Chapter 162 - 103: A Noble Lady as an Attendant, Holding the Bow and Leading the Spirit Deer, A Great Increase in Dao Skill, Master’s Sect and Senior Brother, Celestial Blade School

Chapter 162: Chapter 103: A Noble Lady as an Attendant, Holding the Bow and Leading the Spirit Deer, A Great Increase in Dao Skill, Master’s Sect and Senior Brother, Celestial Blade School

"This is what happens when your family protects you too well. You’ve never had to weather any real storms."

"In fact, why is it that the prodigies from the Prefecture City’s Grand Lineages so rarely achieve the Merit and Fame of a Prefecture Official, with the majority of those positions going to the Schools?"

"On one hand, it’s a matter of heritage. A Grand Lineage might pass down a fortune, but some things can’t be bought for any price. In that, they truly can’t compare."

"On the other hand... it’s also about the different environments they’re raised in."

"Presence is the second stage of the Military Dao. You’ve cultivated this second stage to Perfection, yet you can’t even pass the first. This means that whenever you throw a punch or swing your sword, you’re always calculating gains and losses. You can’t follow your instincts to fight for that one sliver of a chance to survive."

"If you’re willing, then for your Master’s sake, I can allow you to stay and practice alongside this disciple of mine."

Ye Ningzhi looked at Ji Xiu again, biting her lower lip.

After a long hesitation, she inverted the Sword Scabbard at her waist, grasped the hilt, and gave Ji Xiu a deep bow.

"Please teach me, Senior Brother."

Hearing Duan Chenzhou’s words, Ji Xiu’s mouth twitched. ’Master,’ he thought, ’are you sure this senior, Ye Luan, isn’t some old flame of yours from your days in the Prefecture City?’

’You certainly are taking good care of her disciple.’

But seeing Ye Ningzhi’s sincerity, the yearning in her eyes, and her devout desire to advance in the Martial Dao...

Ji Xiu sighed.

"Fine."

"In that case... you can follow Cai Ling’er. When I go Mountain Hunting, she carries my bow, so you can lead the Spirit Deer for me."

"The Mountain Dao is perilous and filled with countless Demons. Jiangyin Prefecture is by the East Canghai, so you never see such things. If you can quiet your heart and focus, your Swordsmanship is sure to improve immensely."

"Thank you, Senior Brother!"

Upon hearing this, Ye Ningzhi’s eyes lit up, and she beamed with joy. It seemed she had truly put her defeat behind her, genuinely happy for the chance to keep ’improving.’

Ji Xiu was left speechless. He finally understood what Cai Ling’er meant when she said Ye Ningzhi was ’missing a screw.’

’The heart of a child...’

’She really is clueless!’

However.

’The Qilin Maiden of the Embroidery Lineage and the treasured darling of the Jade Shop?’

He looked at the two of them: Cai Ling’er, who would carry his bow like an attendant, and Ye Ningzhi, who would lead his deer. She had been completely duped by Master Duan into willingly calling him Senior Brother and humbly asking for his guidance... and Ji Xiu couldn’t help but feel a surge of confidence.

’Just think,’ he mused, ’in all of Jiangyin Prefecture, what other young master, what other heir to a School’s Inheritance... could have two daughters from the direct lines of Grand Lineages flanking him, one to carry his bow and the other to lead his mount?’

’If anyone saw this, they’d think I was the successor of some True Sect, descending from the mountains to tour the mortal world!’

CREAK.

Nearby, Bai Shuo, pale and leaning against the wall for support, had just woken up and was being helped outside by Qingtuan. As soon as she saw the scene, the round-faced Clam Maiden in green robes couldn’t help but exclaim:

"Miss! The Young Master is being stolen away by a vixen! It’s just like in those storybooks—a flock of beauties, one on each arm!"

"And to think, you gave so much of yourself last night, and in the blink of an eye, he’s already found a new flame..."

Bai Shuo pulled her veil back over her face and tucked a strand of dark hair. She had been planning to just sneak away along the wall without a sound.

But after hearing that, she was so furious she nearly coughed up blood, grinding her teeth so hard they almost shattered.

"Qingtuan...!"

The commotion from the main residence occasionally drifted over to the quarters where Lin Zhenhai’s family lived.

It made Lin Ruyue, who was tallying the accounts, lose her focus.

She looked at her sister, ’Lin Ruxue,’ who had lit a candle at dusk and was now practicing with her sword. Her steps were slow, yet they possessed a unique rhythm. Lin Ruyue felt a wave of despair.

"Sis, do you think... we’re growing more and more distant from the Boss?"

Jiang Li was searching through memories, slowly merging with this body and nurturing a fraction of her Divine Soul. Her Divine Radiance was now so well-concealed that no one could see anything amiss.

Not the new Qi Cultivation Grandmaster, Duan Chenzhou.

Not even Fan Nansong, who was busy fawning over Ji Wei.

None of these second-step Practitioners of the Human Immortal Martial Dao and the Immortal Dao Skill could detect anything unusual about her.

And hearing her ’little sister’s’ words...

Jiang Li gently lowered her sword, turned to look at her, and smiled.

"What does ’distant’ even mean? Silly girl, you were never from the same world to begin with."

After speaking, she raised her sword and thrust it into the air. The ripples that spread out seemed to make her recall the turmoil of a Hundred Years ago—the invasion of the Eight Heavens, the Great Xuan Celestial Pillar, the Giants, and the Great Powers all rising like a storm...

Finally, she couldn’t help but let out a soft sigh.

"Even for kings and Nobles, even for the Giants of this age, there are things they desire but can never have."

"Rather than pining for the unobtainable, it’s better to live out your life in a way that suits you."

These cryptic words left Lin Ruyue looking bewildered.

"Sis, I don’t really understand what you’re saying..."

Jiang Li smiled faintly.

"Understanding isn’t always a good thing."

She held her sword, blinked, and gazed up at the river of stars in the sky.

’Old friends fall like leaves in the wind, withering away one by one,’ she wondered. ’How many are even left in the Great Xuan Celestial Capital now?’

’But since I’ve already stepped down from that position, and I don’t even know where my physical body is buried...’

’...all those great affairs of the world, those ancient, intractable problems, they have nothing to do with me anymore.’

’It feels so good to be young.’

’But no one can stay young forever.’

Jiang Li looked toward the bustling main residence, her eyelashes slowly lowering, hiding the myriad emotions in her eyes.

「Meanwhile.」

As an onlooker, Qin Zhuo...

...watched as the noble ladies of the Prefecture City’s Grand Lineages bowed their heads to Ji Xiu one after another. Beyond his excitement, only one thought remained in his mind:

’This Junior Brother is even more brilliant than Junior Martial Uncle Duan was back in his day!’