Chapter 132: Weak Forehand, Unskilled Backhand
In theory, as long as Yellow Hair solves Old Ascender, then this matter is basically settled.
Moreover, there is no such thing as a dowry over the Four Continents.
So Zhang Ze felt invincible.
But after invincibility, enemies from beyond the skies inevitably appear, and in this case, the enemy happened to be Chen Qin's mother.
Aunt Mo is a very gentle person.
Except when she wields a sword and acts as a teacher.
Zhang Ze learned this the hard way, starting with a casual question Ms. Mo asked him after a family banquet.
Ms. Mo asked a very simple question, one that every Sword Sect disciple should answer instantly.
"Which move should be used to start the Seven Celestial Swords when encountering an enemy?"
The Seven Celestial Swords is the swordsmanship taught to Foundation Establishment Stage disciples of the Sword Sect and is a compulsory course in the Sword Sect curriculum.
But the problem is, Zhang Ze barely attended any classes, and his Sword Manual looked brand new.
So he didn't know the correct answer.
And Zhang Ze's own answer was a bit too creative.
His answer was to randomly select a move to catch the enemy's attention.
Then have Li set traps on the enemy's only path.
After the enemy falls into the trap, use Talismans to cut off their escape routes and throw in twenty Thousand Mechanism Thunders.
If the enemy isn't dead, throw the Profound Identification Treasure Mirror at them, and when they're left with one last breath, slash them with a Sword Qi as a finishing blow.
But obviously, this was an answer he couldn't voice.
Speaking it might result in immediate expulsion from the sect.
So Zhang Ze began to stammer, trying hard to recall knowledge he'd never heard before.
Fortunately, Junior Sister, feeling sorry for her brother, gave Zhang Ze a hint using hand gestures.
With this little cheat, Zhang Ze pretended to ponder for a moment before answering.
"The fourth sword, Clear Water Lotus."
Although he hadn't attended the classes or flipped through the book, Zhang Ze remembered Qiao Lezhi mentioning the names of each move from these seven swords to him once.
However, Zhang Ze forgot one thing: never trust an answer copied from the very last in rank.
Upon hearing her senior brother's answer, Chen Qin closed her eyes in despair.
"The fourth sword is called Sword Slash the Firmament." Aunt Mo furrowed her elegant brows.
"Do you remember the remaining six swords?" she continued to ask.
"Heroes Gathering, Eight Treasures Lotus Root, Tiger-skin Cyan Dragon..." Zhang Ze trailed off because even the Sect Leader began to sigh.
In the following questions, Zhang Ze couldn't answer a single one, and Aunt Mo's expression grew increasingly stern.
In a daze, Zhang Ze seemed to be taken back.
Back to the time in middle school when the language teacher made him recite "Lisao" at random.
He just couldn't memorize it.
Perhaps thinking there was no need to continue the examination, the Sect Leader smoothed things over.
"It's alright if you forget, as long as the sword is in your heart."
Zhang Ze couldn't help but think that, as expected of the Sect Leader, he really knew how to speak grandly.
"Yes, yes, my senior brother is indeed formidable in a fight."
Junior Sister chimed in on the side to support Zhang Ze, but Ms. Mo, who had now turned into a head teacher, wasn't buying it.
"Practice."
The two words were concise and to the point.
Outside the pavilion, Zhang Ze stood firm in the plaza holding an ordinary Spirit Sword as Ms. Mo stood with hands behind her back, facing him.
Normally, in this sort of senior guiding junior scenario, the junior would make the first move, while the senior stood as immovable as a mountain, easily deflecting all the junior's attacks and then offering some feedback.
But Ms. Mo is not ordinary; when she said "practice," she really meant practice.
Although she didn't move, the Sword Qi moved.
Before Zhang Ze could react, streams of Sword Qi came slashing at him, each aimed at his vital points, dissipating instantly upon brushing his skin.
Each strike carried Foundation Establishment Stage power, with exquisite swordsmanship, seamlessly continuous.
Zhang Ze dodged, pivoted, and struggled with all his might to block, like a small boat struggling to stay afloat in a storm.
And yet, he didn't block a single strike.
"Your reverse hand lacks strength, your forward hand is unskilled, your footwork is loose, and your reactions are sluggish; not a single movement is decent."
"How did Li Guanqi teach you?"
The last few streams of Sword Qi hit Zhang Ze, sending him flying.
Though Zhang Ze landed without external injuries, he felt all his bones ache as if Aunt Mo really got angry and gave him two solid strikes at the end.
In Mo Jingchun's perspective, a teacher should always be concerned with the student's progress; the student mustn't slack, nor should the teacher.
So in Mo Jingchun's eyes, while Zhang Ze's academic failure was ninety percent his own fault, the main responsibility still lay with Li Guanqi.
"Li Guanqi's thirty years of salary have vanished." Aunt Mo has no regard for past college friendships.
Apparently, when they penalize money, it starts at thirty years.
"Tomorrow, I'll teach you personally! If you don't learn, you'll stay on this mountain for the rest of your life!"
As Aunt Mo dropped this line, Li Guanqi, who was visiting Dragon Tiger Mountain and chatting with old friends, suddenly shivered.
The Purple-robed Heavenly Master opposite asked, "What's the matter?"
Old Li waved it off, "It's nothing, just feeling a bit uneasy."
The idle Purple-robed Heavenly Master casually read Li Guanqi's fortune.
"Old friend, you're inviting disaster; it's a financial calamity."
"Have you offended someone?"
Hearing this, Li Guanqi paused for a moment before immediately thinking of his unlucky disciple.
Though he had no evidence, his intuition told him so.
"I've told him to stay at home nicely, how could he still cause trouble for me?"
Li Guanqi's head began to ache again.
He rubbed his temples, trying to comfort himself that Zhang Ze might have just broken something again, likely not worth much.
He sipped some tea, then continued discussing serious matters with his old friend, "When will the old Celestial Master return to Dragon Tiger Mountain?"
The Purple-robed Heavenly Master shrugged, "That I really don't know."
"The old man has been missing for years; how could we know where he's at now."
"If you ask me, I also want to know when the old guy will return."
...
In the courtyard on the mountaintop of the Sword Sect's Main Pavilion, Zhang Ze lay sprawled on the bed, feeling aching all over.
In his ear, from the Sound Transmission Jade, was Lily's chatter.
"You aren't coming back, that's great, I mean, um..."
"I mean, if you can't come back for a while, what about this Thousand Mechanism Pavilion?"
"Now that Sister Mei'Er isn't here either, how about you let me take over?"
"Henceforth, it shall be called the Heaven-Blasting Gang, with me as the Gang Leader, and Fuji as the Vice Gang Leader."
"Then I'll have a whole bunch of Vice Gang Leaders..."
Really annoying, Zhang Ze ended the communication amidst Lily's endless nagging.
Li wasn't around; it was currently over at Chen Qin's.
In Li's own words, it was there to gather intelligence, planning to sell its adorable talents to lay a foundation for Zhang Ze's future life at the Main Pavilion.
But Zhang Ze suspected it was just freeloading, and besides, Zhang Ze didn't plan on staying at the Main Pavilion forever; he had many things to do.
Climbing out of bed, he popped two Pill Medicines into his mouth, savoring the dissolving medicinal power, Zhang Ze stretched his limbs and stepped outside.
First, he'd open the chests.
The chests dropped by Nameless before were still unopened.
According to Li's calculations, tonight was when his luck would be at its peak, and it happened to be atop the highest point of the Sword Sect's Main Pavilion.
"I don't believe it, this time I won't get anything good."
"After all the prep chests, surely luck will favor me once."
Zhang Ze hopped onto the rooftop, sat cross-legged, ready to open the chests.