"Hyah! Eugh!" Mengyang takes a fatal blow on the dummy he is practising with.
While Mengyang practised his swordsmanship and his magical ability to surpass his 4th level of JianJi, Jun on the other hand just laid back sitting on the bench while enjoying his grapes by watching him. Junling kept playing the zither to entertain himself under the shady cherry blossom tree. After a while, Mengyang got exhausted, while resting he looked at his seniors.
"Why aren't you guys practising? The next quest will start next week, we have to be ready, no?"
Junling and Jun then look at each other and let out soft chuckles to him. Mengyang was confused, and genuinely waited for their answer.
"Relax shǎ guā, the next quest is still below our level, we can still pass the next one, there's no need to worry." Song Jun gives a reassuring comment on his question, he underestimates the challenges they will face next week, that has been changed by the masters.
"But, won't the challenge get harder by level? What if the demons are more fierce? And the masters increased the demons more? And there are more implied meanings? What if-"
"Shh..shh… calm down shǎ guā, we will practise later alright? Don't worry about us, you should worry about yourself, you're still at 4th Jian Ji. You need to level up until 6th like us." Junling cuts him off by calming the worryful boy down.
It is not Mengyang's fault that he is worried about the next quest. Anybody would worry if one had to face a challenge. But apparently, it is not for those two. He frowns while thinking about the quest next week. He is worried if his level will not be enough to pass the quest. Later, Haoran and Longwei came to the practice ground and looked at those three who were having the conversation. Mengyang looked at them with a surprised look.
"Haoran and Longwei seniors! Are you here to practise too?"
Longwei gives a warmful smile and waves at the cheeky boy. "Yes, Mengyang, we are here to practise but…" Longwei looks at Jun and Junling chilling under the tree. He turns to Mengyang again and whispers.
"Are you guys really practising…?"
Mengyang then gives a soft sigh. " It's just me practising here, but they said they'll practise later, so I can focus on myself now."
Haoran looks at the dummies which got torn off by Mengyang's sword. He looks pleased and surprised by the clean cuts he made.
"You did this…?"
Mengyang turns to him, quickly. "Yes, but it wasn't supposed to be that way… I want it to be one cut and it will immediately fall, but I have to make 10 cuts to make them down. Master Yao taught us, small cuts can make a great bleed. So as a result, I tried to minimise my attacks and the enemy still could break down, without using too much energy!"
Haoran chuckles while listening to his explanation and gives a smirk.
"You really want to do that?"
"Yes! If I can master that, I could kill more demons and cover up for my acquaintance."
"Let's go to the river, I can teach you. I may not be able to do it to that extent. But my attacks are swift, so three cuts can make them down. Still it doesn't use much energy."
Mengyang's eyes brightly turn up.
"Really!? Thank you Haoran senior, I really needed the help!"
Junling being a busy body as usual, he asks Haoran like an overprotective brother.
"Wait, wait! Where are you taking our shǎ guā? Do you want to bully him?"
"Why on earth do I want to bully him? I just want to help him with his attacks, unlike you just sitting there playing zither like some old master and not helping their juniors."
Longwei suddenly laughs loudly to change the subject while pushing both Mengyang and Haoran out the scene.
"HaHaha!! Don't we just love how this guy loves to make jokes? I think it's better for his jokes to be heard at the river, we'll be going now! Goodbye~~"
"Eh? Ehhh? Take care of our shā-" Junling got cut off.
"Just let them be, he's in good hands." Jun cuts him off with a slumber comment.
"Say… since when did we started to him shā guǎ? Jun asks while remembering any moment with him and Mengyang.
Right… When was it?
******
At the river, it seems there was a girl who is practising her archery. Her deep red hanfu robe, hair tightened up to space buns with the red sash and her fair skin attracted the attention of the young cultivators who just arrived there. And there she goes, releasing the bow string with the bow; shooting sharp at the stones which were falling down from the waterfall. The bow..? It went through the stones. Those boys witness the incredible shooting by the girl in awe. Huan Mengyang being the boy he is, couldn't close his mouth and his eyes of course were wide open.
"Sheng Yue, your eyes are as great as an eagle's." Longwei complimented the girl with a warm smile.
"Thank you A'Wei. I'll take that as a compliment." Sheng Yue looked proud of herself while resting her hand around her waist. She is called Sheng Yue, one of the female cultivators from Tianmen Mountain. She is a talented weaponsmith, who makes her own weapon. Such as, bow, crossbow, dagger and swords. Well, it is not odd for a person who lives in the background of making weapons to eventually adapt to the profession.
"You made a new bow?" Haoran asked bluntly.
"Yes! I made a new one! Isn't it pretty?" The bubbly looking girl happily answered, while showing her new creation.
Haoran then rolls his eyes. "Whatever."
The answer made Sheng Yue frown and a little bit disappointed, because she felt like the creation was not good enough. Huan Mengyang suddenly interrupted the conversation to give a relieved comment to her.
"It is pretty! I really liked it, and the way you shot the two stones in a row is incredible!"
"Really? Do you think so? That is so glad to hear."
"I don't think so, I feel so! You made a clean shot with just one bow!"
"I don't think that is really impressive but thank you! I like you kid."
Sheng Yue turns to Longwei instantly while smiling brightly.
"Hey, who is this kid? Where'd you find him?"
"He's from here, idiot." Haoran is the one who replied to her, again with a blunt answer.
"From…the river? Sheng Yue asks with a clueless face while pointing at the rushing river water.
Haoran stared at her confused, judging her silently. "It baffles me, how you arrived at that conclusion."
Mengyang chuckles softly while explaining. "I'm from Huashan, senior Sheng Yue."
Sheng Yue was dumbfounded and laughed it out. Haoran just silently shakes his head and rolls his eyes. Longwei asks something to let the topic slide. Curiously, he asks Shen Yue.
"Wait, where's Ye Xian, Xin Yi and… oh! Jin Yeying?"
"Hm? Oh, Xian and Yeying went into the woods trying to track a Qilin they saw around the bridge. As for Yi'er… she is still in her dormitory, she got injured real bad from the last quest."
"I see…"
"Enough, waste time. He grabs Mengyang by the shoulder.
"Mengyang, let's begin."
Mengyang just looked up at him and nodded obediently. They started from swinging swords, to throwing blades. All of them had a day full of training to master their Jian Ji.
******