They say time flows faster than anything else.
It had already been well over two months since Chi Jian and Xue Lan began attending to Tian Hui.
Crackle— Crackle—
Perhaps thanks to that, not only had the two finished hunting before the sun had even fully set, but they had also started a fire.
‘They're finally getting a bit snappier.’
As Tian Hui looked at them and stroked his chin, Chi Jian and Xue Lan took a deep breath and locked eyes with each other.
‘Senior Brother! Hurry up and say it!’
‘I know, Junior Sister. Just wait a moment.’
After exchanging glances with Xue Lan, Chi Jian began to observe Tian Hui's mood.
During this time, the only things the two had learned were hunting and the skill of roasting meat.
Of course, thanks to that, they were able to grow.
To the point where they could confidently say they wouldn't feel pressure or tension no matter what situation arose.
Having hunted every single day without fail for two months, it was understandable.
So now, they desired teaching.
Teaching in martial arts.
However...
‘Will Martial Uncle grant our request?’
It was hard to bring it up easily.
Hunting—no. While receiving Tian Hui's teachings, the two had realized something.
That he was precocious for his age, and a far more incredible person than they had thought.
Especially while attending to him, what surprised them the most was his relationship with Martial Granduncle Xuan Dao.
When they first met, they couldn't understand the conversation between the two, so they didn't know what was going on, but that was no longer the case.
‘He wasn't just learning from Martial Granduncle Xuan Dao; they were discussing martial arts on equal footing.’
At first, they were horrified.
The one called Mount Hua's Greatest Master was Martial Granduncle Xuan Dao. Yet he was discussing martial arts with Tian Hui, who was merely fourteen years old.
Furthermore, hadn't Tian Hui just recently been hovering between life and death?
But not long after, they acknowledged it.
No, they had no choice but to acknowledge it.
Because they had finally seen Tian Hui's talent in immediately executing the martial arts that Xuan Dao explained.
Was that all?
Not only the Sect Leader, who had visited exactly once, but also Martial Granduncle Xuan Li, who had visited several times, would ask after his well-being.
From the expressions and tones they used when looking at Tian Hui, they could feel that he was deeply loved.
Outstanding talent, martial prowess, and the respect of others.
He wasn't called the treasure of Mount Hua for nothing.
Going through such a process, the two thought it was a good thing they were attending to Tian Hui, but...
‘Because he hates bothersome things.’
There wasn't just one or two things to do.
They had to draw water all the way to the thatched hut, prepare his Daoist robes every day, and random orders would be handed down.
Like being told to fetch salt...
‘If we request teachings, he might find it annoying and chase us away.’
Having grasped Tian Hui's personality over the past two months, the two were cautious.
As they continued to agonize without being able to say anything, Tian Hui's eyes, which were watching them, narrowed like a thread.
‘Oh ho.’
Perhaps it was the result of spending about two months together, he immediately grasped their inner thoughts.
‘It looks like they've finally developed some greed?’
The thoughts of the agonizing two were as clear as if they were in the palm of his hand.
Just then, Chi Jian made a resolute expression and cautiously spoke to Tian Hui.
"Martial Uncle. We've now become accustomed to hunting..."
"You want to learn martial arts?"
At Tian Hui's words, which seemed to pierce right through their thoughts, the two's faces bloomed into bright smiles.
"Yes, yes!"
"That's right!"
Tian Hui looked at the expectant pair.
‘They have been attending to me all this time, after all.’
If it were in the past, he would have ignored such a request as bothersome, but recalling how much more comfortable his situation was compared to before, he fell into thought for a moment.
Although it wasn't to the extent of what Gui Ma and Bi Ma used to do, thanks to the two's attendance, his daily life had become significantly more comfortable.
He got to eat delicious meals, they brought him clean Daoist robes every time, and they diligently drew water for him.
Having all the bothersome chores taken care of was quite a satisfying situation.
‘Should I teach them a little?’
Having a whim, Tian Hui met the eyes of the two who were looking at him with burning gazes.
"Alright."
In an instant, the two's faces lit up.
Sweeping his gaze over the expectant pair, Tian Hui approached Xue Lan first and opened his mouth.
"You've gotten used to footwork, right?"
Xue Lan nodded.
"It's better than before."
"Is that so? Show me once."
Xue Lan immediately clenched her fists and infused the inner qi of the Yunu Xingong into her feet.
Crunch!
Footprints were carved into the dirt floor as she moved swiftly.
"Since when did she get to that level..."
Chi Jian exclaimed in admiration at Xue Lan's footwork. In the past, the level of her footwork had been significantly lacking compared to the sword art she had learned.
Yet to display such astounding footwork, comparable to her learned sword art, in a mere twenty-one days...
While Chi Jian was considerably surprised.
"Phew, how was it?"
After demonstrating the best footwork she could currently show, Xue Lan looked at Tian Hui with expectant eyes.
A moment later, Tian Hui opened his mouth.
"The basics are fine."
Compared to her expectations, the answer was curt.
Just as Xue Lan was about to sulk over this, Tian Hui recalled her footwork.
‘It's not a supreme footwork technique.’
Tian Hui looked Xue Lan up and down.
The Yin Qi within the inner qi accumulated in her lower dantian was quite strong, but the footwork she displayed was simplistic.
Observing her, Tian Hui asked.
"Any other footwork techniques?"
Feeling slightly embarrassed by Tian Hui's piercing up-and-down stare, Xue Lan collected herself and answered.
"Other footwork techniques?"
Xue Lan tilted her head.
Footwork was a martial art that was already overwhelming enough to learn just one. And she was asking about other footwork techniques?
"The only footwork I've learned is Xiliu Piao..."
"Only one?"
Looking at Xue Lan with pathetic eyes, Tian Hui let out a sigh and spoke.
"Sigh, then forget about that footwork technique called Xiliu Piao or whatever from now on."
"Pardon?"
Tian Hui stood in front of her, who was flustered.
"Because from now on, I'll teach you a footwork technique that suits you."
"B-But Xiliu Piao was from Pavilion Lord of the Martial Training Pavilion..."
"Is that so? If you don't like it, forget it."
The moment Tian Hui thought 'That's right' and was about to turn around.
"I-I'll forget it!"
Xue Lan cried out urgently.
"Will you?"
Tian Hui stopped the body he was about to turn, as if it was a shame, and stared intently at Xue Lan.
‘Then what would be good?’
First, he recalled one by one the footwork techniques that would suit her inner qi.
Xianyun Xiu Gu Feng?
No. With her current inner qi, she could execute it, but it wouldn't be efficient. It would be better not to learn it at all.
Then Anxiang Piao? This isn't it either. It doesn't match the sword art she's currently learned.
Then what would be good?
As he repeatedly recalled and erased several footwork techniques in his mind.
‘It's ultimately only that one.’
One footwork technique remained at the end.
Soon after finishing his thoughts, he met eyes with Xue Lan, who was looking at him with a tense face.
"The footwork you will be executing from now on is Yuhuan Miaobu."
"Y-Yuhuan Miaobu?"
Xue Lan's eyes shook violently.
Yuhuan Miaobu was a footwork technique learned by the true mountain disciples, and in the current Mount Hua Sect, only Xuan Li had learned it.
"But I haven't received my Daoist title yet..."
"Don't worry about that."
Tian Hui cut off her words sharply.
"Because the Yuhuan Miaobu I'm going to teach you from now on is different from that Yuhuan Miaobu."
"Pardon? What do you mean..."
"You'll know when you see it."
Tian Hui cut off her words again.
With that, he moved.
Thud—
In an instant, he stepped across the eight directions.
In the blink of an eye, his footwork became diverse. In a flash, dozens of footprints were carved into the ground where he stood.
Deep like a swamp, soft like water.
Fierce like fire, fast like thunder.
Swaying like the wind or steadfast like a mountain.
The Yuhuan Miaobu he had demonstrated before, now infused with inner qi, exuded a beauty that would be hard to see in the mortal realm.
"T-This is Yuhuan Miaobu...?"
Bewildered, Xue Lan's eyes widened.
She could immediately understand the intent behind Tian Hui's words just now.
The Yuhuan Miaobu Tian Hui executed was completely different from the Yuhuan Miaobu she knew.
Soft, and strong.
And.
"Beautiful..."
She wasn't the only one entranced; Chi Jian, who was beside her, was the same.
Although he hadn't cared much for footwork, the footwork now was as shocking as being struck on the back of the head with a hammer.
"Amitabha..."
Chi Jian unconsciously put his hands together in a Buddhist greeting.
Tian Hui's movements were like an immortal descending to the mortal realm and dancing.
While the two were entranced.
Tap.
A moment later, his feet, which had been continuously stepping in all directions, stopped.
Then he spoke to the dazed Xue Lan.
"Then try executing it now."
Xue Lan's head tilted to the side.
"Pardon...?"
Coming out of her daze and snapping back to reality, Xue Lan let out a deflated sound.
Seeing that, Tian Hui thought, 'Oops.'
To him, it was merely Yuhuan Miaobu, but to the two, it was a supreme footwork technique.
Then, suddenly recalling a method he had seen once in the past, he lifted his foot.
"Wait a moment."
Saying that, he infused internal force into his foot and carved clear footprints into the dirt floor.
‘This is it!’
Xue Lan's eyes widened sharply.
She glared as if not wanting to miss a single thing as Tian Hui demonstrated the basic method of learning footwork.
A moment later, having carved a total of sixty-four footprints, he nodded.
"You remembered the order, right?"
"Yes!"
"Then step on them exactly the same way."
"Understood!"
Replying thunderously, Xue Lan stepped along the footprints with a resolute expression.
‘This should be enough.’
Looking at her, Tian Hui turned around.
Chi Jian, who was equally entranced, instantly tensed up when his eyes met Tian Hui's.
‘...That was an incredible footwork technique.’
His heart pounded with anticipation.
At that moment, Tian Hui opened his mouth.
"List the martial arts you've learned."
"Meihua Qigong, Luoying Jianfa, and Wuxing Meihua Bu."
Seeing Chi Jian answering briskly, Tian Hui frowned and spoke.
"Alright. Show me."
"Understood!"
Chi Jian shouted loudly and drew his sword.
Afterward, he executed his sword art for a while.
"Hah, hah. How was it?"
Having executed the sword art with all his might, Chi Jian caught his breath and looked at Tian Hui.
Just then, Tian Hui's mouth opened.
"It's a complete mess."
Chi Jian, who had been expecting praise, gaped as if he had been hit on the back of the head with a hammer by the exact opposite answer.
"A complete... mess...?"
Dumbfounded, Tian Hui clicked his tongue.
"Tch, you can't even digest it properly."
"...What do you mean by that?"
As soon as the question ended, Tian Hui snatched the sword from Chi Jian's hand.
"Gasp!"
With his eyes wide open, Chi Jian, who had his sword snatched away, expressed his bewilderment.
‘What an incredible Jinna Shoufa!’
Whether Chi Jian was surprised or not, Tian Hui raised the snatched sword high.
Assuming the same opening stance Chi Jian had shown earlier, he spoke lightly.
"Watch closely. Because this is the proper Luoying Jianfa and Wuxing Meihua Bu."
Swish!
The raised sword slashed down like lightning, and the air tore with a bursting sound.
Crack!
With the sound of piercing the air and the delayed aftermath, Chi Jian's hair scattered in all directions.
"T-This is Luoying Jianfa and Wuxing Meihua Bu...?"
Appalled as if he had seen something unbelievable, Chi Jian stared at Tian Hui.
At that moment, Tian Hui swiftly threw the sword.
Startled, Chi Jian clumsily caught the flying sword, and seeing that, Tian Hui spoke in a commanding tone.
"You saw it?"
"Y-Yes!"
"Can you follow it?"
"I'll try!"
Power entered the eyes of Chi Jian as he answered vigorously. He then swung his sword, following the sword stance Tian Hui had just executed.
But Tian Hui immediately pointed out a flaw.
"Infuse internal force here."
Nodding at those words, Chi Jian clenched his teeth and followed Tian Hui's advice.
"What are you doing? I said focus on your footwork too."
Tian Hui continued to point things out.
Did he point things out about twenty times?
Chi Jian's posture while swinging his sword became much better than before.
"Hmm, it's a bit better now."
Muttering, Tian Hui distanced himself from Chi Jian, who was now solely focused on executing his martial arts, and looked to the side.
This side has improved too.
Xue Lan beside him had also fallen into a state of selfless devotion, stepping along the carved footprints.
Still, at this rate, it will take quite a while.
Just as Tian Hui was about to estimate the time it would take for the two to become familiar with the martial arts.
"Hmm?"
He instantly whipped his head around.
He tilted his head at the familiar presence approaching this place.
‘Why is he here?’
At that moment, Chi Jian and Xue Lan also snapped out of it.
"Martial Uncle?"
"What's wrong?"
"Something has come up."
Seeing Tian Hui, who had always been bothersome or indifferent to everything, tilt his head in doubt, Xue Lan and Chi Jian were considerably flustered and looked toward the hill in the direction he had turned his head.
A moment later, just as a head seemed to rise from beyond the hill illuminated by the setting sun, someone was approaching.
Soon, as the sunset behind his back cleared, revealing an old Daoist priest, Chi Jian and Xue Lan were terrified.
"P-Pavilion Lord of the Myriad Books Pavilion?"
"Martial Granduncle Xuan Qing?"
At the appearance of Xuan Qing, who was the Pavilion Lord of the Myriad Books Pavilion and had never once stepped out of it, the two found it hard to swallow their bewilderment.
"This Martial Grandnephew greets Martial Granduncle."
"This Martial Grandnephew greets Martial Granduncle."
Chi Jian and Xue Lan hurriedly collected themselves and respectfully performed a hand salute.
"Hohoho. Yes, it is nice to see you."
Approaching them, Xuan Qing smiled softly at the two who were surprised to see him.
At that time, Tian Hui approached and asked.
"What brings you all the way here?"
At Tian Hui's question asking straight to the point, Xuan Qing withdrew his smile and hardened his expression.
Erasing his usual carefree appearance and putting on an endlessly grave expression, he looked straight at Tian Hui and moved his mouth.
"Could you spare me a moment of your time?"