Crack!
"Not fast enough!"
Crack!
"Your stance is unstable!"
Crack!
"Regulate your breathing!"
On the mountainside of a desolate mountain.
A woman holding a wooden stick looked stern, occasionally swinging it to strike a child around ten years old.
The child's body was already drenched in sweat, and his two small legs trembled uncontrollably, but he remained silent, gritting his teeth and diligently performing the movements.
After an hour.
Xu Yi finally relented, allowing Bei Xinghan to stop and rest.
"Sister, I can continue!"
Bei Xinghan tilted his head up, a stubborn look in his eyes.
"Haste makes waste."
Xu Yi rubbed his head, filled with emotion.
No wonder Bei Xinghan could become the foremost disciple of the Nascent Soul stage in the Xuan Qing Sect. His success wasn't just due to his talent, but also his determination and perseverance.
During this period, Xu Yi had been strictly guiding him, and he had endured it all, progressing rapidly. He could now perform a complete set of sword techniques.
Bei Xinghan struggled a bit shyly, a faint blush appearing on his lips.
He was already eight years old, and his sister still liked to pat his head like this. Hmph.
After resting for the time it takes half an incense stick to burn, Bei Xinghan resumed practicing his sword techniques, each move precise. His small body contained immense power.
Time flew by, and two years passed in the blink of an eye.
On this day, the sky was dark, with thunder and lightning, and rain poured down relentlessly.
Xu Yi stood at the cave entrance, watching the rain mercilessly lash the leaves, a sense of worry in her heart.
It had been an hour past the usual training time, and Bei Xinghan had still not appeared.
Looking at the gloomy sky, Xu Yi was certain that something bad had happened.
Another half hour passed, and instead of Bei Xinghan, Xu Yi received an unexpected visitor.
"True Master Qinglian."
Xu Yi's eyelids twitched as she saw a figure appear silently in the cave. She feigned composure and clasped her hands in greeting.
"Who exactly are you? What is your purpose in approaching Bei Xinghan?"
At this moment, True Master Qinglian, perhaps because he hadn't yet begun to worry about Bei Xinghan's matters, looked significantly younger than his real-life counterpart. The usual deep expression was absent, replaced by a hint of arrogance.
As Xu Yi assessed True Master Qinglian, he was likewise observing her.
He had noticed Bei Xinghan's unusual behavior in recent times but had paid it no mind. It was only when the day's events unfolded that he suddenly became alert.
Xu Yi pondered for a moment and did not fabricate an identity. She replied truthfully, "I am Xu Yi, a disciple of the Xuan Ji Sect. All that I have done was at the behest of another."
"A disciple of the Xuan Ji Sect?" True Master Qinglian's gaze held suspicion. "You say at the behest of another; who is it?"
"I'm afraid I cannot reveal that. I mean no harm and merely wish to help Bei Xinghan."
"Help him?"
True Master Qinglian's expression drastically changed, and his pressure surged towards Xu Yi like a tide.
Xu Yi sensed trouble and instinctively mobilized her spiritual energy. However, she found that the imposing pressure, while seemingly terrifying, felt like a gentle breeze passing by her, leaving no ripple.
True Master Qinglian's expression shifted abruptly. He formed hand seals and shouted, "Who exactly are you!"
Before Xu Yi could recover from the surprise, she turned to see True Master Qinglian poised to attack. She quickly defended herself, "I have been guiding Bei Xinghan in sword cultivation for two years. If I harbored ill intentions, he would have lost his life long ago. Why wait until now?"
"Who knows what schemes you harbor."
True Master Qinglian sneered, but his movements paused.
In truth, he was uncertain. Unable to gauge Xu Yi's depth, he had hesitated to act.
Seeing his softened attitude, Xu Yi quickly inquired, "True Master Qinglian, has something happened to Bei Xinghan?"
Xu Yi was not foolish. True Master Qinglian had posed no threat to her for the past two years, yet he had sought her out today, and Bei Xinghan was still missing. Something she was unaware of must have occurred.
"It's all the trouble caused by you teaching him swordplay."
True Master Qinglian flicked his sleeve heavily, letting out a cold snort, his face etched with blame.
Xu Yi's heart skipped a beat. "His comprehension of the sword is extremely high. My teaching him swordplay is clearly a good thing. Why do you blame me?"
Xu Yi had a premonition that this was related to breaking Bei Xinghan's inner demon.
After waiting for two years, she had finally found her opportunity.
True Master Qinglian fixed his gaze on Xu Yi. After pondering something, his expression eased slightly, and he suddenly moved to the depths of the cave and sat down cross-legged.
Seeing this, Xu Yi immediately followed. Noticing that True Master Qinglian did not object, she sat down cross-legged opposite him.
"I don't know how much you know. Bei Xinghan has finally mastered the third level of the sword technique you taught him and even defeated a disciple of the Foundation Establishment stage in a higher-level battle. So, he went to find that person."
"He went to find True Master Cang Hai, didn't he?" Xu Yi pressed.
"You do indeed know," True Master Qinglian glanced at her meaningfully, then sighed softly. "That's right, he went to find Bei Cang Hai, and was then struck down the mountain by Bei Cang Hai's sword. He still hasn't woken up."
Xu Yi frowned.
Bei Cang Hai was a cultivator at the Tribulation Transcension stage. A casual sword strike from him was not something Bei Xinghan could withstand. It was no wonder True Master Qinglian was furious; he likely blamed her for Bei Xinghan's injuries.
"How is Bei Xinghan's condition?"
"Not good," True Master Qinglian shook his head.
When they found Bei Xinghan, he was lying in a pool of blood, his breath faint, with few bones intact.
True Master Qinglian, who had raised Bei Xinghan, was enraged upon seeing this. He even confronted Bei Cang Hai, only to be repelled by a sword strike himself. In his shock and anger, he blamed the source of all trouble on the person teaching Bei Xinghan sword techniques, which led to the current situation.
Xu Yi tapped her knee lightly with her finger. After a moment of thought, she said to True Master Qinglian, "I wish to visit him."
True Master Qinglian paused, then nodded in agreement.
For some reason, upon seeing Xu Yi, he felt no hostility from her, and he had agreed somewhat inexplicably.
Xu Yi followed True Master Qinglian to the Xuan Qing Sect and saw Bei Xinghan, who was once again unconscious.
The pale-faced Bei Xinghan gradually merged with Xu Yi's memory of him.
Xu Yi shook her head slightly, thinking that Bei Xinghan truly had a life full of hardships.
She placed her hand on Bei Xinghan's wrist and sent her divine sense through his body, confirming that Bei Cang Hai had indeed not held back before releasing her hand.
"I wish to request an audience with your sect's True Master Cang Hai," Xu Yi said slowly to True Master Qinglian.
"Alright," True Master Qinglian agreed readily, but then hesitated. "I can only introduce you. Whether he is willing to see you, I cannot promise."
Bei Cang Hai was stubborn. Even highly respected elders within the sect could not sway him. Although True Master Qinglian had a relationship with him, he could not influence Bei Cang Hai's thoughts.
"I understand."
Xu Yi's gaze fell upon Bei Xinghan's pale little face, a different gleam in her eyes.