บท 20: The Sword Saint [Pt 2]

Liu's muscles pulsated as he watched the woman's gentle expression transform into a slight glare. He felt a pang in his heart and almost regretted saying anything. But how could he have kept silent? This was undoubtedly a beauty standing before him.

"How could you tell?" Her calm voice tickled his ears, lacking any hint of malice. Nevertheless, Liu still felt uneasy. It seemed he wasn't being given much of a choice in the matter.

As the answer to her question was so obvious, lying or staying silent would have been even sillier. "You... look like a woman," he said, gesturing towards her cute, round face, porcelain skin, and accentuated curves. It was plain for anyone to see.

"Ah, I see. You are indeed quite peculiar." As abruptly as the glare had appeared, it vanished without leaving a trace. In its place, a natural smile bloomed on her lips, causing Liu's heart to skip a beat.

Still, Liu remained confused. Wasn't she a woman? What was so peculiar about his response? Now that he thought about it, he recalled Yisheng and Cu Ren addressing the Sect Leader as a male. What was going on?

"I am indeed a woman. However, no one here knows this. Using advanced Spirit Arts, I have disguised myself as a man for centuries. Sometimes I forget which one I am." She gave a soft smile. "You're the first to figure it out."

Liu stared blankly at her, not knowing what to make of everything she had just revealed.

'Centuries? She doesn't look any older than twenty-five!'

Not only that, but she mentioned Spirit Arts. According to what he knew about this world, Spirit Arts belonged to the North Continent, while Martial Arts were more prevalent in the East.

'Are we in the North?' He thought to himself.

In any case, the woman before him didn't seem to be lying. Plus, it really did seem like everyone accorded her the respect of someone worthy of her title. She really was the Sword Saint.

'This Sect… no wonder it feels weird. Is this what Spirit Art is about?'

From the little he heard from stories and murmurs around, he had deciphered a little about how this world operated.

The strong stood tall, while the weak were trampled upon. However, what made these people strong? It wasn't advancement in technology or science.

No… it was Arts.

Arts were special techniques that seemed almost Magical and highly improbable, but Liu knew better than to doubt their existence. He had seen many strange things in his old life, and his Reincarnation was yet another proof that the supernatural existed.

Arts were divided into three.

Martial Arts for Warriors.

Spirit Arts for Spiritualists/Shamans

Beast Arts for Tamers.

These three had various uses and functions, and they were also prevalent in distinct parts of the world. He didn't think he could completely count on words of people, but they knew how this world operated better than he did.

He didn't have a reason to completely doubt them.

"You seem to have a lot on your mind. Questions, I presume." The Sword Saint snapped Liu from his inner thoughts, causing him to finally pay attention to her.

Liu couldn't believe his eyes. Her face was so close to his, he could feel her breath on his skin. He was completely caught off guard and his head jerked backwards, leaving him in a flustered mess.

"Uwahh!" he exclaimed, his cheeks ablaze with pink. His eyes were wide with shock and his heart was beating a mile a minute. He couldn't believe he had let himself get so distracted.

"Damn it! How could I have zoned out like that?" Liu thought to himself. He was beyond embarrassed.

The Sword Saint noticed Liu's discomfort and let out a light chuckle. "Ufufu... I didn't mean to fluster you. My apologies." Despite her apology, Liu felt like he was in an awkward position.

But he knew that she was the woman who had saved his life, and he couldn't help but feel drawn to her power and ability. He knew that he needed to make a good impression and get on her good side.

So, he decided to take her up on her offer to answer any questions he might have. "Um... how old are you? How come you look so young?" he blurted out without realizing it.

The Sword Saint smiled. "Well, it's not polite to ask a lady her age, you know," she said teasingly. "But I'll let you in on a little secret - I'm pretty young compared to other Practitioners of my level."

Liu nodded, remembering the myths and tales he had heard about Practitioners. It was said that they could live for hundreds of years and achieve true immortality after attaining a height of Enlightenment.

The idea seemed absurd, but what if it were true? The mere thought of speaking with someone so powerful made his body stiffen.

The Sword Saint noticed his discomfort and flashed a sweet smile, assuring him that there was nothing to fear. Her words were soothing, yet he couldn't shake off the unsettling feeling that lingered within him. If it weren't for the rumors he'd heard about her, he wouldn't have thought she was capable of harming anyone.

He mustered up the courage to voice his doubts. "That's not what I've heard about Sects," he said, staring at her warily. "This is a Sect, isn't it?"

There was a moment of silence as the two sat opposite each other, eyes locked in a tense stare. The Sword Saint broke the quiet, confirming his suspicion. "You're right. This is indeed a Sect. However, you are confusing the practices of the perverse Sects with the true aim that every Sect should strive for."

He listened carefully as she explained the purpose of a Sect, her words pure and genuine. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "A Sect exists for the purpose of its members. The children within it shouldn't be groomed for the sake of the Sect. Rather, the Sect should be groomed for the sake of the children."

Her words struck a chord within him. He was taken aback by her sincerity and honesty. "That is the purpose of this Sect, Liu. It is to help you." She spoke his name, and he felt a chill run down his spine. How did she know his name?

His heart raced as he stepped back, putting some distance between him and the Sword Saint. She looked so harmless and beautiful, but he could sense that something was off. "You...how do you know my name?" he stammered, his body quivering with fear.