My Enemy Became My Cultivation Companion-Chapter 678 - 445: Min Ning Shows You Personally (Two in One)_2

"Is Wu Buxu's swordsmanship hidden within that cave?" Chen Yi asked aloud.

Min Ning rested her sword on her knees, gently brushing the scabbard, and said, "Indeed. I practiced for one day and achieved five to six-tenths similarity."

Chen Yi slowly replied, "I can reach ten-tenths similarity."

Min Ning knew these words were not mere arrogance but a truthful claim. Yet, recalling Zhu Yu's words, she shook her head and said,

"Ten-tenths similarity is useless. Those who died here were exceptional talents—achieving ten-tenths similarity within seven days is possible. The crux lies in the Sword Intent."

"Alright, take me to see it first."

Chen Yi, understanding the reasoning, said as much. Min Ning promptly stood up and approached him.

Yin Weiyin, seeing Chen Yi in this posture, suddenly felt a chill in her heart, breaking into a cold sweat without realizing she had grabbed his sleeve.

As Chen Yi rose to head toward the swordsmanship, he discovered his sleeve was being held.

The female crown lowered her voice and said, "...Do not go."

Chen Yi glanced at Yin Weiyin. The concern and worry in her eyes were genuine; he could discern it at a glance. He gently brushed her hand.

Min Ning noticed this subtle interaction but remained silent. Perhaps Chen Yi would refrain from taking risks for Yin Weiyin—such was human nature.

She waited patiently, not pressuring him.

If he truly chose not to come, it would merely leave her somewhat disappointed.

Yin Weiyin edged closer to Chen Yi, her eyes glinting like the flames of the campfire.

She could accept Lu Ying's death, or even Min Ning's, but not his. One Min Ning could equal two Lu Ying; one Yin Weiyin far outweighed countless Min Ning. But Chen Yi—he equaled a single Yin Weiyin.

The female crown leaned toward Chen Yi's ear and murmured softly,

"Though the Sword Pool is on the verge of collapse, it's not entirely without escape routes. Since you managed to come, you can also leave. Moreover, I've cast an augury—this Secret Realm already has a breach. Min Ning mentioned something correct earlier; there is indeed a path out. However, it doesn't lead back to Shantong City but to Western Shu. Ultimately... leaving together is the best course."

Though he was a disciple with Sword Armor, he hadn't entirely inherited Yin Sword Mountain's mantle. Besides, slipping away before Wu Buxu discovered him was the proper decision, sticking with her.

As for Lu Ying and Min Ning, the demon-possessed Wu Buxu likely wouldn't let them off easily.

Chen Yi gazed into Yin Weiyin's eyes. She had always lacked clarity, and he had always known this. In this moment, it was clear she couldn't let go of him and wanted to be together and well.

His heart softened.

"Luanhuang... It's been days—do you know what I've been thinking about?" Chen Yi lightly stroked the female crown's jade-like hand.

Yin Weiyin's cheeks flushed faintly. With Min Ning standing right there, he displayed such shamelessness.

Yet, it was good. The less shame he felt, the deeper his immersion.

Wanting to keep him near, Yin Weiyin softly responded, "I don't know."

"Then make a guess?"

Yin Weiyin's gaze held emotion. "I'll surely guess correctly."

"But you'd certainly guess wrong."

Chen Yi drew closer silently.

Yin Weiyin bit her lip, hesitating to meet him halfway. What else could he be thinking of? She murmured softly in mock annoyance, "I would've gotten it right."

But she guessed wrong...

In a sudden move, Chen Yi sprang forward, twisting midair to land in front of Min Ning, boldly kissing her before Yin Weiyin.

Yin Weiyin's eyes widened in shock.

"I told you—you guessed wrong,"

Her husband turned, embraced Min Ning, and laughed lightly:

"I was thinking about kissing Min Ning for you to see—could you have guessed that?"

The female crown was left utterly dumbfounded.

Chen Yi took Min Ning's hand and had her lead him while they strode toward the Sword Cave, leaving Yin Weiyin alone.

The night breeze swept over, brushing her face, chilling her more than ever. Yin Weiyin's stiff figure finally began to tremble, her brow furrowing deeply. Clenching her fists tightly, she yanked a hairpin from her bun and hurled it to the ground.

"Hmph!"

She snorted heavily, then turned and strode toward the Sword Cave without looking back, sleeves swishing.

After only a few steps, Yin Weiyin stopped again, turning to glance at the glistening silver hairpin.

The golden boy lifts the purple herb, the jade girl offers the green lotus—the cultivation method of Taihua Mountain's golden boy and jade girl wasn't merely yin-yang harmony. At its core, it required a profound bond between souls, which necessitated an anchor—the jade girl's intrinsic Magic Treasure.

To her, the misty-cloud-pattern hairpin was of boundless importance. It held the emotional connection between them, and she had even considered refining it into her intrinsic Magic Treasure. But it had now been taken—for what could she refine into her intrinsic Magic Treasure? That pig-mask, perhaps?

Thinking thus, Yin Weiyin looked around, glimpsing no sign of Chen Yi or Min Ning. Quickly lifting her skirts, she scurried back, picked up the hairpin, dusted it off, and placed it back into her hair.

...

Chen Yi glanced back intentionally or unintentionally, noticing the female crown trailing them through the trees, her face ice-cold.

He let out a quiet sigh, shaking his head helplessly.

Min Ning transmitted sound into secret: "You're rather ruthless."

"...It's not ruthlessness. If I don't provoke her, cutting off her hope, she'll try every means to drag me away," Chen Yi paused, then turned back and said, "Moreover... I truly wanted to kiss you."

Min Ning snorted coldly, unsure whether she believed him or not.

Nevertheless, she didn't dwell on it. Chen Yi's innate lustfulness was something she had always been aware of—she accepted it.

At the end of the day, she had never regarded Yin Weiyin as a rival. Perhaps Zhou Yitang was, or possibly Qin Qingluo, but the female crown cultivating immortality was certainly not.

"I'm not that petty," Min Ning said.

"And I've always known Min Yuechi is magnanimous."

"Glad you know." Min Ning remarked, "Otherwise, I couldn't tolerate you."

Chen Yi, somewhat resigned, teased, "While that's true, women are often like balloons—who knows which word might pop them, turning magnanimity into pettiness."

Min Ning snorted coldly, quickening her pace.

They arrived at the Sword Cave. Lu Ying was still asleep, and to avoid waking her, they tread lightly. Chen Yi turned his head and saw the walls covered in cuts made by swords—marks that still seemed to carry remnants of Sword Intent.

Resentment, fury, hesitation, ecstasy... countless emotions were interwoven into the intricate sword markings. Simply gazing at them felt like being engulfed by tidal waves. So many exceptional talents had come and gone within those seven days of joy, anger, sorrow, and delight, leaving behind one sword grave after another among the blades of grass.

Chen Yi's emotions stirred slightly as he gently caressed Hou Kang Sword, as though gazing upon yet another sword grave.

He lowered his eyelids, calmed his emotions, and then raised his eyes again, staring at the swordsmanship engraved on the wall.

"Qingxiao"

Every stroke and line resembled a dragon's serpentine movements. Yet, the vertical strokes were heavy, slicing down like a sword—dragons and serpents bleeding!

The sword's stance within the engraving loomed like a mountain crashing forward!

For a fleeting moment, Chen Yi felt as though he were witnessing the flash of sword energy amidst lightning clouds, where electric arcs danced and rumbled. The thunderous explosion reverberated in his ears for ages as a frail white-haired elder pirouetted through the clouds, leaping and twisting. His Sword Gang ripped through the heavens, striking like frenzied lightning breaking apart the skies with countless cracks.

Sword shadows surged across the heavens, enveloping him entirely. Chen Yi staggered upright without realizing his sword had already left its sheath.

When Min Ning turned back to look, Chen Yi seemed to awaken from a dream, murmuring softly,

"What a sharp sword—its technique verges on Dao itself. The legends about Wu Buxu... achieving Dao through the sword are undoubtedly true."

For two lifetimes, even though Wu Buxu had been the unrivaled master of the past sixty years, Chen Yi understood that his Qingxiao Swordsmanship had once been a legendary miracle within the Martial Arts world.

However, after the battle at Dangyang Lake, Wu Buxu fell dramatically, never to rise again. The name Qingxiao faded away from Martial Arts and Jianghu, and the title "Sword Demon" replaced "the pinnacle."

It echoed an old saying:

You sheath your blade without asking where old companions are. Three autumns pass, and Martial Arts has forgotten you.

Chen Yi, seeing Min Ning silent, recalled his earlier action of unsheathing his sword. He couldn't help but ask,

"...Did I frighten you?"

Min Ning turned slightly to regard him, then shook her head.

"Then why?" Chen Yi, puzzled, asked.

Min Ning replied softly,

"Too slow."

"You drew your sword too slowly."

Chen Yi stood still, his brows furrowed in even deeper confusion.

Min Ning cast a glance at his sword-wielding hand and silently shook her head.

She had thought Chen Yi would be like her,

With the sword in his heart unsheathing far before the one in his hand.