Chronicles of Heaven's Chosen - Chapter 57

Ying Wuji raised a brow. “Your wounds haven’t healed. I won’t teach you.”

Yuan Yao’s smile vanished. She glared at him resentfully.

“If you refuse, I’ll practice outside your house! If Master sees me, I’ll tell him you forced me to do it!”

Ying Wuji folded his arms, bent slightly, and stared down at her. “You think Master would believe that?”

Yuan Yao was speechless.

She snorted. “Even if he doesn’t, I’ll still practice outside your house.”

With a graceful sweep of her hand, a multicolored sword materialized in her grasp. She immediately began practicing the Xiaoyao Sword Art in front of Ying Wuji’s residence.

She might look delicate and frail, but the moment she took up a sword, she seemed to become another person. Her expression turned sharp and resolute.

Leaning against the doorway, Ying Wuji watched her complete every form of the Xiaoyao Sword Art.

Just as she was about to move on to a second sword art, he flashed to her side and looked at her.

“You can execute the entire Xiaoyao Sword Art, but anyone with a trained eye can see that you are unfamiliar with its forms. You have power without proper form. That won’t do.”

After a pause, he added, “Follow me to the rear mountain.”

“All right!” Yuan Yao immediately beamed.

The rear mountain of Heavenly Martial Peak was a place of extraordinary beauty, with green mountains, clear waters, birdsong, fragrant flowers, and an immense waterfall plunging downward in a magnificent torrent.

The surroundings were secluded and peaceful, so many Heavenly Martial Peak disciples came there to practice swordsmanship.

When Ying Wuji and Yuan Yao appeared, they immediately drew the disciples’ attention.

Delight crossed everyone’s faces.

“Youngest Senior Brother! Little Junior Sister!”

Yuan Yao raised her left hand and greeted them with a bright smile.

“Hello, senior brothers and sisters!”

Ying Wuji remained expressionless and merely gave a faint nod.

That alone satisfied the disciples. Who on Heavenly Martial Peak did not admire Youngest Senior Brother Ying Wuji?

He was an unmatched genius of the Ninth Continent!

Upon reaching an open space, Ying Wuji stopped and looked at Yuan Yao.

“Master the Xiaoyao Sword Art first. Then I’ll teach you the most domineering and ruthless sword art.”

Yuan Yao nodded.

“Practice one movement at a time,” Ying Wuji instructed. “I’ll correct whatever you do wrong.”

Yuan Yao raised her sword and began working through every move.

The onlookers exchanged glances. They assumed Little Junior Sister had suffered the misfortune of being caught by Youngest Senior Brother and forced to cultivate.

As time passed, however, they gradually realized something was wrong.

Their Little Junior Sister, who always lazed around and could never last even seven or eight minutes, had now practiced without pause for two full hours.

Under Youngest Senior Brother’s patient instruction and meticulous corrections, her swordsmanship became increasingly fierce and forceful. She seemed completely transformed, radiating an astonishing power.

Her sword moved as swiftly as a violent wind.

Every thrust, chop, and sweep carried an indescribable sense of strength and speed, its sword qi bearing down upon all who watched.

The disciples looked at one another and suddenly remembered that Little Junior Sister had left the sect to train a few days earlier…

What had happened to her?

Yuan Yao’s sword hand ached, but she never considered stopping.

Fine sweat beaded her forehead as she continued swinging the blade.

An hour later, Ying Wuji suddenly caught her wrist and forced her to stop.

“Rest.”

Yuan Yao was about to say there was no need when he added, “Don’t train yourself to death.”

Yuan Yao was speechless.

He knew her injuries had not healed, so he did not dare push her too far.

Before today, he had never imagined she could endure three hours. Even more surprising was her talent for comprehending the sword.

It was in no way inferior to his own.

He could not help wondering what realm Little Junior Sister might have reached if she had begun cultivating seriously ten years ago.

Ying Wuji drew his thoughts back to the present and led Yuan Yao to a spot not far from the waterfall.

She climbed onto a rocky slope and sat down.

She was so tired.

She wanted to sleep.

No. She could not.

Yuan Yao patted her cheeks and forced herself awake.

Ying Wuji frowned. “Since when did you develop a taste for tormenting yourself?”

“I haven’t.” Yuan Yao yawned.

“Sleepy?”

“No.”

Watching her struggle to remain awake, Ying Wuji sighed helplessly. “If you’re tired, go to sleep. You have plenty of time to cultivate.”

“I don’t…” Yuan Yao answered instinctively. The moment she realized what she had said, she hurriedly continued, “There’s only one month until the Internal Sect Tournament. I need to become stronger within that month so I can fight beside you in the Grand Sect Tournament on the Ninth Continent!”

Ying Wuji fell silent for a moment.

“You want to go that badly?”

“I do.”

“You’ve changed so much.” Ying Wuji gazed into her eyes. “Yaoyao.”

Yuan Yao froze slightly. Meeting Youngest Senior Brother’s beautiful phoenix eyes, she felt her heart tighten. She gave a deliberately philosophical sigh.

“People change.”

Seeing her discomfort, Ying Wuji smiled. “If you want to be lazy, you can. If you want to cultivate, Youngest Senior Brother will accompany you.”

Yuan Yao’s eyes lit up. “Then let’s rest for fifteen minutes, and after that, will you spar with me? I want real combat practice!”

“All right.” Ying Wuji smiled with helpless indulgence.

The female disciples watching nearby felt their hearts race.

How could such a breathtakingly handsome youth exist?

Fifteen minutes later, Yuan Yao faced Ying Wuji using the Xiaoyao Sword Art.

Ying Wuji not only suppressed his cultivation to the early Foundation Establishment Realm, he picked up a branch from nearby to use as his weapon.

Yuan Yao’s face darkened at the sight.

“Youngest Senior Brother, this is too insulting!”

Ying Wuji raised the branch for her to see. “Don’t underestimate it. Used properly, a branch can take a life.”

He casually swept it through the air several times, stirring a violent gust.

Then came a faint crack.

The front of the branch, too dry and brittle, snapped off.

The corner of Yuan Yao’s mouth twitched.

“It doesn’t matter,” Ying Wuji said without changing expression. “It is still enough to deal with you.”

Yuan Yao snorted and summoned the Phantom Spirit Sword.

“Then let’s find out!”

She launched a fierce attack.

Ying Wuji responded effortlessly, evading one strike after another. Before she even realized what he was doing, his branch struck one of her acupoints.

Her body went numb at once.

He tapped the back of her sword hand with the branch, though he withdrew most of the force at the critical moment.

Then Ying Wuji stepped forward, the branch shooting toward Yuan Yao’s throat like a bolt of lightning.

It stopped a hair’s breadth away. With the slightest additional force, he could have taken her life.

“I knocked the sword from your hand, and I have your vital point in my sights.”

“I win.”

Youngest Senior Brother’s voice was perfectly calm.