Chapter 2

"The third one."

Meng Fuyao stepped on the chest of the person beneath her and rested her elbows on her knees. Leaning forward slightly, she studied the object in her palm with great interest under the sunlight that seeped through the dark green leaves of the forest.

It was a black hexagonal talisman object. The pattern was simple and unadorned, and the material was neither gold nor jade. The corner on the bottom right was slightly larger than the rest and was polished to a sharper point. It looked like a bluish-black fang, shining eerily in the sunlight.

She gently stroked the protruding corner with her finger, revealing an indecipherable smile. She tossed the black talisman in her palm and whistled.

She raised her chin, drawing a beautiful arc in the golden sunlight, extending the exquisite lines of her entire face. On her spotlessly white forehead, two very elegant eyebrows spread out, making the pair of black eyes even more unrestrained and unrestrained, like the sharp edge of a famous sword waiting to be unsheathed.

"Hey, the Heavenly Fiend Dynasty's talisman! What luck! "

Meng Fuyao clapped her hands and casually stuffed the black talisman into her bosom. As she did so, a faint crisp sound of gold and jade colliding could be heard. There were already two similar talismans there, but they were slightly different in shape, each representing a different country.

Meng Fuyao listened carefully to the sound and raised her eyebrows with a smile.

Once she had gathered the talismans of the seven countries, she could …

"Fuyao!"

The sound of footsteps came from behind her. Meng Fuyao narrowed her eyes and flicked her finger to seal the acupoints of the person beneath her. Then, she kicked him into the bushes in front of her.

Then, she stood up straight and turned around. When she saw the person who had come, a smile appeared on her face. Her eyes were sparkling and bright, and she couldn't help but reveal some joy and concern.

"Jingchen."

The young man in green walked over. He was tall and handsome, with a bright complexion. His clothes and temperament showed that he came from a superior family. The smile on his face was warm and amiable, like a spring breeze.

He was the most outstanding disciple of the Mysterious Heaven Sword Sect, the son of a noble family from the Yan Capital, and the most adored by the female disciples in the sect.

"You're playing around in the back mountain again." Jingchen stood three feet away from Meng Fuyao, a gentle yet reproachful smile on his face. "You're not training properly, and you're going to be the last in tomorrow's competition. Does it feel good to be scolded?"

Meng Fuyao smiled nonchalantly and casually brushed her hair. "It's fine. I've been losing and losing, and I've gotten used to it."

She casually repeated the conversation between the two of them. She did not notice the conflict and hesitation in Jingchen's eyes, nor did she notice that his face had darkened after hearing her answer.

"Fuyao," Jingchen stared at her for a long time, and finally could not help but take a step forward. "Can't you put in more effort to learn martial arts? In the Five Continents, strength is everything. A person who can never improve in martial arts will find it difficult to walk the world in the future, and will be looked down upon everywhere. Have you … never thought about changing your current situation? "

He paused for a moment, then added, "Even if it's only for me?"

'Even if it's only for me?'

Meng Fuyao's heart skipped a beat. She raised her eyes and looked into Jingchen's eyes. The hesitation, uneasiness, and faint pain in his eyes made her heart ache. She recalled that the look of disappointment in Jingchen's eyes was becoming more and more common these days.

She opened her mouth, and almost instantly, she wanted to tell him the secret that she had been hiding deep in her heart.

She wanted to tell him that it wasn't that she couldn't learn martial arts. She wanted to tell him that the reason why she refused to practice the Xuanyuan internal technique was because it conflicted with the Cleaving Nine Heavens technique. She also wanted to tell him that with a little more time, he would one day be able to smile proudly for her, instead of being ridiculed and humiliated because of her. It would also damage his dignity and make him feel awkward.

But … she couldn't.

Her master's warning before they parted was still ringing in her ears. "You must never reveal your original martial arts in any sect."

She had made a solemn vow that she could not break.

Jingchen was loyal to his master and obsessed with martial arts. If she told him the truth, the Xuanyuan Gate Master would find out sooner or later.

Meng Fuyao took a deep breath and lifted her long eyelashes. Her eyes were clear and bright, reflecting the disappointment in Jingchen's eyes due to the long wait.

"Jingchen, I've tried my best …"

Yan Jingchen stared at her for a long time before he let out a long sigh. When he heard this answer, the nervousness and disappointment in his eyes faded away and was replaced by a sense of helplessness.

He suddenly changed the topic.

"A year from now, there will be a True Martial Arts Competition in Pandu, the capital of Tiansha City. It will gather all the nobles and martial artists from the seven nations to test them on martial arts, military strategy, and strategy. They will compete to be the top seven in the world. The winner will be able to control the martial arts of their respective nations. Master said that Junior Pei Yuan and I will be representing the Xuanyuan Sword Sect. Tomorrow, I will rush back to my family to prepare for the competition."

His tone was indifferent as he spoke. The setting sun behind him shone through the leaves of the trees and onto Yan Jingchen's body, making him look mottled and distant. His expression was blurry.

Meng Fuyao's heart skipped a beat. She forced a smile and said, "The two of you are the most outstanding disciples in the Xuanyuan Sword Sect. The Emperor of the Taiyuan Kingdom has bestowed upon you the title of 'Pearl and Jade Twin Swords'. Who else would the Xuanyuan Sword Sect send if not the two of you?"

Jingchen looked at her deeply. His tone sounded a little strange. "Fuyao, I actually hope that the title of 'Pearl and Jade Twin Swords' refers to me and you."

Meng Fuyao forced a smile.

How could she not hope for that? No matter how magnanimous a woman was, she would not be willing for the person she liked to be mentioned in the same breath as another woman. She would not want to be seen as a perfect match.

The sun set quickly. The sky that had been filled with a brilliant purple and red glow a moment ago was reduced to a thin layer of red in the blink of an eye. Passing through the deep green leaves, Jingchen, who had been standing three feet away, looked a little illusory.

An inexplicable panic suddenly welled up in Meng Fuyao's heart. Her pulse began to race. The intense uneasiness made her feel that there were some things she had to say now. If she didn't … she might not have the chance to say them again.

"Jingchen, I have something to tell you …"