Chapter 43: Xu Mo's Dilemma
"Oh?! Was it that guy who was with you before?" Long Chen pressed for answers, but his interrogation was cut short by his teammates. "Senior Long Chen, we should proceed. We are already quite delayed," one of the inner disciples from his team mustered the courage to voice his and the other members' thoughts.
"Okay," Long Chen replied without turning toward his team. He simply raised his hand in the air as a gesture to show that he understood. "I apologize that our meeting cannot continue for now, but believe me, once I return from my mission, I will come to see you again." With that, Long Chen turned and walked away, leaving his question unanswered. Mei Xueyin, however, had no intention of answering it for him. She had merely thought that the handsome young man might have some connection with a core disciple.
Her primary goal was to infiltrate the Hidden Dragon Sect, gather information about the rising talents for her organization, and, if possible, recruit them. If they refused, they would have to kiss their lives goodbye. Mei Xueyin's instincts had never failed her. To the outer sect, her identity was merely that of a princess of justice, a fact known only to her friend, who also belonged to the same organization. To everyone else, she was just an above-average talent, ranking among the top three strongest outer disciples.
"It seemed more like a meeting between mortal enemies than acquaintances," she thought, recalling how Long Chen had looked at Xu Mo and how Xu Mo had fled with his tail between his legs. Long Chen must have done something to strain their relationship so severely. "Not as nice as he makes himself out to be," she scoffed, concluding that he was just another hypocrite.
Meanwhile, I was heading in the opposite direction of Long Chen and his group. I couldn't understand why I had received such hateful looks. I tried to recall my past encounters with Long Chen, but nothing came to mind that would warrant such treatment.
'Looks like power has gone to his head,' I thought. I, too, had once been blinded by power and status during my trial. I laughed inwardly. But it seemed Long Chen was still well-regarded, despite his arrogance. He had openly harassed a female disciple, though she had gotten her karma for what she did to me. Still, it was strange. When I was in love with only one woman in the entire sect and held the status of True Successor, it felt like the whole world was against me. Yet, Long Chen, who pursued every beautiful female disciple—or even women in broad daylight—faced no consequences.
'Females are trouble,' I mused. 'It was much better walking around with Xue Lingxi, who covered her appearance with her hair and always remained in a dull mood.' I felt no pressure around her. But I needed to have some male friends too.
I raised my head and noticed it was still early morning. I decided to take this opportunity to visit the technique hall and copy some techniques.
A while later, I was sitting at one of the empty tables in a far corner of the hall, where few disciples gathered due to the strong rays of sunlight that made the area uncomfortably bright. I had chosen a sword technique because—well, swords were cool. I could have chosen a spear or another weapon-specific skill, but I decided to start with sword skills. I remembered that during the trial, I had been particularly skilled with swords, even though my weapon had been destroyed. I was still far more familiar with swords than any other weapon.
Vanish Blade—that was the name of the skill I was copying into an empty book. However, I wasn't copying it word for word. Instead, I was trying to accomplish two tasks simultaneously: comprehending the technique and creating my own notes for personal reference. These notes would be unique to me, as everyone perceives the same thing differently. My understanding of the skill would be shaped by my past experiences, my nature, and the kind of person I was.
This skill focused on erasing one's presence before striking. I excelled at this. With a brush in hand, I began to jot down my notes:
Step 1: Control breathing. Reduce Qi fluctuations to the bare minimum. ("Using the loneliness inside my heart.")
Step 2: Footwork. Sudden burst movement without excessive motion. ("That's a little tricky, but I'll figure it out.")
Step 3: Sword strike. The moment of reappearance must be unpredictable. ("Do I attack at the peak of movement, or just before I reappear? Timing must be refined.")
I frowned at a passage describing "blending into the void"—a vague concept that suggested something beyond mere speed. I dipped my brush again and wrote:
Is it an illusion of disappearance, or real disappearance?
It's not about speed alone. It's about misdirection. Fading at the right moment, striking before they realize it.
With a renewed understanding, I inked my final note:
The blade that is not seen is the blade that kills.
Still, I had no clear idea. The first step was easy, and I didn't even need to think about it. The last step was also understandable, but to truly master unpredictable movement, I would need to study other skills, anticipate my opponent's actions, and plan ahead. For that, I needed experience. It was time to start training.
The young elder behind me stared at me, making it difficult to focus entirely on my comprehension. Finally, the young elder seemed unable to contain himself. He walked toward me with his hands behind his back.
"That female disciple who was with you—I don't see her today."
Aghhh—I couldn't help but scream internally. Is Xue Lingxi also attractive, or is it just my eyes that are the problem?