Yunlian was completely stunned, as if a freezing spell had been cast upon her.
She stood foolishly in place with her mouth hanging open, unable to utter a single word.
To an ordinary person, that strike might have looked like a simple flick of a finger.
However, Yunlian understood the sword.
She could feel the pressure and the sheer terror of that strike more clearly than anyone else.
The sword intent pressed against her mind like a physical weight, making her body tremble involuntarily and making even breathing difficult.
But then, Yunlian began to feel something deeper.
This strike was like the most natural surge of a tide, progressing layer by layer, endless and unceasing.
This was no longer just a sword technique.
It was a Dao.
The Dao of the Sword.
It was the natural laws of the world interpreted through the Dao of the Sword — the Law of the Wave.
After a long while, and only after more than ten breaths had passed since Chen Yuyang retracted his sword intent, Yunlian finally snapped out of it.
She gasped for air, fine beads of cold sweat breaking out on her forehead.
Looking at Chen Yuyang’s calm expression, Yunlian was momentarily at a loss for words.
“Junior Sister, were you able to feel something just now?” Chen Yuyang asked with a gentle smile.
Yunlian pursed her lips.
‘Did I only feel “some” things?’
‘No, I felt too much — far too much for me to digest or understand.’ On the other hand, Yunlian became even more firm in her path.
The sword could actually reach such a height.
Her path was not wrong.
However, she also felt a bit dejected.
Senior Brother clearly had no interest in the Dao of the Sword.
Even if he had inherited the sword intent of some great expert, there was no reason he should be able to perform the Raging Wave Sword Manual so… perfectly.
“Senior Brother, have you been practicing the sword behind my back?”
Yunlian blinked and leaned in close to Chen Yuyang, reaching out to grab his arm.
“That’s not it.”
Chen Yuyang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.
He reached out and gently pushed away Yunlian’s head, which was leaning in suspiciously.
“I don’t believe you!” Yunlian refused to let it go.
“Quickly, take out your great sword and let me see it. I want to see if it has any marks from frequent use!”
Chen Yuyang secretly rolled his eyes and raised a hand to give her forehead a light flick.
“Alright, stop messing around. You should be seriously contemplating that sword intent from earlier. Otherwise, wouldn’t my efforts have been in vain?”
Yunlian clutched her forehead, feeling a slight sting.
She obediently nodded and wiped the playful look from her face.
“Fine… although it’s still a bit blurry, I did indeed gain something.”
After a pause, Yunlian continued, “At that moment, your sword seemed to become a real wave, a part of the heaven and earth. Resisting your sword felt like resisting nature itself. That’s why the strike was so overbearingly powerful.”
Lowering her head, Yunlian looked at the sword in her own hand and added unwillingly, “While my sword is just a stiff imitation of a wave’s shape.”
‘What I lack is not sword intent or techniques, but an understanding and perception of nature itself.’
Hearing Yunlian’s accurate analysis, Chen Yuyang was somewhat surprised.
She had actually realized the core of her problem so quickly.
Was this the power of a true sword-path genius?
Her comprehension of the sword was indeed terrifyingly strong.
“Since you know where the problem lies, you now know the direction you need to work toward,” Chen Yuyang said with a look of relief.
Hearing this, Yunlian’s eyes burned with fighting spirit.
She clenched her fists and nodded vigorously.
“Indeed, Senior Brother.”
“I suppose it’s because I’ve always practiced behind closed doors. I haven’t traveled for experience enough, so my understanding of nature is too shallow. That’s why I hit this bottleneck.”
The young woman looked up, her gaze burning as she stared at Chen Yuyang.
“Since that’s the case, Senior Brother, I think I’ll have to follow you for the entirety of this journey.”
Chen Yuyang: “…”
He wanted to say something, but in the end, he remained silent.
True, one of the purposes of traveling was to perceive the world and draw inspiration from mountains, rivers, wind, rain, and lightning.
Junior Sister had realized her lack of understanding and wanted to make up for it through travel.
There was nothing wrong with that decision.
But… follow him the whole time?
Chen Yuyang’s brow furrowed imperceptibly.
His current trip down the mountain was using “experience” as an excuse, but his real goal was to handle some private matters.
Looking at Yunlian’s determined eyes, he ultimately didn’t refuse her.
He couldn’t exactly say he was going to do some shady things and tell her not to follow him.
“Senior Brother?”
Seeing that Chen Yuyang hadn’t spoken for a while, Yunlian became a bit confused and worried.
“Are you unwilling?”
“Are you worried that I’ll be a burden?”
“No!” Chen Yuyang snapped back to reality and shook his head quickly.
“I am very relieved that you have reached this realization. Having an extra person on the road is fine, it’s fine.”
Despite his words, Chen Yuyang began to calculate how he could quietly handle his business without arousing his Junior Sister’s suspicion.
Seeing him agree, Yunlian immediately beamed.
“That’s wonderful! Thank you, Senior Brother!”
Seeing her joyful appearance, Chen Yuyang sighed inwardly.
Whatever.
He would take it one step at a time.
At least with her around, the trip wouldn’t be too boring.
“Junior Sister, is there anything else?”
Chen Yuyang thought that since she had found her direction, there was no need for her to stay here.
He wanted to finish perfecting the formation he had been working on earlier; that was the real business for him.
“Can’t I just stay and talk to you even if there’s nothing else?”
Yunlian turned around and put her hands behind her back.
She pouted slightly, her eyes filled with a hint of grievance.
Chen Yuyang rubbed his temples helplessly.
“You are a young woman. Staying in a man’s room for so long… it wouldn’t look good if word got out.”
“What’s wrong with it?”
Yunlian waved her hand dismissively and walked toward him with a swagger.
“No one here knows us. Besides…”
A blush crept onto the girl’s face.
“Besides, I already liked you to begin with, Senior Brother.”
Chen Yuyang was stunned.
He recalled that not long after they met, she had told him it was love at first sight.
Because she usually approached him to discuss the sword, he had almost forgotten about that.
Being confronted with it again, he found himself speechless.
“Senior Brother, is there someone you like?”
Yunlian grinned and pushed further with curiosity.
Since it was just the two of them and no one would disturb them, she wanted to take this chance to test the waters.
Chen Yuyang: “…”
“Is the answer ‘none,’ or is it… ‘too many’?”
Yunlian tilted her head.
Her eyes were bright and full of mischief.
Seeing Chen Yuyang’s awkward expression, she didn’t back off; instead, the excited glint in her eyes grew stronger.
She intentionally took a few steps closer, instantly closing the distance between them.
It was so close that Chen Yuyang could smell the faint fragrance of her body.
“I don’t quite believe that the answer is ‘none,'” Yunlian said in a low, teasing voice.
“But if the answer is the latter… well, would you mind adding me to the list?”
…
Chen Yuyang’s lips remained tight for a long moment.
“Junior Sister, stop joking with me.”
“I told you before, I have no interest in such things right now,” Chen Yuyang said seriously.
This wasn’t a lie.
If he had been interested, he could have been surrounded by women in the Hehuan Sect long ago.
Yunlian gave a slightly flirtatious smile and didn’t push too hard.
Today’s words were just about planting a seed.
‘I don’t believe you truly have no such intentions in your heart.’
‘With a year or six months of traveling together, I refuse to believe I can’t win your heart.’