Chapter 330 - 211: Stepping Up in Turns

Chapter 330: Chapter 211: Stepping Up in Turns

’A Sword Dao Grandmaster is truly on another level. Especially his explanation on circulating qi to control the sword. Though it’s a technique for wielding a sword in hand, if you upgrade it, isn’t that the very rudiment of the Flying Sword Skill?’

Xie Yuan was lost in thought. It seemed Lu Pei wasn’t lecturing on the Flying Sword Skill, but as a Grandmaster of that path, everything he said actually contained hints of that profound art.

But Swordsmanship isn’t just learned through lectures; after understanding the principles, one must put them into practice. So, many disciples eagerly volunteered, all hoping to receive the Grandmaster’s critique and guidance.

Lu Pei, of course, didn’t have time to watch every single one. He randomly chose a few disciples, had them demonstrate their forms, and pointed out their deficiencies. His few words were always straight to the point, befitting his title as a Grandmaster.

It wasn’t until Instructor Lv announced the end of the session and prepared to escort Lu Pei away that the disciples reluctantly saw the Elder off.

Seeing that Lu Pei hadn’t paid him any more attention after that one initial comment, Xie Yuan breathed a sigh of relief.

’Thank goodness. He’s not here for me.’

The thought had barely crossed his mind when Lu Pei’s voice called out from the front.

"Zhang Mountain, come with me."

A flurry of gazes shot toward him, sharper than any sword. They were far more piercing than the Swordsmanship of Liu Tong or Hou Zhen.

It wasn’t just Xie Yuan. The other disciples had also been secretly watching to see if Lu Pei would pay any attention to him. After all, he had been the center of attention today. He had been noticed and generously praised by Elder Lu, and Instructor Lv had even said he would recommend him to a Grandmaster.

After a quiet morning, everyone had assumed nothing would happen. But now, Lu Pei was calling for him.

’Could it be? Is he really going to become a Grandmaster’s disciple right after entering the Inner Sect?’

’Or even if Grandmaster Lu just took a liking to him and offered a bit of personal guidance, that would be an incredible blessing!’

The disciples’ eyes filled with envy at Xie Yuan’s chance to be alone with the Grandmaster. Xie Yuan’s heart, however, was pounding like a war drum. He desperately wished someone else would take this opportunity off his hands.

Everyone else thought he had earned the Grandmaster’s favor, but he knew the truth was likely another matter entirely.

And so, under the watchful gaze of the other disciples, Xie Yuan followed Lu Pei out of the training grounds, his face a placid mask as he tried not to betray his inner turmoil. He even managed to overhear their faint whispers.

"Look at that guy, trying so hard not to smile. He’s got such a punchable face..."

Xie Yuan followed Lu Pei to a secluded tea room in the Inner Courtyard. An attendant served them some refreshing tea before closing the door and departing, leaving the two of them sitting across from each other.

Today, Lu Pei was not carrying his usual awe-inspiring array of swords on his back. Dressed in a long robe, a three-stranded black beard hanging to his chest, he looked more like a refined scholar than a Sword Dao Grandmaster.

But Xie Yuan didn’t dare let his guard down for a second in front of the scholarly Lu Pei. Though Lu Pei appeared refined and gentle, he was actually one of the two or three strongest Grandmasters in the Sword Sect, second only to Li Xingtuo. He simply didn’t fight often. Rumor had it he was powerful enough to make the Flying Dragon List, perhaps even making him the strongest of all the elders.

The tea room was silent. Xie Yuan held his teacup, feigning a meditative calm, but his mind was racing as he watched Lu Pei quietly sipping tea from the corner of his eye.

’What does he want? Is he going to expel me? Lock me up? Test me? What is it? Why do all these Grandmasters love being silent and making you guess what they’re thinking?’

The wait for the sentence is always more agonizing than the punishment itself.

Lu Pei remained silent. After a moment, Xie Yuan had no choice but to bite the bullet and ask.

"Elder Lu, may I ask why you’ve summoned me?"

Only then did Lu Pei set down his teacup. He mulled it over for a moment before speaking.

"Ah, Zhang Mountain. Now that you have mastered the Cloud Mountain Sword Form on the Sword Peak, it is time for you to cultivate a more profound Swordsmanship. While the core tenets of our Cloud Mountain Sword Sect’s techniques are quite similar, there are different categories with significant nuances. You have excellent aptitude and a solid foundation, so you must carefully consider and choose the right path for yourself, lest you waste your innate talent. Do you have any thoughts on the matter?"

Xie Yuan listened, dumbfounded. Lu Pei’s question was completely different from what he had imagined.

He was at a loss for a moment and could only answer cautiously.

"I haven’t thought about it yet."

"Mm. To be honest, with your aptitude, starting your training again from the Inner Sect’s 2nd Layer of Swordsmanship would be too slow. A talent like yours should be cultivating a powerful and exquisite form of Swordsmanship."

Lu Pei stroked his long beard and said slowly.

"What do you think of my Bamboo Sword Peak’s Flying Sword Skill?"

Huh?

Xie Yuan froze. ’What... what does he mean by that?’

In Xie Yuan’s opinion, if one were to judge the Flying Sword Skill on its own merits, it was, of course, incredibly cool.

Standing high in the air, dispatching a flying sword with a casual flick of the wrist to strike a foe from a hundred feet away, all while enemies are unable to get near—it was the epitome of effortless grace, the true style of a Sword Immortal.

But this question wasn’t as simple as, ’Do you think my Swordsmanship is cool?’

’Is he planning to lock me up on Bamboo Sword Peak...?’

’No, looking at Lu Pei’s expression... though subtle, he’s clearly asking if I want to learn it, isn’t he?’

’Does he want to take me as his disciple?’

A thousand thoughts raced through Xie Yuan’s mind in an instant, leaving him in a state of confusion.

’Wait, when Li Xingtuo told me to be careful not to get ’taken’ by another Grandmaster, is this what he meant?’

’This is completely different from what I imagined!’

Xie Yuan’s mind reeled with shock and uncertainty. ’Could this be the truth behind the so-called ’factional strife’ within the Sword Sect?’

For a moment, he didn’t know how to respond. He gathered his thoughts and answered deliberately.

"I think the Flying Sword Skill is very powerful, sir. And also very difficult."

"It may be exceedingly difficult for other disciples, but that is not necessarily true for you."

Lu Pei said calmly.

"With your aptitude, as long as you wish to learn, I can certainly teach you."

’There it is. That’s really what he means!’

Xie Yuan’s heart trembled. For a Grandmaster like Lu Pei to speak so bluntly—it could only mean he intended to take him on as a disciple!

This... was truly unexpected.