[Bonus chapter] Master and Disciple

At first glance, anyone who looked at Mount Pei Min—the tallest mountain that the eyes could see—would think it was impossible to attempt climbing it alone.

It wasn't particularly steep, but the rocky path simply appeared too tall for any sane person to traverse. However, ever since he became the disciple of the Sword Saint, Liu had been climbing this mountain as part of his training.

At first, Cu Ren always supervised him. He would watch as Liu struggled to reach the peak, only to run out of stamina when he had barely started.

What did anyone expect from a six-year-old at the time?

However, as weeks and months passed, with Liu stubbornly clinging to this challenge every day, he made considerable progress.

At the age of seven, he could reach half of the peak while taking short breaks so he wouldn't pass out.

At the age of eight, he had already acclimated to the harsh topography of the mountain, and his stamina had reached the point that he could pass half of the mountain's peak without resting.

However, the problem really dwelled in the top half.

Not only was it colder the higher one went, but the wind pressure, and the pent-up exhaustion all began to catch up with the hiker. It was a real hassle to deal with—so much so that it took Liu another entire year to overcome the hurdle.

That's right! Finally, when he became nine years old, he could finally reach the peak of Mount Pei Min.

Of course, after doing so at first, he would pass out. His muscles would ache too. He would be so out of breath that he felt like dying. But every day, he continued, refusing to take a break or give in to the exhaustion and pain he suffered.

And now, already ten years of age, he could finally climb the mountain without the fear of any pain or exhaustion accompanying it.

That was his due reward.

*****

"I have arrived, Master."

Making the perfect greeting pose, while also bowing his head, Liu stood before the Sword Saint's Shrine with absolute reverence.

It wasn't particularly a place of worship, but it simply looked that way. Even though the Sword Saint simply lived there, it was referred to by everyone as the 'Shrine' or 'Temple'.

"Come in, Disciple." The moment he heard the sonorous voice of his Master, Liu smiled in delight and walked into the building.

He stifled his excitement and calmed his racing heart—an ability he was able to cultivate after staying with the Sword Saint for four years.

Liu went past the hallway, and also went past the meeting room where she usually met her visitors. He went past many rooms, his eyes solely focused on the door at the end of the hallway. At this time of the day, he already knew where the Sword Saint would be.

Opening the door, he was greeted with the pleasant glow of sunlight, as well as the alluring scent of ripening fruits. The door had led him to the backyard of the Sword Saint—a wide and clear expanse surrounded by bare ground and a few rocks.

And then, standing at the very center of the garden was her… the very woman whom he called master.

Her white hair flowed with the wind, and the dark outfit she wore on this particular day hugged her captivating body very tightly. On her hand was a practice sword, and her expression seemed distracted for a moment.

'I've never seen her with a sword since I arrived here…' Liu thought as he observed the breathtaking view.

It felt like the most magnificent work of art, watching his Master standing on the desolate grounds. Words could not express his delight. For a moment, he wanted to utter her name and call for her, but he restrained himself.

And then—

"A-ah, Liu… I didn't see you for a second there."

Her voice drew him closer, and a smile formed on his face simply by hearing her call his name.

"Well, I was practicing my stealth technique!" He replied with a smile, descending the stairs that led to the backyard's rocky ground.

"Really? Trying to sneak up on your Master, Liu? How impolite." She gave a raised eyebrow and smiled.

Nothing her expression gave connoted her words. She was as pleasant and as easygoing as ever.

"It's not my fault that Master spaces out sometimes. You're often clumsy too. J-just saying…" The moment he said that, Liu wanted to slap his face in the hardest way possible.

What in the world was he saying? He had accidentally said his thoughts aloud.

"Haha! Is that so? Well, it's a good thing I have my reliable disciple to count on, don't you think?" Her smile made him forget the awkwardness, and he could no longer hide his partly reddening cheeks.

"Y-yeah! You can count on me!" He tightened his fist and raised it.

"Good boy." She rubbed his hair, as was her habit, and Liu found himself freezing up as he felt the sensation.

Even though he didn't want to be treated like a child by her, he couldn't resist it when she stroked his hair. He could only endure it while staring at her gentle face.

'One day… one day will I be able to stroke your hair too?'

*****

"Do you know what we're going to be doing today, Liu?" The Sword Saint said, now standing before him as a master would their disciple.

A serious aura permeated the air, as it often did during training.

"If I was to guess, I'd say sword training." He responded quickly.

"Oh? Why do you say so?"

"Because you're wielding one. You've never done so during training."

So far, she had only taught him the basics. He was rooted in the discipline of building his body and mind so he could have the sturdiest of foundations. When he turned nine, she also taught him unarmed Martial Arts—only the basics as well.

Whenever he asked her when she was going to teach him actual Sword Techniques—considering the fact that she was the Sword Saint—she would often give the same answer in response.

"Your Spirit, Soul, and Body aren't ready yet."

However, it seemed that things were going to be different this time. Liu could feel it down to his bones.

'We're finally getting to the good stuff!'

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[A/N]

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