"I understand." Nan Wuyue paused before breaking into a wry grin. "Shizun, if that's the case, may this disciple go all out?"

Mo Yixuan nodded. "You must."

Nan Wuyue's grin widened. "As my master commands."

The next second, he charged again.

Years of hopes, extinguished. Decades of effort, wasted. Resentment as deep as the seas, hungering for a chance at payback. Whatever Mo Yixuan was offering, Nan Wuyue didn't care. All he knew was that his master had given him clear permission to attack, and he was going to wring that advantage for all it was worth.

Today, he was going to draw blood!

Mo Yixuan's brow wrinkled as Nan Wuyue's speed abruptly doubled. He managed to evade the boy, but it didn't stop him from charging him again and again.

He's going to use up all his energy at this rate, Mo Yixuan thought irritably. This isn't some endurance contest!

But gradually, he realized he'd been mistaken. Each time, Nan Wuyue grew a little faster. Each try, he came a little closer. The third charge, his hair even brushed against Mo Yixuan's robes as the latter flickered out of the way. Rather than running out of steam, the boy seemed to be unwrapping layer after layer of potential to show him his true skills.

With the fourth attack, Mo Yixuan swerved to the left before missing an incoming dagger by centimeters. Somehow, Nan Wuyue had anticipated his movements and met him in the other direction!

"There's no need for shizun to hold back against me," Nan Wuyue skipped back a few steps while holding his blade. "Rest assured this disciple will forgo the handicap!"

Cocky, was Mo Yixuan's only thought before he chopped at a bamboo stalk behind him with one hand. A section of it broke off, which he soon approximated as a short staff. "Then come!"

—

Two figures clashed fitfully in the air, their battle rattling the bamboo groves beneath them. Each time their weapons met, there was a dull sound of impact—Nan Wuyue wasn't interested in releasing his stored powers on a stick, while Mo Yixuan had fortified the bamboo with a thin layer of qi to resist his disciple's dagger. At first their fight was merely physical and relied on speed, but Nan Wuyue soon began to send energy blasts his master's way.

For Mo Yixuan, the entire thing was a fresh exercise in aerial combat and evasion tactics. He discovered that this body was naturally suited for battle, with his instincts covering much of the ignorance he had from the present day. Of course, that didn't mean much when he was merely fighting against his weak disciple, but it was heartening to see that he wouldn't be completely useless when it came time for combat.

Perhaps he could arrange to train with Ouyang Che after this.

For Nan Wuyue, it was a test of concentration and maneuverability. He had only fought his master after his cultivation improved in the future, so now it was akin to dragging around a crippled body to face off against an expert. Moving took effort for his still recuperating meridians, but it wasn't impossible. Oddly enough, his master was even underperforming to his usual standards, but maybe this was Mo Yixuan's way of toying with him.

And after I told him no handicap! As expected, he only does what he wants!

The end result was a harmonious clash between master and disciple, with the latter approving of the former's efforts while the boy strained to land a fatal blow. Nan Wuyue finally found his chance when their fight ended with Mo Yixuan's back to the hot springs. He gathered up his qi and fired a massive blast at his master—who naturally dodged—allowing the attack to hit the pool behind him.

A massive explosion of water soared into the skies, and Mo Yixuan instinctively raised a sleeve to cover his face. The same instant, Nan Wuyue put on another burst of qi-infused speed and tackled his master around the waist, sending them plummeting over the edge.

Splash!

Mo Yixuan's eyes flew open as they fell into the water together. The blast of heat and bubbles momentarily blinded his vision as his bamboo stick was stripped from his hands, its natural buoyancy giving it a clear escape to the water's surface. As the haze cleared, he caught sight of Nan Wuyue's face.

The boy was holding his breath, but the killer intent in his eyes was unmistakable. Water sent his long dark hair billowing about him like a silken screen, framing that sharp and stubborn face. Yet drawn by his instincts screaming danger, Mo Yixuan's eyes soon flickered to the dagger in his disciple's hand which was heading towards his heart.

In slow motion, he watched as the blade pierced through his robes and stabbed into his flesh, sending up a sudden bloom of red in the water. The next second, a chilly sensation entered his chest, and he could have sworn the dagger turned black—but it was only for an instant.

Immediately after, his instincts kicked in as he grabbed Nan Wuyue's arm and wrenched the dagger out. Then he hauled them both upright, above and out of the spring. Water flowed off them in streams as the two of them rose right into the air, supported by Mo Yixuan's flying skills.

Nan Wuyue coughed a few times, but didn't struggle. His eyes were fixated on the bleeding gash in his master's chest now staining his robes red. He even raised the dagger to strike again, but Mo Yixuan quickly knocked it out of his fingers until it plopped into the spring below.

The uncomfortable chill in his chest was fading away, to be replaced by a more present sensation of pain. As Mo Yixuan continued to stare at his disciple in silence, Nan Wuyue suddenly lifted his head. Their eyes met, and his disciple's lips quirked into a smirk.

"Shizun, I got you."

"Mm," Mo Yixuan acknowledged with a small frown. Much to his frustration, he hadn't managed to dodge that last blow in time. However, the injury hurt far less than he expected.

"Is it a deep wound?" Nan Wuyue asked next, and then moved to pull open Mo Yixuan's robes without asking for permission.

Startled by his disciple's bold advances, Mo Yixuan could only follow the boy's gaze to his chest, where a vertical slit from the recent dagger wound stood out in stark relief against his pale skin. Yet before their eyes, the injury was already closing up and soon healed into flawless skin. If it wasn't for the bloodstains and lingering throbs of pain, Mo Yixuan might have doubted he was stabbed at all.

He was pleasantly surprised to find his healing abilities so strong.

Nan Wuyue was equally disappointed to see these results. In his mind, Mo Yixuan had gotten stabbed on purpose just so he could show off how far apart the two really were! Even with his qi strengthened dagger, he was nothing in his master's eyes.

Still, his smirk didn't leave his face. The tendril of qi he'd bonded with the dagger was a special mix of pure spiritual qi. It didn't have a solid form in this time and was thus untraceable to anyone but himself. By now it should've entered his master's body, small and unnoticed, through one of his most vulnerable areas. From this, he could begin to extend his puppet strings...

"Shizun," Nan Wuyue suddenly spoke up. "I like this form of training. We should do it more often."

"Mm, approved."Mo Yixuan replied offhandedly. He actually looks pleased. Maybe this could help him overcome his masochistic tendencies one day?

"Did shizun let me stab you by choice?" Nan Wuyue went on.

You think I'm crazy enough to do that? Mo Yixuan's expression couldn't help turning incredulous. If he wanted to be stabbed, he'd do it himself!

Nan Wuyue read it as disdain and managed a chuckle. "I see, then next time I'll make sure shizun doesn't need to slow down for my sake."

Mo Yixuan opened his mouth to explain before discarding the idea. He couldn't very well let Nan Wuyue know he'd only been slow because he wasn't completely used to this body yet. Instead he said, "Your attitude is good."

"Of course, because shizun's personally helping me improve," Nan Wuyue managed with a wry smile.

Now that I've finally figured out your motives, I'll certainly have more motivation to get stronger.

Mo Yixuan wrinkled his brows, sensing something off about Nan Wuyue's tone. But he didn't have time to speak before they were interrupted.

A small paper crane had flitted into his sights with an impatient air. Before Mo Yixuan could process the item, it flapped its wings and demanded in a lofty voice, "Peak Lord Mo, come to the sect leader's hall immediately!"