Beauty

Qi Xianqing probably spent about the time it took to burn an incense stick before she closed the little book and murmured, “This trip to Jiangnan—the storybooks Miss Xu gave me were truly fresh and original.”

Yan Jue: Apart from silence, what else could I do?

The little fox sat in Qi Xianqing’s lap and looked up at her blankly.

Qi Xianqing: “It’s a pity you can’t understand them.”

Yan Jue: “…”

As expected of Senior Sister. She would never get carried away with idle pleasures like storybooks, and she would never waste too much time on them either.

Qi Xianqing then put the storybook back on the shelf and drew out another booklet from among the books.

Yan Jue froze, because on the cover she saw a few glaringly large characters: Yan Jue.

A booklet with her name on it.

Yan Jue was instantly moved, and then she saw that Qi Xianqing’s bookshelf held many other booklets as well.

Chen Yan.

Fang Yu.

Jiang Cheng.

“…"

Right.

So these were the teacher’s student records.

Of course, if Yan Jue went to pull a few books off the shelf and flip through them, she would find that none of the others had as much written in them as hers.

Perhaps Yan Jue really was easy to teach, or perhaps it was because Qi Xianqing had once helped her clear her meridians; in any case, Qi Xianqing taught Yan Jue with inexplicable enthusiasm.

Deep into the night, Qi Xianqing wrote and sketched in her notebook, resting her chin on one hand as she said thoughtfully, “Shuaituo is the essence of martial arts. It’s easy to learn, but extremely difficult to master. When I learned the Shuaituo hand technique, it took me about ten days. This time I’m giving her seven days; I wonder whether she can do it.”

Qi Xianqing’s papers were filled with her own notes from when she had practiced Shuaituo. Yan Jue paused slightly. These were all… written by Qi Xianqing herself?

Yan Jue’s gaze practically stuck to those lines, unable to look away for even a moment.

Qi Xianqing: “That ‘Instant Thousand Miles’ she used last time really surprised me. She learned it very quickly. She’s almost catching up to me.”

Yan Jue sat in Qi Xianqing’s lap, turning over her words in her mind.

Then she shifted her gaze and began silently memorizing the martial arts notes on the table that Qi Xianqing had written.

It was only when Qi Xianqing stood up to sleep that she was still wide awake.

Qi Xianqing’s inner robe was as white as snow, making her slender figure look even more refined. She lifted the quilt and got into bed, then looked at her with a gentle smile and patted the space beside her. “Little fox baby, come lie down for a while.”

Yan Jue: “?!"

She was not sleeping with Qi Xianqing.

Yan Jue huffed her way to the side of the bed, curled up into a little ball beneath it, and suddenly went stiff in the belly; her whole body tensed.

Qi Xianqing lay on the bed and reached one hand down, gently rubbing her belly.

Yan Jue’s body went soft, and then she was sprawled on her back, all four paws in the air. She looked up at Qi Xianqing, eyes squinting, while her hind legs kicked wildly again.

So comfortable…

Sure enough, for a canine animal, no matter where it was touched, it would feel good.

Qi Xianqing only stroked her for a while before turning over and closing her eyes.

Yan Jue opened her eyes and stared at her expressionlessly.

This woman had made her whole body burn hot, and then she had just gone to sleep herself.

“…"

It was a good night. Pale moonlight seeped in through the window, and the whole room was filled with the quiet fragrance of peach blossoms.

Qi Xianqing lay on her side on the bed, one sleeve pushed up halfway, her fair skin exposed to the air.

Yan Jue saw the scars on Qi Xianqing’s arm.

A cultivator’s body did not usually keep scars; those deep, bloody wounds on Qi Xianqing had already healed almost completely.

Yan Jue did not know what Qi Xianqing had experienced on this trip to Jiangnan. In any case, it definitely would not have been pleasant.

Yan Jue stared at Qi Xianqing for a while, then suddenly felt her teeth itch.

Qi Xianqing’s Immortal Spirit Physique smelled very nice. The faint fragrance made Yan Jue feel extremely comfortable, and it inexplicably stirred some… instinctive part of the fox.

In the darkness, Yan Jue first lay on the floor, savoring the words Qi Xianqing had just annotated on those pages.

Then she could not help starting to grind her teeth.

For some reason, recently whenever the night was quiet, she always felt that itch in her teeth.

In this particular scene, that urge became especially intense.

Qi Xianqing was lying on the bed, her breathing even. She should already be sound asleep.

Yan Jue lay on the floor, moved forward an inch, opened her mouth, and bit onto the bed leg, beginning to gnaw.

“Zzz… zzz…”

-

The next morning, Qi Xianqing opened her eyes in bed.

Faintly, she could hear pleasant birdsong outside the window.

Every time she stayed in Frozen Peach Haven, her sleep quality was especially good.

She did not know whether it was because the peach blossom fragrance was pleasant, or because the little fox baby was by her side.

The little fox baby’s body was very clean, and one could faintly smell the clear milk scent of a young beast.

Her nightmares had also become much less frequent.

Qi Xianqing braced herself on the bed and sat up, when she suddenly noticed something and paused.

Sometime during the night, one of her bedposts had lost a foot.

A perfectly good wooden post had been gouged out by a huge chunk, and there was even a pile of wood shavings on the floor.

“…"

That little thing.

-

Yan Jue returned to the dormitory, her heart pounding for no reason at all.

Last night she had originally been sleeping quite well beneath Qi Xianqing’s bed, but for some reason she had started grinding her teeth later on. By the time she came to her senses, Qi Xianqing’s bedpost had already been bitten off.

She had not done it on purpose.

She had just accidentally demolished part of the house, that was all.

Yan Jue found it so vexing; she did not know whether Qi Xianqing would be angry…

Then she only thought about it for a moment before calming down.

As a little fox, her worry was biting things to pieces and being afraid of being scolded.

Now that she had turned into Yan Jue, she had new things to think about.

Yan Jue opened the drawer, tightly strapped the two weighted sandbags Qi Xianqing had given her last time around her wrists, and started boxing.

After Qi Xianqing taught her lightness skill last time, she had given Yan Jue the weighted sandbags.

Yan Jue had quickly found several different uses for the two sandbags.

For example, if she wanted to strengthen her arm power, she would tie the sandbags to her wrists.

If she wanted to strengthen her waist, she would wrap the sandbags around her waist.

Her arms felt as heavy as a thousand catties, but Yan Jue still hammered out punch after punch while she replayed the notes on Shuaituo she had seen in Qi Xianqing’s notebook last night.

As expected of a good student; Qi Xianqing’s notes were very detailed.

Yesterday, Yan Jue had only half understood Qi Xianqing’s explanation of Shuaituo, but after reading Qi Xianqing’s notes, she basically understood everything.

One of the essences of martial arts was to borrow force to strike with force.

For example, compared to a frail young girl, a burly man had no small advantage.

But if the girl could make use of “agility” and borrow a sliver of the burly man’s force, she could turn disadvantage into advantage.

Yan Jue took out several sheets of white paper from the drawer and, from memory, copied down everything she had seen in Qi Xianqing’s notes the night before.

Yan Jue had always had an excellent memory in her modern life, and once she understood the meaning of a long passage, it became even easier to remember. Five whole pages were finished very quickly.

Then Yan Jue pushed open the door and knocked on Du Ying’s room.

Du Ying had not expected Yan Jue to come looking for her so early in the morning. Still half-asleep and wearing only her inner robe, she stared at Yan Jue in disbelief. “You… what are you doing?”

Yan Jue smiled politely. “Senior Sister Du, do you want to… get up early and practice?”

Du Ying nearly exploded when she heard that. What was wrong with Yan Jue? Was she looking at how lazy she was and couldn’t stand it anymore?!

Du Ying immediately went back to get dressed. “Fine, fine, let’s go practice together.”

The two of them thus came to an open space.

Du Ying rolled up her sleeves. “Three rounds decide the winner!”

Although she was a little lazy in ordinary times, she was still at the early Illumination stage.

Yan Jue had told her last time that she was also at the early Foundation Establishment stage.

Illumination versus Foundation Establishment; Du Ying did not believe she would lose!

Yan Jue thought for a moment, then ran to a tree over there and picked up a branch, drawing a circle on the ground.

Du Ying: “Yan Jue, what are you doing?”

Yan Jue: “Three rounds. Whoever gets knocked out of the circle first loses.”

That did make the winner easy to determine. Du Ying accepted readily. “Eh, that’s pretty interesting. We don’t usually practice like this.”

The match began. Three rounds would decide the winner.

Five Dragons disciples mostly cultivated swordsmanship; Du Ying was no exception. Her sword was the water-attribute immortal sword, Flying Waterfall.

Du Ying drew her sword in front of Yan Jue. The blade flashed a dazzling blue in the sunlight; when she slashed with it, ripples of water seemed to spread through the air!

The first strike came stabbing fiercely. Yan Jue sidestepped out of the way, and the blue sword followed her movement to press in from below. Yan Jue suddenly leaped upward, her body rolling twice in midair.

All over her body, she actually felt a chill, as though she had been submerged in the dark, bottomless sea.

On the second strike, Du Ying took up her stance and bellowed, “Waterlight Thread!”

The immortal sword Flying Waterfall actually began to tremble violently; blue waves of light spread outward from around it. Yan Jue’s vision suddenly went black, and she even felt a wave of dizziness!

Yan Jue hurriedly chanted the Calm Heart formula and stomped hard to disperse the dizziness. She leaped into the air and directly used the Demon-Lock Circle. The Northern Sea black iron instantly turned into golden threads, winding round and round to bind Du Ying’s immortal sword.

The sword lost control.

Du Ying was slightly stunned, and in that instant she grew a little flustered. She hurriedly chanted the true formula to control Flying Waterfall, trying to break free of the golden threads.

Yan Jue knew how formidable the golden threads were and feared breaking Du Ying’s immortal sword, so she did not dare use her full strength.

Just as Du Ying was focusing intently on trying to break free, Yan Jue suddenly took one strange step to the right.

Before Du Ying could even make sense of it, her arm was seized!

Du Ying’s pupils contracted sharply. Almost reflexively, she hurled a punch at Yan Jue. Yan Jue extended one finger; with a light flick at the fingertip, she actually dispersed that force instantly!

It worked. Her guess had been right.

The essence of Shuaituo was to borrow force to strike with force.

Yan Jue grabbed her wrist fiercely. Du Ying kicked at her; Yan Jue then seized her ankle and gave a light pull.

And then Du Ying was thrown out.

“…"

-

On the third day after Qi Xianqing finished teaching Flying Swallow Steps and Shuaituo.

Yan Jue sent a letter to Qi Xianqing by Immortal Crane: Senior Sister, I have something I’d like to ask your guidance on.

Yan Jue phrased it very politely.

Whenever she had a question to “ask guidance on” from Qi Xianqing, it meant she was about to show Qi Xianqing the results of her studies.

Qi Xianqing quickly replied: Youhen, Cold Pool.

As concise as ever.

Yan Jue restrained her nervousness and excitement, practiced for a while longer in the dormitory, then after the appointed time with Qi Xianqing, packed her things and went out.

“Same old rules. Within ten exchanges, you must avoid my Shuaituo and also execute Shuaituo and Flying Swallow Steps.”

“As for how you use them, you’re free to improvise. If I throw you out of the circle, you fail,” Qi Xianqing said lightly.

Qi Xianqing had thought that giving Yan Jue seven days to learn would already make things very difficult for her.

She had not expected that this person… would actually dare to challenge her on the third day.

…

A few days earlier, when Yan Jue sparred with Du Ying, they had agreed that whoever got thrown out of the circle within three rounds would lose.

Now that she heard Qi Xianqing giving her ten chances, Yan Jue could not help secretly letting out a breath of relief.

This trip down the mountain had clearly improved her cultivation considerably.

Qi Xianqing’s cultivation had no doubt improved as well. Whether she accepted the results of this lesson would determine whether Yan Jue could continue learning the next martial art, so Yan Jue naturally did not dare be careless.

The trial began. Qi Xianqing drew out the immortal sword Zhuying, grasped the hilt with both hands, and held it in front of her. The tip lifted slightly; the bluish-green blade gave off a refined sheen, and one could faintly feel spiritual energy moving in the air.

Yan Jue and Qi Xianqing stood facing each other, every stream of blood in her body quickening with tension.

Qi Xianqing looked at Yan Jue’s clear amber eyes and could not help but freeze slightly.

Yan Jue’s nervous expression gave her a very familiar feeling.

As if someone else had also often looked at her with those same innocent eyes, fur all fluffed up, two fluffy tails drooping behind them.

Qi Xianqing only paused for a breath. Pure spiritual power burst through the air, and Zhuying shot forward with a clear dragon-like cry.

Cold sweat had already beaded on Yan Jue’s forehead. With a slight force at her wrist, she again used that “dispelling force” technique, extending two fingers of her right hand and narrowing her eyes to judge the sword hilt. She nimbly raised her hand toward that point and actually dispersed Qi Xianqing’s thousand-catty force!

Qi Xianqing was slightly taken aback and struck again. Yan Jue’s body flashed, her strange footwork letting her avoid it instantly; then she suddenly sprang forward and wrapped her arms around Qi Xianqing’s waist.

The young girl’s body was soft, carrying a faint fragrance of flowers and wood. Qi Xianqing’s movement halted again; then Yan Jue tilted her waist backward. Qi Xianqing paused and was actually pulled a few steps back by that feather-light force wielding a thousand catties.

This…

Qi Xianqing froze. Zhuying traced an elegant circle through the air, and the second strike came with fierce wind as it stabbed toward Yan Jue.

Yan Jue’s pupils shrank. She simply rolled across the ground and lightly tugged at Qi Xianqing’s wrist with her right hand.

Although the move was somewhat awkward, Qi Xianqing still felt her force being dispersed once more.

This was no accident. Yan Jue was actually consciously neutralizing her attacks.

“…"

There was no need to continue the match.

It was obvious that Yan Jue had already grasped the essence of Shuaituo. Although she still could not yet throw someone with complete fluency, as long as she practiced for another ten days or half a month, she should be able to reach mastery.

Qi Xianqing flashed forward; the fierce wind whipped her robes with a crackling sound. Yan Jue’s pupils suddenly contracted, and before she could even make out what was happening, Qi Xianqing was already in front of her.

A hand pressed against her shoulder.

Yan Jue froze, staring hard at Qi Xianqing, who had suddenly appeared right before her. What met her eyes were a pair of clear, deep peach blossom eyes, their pupils black as ink. Sunlight spilled down, and several loose strands of Qi Xianqing’s hair fell between her brows; her skin was fairer than snow.

The faint fragrance of plum blossoms drifted at the tip of Yan Jue’s nose. She had gone completely blank; her movements slowed by half a beat. Before she could react, her arm was seized, Qi Xianqing leaped into the air, and she was thrown with a shoulder throw.

Bang—

Yan Jue was hurled hard through the air and landed in the grass. Fortunately, the lawn was soft, so the fall did not hurt very much.

Yan Jue sat in the grass, a thin sheen of sweat on her forehead and a flush rising in her fair cheeks. “Senior Sister, may I ask what is wrong with my technique?”

Qi Xianqing fell silent. “Nothing.”

There were no faults, really.

Shuaituo was not simple, but Yan Jue had already learned it in both form and spirit within just three days.

And she had even made new innovations on top of Shuaituo.

This was already the second time.

Yan Jue’s expression lit up; she hurriedly stood. “Then, Senior Sister, my martial arts…"

Can you teach me the next one now?

Qi Xianqing had just said that within ten exchanges, she was not allowed to be thrown out of the circle.

The final throw from Qi Xianqing had indeed sent her out of the circle, but by then it was already the eleventh exchange.

Since there had been an agreement beforehand, and since her technique had no flaw, then Qi Xianqing would also have to willingly teach her martial arts.

Qi Xianqing lifted her eyes. “I already taught you just now.”

Yan Jue stared at Qi Xianqing, instantly alert. “Huh? You already taught me just now? What martial art was that?”

She suddenly recalled the instant just now when Qi Xianqing had moved in front of her, making her daze for a moment, and a bad feeling stirred in her heart.

Sure enough, she saw Qi Xianqing curve her lips and stroll back slowly with her hands behind her back. “That move is called ‘Beauty Serves Man’; combined with Flying Swallow Steps, you reach the enemy in a single breath and seduce him with beauty, catching him completely off guard.”

Yan Jue: “…"

Qi Xianqing glanced back at her and gave her a light look. “Younger Sister should be even more effective with this technique than I am.”

Having said that, she turned and left without looking back, as if she intended to depart.

This time Yan Jue would not let her leave. What kind of martial art was that? It was clearly just a beauty trap; even if Qi Xianqing did not teach her, she could do it herself.

Yan Jue tapped the ground with her toes and flashed through the air, appearing in front of Qi Xianqing in the blink of an eye. Her eyes shone bright. “Senior Sister, I can already do that one. Could you teach me a new martial art?”

In the blink of an eye, half a year had passed, and Yan Jue’s appearance had truly changed a great deal.

Perhaps appearance followed the heart; or perhaps she had simply been too young back then. Now Yan Jue’s features had fully matured, and when sunlight fell on the girl’s red lips and white teeth, she was all luminous flesh and dark ink, bright-eyed and lovely.

Qi Xianqing stared at her for a long while, the two of them silently testing each other’s gazes in the air.

Qi Xianqing looked away and said softly, “Greedy.”

Then she tried to leave.

Yan Jue panicked and grabbed her sleeve. “Senior Sister, I really can do that one…"

Qi Xianqing was somewhat surprised, but she ignored her and continued forward with a blank expression. Yan Jue cursed under her breath, “Senior Sister, teach me one more martial art, okay?”

Qi Xianqing did not push her away, nor did she sharply stop her; she simply let her hold onto her sleeve.

Yan Jue stared at her back and for some reason thought of how gentle Qi Xianqing was with the little fox at night.

Maybe… maybe Qi Xianqing’s bottom line with her was lower than she had imagined. Seeing that Qi Xianqing was ignoring her, Yan Jue grew bolder and slowly slid her grip down along Qi Xianqing’s sleeve, catching her cool hand.

Yan Jue stepped forward, her fair little face slightly flushed and tinged with an intoxicating pink. Those narrow amber phoenix eyes were wet with a hint of mist, and her red lips were glossy and translucent. “Senior Sister, I really want to learn martial arts.”

“Senior Sister…"

“Elder Sister.”

Qi Xianqing’s steps halted.

She closed her eyes, then took the girl’s hand in her own.

Yan Jue froze.

Qi Xianqing turned back, slowly raised her right hand, and pinched Yan Jue’s soft chin.

Their gazes met; Yan Jue’s pupils were black and deep.

Feeling the cold at her chin, Yan Jue’s smile instantly stiffened in place, and in that instant all the blood in her body seemed to start flowing backward.

Damn…

She had only been probing Qi Xianqing’s bottom line.

Qi Xianqing was actually… this open-minded?

That kind of posture, that kind of distance; whether in ancient times or in the modern world, it really was not appropriate, was it?

Qi Xianqing leaned in slightly, her gaze falling on Yan Jue’s lips. Those soft lips had been pinched apart a little; they were damp, crystal clear, revealing a little snow-white tooth tip.

The faint scent of plum blossoms drifted at the tip of her nose, cold and lingering.

To put it plainly, Yan Jue now regretted it. Her body wanted to retreat, but Qi Xianqing had her firmly pinched in place. With that look in Qi Xianqing’s eyes, it felt as though the next second she might just kiss her domineeringly.

Qi Xianqing stared at her.

Her heart was pounding wildly in her chest. Yan Jue swallowed and said with difficulty, “Senior Sister, do you think I’ve learned ‘Beauty Serves Man’ well?”

She did not know whether it was her imagination, but in that instant she thought she saw a trace of faint anger flash through Qi Xianqing’s eyes.

Qi Xianqing remained silent for a while, then suddenly let her go. “You’ve mastered it.”

Yan Jue immediately stepped back five paces, retreating to the big tree over there, every part of her body in a guarded posture, while she gave Qi Xianqing a sweet smile as if nothing had happened. “That’s right, Senior Sister. I learned ‘Beauty Serves Man’ within the time it takes to drink a cup of tea. Shouldn’t you teach me the next martial art now?”

Qi Xianqing turned around. “I never said I’d teach you the next one here.”

Yan Jue: “…"

Damn.

Qi Xianqing went forward.

Yan Jue silently followed behind.

“…"

Because of what had nearly become a brush with disaster just now, Yan Jue no longer dared to show even a hint of charm in front of Qi Xianqing.

This woman was simply too terrifying.

Yan Jue followed warily behind her, taking two steps and then stopping for one.

She picked up on the key point in Qi Xianqing’s words.

Qi Xianqing had just said she had not said she would teach her martial arts here.

That meant Qi Xianqing was going to teach her elsewhere.

This woman had always been impossible to read. Yan Jue did not know whether she had understood correctly, and with a frown she slowly followed behind Qi Xianqing, unknowingly arriving at Thunderflame Sect.

Yan Jue watched Qi Xianqing walk into the courtyard where she lived. After hesitating at the entrance for several seconds, she steeled herself and followed in.

She stood uncertainly at the doorway and saw Qi Xianqing seated at the table over there, saying faintly, “Didn’t you say you wanted to learn martial arts? Come here.”

Out of caution, Yan Jue did not move immediately.

What martial art had to be taught in a room?

Qi Xianqing looked at Yan Jue’s guarded expression. “…”

This little monkey had just been acting fearless, yet the moment she responded a little, she turned timid like this.

Although she had indeed been somewhat angered by Yan Jue’s last line just now.

Yan Jue probably had not noticed the fleeting panic that had flashed through her eyes earlier.

After all, she had still gained more from that confrontation.

Qi Xianqing felt a little better. Her fingertips tapped lightly on the table as her voice softened. “Come here. Afraid I’ll eat you?”

In the quiet room, the girl’s voice was especially soft.

…

Yan Jue really had been frightened badly just now.

Only after she confirmed that the woman held no hostility toward her did she come to Qi Xianqing’s side and say solemnly, “Senior Sister, may I ask what you’re going to teach me?”

This posture was entirely different from the one where she had just softly called her Elder Sister.

Qi Xianqing was silent for a moment. “Come here.”

Then she picked up the long sword Zhuying from the table. The pitch-black scabbard gleamed faintly in the sunlight.

Qi Xianqing seemed to silently recite a spell, and the Zhuying in her hand gradually began to shrink.

In Qi Xianqing’s hand, the immortal sword became an azure-green pellet.

Yan Jue was slightly stunned, a faint light entering her eyes.

Qi Xianqing: “The second form of the Spiritual Communication Spell can allow a magical artifact to transform in your hand.”

Qi Xianqing said expressionlessly, “Younger Sister should have a magical artifact, right?”

Yan Jue: “I do have one.”

Yan Jue hesitated a little. The Northern Sea black iron around her neck was the magical artifact she never left without.

Northern Sea black iron was a righteous-path magical artifact; it had a powerful suppressive effect against demonic and evil energy.

As long as it was by her side, her demonic aura would not leak out.

But when Yan Jue had learned the Spiritual Communication Spell, she had only learned the most superficial first form: shrinking and moving.

She could only make the black iron smaller. Aside from making the artifact portable, it had no use at all.

Otherwise she could turn it into fine threads. Although that was also very powerful, it still had limitations.

Yan Jue knew that an advanced Spiritual Communication Spell went far beyond this.

As for the second form, this was not something an outer sect disciple could comprehend just by reading a book.

And now, Qi Xianqing was actually going to teach her the complete Spiritual Communication Spell!!

TL Note:

Beauty Serves Man was the best translation I could come up with for 美色侍人