In the small courtyard, Liu Shuang and Yang Zhiping were sparring, practicing the moves of the Qianmu Sword Technique.
Liu Shuang had blossomed into a graceful young woman. She would turn twenty-one after the New Year; for an ordinary family, a girl of this age was already considered well past the marriageable age. She wore a cyan jade crown, a gift from her parents for her coming-of-age ceremony. In her blue Daoist robe meant for training, the way she wielded her sword made her look more like a Female Knight.
Yang Zhiping stood six chi tall, considered quite towering for someone from the south. His physique was strong and powerful. He wore a simple wooden crown and the same kind of Daoist robe as Liu Shuang. When sparring with her, he was mostly on the defensive.
