What does it mean that they all lived with lifelong regrets?

"Snow interception".

Xie Jiexue turned her head and looked at Lin Wuhua.

He rested his chin on his hand, twirling a willow leaf in his hand.

Xie Jiexue blushed inexplicably and looked away.

"What's wrong?" Lin Wuhua asked.

Xie Jiexue did not turn her head.

Lin Wuhua started again; he always pretended not to know anything during these unnecessary times.

Xie Jiexue's elbow was poked, and then an itchy sensation came from the back of her hand.

Lin Wuhua was tickling her with the tip of a leaf.

Xie Jiexue snatched the willow branch, held it tightly, and stared at him.

Lin Wuhua smiled.

"You're looking at me."

Xie Jiexue: "..."

Sister, what do you know? Blushing and me not getting angry are just part of my plan; I have my own rhythm.

Sister, I was wrong. Let him do whatever he wants; this is my own fault...

"Thinking about it makes one laugh," Lin Wuhua suddenly said.

Xie Jiexue closed the book, stepped on his foot, indicating that this was the most she could do this time.

"Are you feeling better?" Lin Wuhua suddenly asked.

Xie Jiexue lowered her eyelashes, her mood inexplicably becoming somber.

"The people from the Sword Sect will be arriving soon, either tomorrow or the day after, or at the latest the day after tomorrow."

"Jie Xue," Lin Wuhua took her book away, "So stop reading and let me take you for a walk."

......

Lin Wuhua took Xie Jiexue away from the city and went to a forest not far from the city.

A stone flew out and hit the rabbit, sending it tumbling.

"He's not dead," Lin Wuhua breathed a sigh of relief.

In a clearing in the wild, the two started a fire.

Xie Jiexue stared blankly at the fire.

This wasn't her hometown anymore, so it wasn't cold, which made her feel a little uncomfortable.

The rabbit was spinning around on the fire.

"I come from the capital," Lin Wuhua suddenly said. "For a long time, I didn't really listen to my master."

"He asked me to practice swordsmanship, but I refused and wanted to go out and play; he asked me to memorize sword manuals, but I refused and wanted to read other books."

"So, the old man always told me, if you can't practice swordsmanship well, then stop practicing and go take the imperial examinations."

Xie Jiexue's eyes became slightly misty.

Lin Wuhua has read many books and is capable of passing the imperial examinations.

But she...

Lin Wuhua poked at the fire, making the flames bigger.

"Miss Xie, I sense that you're afraid of the Sword Sect's assessment?"

"With our master's keepsake, we'll definitely be able to get in."

Xie Jiexue shook her head.

Master Lin Wuhua's token was enough to guarantee that the two of them would pass the first preliminary screening.

But Xie Jiexue was still worried.

Because the token cannot guarantee that the two will pass the inner sect test.

If Lin Wuhua enters the inner sect and she cannot enter, then the two will inevitably be separated.

"Miss Xie, I don't want to make any promises to you, although I believe you are qualified enough to get in."

The rabbit was sizzling with oil, seemingly cooked.

Lin Wuhua pulled off one of the legs and sprinkled it with some unfamiliar spices.

The aroma rising from the air made Xie Jiexue feel a little hungry.

Lin Wuhua gave the rabbit leg to Xie Jiexue.

"I'll split it in half with you, so you don't have to eat what I leave behind this time."

Xie Jiexue pursed her lips, but felt a little relieved.

Lin Wuhua tore off half of his own words and continued speaking.

In Lin Wuhua's view, Xie Jiexue's bad mood was not because she was worried about tomorrow's qualification verification.

She didn't actually know what the Supreme Sword Sect was.

She just wanted to go because Lin Wuhua wanted to.

Just like this journey, almost everything was done together.

She is afraid of change, even though the change is probably for the better.

"Jie Xue, if I don't go to the Sword Sect now and instead want to take the imperial examinations, would you be willing to go with me?"

Xie Jiexue nodded vigorously.

If you take the imperial examinations, nothing will change much.

Lin Wuhua will still teach her to read and take her with him. If they reach the right age, they might even...

"Your face is red," Lin Wuhua pointed out sharply.

He is never polite when he should be.

Xie Jiexue refused to back down: "It's burning hot."

Lin Wuhua: "Eh, really? I don't believe it?"

He cupped his face in his hands, looking at Xie Jiexue with an air of importance, making Xie Jiexue want to punch him.

"So, Jie Xue, if I promise you that if we both enter the Supreme Sword Sect, I will never abandon you."

Would you be willing to go?

The firelight stung his face, suddenly giving Xie Jiexue courage.

"--go."

"And Wuhua, if you don't abandon me, then I will never abandon you."

"Jie Xue will never abandon the beauty of things, no matter what you become."

She reached out her hand to Lin Wuhua.

"Shall we pinky swear?"

Lin Wuhua smiled and nodded.

"We made a promise."

.......

As the flames died down and the two walked back, Xie Jiexue never let go of Lin Wuhua's hand.

"Wuhua, I don't want to go back so early."

"Let's look at the stars then," Lin Wuhua said. "You're on vacation these days, so you don't need to study."

Xie Jiexue: "If you teach me, I can watch it too."

Lin Wuhua smiled slyly: "Are you looking at the book or at the person?"

"Watch them all."

This time, Xie Jiexue was no longer afraid.

......

Federation, capital.

Xu Shuang knocked on the door and came up behind Xie Jiexue.

Xie Jiexue had her back to her and didn't turn around.

Out of the corner of her eye, Xu Shuang saw that Xie Jiexue's two little fingers were hooked together.

—She was making a pinky promise with herself.

Xu Shuang's heart sank.

The government has a large team to serve this Supreme Sword Master.

Regardless of which expert it is, they all agree that the sword master's mind is very unstable, and that is the source of her unstable power.

It appears cold on the surface, but is extremely violent on the inside.

It seems like something is restraining her, otherwise Xie Jiexue might have gone mad at any time.

She came up behind Xie Jiexue and handed her a stack of documents.

"These are all the people who match the information you described, with a focus on swordsmanship skills."

Xie Jiexue glanced at it casually and then tossed it onto the table.

"No, I don't have what I want."

She closed her eyes, but murmured about the stars outside the window.

"Here...right here...the essence of nature..."

Xu Shuang's heart clenched, and she quickly presented the second expert proposal.

The idea was to find Xie Jiexue a task to study the sword manual, which would both give her something to do and help calm her emotions.

After all, that person also practices swordsmanship.

"If you'd like, we'll screen them first and then give you the suitable ones."

After Xu Shuang finished speaking quickly, Xie Jiexue remained silent for a long time.

"Okay," she said. "Just give me the original sword manual."

Xu Shuang respectfully withdrew.

Before leaving, she glanced at it out of the corner of her eye.

Xie Jiexue had already sat back down at the table, taken out a charcoal pencil, and started drawing.

For some reason, Xu Shuang felt a pang of pity.

"If that person exists, please appear. The sword master is suffering too much."