The next day, the students were doing the same thing as yesterday.
The training grounds buzzed with the sounds of practice—blades clashing, wooden staffs striking against targets, and the occasional grunt of effort as they sparred with one another.
Groups of students clustered in different corners, some honing their martial techniques while others meditated to refine their inner energy.
The air was thick with the scent of sweat and determination, the sun beating down on their backs as they repeated the drills taught by their instructors.
To an outsider, it might have seemed monotonous, but for the students, it was a vital part of their daily routine, a path to strength and mastery.
They moved with discipline, their expressions focused, yet behind the routine lay a simmering tension—each one striving not just to grow stronger.
Yan Ming stared blankly at Yuan Jinghua.
Her every action seemed to unfold in slow motion—the subtle tilt of her head, the graceful way her hand brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear, the soft rise and fall of her chest as she breathed.
Each movement, no matter how minute, etched itself into his mind with an almost painful clarity, as though the world had conspired to make this moment unforgettable.
The way her lips parted slightly, as if about to speak, seemed to stretch into eternity, and the delicate flutter of her lashes became a mesmerizing rhythm.
He couldn't look away, couldn't break free from the strange hold she seemed to have over him. It was as though time itself had bent to her presence, forcing him to take in every detail, every nuance, every breath.
His mind, felt adrift, caught in a current he couldn't control. For reasons he couldn't explain, the sight of her stirred something deep within him—a feeling he wasn't sure he wanted to understand.
Without even knowing, he bumped into someone and quickly apologized.
"Are you blind!? Look at where your going!"
"S-sorry."
He bowed over and over as they walked away. Yan Ming turned and saw that Yuan Jinghua was looking at him.
"Er..."
At this moment, Yan Ming was thinking of explaining that he wasn't staring at her or something like that!
She only shook her head and laughed.
"Yan Ming, right?"
"Y-yeah."
She remembered my name!
"You should pay attention, or else you might trip~" She teased him.
"R-right, I need to pay attention."
She giggled and said, "You~ how are you planning on becoming a immortal with that sort of mentality?"
Yuan Jinghua stopped cultivating before sitting down. She patted next to her.
"Hm?" Yan Ming scratched his head in confusion.
"Sit."
"Um...Man and woman should stay apart–"
She ignores it and interrupts, "What man and woman? Just sit. What's wrong? Looking down on me?"
"No, no, no!" He waved his hands quickly and sat down with some distance between them.
"Ha. You're really cowardly. Well, that's not so bad. They say that smart people don't live long, so maybe stupid and cowardly will then~" She nods.
Yuan Jinghua breathes in and out as Yan Ming looked on by her side. She tilted her head upwards.
"We're really cultivators~"
"...right."
"What's wrong? Aren't you happy? You don't seem excited at all!"
"No, no, I still feel like I'm in a dream."
"Well this is reality!" Yuan Jinghua giggled. "You need to work hard, or else they'll kick you out!"
"...."
"W-what's wrong? I was just joking, don't take it too seriously!"
"I don't have much talent and I'm thankful for even being able to enter the world of cultivation."
"So do you just give up?"
"N-no..."
"If you don't try to reach the peak of the mountain, why bother starting?"
He finally put all his courage forward, "My parents helped me to get into this sect. I can't go back without some sort of achievement."
"Your parents..." She muttered with a bit of bitterness which couldn't be heard. "How lucky."
"What did you say?"
"Nothing. You were saying that you cultivate for your parents?"
"Yeah! That's why, I'm going to do my best! Even if I don't reach the peak, I'm going to try my best!"
"Well, said! You and me can go all the way!"
Yan Ming looked at Yuan Jinghua with a quick heartbeat. His face blushing.
"Are you okay!? You're burning up!" She touched his forehead which caused him to instinctively run away.
"Miss Jinghua! I'll definitely try my best!"
With his 2 speedy legs, he quickly dusted off out of embarrassment.
Her smile lingered, radiant yet mysterious, and she turned away with a slight swish of her robes, the delicate fabric catching the light as she moved.
The laughter, though barely a whisper, seemed to hang in the air.