Ardourus Practice, Frustrated Old Man

Peach blossom Estate,

Two and half weeks has passed since Megha regressed, strained breath could be heard with steady footsteps could be heard in calculated intervals accompanied by powerful *whirr* hah, hah, hah Megha face taut from all the practice.

Megha restlessly swinging her wooden sword in the training ground for about two hours both of her palms flushed and little callous from this last week of diligent training if she felt pain in one hand she would change hands continue with her training.

It was obvious that she was right handed her form or execution Is far worse with her other hand but she seems determined tosee through her plan till the end.

Her face and dress at this point drenched in sweat thanks to sun ascending heavenly stairs in leisure her stamina seems dried as well but she had this stubborn look in her brow that saying she wouldn't quit put it away for now.

"Amazing, little Miss progressing in astonishing speed, isn't she... Master?" a man's low voice heard from the resting area as he asked his doubts to his master.

She took the stance again and rotated her sword high enough then swing it downwards from her right to left in controled swing without any excessive movements *Whir* the blunt edge cleave through the air the gentle air stirred by her swing whipped few strands of her hair in the face.

The valor and seriousness was strong contrast with her immature but gorgeous face the could have stirred a poet's heart unfortunately the four people present under the rest area but none of them has such a talent not to mention one of them completely oblivious to this.

"Yes! She was an top and pure swordsmanship genius I have ever seen in all my life " a old hoarse voice voice replied his voice thick with emotions.

The man in his thirties seem startled raise his eyebrows glance at his master "That was generous pr-" his words cut off.

"I might be be still underestimating her, with her talent praising her genius in tens of milliniea wasn't that exaggerated to me " saying that he looked at the third person with them a handsome middle aged man with refined scholar look.

The middle aged man had an somewhat unconvinced smile despite not bothering to take a glance at Megha's practice for the last two hours he was busy with ledger in front of him from time to time he would put on few peculiar expression when he heard of them talking about Megha's training.

The old man's face darkened but he then turned to glare at his apprentice gloomily, for some reason his apprentice looked embarrassed and guilty as he hurriedly turned his face away to avoid his master Ire.

Megha's tenacious practice attracted the attention of the three of the four people present in resting place. They were all people of different ages a very familiar blonde girl, a man in his thirty who standing behind his old and annoyed master in his seventy and a handsome refined scholar who was looking about his late thirties or early forties.

At the moment he was the only one not paying attention to the girl's ardourus training for two and half an hour, he was looking though the big ledger on the table with expressionless face while sipping his tea this made one wonder why the hell is this tea still hot?

Megha stopped her practice little adjusted her grip from single handed to both hands then adjust her stance to that of firm mountain the kind give us feeling immovable and slashed down her slashes weren't fast or anything but precise and controled then she lifted his hind leg to front low kick then back swipe kick in chain then she jumped up stabbed at the other side.

Old Man showed an surprised expression his murky eyes narrowed in her next few unusual combo attacks he notice that from her corner of his eyes Vaani also had surprised face so he silently pursed his lips and continue to watch it for next ten minutes.

If he had to say anything about this then, the one thing come to his mind was unseen fighting tactics, he was here and hire to teach this both girls basic swordsmanship but nothing else he never seen her doing anything like this ' It seems like a unconvintial combat tactic a meracenary would use when fighting against large number of adversaries and how is she know about the this?....'

There was nothing fancy about this sword, it was like any basic sword attacks and some easy combo to effectively chain them together what attract him was that her unusual attitude of not sulking or showing attitude like she always do but for the last week she was showing spirit and effort he never thought possible.

For that he had no clue it's could be said same for many of his questions for example : Why her father decided to hire him for teaching basics, it's not like he can't teach her in his free time, he was puzzled why he was even doing this?

The old man was an renowned sword master in his youth, a rogue martial artist who could be higherd with some money, he was somewhat famous for his swordsmanship as he gotten old he and his apprentice seek the shelter under the longevity sect and settle down to live peacefull life.

They ran a small size school of swordsmanship in the longevity city they are hired to teach basic swordsmanship for wealthy family children even some children of deacons and officials of the sect.

The pair of master student was somewhat ecstatic when they got an high salary offer a year ago only when he learned of this situation did he understands to whom they were going to teach they were dumbfounded of what they found out?

Even an outer court Elder's children are carefully tutelage afraid their children stagnant or go waste if they taught by someone else. But here was the thing an excellent swordsman and grandmaster level expert hired them for his own daughters they still felt this somewhat unbelievable decision a sect leader would make.

It's not like he got some high level star grade technique so he can pass it to her, but just the basic which any half ass practitioner know and had some proficiency in it, in fact he was never qualified to take her as a apprentice now knowing she was an peerless genius he felt very frustrated.

His estimation of her over the whole year of training was surmised into an single word lazy bum who have no dream of becoming a martial artist or walk the path of sword they long since give up on her.

He grasp the general situation of what was going on, aside from being lazy and put on a show when her father personally visited them to check her training she would at best half-heartedly swing her sword for half an hour then running out to play.

They were often Witness the scene where she got caught by her father and harshly reprimand by him it was the old sword master who intervene and saved the little girl out of her plight even he also lost faith in her as she was completely uninterested in training but now he was amazed with envy at her talent.

As if her cultivation rising fast wasn't enough to made him doubt his life, he could tell from Little Miss' diligent training of her swords enough to amaze both him and his apprentice it's a pity her father seemed give up on her.

But what made him shocked was the speed her sword skill improving, in his life he never heard such a level of talent never ever even imagined he firmly believe even the so called genius couldn't match up to her 'It can't be! could it be she was trying to deceive me? '

His rationality told him this level of improvement impossible for anyone so he was little suspicious she was training diligently elsewhere for the last year and trying to pull his leg.

But the thing is even that was the case she was still called as genius as it take few years to reach this level in basics for him it take more than two years.

He can't understand why the sect leader was wasting her potential like this he felt like he was trying to pull his beard out in frustration and confusion he wished to take her as his apprentice teach her everything he know but In his heart he admitted he was unworthy to take her as his apprentice with such a level of talent.

And glad he couldn't he was simply hired to teach her the basics it wasn't not his problem anything beyond that his eyes widened as he saw her jumped up and executed a slash to near perfection ' I'm getting old to dragged into this mess, the faster I finish with my work the better it was for both me and her'

Another hour went by at this time Megha went to calmly seated under the tree shade in mediating position with pensive expression he exclaimed in his heart as he felt she seems recalling her training just now.

He then shifted to his attention to Vaani who also had confused gaze as him, she then took out the wooden sword from the rack, he noticed from the corner of his eyes sect leader looked up at her for a second with a smile before he turned his attention back.

Vaani also a skilled in swordsmanship but not that exaggerated as Megha they both started at the same time but unlike Megha she often trained whenever she had time she wasn't talented in pill concoction like Megha so she tried to better In other things.

He would nod in time to time and talk to his apprentice in low voice as they both evaluate her skills this was why he bring him here he was his head apprentice who also look after their school after his retirement as school head he was bring him to experience sect life and geniuses.

After an hour and half panting and looking tired she slouched off towards the tree shade imitate Megha's posture to calm her breath down and relieve her fatigue she did train her best but to that level of Megha she never thought this was necessary training extra doesn't make one stronger.

The old man cast a glance at the refined scholar then to his apprentice besides him, both girls are now talking to one another in low voice so turn around and saluted the sect leader politely and said " Sect master, this old man ask for your permission for a sparing with my apprentice, this old man felt little stiff by standing all day so I like to stretch my body little hehe! "

" OH, Go ahead!" the scholar spoke in dignified voice.

"Students I and My master going to spar You two should carefully watch it, we are only going to use basics this might help you improve your comphreshion" the head apprentice informed to both girls in loud voice.

"Please sir!" Vaani saluted him back politely Megha merely nodded.

The two of them started their spar Vanni looked at them with unblinking eyes Megha lips twitched seeing such a hilarious expression on her face but she did pay attention as well she could tell both parties strength with one look.

The old man strength was higher than the other man, the Old swordsman was level around sixth level martial arts master realm while his head apprentice was at the peak of martial artist realm.

Both of them had decent grasp in basics they are comfortable enough with each other it seems they often sparred with each other, she would nod her head from time to time

Although She looked like silently observe the two but she was also paying attention to her father, who was busy with his work and tea with some subtle emotion, she was thinking of something deeply.