Chapter 54: Phoenix Perched on the Wutong Tree (I) ...After many years, once again...
After walking for a long time, still on the stone steps, Lian Qiang couldn't help but wonder if these stone steps were ten thousand miles long?
When her thoughts were distracted, she stumbled and was about to fall. Chi Xingji in front of her sensed it and reacted very quickly. He turned around, held her hand firmly with his backhand, and lifted her up!
Lian Qiang's gaze was caught off guard by the two silent oceans, and her hand fell into a warm palm. As if worried she might pull away, Chi Xingji closed his palm. Once Lian Qiang had regained her balance, he turned back, "Watch your step. Watch the road carefully."
Having said that, he did not let go of her hand, and Lian Qiang did not pull her hand away either, allowing him to hold her hand and walk forward.
Lian Qiang tried to move his fingertips, but Chi Xingji held her hand even tighter, and even his back became a little stiff.
She felt secretly amused and just sat there quietly.
No matter how long the stone steps are, they will eventually reach their destination. As soon as they reached their destination, Lian Qiang let go of her hand. While no one was paying attention on the stone steps, the mountain was full of eyes.
This time, however, she felt quite guilty and didn't dare to look Chi Xingji in the eye. They soon reached the entrance, where guards were checking identities. This time, the security was stricter than at the foot of the mountain. When it was their turn, Chi Xingji spoke first, "Chi Xingji."
The guards who had been a little arrogant before must have heard of his name. After hearing his words, their posture became obviously more respectful and their words were more courteous.
Hearing him reveal his real name, Lian Qiang simply said, "Lian Qiang."
But this time, the gaze that fell on Lian Qiang was a little strange. I don't know if he was looking at which unknown person was next to the Immortal Lord, or if he felt that immortals and demons had different paths.
Lian Qiang straightened up as much as possible to face the gaze that was filled with probing and scrutiny. However, the guard was knowledgeable and said nothing. He just raised his chin and let her go: "Go in."
To say that the look wasn't hurtful would be a lie; it wasn't too hurtful. But Lian Qiang was used to this kind of treatment. After all, not having her rejected just because she was a demon cultivator was already quite a feat.
Wutong Mountain is very large. The back mountain is the residence of the Phoenixes, which is considered a key area and cannot be entered. The rest of the area is open to guests and there is even a special street for monks to exchange secret manuals and skills.
If you were standing at the foot of the mountain, you wouldn't have guessed there were so many people and such a unique sight. Lian Qiang looked around curiously as Chi Xingji finished his negotiation with the messenger and walked back to her.
"Phoenixes are martial artists, and there will be a martial arts competition in two days. If you win the championship, you will be treated as their guest of honor, and it may be much easier to ask them to borrow the Phoenix Fire." Chi Xingji explained to her.
Lian Qiang nodded to show that she understood, but suddenly a new question arose: "But the cultivators coming and going have different levels of cultivation. If they were to compete with each other, wouldn't it be a bit unfair?"
It would be fine if the opponent had the same level of cultivation as her, but if the opponent was like Chi Xingji... she might as well not fight at all and just surrender directly.
"Of course, so the prerequisite for participation is that both of you must suppress your cultivation to the same level, and can only carry the same weapon." Chi Xingji added, thinking of something, "Don't worry, even if I suppress my cultivation, this is a sure thing."
His tone was firm, and he was indeed confident in his abilities. Lian Qiang was about to nod, but then sensed something was wrong: "You want to compete for me?"
When she asked this, Chi Xingji also felt something was wrong: "You want to go by yourself?"
"What else?" Lian Qiang said without hesitation, "This is my own business. I shouldn't bother you."
It would be great if Chi Xingji could win in one fell swoop, but she always thought that the less trouble she could cause Chi Xingji, the better.
As soon as these words came out, Lian Qiang clearly saw Chi Xingji's brows tighten. "Let's not talk about whether it's a bother or not... If I remember correctly, you don't have any weapons with you."
Lian Qiang took his silence as a tacit agreement. Seeing Chi Xingji's face grow increasingly gloomy, she explained sullenly, "I'm used to it. Jiang Lang also told me earlier that other weapons aren't very handy. I've thought about returning to swordsmanship, but there haven't been any suitable opportunities."
Unfortunately, these words seemed to add fuel to the fire. Someone, already looking unhappy, pursed their lips even more.
"There are still two days, there's still time." Still unable to bear treating her coldly, Chi Xingji broke the dull atmosphere with these words.
"What do you mean two more days?" Lian Qiang was puzzled, but a bad thought vaguely arose in her mind.
But Chi Xingji just uttered two words as she had thought in her heart: "Practice sword."
"I'm afraid it's too late. I haven't held a sword for many years, no, a hundred years. I have long forgotten the feeling of holding a sword..." Lian Qiang, who had not experienced being watched while practicing for a long time, said embarrassedly. She has been lazy for so many years, so why should she force herself in these two days?
"If I say it's not too late, then it's not too late," Chi Xingji's tone was not as strong as her rebuttal, "If your foundation is still one or two points, it won't be too difficult to pick up the sword again."
Lian Qiang wanted to struggle a little more: "Maybe it's only half a point, or even less..."
"Half a point is enough," Chi Xingji saw through her thoughts at a glance, "It's too easy to get hurt if you always fight with your body. Weapons are not only weapons, they are also your companions. When necessary, they can also protect their masters on their own, and it is common for them to sacrifice themselves to save others."
Protect the master on her own? Chi Xingji shared that sorrow. Yu Lianqiang had only one request: not to betray her master. But the events of the past were still fresh in her mind, and she instinctively resisted. Even if she tried, she wouldn't. But Lianqiang's lips moved a few times, but she didn't say anything.
"But I don't have a sword..." Lian Qiang asked again. If she was convinced this time... then she would give it another try. If possible, she always wanted to make more plans for herself.
"It's okay," Chi Xingji replied fluently, "It's not too late to buy a suitable one now."
He answered so smoothly that even Qiang started to wonder if he had already thought of her escape route clearly and blocked it clearly?
He used to not allow her to eat too much sweets, and it was the same way. He had to refute all her excuses before telling her not to even think about it.
"Then..." Lian Qiang mustered up the courage to say, "I'll try again."
The two of them immediately went to the market, where an unrivaled swordsman helped them choose a sword. Lian Qiang was happy to follow him and stroll leisurely.
However, Chi Xingji's standards were too high. He searched all the way and found no sword that caught his eye. He gained nothing and was even looked down upon by many sellers.
Chi Xingji put down another sword and tilted his head slightly to tell Lian Qiang: "Some swords are too heavy, and this sword is too agitated. When choosing a sword, you need to be compatible and complementary."
"What does this mean?" Lian Qiang could understand the meaning of "too heavy", but she didn't understand what "too impatient" meant.
Chi Xingji explained briefly: "Every sword has its own personality. Those that are too jumpy and impatient are not suitable for you."
This was her first time hearing such an explanation, so Lian Qiang was a little curious: "How did you figure out the character of each sword?"
During the years she was in the Wuji Sword Sect, she was not very well versed in swordsmanship, but after so many years of being influenced by it, she could tell the difference between good and bad swords. As for how to check the character of a sword... Lian Qiang really didn't know.
She asked, but Chi Xingji tightened his lips and didn't answer. At first, Lian Qiang thought he was still angry, but then she realized something was wrong: "Don't you know how to look at it?"
"...Well," Chi Xingji paused, "It's like an instinct. I can't say how to tell others this, but I can indeed hear their respective voices."
Lian Qiang smiled upon hearing this. He was born with a sword bone, so it wasn't surprising that he could taste these things from it. It could only be said that some people were truly gifted geniuses in the path of cultivation, something that others could only envy.
The look on her face was genuinely curious. Chi Xingji wanted to demonstrate it to Lian Qiang. He casually touched a sword beside him and closed his eyes to feel it. "...This one is surprisingly suitable."
Seeing the certainty in his words, Lian Qiang became curious about what kind of sword would suit her personality. She saw the slender, snow-white sword with a unique pattern on the hilt. A thought struck Lian Qiang: It bears some resemblance to Tong Bei.
Chi Xingji opened his eyes, negotiated with the seller, and successfully bought it. Lian Qiang couldn't help but ask curiously, "Why is it suitable? What's its personality like?"
However, Chi Xingji only gave her a mysterious look and didn't respond. Lian Qiang asked him repeatedly, but he kept his lips pursed and remained silent.
Maybe it wasn't a good thing, Lian Qiang consoled herself, so he didn't say it. In fact, Chi Xingji was just too embarrassed to say it.
In his eyes, Lian Qiangshi has a soft yet tough character. Even if it is in a quagmire, it will try its best to bloom, pull the seeds around it to absorb nutrients, and grow upwards.
When Lian Qiang unsheathed her sword, she felt a surge of excitement. Back then, she'd tried to draw her sword, but it wouldn't work. She'd thought her strength had waned from the torture she'd endured, but until her palms turned red, she knew it was all in vain.
At that moment, Chi Xingji was watching her from beside her, not moving to help or dissuade her from trying again. Lian Qiang, still clinging to the sword, perhaps with the extravagant hope that it might just be broken, collapsed on the ground, exhausted, saying she'd rest for a while and try again later. But Chi Xingji came over, took the sword from her hand, and pulled it out with ease.
He said, Lian Qiang, don't try again, it... just sheathed itself for you.
She can still vividly remember the reluctance and worry on Chi Xingji's face when he spoke.
At that moment, Lian Qiang felt no emotion at all. She looked up at Chi Xingji, unable to tell whether she felt familiar or unfamiliar, resentful or reliant. All she felt was endless bewilderment. How could he, not recognize her? How could he, be so easily pulled out by Chi Xingji?
Now, she was afraid that she would repeat the same mistake again. She didn't react until the sword light in the sunlight made Lian Qiang's eyes hurt.
"Why are you stunned?"
Chi Xingji's voice brought her back to her senses. Lian Qiang stared at the sword in a daze, as if she wanted to remember its appearance firmly in her mind, but as she looked at it, she burst into laughter and hugged the sword tightly.
...After many years, when she drew her sword again, she found that it was actually a very easy thing to do.
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