An entire night was spent in a discussion on the Dao. Autumn Leaf and the others didn’t dare disturb them. But by nightfall the second day, as the sun was about to disappear…
“What?! The two of you are still here?!” A silver-robed Luo Qing walked past, staring at them and shouting. As she did, Ning and Ninelotus instantly ‘woke up’. They immediately realized that a night and a day had passed.
“This junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning truly is brimming with talented. Although this Waterflame Lotus technique of his isn’t that profound, he’s gained so many insights from it.” Ninelotus began to feel even more admiring of him now. She had joined the Black-White College a long time ago, but as soon as Ning had joined, he had debated many senior fellow disciples in the Dao Debates. If she had engaged in a Dao Debate with Ning back then, she definitely would’ve been defeated.
Back then, Ninelotus had begun to admire Ji Ning. Now that she saw that Ning had so many insights into the lotus, which she herself specialized in, she grew all the more admiring.
“Senior apprentice-sister Ninelotus has truly treated me well. She’s told me so many secrets.” Ning felt secretly grateful; after all, these techniques were not to be casually taught to others. Although she wasn’t explicit about them, the pointers that she gave caused Ning to instantly comprehend. If it hadn’t been for her guidance, he probably would’ve needed a much, much longer period of time to understand some of the things he had learned today.
“Junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning, we’ve discussed the Dao for very long, and I’ve benefited greatly from it. I’m going to go back and meditate,” Ninelotus said, rising to her feet. As she did, she took the nearby Luo Qing’s hand and walked together to their residences.
Ning watched as Ninelotus left. Thinking back to the night and day they had spent discussing the Dao, he couldn’t help but feel a strange feeling in his heart. He felt as though…he and Ninelotus were quite suited for each other.
“Eh?” Ning turned his head. The lotus of sword-ki which he had generated previously was still active. As for Ji Mo, who was within the lotus, his face was pale, and his eyes were completely bloodshot. Clearly, he had been striving an entire day and night to break the formation, and he was utterly exhausted.
“…I ended up making Ji Mo spend an entire day and night here.” Ning willed the lotus to dissipate.
Whoosh. The lotus of sword-ki instantly disappeared into thin air.
“Petals? Petals?!” Ji Mo hurriedly stared around him, his eyes terrifyingly bloodshot.
“Ji Mo.” Ning felt guilty, but he still called out in a high voice, “You’ve spent an entire day and night on breaking through this formaton; it seems you are rather tired. Go back and get some rest. Tomorrow, you may come back again and once more attempt to break this lotus sword-ki formation.”
After speaking, Ning turned and left. Ji Mo stared, stunned, for a moment, then began to worry. “I spent an entire day and night here without being able to break through the sword-ki lotus…did this cause young master Ji Ning to feel angry with me?”
Time flowed on.
Ninelotus and Ning both gained significantly from their discussions on the Dao; naturally, they were quite delighted to continue. Every three or five days, they would engage in a discussion on the Dao. In the blink of an eye, more than three months had passed in leisure.
Within a private, secluded room within Brightheart Island. This was Luo Qing and Ninelotus’ room. Luo Qing and Ninelotus were currently seated next to a black stone table which was as smooth as jade. Atop the table was fruit and wine.
“Senior apprentice-sister,” Luo Qing said, “We’ve spent three months here. Isn’t it time to leave? We came out to go adventuring, but the only place we’ve gone to is this place, Serpentwing Lake. We haven’t gone anywhere else.”
“No rush,” Ninelotus said. “Let’s spend a few more days here. During the past three months, my lotus techniques have improved considerably, even more so than in the past three years. Junior apprentice-brother Ji Ning truly is formidable; he always has so many new and original insights.”
“We still aren’t leaving?” Luo Qing stared, then gave Ninelotus a weighing glance. She stared carefully at Ninelotus, as though trying to find any warts or blemishes on her face.
“What are you looking at? Why are you staring at me like that?” Ninelotus frowned slightly.
“Senior apprentice-sister, I wonder…have you taken a fancy to Ji Ning, and wish for him to be your Dao-Companion?” Luo Qing asked the question directly.
Ninelotus was stunned. Despite always being so composed, she suddenly felt rather embarrassed.