Fairy, you call this repaying a debt of gratitude?

Shen Wei slowly stood up and patted the corner of his clothes.

"Of course I can agree, but... what's in it for me to teach you?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Lengyue gently raised her hand and pointed her fingertips slightly at herself.

"This body."

Shen Wei glanced subconsciously in the direction she was pointing and happened to catch a glimpse of the slight curve of the girl's chest. Just as he was about to look away, he met Gu Lengyue's disdainful smile.

He quickly looked away and coughed twice.

"I'm not interested in your body."

"hypocritical."

Gu Lengyue parted her pink lips slightly and coldly uttered two words.

A hint of helplessness flashed across Shen Wei's face as he shrugged.

"I didn't do anything after that day, did I?"

Gu Lengyue didn't speak, looking down at the ground, seemingly pondering why Shen Wei suddenly stopped, even though his eyes were so intense just a second ago.

"Hopefully, in the end... the benefit won't be something like giving me a quick and easy way out."

After saying that, Shen Wei started walking away.

No, it won't.

Gu Lengyue muttered to herself, then immediately followed Shen Wei.

A moment later, the two moved to the depths of the courtyard and found a clean and open space with smooth bluestone paving the ground, which was just right for practicing swordsmanship.

Shen Wei crossed his arms, his gaze fixed on Gu Lengyue, and slowly spoke:

"What weapon do you usually use?"

"...Sword."

"Alright, then show me your best sword technique first. I'll assess your skill level and then offer some guidance."

Shen Wei became more serious and carefully examined Gu Lengyue's body, only to find that she did not have a sword at her waist.

Without asking any further questions, he flicked his wrist and gently tossed the Shadowless Sword in his hand, which flew steadily toward Gu Lengyue.

"Use my sword for now, and I'll find you a more suitable one later."

The Shadow Blade wasn't heavy; its blade was light and agile, making it a barely suitable weapon for the slender Gu Lengyue.

Gu Lengyue nodded and caught the flying sword steadily with both hands.

She then gripped the hilt of her sword, slowly raised it, her posture relaxed, and her spiritual energy surged slightly around her. She then slowly executed a set of sword techniques, her movements fluid and skillful.

Shen Wei stood aside and observed quietly. After a moment, he nodded, then gently shook his head.

The girl's swordplay was quite impressive; the sword energy, carried by a gentle breeze, swept across the entire courtyard, and her posture was rather upright and agile.

But Shen Wei could tell at a glance that she was using the most basic and ordinary sword techniques, without any subtlety or her own style.

"Didn't Gu Hanfeng teach you how to wield a sword?"

Shen Wei spoke slowly, his tone tinged with doubt.

Gu Hanfeng was a skilled swordsman with superb and sharp swordsmanship, but Gu Lengyue's sword technique was completely unlike Gu Hanfeng's.

"no."

Shen Wei was somewhat surprised.

At her age, Gu Lengyue's cultivation had already reached the Golden Core stage. Apart from her innate talent, she could never have made such progress without guidance from others.

However, the sword skills she displayed were no different from those of ordinary rogue cultivators; the moves were rigid and devoid of any spiritual energy.

"First of all, your current sword skills can only be considered as having solid basic skills, but you lack the agility required of a sword cultivator."

"They are roughly equivalent to ordinary sword cultivators in various sects, only able to copy ordinary sword routines and moves, following ancient rules in every move, without any personal insights. Most importantly, a person is a person and a sword is a sword. You cannot integrate your mind with the sword, your moves are rigid and inflexible, you do not know how to adapt, and although your sword energy is strong, it is chaotic and disorderly, making it difficult to unleash its true power."

Gu Lengyue frowned slightly, her usually indifferent eyes now showing a hint of focus. After listening attentively, she slowly asked:

"Hmm, so what should I do?"

"Gathering spiritual energy and focusing intent, the sword naturally generates power."

Shen Wei spoke succinctly, then slowly added:

"When wielding the sword, think more about why you are wielding it. Put everything you have into the blade, and let the sword become an extension of your body."

"Why are you swinging your sword...?"

"Hmm." Shen Wei nodded slightly and continued, "Once you understand this point, and with more insight and diligent practice, you can easily condense your own sword intent. At that time, even the most ordinary sword techniques will become extraordinary in your hands, with their power multiplied."

Upon hearing this, Gu Lengyue seemed to be deep in thought, slowly closing her eyes as if she were carefully considering what Shen Wei had said, or perhaps questioning the meaning of wielding the sword.

After a long while, she slowly opened her clear eyes, which held a newfound determination.

"I see."

A hint of approval flashed in Shen Wei's eyes, and he asked with a smile:

"Have you figured out why you swung your sword?"

"Hmm... I will draw my sword to kill you."

"That's enough."

But Gu Lengyue didn't seem to be joking. As soon as she finished speaking, she flashed forward and attacked Shen Wei with her sword. The sword energy was sharp and carried the sound of wind breaking. It was several times more powerful than when she used the sword technique before.

Seeing Gu Lengyue's sword thrusting straight at him, Shen Wei nimbly dodged and avoided her fierce attack.

He could clearly feel that Gu Lengyue's swordplay was indeed much sharper, and her moves were more agile than before.

But in the end, Shen Wei firmly held the sword in his grasp, and no matter how hard the girl tried, she couldn't advance it any further.

Then Shen Wei exerted a slight force with his fingertips, and the force was reflected back through the sword. Gu Lengyue was caught off guard, her body became unsteady, and she stumbled and fell to the ground.

The long sword in his hand fell to the side with a "clang," making a crisp sound.

Shen Wei loosened his fingers, put his two right fingers together, and gently lifted his fingertips, and the black longsword steadily returned to the scabbard at Shen Wei's waist.

"You want to kill me with my sword?"

He looked down at Gu Lengyue, who was filled with resentment, and almost laughed.

"However, this time the sword strike was much more fierce, it seems that he really listened to what I said."

Gu Lengyue, who had fallen to the ground, bit her lip, slowly sat up, turned her face away, and without saying a word, quietly loosened her clenched fist.

After a moment of silence, she finally couldn't help but ask Shen Wei:

"How long will it take me to train to be as good as you?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Wei thought about it carefully for a while, "Even if you are a one-in-a-million sword genius, it will still take at least five years."

"After all, I am a swordsmanship genius, one in a million."

"Five years...that's too long." Gu Lengyue shook her head. "Isn't there a faster way?"

"No. There are no shortcuts in swordsmanship; you can only learn through practice and understanding, step by step."

Gu Lengyue fell silent, looking down at the ground with a hint of disappointment in her expression, but she did not refute it again.

"You practice on your own for a while longer. I'm going to cook. What do you want to eat tonight?"

"Just do as you see fit."