Three days later, outside Yuzhou City.
Sword energy came from the east, stretching for thirty feet.
Then, plum blossoms fluttered in the air, and a graceful and otherworldly figure rode in on a sword, her imposing presence and grand entrance creating a magnificent spectacle.
"Wow, the Plum Blossom Sword Immortal has arrived!"
Inside Yuzhou City, the people looked at the Plum Blossom Sword Immortal who was riding a sword through the air with expressions of worship and respect.
A gentle breeze swept by, scattering the plum blossoms. Qin E'na landed gracefully and sheathed her ancient sword.
The woman before my eyes was like a fairy descended to earth, with exquisite features and an almost unreal beauty. Her white dress was spotless and flawless.
"Fairy, I love you! Fairy, you are my idol!"
Among the bustling crowd was Li Ziye, who was bored and looking at Qin Ena's grand entrance, he cooperated by acting as an extra, stretching out his arms, waving them and shouting loudly.
Perhaps Li Ziye shouted too loudly, because the surrounding people turned around and looked at him as if he were an idiot, and all of them subconsciously took a step back.
As a result, Li Ziye became the most dazzling guy in public.
"Fairy...I love you..."
Upon seeing this, Li Ziye froze, swallowing
the last "you" abruptly.
What's wrong? Why isn't anyone shouting anymore?
Isn't this how important people always make their entrances? He's playing along perfectly!
"Isn't this Li Baiwan's son? How come he's an idiot?"
"I don't know. I've never heard that Li Baiwan's son is an idiot before."
"You don't know anything. This young master Li is a genius. Geniuses are always a bit unusual. That's called having a personality."
Among the crowd, some recognized Li Ziye and whispered among themselves; some were puzzled, while others admired him.
Of course, those who praise it are clearly lying through their teeth.
Li Ziye was speechless. Seeing that things were not going well, he covered his face
without saying a word and slunk away.
How embarrassing!
Standing in front of the crowd, Qin Ena glanced at Li Ziye, who was slinking away, and a thoughtful look appeared in her eyes. Fool?
At the Li residence, Li Ziye returned. By the lake in the backyard, Zhang the Sloppy, who was resting with his eyes closed, didn't even open them before asking, "Did you see him?"
Li Ziye awkwardly touched his nose and said, "I saw him."
"Well, does Qin Ena still deserve to be your master?" Zhang the Sloppy said indifferently.
Li Ziye stopped and stared at the old man in front of him for a long time before saying,
"Old Zhang, are you mocking me?"
"Yes," Zhang ,the Sloppy, nodded.
"Old Zhang, you're the kind of person who would sell your integrity for ten jars of Drunken Flower Wine, yet you have the nerve to mock others."
Li Ziye scoffed, then sat down next to Old Zhang and asked, "Old Zhang, I see that Old Qin is so young, is he really as capable as you say?"
"Martial arts cannot be judged solely by age."
Zhang, with his eyes closed, calmly said, "You have to admit that there are people in this world called geniuses, and Qin Ena is a genius among geniuses."
"I'm so envious," Li Ziye remarked.
"Everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. You can't force things, and you don't need to be too fixated on it," Zhang the Sloppy said.
"Then what is my directorship?" Li Ziye asked.
Zhang remained silent for a long time before finally speaking, "You're not bad looking; you're all show and no substance."
"Old Zhang, your swearing skills are getting better and better. I admire you."
Li Ziye said with a forced smile, "This old man can curse without using a single swear word. He's all show and no substance; isn't his next line 'rotten inside'?"
"What, old man, am I wrong?"
Zhang the Sloppy said indifferently, "I heard that another maid from the manor took the initiative to enter your room last night. How is it? Are you still a virgin?"
"roll!"
Li Ziye said irritably, "It's not my fault that I'm good-looking, and it bothers me too."
"That's a really rude thing to say," Zhang, the
Sloppy, said.
"Old Zhang, I've made up my mind!"
Li Ziye suddenly sat up straight, his expression resolute, and said, "I must become Qin Lao's disciple, successfully embark on the path of martial arts, and then become famous throughout the world, invincible under heaven."
Zhang Lata opened his eyes, looked the boy in front of him up and down, and after a long
while asked, "Are you serious?"
"certainly."
Li Ziye nodded.
"It's so good to be young."
Zhang the Sloppy remarked, "Even his daydreams are spoken with such grandeur."
That old man is wicked; Li Ziye couldn't be bothered with him.
"Young master, the master is calling for you."
At this moment, a servant hurried over and said anxiously.
"What is it?" Li Ziye asked.
"Sword Immortal, the Plum Blossom Sword Immortal has arrived," the servant said.
"Old... Old Qin?"
Upon hearing this, Li Ziye stood up abruptly and exclaimed in surprise, "So fast!"
After saying that, Li Ziye immediately walked quickly towards the front yard.
"As expected of a young person, so impatient."
By the lake, Zhang the Sloppy closed his eyes again and said calmly.
Front yard, inside the main hall.
Li Baiwan fawned over Qin Ena, his pride and dignity completely irrelevant in the face of his son's apprenticeship.
"Fairy, does this tea suit your taste?"
"Fairy, I also have some excellent cloud and mist tea."
"Fairy, would you like some wine? I have
ten-year-old Drunken Flower Wine and twenty-year-old Daughter's Red Wine in my mansion."
"Fairy..."
"Fairy..."
When Li Ziye arrived at the main hall, he saw his father's sycophantic behavior and wished he could shove him into a crack in the ground.
How embarrassing!
"Fairy, you must be tired after traveling for so many days. I learned a few massage techniques from the doctor in the manor.
How about I help you relieve your fatique?" Li Ziye stepped forward smiling as brightly as a flower.
"No need."
Qin Ena wasn't buying into the father and son's act. She said indifferently, "I'm sure you know why I'm here. My conditions for accepting disciples are very simple. As long as you pass my test, you can become my disciple."
"What kind of test?"
Li Ziye immediately perked up and asked.
Li Baiwan also stepped forward, straining his ears to listen.
"Don't block me, your face is too big."
Li Ziye shoved Li Baiwan's face away and said irritably.
Li Baiwan gave an embarrassed smile and then took two steps back.
Three things.
Qin Ena glanced at the father and son who
were behaving strangely and said calmly,
"Complete three tasks, and I will
acknowledge that you have passed the test."
Three items?
Li Ziye's mind sharpened; with so many, this
old Qin was not easy to fool.
"Of course, I won't let you complete all three things immediately. I will give you time.
Today, I'm here to tell you about the first test."
Qin Ena stood up and said calmly, "The first thing I'll do is give you one day to find or forge a sword that is unique and extraordinary."
After saying that, Qin Ena didn't linger or
offer any advice. She strode out of the main hall and then drifted away.
Inside the lobby, the father and son exchanged a glance, their expressions quite different.
"Is Old Qin going easy on us?" Li Ziye asked, looking puzzled.
Everyone knows his father is rich; he could buy ten thousand swords, let alone one.
"Could there be something fishy going on?
Fairy Qin said she wanted something unique,"
Li Baiwan asked with some concern.
Li Ziye glanced at the former with disdain
and said, "Dad, can you stop being so naive?
What do you mean by unique craftsmanship and being extraordinary? It's like an open-
ended question. Whether the answer is right or wrong is entirely up to Old Qin."
At this point, Li Ziye suddenly seemed to remember something and asked anxiously,
"By the way, Father, did you slip any money to Old Qin when he came?"
"Look at my memory."
Li Baiwan slapped his thigh, his stomach
trembled, and he said with a look of regret, was so busy entertaining Fairy Qin that I
forgot about this."
"Old Li, how come you didn't forget to eat!"
Li Ziye said with a look of exasperation, "Hurry up and send someone to find out where Old Qin is staying, and go and bribe him!"
"No need to investigate anymore. I sent people to follow Qin Ena after she entered the city."
Just then, a beautiful woman with a graceful figure stepped into the hall and respectfully bowed to Li Baiwan, saying,
"Godfather."
"Sister Youwei."
Upon seeing the person who arrived, Li Ziye immediately stepped forward with a joyful smile and said, "Sister Youwei is the best. She's reliable and trustworthy, unlike my father, who's completely unreliable."
Li Youwei smiled slightly and said softly,
"Your eyes are good. Qin Ena is pretty and has a nice butt. She looks like she'll have a lot of children. First, she can become your disciple, then you can win her over. What a good plan."
Li Ziye: "..."
Li Baiwan: ".
Tiger and wolf, what a load of rubbish!
"Sister Youwei."
Li Ziye quickly changed the subject, saying,
"You said you've been sending people to follow Lao Qin, have you found out where she is?"
"The Yuelai Inn in the west of the city is one of our family's properties. There's nothing special about it, except for one word: expensive! This shows that Fairy Qin is a very particular person," Li Youwei said.
"If you're careful, things will be easier, Dad.
Did you hear me clearly?"
Upon hearing this, Li Ziye immediately turned around and shouted, "Hurry up and prepare a gift. It must be valuable, as valuable as possible, so that Lao Qin can fully feel our sincerity."
"I'll go right away."
Li Baiwan gave a forced smile, left the hall, and went to make preparations.
Seeing his father leave, Li Ziye turned back to look at his eldest sister in the hall and said with a smile, "Sister Youwei, I'll still need to trouble you to deliver the gift to Lao Qin later.
I don't trust anyone else with this task."
"Um."
Li Youwei nodded and replied softly, "My
brother's affairs are the most important
matters in the Li family."
As the sun set and the clouds began to fall, Li Youwei arrived alone at the Yuelai Inn.
"Knock knock".
There was a knock on the door, and then Qin Ena opened it.
"Li Youwei, Li Ziye's elder sister," Li Youwei introduced herself directly.
"What is it?" Qin Ena asked.
Li Youwei stepped forward, without saying a word, put down the package in her hand, took out three boxes, and opened them one by one.
"The Pearl of the East Sea, found at the bottom of the East Sea, is worth 100,000 gold coins."
"The Heavenly Silkworm Soft Armor is impervious to swords and spears, and immune to water and fire. It is worth a million gold coins."
"The Fish Intestine Sword, once owned by the Duke of Wei, is a priceless treasure."
Three boxes contained three priceless treasures. Li Youwei put down the items and, without lingering, prepared to leave.
Before leaving, Li Youwei turned around and asked only one question, "Does the fairy have any guidance?"
Qin Ena remained silent for a moment before speaking, "Just do your best."
Li Youwei nodded, asked no further questions, and walked away.
The night was long. Li Ziye stood in the courtyard, looking at the night sky. After a long while, he was inspired to write poetry.
"Ah, money can make the devil turn the millstone, ah, money can make the millstone turn the devil!"
"My son is indeed a genius!"
Inside the room, Li Baiwan looked at his son through the window with a proud expression.
The next day, at the appointed time.
As everyone watched, plum blossoms danced in the air, and the fairy arrived on her sword, her ethereal appearance untouched by the dust of the mortal world.
She was like a fairy descended from the heavens, so perfect, so otherworldly, so pure and immaculate.
In the main hall, Li Ziye took out a pure gold sword and handed it over.
It was glittering and dazzling.
Qin Ena took the golden sword, gazed at it for a long time, then nodded calmly and said in praise:
"Good. Sword cultivation is about cultivation, not just about the sword. At the highest level, even falling flowers and leaves can become swords. Being too attached to external things will only lead to a lower level.
Excellent answer. Pass."
Li Baiwan: ".
Li Ziye: "..."