"The third one."
Meng Fuyao stepped on the chest of the person beneath her. She rested her elbows on her knees and leaned 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 with a simple and unadorned design. It was made of neither gold nor jade, and its lower right corner was slightly larger than the rest. It was polished to the point of sharpness, resembling a dark green fang that shone eerily in the sunlight.
Meng Fuyao's fingers gently stroked the protruding corner. She revealed an indecipherable smile, 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.
"Heh, the Heavenly Fiend Dynasty's passage 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 of slightly different shapes, each representing a different country.
Meng Fuyao listened carefully to the sound and raised her eyebrows with a smile.
Once she gathered all the seven countries' passage talismans, 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. She then 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, making one feel as if they were bathed in a spring breeze.
He was the most outstanding disciple of the Mysterious Heaven Sword Sect, a noble young master from a powerful family in Beijing, and the most admired female disciples in the sect, Yan Jingchen.
"You're playing around in the back mountain again," Yan Jingchen said, standing three feet away from her. His lips curled into a gentle yet reproachful smile. "You're not training properly, and you're going to be the last in tomorrow's martial arts competition. Does it feel good to be scolded?"
She smiled nonchalantly and brushed her hair casually. "It's fine. I've been losing for so long. I'm used to it."
She casually repeated their usual answers and did not notice the conflict and hesitation in Yan Jingchen's eyes. She also did not notice that Yan Jingchen's face darkened after hearing her answer.
"Fu Yao," Yan Jingchen stared at her for a long time. Finally, he could not help but take a step forward and said in a low voice, "Can't you put in more effort to learn martial arts? In our Five Continents, strength is everything. A person who has never made any progress in martial arts will find it difficult to walk the world in the future. He will be looked down upon everywhere. You … have you never thought of changing your current situation? "
After a pause, he added, "Even if it's just for me?"
'Even if it's just for me?'
Her heart skipped a beat. She raised her eyes and looked into Yan Jingchen's eyes. The hesitation, uneasiness, and the faint pain in his eyes made her heart ache. She recalled that the look of disappointment in his eyes had become more and more common recently.
She opened her mouth. In that instant, she wanted to tell him the secret she had hidden deep in her heart.
She wanted to tell him that it was not that she could not learn martial arts well. She wanted to tell him that the reason 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 be able to smile proudly for her. She would not be humiliated because of her. It would also damage his dignity and make him feel awkward.
But … she could not.
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 heavy 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.
She 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 …"
Jingchen stared at her for a long time before letting out a long sigh. Upon hearing her answer, the nervousness and disappointment in his eyes faded, replaced by a sense of helplessness.
He suddenly changed the topic.
"A year from now, the True Martial Arts Conference will be held in the capital city of Tiansha, Pandu. 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 for the top seven positions in the world. The winner will be able to control all martial arts. Master has said that the Xuanyuan Sword Sect will be represented by me and Junior Sister Pei Yuan. 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 sect. The Taiyuan Kingdom King has given 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 strange. "Fuyao, I actually hope that the title of 'Pearl and Jade Twin Swords' refers to you and me."
Her smile became even more forced.
How could she not hope for that? No matter how magnanimous a woman was, she would not want the person she liked to be mentioned in the same breath as another woman. She would not want everyone to think that he was a perfect match.
The sun set very quickly. The sky that was previously filled with deep purple and bright red was now only left with a thin layer of red in the blink of an eye. Through the deep green leaves, the silhouette of Yan Jingchen, who had been standing three feet away, seemed a little illusory.
An inexplicable panic suddenly welled up in 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 …"
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