Chapter 44: The Two Junior Sisters’ Great Talents

Chapter 44: Chapter 44: The Two Junior Sisters’ Great Talents

Amidst the swaying bamboo shadows, the powerful gusts from the Liao Sword Technique swept up the scattered leaves on the ground. The leaves spiraled into the air with the momentum of his sword, only to be shredded by the following Sword Qi at their peak, scattering down like green snow.

Liu Chen’s wrist dipped slightly, the hilt pressed firmly into his palm as he channeled power from his waist and legs to the tip of his blade. The edge of the Cyan Bamboo Sword let out a short SWISH as it sliced through the air.

[Liao Sword Technique: Beginner, 0/500]

’The Liao Sword Technique requires concealing the blade’s edge within a seemingly artless form. I need to be more restrained.’

After reaching the Beginner level in the Liao Sword Technique, Liu Chen narrowed his eyes, gradually gaining new insights.

In another part of the Bamboo Garden, Bai Qiulan retracted her Spiritual Sense and poured herself a cup of clear tea.

"With Liu Chen’s strength, he wouldn’t have any problem even if he took the Inner Sect Disciple assessment."

"We have to consider the future of Purple Cloud Valley."

Mo Xuan opened his eyes, his gaze landing on the teacup in Bai Qiulan’s hand. ’If Liu Chen takes the Inner Sect Disciple assessment, will the disciples who get selected have any confidence left?’

"You have a point."

Bai Qiulan smiled faintly. With a light tap of her slender finger, the tea transformed into a crystalline stream that flew through the air, hovering exactly three inches from Mo Xuan’s lips. He opened his mouth and inhaled, and the stream of water slithered down his throat like a nimble snake.

"Do outsiders know that the debonair you is actually like this in private?"

Bai Qiulan looked at Mo Xuan’s blissful expression and shook her head, resigned. Mo Xuan of Purple Bamboo Peak, a name once synonymous with Purple Cloud Valley. Even though nearly a century had passed and all manner of Prides of Heaven had taken the stage, Mo Xuan remained an insurmountable mountain.

’If I hadn’t followed Mo Xuan and lived in that Secret Realm for two months after he rescued me, I never would have known that a Pride of Heaven could actually worry about what to eat.’

"Why should outsiders know?"

Mo Xuan pointed a finger. A nearby lounge chair rose into the air and landed right beside him. With a casual lean, he fell backward, landing perfectly onto it.

"It’s starting to rain."

After some time, Mo Xuan suddenly sat up. The once-bright sky had, at some point, become overcast with dark clouds. Raindrops pattered on the bamboo leaves, making a soft, RUSTLING sound.

Mo Xuan turned his head. The table and chairs had already been moved into the bamboo pavilion. Bai Qiulan, holding a cup of clear tea, was watching him with a warm smile.

Mo Xuan gave a wry smile, got up, and walked toward the bamboo pavilion.

As a misty rain soaked the bamboo forest, the tip of a sword flicked upward, flashing with three inches of cold light.

The cold light struck a stone cliff, sending shattered rock and rainwater tumbling down in what looked like the cliff’s final counterattack. Liu Chen, who should have been standing there, was already gone. He was now running toward the Bamboo Garden, his Bamboo Sword in hand.

’What awful weather~’

Inside the bamboo house, Liu Chen put away his Bamboo Sword, then used the Purification Technique to clean himself. After changing, he used the technique again on his soaked clothes and mud-stained shoes.

[Liao Sword Technique: Unique]

Once he had finished, Liu Chen checked the Proficiency of his Liao Sword Technique. It had already become ’Unique’. Another Basic Sword Skill mastered to this level. Liu Chen was very satisfied with his progress.

His physique had improved significantly after reaching Body Tempering Great Success, which was the fundamental reason he’d been able to advance his Liao Sword Technique to ’Unique’ in a single day.

’It should be about time to prepare dinner. Too bad I don’t have an umbrella.’

Liu Chen gazed at the misty bamboo forest, finding the scene beautifully atmospheric. But no matter how lovely the view, he still had to think about a practical matter: dinner.

Back in the mortal world, Liu Chen had only a dilapidated courtyard to his name. He quite liked rainy days. The local thugs who enjoyed causing trouble wouldn’t be out in such weather, and he didn’t have to go out either.

He used to like sitting under the eaves and staring blankly, pondering where his future would take him. At times he would grow melancholic, wondering if, in the eyes of great personages, his life and death were as insignificant as an ant washed away by a raindrop.

’Maybe I can make my own umbrella.’

Snapping out of his reverie, Liu Chen suddenly had a bold idea. He could cut down the Cyan Bamboo freely, to say nothing of the leaves. With that, making a simple umbrella shouldn’t be a problem.

Liu Chen braved the rain and dragged a young bamboo stalk into the Bamboo Garden. After some simple processing, he was left with a bamboo pole.

Liu Chen certainly didn’t know the proper craft, but he could take an unconventional approach.

Liu Chen split the upper half of the pole, bending the pieces outward. He then pressed the stems of the bamboo leaves against the fractures and used the Recovery Technique to connect their life channels.

Once the pole’s Life Force channels finished restructuring, Liu Chen narrowed his eyes. It was just as he’d imagined. Under his deliberate control, the bamboo didn’t revert to its original state but instead held its bizarre, umbrella-like shape.

The rest was much simpler. After attaching the dense layers of leaves to form the canopy, Liu Chen linked all of their Life Force channels together, fusing the leaves into a single, seamless entity.

’This way, I won’t have to worry about leaks.’

Holding his bamboo umbrella, Liu Chen stepped out into the curtain of rain. With the help of the Artifact Manipulation Technique, he was able to dig up Bamboo Shoots quite quickly.

Just as Liu Chen reached the kitchen, he saw two figures holding umbrellas appear slowly at the end of the path.

Liu Chen briefly observed his two junior sisters. Their steps were light, and while they moved slowly, it was clearly out of concern for the mud, not due to the adjustment period that followed reaching Body Tempering Beginner.

’My two junior sisters are so talented.’

Liu Chen shook his head and immediately got busy. He was already running later than usual, by nearly the time it takes an incense stick to burn.

"Senior Brother, your umbrella is so peculiar."

At the kitchen entrance, Ye Linglong studied the bamboo umbrella that had been set aside. It seemed to still be growing, and for a moment, she was at a loss for words. Its design was unremarkable, and in terms of practicality, it couldn’t compare to the Oil Paper Umbrellas she and Ji Suyao were holding. And yet, for an umbrella, it possessed such vigorous Life Force.

"You two can take this back to eat. I’ll personally deliver our master and his wife’s portions."

Liu Chen quickly ushered his two junior sisters inside. Ji Suyao rarely set foot in the kitchen, so it usually didn’t feel crowded, but he couldn’t very well leave her standing out in the rain.

The three of them made the kitchen feel a bit cramped. It got even more crowded when it was time to pack up the prepared food.

"Be careful on your way back."

Liu Chen handed the food container to Ye Linglong. It was a good thing they had these two containers, or it wouldn’t have been enough for tonight.

His two junior sisters walked off under their umbrellas. Liu Chen picked up the other food container and headed slowly toward the Bamboo Garden where his master and his wife resided.

"Take this. Once you learn it, you won’t need an umbrella anymore."

In the Bamboo Garden, Liu Chen had just set down the food container and was about to leave when Mo Xuan, who was sitting in the pavilion, handed him a sheet of paper still fragrant with fresh ink.

"Thank you, Master."

After expressing his thanks, Liu Chen departed under his umbrella. Bai Qiulan took the food out of the container, while Mo Xuan’s gaze followed Liu Chen’s retreating figure—or more precisely, his bizarre bamboo umbrella.

"I’m very curious how he managed that."

After sitting down, Bai Qiulan started eating without waiting for him. In front of others, she might have felt the need to be mindful of Mo Xuan’s dignity, but in private, it wasn’t necessary.

"I don’t know either."

Mo Xuan shook his head. He knew the umbrella’s creation had to be related to the Recovery Technique. But while he also knew the Recovery Technique, he was fairly certain he couldn’t have made that umbrella.