Chapter 23 A Dance for Him

Ning Jue's words caught Bai Hua off guard, leaving her momentarily at a loss for how to respond.

To find an opportunity to learn the second half of his sword technique, the prerequisite is to marry him... How can that be allowed?

Staying by his side was only a temporary measure, a matter of immediate need; I could not risk my entire life for it.

Bai Hua felt caught in a dilemma, unsure of how to respond.

Ning Jue remained silent, observing the subtle changes in her expression, his gaze deepening with each passing moment.

He intentionally gave Bai Hua enough time to consider, and after a brief pause, he asked again, "So, do you still want to learn?"

Bai Hua's heart skipped a beat, and she subconsciously shook her head in denial, flustered: "I...I won't learn it yet."

She can't afford to change this condition.

She regretted it as soon as she finished speaking. If she gave up now, not to mention her cousin's career, her brother was currently in prison in the capital. How could she get out of this predicament?

Bai Hua's mind raced, and suddenly she thought of something. She looked at Ning Jue and asked in confusion, "But not long ago, you demonstrated five sword moves to me. That was the second half of the Lone Goose Sword Technique, wasn't it? If what you just said is true, wouldn't you have already disobeyed your master's orders?"

The idea that one cannot disobey one's master's orders was just something he made up on the spot, but she cleverly seized on the loophole.

It was his mistake.

However, the rule that the profound secrets of the second half of the Lone Goose Sword Technique should not be passed on to outsiders is true. Rong Linyan is not worthy to see it. Therefore, those five sword moves were painstakingly modified by Ning Jue himself and specially developed for Bai Hua to use as a task.

He had thoroughly studied the Lone Goose Sword Technique, knowing exactly where the key points were and where mistakes were easily made.

Therefore, after his slight modifications, practicing those five sword moves alone would not reveal any problems. However, connecting them with the moves in the first half of the chapter would be extremely difficult. If one were to forcefully integrate them, a slight mishap could cause one's true energy to reverse and one's skill level to decline, resulting in more harm than good.

Rong Linyan thought he had gotten a great deal and was insatiable, wanting to get even more, but in the end he was just being clever for his own good.

Gains and losses in this world are unpredictable.

In the end, it's still too early to say who will gain and who will lose.

Since Bai Hua asked, Ning Jue naturally had to answer her question, and he had to do so reasonably.

The young girl is not easily fooled, and the current standoff is truly testing his adaptability.

After thinking for a moment, Ning Jue explained, "Those five moves are the starting moves of the second half of the chapter, and they are connected to the last few moves of the first half. At the time, I was wielding my sword with great enthusiasm, and the whole combo flowed smoothly. I forgot that you were still beside me, and when I realized what was happening, I stopped abruptly, almost injuring my heart meridian. Because of this, I even knelt down in front of my master's portrait to repent and beg for forgiveness. Fortunately, you are by my side and would not have any ulterior motives to leak those five sword moves, so I didn't commit a serious mistake. Otherwise, I would really have no face to face him in the underworld in the future."

That explanation makes sense.

Bai Hua recalled the situation at the time and remembered that Ning Jue did indeed suddenly stop moving, his body out of alignment, abruptly interrupted.

She had no suspicions and simply believed that the five sword moves she had acquired that day were a coincidence, a gift from heaven.

At the same time, it was because of Ning Jue's words that Bai Hua understood the importance of those five sword moves. Just because he unintentionally revealed five moves, he had to repent in front of his master's portrait. If all seventy-nine moves were revealed in the future, how would he face himself?

Zang Fan was right when he said that Ning Jue was truly a source of trouble.

What made Bai Hua feel even worse was that Ning Jue trusted her and tacitly agreed that she had kept the secret of the sword moves, but the truth was that she had already revealed those five sword moves to her cousin.

My cousin also has a foundation in practicing the Lone Goose Sword Technique. It's only a matter of time before he integrates the old and new moves. Perhaps by now, he has already absorbed them all, gained five more techniques, and his swordsmanship has probably reached a new level.

His achievements were attained by stepping over Ning Jue and through improper means.

And she was an accomplice, a colluder!

The more Bai Hua thought about it, the more ashamed she felt. She had no face to face him again. The moment their eyes met, she turned away hastily.

Ning Jue looked at her and asked, "What's wrong?"

Bai Hua shook her head, her expression slightly somber.

She was thinking about how she could make it up to him. Right now, all she could do was cook him soup, but that was such a small contribution that she couldn't possibly offer.

The demands far outweighed the contributions, and as a beneficiary, she felt fearful and uneasy.

Ning Jue's gaze remained fixed on him, and he asked with concern, "Are you tired?"

Bai Hua replied, "No, I was just thinking that coming with you, young master, would be of no use except to bother you. Why don't you continue your practice alone, young master? I'll go back and prepare some food."

"No rush," Ning Jue stopped her and said, "It's actually quite boring for me to practice alone. It's good that you're here with me."

Bai Hua lowered her head, her voice low and soft: "But there's nothing I can do, let alone help you, young master."

Her mood was clearly low. Ning Jue glanced at her and suddenly asked, "Can you dance?"

Bai Hua was taken aback, not expecting Ning Jue to change the subject so abruptly.

She could dance. As a child, she was favored by the Empress and was selected to enter the palace as a princess's study companion along with several other noble ladies from the capital. These precious daughters and darlings of the emperor accompanied the princess in learning concise, interesting, practical, and elegant content every day.

For example, there are musical instruments, chess, calligraphy and painting, poetry and songs, and many other leisure activities, such as pitch-pot, flower appreciation, chess games, dances and moon banquets... Life can be described as rich and colorful.

Princess Baihua had a fondness for dancing, so during her time as a companion, aside from the skills she was required to learn, dancing was what she spent the most time with every day.

The palace had no shortage of musicians and dancers, and the Empress also invited many famous teachers from outside the palace. With daily contact, Bai Hua naturally learned some skills as well.

However, due to her willful nature, she disliked elegant dance steps and instead preferred the exotic and charming Hu Xuan dance, as well as the graceful and light Tao Yao dance.

It is beautiful, but it has absolutely nothing to do with elegance.

Fearing being scolded by the nanny, the princess secretly led them to dance, and they learned to dance quite well. At that time, they were just children, and now, looking back, they only feel that they were naive and reckless.

Therefore, because of this experience, the dance that Bai Hua finally mastered and became most proficient in was the rather unrefined Peach Blossom Dance.

Even now, she still has physical memory and can dance smoothly.

Bai Hua was about to nod in response to Ning Jue's question, but then she cautiously thought that learning the Peach Blossom Dance was a pastime for the daughters of the Earl's family. Now, she was just an ordinary country girl, so how could she have the opportunity to learn this dance?

She wanted to say no, but saw Ning Jue's gaze was earnest, as if he expected her to give a positive answer.

Bai Hua hesitated.

Ultimately, driven by the guilt that was welling up inside her, and not wanting to disappoint Ning Jue, she nodded truthfully.

"I know some."

Ning Jue inquired, "When did you learn it?"

Bai Hua replied hesitantly, "I practiced with my best friend a few years ago. She had a relative who had been a dancer in the palace. After leaving the palace, she still had the skills, so we learned some basic dance steps from her."

Ning Jue nodded, not asking for any further details, as if he did not doubt what she said.

He asked, "When you rest, you can watch me practice swordsmanship. If I get bored with practicing, may I enjoy your dance?"

So that's what it was for.

Bai Hua hesitated for a moment, lowered her eyes, thought for a while, and then nodded in agreement.

At this moment, she was willing to do and try her best to fulfill any request he made, as long as it did not violate her bottom line.

Ning Jue's lips curled slightly. He raised his hand and patted Bai Hua's shoulder, then turned his back and stepped away from her. Once he was in position, he drew his sword, its blade flashing coldly.

His movements were steady, yet his sword flashed with swift and fluid movements, gradually reaching a state of perfection. The sword seemed to come alive, like a serpent flicking its tongue, or a fish playing in the waves. Several combos were unleashed with lightning speed. As the sword energy roared, all the withered yellow leaves on the ground were swept up.

Ning Jue stood in the very center, his moon-white robes fluttering, his face cold and aloof, contrasting with the cold light of his sword, appearing otherworldly and unlike any ordinary person.

It's pleasing to the eye.

Bai Hua stared blankly, lost in thought.

She thought disrespectfully that even someone who knew nothing about swordsmanship could enjoy watching the young master's elegant figure.

After a short while, Ning Jue restrained his sharpness, gradually slowing down his sword swings until he finally stopped and sheathed his sword.

He was slightly out of breath as he walked up to Bai Hua and stood there. Looking at her, his sharp and cold gaze transformed into a melting iceberg and a gushing spring.

Bai Hua blushed slightly because his gaze was too intense.

She lowered her eyes, took out a clean handkerchief from her sleeve, and handed it to him: "Young master, wipe your sweat."

Ning Jue did not take it, but held the Qingying Sword in his arms, only leaning his body slightly forward.

Bai Hua hesitated, thought about it, and then agreed to his request.

There was a height difference between them; her head was only level with his shoulder, making it quite difficult for her to reach his forehead. Bai Hua was in a dilemma, so she took a deep breath and stood on tiptoe to try to get closer to him.

She moved very carefully, holding her breath as she touched the handkerchief to his forehead.

Too close… his breath shot out, drilling straight into the side of my neck, causing an unusual, uncontrollable itch.

Bai Hua's heart raced, and she couldn't help but swallow, continuing her movements with difficulty.

Her ankles were sore and tired, and she swayed slightly, losing her balance. Ning Jue reacted quickly, raising his hand to support her waist and reminding her, "Be careful, don't fall."

My palm was pressed against her waist, and I could feel the intense heat emanating from it.

Bai Hua tensed up, hurriedly wiped away her sweat, and immediately took a half step back after regaining her balance.

Ning Jue stopped and didn't make things difficult for her anymore, only saying, "I'll rest for a while and then I'll look after you."

Bai Hua straightened her clothes, steeled herself, and walked to the spot where Ning Jue had been practicing his sword, silently encouraging herself.

The wind rises, and the dance steps flutter.

She twirled gracefully, slowly finding her rhythm.

Today, she is wearing a pink gauze brocade dress with flowing light, which is very similar to the colorful feather dresses commonly seen in the palace. Both have colorful skirts with flowing layers, which are very suitable for dancing.

Bai Hua was nervous and tried to keep her jumps restrained.

When twisting her waist and flicking her sleeves, she dared not be so unrestrained and flamboyant, intentionally making the movements smaller and restraining her charm and allure.

She tried to dance gracefully, deliberately avoiding bold movements such as lifting her lotus feet, delicately touching the ground, and leaning her body slightly to one side with loose clothing and sloping shoulders.

Even so, it still attracts attention.

The Peach Blossom Dance is known for its charm and has nothing to do with elegance. How can it be innovated and forced to conform to this?

The harder Bai Hua tries, the more heartbroken she becomes.

She spun around twice, then gracefully bent backward, a cascade of black hair cascading down her back. She swayed her slender waist, as agile and graceful as a snake.

Ning Jue's gaze was sharp and unwavering as he stared intently at Bai Hua.

He gripped the Azure Shadow Sword, his fingertips tracing the hilt's edge in circles, his palms itching, and his eyes gleaming with a dark, brooding intensity.

If you were to ask him to comment on Bai Hua's dance at this moment, he would probably say something vulgar: "She's fucking good at dancing."

Of course, he only thought the swear word in his mind and wouldn't say it out loud.

Ning Jue watched Bai Hua's dance steps intently, yet couldn't help but think that this wasn't the first time she had danced before him.

That day, she was wearing a thin blue diamond-patterned dress, and she was swaying in front of him. With each twist, the tassels on the hem of her breast protector would sway. The impact of the scene, day after day, did not become blurred at all, but instead became more and more vivid and clear.

If we break it down further, the difference is: right now the two are a few steps apart, but that time, she was sitting on his hand, and the distance between them was negative.

Ning Jue composed himself and couldn't help but feel remorseful.

Having only been intimate with her once, is he reminiscing about it for... a little too long?

Bai Hua slowed her movements slightly, trying to recall the sequence of the dance steps she had learned in the past, completely unaware that Ning Jue was experiencing complex emotions and was preoccupied with many thoughts.

When I first started recalling things, everything went smoothly, but the more I recalled, the less clear my memory became.

Should we step forward with our left or right foot on the next beat?

Bai Hua hesitated, her steps faltering, and she tripped over the hem of her dress. In her panic, she lost her balance, her knees buckled, and she was about to fall to the ground.

Ning Jue wasn't standing very close to her, and it's unclear how he managed to rush over so quickly. However, even after flashing over, he only managed to grab her wrist and didn't have time to completely embrace her.

They both fell to the ground, and he became her broad cushion.

When Bai Hua opened her eyes in a daze, she felt no pain at all, but she heard a barely perceptible hiss from above her head.

Realizing what had happened, Bai Hua quickly supported herself and asked with concern, "Young Master, I'm sorry to have dragged you into this again. It was my carelessness. Are you hurt?"

Ning Jue replied calmly, "It's alright."

With their bodies pressed close together, one above the other, it seemed inappropriate to continue their normal conversation.

Ning Jue said he was fine, but his face showed a pained and restrained expression, making Bai Hua hesitate to urge him directly.

Her voice was gentle as she asked with concern, "Does your back hurt, sir? I put all my weight on you just now."

Ning Jue echoed, "It doesn't hurt."

It's okay and it doesn't hurt, why don't you get up first?

Bai Hua gave him a meaningful look, thinking he would understand what she meant.

However, Ning Jue did not react, maintaining the touching position naturally and calmly.

Bai Hua blushed, hesitated for a moment, and decided to get up first before suppressing the matter. Even if the young master was not in trouble, something would happen to him.

But just as she made a move, Ning Jue suddenly pressed his arm down across her waist, preventing her from moving an inch.

Bai Hua pressed herself against him again, her face flushing even more, and asked in confusion, "...Young Master?"

Ning Jue remained expressionless, only his voice was slightly hoarse: "Don't move, let me catch my breath."

Is it the pain when you gently rub your shoulders and back on the floor?

Thinking this way, Bai Hua felt even more reluctant, so she stopped insisting on getting up.

Ning Jue slightly tightened his arms and slowly bent his knees, probably only he knew what he wanted to relieve.

"Is that dance over?" Ning Jue asked.

Bai Hua shook her head, embarrassed, and said truthfully, "I really can't remember the rest of the dance steps. There's probably only one-third left to dance. I haven't practiced in a long time, so I'm definitely rusty."

Ning Jue: "That's enough."

He brought up the topic, and Bai Hua was naturally curious about how he saw her dancing, whether she was clumsy or not.

So she tentatively asked, "My skills were lacking just now, and I failed to live up to your expectations. I made a fool of myself."

Ning Jue shook his head, tilting his neck forward as if he had something to say to her.

Bai Hua cooperated, placing her hands on his chest, leaning slightly forward and tilting her head to listen attentively to his whispers.

He had just been holding her waist with one hand, but now he wrapped both arms around her, holding her even tighter and more tightly.

Bai Hua's neck also flushed with an unusual color. She had never been treated like this by a man before. Her eyelids drooped, and her fingertips trembled.

Ning Jue's lips parted and closed slowly, almost brushing against the edge of her earlobe several times, creating an extremely ambiguous atmosphere.

Their hearts raced simultaneously, and even though they were in a vast, open field, the atmosphere was clearly heating up.

Ning Jue spoke clearly, each word distinct: "Very beautiful, the most beautiful I've ever seen."

Early winter brought a chill, and the north wind was biting. Hot breath enveloped their necks, and at that moment, no one was lying.

Her body went limp in his arms, her chest rising and falling gently, her cheeks flushed, and her eyes shimmering like spring water. Ning Jue thought to himself that it would probably take him a long time to process this scene.