My Senior Sister Says She Will Marry No One But Me - Chapter 16

Unlike those nouveaux riches who would gladly cover every inch of their walls with luminous pearls, the Miaoyin Sect, with its century-long heritage, possessed a far more refined taste. Aside from a few luminous pearls embedded in the ceiling to form the shape of the Big Dipper in the northern sky, there were no other ostentatious jeweled decorations. Once the sole glass lamp in the room was extinguished, anyone lying in the alcove bed could truly experience what it meant to be plunged into pitch darkness. In dry weather, extra caution was taken with fire, so no additional candles were lit indoors. Only the faint glow of an oil lamp from the outer room and the starlight and moonlight filtering through the window provided any illumination. For an ordinary person, even after spending a long time in the dark, they could at most discern the outlines of larger objects. Trying to make out the subtle expressions on someone’s face remained a challenge.

If Du Yunge’s eyesight had been a little sharper, she would have noticed that although Xue Shuyan’s expression remained largely cold and aloof, the corners of her eyes and brows had softened, evoking the image of spring ice beginning to thaw chilly yet undeniably gentle. Unfortunately, Du Yunge’s perception was not keen enough, and she missed this rare glimpse of Xue Shuyan’s genuine emotions.

As Du Yunge drifted into a deep sleep under Xue Shuyan’s watchful presence, Feng Chengchun was drinking with Yun Anxue, pouring out her troubles between sips:

“I’m truly at a loss, Yun. Both are dear to me, and I can’t favor one over the other.”

Yun Anxue had never been one to concern herself with matters beyond swordsmanship. It was no wonder she and Xue Shuyan were known as the two martial fanatics of the Miaoyin Sect one older, one younger. In fact, if one were to compare, Yun Anxue’s obsession might even run deeper than Xue Shuyan’s. Unaware of the context, she could only silently refill Feng Chengchun’s cup and listen to her disjointed lament:

“Shuyan keeps everything bottled up inside, never speaking her mind, while the sect leader is a carefree, naive girl who wouldn’t think to probe into others’ thoughts. What if one day, during a conversation, they run into some irreconcilable misunderstanding?”

The unspoken part of her worry was, “How heartbroken would Shuyan be, after pining in silence for so long?” But as far as she could tell, she was the only one who had noticed this unrequited affection. To avoid complicating matters, Feng Chengchun left that part unsaid. What she overlooked, however, was that the person listening to her was none other than Yun Anxue.

What defines a martial fanatic? It’s someone who, no matter what you say to them, can effortlessly steer the conversation back to training much like how a conversation with a ravenous foodie will inevitably circle back to topics related to food.

This was precisely the main reason why Xue Shuyan fell short compared to her mentor, Winter Guardian. While martial arts were her second priority, her first priority was always Du Yunge.

Thus, Yun Anxue seamlessly interpreted Feng Chengchun’s words as: “If Xue Shuyan and Du Yunge have a falling out and Xue Shuyan no longer wishes to assist the Miaoyin Sect leader, how will Du Yunge protect herself?” She even began to logically argue the point.

“Sister Chun, don’t worry. Didn’t Shuyan swear before us that she would protect the sect leader? A promise from a noble person carries the weight of a thousand gold you can trust Shuyan’s character.”

“And let’s not be too absolute. What if she has inherited some other strengths from the former sect leader, but they just haven’t shown themselves yet?”

Feng Chengchun: ??? Wait, are we even talking about the same topic???

But after a moment’s thought, Feng Chengchun decided there was no harm in continuing with this mistaken line of discussion and asked:

“Then, in Sister Yun’s opinion, what kind of martial arts would be suitable for the sect leader to learn for self-defense?”

This truly stumped Yun Anxue. No matter how loyal she was to the Miaoyin Sect, she couldn’t in good conscience lie and claim their sect leader was a once-in-a-lifetime martial arts prodigy. To be blunt, given Du Yunge’s current aptitude, she wasn’t suited for any form of martial arts. Countless failed attempts had proven this whether it was long swords, soft swords, spears, twin blades, hidden weapons, double hooks, or water-parting daggers, among the eighteen traditional weapons, Du Yunge hadn’t managed to master any of them. The only sword technique she could perform decently required partnering with Xue Shuyan in a dual-sword style, which stood in stark contrast to Xue Shuyan’s mastery of all weapons.

However, the world of martial arts was vast, and even if she couldn’t excel in any weapon, methods of self-defense and offense weren’t limited to martial arts alone. It would be overly hasty to conclude that Du Yunge would never improve in her abilities. After pondering for a long while, Yun Anxue finally spoke:

“Given the sect leader’s innate disposition, it seems unlikely she can prevail through sheer force whether brute strength or refined skill like the rest of us.”

This was the honest truth. Just looking at Du Yunge’s delicate, graceful hands made it clear they weren’t meant for heavy labor. Wielding a light sword was already an impressive feat for her. If she were to use the swords that Xue Shuyan and Yun Anxue wielded, which weighed a solid six or seven jin, she’d likely struggle to even lift one, let alone swing it more than a few times.

Yun Anxue took a small sip of wine and continued, “For years, I’ve been pondering this question: what is the sect leader truly suited for? Her natural limitations make it unrealistic to expect her to master any of the eighteen martial arts. Perhaps she should focus more on the six arts and miscellaneous skills, but our Miaoyin Sect isn’t proficient in poison or medicine. Ah, it’s a difficult problem. Let’s take our time to explore this further.”

Feng Chengchun thought it over and found the reasoning sound. They had previously been reluctant to push Du Yunge into martial training because Xue Shuyan had sworn to protect her. But now that Du Yunge had explicitly expressed her desire to learn martial arts, continuing to indulge her would be nothing short of spoiling her. Besides, whether to train and what to train in ultimately came down to the sect leader’s own decision.

“You’re right. Haste makes waste.”

Yun Anxue gave her a faint, meaningful glance. “You’re too strong-willed and treat the sect leader too much like your own child. Your concern clouds your judgment, Sister Chun.”

Feng Chengchun felt a slight tipsiness coming over her and set down her wine cup, smiling as she said,

“It’s fine. Haven’t I figured it out now?”

Yun Anxue also put down her bowl of wine, which she had barely touched, and began discussing with Feng Chengchun what to teach the next day. “So, what should we practice tomorrow? If you ask me, how about teaching them that dual-sword technique again? After all, the sect leader and Shu Yan have already mastered it quite well. Practice makes perfect that’s a principle that never fails. It’ll be a good chance to see how well they coordinate now.”

Du Yunge had little natural talent for martial arts, but no matter how lacking she was, she couldn’t rely entirely on Xue Shu Yan’s protection. This was why the Four Guardians of Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter, despite knowing she was unsuited for martial training, never gave up on her. At the very least, the esteemed leader of the Miaoyin Sect needed some skills for self-defense, right?

This dual-sword technique was carefully selected by Feng Chengchun for Du Yunge. Compared to the other dual-sword techniques she knew, the kind that could cut through metal with combined strength this one wasn’t particularly profound or intricate. Its brilliance lay in two aspects:

First, the technique didn’t demand much from either user, focusing instead on coordination. As long as they worked well together, the two could wield their swords in unison and fight their way out of any predicament. Second, the technique clearly delineated offense and defense. Du Yunge was assigned the defensive role. If she were ever accidentally separated from Xue Shu Yan, she could hold her ground by retreating while defending, buying enough time until Xue Shu Yan or the Four Guardians arrived to rescue her. The goal of her training was never to win but to stall until help came.

Feng Chengchun was about to say “Alright” when she suddenly remembered something amiss:

The current situation was entirely different from before!

Previously, she had allowed Du Yunge and Xue Shu Yan to practice the dual-sword technique because she hadn’t realized Xue Shu Yan had developed hidden feelings for Du Yunge. But now that she knew, having them practice together again felt subtly inappropriate.

However, facing Yun Anxue, who was solely focused on rigorous training, Feng Chengchun couldn’t bring herself to explain the real reason. She sighed sorrowfully and thought, I’d better think of another sword technique that suits these two.

And so, she ended up pondering all night long.

The next day, after washing up and changing into her training clothes under Xue Shu Yan’s watchful eye, Du Yunge walked side by side with her to the training hall. The moment she caught sight of Feng Chengchun, she was startled by the two large panda-like dark circles under her eyes and asked with urgent concern,

“Guardian Chun, what happened? Did you not sleep well last night?”

“It’s nothing.” Feng Chengchun waved her hand weakly, trying to brush it off with a random excuse. “I was just thinking about how to explain to everyone why Shu Yan won the martial arts contest but didn’t marry you.”

For most normal people, bringing up such an awkward and personal topic would be a subtle hint to change the subject. But from this question, it was clear that Feng Chengchun hadn’t gotten enough sleep because the person she was facing wasn’t one of the “normal” majority, but Du Yunge, who belonged to the rare and unconventional few.

“In that case, why not let Senior Sister Xue take over as deputy sect leader?” Du Yunge felt this might be the pinnacle of her wisdom in this lifetime. If not for the fact that her two guardians, Feng Chengchun and Yun Anxue, along with Xue Shuyan herself, were all watching her, she would have given herself an encouraging round of applause to motivate more such clever decisions in the future.

“Let’s just say that Senior Sister had no intention of participating in the martial arts contest for marriage and only stepped onto the stage to spar with Sect Leader He.”

“Then, by appointing Senior Sister Xue as deputy sect leader, we can demonstrate two things: first, that our Miaoyin Sect has always valued talent and rewards merit appropriately even disrupting the martial arts contest won’t hinder the promotion of someone as capable as Senior Sister Xue; second, it will prove that the relationship between Senior Sister and me is entirely proper, clearing her reputation. A perfect solution, isn’t it delightful?”

Yun Anxue and Feng Chengchun exchanged a glance, reading two entirely different emotions in each other’s eyes. Yun Anxue genuinely believed the explanation was sound and feasible, while Feng Chengchun felt more sincerely that it wouldn’t work not because it couldn’t convince outsiders, but because “some among our own ranks would find it unacceptable.”

Sure enough, just as Du Yunge was about to proudly present this seemingly brilliant idea to Xue Shuyan in hopes of praise, she turned and was startled to find Xue Shuyan’s expression had darkened again, tinged with an inexplicable sense of grievance, as if Du Yunge had just done something only a heartless scoundrel would do.

Suddenly feeling guilty but utterly clueless as to why, Du Yunge thought: ??? Senior Sister Xue, why are you angry again?!

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