Fairy, Don’t Be Afraid, I’m Blind

Chapter 11: Teaching the Sword

The faint chirping of cicadas blended into the night, as serene as water, making the entire sect residence seem exceptionally tranquil.

You Su stood in the courtyard, his face tilted upward, his eyes closed, bathing in the clear, bright moonlight.

Meanwhile, a shadowy figure stealthily approached the young man from the darkness.

Ji Lingruo had already tiptoed to You Su’s back, her eyes filled with the glee of a prank about to succeed. She stared at the defenseless rear of her senior brother, quietly drawing her wooden sword.

She thought she was a genius at sneaking around, like a silent poisonous snake in the night. With such a talent, why bother to learn swordsmanship? This annoying senior brother hadn’t paid any attention to her for days, so why did he suddenly decide to check her progress?

As if about to exact revenge, she suppressed a sinister chuckle and struck without hesitation.

However, the sound that followed wasn’t the thud of soft flesh being struck, but rather the clash of hard objects.

Ji Lingruo was inwardly surprised. Were men’s buttocks really that hard? But upon closer inspection, she realized that You Su had already sensed her presence and blocked her strike with his own wooden sword.

When Ji Lingruo looked up, she saw that her senior brother had turned around, his lifeless eyes fixed on her. She gritted her teeth and continued her attack, knowing that if she backed down now, she’d only face worse consequences.

Her sword moved like rain, her movements simple yet refined, carrying the unique rhythm and grace of the Yang Sword style. Anyone watching could see the artistry in her technique.

You Su didn’t counterattack, merely parrying each of her strikes. Her moves were precise and well executed, but they lacked any real power, which puzzled him.

After a prolonged assault, Ji Lingruo began to feel disheartened as she watched You Su effortlessly deflect her attacks. She was frustrated by her own physical weakness, which rendered all of her efforts futile.

The truth was, she wasn’t a lazy or foolish girl. Within her first year of learning the sword, she had reached this level of skill. On nights when she felt like giving up, she would still practice relentlessly, as if fighting against fate itself. Yet, after nearly three years, the power behind her sword strikes remained pitifully weak.

As her frustration grew, Ji Lingruo’s attacks gradually slowed down, and You Su noticed this. After a few more exchanges, both of them stopped.

Sensing the girl’s dejection, You Su clicked his tongue in mock surprise. “Junior Sister, have you had an epiphany? How did you improve so much?”

Ji Lingruo’s eyes widened as she tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. “Really? Have I improved?”

“Of course! You’ve even learned to sneak attack!”

The excitement on Ji Lingruo’s face instantly vanished, replaced by a scowl. “You’re so good at being sarcastic!” she spat, gritting her teeth as she felt like punching her senior brother in the face.

You Su sheathed his wooden sword and spoke earnestly. “Didn’t I teach you before? The difference between a cultivator’s sword and an ordinary swordsman’s sword isn’t in the techniques, but in the qi and rhythm. Qi is the spiritual energy in your body, and rhythm is the harmony you draw from the world around you. The stronger the qi and rhythm you can muster, the more powerful your sword strikes will be. Your techniques just now were good, but your qi and rhythm were lacking, so you couldn’t break through my defenses.”

“I know, I know,” Ji Lingruo muttered under her breath, her long, delicate eyelashes drooping. “It’s not that I don’t want to.”

Although she spoke softly, You Su’s sharp ears caught every word. He had long suspected that his junior sister had some hidden struggle, but every time he asked, she remained tight-lipped.

Being unable to wield a sword with strong qi and rhythm suggested that she wasn’t suited for the path of a sword cultivator. However, Ji Lingruo learned sword techniques incredibly quickly. If she were in the mortal world, she would undoubtedly be a top-tier swordsman. This contradiction was indeed puzzling.

“The harmony between Heaven and man is profound and mysterious. Sensing and controlling your qi is similar to when you first guided your spiritual energy through your channels. Don’t be discouraged, Junior Sister. With more practice, you’ll surely learn to control your qi,” You Su encouraged sincerely.

“I just didn’t feel like putting in the effort to hit you,” Ji Lingruo retorted, crossing her arms and regaining her haughty demeanor as if the earlier frustration had never touched her.

“What are we learning today?”

“No new techniques today. We’re reviewing what we’ve already learned.”

“Huh? Why?”

“You have already learned all thirty-six forms of the Yang Sword from the Mandarin Duck Sword Manual.”

“That’s it? After learning the surface techniques, shouldn’t we move on to the hidden ultimate moves?”

“There are no hidden techniques in the Mandarin Duck Sword Manual,” You Su shook his head.

The Mandarin Duck Sword Manual was divided into two parts: the Yuan Sword for men and the Yang Sword for women, each consisting of thirty-six forms. While it might seem less extensive compared to the techniques of other sword sects, the Mandarin Duck Sword was actually a dual-cultivation sword art.

When practiced in pairs, each move could be combined with over a dozen techniques from the other set, creating an intricate and ever-changing effect. The true power of this sword art would be revealed when a man and a woman mastered the Yuan Sword and the Yang Sword, respectively, and shared a deep, unbreakable bond – a kaleidoscope of sword techniques.

Unfortunately, the path of Yin-Yang harmony was now considered heretical and looked down upon in the current era. Sects like the Heaven and Earth Yin-Yang Harmonious Mandarin Duck Sword Sect had been labeled as evil and were gradually declining.

You Su was also afraid of misleading his junior sister. He hadn’t told her that the Mandarin Duck Sword could be practiced in pairs, as the prerequisite for such a practice was still far off, and she might not be willing to practice with him, a blind man.

“Huh?” Ji Lingruo pouted, furrowing her delicate brows. “Then what’s the point of these few techniques?”

Setting aside the dual cultivation aspect, the Mandarin Duck Sword was still a top-tier sword art on its own, far from being as useless as Ji Lingruo made it out to be.

“There’s no sword technique in this world that will make you invincible just by learning it,” You Su said, twirling his wooden sword and creating a beautiful sword flower. The moonlight reflected off the polished wood, making it look exceptionally sharp. “What makes you stronger is every breath you take, every stroke of your sword. Instead of complaining about the sword technique, think about whether you’ve truly mastered it. Draw your sword. We’ll start reviewing from the first form.”

“Always full of big words,” Ji Lingruo stuck out her tongue, but obediently drew her wooden sword, assuming the starting stance of the Yang Sword.

“First Form, Flowing Wings in Flight.”

“Second Form, Crane Crossing the Clouds… When practicing the sword, your body should be relaxed, your mind calm, and your spirit focused. Why do you keep looking at me?”

“You’re imagining things!”

“Your attack and defense must be clear, and your sword techniques must be precise. Every move should emphasize using the sword to hide your body. What you’re doing isn’t swordplay – it’s almost like using a saber.”

“What? No way!”

“Good, keep practicing like that. One thousand more repetitions of the upward slash of the third form, and you can rest for the night.”

“One thousand? You Su, you’re doing this on purpose!”

“That’s already a reduced number. Practice on your own. I’m going to sleep.” You Su waved his hand and returned to his room, leaving the fuming girl glaring at his retreating back, her teeth clenched in frustration.

You Su lay down on his bed, letting his thoughts wander.

It was late at night, and the chaotic chirping of insects had died down. According to his usual routine, he should have been asleep by now, but he didn’t dare to close his eyes. He had a premonition that the monstrous junior and senior sister would be waiting for him in the world that awaited him upon waking up.

But he needed to conserve his energy, as a fierce battle was inevitable the day after tomorrow. He also wanted to confirm the pattern of his transitions between the two worlds, which seemed to occur whenever he fell asleep, whether intentionally or not.

You Su sighed in resignation. Who would have thought that sleeping would become something to fear?

As the sound of his junior sister’s sword practice echoed outside, drowsiness gradually overtook him. You Su didn’t resist and closed his eyes gently.

In the haze between wakefulness and sleep, You Su opened his eyes again. He stood up and looked out of the window, where the moonlight illuminated a grotesque mountain of flesh clumsily practicing sword techniques. He was already calm.

“Senior Brother, I’m so clumsy…”