Sword training

White and Ruan Yanxi didn't stay in the hideout for long. But Nea accompanied Xiao Kanque meeting his friends there. The two of them returned to their dorm room. The mingzhu shining softly on the low table.

White laid down on his bed with a satisfied sigh. "Dealing with kids for too long is exhausting. What are you doing?"

Ruan Yanxi was sitting with crossed legs, meditating. "The sect leader said that I need to work hard to recover my memories."

"You also need to recover your health. Meditation is not sleeping. Even cultivators with golden core can't go without sleep for too long."

"I don't feel sleepy."

White jumped off his bed and pounced on Ruan Yanxi. Ruan Yanxi tried to dodge but his crossed legs hinder his movement. White wrapped his arms and legs around Ruan Yanxi's body and pulled him down. Now, they were both laying on Ruan Yanxi's bed, looking at each other.

"What do you think you're doing?" Ruan Yanxi asked.

"Doing what's best for you." White grinned.

Ruan Yanxi narrowed his eyes. "I do not need such consideration."

White tutted. "No can do. You're under my care and I have to make sure you don't do anything detrimental to your health. Now close your eyes and let's go to sleep. We need to wake up early tomorrow."

Ruan Yanxi tried to release himself from White's grasp. Surprisingly, White's thin limbs were as strong as steel. White tightened his hold in retaliation.

Ruan Yanxi argued, "I won't be able to sleep with you being this close."

"Too late. Deal with it. I won't let you go."

"You are not this unbearable toward Nea. I assumed you have closer bond with her than a stranger like me."

"She's my charge, someone asked me to take care of her. She's also underage and female. If I act like this toward her, I'll be called a pervert."

"So this is not considered an act of perversion towards me?"

White grinned widely. "Why? Are you interested in men, my lost prince?"

"That's not my point. This should be considered as harassment toward any gender."

White fluttered his eyelashes. "Don't worry, I'll only act like this toward you."

"I do not consider that a boon." Ruan Yanxi distanced himself as much as possible from White. "Why me specifically?"

"Let me think… Hmm, maybe you remind me of someone I knew well."

Ruan Yanxi said in a deadpan voice, "You're using me as a replacement."

"I would never! Despite your similarities, the two of you are still different. For one, that person is a woman."

"Is this person the Saint Yulan?"

"On the surface, the two of you act rather similarly. Her cool composure stems from her wisdom and understanding. On the other hand, you act distant and cold in order to protect yourself."

Ruan Yanxi thinned his lips. Out of all people he had met, none evoked caution and wariness like White. Even Han Bingde, a cultivator with much higher cultivation than him didn't faze him much. But White's eyes seemed to be able to peer into him and dragged out his most uncomfortable weaknesses.

"Nonsense," Ruan Yanxi said and turned his body away from White.

"This is fine too! I'll be the big spoon!" White said as he hugged Ruan Yanxi from behind.

Ruan Yanxi tried to kick him but White blocked his attack.

"Good children don't kick," White teased.

Ruan Yanxi forced down his frustration and humiliation. He could only wish sleep would greet him soon so he could escape this suffering.

The morning couldn't come soon enough. Ruan Yanxi woke up first and he immediately escaped from the enemy's clutch. He glared at White who was fast asleep. It was peculiar seeing the impish young man silent and peaceful. White was always fluttering around and chattering. He touched everything with his hands and observed his surrounding with intense focus. It was as if he was trying to imprint the world into his mind. White's sleeping face made him seemed soft and pure. A complete contrast with his odd and vexing attitude.

"Are you enjoy looking at me?" White's voice dragged Ruan Yanxi out from his musing. The sleeping young man had woken up and showed his true form, devilish imp. "You can continue if you want, I don't mind."

"Ridiculous." Ruan Yanxi made his escape before White could trap him into another unwinnable battle.

White cackled at his fleeing companion. He had actually woken up first before Ruan Yanxi. Curious of what the annoyed young man might do, White pretended to sleep. "How cute."

The sun barely peeked from the horizon. The warm orange mixed with the dark blue of the night. The disciples of Qing Xin peak sluggishly left their warm bed and head off toward the training fields where they would do their morning exercise. Xiao Kanque led them toward their assigned training field. There were several training fields located throughout the Qing Xin peak. Xiao Kanque led them toward the highest one. The disciples took their allocated spot and began their exercise.

Xiao Kanque brought them to the elder assigned to this training field, named Liu Xiuying. Her height and ever-frowning expression contrasted her soft voice. "The guest disciples I assume? You're free to learn Qing Yang Sect's swordsmanship though it is not a skill that can be picked up easily."

"I have my own swordsmanship style," Ruan Yanxi said.

"I want to try," Nea said. "We're not taught a specific style in my clan."

"Your clan indeed focuses more on exercising your inner flame," White said.

"What about you?" Nea asked White.

"Don't worry about me," White said, "Yanxi promised me to help me with that."

Ruan Yanxi frowned at White. He wanted to protest but the glint in White's eyes promised him that he wouldn't get far with it. Ruan Yanxi turned his head away in exasperation.

"Come to think of it. Why don't we try sparring?" Nea said.

"Great idea," White said, "I'll cheer for you two."

"You don't want to join?" Nea asked.

"My skill set tends to be rather… aggressive. Can't have anyone get hurt now, can't we?"

Nea blinked. "I see." She was very curious about White's fighting capability. Maybe the rumors were true, the divine weapon could indeed split the continent into two? "Are you that strong?"

White winked. "You will know when the time comes."

Nea was led away by Liu Xiuying while White and Ruan Yanxi went to a smaller training field. There were other small groups of disciples doing their exercise. Ruan Yanxi took one of the available training swords and gave a few swings. His movements were steady and fast.

"You haven't forgotten your skill, that's good." White took another sword and made a clumsy swing.

"Be careful," Ruan Yanxi warned, stopping White from hurting himself. "Do you even know how to use a sword?"

"Not at all, I have never found the need nor the chance to use this thing."

"Then why do you pick the martial path?"

"I always want to know how it feels to be a sword cultivator. You guys are the poster boy of the cultivation world, after all. Swinging swords around while yelling the name of your technique. Flying in the air while standing on your thin sword with no protection. And it's not as if it will affect my cultivation. I'm not human remember?"

Ruan Yanxi asked, "So you see it fit to bother me and hinder my cultivation?"

White smiled. "Think of it as a way to deepen your swordsmanship. One can glean more understanding when imparting knowledge to others."

"Do keep in mind, I'm not sure how much I remember. Although my body remembers how to move, I don't remember the specific movements and sword techniques."

"No worries, I'm not in a hurry. In turn, I'll assist you in other areas. Array and sealing are the ones I'm most familiar with."