A slender figure with a thin sword strapped across their back strode through the brightly lit hallway of an upscale hotel. They stopped before a set of double doors made of richly colored redwood and knocked lightly.
"Ah, it's you Xiling," An elderly voice drifted out but the doors did not open, "What is the matter? You haven't gone to rest yet?"
Peng Xiling, known as Peng Lingxi many years ago, bowed slightly out of habit and said, "Nothing, master. I was just wondering if you had any words for me after the first day of the convocation. Or, if you had any instructions."
There was an awkward pause before Immortal Desolate Sword Peng Yuefeng spoke from inside, "You did well today. You can return. Go meditate and practice in your room."
Peng Lingxi frowned at the dismissive tone. She could sense the spiritual force of more than one person inside her master's room. If she wasn't wrong, the others were her senior brothers, core disciples who had been with her master far longer than her. She wondered what they were doing and why she wasn't being included.
She eventually bowed again and left, knowing there was no use pushing the matter. Although her talent was the best and she had surpassed many of her senior brothers in strength already, she was still considered a junior in their eyes. She was never included in important sect business. Just like tonight, if all the other core disciples were called to discuss some critical matter, she would simply be told to go away.
Ever since arriving at Everblade City, she sensed that some big project was in the works, that her master was planning something in secret. Her sharp eyes often caught senior brother Peng Shuya and her master discussing things quietly. Sometimes it would involve other disciples but never herself.
She had been Peng Yuefeng's direct disciple for close to ten years but the chasm between them was still as vast as whole continents. He didn't trust her even now. Even though they were master and disciple, she often felt as if they were strangers.
Peng Lingxi returned to her room and sat down on the balcony, staring blankly at the glittering city below and the starry night above. She had always been lonely and this fact had never changed. She was lonely when she was growing up, the only child of a widow, secretly practicing sword arts by herself in the woods. She remained lonely as the only female core disciple of the sect master, the only one who was forced to pretend to be a man. Now, she was still lonely even though she was the most talented disciple the Tower of Swords had produced in many centuries, even though her name was known throughout the subcontinent.
"Is this... the way of the lonely sword? Is this the only way to practice the sword?" She asked the heavens but there was no answer.
She drew the thin, straight blade out of the scabbard and practiced for a while, dancing and twirling under the evening sky. Spiritual energy flowed around her; waves of sword energy that could decimate the toughest foe moved flawlessly at her command. Her strength was sublime. Her understanding of the way of the sword was profound.
But her heart which should have been calm like cold steel was instead turbulent like a firestorm. Heavy clouds of loneliness were being pierced by rays of blue flames. Her mind became muddled and she felt warmth and joy bubbling up from the depths, washing away her melancholy.
The matter of her sect master was forgotten because that person was here in this city, the Immortal Blue Dragon, Chen Wentian. She was finally able to see him again after so long. He was always surrounded by his disciples and she could only gaze from afar. But simply seeing him made the wait worth it.
Her face flushed as she recalled his handsome face, the way he smiled and laughed. She could feel his valiant aura from across the arena. He was the man of her dreams, a dragon walking amongst ordinary men.
Peng Lingxi sheathed her sword. She returned to the room and fell onto the bed. She wasn't an ignorant person. She understood that her master hated Chen Wentian. The relationship between the two immortals didn't start on good terms and had gone sharply downhill ever since. The way things were going, it seemed like the two sects would never have any friendly relations.
Chen Wentian was so close yet so far away. What was the point of cultivating the lonely sword if she could never draw closer to him? Was she destined to be lonely the rest of her life, never to feel his warmth?
What could she do?
She would think of something, she promised herself. Today was only the first day of the competition and there would be two more. She had two more whole days to see him and that was already a blessing. If more people would challenge her, she would also have more opportunities to show off her skills to him, for him to notice her as she dominated the stage.
There was also the journey into the Forest of Swords. She knew that it would be extremely dangerous from the stories her senior brothers told. She wondered if she could meet his disciples inside the forest. Perhaps they could team up and face the dangers together, perhaps they could become friends and she would finally be able to meet him face-to-face through them.
"I will do better tomorrow!" She whispered to herself, "Brother Chen, wait for me! I will show you my strength!"
She giggled to herself and fiercely hugged a large pillow, imagining that it was him. Her mind was filled with thoughts of a handsome immortal clad in blue flames as she drifted off to sleep.
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