49: Sword Tomb Sword Enlightenment

In the distance, around the plaza, several maids who were sweeping froze in place.

The green-clad maid leading them crushed the broom in her hand with a crunch, the sound exceptionally crisp in the courtyard where everyone was meditating on the Sword Dao.

“Young Miss…,” another maid clutched a rag tightly, her voice trembling, “She actually held a man’s hand?”

“What?!”

Many Li Family Disciples, who had been meditating on the Sword Dao, abruptly opened their eyes and looked in the direction, their eyes widening in astonishment.

“How could we, Sword Cultivators, care about such matters of love and affection…” one person in the crowd said calmly, but then suddenly jumped up, “But if it’s the Young Miss, it’s different! Where is it? Where is it?”

“Is…is this still our Sword Cultivator Prodigy who brought frost to fourteen states with a single sword?” The Disciple mumbled after seeing it clearly, his voice soft but not escaping the ears of those present.

“Last year, Young Master Chu offered an Immortal Emperor weapon, and the Young Miss didn’t even give him a proper look. She even cut him down just for getting a few steps closer. Chu Qingyan had to come to mediate, but now she actually…”

The maid’s gaze was fixed on their intertwined hands, her voice growing softer and softer.

Although everyone’s discussions were quiet, there were so many of them!

In an instant, the entire Li Family seemed to freeze—

Whether it was the Disciples practicing the sword, the servants sweeping, or the Loose Cultivators comprehending Sword Intent, even the Spiritual Cranes perched on the eaves, all simultaneously looked towards the two figures with intertwined hands.

Their surprise was equivalent to Qin Wudao walking into the Qin Family with a smiling face, holding a woman’s hand.

Qin Wangchuan listened to the discussions behind him, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, his gaze warm as he looked at Li Qingluan: “You cut people down just for getting close, so unfeeling?”

“What else are they saying?” He tilted his head slightly, his voice softening, “It’s a bit far, I can’t hear clearly. Why don’t you…tell me?”

The young man’s warm voice carried a hint of a smile.

His original intention was to make this cool and aloof girl show some shyness, so she would let go of his hand.

Instead, Li Qingluan’s fingertips moved slightly, and instead of letting go, she gently tightened her grip.

“I can hear them clearly, of course.” Her voice was still cool and aloof, but with a hint of undetectable softness, “They said…” She paused, her voice tinged with a bit of shyness, becoming even softer: “I’ve never allowed a man to get this close.”

“They also said… I am… exceptionally different towards you.”

Although she had already acknowledged this fiancé, she only thought of him as a younger brother to raise, with no intentions of overstepping for now.

Hmm, for now.

Having his teasing backfire, Qin Wangchuan walked on with an expressionless face.

No giggling.

Li Qingluan saw Qin Wangchuan’s composed demeanor and suddenly let out a soft laugh.

The laughter was like an ice lake suddenly breaking, clear and pleasant to the ear, but it made everyone present gasp—the Li Family Young Miss’s laugh was even rarer than her sword.

“What’s wrong?” She tilted her head, the jade hairpin tassels in her hair swaying gently, her eyes holding a cunningness no outsider had ever seen, like an older sister teasing her younger brother: “Does the future Immortal Emperor of the Qin Family also get shy?”

“No.”

“We’ve arrived.” Qin Wangchuan stepped into the hall with an expressionless face.

If he had known that revealing her identity would also tear off that layer of cool and composed disguise, he would certainly not have spoken so easily.

After thinking for a moment, Qin Wangchuan’s steps paused slightly, and he finally reminded her in a low voice:

“The Great Dao should not be so narrow.”

“Our engagement is merely a matter of convenience. If you become obsessed with love and your cultivation falls behind mine, you might lose your status as my fiancée…”

Before Qin Wangchuan finished speaking, he suddenly felt a tightening around his wrist.

Li Qingluan’s five fingers gripped his arm like iron tongs, and she abruptly pulled him back from the hall.

The Sword Qi barrier at the hall entrance hummed and vibrated, agitated by her tug.

The distance between them suddenly shortened, close enough to see his reflection in her eyes.

Li Qingluan stepped forward again with a normal expression, but as her skirt brushed the bluestone slab, it left behind hair-thin cracks—these were left by the Sword Intent inadvertently overflowing from her body.

“The Great Dao is naturally vast.” Her voice was still cool and aloof, but her eyelashes trembled imperceptibly when she looked up, “However…”

The wind chimes on the eaves suddenly fell silent.

“When it comes to cultivation…” Li Qingluan suddenly turned her gaze to the side, her tone excessively calm, “I will not lose to you.”

Qin Wangchuan was stunned.

The seemingly calm and collected Li Family direct descendant in front of him now appeared strange in every way—

Her tightly pressed lips, her overly deliberate calmness, and the sword marks left where her skirt brushed all indicated the turmoil within her.

She was jealous?

(Like a cat whose fur is ruffled but tries to act aloof.)

Qin Wangchuan thought to himself.

A crisp “clink” came from afar—a Li Family Sword Cultivator stood frozen in place, only coming back to his senses when the sword in his hand dropped to the ground.

“Heavens…oh heavens…” His Adam’s apple bobbed, his pupils contracted violently, and his finger pointing towards the front of the hall trembled uncontrollably, “I must be experiencing Qi Deviation; I actually saw…”

Before he could finish, the person beside him clapped a hand over his mouth: “Keep your voice down! Do you want to be cut down by the Young Miss?!”

Meanwhile, on the high seat within the hall, the usually majestic Li Family Immortal Emperor, the celadon teacup in his hand silently turned to dust.

‘That old ghost of the Qin Family!’ His eye twitched, ‘How long has it been? Taking the person away is one thing, but he even stole her heart?!’

After some more entanglement.

The two entered the main hall, standing side by side, their sleeves overlapping so closely that there was almost no visible distance between them.

Li Heavenly Emperor’s gaze lingered for a moment on the subtle overlap of their sleeves, then he coughed lightly.

Qin Wangchuan’s fingertips moved slightly, but he felt a subtle resistance from his sleeve—

A wisp of Sword Qi was quietly entwining his cuff.

His earlier words seemed to have touched someone’s sensitive spot.

Even when facing the Immortal Emperor, she maintained perfect composure.

It was just that her seemingly casually draped wide sleeve was now as unmoving as if cast in iron, locking their distance within a perfectly intimate range.

—A Sword Cultivator’s stubbornness has always been this subtle.

“Very well.” Li Heavenly Emperor flicked his sleeve and turned, and the Spiritual Qi in the hall suddenly condensed into a light screen, “As per our previous agreement, you may enter the Sword Tomb to comprehend.”

He lightly tapped his fingertip, and the myriad Sword Tombs beneath the giant heavenly sword appeared in the light screen.

As the light screen flowed, faint, mournful sword cries could be heard.

“How long you can stay inside, and how much you gain, depends entirely on you.”