It had been a week since Lin Zhixue returned to the sect.
Over these past few days, she had hardly gone anywhere else.
Every day was spent cultivating and practicing her sword technique.
On the rare occasions she stepped outside, it was only to replenish the spiritual items required for her cultivation.
The snow outside her room had gradually begun to melt, yet the courtyard remained quiet.
Lin Zhixue sat cross-legged on her couch, spiritual energy slowly circulating throughout her body.
An unknown amount of time passed.
She opened her eyes to find that daylight had broken outside her window.
She had been meditating since noon yesterday until now—a single session lasting nearly a full day.
Lin Zhixue released a soft exhale, causing the stray spiritual energy around her to disperse.
“Zhixue!”
Xiaoyu poked out from the Soul Jade and stretched lazily. It flew in a circle around Lin Zhixue, sensing the spiritual power within her.
“The spiritual energy in your dantian is already very abundant, isn't it?”
“At this rate, after a little more time, you should be able to start attempting Core Formation!”
Lin Zhixue nodded lightly. “Mm.”
Xiaoyu fluttered happily around twice.
Yet as it circled, it suddenly remembered something.
“Oh, right!”
“Zhixue, how old are you again?”
Lin Zhixue thought for a moment.
“Eighteen.”
“Huh?”
Xiaoyu widened its eyes.
“Eighteen years old?!”
“Late Foundation Establishment at eighteen?!”
It flew around Lin Zhixue once more.
“Zhixue, isn't your cultivation speed a bit too fast?!”
Lin Zhixue did not answer.
However, Xiaoyu recalled another matter.
“And another thing!”
“How come I've never seen you celebrate a birthday?”
The room fell silent for a moment as Lin Zhixue lowered her eyes.
“I don't have that habit.”
“Is that so...”
Xiaoyu nodded thoughtfully.
Then it began flying aimlessly around the room again.
“Then do you want to celebrate one in the future?”
Lin Zhixue did not answer.
She simply closed her eyes once more.
...
On the other side.
Gu Yanqing sat by the stone table in his courtyard, holding a spirit stone in his hand.
It had been a week since Lin Zhixue returned.
Yet over these past few days, he could not help but feel that she had changed.
In the past, Lin Zhixue would come knock on his door every morning.
Sometimes she would ask him what he was doing today, and other times she would ask what she should cultivate next.
On occasion, she would even stand at the doorway pondering for a long while before finally blurting out that nothing was wrong.
Now, none of that happened anymore.
She no longer seemed to come looking for him.
Then again, thinking about it, it was only natural. She was already at late Foundation Establishment now.
When it came to cultivation matters, there was likely nothing left he could actually teach her.
Not to mention she had Xiaoyu by her side. With that fellow guiding her, Lin Zhixue might even know more than he did.
Gu Yanqing looked down at the spirit stone in his hand. Xiaoyu had actually come looking for him a few times.
Every time, it was just to ask how his recovery was coming along.
It was still the same talkative little creature.
Yet it felt as though ever since Lin Zhixue returned, something between the two of them had gradually dissolved.
Two days ago, when he went outside, he happened to run into Lin Zhixue practicing her sword in the courtyard.
Their eyes met briefly.
Then she withdrew her gaze and continued practicing her sword technique.
She said nothing, nor did she stop as she used to.
Gu Yanqing stood there watching for a moment before ultimately turning away.
Wasn't this good? This was originally what he had wanted.
Lin Zhixue would gradually grow stronger.
She would gradually stop relying on him.
And then...
She would gradually vanish from his life.
That way, the Gu Yanqing who was slain by her sword in the future would no longer exist.
Yet why...
Gu Yanqing knitted his brows.
Perhaps the change was just too sudden and he had not yet adapted to it.
Things would probably get better after some time passed.
Right at that moment.
Knock, knock, knock.
Knocking sounded at the gate.
Gu Yanqing raised his head.
Is it her?
He instinctively stood up, but upon opening the courtyard gate, what greeted his eyes was a face that was not unfamiliar.
Gu Yanqing froze for a second. “Senior Brother Lu?”
Lu Wen, who stood outside the door, smiled slightly.
“Junior Brother Gu, it's been a while.”
Gu Yanqing looked at him in silence.
Lu Wen did not mind and cupped his hands in greeting.
“Regarding our match during the Sect Grand Tournament last time, I thought it over carefully after returning.”
“That match was indeed due to my carelessness.”
Speaking up to this point, the smile on his face faded somewhat.
“Had I not been forced off the arena stage by you at the last moment, I might not have lost that match.”
Gu Yanqing remained silent.
What he said was not wrong.
Had he not risked injury to forcibly charge forward back then, he truly would have found it difficult to retreat unscathed under the pincer attack of two flying swords.
“Therefore, I wish to spar with Junior Brother Gu once more.”
Lu Wen looked at him.
“No Sect Grand Tournament, no referee.”
“Just the two of us.”
Gu Yanqing's brows knitted slightly; he had roughly guessed the other man's intention.
A so-called spar was merely a pretense.
Reclaiming his pride was the true motive.
Perhaps he even wanted to win back everything Gu Yanqing had earned from the tournament last time.
Gu Yanqing did not immediately agree.
The injuries on both of them had indeed mostly healed.
The issue was that there remained a gap in cultivation between him and Lu Wen.
Furthermore, during their previous fight, he had exposed almost all of his trump cards.
Lu Wen now knew his fighting style.
If they fought again, he might not be able to gain an advantage.
“What's wrong?”
Seeing that he delayed in answering, Lu Wen's smile deepened.
“Is Junior Brother Gu afraid?”
Just as Gu Yanqing was about to speak.
A cool, distant voice suddenly came from behind him.
“His injuries haven't healed yet.”
Both of them turned their heads simultaneously.
Unbeknownst to them, Lin Zhixue had stepped up to the other side of the courtyard gate.
She glanced at Lu Wen, then walked up in front of Gu Yanqing.
“I'll spar with you.”
Lu Wen froze for a moment.
Soon, his gaze landed on Lin Zhixue.
Late Foundation Establishment.
She hasn't even formed a Golden Core.
Yet upon taking a clear look at her, Lu Wen suddenly remembered what had happened last time.
Back at the auction.
The Origin-Condensing Azure Glaze that Gu Yanqing had refused to yield no matter what.
It seemed he had ultimately bought it.
Looking at things now, it had indeed been used on the young woman before him.
At this thought, the corners of Lu Wen's lips curled up slightly. “Junior Brother Gu, so this is that...”
He did not finish his sentence, merely looking toward Lin Zhixue.
“Only at late Foundation Establishment.”
“Junior Sister, are you certain you want to spar with me?”
His tone sounded polite, but the implication in his words was abundantly clear.
Lin Zhixue did not get angry, her amber eyes remaining unruffled as calm water.
“I am.”
Lu Wen gave a light chuckle.
“Junior Sister, you might not know yet the vast difference between Foundation Establishment and Golden Core...”
“I know.”
Lin Zhixue interrupted him directly.
She glanced at the sword in Lu Wen's hand.
“You are at mid Golden Core.”
“I am at late Foundation Establishment.”
“Therefore, in this spar, you are by no means at a disadvantage.”
Lu Wen raised an eyebrow.
Lin Zhixue continued:
“Furthermore, the injuries on your body haven't fully recovered either, have they?”
“My cultivation level is lower.”
“Calculated like this, the gap in cultivation should be enough to make up for the difference in physical condition between us.”
Standing behind her, Gu Yanqing was stunned as he listened. What kind of logic is that?
Instinctively, he reached out and gently pulled at the hem of Lin Zhixue's robe.
“Don't...”
Lin Zhixue turned her head back. “It's fine.”
There was not a trace of hesitation in her voice.
Gu Yanqing looked at her, at a loss for words.
Lu Wen looked between the two of them once more.
The smile on his face gradually faded.
Since she was offering herself up, he had no reason to decline.
“Very well.”
He tightened his grip on his sword hilt once again.
“Since Junior Sister has such confidence...”
“...then I shall give Junior Sister some proper guidance today.”
Lin Zhixue slowly raised her eyes, resting her hand on the sword hilt at her waist.
“Please.”
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