"Done!"

"You two are a perfect match and look so sweet together! Especially those looks you gave each other earlier; they were so charming!"

"Look at this. I have painted for many years, but this is the first time I felt so inspired!"

At some point the portrait stall owner called out and broke the slightly dazed state between Yuyan and Yino.

Yino blinked, let go of the beauty in his arms, and stood up. The cold winter wind blew between them, and he suddenly felt a chill.

It was the middle of winter, yet they had hugged until they were sweating...

"The painting is good. Here is extra silver for your hard work."

Yino took the portrait, looked at it with satisfaction, and took out money from his pouch.

The owner received the silver and noticed the Grand Tutor’s Mansion seal on Yino’s pouch. His eyes widened and he nodded with a nervous smile: "So you are the young master of the He mansion! No wonder you are so generous! Thank you, young master!"

Yino turned back and smiled lightly:

"Your painting skill is excellent. I will come to you again next time."

"Got it, young master! Young madam, take care!"

The owner had a loud voice and a typical capital accent. His shout made every passerby nearby turn their heads.

"Is that... the young master of the He mansion? And he is wearing Wuji Sect robes?"

"Isn’t that the famous spoiled Seventh Young Master from Luo City?"

"It really is. I heard the Seventh Young Master went to Wuji Sect and joined Ranmo Peak..."

"Then this beauty must be that Sword Maiden Mo Yuyan?"

"But the boss just called her young madam..."

"Wait, when did the sword leader of Wuji Sect marry into the He mansion as young madam?"

The passersby talked among themselves, and many disciples from different sects joined in and spread the news.

After all, today was the opening day of the Immortal Alliance’s annual martial competition. As the capital of the Great Dragon Dynasty, the city was full of cultivators from everywhere.

But everyone calling her "young madam" made Yuyan’s face turn red under all the looks.

In past years Yuyan had already been a regular at martial meets. She had once held the title of Sword Leader among true inheritors. Now after many years without fighting, she still had a good name as a swordswoman in the Jianghu.

Who would have thought that when she came to the capital’s martial meet again, people would talk about her as young madam once more...

"Young madam actually sounds nice. At least no one mistakes you for a bandit’s wife."

Yino smiled happily and wrapped his arm around her waist again.

When Yuyan heard him, her heart felt ticklish. She stopped in front of the teahouse and seemed to remember something, then pouted: "When we meet sister Zhihan at the teahouse later, you have to help me keep face!"

"Of course. I always listen to wife. Just tell me how you want me to act." Yino shrugged and smiled gently.

"You... Don’t do what you do at home and grope my waist and thighs under the table! sister Zhihan has high cultivation, she will notice anything we do secretly!"

Yuyan’s face turned a little red. She remembered her first impression of Zhihan and smiled with some pride: "Later, act like a gentleman in front of sister Zhihan! Take the initiative to pour tea and things like that. When you speak, call me Senior a few more times respectfully and be obedient!"

"I did not expect Senior to have this kind of vanity. I thought I was the only one who was like that."

Yino laughed and felt Yuyan’s personality had become more down-to-earth.

She pouted slightly: "Sister Zhihan is the sister I respect the most in sword dao!"

"Don’t worry."

Yino suddenly slapped his palm on the round curves of her bottom under the skirt.

Yuyan’s body trembled and her face turned red. Before she could say anything, Yino raised a finger: "Consider it collecting some payment in advance... Later I will definitely act like a gentleman in front of Lady Zhihan and help Senior look good!"

"Hmph, that’s better!"

...

...

...

...

"Master, who was that lady just now..."

On the second floor of the teahouse by the window, Lin Che sat obediently across from Zhihan.

Because the annual martial meet was happening in the capital, even the street teahouses were packed. The waiter only brought half-prepared tea leaves and cups to the table and had no time to brew them himself.

So the job of brewing tea fell to Lin Che.

But he came from a poor background and had been a servant. Although Zhihan had taught him tea skills more than once during his months at sacred land, Lin Che was still a rough man and could not master the delicate work. Now his clumsy hands had failed to filter the good tea leaves properly.

Zhihan looked quietly at the mess on the tea table and sighed:

"Forget it. Let me do it, or Yuyan and the others will laugh at us later."

"I am sorry, Master... I never do anything right..." Lin Che lowered his eyes and looked disappointed.

She took the tea set from his hand, lifted her eyes to look at him, and her beautiful eyes showed pity: "I taught you that the first thing in sword is heart dao. The most important thing is your state of mind."

"You do not need to mind temporary success or failure. If you lose your youthful spirit because of it, that would be the real loss for life."

"Thank you Master! I will work hard in tomorrow’s competition and not embarrass you!"

Lin Che clenched his fists and spoke seriously.

Zhihan looked at him and could not help remembering what Ji Zichen had said earlier. She could only sigh helplessly: "Let’s hope so. Your master believes in you."

If Lin Che did not get good results in this competition, it would prove he was not the right person for the Primordial Sword Art. At that time the Ji family elders would use it as an excuse to restart the impeachment in the Elder Council and force Zhihan to step down and hand over the Sect Master position.

And if Zhihan lost her position as Jianlan Sect Master, then the Primordial Sacred Land left by her master, including the three thousand sword arts inside, would no longer belong to her alone but would be split among the whole Jianlan Sect.

If it really came to that...

To protect her master’s sword dao, Zhihan might have to lower herself and ask the eldest young master of the Lin mansion to help keep the Primordial Sacred Land safe.

"The lady we met on the road earlier is named Mo Yuyan. She is the Sword Leader Senior Sister of Wuji Sect."

"That young master in white is named He Yino. He is Yuyan’s junior. He seems to cultivate sword dao too, and his strength is very good..."

"If nothing unexpected happens, they are also here in the capital for the martial competition. You may meet him on the discussion platform."