"Heh heh, I heard that the esteemed disciples of Generals Luofu and Zhuming were originally meant to clash at the Wardance Ceremony."
"Yet, for reasons unknown, they ended up joining forces to train their own pupils... I never imagined this rumor would actually be true."
While Yanqing was instructing March 7th in her training, Yunli was diligently trying to grasp the deeper meaning behind Lumina's words, and Lumina was silently observing the spectacle like a detached spectator, a pink-haired fox approached the group, sighing dramatically.
"The Wardance Ceremony is tomorrow. Shouldn't you two be honing your skills instead of devoting yourselves to teaching?"
Perhaps Lumina had forgotten to disable her Cognitive Shielding, as the pink-haired fox didn't immediately detect her presence.
Addressing Yanqing and Yunli with a fawning smile, his eyes and expression were as cunning as an old fox's, making it impossible to discern his true intentions.
"Hmm?" Hearing these words, everyone snapped out of their reverie, turning to face the approaching pink-haired fox.
"Oh, I remember now! You're... you're that pink-haired fox from Xianzhou Yaoqing!" Yunli stared at Jiaoqiu, the more she looked, the more familiar he seemed, as if she had seen him somewhere before.
After a moment's thought, Yunli recalled:
Isn't he the pink-haired fox who always followed General Feixiao around?
"Pfft... pink-haired fox." March 7th couldn't help but burst into laughter at the absurd nickname, completely forgetting that she herself was also pink-haired.
"What's so funny? You're pink-haired too," Yunli retorted. Her words didn't faze Jiaoqiu, but March 7th's laughter clearly agitated him.
"Uh... yeah, you're right, I guess," March 7th mumbled, scratching her head with an embarrassed smile at Jiaoqiu's slightly exasperated retort.
"Heh, this humble one is Jiaoqiu, a healer under the Yaoqing General's command," Jiaoqiu said, composing himself and smoothing his tone as he introduced himself.
"Ah, I see now. I understand," Yunli said, her arms crossed as she scanned Jiaoqiu from head to toe, her tone casual. "You're Yaoqing's representative for the Wardance Ceremony, aren't you?"
"Your true purpose here is to steal our techniques, making it easier to understand your opponents and defeat them, right?"
"But your scheme is doomed to fail. Even if we let you observe, learn, and even steal our techniques, you'll never be able to defeat us."
Yunli's words dripped with absolute confidence in her own strength.
"Heh, Miss Yunli, you flatter me. I'm utterly clueless about martial arts," Jiaoqiu replied with a shake of his head. "I was merely sent here by the General on official business. I have no intention of disrupting your training, stealing techniques, or observing weaknesses."
"Please forgive my intrusion. I'll take my leave now." Jiaoqiu bowed slightly and turned to depart.
"Wait, you can't leave," Yunli called out, stopping him.
Yunli stopped him, asking, "If you don't understand swordsmanship, what were you laughing about earlier?"
Seeing Yanqing grasp Lumina's sword techniques while she herself remained clueless, Yunli felt a nameless frustration and sense of defeat, a discomfort that gnawed at her.
Jiaoqiu's arrival, however, became her outlet for release.
How could I let my stress relief walk away so easily?
"This humble one is unworthy..."
Jiaoqiu paid little heed to Yunli's slightly aggressive tone. Instead, he launched into an elaborate explanation using a "menu recitation" metaphor.
"Ugh... your 'menu recitation' metaphor is making me hungry..." March 7th muttered, lowering her gaze and clutching her stomach, as if hearing the growls of protest from within.
"Shall we eat? Let's go now, then." Lumina, who had been quietly observing the scene, stopped snacking and chimed in, glancing at Jiaoqiu and momentarily lifting her Cognitive Shielding from his perception.
"Hmm?" Hearing the voice, Jiaoqiu turned his head and his narrowed eyes instantly widened.
"I didn't expect Lady Lumina to be here. My apologies for my oversight," Jiaoqiu said, a flicker of puzzlement crossing his brow. He mentally replayed the earlier scene, but couldn't recall seeing Lumina anywhere. Dismissing the thought, he bowed respectfully.
"Ah, hello," Lumina replied with a slight smile.
After receiving Lumina's acknowledgment, Jiaoqiu returned to his habitual squint, his voice brimming with gratitude as he addressed her: "Miss Lumina, thank you for saving General Feixiao."
Although Jiaoqiu had promised Feixiao to cure her Moon Rage, he hadn't given much thought to Lumina's role in her recovery. As long as Feixiao's Moon Rage was cured, he wouldn't care whether it was achieved through external assistance or other means.
The end result was all that mattered.
"General Feixiao gained a healthy body, and I gained valuable experience in treating Moon Rage symptoms. It's a win-win situation for me," Lumina explained.
"So, there's really no need for you to thank me."
Lumina shook her head, offering Jiaoqiu a gentle smile.
While her words were a slight exaggeration, it was true that she hadn't lost out in the exchange.
After all, during each treatment session, Lumina had seized the opportunity to do things that would benefit Feixiao's health.
Serving a beautiful girl was already a reward in itself for Lumina, so Jiaoqiu had no need to thank her. On the contrary, Lumina was the one who should be grateful.
Ahem, let's not get carried away. Back to reality, Lumina said to the group, "It's noon. Shall we grab some lunch?"
"Hmm, that sounds good," Yanqing agreed, nodding in approval.
"Oh, right!" Yanqing suddenly remembered something, his eyes lighting up with excitement as he turned to March 7th. "Miss March, tomorrow is the Wardance Ceremony!"
"We've been so busy with training lately that I haven't had a chance to give you a proper tour of the Skysplitter."
"Your skills are already more than sufficient. How about we take advantage of this afternoon to give you a thorough tour of the Skysplitter?"
Yanqing proposed an idea.
"The Skysplitter? Oh, yes! I'm so curious about that colossal warship!" Hearing this, March 7th's previously weary face lit up with excitement.
"Sister Lumina, Sister Lumina! Let's go check out the Skysplitter together this afternoon!"
"We can familiarize ourselves with the battlefield, set up an elaborate trap, and launch a... um..." March 7th trailed off, her thoughts drifting back to the realm of fictional dramas.
"Uh..." Yanqing and Yunli exchanged glances, both seeing the other's speechless expression.
Yunli raised a hand to remind March 7th, "March 7th, fictional dramas are just that—fiction. You can't bring them into reality."
"For example, what you just suggested—putting it kindly, it's called 'being prepared.' But to be blunt, it's cheating!"
"If you get caught, your score will be disqualified, and you'll be permanently banned from the competition."
"Ah? So that's cheating!" March 7th's heroic fantasies vanished instantly. She straightened up, her posture suddenly becoming impeccably proper.
"Don't worry, March," Lumina said, patting March 7th's head. "Your current strength is already more than enough preparation. You don't need to rely on any external forces."
"Eh, really? So I'm already this strong?" Hearing Sister Lumina's words—which she believed without a shred of doubt—March 7th rested her chin in her hand, pondered briefly before breaking into a smug grin. She looked every bit the quintessential pink-haired airhead.
Or rather, the ultimate pink-haired airhead—the very lowest rung of intelligence among their kind...
While the description might seem harsh, it perfectly captured March 7th's character in vivid detail.
"Indeed, Miss March. Lady Lumina is absolutely right," Yanqing nodded in agreement, refraining from spouting any "Empty vessels make the most sound" cliches.
"Hehehe, then how far behind Master Yanqing and Master Yunli am I now?" March 7th asked, completely forgetting the crushing defeats Yanqing and Yunli had inflicted on her earlier.
After all, last time was last time, and this time is this time... Although March 7th knew she still couldn't defeat Master Yanqing or Master Yunli, she couldn't help but think:
After these days of rigorous training, shouldn't the time it would take have shrunk from centuries to mere decades?
"Uh..." Hearing this, Yunli and Yanqing exchanged another speechless glance.
They seemed to reach a silent agreement through eye contact. This time, Yunli remained silent, allowing Yanqing to deliver the reply: "Miss March, while you've undergone a complete transformation— a rebirth, a total renewal..."
"...if you want to defeat us, maintaining this current pace would still require centuries, just like before."
"Huh? Still the same as before?" March 7th was utterly dumbfounded.
What was the difference between Yanqing's answer now and his previous one?
It still takes centuries? Doesn't that indirectly mean I haven't made any real progress at all during this time?
"Then why do you keep saying I'm improving so quickly? Are you just trying to flatter me?"
"Miss March, it's like this," Yanqing explained, seeing March 7th's slight dejection. He offered a reassuring explanation: "In swordplay, progress is rapid at first. As a beginner, you benefit greatly from the vast accumulated experience of your predecessors."
"But as Lady Lumina said, eventually you need to forge your own path."
"On that path, the wisdom of those who came before becomes largely irrelevant, naturally slowing your progress."
"I see," March 7th nodded mechanically, though she didn't fully grasp the explanation.
"Don't worry, March," Lumina interjected, sensing her confusion. "You're already better than 90% of the Xianzhou people."
"Hehehe, really?" Just as expected, Lumina's straightforward praise instantly lifted March 7th's spirits. Her previous dejection vanished, replaced by boundless energy, as if it had all been an illusion.
"Of course it's true, March! You could kick a Lord Ravager right now!"
"Uh... Sister Lumina, let's pass on that one." Originally brimming with energy, March 7th's face crumpled at these words, her eyes drooping as her entire demeanor shifted instantly.
Though she didn't understand why Sister Lumina kept mentioning kicking Lord Ravagers, March 7th had a realistic grasp of her own abilities.
Besides, even if she were strong enough to kick a Lord Ravager, she wouldn't dare... After all, the mere existence of the Emanators had already given her enough nightmares...
"Alright then, let's get going. We'll check out the Skysplitter after lunch," Lumina said with a nod, saying nothing more.
"Mm-hmm."
"Wait, hold on." Just as everyone was about to leave, a pink-haired fox spirit who had been seemingly forgotten suddenly spoke up, reminding them of her presence.
"Hmm? You're still here?" Yunli turned, her expression surprised to find Jiaoqiu hadn't left.
"Lady Lumina, Yanqing, Miss Yunli, Miss March 7th, and this... lovely lady with the blue hair." Jiaoqiu gestured to each person present before stating his purpose: "I've been on the Luofu for quite some time, yet I haven't had the opportunity to visit the venue for the upcoming Wardance Ceremony."
"Hearing you mention it earlier has piqued my curiosity."
"I wonder if..."
Though Jiaoqiu didn't explicitly state his request, it was as good as spelled out, practically slapping the result in their faces.
"Hmm... of course," Yanqing replied after a brief pause. "Since that's the case, let's all go together."
"We can grab a meal first, then take a look at the Skysplitter."
This was no great matter, and Yanqing had no reason to refuse. Moreover, Mr. Jiaoqiu was a frequent visitor to Yaoqing General's quarters, making it even less necessary to decline.
"Heh, as a token of my gratitude," Jiaoqiu chuckled, "I'll treat everyone to dinner."
Jiaoqiu squinted, uttering a phrase that could captivate anyone.
"Boss is so generous!!!"
Though March 7th didn't need the meal money, she certainly wouldn't refuse a free meal. She clapped her hands happily, expressing her delight.