High up in the sky.
Zhu Dingxiang was relaxing on the back shell of Chibi while enjoying the autumn breeze's gentle lulls. His long green and lustrous hair break loose from its string of constraints, freely swirling in the wind.
He looked down from above; the view was spectacular and had a soothing effect.
With his excellent eyesight, Zhu Dingxiang spotted the familiar silhouette of Qiao Qiuyue.
'She's practicing!'
"It's been almost a week since I have last seen her; still so diligent."
...
Qiao Qiuyue's courtyard.
Thwish!*
Amidst the silent atmosphere, an iron-tipped arrow leaving the bowstring and soared through the air before penetrating a stone wall 300 meters away.
This arrow wasn't the first, and it surely wouldn't be the last. On the stone wall's surface were many small craters and deep holes, full of cracks. If someone were to looks carefully, in some of these cracks were many broken arrowheads!
Standing far away from the wall, Qiao Qiuyue continues to fire arrows with her longbow relentlessly. The tip of her finger was wrapped with bandages, fresh blood dripping out from time to time dyed it in red.
Seeing how the sharp bowstring delves deeply into her finger every time she draws an arrow, he couldn't help but shiver involuntarily.
'To not break a single sweat, she truly is amazing...' He couldn't imagine himself to be so persistent like that if he was in her shoes.
Floating on top of her courtyard, Zhu Dingxiang watching her practice silently. Although her shooting may seem ordinary, he was sure that there's something profound within them.
Activating his Spirit Eyes, he observes her movement attentively.
'I can see lightning Qi particles surrounded the hands she uses to pull the arrow, albeit very faintly. Maybe because she is still in the Body Refining realm, hence she couldn't use it yet.'
'Each arrow was swift and lethal. Every action was graceful and steady; the tempo she creates is truly impressive and amazing...'
'I don't think my vocabulary is enough to describe it anymore...'
'To sum it up, she is very skilled!' With an all-knowing expression, Zhu Dingxiang nodded his head repeatedly.
Due to over practicing for an extended period of time, her whole body was aching; as of now, she can't feels the pain any longer. Disregarding the tiredness of her spirit, Qiao Qiuyue keeps fire arrows in a steady consistency.
Forgetting herself, temporarily letting go of inner worry and worldly desires...
Silently, a state of selflessness enveloped her body, looking mysterious and otherworldly.
Something that many archers never have the chance to experience in their entire life.
Something that would only happen by chance and cannot be sought.
Her movement was akin to a flash of lightning, dynamic and resolute.
Each arrow was then piercing through space, raining terror onto the stone wall.
Immersed in this state, she didn't even notice that the quiver was empty long ago. Qiao Qiuyue, still moving her hand into a shooting posture, her eyes were sharp.
Memories of the fight with the Berserk Demonic Bear and the Killer Ravens flashing through her mind, 'This feeling... I can feel it, the sensation of holding the arrow, the texture of wood and feathers...'
'Take position, breath, then pull.'
'These repetitive movements that I had practiced over and over for tens of thousands of times...'
Whooo...
Letting out a breath, at that instant, as if holding a real manifested arrow, she let go of the bowstring!
Thwishh!!!*
At this moment, Qiao Qiuyue gained enlightenment, taking the first step into being a master archer.
Faint shockwaves of spiritual Qi started surging and radiated through the surrounding area, leaving the leaves and dusts billowing.
What is a master archer? Similar to the swordmaster who could use sword Qi or sword intent to attack.
Every master archer was a terrifying existence who could fire hundred of arrows per second and still hit their target from miles away. Their iconic trait was [Formless Shooting], fire at any time with only Qi alone.
'Finally...' Along with the surge of spiritual Qi, she makes a small breakthrough to the Mid of Stage 5 Body Refining.
The change was minimal, except that her sense is now enhanced to another level. Faintly, one could feel the temperament of a master archer emanating from her body.
Once she breaks through to the Qi Condensation Realm, only then would the change be noticeable.
After the state of selflessness has ended, Qiao Qiuyue feels a wave of exhaustion attacking her; tired, she stumbled backward and was about to fall. Yet, contrary to the impact she was expecting, a hand suddenly appeared behind her back and gently supported her.
"Who?!" Qiao Qiuyue exclaimed, making an effort to turn around quickly.
Before every practice, she had always made sure that the servant would thoroughly guard this place. Now somebody had sneaked in here at this moment when she was vulnerable; she was greatly alarmed.
"It's me, Zhu Dingxiang."
He places her down carefully with a smile, casting his first spirit skill and starting to heal her injuries.
As the green vines gently envelop her body and release their healing light. Qiao Qiuyue feels a gentle stream of warm energy flowing through her body, the wound accumulated through days of practice starting to recover promptly.
"This... brother Dingxiang, how long have you been here. Your appearance was so sudden that it scared me."
On the lush green grasses, sitting next to Zhu Dingxiang, Qiao Qiuyue, looking at him with her emerald blue eyes, twinkling beautifully.
"I have been watching you for a while now..." He said.
"Remember when you tell me about the Blue Wine Lake? Today was when the moon is at its fullest. I originally wanted to ask you to go out fishing. But upon seeing that you were busy practicing, so I waited for a while."
Zhu Dingxiang smile, feeling a little embarrassed since he has never asked a girl out before.
"By the way, congratulations on attaining enlightenment."
Looking at Zhu Dingxiang's genuine expression, Qiao Qiuyue froze. Although the looks in his eyes were empty, she could feel that he wasn't lying.
"Thank you, brother Dingxiang. The sun is setting soon... let me go and get changed" With a soft smile, she tries to stand up shakily.
"Qiuyue, sit here and rest for a while; there is no rush." Noticing that she tries to get up, he quickly stopped her. The wounds may have healed, but her energy has yet to recover.
"..."
"...okay..." She sighed.
"Don't worry, since there is still some time before the moon is up; we won't be late. Besides, let me show you something."
Waving his hands, Chibi, who floated in the sky, come down and deactivate the concealment formation.
"Th...this is...?" Although feeling shocked at the sudden appearance of Chibi, she tries to calm down and ask in a slightly shaken voice.
Suddenly, Qiao Qiuyue recalled the times when they were traveling to Blue Lake Town together. She remembered very clearly that there was a small turtle with a big head away by Zhu Dingxiang's side.
Although its size has now changed, she could still see its resemblance and this huge turtle.
"Are you Little Chibi?" Qiao Qiuyue covered her mouth with surprise, not sure if her guess is correct or not.
"Puk! Puk! Puk!"