"I succeeded! I succeeded!"
Jingliu was overjoyed when she saw the result of her sword strike.
Oliver hadn't lied to her; the daily hair loss training really could make her stronger!
Especially the aura.
As long as she had the aura, she could become stronger.
"Master, come on, I've improved now. Let's see how big the gap is between us."
Jingliu excitedly held up her sword, wanting to compare herself with Oliver again.
Oliver casually swung his sword.
Thud.
She knelt.
"Is the gap really this huge? I improved, yet I still have to kneel."
Jingliu felt slightly disappointed but quickly regained her confidence.
"It must be a difference in aura. I must learn a stronger aura."
Oliver had no idea what kind of enlightenment Jingliu was having over there.
Anyway, if he put her on the battlefield later, she could level up by killing more Abominations of Abundance. "637"
However, what Oliver hadn't expected was...
Ever since Oliver taught Jingliu what an aura was...
The Immortal Vessel of Cangcheng gained a strange swordsman.
When the moon was dark, the wind was high, and people were committing murder and arson.
A long-haired maiden would stand on a high vantage point.
The maiden would stand with her back to the criminal, holding her sword, her voice cold and clear, "At the peak of the sword, standing proud in the world, where I, Jingliu, am, there is heaven!"
"Such a powerful presence? A tough nut to crack!"
The moment the criminal was distracted by complaining, he would be frozen, immobilized, and captured.
Jingliu even had to put on a show before engaging in combat.
That oppressive feeling taught the Vessel what true presence was.
A few years later, some people on the Immortal Vessel of Cangcheng began to imitate her.
Before fighting, they'd put on a show first.
Oliver went out to buy groceries and saw two young boys about to fight, standing back-to-back.
They were both reciting the same line: "In this life of mine, I don't ask about right or wrong, only life and death."
???
Oliver didn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Truly worthy of being the most prosperous Vessel.
The locals' minds are sharp; they learn without a teacher!
The way they put on airs, even Oliver felt inferior.
One can only say that web novels are harmful.
How could he have known that this unintentional act would stir up a wave of posturing during the Martial Arts Ceremony in the future?
Rumble~
Thunder sounded in the sky, twilight gathered, and the clouds pressed heavily down.
Oliver casually strolled home.
Just as he entered the door, the rain that had been brewing all day finally fell, starting with a fine rustling sound, tapping against the towering glazed tile roof of the study and the few clumps of lush banana leaves outside the window.
The raindrops quickly connected into lines, weaving into a curtain, hanging a roaring sheet of water between heaven and earth.
"Jingliu must be in the study again, looking up posturing quotes."
Oliver knew Jingliu's habits without having to guess.
After all, they had been living together for seven years.
Oliver knew exactly when Jingliu's Aunt was visiting.
He would immediately wrap her up with a Bandage.
He could even predict that she would currently be standing on her tiptoes to reach for the book "Aura Quotes."
Oliver gently pushed open the study door and walked in.
Jingliu's study was very spacious, the former sanctuary of her late father.
Rows of ebony bookshelves were densely packed with various classics and scrolls, casting heavy, overlapping shadows.
Jingliu was standing in front of a tall bookshelf that required one to look up at it.
She was only wearing a set of moon-white casual clothes. (As pictured)
The soft fabric made her figure look even more slender.
At this moment, she was slightly tilting her head back, her gaze fixed on the innermost position on the top shelf of the bookcase.
"Aura Quotes."
The warm yellow light only sparingly illuminated half of her profile, outlining her delicate nose bridge and graceful lip line, while the other half was hidden in the gloom, her long eyelashes casting fine shadows beneath her eyes.
Jingliu was standing on a wooden ladder that looked quite old.
It was used by her mother and preserved until today.
The ladder wasn't tall, but for her, reaching the top required her to stand on her tiptoes and stretch her arms as far up as possible.
Her fingertips approached the dark blue cloth cover little by little.
However, the moment she touched the book, the wooden ladder beneath her feet creaked faintly but harshly due to uneven weight distribution, and then wobbled!
"Ah..."
A short gasp was suppressed in her throat. Jingliu's body instinctively stiffened, her center of gravity instantly unstable, and the arm she had stretched upward subconsciously tried to retreat to find balance.
"Watch out."
A low, gentle voice sounded almost right behind Jingliu's ear, carrying a reassuring steadiness.
Simultaneously, an unusually gentle force steadily supported her waist and back shoulder, instantly pulling her back from the brink of imbalance.
A familiar scent instantly enveloped her—a clean, crisp aroma mixed with a calming, grassy freshness... the smell belonging to her Master.
Jingliu's heart felt as if it had been violently squeezed by an invisible hand, and then suddenly released.
She could even feel the intensely present warmth of the body behind her transmitting through her thin clothing.
She suddenly turned around, meeting Oliver's eyes, which were inches away.
In the dim light, those eyes appeared exceptionally deep, yet they clearly reflected her cheeks, which were now tinted faintly red.
"Master?"
Her voice was already that of a young woman, no longer the childish tone she had at eleven.
However, the fact that her cheeks and earlobes were gradually turning red betrayed her inner feelings.
"A sword master, tripping so easily?"
Oliver looked at her with a half-smile.
It was too close.
So close that he could clearly see Jingliu's distinct eyelashes and her slightly pursed thin lips.
The maiden's warm breath brushed against his neck, subtly bringing a faint tingling sensation that spread down his spine.
"It's normal for a dress to be inconvenient for walking today."
"Am I going to fall on purpose?"
Jingliu gently pushed Oliver away and turned her back.
At the same time, her lips subtly curved upwards, unnoticed by anyone.
Oliver looked at her back—her increasingly rounded hips, tall figure, and slender waist.
Everything spoke of one thing: Jingliu had grown up.
That eleven-year-old girl was now an adult.
"Indeed, today's outfit is beautiful, and it suits you perfectly."
Oliver praised her sincerely.
Jingliu chuckled, somewhat shyly tugging at her skirt.
She then looked at the dark clouds in the sky and changed the subject: "Master, why haven't you inherited the position of General yet?"
Oliver: "Didn't I tell you seven years ago? You are more important than the position of General."
Jingliu: "What if I want to go to the battlefield?"
Oliver: "Then I will personally lead the army."
Jingliu saw the seriousness in Oliver's eyes, his unquestionable tone.
She was momentarily lost in thought.
Because she truly wanted to join the army, refine her swordsmanship, and advance further through real combat.
But she also couldn't bear to leave Oliver.
Caught in a dilemma, when she heard Oliver was willing to accompany her to the battlefield, Jingliu felt deeply moved and happy.
"Alright, Master."
"From now on, I will be your arm."
"I will become the sharpest sword in your hand."