"The training, obviously," he said smoothly, gesturing faintly to the sword she had set aside. "You've improved faster than I expected. Three days ago, your movements were truly like a novice. But now—" his eyes flicked toward her with a trace of amusement, "—you almost look like a proper… sword disciple."
Her cheeks colored, and she gave a soft huff. "Hmph, stop exaggerating…"
"Oh? Would you prefer if I exaggerate even more, then?" he teased, leaning back against the willow.
She bit back a smile, shaking her head, though the faint warmth in her chest was undeniable.
For a while, silence stretched between them, broken only by the sound of the waterfall. Then Ling Ruxin spoke again.
"By the way… are you ready for tomorrow?"
Lao Xie's brows lifted slightly. "Tomorrow?"
Her face turned pink as soon as the word left her mouth. "Ah—that was a dumb question. How could I even ask? You'd probably win even without being serious."
A faint smile tugged at his lips. "Ohh… you mean the semi-final."
"Yea, the semi-final," Ling Ruxin said softly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear.
She hesitated a moment before adding, "The matches were already announced two days ago. You're up against one of the favorites for the finals."
Lao Xie tilted his head slightly, his tone faintly amused. "Shen Yun, was it?"
She nodded. "Mm. He's considered one of the top three contenders. Right now, he's already at the peak of the Body Tempering Stage—the ninth stage. Some inner disciples even say he has the potential to break through to Qi Refinement soon. If that happens, he'll be taken into the inner court right away."
Lao Xie only gave a small hum in response, eyes half-lidded as though her words hardly stirred him.
Ling Ruxin continued after a pause. "The others are Zhang Weiren, and… my junior sister from Flowing Note Peak, Mei Yan." Her lips curved faintly, almost sheepish. "Though, compared to you, I doubt they'd pose much of a challenge."
Her voice softened, thoughtful. "Still, those three—Shen Yun, Zhang Weiren, and Mei Yan—they're the outer disciples everyone sees as having the best chance to enter the inner court this time."
Lao Xie's lips curved faintly, his tone carrying that lazy edge. "What's this? Worried about me?"
Ling Ruxin shook her head quickly, though the faint color on her cheeks betrayed her. "Hardly. If anything, I'm more worried for your opponent."
He gave a low chuckle at that, but she went on before he could speak further. "Still… if you do end up against my junior sister, Mei Yan, maybe try not to go too hard on her." Her voice softened, almost teasing. "She's… well, she's in the same boat as me, in a way."
One of his brows rose. "Same boat?"
Ling Ruxin nodded gently. "She also prefers the sword. Though instead of the guqin, her instrument is the guzheng. And unlike me, she already had some sword training before she entered the sect—her family practiced sword arts for generations. But after she joined, she was assigned to Flowing Note Peak instead of Azure Edge Peak, so she never had a real chance to pursue sword cultivation."
Her gaze flickered faintly as she continued. "That's why, in this tournament, she chose to fight with a sword rather than her instrument. If you do cross blades with her… don't shatter her spirit. She's serious about it, even if she doesn't say it aloud."
For a moment, she fell quiet, then glanced at him again, her voice softer. "Honestly, I should thank you too. Without your guidance, I wouldn't have improved this much in just a few days. I… know enough to tell that your strength is far beyond that of an ordinary inner disciple. Sometimes, I even wonder if—"
Her words faltered, hesitation flickering across her face. She lowered her gaze, unsure if she should have said that much.
Lao Xie caught the change instantly, the faint curve of his lips deepening. "Oh? And here I thought you weren't the prying type." He leaned back against the willow, his voice light but edged with amusement. "Why not try guessing my realm, then?"
His smirk lingered, a low chuckle escaping him as her eyes widened slightly at the tease.
Ling Ruxin flusters immediately. She waves her hands a little, "Wha—guessing your realm? As if I could. I'm sure you already know my realm. Since I can't even see through your qi at all, it only means you're far above me."
She tries to laugh it off, but her voice betrays her nerves. "If I guessed wrong, you'd just laugh at me more."
Lao Xie leans in slightly, his tone low, almost coaxing. "Mm, maybe. But if you guessed right, I'd tell you. Care to try?"
His smirk lingers, watching her hesitation as though it amuses him.
After a pause, she blurts out cautiously, "Qi Refinement… fourth stage?" Her tone is more question than answer.
Almost instantly she shakes her head. "No, that doesn't make sense. I'm at the third stage myself. If I can't even sense your realm, you must be higher than fourth."
She huffs softly, glaring at him but unable to stop a faint smile from tugging her lips. "You're impossible. You enjoy keeping people guessing, don't you?"
Lao Xie replies smoothly, "Better than letting people know too much."
She narrows her eyes. "Even Elder Yao said she couldn't see through your stage. Don't tell me… do you have some artifact that hides your cultivation?"
Lao Xie blinks, tilting his head as if only half-interested. Then a slow grin curves on his lips. "Huh, that old hag said something about me?" He acts surprised, the corners of his eyes glinting with mischief. "Didn't think she cared enough to look."
Ling Ruxin presses her lips together, half-exasperated, half-curious.
"Fine," she mutters, rolling her eyes. "Keep your secrets. But tomorrow's match isn't something you can toy around with. Shen Yun is strong."
Lao Xie smirks faintly, voice steady. "If he's strong enough, then maybe I'll finally have a reason to use both hands."
Lao Xie's smirk lingered at her words, but neither of them pressed further. Instead, the quiet returned—soft wind stirring the willow branches, the steady murmur of the waterfall filling the silence. Both of them sank into cultivation without another word, the stillness wrapping around them like a veil.
Hours slipped by. The sky dimmed, and dusk stretched across the garden. By the time the last traces of sunlight had faded, they were already making their way back down the mountain path.
When Lao Xie finally approached the cluster of huts, a faint smile touched his lips. "A long day… but a good harvest." The system's task was complete, Ling Ruxin's trust had deepened, and tomorrow's battle loomed closer.
But just as he stepped into the shadowed trail leading to his hut, his steps slowed. His eyes narrowed slightly.
There it was—several faint presences, tucked carefully into the dark, following just outside the edge of ordinary sense. They thought themselves hidden, but to him, their movements were like sparks in the night.
"Hm. Seems I've picked up a few tails."