Chapter 15: I Am Very Benevolent

Shen Qingxue stood up to leave, but after taking two steps, she suddenly paused, looking down at her sweat-drenched, dust-caked disciple robes. Her brows knitted in slight embarrassment. "Only... Master, I don’t have any spare clothes to change into once I finish."

"Right, you only brought the clothes on your back." I tapped my chin, looking at her. "Don’t worry about it. I’ll take a quick trip over to my Senior Sister’s residence and borrow a couple of clean robes for you."

Shen Qingxue’s eyes widened slightly in panic, and she quickly waved her hands in refusal. "N-No, Master! How could I dare trouble the Sect Master for clothes? I can just wash these out and wear them once they dry—."

"Nonsense." I waved my hand dismissively, cutting her off with a chuckle. "My disciple isn’t going to sit around in damp rags. Besides, I need to see Senior Sister anyway to sort out some sect matters. Just go take your bath and relax."

Seeing my firm tone, Qingxue couldn’t refuse any longer. A warm, bashful blush colored her cheeks as she bowed respectfully. "Then... Qingxue will await Master’s return."

She turned and slipped into the bathing chamber, sliding the wooden door shut behind her.

With her settled, I walked to the edge of the courtyard terrace and whistled softly. With a sharp, metallic chime, my green flying sword shot from its scabbard and hovered steadily a few inches above the stone tiles. I stepped onto the blade, circulated my newly amplified Late-Stage Golden Core energy, and rocketed into the evening sky.

The wind roared against my sleeves as I shot toward the center of the mountain range, heading straight for the tallest and most imposing summit in the entire Mystic Cloud Sect: Heavenly Sovereign Peak.

This was where the Sect Master resided. Unlike my quiet, overgrown Lonely Cloud Peak, Heavenly Sovereign Peak was bustling with activity. Grand pavilions perched on misty precipices, patrols of uniformed inner disciples walked across the jade bridges, and dozens of administrative deacons were busy managing sect ledgers, dispatching mission tablets, and overseeing the security formations.

I ignored all of them, descending straight toward the secluded private mansion perched at the very summit, where Wan’er lived.

Touching down on the wide, white-jade courtyard in front of the main residence, I heard the crisp, rhythmic clash of steel.

Over by the spirit-flower garden, two figures were locked in a swift, coordinated sword spar. One was a young man around twenty, wielding a broad longsword with sharp, precise movements. The other was a young woman with her hair tied in a high ponytail, her twin short swords weaving through the air like silver serpents.

They were Su Wan’er’s personal disciples, talented inner sect seeds she had taken under her wing a few years ago.

The moment my boots clicked against the stone tiles, both of them halted their blades mid-strike. Turning their heads and recognizing me, their eyes flashed with immediate respect. Sheathing their weapons, they hurried over and offered formal, deep bows.

"Disciple Chen Feng pays respects to Martial Uncle Lu!"

"Disciple Liu Mei pays respects to Martial Uncle Lu!"

"At ease, at ease," I said with a casual wave of my sleeve as I walked toward them. "What are you two practicing so vigorously at this hour?"

Chen Feng straightened up, scratching the back of his head with a wry smile. "Reporting to Martial Uncle, we were practicing the third stance of the Flowing Cloud Sword Art. But no matter how many times we cycle our qi, our footwork feels disjointed from the blade strike, and we keep missing the vital opening."

"Show me the sequence again," I said, clasping my hands behind my back. "Go through it slowly. I’ll give you a few pointers."

Their eyes lit up with uncontainable joy.

Even though everyone in the sect knew I was notoriously lazy and loved to avoid work, the inner circle also knew that I possessed decades of deep, foundational knowledge. Whenever I felt generous enough to offer guidance, my advice was always frighteningly sharp and practical.

"Yes! Thank you, Martial Uncle!" Liu Mei beamed as she eagerly stepped back into position.

The two of them took their stances and began executing the sword sequence once more. Chen Feng lunged forward with a sweeping diagonal cut, while Liu Mei flanked to his left, her twin blades thrusting toward an imaginary foe’s ribs.

Watching their movements, my mind suddenly clicked in a way it never had before.

In the past, analyzing techniques required intense focus and deliberate calculation on my part. But right now, the entire sequence unfolded before my eyes with crystalline clarity. I could see the exact second Chen Feng’s balance faltered, the precise meridian where Liu Mei’s qi became choked, and the subtle flaw in their footwork that leaked seventy percent of their blade force. It was as if their technique had been stripped down to its barest bones and laid out for me to read like a child’s primer.

Is this... because of my newly acquired Heaven-Grade Spiritual Root?

I marveled inwardly at the realization. A

Heaven-Grade root didn’t just passively absorb heaven-and-earth energy like a sponge; it drastically elevated a cultivator’s spiritual perception, awareness, and comprehension of the Martial Dao. What used to look like a tangled knot now appeared as simple as untying a loose string.

"Chen Feng, your right elbow is sinking two inches too low during the turn," I called out calmly, stepping forward and tapping his arm with two fingers. "You’re trying to muscle through the cut with raw shoulder strength, which breaks your link with your dantian. Drop your hips, let the power rise from your rear heel through your waist, and release the strike on the exhale."

I turned toward Liu Mei. "And you, your twin swords are drifting apart because your breathing is rushed. Do not treat them as two separate weapons. When your left hand thrusts, your right hand must coil like a sleeping viper, protecting your blind spot. Shift your weight to your front toes and step half a pace wider."

Both disciples froze for a split second, processing my words before adjusting their stances exactly as instructed.