Chapter 4: Sword Techniques

As soon as the fused warm light of dawn crept down the summit, I was already up and headed straight to the courtyard like my master had told me to.

When I got there, my master had already began with his practice.

I stopped in my tracks and watched him instead with an interesting gaze, not making my presence known to him so he doesn't get distracted, his movement weren't exactly too fast making it easy for me to notice of every style of formation he took, like he was intentionally slowing himself down.

Does he have a new formation in mind? I found myself getting hooked just by watching him.

Each of his stances were all calculated leaving no space for mistakes, the wind moving along with his silent steps, fluttering his loose sleeves and making him look so mesmerizing under the sun's golden light.

Just watching him was already sending a strange feeling creeping into my heart. He sliced his sword into the thin air and a dazzling white light shun from the tip of his sharp blade, forming an arc in the air.

The next strike came with another blinding white light and he kept going, not until it had formed some kind of ancient symbol of some sort, I couldn't really tell and suddenly.....

It vanished, just like that as though it never even came.

That was weird, what symbol was that?

"Lord Qui?" I finally called out as he was about to sheath his sword in place, he turned to look at me and I lowered my gaze, taking a few strides towards him.

"Greetings." I bowed and his expression remained the same, distant and hidden.

"I watched you earlier, you're a very skilled swordsman Lord Qui but what was that symbol you made?" it might be none of my business but I was just too curious not to ask about it.

"It's a little formation I designed myself, that wasn't a symbol but a message and I had it delivered to someone."

His response left me awed, a message?

I've never come across such type of messages before.

I wonder who he could have sent such a message to, the more questions I ask, the more questions I get in return, maybe I should stop asking questions for now and focus on why I was called here.

"Oh yes, you did say we were going to start training today."

"I remember, just a minute." He walked out and I watched him with my curious gaze as he stepped into the library.

I waited for him and it didn't take a minute before he stepped out with a book in his hand.

He walked up to me, handing the book over to me.

"Here, in order to master sword techniques, you'll need to read this and understand every single page in it."

My eyes widened as I gazed at the big book in his hand, he wanted me to read and understand every page?!

"It's not as overloaded as you're thinking." he added after noticing my reaction, just staring at the book was already giving me a headache talking more of reading it.

"L...lord Qui, isn't there any other way I can master these techniques?"

"I won't advise you to go for the easy way out." he stated. "Practice comes with lots of hard work and training, this might be a slower process but it is the best."

He dropped the book on my fair palm and I gazed at the title.

"Mastering the Sword Techniques." I read out.

"We'll take each technique into practice but first I want you to start reading it and understanding every technique so when It's time to put them into practice, it'll be a lot easier for you."

"But lord..."

"My words are final, start reading them, sit at the table over there and go through them." it didn't really sound like an order and although hesitant, I did as he said and went to sit at the tea table with a downcast look.

I opened a page and the first thing that came in view was a one on three stance technique.

I stole a quick glance at my master wondering if he planned on leaving soon so I could drop the book but no, he sat comfortably at a corner, sipping tea and watching me fight with the book.

He doesn't seem like he's leaving soon, it's as though he already knows my plan and decided to stay to make sure I don't carry them out.

I let out a defeated sigh and started reading. I wasn't even past the first line when my eyes began to close on it's own.

I rested my head on my right palm while forcing my eyes to stay open so I could read.

Gosh and I slept so well and woke up feeling energized this morning, how come I'm feeling sleepy all of a sudden.

This book is a curse to my eyes, I hate books!

A yawn escaped my lips and I glanced at my master who still sat comfortably at a corner, reading a book and was the complete opposite of me.

He was purely focused on the book and here I was, falling asleep before even getting past page one. This is going to be a long day for me.

I tapped my cheeks to revive myself, 'Come on Shanxia, you can do this.' The little voice in my head motivated me and I picked up the book and started reading, keeping my eyes wide open so I could see the pages clearly.

The next minute, I heard a light tapping on the table forcing my eyes to open and I hurriedly sat upright.

In front of me stood my master who was gazing at me with that same poker face and it took me time to realize I actually fell asleep.

Wait, I fell asleep?! How did that even happen?!

"Lord Qui, you...you're here." I avoided eye contact to hide my embarrassing expression, was he upset? I couldn't tell.

"If you do plan on falling asleep while studying under my watch, then use some tricks so I don't notice."

He removed a piece of paper I hadn't realized was stuck to the side of my face and I bit my lower lip as my cheeks heated up in embarrassment.

He didn't sound upset as I expected. Infact, his eyes sparkled with mirth, enough to bewitch those who fell under his steady gaze.

"I'll..I'll read it." I averted my gaze and placed full concentration on the book now, I'm going to get past page one and two, even if it takes me all day.

Although my gaze was focused on the book, from the corner of my eyes I could see my master watching me and if they weren't deceiving me, I'd bet I saw his lips curl up into a smile.