Lu Qingyun was displaying a swordplay that he had learnt from his old master to Lie Xingyuan in the practice courtyard of his abode.
"This stroke is the Little Leaves Hovering and this stroke is the triple slash."
Lie Xingyuan was startled as she watched the display. Although his swordplay was ordinary, the way he had displayed it was extremely swift and smooth. In fact, it had already reached to the standard of a third realm swordplay by the speed alone.
She was actually thinking, "Senior brother is actually so good with the sword? I am really surprised. He can easily defeat any of the ordinary protégés with his sword. Why is he so highly accomplished? But he is only a lowly cultivator."
Then she corrected herself, "Not anymore. He is now an initial third realm expert. The same as me now."
By right when she had advanced to the third realm, she ought to report it to the elders. It was because third realm experts were all considered to be valuable clan resources and were highly regarded. In fact, third realm experts were all inner protégés and had a chance to be masters and elders of the clan.
However she decided not to report her new cultivation level to the elders. It was because she still want to be his personal attendant…
Lu Qingyun displayed another move and asked Lie Xingyuan, "What do you think of this move? This is the encircle slash. I am a little out of practice but I am quite proud of it. I took months of practice just to get it right."
This encircle slash combined both a slashing arc and a movement step as the practitioner turned his body quickly around. Indeed it was not an easy sword maneuver to execute. The practitioner had to be fast to turn around quickly and to steady the footing at the same time while minimizing the exposure to opening weakness as quickly as possible.
Lie Xingyuan smiled, "It seems that senior brother already knows more about swordplay than me. I am indeed incomparable to you. This sword stroke is properly executed. I can really find no flaws in it-"
"Indeed this is a properly executed swordplay. However there are still improvements to be made. Although it is just a basic stroke but you can combine it with the more advance strokes that are in my Red Heaven Sword Library."
Lu Qingyun and Lie Xingyuan were startled and they quickly turned around to see that the speaker was Celestial Shi Guanyin and with her was Elder Kongshi.
They were both clapping and as soon as Lu Qingyun had turned around, they respectfully bowed with their hands.
Lie Xingyuan immediately greeted, "Grand Elder Celestial Shi, Elder Kongshi."
Shi Guanyin laughed as she said, "Senior Brother Lu, how are you?"
Lie Xingyuan almost could not suppress her will to giggle. It was because it was funny to have Celestial Shi Guanyin who was a grand elder to call Lu Qingyun her senior brother.
Lu Qingyun bowed with his hands, "Senior, I am well. Indeed, I have a lot to learn in regards to swordplay."
Shi Guanyin smiled, "Why don't you come to my Red Heaven Sword Library to pick a few sword manuals for some insights?"
Elder Kongshi was also smiling, "Senior Brother Lu, please feel welcome to come to the Red Heaven Sword Library to pick some sword manuals. I'm the elder that is in charge of the Red Heaven Sword Library."
Shi Guanyin added, "There are altogether four levels to the Red Heaven Sword Library. As your cultivation realm improves, the protégés will be able to proceed to the next level of the library. So a fourth realm expert may enter the fourth level while a first realm expert may enter only the first floor. However, I want to make this an exception for you. You are allowed to gain free access to all the levels of the Red Heaven Sword Library."
Lie Xingyuan was secretly startled. It was because the Red Heaven Sword Hall guarded its third and fourth floor like its heavenly secret, disallowing even the core protégés from the other martial halls to enter. She would actually allow Lu Qingyun to enter even the fourth floor of the Red Heaven Sword Library?
The Red Heaven Sword Library was guarded by Elder Kongshi and although he was just an ordinary elder but he was actually an intermediate fourth realm expert with extremely formidable swordplay under his sleeves.
It was said that Elder Kongshi was already a thousand year old and he was the oldest protégé in the entire Heavens Ridge Ville.
Lu Qingyun was also startled, "Is that really alright?"
Shi Guanyin smiled affectionately, "Of course it is. In fact you don't even need a token. Just come anytime you're free."
Then she smiled, "After all, I like to see you doing well for the internal core protégés martial competition too."
Lu Qingyun had thought that Celestial Shi Guanyin was an unfriendly person but it seemed that he was totally wrong about her. So he replied, "Then I thank you in advance."
He also made a polite hand bow to Elder Kongshi as an appreciation.
Shi Guanyin chuckled softly, "There is no need to thank me. We are all in the same clan. By the way, I've come to see sect leader. Is she around?"
Lu Qingyun answered awkwardly as he shook his head, "I'm afraid that she won't be in until a few days later."
Shi Guanyin was a little surprised, "Oh? I've thought that she is eager to move in so I've thought that she might be around."
Lie Xingyuan was smiling weakly to herself, "She is eager to move in till she has seen me…"
Shi Guanyin looked a little disappointed before she smiled, "In that case, I shall take my leave first. Please help me to send her my regards. Farewell."
Lu Qingyun replied, "I will. Farewell."
Lie Xingyuan smiled to him after Shi Guanyin and Elder Kongshi had left, "Senior brother, this is a golden opportunity for you. Why don't you take a look?"
Lu Qingyun said, "How about tomorrow then? If we go there immediately today, this is a little too shameful to say that we are lusting after the sword manuals of the Red Heaven Sword Library and erm, a little too thick skin."
Lie Xingyuan laughed, "You're right. Alright, then I shall take you there tomorrow. However I can't enter the place so I just wait for you outside."
Lu Qingyun was looking a little displeased, "Since that Elder Kongshi is in charge, tomorrow I shall ask him to make an exception for you."
Lie Xingyuan smiled weakly, "They are already bending the rules for you. I am just an ordinary protégé. There is no need to break any rule just for me. In the end, you will be owing them an extra favor. Regarding favors, it is always not a good idea to owe too many. One day, you have to return it."
Lu Qingyun said nonchalantly, "So be it then. There is no harm asking."
Lie Xingyuan: …
She was sighing softly to herself, "Senior brother, why are you so good to me? Do you know that one day I will leaving here?"
When Shi Guanyin had left the vicinity of Lu Qingyun's abode, she whispered to Elder Kongshi, "I want Tang Bufan to be dead."
Elder Kongshi nodded, "He had already fled but I've already hired the assassins from the Black Hands Guild to hunt after him."
Shi Guanyin nodded, "That's good. I want him to die without a full corpse."
Then she paused to ask quietly, "What do you think of Lu Qingyun's swordplay?"
Elder Kongshi replied, "He can actually turn his body around in a blink of an eye and still maintain his original attack stance. Even I can't do that. But seeing is believing."
Shi Guanyin nodded, "He is like a one in a million. I still can't believe that he is only a first realm lowly cultivator."
"Same here," answered Elder Kongshi.