Chapter Nineteen: Traditional Martial Arts

No one but a few monks knew of the concubine’s death. As the sun rose, the city of Qingyang was as bustling and prosperous as ever. Life continued unchanged; vendors called out their wares, and everyone went about their business as usual. Perhaps no one even noticed.

As always, Ye Sansi woke at sunrise and pushed open his door. The sky was exceptionally clear today. Dew clung to the flowers and branches, making them especially lovely. In high spirits, Ye Sansi picked up Heavenly Wrath and began to practice in front of the door, wielding the Thirteen Blazing Sword Forms of his own invention. The swordplay was exquisite—each move seamless and swift, creating afterimages in the air. At first glance, the technique appeared gentle and flowing as water, but every stroke was a killing move. Coupled with the fierce blade Heavenly Wrath, it was like a tiger gaining wings.

“Brother Sansi, impressive, truly impressive!” Li Taiyi applauded in amazement. “This swordplay is so light and intricate, like a waterfall cascading from a great height. Though it appears gentle as water, it carries the power to shatter rock. Brother Sansi, where did you learn such a technique? Could you teach me?”

Ye Sansi sheathed his sword and walked over, scratching his head with embarrassment. “Taiyi, if you wish to learn, I’ll teach you. But this is a style I created myself, adapted from your Blazing Feather-Stepping technique. I call it the Thirteen Blazing Swords.”

“Oh, so that’s it. You say you’ve mastered my Blazing Feather-Stepping? Already?”

With that, Sansi demonstrated the footwork. His movements were no less nimble than Taiyi’s own. Taiyi exclaimed, “Wow—this…this is even more refined than what I learned! You’ve turned a two-step move into four steps. There used to be thirty-six moves; now you’ve created seventy-two. The flaws of the original have completely vanished under your innovation. Yet I never even showed you all thirty-six steps—how did you figure it out?”

“Haha, you see, the technique is a series of linked steps, each leading naturally into the next. At night, I’d lie in bed thinking it through, deducing all thirty-six moves. With some flexibility, one step became two, making the sequence denser and harder to counter.”

Hearing this, Li Taiyi regarded Ye Sansi with new respect. He had always thought Sansi was indifferent to worldly matters, acting recklessly and needing protection whenever danger arose. But now he saw that Sansi’s insight far surpassed his own.

He remembered how, when he’d trained in the Blazing Feather-Stepping, he’d been scolded often by his father and had to endure bitter practice for two years before grasping its secrets. Yet Sansi had, in just a few days, comprehended and improved upon the technique, merging it with his swordplay—each move swift and ingenious. Taiyi truly admired Ye Sansi.

With a laugh, Li Taiyi said, “Brother Sansi, I never realized your martial prowess was so profound! In time, you’ll surely become a Sword Immortal. From now on, I’ll teach you all my family’s ancestral techniques. With your talent, it won’t take you a year to master them all. I’ll be relying on you to look after me, haha!”

Ye Sansi scratched his head bashfully. “Oh, you flatter me, Taiyi. My swordplay and arts can’t compare to yours. Even in ten years, I wouldn’t catch up to you.”

“My, my, the wild man has learned humility. Not bad at all,” Liu Lingshuang called out as she skipped over. “Taiyi, you see it too, right? Sansi really does learn things fast—I’m starting to get jealous.”

Flustered by their combined praise, Ye Sansi could only grin foolishly. Liu Lingshuang said, “Sansi, you can’t keep these skills to yourself. Whatever martial arts or spells you master, you must teach them all to me, no holding back, haha!”

“Of course, of course,” Sansi replied with a laugh.

The steward approached and said, “Young master, the meal is ready.” Ye Sansi nodded, turning to Lingshuang and Taiyi. “Let’s eat first—I’m starving.”

“Ha, wild man may have learned swordplay and footwork, but he’s still a glutton at heart,” Taiyi teased.

Laughing and chatting, the three made their way to the dining hall, where they found Lin Nian’er already seated. Ye Sansi asked, “Nian’er, where are Sister Xiangru and Uncle Lin?”

Lin Nian’er gestured for them to sit, then replied, “Isn’t tomorrow the Wine Festival? Father went to the magistrate’s office himself to oversee the arrangements. As Master Li said, there’s to be a grand stage set up. With the bandit troubles in Qingyang City, nothing can be left to chance, so Father is seeing to everything personally.”

Liu Lingshuang gave a thumbs-up. “The magistrate truly is a good official, so attentive to the people. But what about Sister Xiangru? Why isn’t she here?”

“I went to find Miss Zhao early this morning, but she was gone. I asked the steward, and as soon as the city gates opened, she left, leaving behind a letter and a bracelet. Here’s the letter.” As she spoke, Nian’er produced the letter and set it on the table. Lingshuang took it, opened it, and read aloud:

“Chivalrous Ye Sansi, gallant Li Taiyi, Miss Lingshuang, Miss Nian’er—thank you all. I must leave now. I will never set foot in Qingyang City again. The time spent talking with you has been the happiest in years. I have no way to repay your great kindness. This bracelet, the most precious thing Yang Lang ever gave me, I have always kept close, unable to bear wearing it. Now I give it to you—please accept it. May we meet again someday upon the martial path. Xiangru.”

Lin Nian’er sighed, “Poor Miss Zhao. The loneliness of the rest of her life will be so hard to endure.”

“This was Sister Xiangru’s choice, whatever the reason. We must respect it,” said Liu Lingshuang. “Don’t you agree, Sansi?”

Ye Sansi was still stuffing his mouth with food. The cuisine of Qingyang was already a cut above, and the Lin household’s meals were surely peerless. Though he’d eaten here many times, he never tired of it.

With his mouth full, Sansi mumbled, “Yes—yes—yes—”

Liu Lingshuang slapped her forehead helplessly. “Next time, I’ll never talk to you during a meal. When you’re eating, you don’t hear a thing.”

Everyone burst out laughing, while Ye Sansi paid them no mind and kept eating.

When the meal was done, they all rose and the dishes were cleared away. Patting his stomach, Sansi asked, “So, where shall we go today for fun?”

Liu Lingshuang flicked Sansi on the head. “Fun, fun, fun—that’s all you ever want. Today your task is to teach me the Thirteen Blazing Swords. Taiyi, you’ll teach me the Blazing Feather-Stepping, and show me how to turn one step into two. As for me, in return, I’ll teach you both the Heaven and Earth Lock, a secret art of the Floating Immortal Isle. How about it?”

Lin Nian’er covered her mouth, laughing. “And what about me? I suppose I can’t just sit idle.”

Lingshuang threw an arm around her and whispered, “You just need to be beautiful, that’s all, haha.”

Nian’er blushed and lowered her head, embarrassed. “You’re the cheekiest one here. I’ll play the qin for you as accompaniment, how’s that?”

“Perfect.”

The four sought out a quiet open space. Lin Nian’er set up a guqin and began to play. Her skill matched that of Xiangru; the music was tranquil and free, like spring water, morning dew, or a flowing stream. It was so beautiful it soothed and calmed the soul. As the melody played, flowers and leaves seemed to sway, a gentle breeze passing across their faces.

Ye Sansi said, “Let Taiyi teach you the Blazing Feather-Stepping first. That way, I can show you how to turn it into sword moves.”

“Alright.” As she spoke, Taiyi lightly leapt forward. Lingshuang and Sansi stepped aside. Taiyi landed without a sound, then shifted his steps; in the blink of an eye, he was ten paces away. A leaf, blown loose by the wind, circled him as he moved—one step, then two, all the way through thirty-six steps, and the leaf never fell.

When the thirty-six steps were complete, Taiyi withdrew his energy and returned to stand beside Lingshuang and Sansi. “This is the thirty-six-move Blazing Feather-Stepping. Using this technique is like having fire at your heels: when you move, you’re light as a feather; in battle, your direction is impossible to predict, and in peace, you can travel swiftly.”

Sansi was still savoring every detail, while Lingshuang, having failed to understand, stood dazed. Taiyi continued, “That was just a demonstration. To truly master it will take time and practice. Lingshuang, Sansi’s talent is unique—he learns in days what took me months. When I trained, my father had me catch feathers for three months to learn their movement, then blend that with the footwork.”

Liu Lingshuang smiled ruefully. “Such a refined technique can’t be learned in a day. Even you took ages. I doubt I could ever master it. I really don’t know how Sansi did it. In that case, I won’t even try to learn the Thirteen Blazing Swords. Sansi, you teach Taiyi—I’ll keep Nian’er company.” With that, she left to sit by Nian’er.

Taiyi turned to Sansi. “Brother Sansi, please instruct me in the Thirteen Blazing Swords.”

Ye Sansi stepped aside, formed his fingers before his chest, and with a lift, Heavenly Wrath leapt into the air, hovered, and returned to his hand. He swung the sword in a horizontal arc, and the surrounding grass and trees trembled. Gathering power in his chest, he thrust the sword; with a jolt, a surge of sword energy burst forth like a torrent or a blaze. The force was such that Taiyi was nearly blown off his feet, stumbling back several steps. As the sword danced, waves of energy swept outward, leaving cracks in the ground wherever it passed.

After all thirteen moves, Taiyi stood in stunned amazement. Sansi walked over and asked, “Taiyi, did you grasp it?”

Taiyi came back to his senses and bowed. “Though the swordplay is based on the Blazing Feather-Stepping, and I can see the footwork’s outline, actually practicing it is another matter. The transitions between sword moves are drastic. To recover after a strike, you must exert your full strength; if your power falls short, you’ll expose a fatal flaw—it’s extremely dangerous. You’re strong, Sansi, so this style suits you. For those of us with less strength, using it would not only make us vulnerable but could even injure us. It’s a shame—such a brilliant technique, but it’s not for me.”

Sansi scratched his head. “That’s a pity. Back on Cloud Peak, I often ate roast meat and sometimes even immortal fruits—maybe that’s why I’m so strong. If you eat like me, you’ll be able to practice this swordplay.”

Taiyi waved his hands. “Brother Sansi, that I cannot do. If an ordinary person ate as much as you, they’d burst! This sword style is a masterpiece, but perhaps only you can use it. If evildoers learned it, it wouldn’t give them power but might cripple them instead. Better you teach me the seventy-two steps—that I can learn.”

“Very well.” Sansi, like Taiyi before him, leapt out ten paces. Planting his left foot, he bent his knee, then tapped the ground with his right, drawing a circle as he channeled his energy. The wind rose with his movement. The seventy-two steps were denser and swifter than the thirty-six, the intervals between each nearly nonexistent. Even Taiyi couldn’t see every detail, only a blur of motion. As Sansi’s excitement grew, his pace quickened until his figure could no longer be seen—only afterimages remained.

Taiyi marveled inwardly: This seventy-two-step method—could even my father comprehend it? Our ancestors poured their lives into the Blazing Feather-Stepping, yet never created something so perfect to patch its flaws. Brother Sansi truly is extraordinary—his wisdom surpasses all. This is a wondrous technique, but it’s still learnable. If I can master it, I’ll improve immensely.

“Well done, Brother Sansi! This seventy-two-step style is truly profound, taking the Blazing Feather-Stepping to its peak of lightness and speed. But you moved so quickly, I couldn’t catch every detail. Could you demonstrate again?”

Ye Sansi obliged, performing the seventy-two-step method once more—this time slower, though it still appeared blindingly fast to ordinary eyes. Taiyi watched intently, analyzing each movement and transition.

Liu Lingshuang nudged Lin Nian’er, “Look at those two—one teaching, one learning—so earnest.”

Lin Nian’er smiled, “Miss Liu, why don’t you join them? I know little of martial arts, but watching Master Ye, I think he’s truly formidable. If you learned it, it would be useful indeed.”

Liu Lingshuang waved a hand. “With my aptitude, it would be a waste of time. It’s better not to squander my youth in vain.”

Lin Nian’er covered her mouth as she laughed. “You certainly know how to put things nicely. If you ask me, you’re just lazy and playful, and you make it sound so good.”

Liu Lingshuang tickled her in response. “Say that again, I dare you!”

Lin Nian’er, terribly ticklish, burst into laughter and begged for mercy, “I give in, I give in, spare me, spare me, ahahaha!”

Within the Lin household in Qingyang City, one played the qin, one taught martial arts, one learned, and one looked on—what happiness and tranquility this was. But how many such days would there be in the future? Did Ye Sansi know? He did not. Did Liu Lingshuang know? She did not either…