradually brightening, but her tone remained dismissive: “Hmph, him again.”

Unlike the treatment received by other Inner Disciples, no one greeted or cared about Yun Liu.

The crowd’s attitude toward Yun Liu was indifferent, lacking even a shred of respect.

Some old hands among the Outer Sect disciples who had lingered at Sighing Peak for years exchanged meaningful looks, grumbling under their breath.

Many of them had lost to the young man two years ago and still hadn’t managed to advance since.

Seeing this scene, they couldn’t help but feel a bit schadenfreude.

Who knew how much cultivation this kid had left now?

He probably couldn’t even pass the Inner Disciple assessment, and was about to become the first Chief Disciple in a hundred years of the Shenhua Sect to be demoted to the Outer Sect for retraining.

And he still had the face to teach?

“The Cloud Mansion Nurturing Spirit Chapter—most of you have probably read it to tatters by now, so today let’s talk about…”

Yun Liu yawned, only here to go through the motions.

“Senior Brother, please wait a moment.”

The interruption came from a long-legged girl.

Jing Tan’er crossed her arms and said arrogantly, “Recently, there are a few sword forms I don’t understand. I’d like Yun Senior Brother to give me some pointers.”

The two noble girls flanking her cast mocking looks, united with Her Highness the Princess.

Last time, this brat narrowly escaped disaster, a golden-haired wild card appeared out of nowhere, and Tan’er lost face at the entrance exam.

It was clear she wouldn’t let the matter rest.

“Go ahead and ask.”

“Talking on paper is useless. Why don’t we spar in actual combat?”

“Oh?”

Here it comes.

Senior Sister Jing was never one to play by the rules.

This time, she had a legitimate reason for a sword lesson—no one could shield Yun Liu from her challenge.

Yun Liu lifted his eyelids, initially planning to muddle through and hurry off to Rosy Fragrance Pavilion to use the Medicine Hut’s resources to study the Reversion Pill.

He hadn’t expected the villainous heiress to act up again.

The many Outer Sect disciples immediately broke into grins, ready to watch someone embarrass himself.

A good-for-nothing, endlessly entangled with two peerless beauties—could he be any more of an eyesore?

Who would have guessed, the haughty little princess was actually sincerely seeking guidance!

“Very well.”

Yun Liu glanced at Jing Tan’er, picked a wooden sword from the rack, and said nothing further.

This round was indeed a rematch between the experience dummy and the protagonist.

He’d already given a warning—if she insisted on asking for trouble, so be it.

“Hey, Night Fragrance Girl, come here!”

If there was anyone among the Outer Sect disciples who could match Her Highness the Princess, it was only one.

With a shout, the young man ignored Xiao Xinran, who was eagerly raising her hand, and looked toward Ji Shiyu sulking in the corner.

The golden-haired girl was curled up, hugging her knees.

At his words, she looked up with a resentful expression, like a young lady who had just been wronged.

She’d spent all night thinking about how things ended up like this.

In the end, she didn’t find an answer—she simply waited until dawn.

“Huh? Me?”

What in the world was Night Fragrance Girl supposed to mean!

“If not you, then who? Are you being disobedient again?”

Yun Liu crooked his finger, and with just one sentence, the apprentice bound by a contract obediently lowered her head.

Ji Shiyu patted the dust off herself, accepting the training sword with frustration.

She really wasn’t in the mood to teach Jing Tan’er a lesson right now.

“All right.”

“Hey! Who said I was going to spar with her? My sparring partner is you!”

The little princess frowned, her fierce look coming off more like a challenge to everyone else.

“Are you sure?”

Yun Liu scratched his head.

Someone had once again tossed out the script and started improvising.

Jing Tan’er let out a light laugh, full of swagger.

“Don’t be afraid, I know you haven’t recovered from your injuries. Today, we’ll rely solely on sword forms—no Qi Sea involved.”

Rather than asking for guidance, she wanted to encourage the disheartened young man to regain his confidence.

Let her be the one to wake him up!

“It makes no difference. Without a solid Innate Spiritual Foundation, with your Leaking Spiritual Mansion, below Foundation Establishment, everyone is just an ant.”

Yun Liu muttered as he faced off against Jing Tan’er, while the others stepped back to clear the center of the training ground.

“Senior Brother, be careful!”

Jing Tan’er took a deep breath, leaning forward and pressing in with force, sword raised in a gust of wind.

Her sweeping strike was the Sword Sweeping Form from the Shenhua Nine Forms.

It was still rough around the edges, but had the right shape.

Even without spiritual pressure, it looked rather impressive.

Yun Liu stepped back half a pace, his sense of distance precise.

He dodged the tip of her sword by a hair’s breadth.

Then, a flash of cold light appeared—his sword thrust like a spear, piercing through the illusory sword web, landing a gentle tap on Jing Tan’er’s chest.

A direct hit.

The white-robed youth withdrew his sword and leapt back.

“…….”

The surroundings were dead silent.

Only Xiao Xinran shook her head in disdain.

A loser who couldn’t even beat the golden-haired girl dared to provoke little Yun?

Too fast!

The onlooking disciples broke out in cold sweat.

They saw it all clearly.

Senior Sister Jing had started with the Sword Sweeping Form, trying to seize the initiative, but Yun Liu countered with the Gun Sword Form, breaking through with a single point.

Jing Tan’er stood frozen, just as surprised by the outcome.

Her delicate frame trembled, but there was no trace of discouragement on her face—on the contrary, her eyes shone with a strange light.

Yun Liu tossed the wooden sword to the dumbstruck golden-haired girl.

Ji Shiyu was still savoring the charm of that sword strike.

So this is how the Shenhua Nine Forms are supposed to be used?

“It’s better to let her come. Sparring with me won’t help you at all at your current level, nor will it reveal your problems.”

Even with his Qi Sea shattered, Yun Liu’s skills remained.

The gap between Inner Disciples and Outer Sect Disciples was just that vast.

Everyone stared in shock.

“That’s more like it. This is the Yun Liu I wanted to see.”

Jing Tan’er murmured softly, her pretty face flushed.

In a daze, she seemed to see the moonlight from Yun Liu’s sword dance atop the clouds years ago, shining just for her.

Her burning gaze turned once again to the bewildered golden-haired girl.

“You’re next? Fine, with you, I don’t need to hold back my Qi Sea!”

“Eh?”

Without another word, the little princess charged forward, unleashing a flurry of sweeping, slashing, and hacking moves.

Her delicate feet danced on the wind, crimson Spiritual Flame flickering like fire tongues.

After suffering once from underestimating her opponent, she would never look down on the golden-haired girl again.

Her Sword Sweeping Form bloomed with overlapping afterimages, like a net cast from heaven and earth, forcing the golden-haired girl to stumble under the assault.

She wasn’t ready at all!

At first, Ji Shiyu struggled to defend herself.

Her clumsy beginner’s Outer Sect swordsmanship barely held up, forcing her to rely on Protective Spiritual Energy to hold on in a sorry state.

Fortunately, the golden-haired girl was thick-skinned and tough, with plenty of experience resisting high temperatures and pressure.

Little by little, as her opponent kept feeding her moves, the blonde girl managed to launch decent counterattacks—even without using any skills from outside the sect.

As a class napper and after-class rascal who spent her time flirting, Ji Shiyu was indeed a genius.

The more they fought, the more Jing Tan’er was shocked.

The damn golden-haired girl copied her moves exactly, even using the Sword Sweeping Form—had she practiced it in secret?

“Break!”

Ji Shiyu called out, imitating Yun Liu’s Gun Sword Form and stabbing straight through the web of fire toward her opponent’s chest.

Unfortunately, she only had the form, not the essence.

The sword’s momentum was scattered by surging spiritual energy, and Jing Tan’er dodged in time.

The wooden sword grazed her left shoulder, leaving a burning pain.

If this kept up, the poor little princess was going to lose again, and all the Sword Sweeping Form insights she’d worked on for months would be stolen.

The golden-haired girl copied the answer directly, not even bothering to change the punctuation!