Chapter 8, The Phoenix's Tail

Why is that?" Li Yunshun asked knowingly, smiling charmingly.

Seeing her mumble in silence, Li Yunshun smiled even more happily, her white teeth reflecting her cherry-red lips, making them appear even more delicate and beautiful. She did not reveal anything, instead, she leisurely strolled along the picturesque path, lost in her own thoughts.

The small clearing near the master's residence is surrounded by a peach orchard. In spring, the delicate pink peach blossoms contrast beautifully with the vibrant green of the bamboo, creating a scene that is Yu You's favorite. By summer, only a thicket of trees, deeper green than the bamboo, remains, lacking any remarkable features

She raised her head languidly, accustomed to the fleeting presence of Master Yun Shun, dressed in a very light blue gauze dress. Her long, silky black hair was casually styled into a beautiful bun, adorned with a delicate hairpin flower. Tilting her head, she looked at her with a mischievous smile, the long and thick eyelashes casting shadows that accentuated the bright and clever sparkle in her eyes.

The good mood of self-satisfaction was suddenly shattered

She is already twelve years old, and she understands that if a man likes a woman, there will be a special look in his eyes

The master sat on the stone chair by the thicket, and the unremarkable deep green became dazzlingly beautiful as it served as his backdrop. Lost in thought and in a daze, when the master gave her a faint smile as a greeting, she felt as if the dim thicket around him was filled with twinkling starlight.

Youyou pouted her lips, walking slowly along the path shaded by bamboo, feeling gloomy. The cool breeze carried the unique light fragrance of the bamboo forest, and the summer morning felt particularly refreshing against her skin, yet it did not lift her spirits. She noticed a few light purple flowers blooming by the winding path paved with pebbles, so she squatted down to take a closer look, thinking that it was good to delay for a while.

Thus, it is said: Better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of a phoenix

The master is usually like water, but once the cloud-like Shixun is nearby, he transforms into blue flames.

I have good news to share with you. Your master Youjia is returning from visiting relatives in Xixia. I plan to ask the master to agree to let him take you along, so you won't have to endure being compared to Cheng Yueren every day.

Nonsense! Yoyo can no longer tolerate others calling her stupid, whether directly or indirectly! In fact, she is not stupid at all; after all, she has at least half the bloodline of the 'Heavenly Artisan'! When she is at home, her grandfather and uncle always pat her head and praise her for being clever and adorable. ... The key is ...! ... Alas, Master Yun Shun was indeed not wrong; comparing people leads to death!

Who has been driven to a dead end? Yuyou is jumping up and down, saying, "What kind of good news is this? I do not want to leave my master; let Master Youjia teach me in person! You are clearly afraid that I will take advantage of my master by staying close to him!"

Let Li Youjia take you! I am truly concerned for my husband! Even though Junwu has such a good temper, his patience is being worn thin by you every day.

"Have you mastered the three techniques I taught you yesterday?" Pei Junwu asked with a smile, his tone carrying a hint of affection; he was not a strict master to this young disciple.

Youyou also noticed that when he arrived at the bamboo sea, his speech became less frequent, sometimes not uttering a single word throughout the day, probably aware that his voice was indeed unpleasant.

She is so wronged by this mat

What a stinky show-off! A big duck! A stinky beggar! Her enmity with him did not dissipate because they became fellow disciples; instead, it deepened further. Unable to attack his talent, she had no choice but to take a different approach and target his acquired flaws.

Hmm... she hesitated whether to find an excuse, as Master Yun Shun was a fox demon, and at least every time she lied in front of her, she failed.

"What are you scoffing at?" Her little cheeks puffed up, making her round face resemble a delicate ripe peach even more, which made Pei Junwu unable to help but smile.

However, even if he remains silent, he often makes her so angry that her face turns red and her neck thickens. There is no way around it; his emergence, transforming from a small beggar to a martial arts prodigy chosen after countless selections by Master Zhu, has made her, once so distinct, now merely a "tail of the phoenix." Setting aside the grudge of her previous shaved head, she finds his smug demeanor exceedingly detestable.

The grandmaster and the master... including the lawyer Uncle Li, whom she has met, and the grandmaster Lan, whom she has not met, are all recognized as exceptional individuals by the world. Speaking of them is akin to discussing deities; how can she compare? As for Uncle Yunshun, there is even less to say. With her intelligence and talent, coupled with a wicked heart and stunning beauty that could deceive anyone, even the master can only admit defeat. What hope does she have? She has not yet met Uncle Youjia, but she has heard others mention him. He does not seem to be an ordinary character either, so she has no expectations! As for Uncle Yunshun, there is even less to say. With her intelligence and talent, coupled with a wicked heart and stunning beauty that could deceive anyone, even the master can only admit defeat. What hope does she have? She has not yet met Uncle Youjia, but she has heard others mention him. He does not seem to be an ordinary character either, so she has no expectations! It is said that this beast, Yuetianheng, has been a 'prodigy' in their hometown since childhood. She could originally rely on her martial prowess to find some balance with him, but then came Cheng Yueyan!

Having proudly and perfectly showcased it, even the master nodded in approval, looking quite pleased. However, Cheng Yueren, who stood aside watching coldly, let out a disdainful "tch".

In the future, she will sink into her dreams, and she too wishes to find a husband who is like a master, someone who looks at her with such a gaze. She hopes that a deep pool of water will ignite for her, and just by observing the gentle expression revealed by her master, she can sense what a blissful feeling that must be.

He now understands very well why the Grandmaster accepted Uncle Tuoba. It is said that Uncle Tuoba drove him to his death, yet no one mentions that the Grandmaster spent the longest time by Uncle Tuoba's side. Although he takes pride in his exceptionally talented disciples, it is the simple and lovely ordinary person like Youyou who resembles his own child more, worrying about her, cherishing her, and unable to let go.

"Indeed, comparing people can lead to despair, especially between fools and geniuses. How are we supposed to live like this?" Li Yunshun exaggeratedly fanned himself with his sleeve while walking, showing not a trace of the ethereal grace of a fairy, but rather resembling a cunning fox spirit making sarcastic remarks!

Every time I see Master Shushu Yun, her confidence as a beautiful woman crumbles again and again

Without any suspense, after she had taken a few steps, the chubby ball squatting on the ground jumped up and chased after her, saying in a deep voice: "Master Yun Shun, why not teach the skill of Le Yuan Gong?"

Hmm! She became spirited, nodding vigorously. In order not to be looked down upon by Cheng Yueren, she had indeed practiced diligently.

By the time she arrived at the small clearing where Master usually taught her, Cheng Yueren had already come and was practicing a set of sword techniques. Although he was disliked by others, his physique was quite impressive. Though he had not yet fully matured, it was already certain that he would be tall and handsome. As he moved gracefully, the shadows of the sword flickered with a cold light, and his postures were exceptionally pleasing to the eye. The martial arts of the bamboo forest seemed to have been tailor-made for him.

For no reason! Yuyou threw down the bouquet stick in her hand, and she knew that Master Yun Shun was not a kind-hearted person either. If he coaxed her into revealing the reason, he would definitely be laughed at for a while.

Cheng Yueran paid her no mind, merely and seemingly absentmindedly drawing the long sword behind him with a swift motion. The exquisite sword emitted a sound akin to a dragon's roar, and his brows arched with arrogance. Youyou was instantly taken aback, indeed, he, with such a poor foundation in martial arts, had only been practicing for a few days and was already able to learn sword techniques, while she was still studying rudimentary boxing skills

Cheng Yueran shot her a glance; despite his originally sharp teeth, he did not retort, merely letting out a cold snort

A few were picked, bound into a bouquet with soft long-leaved grass, and then the petals were painfully torn off one by one.

The master called her twice before she returned to her senses from her blissful reverie, her gaze towards the beautiful master still somewhat dazed.

With a pout, she still has to endure a round of teasing without expressing her true feelings

Although she is more resistant to being compared with the famous "Tuo Ba Shizu," who is said to have driven even the ancestral master to his death, her own master is living comfortably and healthily. In this regard, she has the upper hand. However, she finds herself increasingly sympathetic towards Tuo Ba Shizu. With the same set of martial arts skills, others can grasp them just by watching, while she has to ponder and practice for an unknown length of time, which has already dampened her spirit. There are too many clever people in her sect; her absence would not make a difference, so she might as well let things take their course. Nevertheless, she truly feels more and more sympathy for Tuo Ba Shizu. With the same set of martial arts skills, others can grasp them just by watching, while she has to ponder and practice for an unknown length of time, which has already dampened her spirit. There are too many clever people in her sect; her absence would not make a difference, so she might as well let things take their course.

What are you doing again

Is there still a man in this world like my master? Even if it is just similar, that would be good

A handsome boy, yet he evokes such disdain in her; Youyou believes that she and he are the so-called "natural enemies".

The master's gaze towards Master Yun Shun was different; she could not articulate what was different about it. When looking at her master, the master's eyes resembled starlight scattered upon a tranquil pond, but when looking at Master Yun Shun, the stars ignited into flames, akin to the fire used by her father to smelt metal. It was a blue flame that seemed devoid of heat, yet upon closer proximity, a mere touch would result in burns from the cold flame, which was hotter than the red-hot fire.