Naked Sword Art

Chapter 445: Two Birds One Stone

The sun filtered softly through the forest canopy, casting dappled shadows along the winding path that led to Xiao Fang’s guildhouse. The building was tucked away in a secluded grove—an intentionally remote location, far from the main attractions in the Inner Court and rarely visited by those from the Core Court.

Li Lian walked beside Supreme Elder Yao Wu, her expression calm and unreadable, though her heart fluttered with anticipation.

"You’ve never been here before?" Yao Wu asked, glancing sideways at her.

Li Lian shook her head.

"No, Elder. This is my first time."

It was a lie, of course.

Just a bit over a month ago, she had snuck out here with Xun Wei to find Xiao Fang. That visit had left more of an impression on her than she cared to admit. Now, retracing those same steps, she had to fight the urge to smile.

As they reached the clearing where the guildhouse stood, Yao Wu stopped a few paces short of the door, eyeing the modest building with faint distaste.

"Go on," she said.

"I’ll wait here. I doubt he wants an Elder from the Disciplinary Department breathing down his neck."

Li Lian bowed slightly in acknowledgment, then approached the door and knocked. She smiled in anticipation.

Elder Jiang Mei opened the door. "Ah, Disciple Lian. First it was Xun Wei, now you. What a pleasant surprise."

Li Lian smiled. "Is Long Wang still training in seclusion?"

"No, he just got out the other day. Come, you can see him," Jiang Mei replied before stepping aside to let her in.

Li Lian moved quickly through the familiar halls. When she reached Xiao Fang’s private chamber, she slid the door shut behind her the moment they were alone—then her composure cracked.

With a grin she could no longer hide, she opened the door expecting to find Xiao Fang inside, but he wasn’t there.

Suddenly, she heard a noise of someone running through the halls, followed by laughter. The next thing she saw was a little white rabbit pause at the end of the hall when it saw her. In the next moment, it quickly jumped to dodge Xiao Hei who came crashing in. Missing the rabbit by just a hair, she quickly gave chase. Li Lian’s eyes widened when she saw how fast the two of them were going. Bouncing on the walls and ceiling, the bunny was being chased down by Xiao Hei and they were coming towards Li Lian. Finally, the bunny appeared in her arms.

"Welcome back, wife. Did you miss me?"

"Hearing Xiao Fang’s voice," Li Lian smiled.

"Who are you calling your wife? You haven’t married me yet..." she crossed her arms while turning away, but then looking back up at him, a smile escaped her pretty lips. "I missed you."

Xiao Fang gently held her chin as he leaned in to kiss her.

"I’m happy you’re back. I missed you too."

Li Lian bit her lip as she looked up at him with a sparkle in her eyes. Xiao Fang gently pulled her in for a hug, the corners of his mouth tugging upward.

"I’m happy to see you again," he said. "How have you and Xun Wei been?"

"We’re both doing fine," she said, still clinging to him before reluctantly letting go. "She misses you too. She said she wished you could’ve been at the tournament to see her."

Xiao Fang chuckled softly.

"She can show me her skills herself when she’s ready."

"I’ve gotten a lot stronger too, you know."

"Oh? Has my little wife improved that much?" Xiao Fang brushed her hair from her cheek with the back of his hand. "Do you think you can take me now?"

"I’m not little..." Li Lian replied.

Then a competitive smirk appeared on her pretty face as she looked up at him again. Fire burning her eyes. "One way to find out."

"Seems you only have a problem with me calling you little, but not my wife," Xiao Fang teased. "Very well, let’s see how much stronger you’ve gotten. But at our current strength, sparring here wouldn’t be a good idea."

"Then what do you propose?" Li Lian asked.

"Let’s fight at the arena."

Li Lian liked that idea. She was so hyped up to fight on the tournament day, she was a little disappointed she couldn’t. However, there was no one she wanted to fight more than Xiao Fang so this certainly brightened her mood.

There was a moment of silence, their eyes locked, unspoken words hanging in the air. Then Li Lian’s smile faded slightly as she stepped back.

"I didn’t come just for this," she admitted.

"The Matriarch sent me... to speak with you about you skipping your classes and missions."

"She sent you to convince me? Why does she want me to go so badly?" Xiao Fang asked.

"Your mentor, Yu Qiuyan, is from the Royal Court. The Matriarch doesn’t want your absence to affect Yu Qiuyan’s decision to stay here. Because for as long as she’s here, the Black Paradise sect will continue to get additional resources from the Royal Court."

"I see..." Xiao Fang went into thought.

His grandfather, Zhen Lixuan, had told him he would eventually need to make allies in the Royal Court if he wanted to get a Heavenly Fruit to ascend into the Heavenly Realm. He also needed the Matriarch’s Dual Cultivation book, so Xiao Fang was beginning to think he might be able to kill two birds with one stone.

"Tell the Matriarch I’ll attend my missions, and even make Yu Qiuyan want to stay, but I’ll need something in her possessions first."

"What do you want?" Li Lian asked curiously.

"A book. Well, not an ordinary book. it’s a book my mother once gave her while she was a disciple here. Tell her I want it."

Li Lian tried to think of what kind of book it could be. The only thing she knew about Xiao Fang’s mother, Yu An, was that she was a Dual Cultivator before it got destroyed.

’Could she have a Dual Cultivation book?’