Xueling's sword moved as she closed the distance between herself and the sect master.
Her blade was just a few inches away from his face, but he casually stepped aside, letting her momentum carry her past him.
"Do you think you can bridge the gap between us that easily?" he asked in amusement.
She spun around immediately, her qi spreading into her sword as she launched a series of rapid strikes, each targeting a vital point.
Even so, the sect master parried each blow effortlessly, his own blade barely moving as he deflected her attacks.
The clash of steel rang out across the clearing as their weapons met again and again.
Xueling pressed forward relentlessly, her movements becoming more and more refined with each exchange. She could feel something stirring within her - that elusive sensation she'd experienced before.
"How disappointing. I expected more fire from the royal bloodline," the sect master said, catching her blade with his cross-guard and forcing her back.
