While the streets of Water Cloud City were brimming with activity, few people would actually notice the shadows of two figures flickering above them.
Xue Chang had a cheeky smile plastered across his face as he watched his sister propel from rooftop to rooftop.
Although he panicked at first, he wasn't too worried about catching her. He needed a break anyway.
The surroundings suddenly blurred as Xue Chang obtained a sudden burst of speed.
Xue Ai, sensing something wrong, glanced behind her to find something suddenly blur past her.
Coming a stop, Xue Ai froze there for a second seeing Xue Chang standing in front of her with his hands behind his back.
She stood there frozen in shock at what just happened.
"How did you do that!" Her eyes sparkled even brighter as she quickly ran up to her big brother and jumped at him.
Xue Chang grinned at her actions as he caught her within his arms.
"It's not like I did anything insane, I just used the same movement art you were displaying."
"You're lying! You're not even sweating, which means you didn't put much effort into it, yet you were so much faster than me!"
What Xue Chang said was completely unbelievable to Xue Ai. Her pride wouldn't allow it.
Rolling his eyes, Xue Chang brought his hands to his hips and said, "Whats makes you think I'm lying huh? Just because you understand how to use the martial art, doesn't mean you've mastered it. The way you were doing things is wasteful!"
Reprimanding her lightly, Xue Chang pulled on the sleeve of her robe as he told her to follow him.
The two started traveling across the rooftops again as Xue Chang lectured Xue Ai.
"This art's specialty isn't speed. Rather than launching you forward wildly, it is supposed to help you move like a fish in water."
Saying this, Xue Chang's speed increased as his body slipped through the air.
"You're not forcibly pushing yourself forward, but sliding between the gaps within the air. Achieving great speeds through avoiding all resistance."
"Even I knew that da ge, that doesn't explain how you're so much quicker than me." Xue Ai of course understood all of this already.
She had been studying this movement technique for nearly a week. And gained plenty of insights on it thanks to her talent. Even so, compared to Xue Chang, her movements were still sluggish and forceful.
"That's because you don't understand it fully. You can see the gaps within the air but you're too focused on getting through them. You're like a thief breaking down someone's door, although you are able to get in quickly, you expended a lot of energy in the process. You need to not just charge toward the gaps, but casually slide into them. One gap connects to the other, you're not jumping from one gap to another but continuously traveling through a singular path."
As if to prove his point, Xue Chang's feet came off the ground for a good second or two but he still traveled forward at speeds much greater than Xue Ai.
"Focus carefully, become not a thief that breaks down a door but one that will pick its lock. While this might take longer at first, as you grow more accustomed to it then the time you need to pick a lock will match up with the time needed to break down a door. Clearly though one method uses less energy than the other no? Now breathe, close your eyes for a second and start from scratch."
Feeling enlightened by his words, Xue Ai's eyes gently came to a close.
As darkness invaded her mind, she could feel the air around her change slightly.
As her kids slowly rose up, the world around her changed ever so slightly.
Searching around, she finally could tell the proper path to take. It was like it had suddenly lit itself up for her to see.
Rearranging her position a bit, she suddenly felt as if all her weight had suddenly disappeared.
When first she started, she felt as if she was floating in water. But floating didn't mean she was weightless.
But now it was different. She felt completely free of restraints, as if nothing was keeping her on the ground.
It was as if she was flying in the air, with wings that never tired.
And just like that, her vision also blurred as she suddenly shot forward. Landing gracefully beside Xue Chang who had stopped his movements.
"Good, you learn quick."
Xue Ai looked up at Xue Chang and asked, "What's the difference between you and me? Why couldn't I catch up to you even when I used more strength."
Although she wasn't a cultivator or anything, she could still roughly tell how much effort Xue Chang placed into chasing her.
If she was right, he expended half the amount of energy she used, yet far surpassed her in speed.
Placing a hand into her head, he turned to face his little sister. Although he was technically her elder by more than a decade, due to his condition they were nearly the same height.
This meant that he had to raise his arm up quite high to pat her head, making a funny scene if anyone were to watch.
"Like I said, you're focused on the wrong thing. Mastering the martial art doesn't mean you'll know how to use it perfectly. You need to practice more, even when you already figured out the trick. Don't think of just acquiring the technique, but work to surpass it. Xue Ai, you're young and have plenty of time to develop. At this point in your life you don't need to worry about the martial aspect as this will come as you grow older. Instead focus on the art and work until it becomes perfectly that, an art. That is what makes martial arts different from every other type of fighting method, it isn't just a form of violence but an art form as well. Even I'm doing the same thing, I'm not just satisfied with the current art but I'm finding ways to improve it even now."
The two of them returned to the villa as he told her this. At their current speed it didn't even take then ten minutes before the walls of their house could be seen again.
"Go in now Xue Ai, Sun Jianhong has arrived and is talking to Tian Kai. Go say hi to him."
"Will you be leaving again da ge?"
A smile formed across his lips, yet somehow it held a somber tone behind it.
"I have to, I've been out too much now. Can't let people see me in my current condition. Remember what you promised me?"
"Always keep your existence and our relationship a secret, I remember."
As she said this, she quickly ran up and tightly brought Xue Chang into an embrace. It was so rare for her to see her brother, and he had to disappear again.
"When will I see you again?"
"Soon, it's not like I'll be far. Take care of yourself alright? And make sure to say hi to baba and mama for me."
Finishing his requests, Xue Chang walked off and disappeared into the distance.
Xue Ai gloomily watched his departing back as she brought out the manual he wrote for her from inside her robes.
Holding it tightly within her embrace, she entered through the doorway of the villa without another word.