Fengyu practiced sword for an hour and was already feeling worn out—it was too cold! Every day, before the sun even rose, she was dragged out to climb hills. Fengyu thought she might become a wreck if this continued. But she had made a bet with Xie Xun: if she gave up halfway, the punishment would fall on Xie Xun—and he was far harsher on himself than she could bear. She couldn't bring herself to let that happen, nor was it worth causing a fight over. Fengyu understood Xie Xun's lingering concerns. In ten months, she'd turn eighteen, and before that, Xie Xun could never fully ease his mind.
Practicing sword amidst the swirling snow occasionally held a fleeting charm. If it were just one incense stick's worth of time each day, Fengyu could manage. But an hour—an hour was truly too long.
So, during a sparring session with Xie Xun, her foot slipped, and she fell onto the snow-covered ground.
"Ah..." Her longsword slipped from her grasp, flew out, and landed in the snow.
