Ling Ruxin thought she would only show a few simple strikes, but Lao Xie did not stop at watching. His voice came low, steady, as he stepped closer again.
"Your wrist is too stiff."
Before she could react, his hand brushed lightly against hers, guiding the angle with deliberate calm. Then his fingers shifted to her elbow, adjusting the bend just so.
"Like this," he said, tone even, though the faint curve at his lips suggested amusement. "If you keep it locked, the blade drags. Loosen it."
She swallowed lightly and swung again. The arc came smoother this time. Still, she could barely focus on the strike itself.
Lao Xie leaned closer, his presence almost at her shoulder. "Better. But your stance is still off balance." His hand rested briefly at her waist, nudging her center. "Swordplay doesn't just come from the wrist. It comes from here."
Her breath caught, and she quickly looked ahead, refusing to meet his gaze. "I-I know that much."
"Mm." His hum carried the weight of a smile. "Then show me again."
She obeyed, the blade sweeping through the air once more. The swing was clean, but her heartbeat louder than the sound of steel. Anyone else touching her so casually would've earned a sharp shove away. Yet here she was…letting him.
He watched in silence, though his gaze was sharp, assessing, as though measuring more than just the sword in her hand. Finally, he spoke again, softer this time. "Not bad. You really have been practicing."
Ling Ruxin lowered her blade at last, her chest rising faintly with unsteady breath. Silence stretched, filled only by the sound of falling water.
It took her a moment before she found her voice. She glanced aside, her cheeks still tinged with color.
"Y-you are… pretty good instructor."
Lao Xie's lips curved, the barest trace of a smile. "Pretty good, hm? I suppose that will do." His eyes lingered, calm and unreadable, before he added, almost offhand, "Though, you lose composure far easier with a sword in hand than a guqin."
Ling Ruxin blinked quickly, forcing her gaze away. "H-huh? I was just… distracted by something else," she said, her voice a touch higher than usual.
Her grip tightened on the sword, as though grounding herself. Still, the words slipped out before she could stop them, barely above a murmur. "It would be… nice, though. To be taught like this every day…"
She froze the instant she realized what she'd said, eyes widening slightly.
Lao Xie tilted his head, his smile faint, unreadable. "Not a bad idea."
Her breath hitched. She turned to him, startled, half-convinced she had misheard. "Y-you—"
"Why?" His tone was light, almost amused. "You wanted someone to teach you, didn't you? Here I am, offering myself."
He let the silence breathe a moment before adding, "It's not as if I have anything better to do. Other than cultivation, my days are quiet—unless I decide to step outside."
Her lips parted, but no words came. He leaned ever so slightly, eyes catching hers. "What's wrong? You're unusually quiet."
Ling Ruxin stumbled over her words, trying to find a way out. "I-I mean, I only said that on a whim… I didn't expect you to agree so easily."
A low chuckle slipped from Lao Xie's lips. "Is that so?" His tone was light, almost teasing, but his gaze lingered with that unreadable calm. Outwardly, he looked as though he found her reaction amusing. Inwardly, however, his thoughts turned elsewhere. "So she doesn't even realize it… how easily her walls shift the moment I press the right way."
They didn't move to leave right away. The two remained by the waterfall, silence settling between them, broken only by the steady sound of falling water. It wasn't heavy or awkward this time, but something quieter—like neither was in a rush to break it.
Only after some time did they part, each heading back toward their own quarters.
That night, Ling Ruxin sat alone in her room, the faint lamplight flickering against the walls. She rested her guqin across her lap, but her fingers never touched the strings. Her thoughts had long since drifted elsewhere.
The memory of his hand guiding hers, the warmth at her waist, the way he'd leaned close—it all returned unbidden, leaving her chest faintly tight. She pressed her lips together, embarrassed at herself.
"Why did he agree so quickly? I only said it as a joke…"
At first she wanted to brush it off, to tell herself it meant nothing. Yet the more she thought about it, the harder it was to dismiss. Deep down, it hadn't felt like a joke at all. The idea of being taught by him, of having someone to rely on—it stirred something inside her, something she hadn't expected.
She exhaled softly, lowering her gaze. "He's skilled, that much is obvious. With the sword, he's steady, precise… completely different from anyone else I've met. If it's him, then maybe…"
Her cheeks warmed again at the thought. She shook her head quickly, trying to drive it away, but it lingered all the same.
Before she realized it, her lips curved in the faintest of smiles. For the first time in a long while, she found herself looking forward to the morning. The Azure Sky Waterfall Garden… tomorrow, he would be there again.
In his quarters, Lao Xie sat cross-legged on the mat, eyes closed as though lost in meditation. The night was quiet, yet his mind replayed the earlier moment by the waterfall—the brush of her hand against his, the faint tremor in her voice, the blush she tried and failed to hide.
It lingered in his thoughts longer than he expected, but not for sentiment.
A faint ripple of light flickered before him. A familiar panel unfolded in the air.
[Main Task – Ling Ruxin]
Progress: 87%
Time Left: 8 Days
"Eighty-seven…" Lao Xie exhaled softly, a smile tugging faintly at his lips. "So close already."
The system's voice stirred in his mind, smooth and indifferent. "Congratulations, host. You are nearing completion. Maintain this pace, and success is within reach."
He gave a quiet hum, as if replying to it. "At this rate, I could finish the task even before the semifinals."
Moments later, another panel bloomed into sight.
[AFFINITY]
Ling Ruxin
Interest: 2 Star
Relationship: Fellow Disciple
Age: 17
Cultivation Stage: Qi Refinement, 3rd Stage
Affiliation: Silver Crescent Mountain Peak, Inner Disciple
Yao Yue
Interest: 2 Star
Relationship: Elder – Disciple
Age: 32
Cultivation Stage: Qi Refinement, 8th Stage (Weakened State)
Affiliation: Silver Crescent Mountain Peak, Elder
Lao Xie's gaze lingered on the second name, his brow lifting slightly.
"Eighth stage…?" His eyes narrowed, the thought striking sharper than he expected.
It hadn't been long since he last saw her—barely a week or two. Back then, her cultivation was still at the ninth stage. He had assumed, judging by the slow decline, that it would take at least another month before it fell again. Yet here it was, already one step lower.
His expression stilled, unreadable, but inside a trace of surprise stirred. "Is her condition really worsening this quickly?"
For a while he sat in silence, the panel's glow reflected in his eyes. He had always called her an old hag, mocking and dismissive—but in truth, he didn't dislike her. Of all the elders, she was the one who had bothered to look after him, if only in small ways.
His fingers tapped lightly against his knee. "It is really that bad, huh…"