My Enemy Became My Cultivation Companion-Chapter 689 - 450 Wind Cloud Sword (Add more 3 in 1)_2

"That's the place—I found it last night," Min Ning pointed forward.

Water crashed against the surface of the lake, sending up a spray accompanied by a rumbling echo. At its center lay a small island, five to six zhang wide. For the two of them, considering their martial arts skills, it seemed somewhat cramped.

When martial artists duel, there's usually a ten-zhang distance between them. Within that space, countless techniques can be used, leading to probing and entangled exchanges that might last for dozens of moves. But if the distance shortens to within ten zhang, the techniques available dwindle, leaving only killing blows.

Chen Yi studied the small island, his eyes narrowing slightly.

So, the battle would be confined to mere inches?

Chen Yi placed a single hand on the hilt of his sword sheathed upon his back, readying himself to leap and land on the island.

"Don't rush," Min Ning called out.

Chen Yi hesitated, his mind questioning. After a brief pause, he recalled and asked, "I'm Fourth Rank—should I suppress my level to fight you?"

Min Ning nodded slightly and replied, "That wouldn't be inaccurate."

"What rank?" Chen Yi asked with an air of letting her decide, adding, "Even if I suppress my rank to Sixth Grade, you'd not be a match for me in even one move."

The statement wasn't an idle boast. Within illusory realms, opponents might appear closely matched—yet such realms are built of deception, not reality. In true combat, lower martial ranks demand infinite ingenuity. Chen Yi, wielding both killing swordsmanship and life-saving swordsmanship, paired with his qinggong, saw defeating Min Ning as a simple matter.

Min Ning's voice rang out, "Ninth Grade."

Chen Yi froze, his eyes widening as he stared at her.

Min Ning raised an eyebrow, smiling slyly, "Can't manage?"

Chen Yi replied in a bemused tone, "If I were Ninth Grade, you could defeat me with just a stick."

Hardly had he finished speaking when Min Ning leapt into the dense forest. After a brief moment, she returned, carrying two tree branches in her hands.

She weighed them in her palms, then tossed the slightly longer one toward Chen Yi, keeping the shorter one for herself.

Chen Yi eyed Min Ning with confusion—the tree branches were only as thick as two fingers. What was she planning?

Min Ning suddenly laughed and said, "Chen Zunming, you're far too serious."

Chen Yi paused, taken aback.

"Do you really intend for us to fight to the death?" Min Ning waved the branch in her hand. Compared to a sword, it was so light, it appeared ready to snap at any moment.

Chen Yi remained still, his mind bound by the principles of swordsmanship. The proper scene should have been the two of them standing before the cascading falls, upon the island, with their swords answering one another.

Seeing his tangled thoughts, Min Ning pivoted sharply, moving behind him, and swung forcefully.

Before Chen Yi could react, his pupils contracted.

"Smack! Got your butt!"

A mark appeared on his pants, and Min Ning burst into laughter.

At last, Chen Yi snapped out of it. Usually, he was the one striking others' behinds—today, someone had dared rebel!

He took a deep breath, steadied his emotions, and said, "Min Yuechi, what exactly are you thinking? If we're going to cross blades, let's do it properly and discuss the matters on our minds."

Min Ning didn't reply, instead raising her branch for another strike.

Chen Yi twisted his body and reached out, intent on grabbing her wrist, but Min Ning slipped away like a fish, managing another swing before he could catch her.

Both exasperated and amused, Chen Yi couldn't believe it. He had come for a serious duel, yet she'd managed to smack his rear twice.

Fine, she'd gotten her two strikes—he'd just repay her with two hundred later. Chen Yi schemed darkly.

Seeing the flicker of light in his eyes, Min Ning suddenly spoke:

"Isn't this great?"

Chen Yi responded uncertainly, "What?"

"Why do you overthink everything? You dwell on heroism, agonize over me calling you a great hero, obsess over the Jianghu itself," Min Ning said gently. "You're like a whirlpool, constantly sucking things in, constantly filled with stray thoughts—it makes you… not quite yourself."

She lingered for a moment before adding, "Well, except for the lust."

Chen Yi remained silent for a stretch.

Min Ning's words weren't entirely lost on him—but this was simply how he had always been. Since being severed from his past by Zhou Yitang, he had felt it didn't matter. Yet did it truly not matter? Chen Yi didn't know. He only knew that aside from his lustfulness, he was always prone to being influenced and changed by others. Walking through Shantong City's muddy Jianghu had left him feeling that heroism was nothing more than honor and disgrace...

Chen Yi's thoughts churned, threatening to pull him under.

Just then, Min Ning's voice broke through his reverie: "Let me ask you something."

Chen Yi's thoughts halted as he answered, "What is it?"

"I'm asking—has a Sword Armor ever smacked your butt?" Min Ning lightly shook her branch as if the question were of utmost importance.

Chen Yi chuckled, "How could that possibly happen?" He paused momentarily—what hadn't occurred forwards, could always happen in reverse.

Min Ning's expression suddenly grew smug, and she laughed with delight:

"If Zhou Yitang couldn't manage to smack you, but I did, she doesn't deserve to be your master!"

Zhu Yu: "..."

Having grown accustomed to Min Ning's bouts of absurdity, Zhu Yu remained silent.

Chen Yi glanced at Min Ning and asked, "And you think you deserve it?" 𝘧𝓇𝑒𝑒𝑤ℯ𝑏𝓃𝘰𝑣ℯ𝘭.𝘤ℴ𝘮

"Once a master, forever a mother," she answered cheekily.

"I already have a mother," Chen Yi retorted.

"That's true," Min Ning mused with a smirk. "Then how about calling me father?"

Chen Yi raised an eyebrow, his competitive spirit stirred. He grasped the branch firmly and prepared to strike back hard.

Min Ning slipped away like a fish and dashed off, quickly leaping toward the small island in the lake. As she landed, she called over her shoulder:

"Come if you dare!"

Chen Yi planted his feet firmly and launched himself forward, landing on the island.

He brandished his tree branch, his thoughts occupied solely by the strikes from the female warrior. For the moment, he had forgotten anything about heroism or righteousness.

Chen Yi reached into his Square Land pouch and retrieved a talisman, tossing one to Min Ning while sticking the other onto himself. A cooling sensation flowed through his body, succeeding by a sluggishness that spread; his True Qi slowed noticeably throughout his system.

His martial arts suddenly became less fluid.

Yet his shoulders felt lighter as well.

The cascading waterfall carved a fine, snowy line between them as they faced off. Min Ning studied him intently. He hadn't yet unsheathed the sword on his back, its black blade buried like a vortex within its scabbard; in his hand, he wielded merely a wooden branch.