Chapter 26: Ch 26 First of three pt 2.

Wan Ling went around the mansion and towards the rear courtyard.

The people of this world seem to have an obsession with decorative backyards because what he saw instantly stole his breath.

A crystal clear pond reflected the afternoon sun while tiny koi fishes swimmed within it.

Stone pathways dividend sessions of a small garden where different kinds of flowers ranging from typical sunflowers to beautiful irises were planted.

Further past that was a neatly grazed grass field where wooden dummies had been erected and swayed lazily against the winds.

Looking on the ground beside the training dummies, he observed several shallow sword scars.

"Someone has been practicing!" He grimaced and walked towards the dummies.

His sword was drawn from his storage ring as he spun it playfully and slashed at its body.

His Qi glimmering with a light blue glistened after the cut, resulting in a frozen scar for the dummy.

A scar that quickly regenerated while the ice shattered under his command.

"Piercing strikes should be more lethal now." He muttered, envisioning stabbing someone in the heart and using his new abilities to freeze their heart.

Waving his sword about, the blue qi around its edges lingered as he grinned and stepped back.

Minutes passed and his ears twitched upon hearing echoes of faint steps.

He then turned, his eyes widening slightly.

Walking down the path towards him was a teenager probably seventeen or eighteen given her appearance.

She possessed long curly crimson hair that reached down her waist.

They whipped against the winds like the dancing flames of a candle stick.

Her emerald green eyes were striking and carried with them the same calmness he saw in Zhao Yun, both of which left Wan Ling curious if anything else.

She wore form fitting white training robes that hugged her body, offering a tasteful glimpse at her elegant and fit figure underneath.

Though beautiful, Wan Ling wouldn’t particularly say he was entrapped by her.

He was more interested in the sword she grabbed, a sword with a grip that had been dented to accommodate her fingers.

"Is she that’s strong or is her sword that old?" He muttered softly as the girl stopped a fair distance from him and crooked her neck.

"I am Fei Yun and you are?" She inquired, crossing her arms.

"Wan Ling. The outer disciple is eager to tutor you!" He smiled and she did the same, a rather cruel one that sent a chill down Wan Ling’s spine

"An outer. What a degrade. The last one was an inner disciple and he didn’t get the job. What more an inferior disciple."

Wan Ling remained calm.

"I heard my predecessor did not meet your taste?" He asked and began walking around her.

"You heard right."

"I am tempted to ask why?"

"They spoke too much!" She remarked borely.

" I guess I’ve failed then." Wan Ling chuckled.

Fei Yun lifted her head slightly, tracking his movements.

"You are a curious one Mr Ling. They however were boastful. So no you haven’t yet failed."

"That is very good then." Wan Ling faked a sigh of relief.

"So what shall you evaluate me on?" He went on to ask to which Fei Yun unfolded her arms and pointed her blade at him.

" Actions they say speak louder than words. If you can’t defeat me in swordplay then you are unfit to teach me the ways of a Cultivator."

" Ofcourse!’ Wan Ling sighed quickly into a defensive stance.

She also drew hers but she assumed the role of a vigilant attacker and like Wan Ling did before began circling around him.

"Your form is good. A defensive one instead of choosing to overwhelm me." She assessed, her eyes scanning through him like a hawk.

"I prefer to be cautious!" Wan Ling replied, turning each time she he left his blindspot.

He wasn’t using Qi so his senses had greatly reduced and so was his alertness.

He was definitely stronger than this girl but he didn’t dare let his guard down.

Even though he defeated Chen Yu, he had been the one to learn the greatest lesson after that battle.

Never underestimate your opponent.

"Your actions now tell me. You’re used to being weak. Being defeated so every fight you put in you all to end it before victory slips out your hands."

"I didn’t take you for a psychologist!" He remarked sarcastically though she wasn’t wrong.

" I have rather good eyes, that is all!" She smiled faintly and without wasting time moved.

Her body swayed like a cloth against the wind, then a second later she was on Wan ling with an incoming thrust of her blade.

" Rather distracting eyes!" He laughed and swung his blade.

It met the trajectory of her stab and easily parried it.

Sparks flew as both blades bounced off each other and were repelled.

Wan Ling regained control of his blade the faster as he brandished his sword down onto her.

Fei Yun shifted half a step, her sword meeting him once more before safely redirecting his blade away from her.

Wan Ling retreated quick enough to avoid a counter then followed with an upwards cut.

Clang–!

Clang–!

Clang–!

Soon the courtyard was filled with the countless sounds of steel clashing against steel.

Wan Ling moved across the courtyard with delicate steps, his movements quickly and fluid while each stroke beautifully flowed into another.

In response Fei Yun exercised incredible precision and reaction speed.

Her sword style was refined and only demanded the most minimal movement.

It wasn’t a beautiful dance, some might even call it boring but it fend off against Wan Ling’s attacks with unmatched accuracy and each time she did, Wan Ling was left amazed.

"She’s good."

She was far superior to Chen Yu and even some of the inner disciples he had seen fight.

In the near future he was certain she would be a near unparalleled swordmaster.

Meanwhile, watching from a distance, Zhao Yun stroked his beard, his expression softly warming up.

"Interesting." He said.

"He’s actually matching her pace."

At the same time, Fei Yun’s calmness began to unravel, her lips curling into a pleasant smile.

"Amazing! Your swordplay it’s elegant. It’s the Fairy Sword Dance, is it not?" She roared and charged ahead.

Her minimalist movement grew erratic and more fierce.

As she slashed at him, Wan Ling barely managed to fend it off and almost staggered.

"I never thought I’d find a disciple of her technique here!" She laughed then came a rain of sword thrusts that began overwhelming Wan ling.

Each parry cracked his guard and sent him back while he groaned in pain.

" Even so it isn’t enough. You’re simply not at the level to best me." She cracked with laughter as her sword strike grew blurring and coming at Wan Ling from all sides.

He managed to block the first one which made his hand numb.

The second completely threw him off his game.

"Fuck!" He groaned as the third one sent his sword flying out his hand.

Now completely defenseless he was left at the mercy of the last one which stopped an inch from his neck while his attacker’s hair whipped greatly against the winds.

" My...Win!"

Her breathing was ragged and erratic while a smile bloomed on her flushed face.

" Let’s go again!"