"Well, Wei Shidi, I'm off to rest," Yu Chen said, leaning in closer to Wei Yu. His voice carried a teasing edge. "You won't pull on my sleeves like last time, will you?" Though he wasn't angry about the earlier incident, he certainly wasn't pleased with Wei Yu's behavior.
Wei Yu caught the mockery in Yu Chen's tone, and a pang of jealousy twisted in his chest. Just the thought of Yu Chen smiling at that Hua Rong made his blood boil. He wanted to be the one to bring that smile to his shixiong's face, to be the most important person in his life.
"Yu Shixiong, you aren't going to that woman's residence, are you?" Wei Yu couldn't help but ask, his voice tight with concern. Why had his shixiong fallen for someone like her? Clearly, he deserved better—she must be a sorceress!
"Nah, she's probably asleep. I don't want to disturb her and risk making her angry," Yu Chen replied, stifling a yawn, his mind clearly elsewhere. He didn't notice the fire in Wei Yu's eyes.
"Then, Yu Shixiong, will we continue our rehearsal tomorrow?" Wei Yu pressed, desperation creeping into his voice. He needed to prevent Yu Chen from visiting that woman's residence if he wanted to keep him safe from her sorcery.
"Hm, when's the competition?" Yu Chen asked absently.
"I thought you knew?" Wei Yu shot back, disbelief etched on his face. His shixiong had never been so careless before. This had to be because of that witch!
"Ah—right! I remember! It's in three days!" Suddenly, the gravity of the situation hit Yu Chen. "Three days!? That's not enough time for you to master the techniques!"
"Yu Shixiong! Don't say that! I can at least learn one technique, right?" Panic laced Wei Yu's voice as he looked at Yu Chen, who was now pacing anxiously, brow furrowed.
Yu Chen's expression shifted, seriousness replacing his earlier nonchalance. "We're meeting here again in three hours! We need to learn at least two sword techniques if we want to win!" he exclaimed, urgency fueling his words. He turned to head back to his residence, determination setting in. Time was slipping away, and they couldn't afford to waste a single moment.
Wei Yu watched as Yu Chen walked away, his figure slowly disappearing into the distance. A sense of disappointment washed over him as he looked down at his wooden sword. Why did he feel so powerless? He hated this feeling. He didn't want to disappoint his Yu shixiong.
No, he wouldn't let that happen. He would master at least four sword techniques and win the competition.
Determined, Wei Yu took a deep breath and began practicing the 'Fallen Angel' technique that Yu Chen had just taught him. He set his feet in a wide stance, gripping the wooden sword tightly. As he started to move, he felt every swing and thrust. His motions weren't as smooth and graceful as Yu Chen's, but he reminded himself that this was just the beginning.
At first, his movements were awkward. The sword felt heavy in his hands, and he struggled to find the right angles. But he could almost hear Yu Chen's encouraging words, reminding him to focus on his posture and footwork. With each swing, he imagined how elegant the technique should look, picturing the fluid dance of offense and defense.
Wei Yu practiced tirelessly, pushing through his frustration. Each time he made a mistake, he corrected himself, concentrating on the rhythm of his strikes and his breathing. Slowly, he felt the technique starting to come together. Sweat dripped from his forehead, but he didn't stop. In the blink of an eye, two hours had passed yet Wei Yu was still practicing.
After hours of practice, Wei Yu finally paused, breathing heavily but feeling a sense of accomplishment. The 'Fallen Angel' wasn't perfect yet, but he could feel he was improving. With every practice, he was getting closer to his goal—not just to impress Yu Chen, but to win the competition and be able to protect him.
He promised himself that he would keep practicing every day, turning his dreams of mastery into reality. He wouldn't let his strength fade away, and he wouldn't let his connection with Yu Chen fade either.
*****
Meanwhile, Yu Chen was busy looking for sword techniques that Wei Yu could learn quickly. He was exhausted, his hair messy and dark circles under his eyes showing he hadn't slept at all. He had spent the night teaching Wei Yu the 'Fallen Angel' technique, and now he felt drained.
After searching for hours, he finally found five techniques that were powerful and easy to master. Feeling hopeful, he rushed off to find Wei Yu.
***
"Wei Shidi? I haven't seen him since dawn," Ling Xiao said when Yu Chen asked about him. He remembered talking to Wei Yu before getting into a fight with Chen Yuxuan, and then Wei Yu had disappeared.
"I was teaching him sword techniques, but now I can't find him," Yu Chen sighed, a bit worried.
"Sword techniques? You mean you plan to enter him in the sword-wielding competition? Sorry to say, but that seems impossible," Ling Xiao said. "There are less than three days left, and remember, these competitors have been training for years.
"I know," Yu Chen replied, his determination strong. "But I still want to try teaching him. Who knows? He might surprise us and do well." He understood that it was a long shot for Wei Yu to enter the sect through this competition, but he believed it was worth a try.
"En, might as well just give up. Your exhausting your self and him. It's pointless dude." Ling Xiao recommended.
Yu Chen ignored him and turned to leave. He had searched for Wei Yu everywhere, every possible place. Just where could he be? But, maybe he's at that place. The place Yu Chen was referring to was the place where they had last practiced. Only, Yu Chen did not expect to find Wei Yu there.