Second Time

Chapter 4 - Settling In

Shao Yue and Ren Meili stood a few meters apart in the courtyard, facing each other. Shao Yue wanted to know about Ren Meili's potential, so even though she could end the fight in an instant, she merely observed.

Ren Meili dashed in with impressive speed. Her hand chopped down, a silver glow enveloping it and tracing a crescent moon as it sliced through the space where Shao Yue had been standing without a sound.

One of the martial techniques covered in the manuals was the Storm's Eye Step. It focused on circular movement. When mastered, the practitioner could relocate to anywhere around their opponent in an instant. Shao Yue used it to move to Ren Meili's right side and avoid the attack.

"That attack wasn't bad," Shao Yue observed. "But, you didn't use any spiritual energy."

Ren Meili had held back, not wanting to injure Shao Yue. She hadn't expected the small girl to be able to dodge her quickest attack. "It seems I underestimated you."

"Yes."

Ren Meili's next attack followed a horizontal trajectory, covering a hundred and eighty degrees in front of her. Shao Yue's figure blurred and moved to Ren Meili's back. Quills formed from qi started to grow from Ren Meili's skin, exploding out in all directions a moment later.

Shao Yue smiled. Of course, to counter the Storm's Eye Step, one only needed to attack in all directions at once. She clapped her hands together, condensed qi between her palms, then thrust them out to either side. A sound like rushing wind surrounded her, the oncoming quills redirecting to the left and right.

Wind Splitting Seal, a defensive technique from the manuals. Though it could be used against weapon strikes, it excelled when facing projectiles.

"Silver Quill Hedgehog, a grade three Spirit," Shao Yue announced. "You found a good thing."

Ren Meili's eyes widened. "You can tell that from a single attack?"

"There are only so many Spirits with a metal aspect, and only one of those has quills," Shao Yue explained. "So far, I'm impressed. Keep showing me your abilities!"

They exchanged another dozen moves. Despite her knowledge and skill, Shao Yue's current cultivation wouldn't allow her to receive a hit from a Sixth Stage Resonant. She deflected or avoided every attack.

As much as Shao Yue wanted to continue examining her future disciple's aptitude, she didn't have the qi reserves required for an extended fight. Her body was also weak, her breathing laboured from the exercise as sweat beaded over her youthful skin. Her muscles felt as if a hundred needles had been stabbed into each of them.

Shao Yue began her counterattack slowly at first, giving Ren Meili a chance to display some movement and defensive techniques.

Shao Yue didn't use the offensive technique she'd learned earlier. She didn't want to actually injure her opponent, so she only attacked with primitive, free-form strikes.

With her profound understanding of the Martial Dao, even such casual moves could match actual techniques. After taking three of them, Ren Meili fell to a knee, one hand grasping her stomach.

"It's my loss," she said, panting.

"You fought well." Shao Yue frowned at her own sweaty appearance. "Prepare a bath and let's talk some more after."

"Yes, Master."

The unwillingness that had previously been clearly visible in Ren Meili's words had vanished. She now recognized Shao Yue as being above her. Most of her complaints no longer existed.