For the next few days, the same pattern repeated. In the morning, Bai Ruyi would go to class. In the afternoon, she would go to the pavilion, play the qin, and wait for Xiao Bai to come to her. Finally, in the evening, she would have dinner with her family and then bring her brother his dinner. As everyone settled into a routine and the lectures became more interesting, the disciples began to fall asleep less. Even Yu Yichen was awake more often and could answer questions when called upon.
One day, as the class concluded and the students enjoyed their lunch, a sudden uproar of cheering from the arena erupted. Curious, everyone swiftly finished their meal and went to see what was happening. The arena was filled with disciples as they watched the sparring match. A sparring match was held once every three months to see everyone's progress.
Although it seemed like a typical match, the disciples were excited and cheered on their senior brothers and sisters. Curious, Feng Zhiyu asked one of the nearby disciples why they were so excited.
"The winner this time gets to spar with our best fighter!"
"Your best fighter?"
The disciples then pointed to Bai Ruyi, sitting in a corner, keeping track of the victories and losses as well as taking notes on the swordsmenship of the disciples.
"I see, but how come you guys are so excited?"
Before his question was answered, another cheer erupted. Looking back, he could see one of the disciples had been checkmated. Wanting to get a better view of the next fight, Feng Zhiyu and Yu Yichen moved spots, squeezing their way to the front.
Still curious why everyone was so excited to see Bai Ruyi fight, Feng Zhiyu turned to Yu Yichen and asked the same question again, hoping he would have an answer. Just as he expected, his friend did not disappoint.
"Usually, Long Yuzhe takes part in these events. Besides, Bai Ruyi has been in seclusion for so long that everyone is excited to have a chance to see him fight."
Feng Zhiyu nodded in agreement with Yu Yichen. If Bai Ruyi rarely participated in things like this, then today was a lucky day for them.
Soon, the match between Sect Leader Bai's head disciple and their child began. The moment Bai Ruyi pulled out her sword, the glare blinded everyone. Shielding their eyes, Feng Zhiyu found it hard to see the sword's blade. The only thing he could see was the sword's glare and how fast and elegant Bai Ruyi was moving. After following the sword's movement for a while, Feng Zhiyu realized he could not see the blade.
"Ehh? How come I don't see the sword's blade? Am I going crazy?" Feng Zhiyu asked out loud.
Hearing a scoff, he turned to see Jin Tianming, Sect Leader Jin's precious son. Feng Zhiyu was very easygoing and could get along with almost anyone. However, the one person he could not see eye to eye with was Jin Tianming. In his eyes, the precious young master Jin was arrogant and thought he was better than everyone else.
"What are you scoffing about?" Feng Zhiyu asked.
Jin Tianming shook his head and said.
"Nothing, I'm just amazed by your lack of knowledge."
"Wow! Since you know so much. Would you mind enlightening us, Jin gongzi?"
Although he meant it sarcastically, Jin Tianming actually responded.
"Bai Ruyi's sword is called Bingfei. It was forged from the essences of Silvercrest bamboo and the Night Storm flower over the course of six months."
"Six months? That's such a long time. But why is the blade not visible?" Yu Yichen asked.
"Only the best materials were used to make the sword. Of course, it would take a long time to forge. As for why the blade is transparent, no one knows why. Not even the creator."
"The creator? You mean elder Bai?"
Jin Tianming nodded. Bai Lanxun was known for his ability to craft first-class swords. Every piece he created lived up to its name and was known far and wide.
Even though Feng Zhiyu was happy for the free information, his mischievousness still had to annoy Jin Tianming. So, while leaning onto Yu Yichen's shoulder, he tilted his head and said.
"Oh. Jin gongzi, you sure know a lot about Bai gongzi. If I didn't know better, I would have thought you had a crush on him."
Jin Tianming's face immediately turned red. Clenching his fist, Feng Zhiyu knew he wanted to punch him but had to hold back for his father's sake.
Suddenly, everyone was cheering again. Turning to the center of the arena, Feng Zhiyu saw that the eldest disciple was bowing in defeat to Bai Ruyi. Disappointed that he had missed most of the match, he decided to take a risk and ask for a match himself. So what if he lost? Experience was the most important thing.
Bravely raising his hand, he asked.
"Sect Leader Bai, can we participate as well?"
Initially, Sect Leader Bai was going to reject the request. However, she ended up agreeing, thinking it was good for the disciples to learn from each other.
"Who would you like to spar with?" she asked.
Feng Zhiyu pointed to Bai Ruyi, who was already halfway out of the arena. Yu Yichen, who was standing next to him, pulled his sleeve and said.
"Are you crazy? You couldn't even stand the sword's glare. How can you fight him?"
Feng Zhiyu only smiled, and Bai Ruyi made her way back to the center.
"Bai xiong, please go easy on me."
Bai Ruyi only gave a slight nod and unsheathed her sword. Growing up in the Feng clan, offense was the style that Feng Zhiyu was taught, and most of the time, it gave him certain victory. So, without a second to waste, he went into offense mode and attacked. However, just as he launched towards her, she disappeared. Her steps were quick and light, giving the impression that she was the wind, dancing unbound and free. The mountain mist wrapped around her like a ghostly veil, and her white uniform blended perfectly with the swirling fog, making her seem ethereal. The only thing that Feng Zhiyu could see was the glare of her sword.
Stopping in his tracks, he spun around to see where she was. Yet, before his eyes could land on his target, he had already lost the match. A thin yet cold blade was held right at his neck from behind. The crowd was once again cheering. Feng Zhiyu turned around and said, with a big smile on his face.
"I lost. You indeed deserve the title of best fighter. But just wait, I will get better and beat you one day!"
Bai Ruyi bowed in agreement, then left. Feng Zhiyu didn't like to lose, but he was never a sore loser about it. Instead, he used his defeats as motivation to become better. With the matches concluded, everyone returned to their duties. As for Bai Ruyi, she was on her way to the cold springs.
The Bai clan had a cold spring located deep within the mountain. The spring had healing properties and was a good place to meditate. Eyes closed and body relaxed, Bai Ruyi stabilized her mind. Unfortunately, less than 10 minutes later, she felt the vibration of the ground and the sound of a bell ringing. Just as she turned around, Xiao Bai dived off the edge of the pond into the freezing cold water. Bai Ruyi quickly scoped Xiao Bai out.
"Xiao Bai, what happened?"
Seeing how scared Xiao Bai was, Bai Ruyi dried it off and looked in the direction that it had come from. At first, Bai Ruyi saw nothing, but soon, she heard the sound of panting, and Xiao Ling's figure appeared.
You again, Bai Ruyi thought.
Annoyed, Bai Ruyi shot a death glare at Xiao Ling, causing the dog to stop in its tracks. Swiftly, Bai Ruyi got dressed and placed Xiao Bai down.
"Xiao Bai, go back to the room first."
Xiao Bai ran off, and Xiao Ling stayed behind. Looking at the dog, Bai Ruyi could not understand how Xiao Ling had crossed the border. Besides people who carried the blood of the Bai family in their veins, no one else could enter unless given permission. The only reason why Xiao Bai could come in was because Bai Ruyi had given it a little bell infused with her spiritual energy.
"Turns out you are more skilled than you look," Bai Ruyi said.
Walking away, Bai Ruyi told the dog to follow her. When they got closer to the barrier separating the back mountain from the front, they heard Feng Zhiyu and Yu Yichen calling out for Xiao Ling. Not wanting to be exposed, Bai Ruyi pulled out a face veil and put it on as she was currently wearing female clothing. She stepped out of the barrier and stopped the two boys from going further.
"Feng gongzi, Yu gongzi, this is the forbidden area of the Bai clan. If I were you, I would not come any closer."
Startled that someone else was here besides them, they quickly stepped back and bowed.
"We apologize. We didn't mean to. I was just looking for my dog."
"Your dog?"
"Yes. My spirit dog ran off, and we were trying to look for it," Feng Zhiyu explained.
"You mean this one?"
The two boys looked up to see Xiao Ling sitting beside the lady.
Overjoyed, Feng Zhiyu called out to his dog. However, Xiao Ling did not move. Only when Bai Ruyi told Xiao Ling to go did it run back to its owner's side.
"Feng gongzi, Yu gongzi, since this is your first time, I will let you off with a warning. Please do not come near this area again, and don't let your dog run loose. If you are caught again, the punishment won't be light."
"Understood!"
Feng Zhiyu and Yu Yichen immediately left with Xiao Ling, and Bai Ruyi returned to her room.
After the incident, peace finally returned to Yuecheng. Everyone was busy studying and occasionally had practice matches. Xiao Ling was also secured in the room every morning before Feng Zhiyu left for class. As for Bai Ruyi, after attending class for a month and a half, she finally stopped coming, and with her mother's permission, she would take Long Hua down the mountain every so often. On most days when the two went into town, Long Hua would try different snacks and visit the various shops. However, on this particular day, Long Hua wanted to try some wine. Yicheng was famous for its wine. The water used to brew the wine came from the mountains, making it incredibly sweet and mellow. Often, people say that it was more like a refreshing drink than alcohol. Yet, that is also the mistake that people make. Assuming that it wasn't strong, visitors would drink to their heart's content, only to end up so drunk that no one could wake them up.
"Ming Yue, come on, let's try some, okay?"
Since they entered town, Long Hua had been begging Bai Ruyi to try some Crane's Tears with her. Alcohol was banned within the walls of Yuecheng, as they did not want it to affect the disciple's training. However, outside, if needed, the disciples were permitted to drink. Also, since the beginning of the clan, all the members of the family were extremely light-weight. One sip of wine and they would be drunk. Yet, there were times when Yuzhe would abuse the rule, and drink to his heart's content, when he came into town.
"Long Hua, Crane's Tears is very strong. You won't be able to handle it."
"Pleaseeee. Just a little?"
"Long Hua, trust me. The last time I heard someone say that, I had to carry my brother back up the mountain and tie him to his bed before he burnt down our home."
As Long Hua laughed, she continued to beg.
"While your family is not able to handle your alcohol, the Long clan is different. We can handle it. So please, just a sip?"
Knowing Long Hua's personality, they wouldn't be able to return home until she had a taste of Crane's Tears. So, Bai Ruyi gave in and took her to the wine shop.
"Welcome, welcome. What can I get for you today?" the waiter asked.
"Just a bottle of Crane's Tears, please."
"Right away."
Sitting near the window, Bai Ruyi watched as people came and went from the shops and stalls on the streets. Soon, the waiter returned with a bottle of Crane's Tears and a small plate of peanuts. Excited to try the wine, Long Hua pulled off the cover and poured a glass for herself.
Taking a deep breath, Long Hua could smell the sweetness of the drink. As she took her first sip, the alcohol smoothly rolled over her tongue and into her throat. Never having tasted such flavors before, she shuddered from joy. While pouring another glass for herself, she asked.
"Ming Yue, are you sure you don't want to try some? It's delicious!"
Bai Ruyi smiled and shook her head. Long Hua sighed and downed her second glass.
"By the way, why is it called Crane's Tears?" Long Hua asked.
"Hmm... Crane's Tears was created by an outer disciple of the Bai clan when the clan was first established. As you know, we have a lot of cranes in the area. It is said that when the disciple first created the wine, there was a crane nearby. When the crane came close and smelled the drink, a tear fell from its eyes. Although the disciple was unsure why, he decided to name it after the crane. At first, the elders were not against it. However, after seeing the effects of the alcohol, they all agreed that it wasn't good for cultivation, so they banned it," Bai Ruyi explained.
"Ohhh, I seeee."
Looking up at Long Hua, Bai Ruyi saw that her face was flushed red and that the bottle was nearly empty.
"Long Hua!"
Bai Ruyi quickly snatched the bottle away from her before Long Hua emptied the bottle.
"You promise me only to drink a little bit. The bottle is almost empty."
Long Hua giggled and waved her hand in front of her face.
"Oh, come on. It's so good. A little more won't hurt."
"Absolutely not."
Despite what Bai Ruyi was saying, Long Hua still tried to reach for the wine. Unfortunately, her vision became increasingly blurry until she passed out on the table. Shaking her head, Bai Ruyi pulled out some money to pay and picked Long Hua up to take her home.