"You guys are too good!" Shen Xu said breathlessly as he approached the two. "After running ten laps, I could barely hold the arrow handle, and you guys still managed to hit the bullseye. It's unbelievable. Brother Qin, we're in the same academy, how come you're so much better than me?"
"Not bad, perhaps it's because my grandfather often taught me," Qin Xiaolin said modestly. "Brother Li, you are even more amazing than I saw last time, I admire you greatly," Shen Xu said, full of admiration for the two of them.
"This is all thanks to Grandpa Sun," Li Xi said, bowing to Grandpa Sun as he approached. Grandpa Sun had just watched the three of them practice and made some notes. "Xiao Xi and Young Master Qin performed well, but Young Master Shen still needs to work harder," Grandpa Sun commented on the technical aspects of each of the three.
Next, he took them to the martial arts arena. "Brother Li, I'd like to have a match with you first. I've been wanting to spar with you for a long time," Shen Xu said, gesturing for Li Xi to join him.
Both chose longswords. Shen Xu used the move "Flowing Clouds Cutting Water" to unleash a continuous sword technique as smooth as flowing water, while Li Xi used the move "Wind Trace Rifting the Sky" to block his attack.
After a fierce battle, their true strength gradually became apparent. Finally, they leaped up simultaneously, their swords clashing in mid-air, their sword energy soaring like rainbows into the sky. At that moment, the entire world seemed to fall silent, save for the sound of their swords dancing.
Then, in an instant, they both unleashed their final moves. Shen Xu's "Meteor Chasing the Moon" was as swift as a meteor, instantly tearing through the air. Li Xi's "Wind Sweeps Away the Clouds" was as fierce as a whirlwind, sweeping away everything in its path. The two swords clashed, unleashing powerful energy. In the end, Li Xi wielded her longsword with overwhelming internal force, forcing Shen Xu to fall off the dueling platform.
"Brother Li, I humbly admit defeat," Shen Xu said with a smile, seemingly very satisfied with Li Xi.
“Good, you’re all good,” Old Sun said, still writing and drawing in his notebook. “Next, Young Master Qin, don’t lose.” Old Sun smiled maliciously.
"Brother Li, let me have a go at you," Qin Xiaolin said, taking a long sword and leaping onto the dueling platform.
He wielded his sword with a grace that was both steady and elegant, as still as a crouching tiger, as swift as a flying dragon, as slow as drifting clouds, and as fast as lightning.
Li Xi resisted his attack with her sword. Her swordsmanship was like an eagle swooping down, spinning rapidly, pulling forward, stretching her body, and making the sword flap its wings and soar into the air.
The swordplay of both sides was unstoppable. The sword tips pierced through the air, and the silver sword shadows shone in the night. The sword energy was sharp and fierce, like a series of scorching bullets, pushing the strength of both sides to the extreme.
The two fought with increasing intensity, neither willing to concede. For a time, the fight was so fierce that it was impossible to determine a winner. Finally, Old Master Sun, unable to bear it any longer, grabbed his twin swords and jumped onto the fighting platform, forcing them to stop.
"Why are you two kids getting more and more worked up as you fight? Are you trying to kill each other?" Old Sun said, feigning anger. "I told you to have a little sparring, but you're really treating each other like mortal enemies?"
Li Xi hadn't expected her opponent's swordplay to be so unbreakable. Her competitive spirit wouldn't allow her to admit defeat, so she could only counter each move and try to break through her opponent's defenses. It must be said that Qin Xiaolin was a rare master swordsman; he could make Li Xi clearly see her own shortcomings. "Brother Qin," she said, "I humbly admit defeat."
"Brother Li, you're too kind. We're still even, let's have another match another day. I haven't experienced such exhilarating joy in a long time," Qin Xiaolin said. He hadn't expected Li Xi's swordsmanship to be so profound. He had never heard of such a person before and wondered where he came from.
With a series of slapping sounds, Shen Xu excitedly stepped forward, grabbed the hands of the two men, and said excitedly, "Brother Li, Brother Qin, you two have truly broadened my horizons today. Compared to you, my skills are nothing but empty gestures."
"Stop talking, come with me, there's even more fun waiting for you," Old Sun called to the group. Li Xi felt helpless; it seemed Old Sun wanted them to try everything here today. As someone with a modern soul, pain was an insurmountable mountain.
Before the four of them was a plum blossom stake, also known as plum boxing, which is a type of boxing practiced while standing on stakes. It is also often used as a basic skill practice.
Shen Xu clicked his tongue in amazement at what he saw. What kind of academy was Baichuan Academy? Why was even this plum blossom stake made so complicated and difficult to understand, unlike anything he had ever seen before?
Even the well-informed Qin Xiaolin couldn't help but be amazed; he had never paid attention to Baichuan Academy before. His aristocratic family's scions had always studied at the Imperial Academy.
Li Xi had already skillfully jumped up; this was her second time. Shen Xu and Qin Xiaolin were also thrilled watching. The three of them practiced on the stakes, while Old Sun ignored them, continuing to write and draw in his notebook.
Shen Xu was the first to be defeated. Qin Xiaolin was initially unfamiliar with these plum blossom stakes, but he became familiar with them after a couple of rounds. When masters meet, sparks fly. Li Xi attacked Qin Xiaolin, and the two began a fierce battle that lasted for dozens of rounds.
Old Master Sun had finished his task and set up a Go board. He invited Shen Xu to sit down and play with him. In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the Go pieces were already sparking with lively exchanges.
It wasn't until the temperature suddenly dropped that the group realized it was getting late. Only then did Old Sun let them go, and together they hurried down the mountain towards the "porridge, noodles, and rice" restaurant.
When they returned, night had swallowed day, and rows of lanterns along Changyang Street illuminated their way home. By the time they arrived at the shop, many customers had already left, and Meng Zhelan and Ling'er were having dinner with the rest of the group. Seeing Li Xi and the others arrive, they put down their chopsticks and went to greet them and invite them to sit down.
"Xiao Xi, the food is already warming up in the pot," she said, then asked the waiter to bring it to the table. "Grandpa Sun, Young Master Qin, Young Master Shen, please make yourselves at home. Xiao Xi will greet the guests," Li Xi was about to pour tea for them when Shen Xu took the teapot and poured tea into their cups first.
“I’ll take care of these small things. Come on, Senior Sun, please have a drink.” “Alright, everyone, please sit down.”
The ten dishes and one soup on the table were devoured by the four people in less than fifteen minutes, and only then did everyone put down their chopsticks with satisfaction.
"Here, everyone, please have some digestive tea," Meng Zhelan brewed a pot of tea for them, knowing they might have trouble digesting tonight given their large appetites. After a few bowls of tea, Grandpa Sun took his leave, as he needed to return to the academy to complete the modifications he had made to the martial arts arena that day.
Qin Xiaolin and Shen Xu also left; if they didn't go back soon, their families would start looking for them again. For the two of them, the Imperial Academy was just a place to make an appearance and then leave. Spoiled brats didn't need to learn so much.
Li Xi was quite exhausted today, so to relieve her fatigue, she took a comfortable medicinal bath in her room. This wooden tub was something Meng Zhelan had insisted on buying, and it proved to be the right decision. Meng Zhelan often added herbs to the water when boiling it. She knew Li Xi's body often suffered damage from practicing martial arts, so she frequently checked Li Xi's pulse. With her treatment, Li Xi always recovered quickly.
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