Chapter 2 (1/2)

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Chapter 2

*note: you'll see various iterations of yao, mo, gui, and guai. This is just various categorizations and ways to name 'bad' supernatural creatures. More in ending translation notes.

Heaven and earth quiets.

Gu XiaoMo's already pale face only grows paler, her looks completely ordinary, her black hair lazily and carelessly bound, her expression gradually getting more serious. The gray robes completely wrap around her thin body, lightly swaying from the wind. The fallen leaves rise, gently circling around her. The surroundings change and she stands there, capturing everyone's attention.

Mo Wei knits his brows. Can it be that this disciple who has never been able grasp using magic has finally broken through and understands?

Gu XiaoMo draws out a sword and pinches her two fingers together in a sword mnemonic, flips and turns, throwing her sword straight out. That sword move pierced and scattered the air currents in its straight path. She watched it avidly and in one move jumped onto the sword, yelling loudly, ”Ji!”

The sound of something falling.

It seems like someone is still in the same place.

The wind blows past, all the disciples gape open-mouthed, unable to close them for a long time.

Strictly speaking, her posture is very exact and standard, with a pinched waist and raised bottom, back straight, standing very balanced on the sword. But her expression is very ugly, a sinister expression with gritted teeth. It's just that that sword is very loving and close to the earth, not even lifted and flying from the ground a tiny bit.

Du YuQi can't stop himself from going too far, his shoulders shaking violently, even Mo QingYuan can't stop himself from laughing.

Mo Wei has a headache and can only roll his eyes. This Gu XiaoMo, from when she was little didn't have the least talent in magic and can't even use the most basic flying sword spell. Good news is that's she's good with a sword, but as cultivators, they're not the common dross of the Jianghu world. However excellent she is with a sword, what's the use? When confronted with demons, ghosts, and other strange creatures, you'll still be stopped.

”YingYing, you demonstrate.” Mo Wei pulls over Gu XiaoMo: ”Watch carefully.”

Suo YingYing moves, a little frightened, and looks back once. Mo QingYuan smiles faintly at her. Like she's been given great encouragement, she pulls out her sword and shouts out the sword mantra, left hand held in the sword mnemonic, shouting: ”Ji!”

A white light s.h.i.+nes all along the sword and Suo Ying stands on top, like an arrow about to fly out.

Mo QingYuan takes the lead in cheering, even Mo Wei secretly nods his head in approval. Among these little disciples, junior apprentice-sister Suo Ying's gongfu is the worst, but this time she succeeded so smoothly. She must have spent a lot of bitter effort practicing.

Suo Ying jumped down from the sword, her small eyes wide open, like a pink flower running towards Mo QingYuan: ”Big apprentice-brother, big apprentice-brother, do you think I flew well?”

Mo QingYuan isn't even given the time to reply when Du YuCheng smilingly comes: ”Little apprentice-sister seems a bit biased, once down only calls for senior apprentice-brother. What about your third and fourth elder apprentice-brothers, are they invisible?”

Suo Ying's two cheeks turn deep red. Who doesn't understand this girl's thoughts, with a small smile everyone pretends not to see. To pull up the somewhat lost expression of Gu XiaoMo: ”Whether the task is difficult or simple, you shouldn't worry too much about.”

Finally seeing a straight exit, Gu XiaoMo has already disappeared into the midst of her apprentice-brothers. Look at that smile of hers that shows teeth, she isn't even regretful at all of her failure.  The silence of autumn solidifies as the disciples leave and Mo Wei's thoughts go with them. The elders can't help but shake their heads, can only laugh bitterly.

The morning cla.s.s is ended. Du YuQi reaches out a hand and grabs Gu XiaoMo's collar, to prevent her from ducking out from her responsibilities to go to the kitchen.

”Little Mushroom, the set of sword forms Master taught yesterday, practice it again so I can see.”

Gu XiaoMo dangles from his hand with a dull gaze: ”I don't want to.”

Du YuCheng and Du YuQi with the same face laugh at her: ”Do it just once then, and I'll do my best to bring you to TianYan Peak to pick dates.”

”Really?” Gu XiaoMo's eyes glow, if there are people who can use magic who accompany her to TianYan Peak, then it will save quite a lot of effort climbing.

Du YuQi's eyes s.h.i.+ne with cunning: ”Really.”

Suo Ying runs up from behind and shouts: ”You aren't allowed to bully elder apprentice-sister!”

”Fine, fine, fine.” Du YuCheng laughs: ”If little apprentice-sister says no bullying, then we'll not bully.”

Du YuQi snickers and puts down Gu XiaoMo. Once she turns her head, she sees a white-robed man's carefree smile.

Mo QingYuan says: ”XiaoMo, we know your sword arts are the highest. Let us see it.”

With this rare, unlooked for praise from senior apprentice-brother, even if it isn't overly great, she doesn't dare look at his face.

Spinning around, legs split, leaping, flying into the air.

So dry and thin, the pale and boring Gu XiaoMo will never be able to compare to Suo Ying's glowing beauty.

But as long as there's a sword in her hand, she seems completely different. Her sleeves fly gracefully, her spirits completely raised and lighting her up inside.

Master need only demonstrate a sword form once. Even if it's to the best ability of Mo QingYuan, it still wouldn't compare to her perfect form.

Suo Ying claps her hands enviously: ”Big apprentice-sister is so great.”

Du YuCheng and Du YuQi look very interested, then started to compare sword forms together. Mo QingYuan keeps looking, his line of sight turns more and more from the swordswoman to the pale pink shadow behind. Suo Ying is far on the other side but finds out that eldest apprentice-brother is looking at her. Her face turns inadvertently red and she unconsciously displays the charm of a young girl.