Chapter 43: A Haven for the Heart

The setting sun slanted westward, casting the long shadows of two figures across the dilapidated courtyard.

One figure stood tall and straight, while the other possessed captivating curves.

Holding a green bamboo pole, Ye Jingtang stood in the center of the courtyard and first flicked the makeshift spear to create a blooming flower shape.

*Crack—*

A crisp snapping sound echoed through the air.

Ye Jingtang had practiced saber, spear, and staff arts since childhood. He was extremely proficient in these showy, flashy routines, and because he was male with long limbs, he looked exceptionally dashing.

Shao Xiangjun nodded slightly. "Not bad. But these fancy tricks can only fool wandering martial artists; they are useless in actual combat."

Ye Jingtang did not reply. With absolute concentration, he imitated Shao Xiangjun's movements, slowly rotating the green bamboo pole and stepping forward before executing a cleaving strike, earnestly pondering the profound mysteries hidden within the movements.

Seeing that Ye Jingtang could memorize the actions after just a single demonstration, Shao Xiangjun wore an approving look. Adopting the posture of a master, she walked in a circle around him and began to explain:

"To be able to copy the form on the first try shows a truly remarkable memory. True martial arts consist of form for the techniques, and internal power for the energy..."

Hearing the voice stop, Ye Jingtang inwardly shook his head and continued to focus entirely on studying the underlying principles of breath circulation hidden within the form. Though his speed was slow, the progress made with every single repetition was immediate and visible.

After repeating the drill just three times, a gentle breeze stirred in the open space, swirling the fallen leaves around him.

*Whoosh~~ Whoosh~~*

After five round-trip repetitions, a fierce crosswind began to howl through the bamboo grove.

*Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—*

Fallen leaves danced and scattered like a tornado.

*(⊙_⊙)*

*Good heavens...*

*What on earth is this...*

Shao Xiangjun froze in place, her red lips slightly parted, her almond-shaped eyes wide open. Her voluptuous chest strained tightly against her clothes; one more breath of air, it seemed, would push the fabric past its limit, threatening to pop free a pair of certain magnificent treasures.

Ye Jingtang paid no attention to this scenery, spinning the green bamboo around his body with ever-increasing speed. Sensing the momentum was right, he suddenly whirled around and brought the pole down fiercely with both hands.

*Bang!*

The ground trembled violently, and the leaves dancing in the wind scattered instantly, shooting toward the edges of the ruined courtyard like a torrential rain.

*Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh—*

The two closest bamboo stalks emitted a crisp *crack*, splitting directly open from the sheer shockwave of that single strike!

Standing three zhang away, Shao Xiangjun had felt the soles of her feet go numb just from watching that downward slam. One could easily imagine the immense internal power contained within that blow.

*Rustle, rustle, rustle...*

Leaves filled the sky, falling like goose-feather snow.

Ye Jingtang retrieved the green bamboo pole to inspect it, only to find that his 'spear' had been smashed to pieces, turning into a bamboo broom. He looked slightly ashamed.

"It seems I used too much force. I'll do it over."

Using weapons required technique rather than brute force. Otherwise, no matter how high the quality of a spear, it could not withstand the full-strength smash of one of the Eight Great Masters. Reducing the bamboo pole to pieces was indeed a result of applying force incorrectly.

However, Shao Xiangjun had no intention of blaming or correcting him.

The shock and astonishment in her gaze surpassed even that of Luo Ning and Chou Tianhe, and she blurted out:

"How on earth did you..."

Halfway through her sentence, Shao Xiangjun remembered Ye Jingtang's earlier prophecy, forcefully swallowed the rest of her words, and tried her best to maintain the poise of an expert as she asked:

"Did you master it on the very first try? Or did your second brother teach you this before?"

Ye Jingtang took another bamboo pole from Shao Xiangjun's hand and continued to practice in the courtyard.

"My foundation is solid, so I naturally master things faster than ordinary people. But it's just fast comprehension. The saber technique taught by my adoptive father—I've been pondering it until now, and I've only managed to figure out two and a half moves. I still feel a bit foolish."

Shao Xiangjun blinked her almond-shaped eyes, entirely at a loss for how to comment. After all, she had seen plenty of people whose talent reached the ceiling, but someone whose talent reached the heavenly palace was a first.

*No wonder those gorgeous martial arts women throw themselves at him...*

*If it were me...*

*Puh—*

As the female sect master of the Red Flower Pavilion, the composure she had cultivated through years of forcing herself to remain calm barely helped her suppress the urge to drop her jaw, though she still had no idea what to say.

Holding the green bamboo pole and practicing for a moment, Ye Jingtang noticed that Third Aunt remained silent and offered no critique. He paused in confusion and called out:

"Third Aunt?"

"Hmm?"

"What do you think?"

Fearing she would lose the dignity of a teacher, Shao Xiangjun nodded with unhurried composure.

"Hmm... Your talent is good, but you only know how to execute the routine, and your control over your force is still imperfect. It cannot be used in actual combat yet. Practice diligently; next month when we go to the Gathering Righteous Tower and the Water Cloud Sword Pool, it might just come in handy."

Though her words sounded calm, Shao Xiangjun was surging with excitement inside, wishing she could pick Ye Jingtang up and spin him around a few times.

They were about to head to the Zhou family of the Water Cloud Sword Pool. Her original intention was to lower her stance and negotiate peace, but Ye Jingtang's terrifying talent meant he could now step directly into the fray. When the time came, he could slap the Zhou family hard across the face first, and then let the gathered martial artists witness the true foundation of the Red Flower Pavilion!

Not to mention the martial arts veterans of Zezhou, even the 'Goddess of the Toad Palace', whose husband was the foremost of the Eight Great Masters, would likely drop her jaw in shock...

Unaware of Shao Xiangjun's inner thoughts, Ye Jingtang smiled upon hearing the praise and asked:

"How many forms does the Overlord Spear have?"

"There are seven basic spear moves. Combined, they yield countless variations. How much power you can unleash depends entirely on you."

"Is 'Yellow Dragon Lies Down' one of the seven forms?"

"Yes."

Hearing that there were only seven moves, Ye Jingtang laughed. "I thought it was something immensely profound. Third Aunt should just teach them all to me at once. Who needs a whole month to learn this spear technique? If Third Aunt teaches earnestly, I think even a single hour is more than enough."

*?!*

Shao Xiangjun blinked her almond-shaped eyes, desperately wanting to use a mentor's tone to lecture him with a 'Don't get cocky, don't aim too high', yet she truly could find no reason to do so. She could only caution him:

"I can teach you. But you must remember: 'A month for the staff, a year for the saber, a lifetime for the spear.' No matter how foolish a person is, as long as a master earnestly teaches the methods of breathing and energy circulation, they can learn the forms. But learning the forms is one thing, and knowing how to use them is another. Do you understand what I mean?"

Naturally, Ye Jingtang understood. Actual combat was not like chopping wooden stakes; the strength of a move depended on the timing of the strike, and only when proficiency, movement, and cunning were seamlessly coordinated could one truly be considered capable of wielding a martial art.

"I understand. I will practice diligently and strive to master it as soon as possible."

Shao Xiangjun truly had not expected Ye Jingtang's talent to reach such a degree, leaving her thoughts somewhat tangled. Just as she was about to ready her stance, she reminded him:

"By the way. The Shao family has deep roots in the capital. Once the imperial court discovers our identity, we will certainly have to hand over our family ledgers and fall under imperial control. We might even be heavily taxed and slaughtered like fat sheep. The Overlord Spear is too famous. Until your identity is hidden, unless it is an absolute last resort, you must not rashly use this spear against enemies."

"Third Aunt, rest assured, I know my limits."

"Also, since you haven't formally taken me as your master, according to martial arts rules, I must hold back the final two moves and only teach them to you when our bond deepens later. Don't take it to heart."

"Heh, I understand."

...

Time flew until the moon climbed to the treetops.

Shao Xiangjun smoothed her dress, stepped out of the small bamboo grove, wiped the fragrant sweat from her forehead, and boarded her carriage with a sense of deep satisfaction, leaving behind an exhausted young man.

Ye Jingtang had practiced spear techniques for half a day, consuming a considerable amount of physical energy. He stood at the alley entrance, watching the carriage depart, and after resting for a moment, he carried the little bird back to the courtyard.

*Creak—*

The door opened, revealing a neat and clean small courtyard. Under the silver moonlight, it was tranquil and warm, but utterly empty, highlighting a profound sense of desolation.

The moment he opened the door, a brief daze flickered in Ye Jingtang's eyes, recalling the scene from last month when he had buried his adoptive father and returned home all alone.

Everything in the courtyard where he had grown up was still there, yet it lacked the person who could imbue the word 'home' into this place. It gave him the feeling that, in a single instant, he was left entirely alone in this world.

Standing outside the empty courtyard, however, Ye Jingtang did not feel the hollow emptiness he had felt last month.

After all, his adoptive father had already returned to the dust, but the people belonging to this courtyard would eventually return here.

Carrying his single-edged saber, Ye Jingtang walked into the main room, retrieved the unfinished strong liquor, brought a small wooden stool, and sat beneath the eaves.

The little bird squatted on the step, staring at the empty kitchen with a sulky expression.

*“Chirp, chirp, chirp...”*

"They will come back."

*“Chirp, chirp...”*

"If she hasn't returned to the capital, the next time I cross paths with her outside, I'll take her right then and there. A little thief is a little thief, shameless is shameless; I can always coax her around. Even if I feel guilty, it's still better than pining away in unrequited love..."

*“Chirp?”*

The little bird blankly raised its head, spreading its wings to gesture—*The bird is hungry! Rice! What kind of nonsense are you babbling about?*

Ye Jingtang raised his head to gaze at the bright moon, took a large gulp of wine, and acted as if he hadn't noticed...