"Sister! How about a little competition?" Dongfang Qinlan rubbed her hands together eagerly.
Dongfang Huaizhu's heart skipped a beat. "Oh no," she thought to herself. "Little sister, I'm really tired today. I'll definitely have a spar with you another day."
Dongfang Huaizhu tried to make an excuse. "Aren't we going to look for your newly - made friend?"
"Humph, fine. Let's keep looking. Why can't we find her? We just parted ways not long ago..." Dongfang Qinlan felt dejected, with a look of disappointment on her face.
Dongfang Huaizhu finally breathed a sigh of relief. If Dongfang Qinlan knew that she only had the power but couldn't use spells freely, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Dongfang Qinlan didn't pursue the matter anymore. The two of them started walking and continued strolling around.
Dongfang Huaizhu was in a turmoil of thoughts and kept walking. When she came to her senses, Dongfang Qinlan was nowhere to be seen. Before she could think much, she found herself in a bamboo forest.
A young girl was practicing martial arts in the bamboo forest. Almost instantly when Dongfang Huaizhu intruded, she noticed someone had entered her territory. Holding a sword, she flew towards Dongfang Huaizhu with light - footed skills, in an attacking stance.
The young girl's small face was full of killing intent. Her fiery red skirt fluttered in the wind. Although she had round almond - shaped eyes, they were now filled with hostility towards the intruder.
"Don't! I didn't mean to intrude," Dongfang Huaizhu explained while dodging the girl's attacks, feeling at a loss.
Hearing her voice, the girl paused for a moment. She carefully sized Dongfang Huaizhu up, then stopped her actions, put away her sword, and apologized, "Sorry, sister."
Dongfang Huaizhu was confused. She didn't know why the girl suddenly apologized to her, but her tense nerves relaxed. She was glad to have escaped. Then she heard the girl continue, "I didn't mean to attack you. I'm sorry for the offense."
"It's okay, it's okay," Dongfang Huaizhu waved her hand. She was very suspicious of the girl's sudden change in attitude but didn't say anything. She took a good look at the girl's face. The girl had a smooth and slender face. Her high - ponytail showed her straightforward and resolute nature, looking valiant and heroic. She had a high nose bridge and fair skin. Although she was not fully grown, she was clearly a beauty in the making.
Dongfang Huaizhu didn't know why she felt an unusual sense of familiarity when seeing the girl's face, but she couldn't put her finger on it. "I was just taking a walk in the mansion, but somehow I ended up here. When I looked up, you were already flying towards me," Dongfang Huaizhu said, still looking a bit shaken.
"Haha, in that case, it was my rudeness. Blame me, blame me," the girl was extremely cheerful, with her eyes curving into crescent moons when she laughed.
Dongfang Qinlan felt that the girl's hearty laughter seemed somewhat familiar, but there was no such person in her memory. She tentatively asked, "But... have we met before?"
The girl's expression froze for a moment. She glanced around and evasively replied, "The people in the jianghu are so diverse. It's not strange to have some people who look alike. Maybe sister has met someone who looks like me before." The girl's voice was clear and her logic was sound.
"Yeah, probably," Dongfang Qinlan stared at her face for a long time. She nodded only when the girl started to look uncomfortable under her gaze, frowning as if in deep thought.
Seeing this, the girl quickly interrupted her train of thought. "But sister, I felt an unusual sense of closeness the first time I saw you."
Dongfang Huaizhu looked around. There were the common purple bamboos, Buddha - belly bamboos, and phoenix - tail bamboos, as well as the rare tortoise - shell bamboos, green - skin bamboos, and tea - stem bamboos. Some were as short as grass, while others were as tall as trees. It was a lush and vibrant green.
Dongfang Huaizhu took a few steps forward lovingly and touched the tall bamboo trunk. "I don't know much about these. I just think they look nice."
The girl was puzzled by her actions.
Before Dongfang Huaizhu could come back to her senses, the girl started to dance with her sword on her own.
Dongfang Huaizhu shifted her gaze. Then she thought that this girl had excellent skills and seemed to be a kind - hearted person. Thinking about her own situation of having power but not knowing how to use it freely, she decided that this was a good opportunity to ask for her advice.
Dongfang Huaizhu made up her mind. Then, looking at the girl in front of her, she bowed and said, "Miss, I have something to trouble you with. I wonder if you have the time?"
The girl just smiled at Dongfang Huaizhu after hearing this and then replied, "Sure. I just don't know if I can be of help to sister."
Seeing that the girl didn't show any sign of refusal, Dongfang Huaizhu was overjoyed. She quickly said with a smile, "It's just a small favor. I need you to give me some pointers on martial arts."
After hearing this, the girl held her long sword in her arms, stepped on the sword, and hung in the air. Then she nodded. "Indeed, when we fought just now, I found that your power is not bad. It's even almost on par with mine. However, you only have the power but don't know the moves. It's really a waste. How about we start now?"
Dongfang Huaizhu quickly shook her head. "No. To be honest, I have a rather embarrassing secret. I don't want others to know that my martial arts are so poor." After saying that, she scratched her head shyly.
The girl nodded and then said with a smile, "In that case, how about we meet at this martial - arts training ground at midnight tonight? I'll teach you martial arts."
Grasping the long sword in her hand, Dongfang Huaizhu bowed with a smile to the girl.
Suddenly, Dongfang Huaizhu seemed to remember something. Looking at the girl, she said, "By the way, I don't know your name yet?"
The girl leaped down from the sword, put away her flying sword, and then slowly raised her head. Looking at Dongfang Huaizhu, she slowly said, "Xiaoyou. You can just call me Xiaoyou. Everyone here calls me that."
Dongfang Huaizhu nodded. At this time, Dongfang Qinlan was nowhere to be seen. Helpless, Dongfang Huaizhu bid farewell to the girl and wandered alone in the Wangquan family's mansion.
When Dongfang Qinlan came back, she couldn't find her sister anywhere.
In Dongfang Huaizhu's room, she pouted and faced the door. "Where on earth has sister gone? I can't find her."
Just then, Dongfang Huaizhu, who had returned from the martial - arts training ground, was pushing the door open and accidentally bumped into several servants.
"Sister!" Seeing Dongfang Huaizhu coming back, Dongfang Qinlan was overjoyed. She jumped off the chair and rushed to Dongfang Huaizhu's side.
Suddenly, all the servants at the door scattered and fled.
"Sister, where did you go? I've been looking for you for so long," Dongfang Qinlan looked at her sister with teary eyes, pouting.
Dongfang Huaizhu felt sorry for Dongfang Qinlan. "I accidentally walked into a flower field just now. It was so beautiful that I took a break there."
Remembering her appointment with Xiaoyou, Dongfang Huaizhu decided to set off early and take a stroll to relax.
Walking in the Wangquan family's mansion under the moonlight, her thoughts unconsciously drifted back to the most powerful swordsman with a long sword in his hand.
The masked figure constantly appeared in her mind. Even she herself didn't know when the figure of Wangquan Baye had completely engraved in her heart.