"Who taught Your Majesty this swordsmanship?!"

Jiang Qingyi's eyes narrowed as she stared at Xiao Mo, not caring at all how close she was to him.

"This swordsmanship was something I learned when I was still a prince. Once, while traveling in the mountains to paint and sketch, I accidentally fell into a cave and arrived at a very strange place. This sword technique was carved on the stone walls, and since I happened to have ink and brush with me, I copied it down."

Xiao Mo spoke with complete seriousness while spouting nonsense.

"Where is that cliff?" Jiang Qingyi pressed further.

"I forgot," Xiao Mo shook his head. "When I came out, I wanted to return to that place, but I could never find it again."

"..." Jiang Qingyi lowered her head and fell silent.

Listening to his words and looking into his eyes, Jiang Qingyi didn't think he was lying to her.

After all, when she had obtained the Grass Character Sword Formula back then, it was also in an ancient ruin.

"The sword technique Your Majesty practices is quite good," Jiang Qingyi calmed her emotions. "However, I feel there are some issues."

"Issues?" Xiao Mo asked in confusion.

Jiang Qingyi shook her head, "Perhaps it's not really an issue. Although I've never seen Your Majesty's swordsmanship before, judging from the moves you just performed, this sword technique could perhaps be improved somewhat."

After speaking, Jiang Qingyi extended her pale, tender palm toward Xiao Mo.

Xiao Mo glanced at her palm, understood her meaning, and placed the peach wood sword in her hand.

The moment the veiled woman grasped the long sword, Xiao Mo felt her temperament change dramatically.

It was as if she had become one with the peach wood sword.

Before Xiao Mo's eyes, Jiang Qingyi danced with the wooden sword.

The moves Xiao Mo had just practiced were perfectly "replicated" by her.

She moved as if she had practiced them countless times.

Moreover, she made improvements upon the original sword moves.

Parts of the original Grass Character Sword Formula that had awkward transitions became fluid and seamless.

Watching her improve the "Grass Character Sword Formula," Xiao Mo was extremely shocked.

She had only watched him practice once or twice, yet she could imitate the sword moves to such an extent, even modifying them.

This woman's talent in swordsmanship was simply exaggerated.

"Would Your Majesty like to try?"

Jiang Qingyi tossed the wooden sword back to Xiao Mo.

"Then let me give it a try."

Xiao Mo didn't refuse and imitated the improved sword moves Jiang Qingyi had just demonstrated.

"That's not right."

Just as Xiao Mo executed two sword strikes, Jiang Qingyi shook her head and stepped forward.

"This sword strike of Your Majesty's is wrong, it needs to go higher."

"And this sword strike, Your Majesty needs to thrust forward forcefully, without the slightest hesitation, not even a moment's thought."

"One sword breaks ten thousand techniques, one sword cuts away ten thousand worries. True swordsmanship must not carry too heavy a mind, whatever needs to be cut down, cut it down."

"The sword follows the intent, intent follows the heart. Your Majesty's eyes should not be focused on the sword, but on the enemy before you. If there's no enemy before you, then imagine one."

Jiang Qingyi's pale, tender hand gripped Xiao Mo's wrist, adjusting the sword's angle, straightening his waist, and her small foot in embroidered shoes gently kicked the back of his knee, making his horse stance lower and more centered.

Her hair occasionally brushed across Xiao Mo's cheek and nose tip.

Xiao Mo wasn't sure if it was his imagination, but he always felt she carried a familiar scent.

And because she was teaching Xiao Mo hands-on, no matter what, their bodies would inevitably touch.

So Xiao Mo could feel her soft yet resilient body.

"Why is Your Majesty looking at me? Look at the sword! Don't get distracted!" Jiang Qingyi's eyes narrowed with the scolding tone of a master.

"..."

Seeing Jiang Qingyi's serious expression, Xiao Mo felt he was being somewhat affected.

She was kindly teaching him swordsmanship without regard for propriety, yet he was still thinking about the differences between men and women.

Xiao Mo focused on practicing the sword, no longer letting his mind wander but what Xiao Mo didn't know was that beneath this "Fairy Jiang's" veil, a faint blush had already appeared.

If Fairy Jiang hadn't controlled her heartbeat with spiritual power, Xiao Mo would have been able to feel her heart beating faster and faster.

"That's about right."

After teaching Xiao Mo twice, Jiang Qingyi finally pulled back some distance from him.

"Thank you for Fairy Jiang's instruction," Xiao Mo bowed with his sword and wiped the sweat from his forehead.

"Your Majesty is too polite."

Although this Fairy Jiang kept addressing him as "Your Majesty," Xiao Mo didn't feel she truly regarded him as the Emperor of Zhou Kingdom but that was normal.

For most vassal dynasties under sects, the "National Preceptor" represented the sect and actually held higher status than the emperor.

Her teaching him swordsmanship just now was probably because she saw an interesting sword technique and became fascinated, so she taught him along the way.

"I have an unreasonable request. I wonder if Fairy Jiang could help me keep secret the matter of practicing swordsmanship at the Dao Inquiry Platform? Otherwise, if other ministers hear about it, they'll memorialize again about my lack of proper learning," Xiao Mo said with feigned helplessness.

In reality, Xiao Mo was just making up an excuse.

After all, since he had already started cultivating, what would adding "sword practice" matter?

What Xiao Mo was worried about was that if Yan Shan'ao knew he wasn't just cultivating but also practicing lethal swordsmanship, he would become suspicious.

Although in others' eyes, as an emperor, he couldn't possibly reach the Foundation Building realm but in Yan Shan'ao's mind, if an emperor secretly practiced combat swordsmanship, wouldn't that indicate "although Your Majesty lacks the power to rebel, Your Majesty has the heart to rebel"?

Now that he had been seen by her, there was nothing he could do about it.

He could only try to ask her to keep it secret.

After all, she seemed detached from worldly affairs, obsessed with swordsmanship, and didn't appear to be someone who would collude with Yan Shan'ao.

Listening to Xiao Mo's words, Jiang Qingyi naturally understood his implied meaning, "What Your Majesty does is Your Majesty's business. I am merely a sword cultivator. Court affairs have nothing to do with me. Not interfering in court matters is also a rule of the Ten Thousand Swords Sect."

Xiao Mo breathed a sigh of relief, "Then thank you, Fairy Jiang."

"Such matters need no thanks. However, I am very interested in Your Majesty's sword technique. Could Your Majesty show me the sword manual? In exchange, I will likewise give Your Majesty a sword manual of the same grade. Additionally, if I have time, I will also come to instruct Your Majesty."

"That would be excellent. I'll bring the sword manual tomorrow."

"Fairy Jiang?"

Xiao Mo noticed she kept looking at him without speaking.

And in the next moment, Jiang Qingyi stepped forward, walking in front of Xiao Mo, less than half a meter away, "Speaking of which, since I'm teaching Your Majesty swordsmanship, do Your Majesty and I now have a master-disciple relationship?"

"..." Xiao Mo was momentarily speechless, not knowing why she suddenly brought this up. "What does Fairy Jiang mean?"

Jiang Qingyi stared into Xiao Mo's eyes, her tone calm as she said, "Your Majesty, call me 'Master' and let me hear it."

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by lotustale.com