"Yisha… you!" Mary grew anxious. 'What is this silly girl doing? Has she… has she fallen for this useless man? No, absolutely not!' Mary looked frantic and was about to follow.
Yisha suddenly stopped, turned around, a hint of displeasure in her eyes. Her delicate face was taut as she said, "Mary… I'll say this one last time. If you consider me a friend, then don't try to stop me again. I know exactly what I'm doing!"
Mary opened her mouth but ended up saying nothing. The look she gave Ling Xiao, however, grew uglier, as if she wanted to eat him alive.
Ling Xiao paid Mary no mind, letting Yisha's soft hand lead him deeper into the woods. Sunlight filtered through the trees, dappling the ground with patches of light.
Yisha suddenly turned to the side and, right in front of Ling Xiao, undid the top button of her dress. Her fair cheeks were flushed scarlet as she shyly reached inside and pulled out a ring strung on a necklace. She then closed her eyes, murmured something, and an exquisitely crafted longsword appeared out of thin air in her hand. The Sword Scabbard was encrusted with all sorts of gems that glittered dazzlingly in the dappled sunlight.
Ling Xiao stared, stunned for a moment, then asked, "Yisha, what is the meaning of this?"
Yisha had already carefully tucked the necklace back inside her clothes. Blushing, she straightened her dress before speaking. "Brother Ling Xiao, I know you're fighting for your honor as a man. But Wulan Tuo... he's a Tier Nine Sword Attendant. And he probably has an Enchanted Weapon, which isn't fair to you! This sword was a birthday gift from my father. It has a Tier Two Red Flame Leopard's Crystal Core, allowing it to use Flame Sword Qi three times a day. I'm giving it to you now, Brother. I hope you can use it to defeat him."
In her heart, Yisha didn't believe Ling Xiao was a match for a Tier Nine Sword Attendant. After all, Wulan Tuo was on the verge of becoming a Sword Master. While neither Sword Masters nor Sword Attendants could project Sword Qi on their own, the gap between them was immense. A single Tier One Sword Master, for instance, could fight four Tier Nine Sword Attendants at once! Sword Masters possessed a much deeper understanding of Swordsmanship and were more proficient with their skills. She couldn't bear the thought of Ling Xiao being at a disadvantage. With an Enchanted Weapon of his own, the Flame Sword Qi could at least help him turn the tables if he found himself in danger.
Ling Xiao was slightly moved. The fact that Yisha would take out a Space Ring right in front of him, without any hesitation, showed how much she trusted him. If a Space Ring were to appear at an auction, it would incite a bloodbath.
Legend had it that the Space Rings in existence today were all relics from the ancient era when Magic and martial arts coexisted, crafted only by Space Magic Masters. That art had long since been lost. The continent had become the Sword Qi Continent, and Mages now only appeared in ancient myths and storybooks. This alone showed just how precious a Space Ring was.
And now she was giving him her birthday present, this Enchanted Longsword. What a profound gesture of kindness that was? Ling Xiao wasn't arrogant enough to think Yisha had fallen in love with him, but her concern was enough to move him deeply. His own father, a Tier Three Demon Swordsman, possessed only a single longsword inlaid with a Tier Two wind-element Magic Beast Crystal Core, and he treated it like a priceless treasure.
Magical Beast Crystal Cores were relatively easy to obtain, but the process of creating an Enchanted Weapon was incredibly complex. One small mistake could destroy both the Magic Beast Crystal Core and the sword. Consequently, every Enchanted Weapon was exorbitantly expensive. Even with the wealth of the General's Mansion, they couldn't afford such a luxurious weapon! The Enchanted Longsword his father possessed, for instance, had been seized from an enemy on the battlefield.
"Yisha, this... I can't accept it!" Ling Xiao hesitated before refusing. "It's too valuable, and it has a special meaning. I can't take it."
"Brother Ling Xiao..." Yisha looked at Ling Xiao, her eyes welling with tears as she pouted. "Are you looking down on me?"
"Uh... what are you talking about? Of course I'm not looking down on you. It's just that this sword is too precious! I really can't accept it. But don't worry. Even without an Enchanted Weapon, I won't lose to Wulan Tuo." Ling Xiao wasn't being arrogant; he was simply confident in his abilities. 'Not all of Shushan's Swordsmanship requires Inner Strength,' he thought. 'I might be a bit lacking compared to a Great Sword Master, but taking care of a Tier Nine Sword Attendant like Wulan Tuo should be easy enough.'
Yisha was still unhappy. This was the first time she had ever opened up to a boy like this, and Ling Xiao was acting as dense as a block of wood. Yisha's bright eyes blinked, and she suddenly smiled. "Then, Brother Ling Xiao, how about you just borrow it from me? Just for tomorrow. You can return it to me after the duel, okay?"
She had already put it that way. If Ling Xiao refused again, he would truly be hurting her feelings. He had no choice but to reach out and take the sword from her. A heavy weight settled in his hand, and he praised it in his heart: 'What a fine sword!'
"Its name is Crimson Flame," Yisha said, her gaze soft as she looked at the sword in Ling Xiao's hand. It was her favorite sword, one she had never even taken out at the academy before.
Ling Xiao pressed the catch. With a sound like a dragon's cry, SHING! a foot of the blade shot out from the scabbard. A wave of killing intent washed over him. Ling Xiao saw that the sword was covered in intricate patterns, so clear they looked like a leopard about to pounce from within the steel. The edge of the blade glinted coldly in the few spots of sunlight that hit it, looking incredibly sharp.
Although Ling Xiao's meridians were currently blocked, his perception was incredibly sharp. He could feel the surging, torrential fire-element power coming from the Crimson Flame Sword. He marveled inwardly: 'So this is the power of a Crystal Core! No wonder Adventurers go so crazy for them.' He then recalled that his friend Wang Chao had been injured fighting a Tier Four Red Flame Leopard. If a Tier Two Red Flame Leopard's Crystal Core was this powerful, what about a Tier Four? Ling Xiao's interest in Crystal Cores suddenly skyrocketed.
Ling Xiao praised it from the heart, "A fine sword! Exquisite craftsmanship!"
Seeing that Ling Xiao liked it, Yisha's face finally brightened with a smile. "This sword was personally forged by Master Ouyang Changchun, the master swordsmith of the Lanyue Empire!"
...
News that Ling Xiao, the disgrace of the Imperial Academy, was going to duel Young Master Wulan Tuo from the junior class spread through the campus as if it had grown wings. The first reaction of most people who heard was that Ling Xiao had been provoked into madness!
Thanks to the efforts of Wulan Tuo's lackeys, the reason for the duel also became common knowledge.
The rumor went like this: "After that waste Ling Xiao was dumped by Xie Xiaoyan, he actually started pestering Miss Isabella from the senior class. Fearing the power of the General's Mansion, Isabella was furious but didn't dare speak out. Young Master Wulan Tuo couldn't stand by and watch, so he tried to help her. But who would have thought that shameless waste Ling Xiao would then insult Young Master Wulan Tuo! For the sake of a nobleman's dignity and honor, Young Master Wulan Tuo has decided to have a fair fight with Ling Xiao, even offering to let him have the first three moves..."
With this, everyone believed they understood the full story. Tying it back to the previous incident of him "assaulting" his fiancée, it was now obvious that Miss Xie Xiaoyan had also been "insulted" by him because of his status! As a result, many students who had previously doubted Xie Xiaoyan began to waver, feeling they had wronged her. At the same time, their contempt for Ling Xiao grew even stronger. They all cursed him, hoping Young Master Wulan Tuo would beat his face to a pulp in the duel tomorrow.
...
「Back in the dorm room.」
Mary was still fuming. She sat on her bed, her face turned away, not saying a word.
Isabella had a gentle temperament, and in the years since enrolling, her friendship with Mary had become the closest she had. But today, Mary had mocked Ling Xiao right to her face. 'Brother Ling Xiao wouldn't stoop to her level, but it still makes me feel awful,' Yisha thought. 'He's clearly a good person, so why does everyone treat him like this? It's not fair!'
Still, seeing her friend's angry expression, she knew Mary was just trying to look out for her. Yisha decided to forgive Mary's rudeness and spoke up. "Mary, I know you mean well."
"Hmph... As long as you know!" Mary, in truth, was having trouble keeping her composure. She didn't have many friends at the academy either and had always considered the introverted, gentle Yisha her closest sister. "Yisha, you tell me. Besides his prominent background, what part of Ling Xiao can even compare to Young Master Wulan Tuo? The two of them, dueling... Ha, what a joke! I guarantee that tomorrow, Young Master Wulan Tuo will beat Ling Xiao's face to a pulp!"
Yisha's fine brows furrowed slightly. She knew it would be difficult to change her friend's opinion of Brother Ling Xiao in such a short time. She decided not to press the issue. 'Brother Ling Xiao is so exceptional,' she thought. 'He'll definitely be back on his feet soon enough!'
Her silence didn't mean Mary was going to let her off the hook. Mary leaned in close, stared into Yisha's eyes, and asked, "Yisha, what were you doing with him in the woods just now? Let me tell you, you absolutely cannot fall for that man. Otherwise, the gossip from the entire school will be enough to drown you!"
Mary didn't know Yisha had a Space Ring; she assumed Yisha and Ling Xiao had just been whispering sweet nothings to each other.
Yisha gave a faint smile, fell back onto her bed, and picked up a book, opening it to cover her face and hide the blush rising on her cheeks. "I'm tired," she said, her voice muffled. "I'm going to sleep."
Mary sighed. 'Yisha has really fallen for him,' she thought. 'I have to find a way to save my friend from this disaster!'