Xiao Yu's Troubles

Unlike Su Luo's carefree demeanor, Little Yu had recently been troubled.

With the grand competition approaching, although the Sect Master hadn't set any specific goals for her, such as aiming for first place, as his disciple, she couldn't help but feel the weight of others' expectations whenever she walked around the sect. This invisible pressure was mounting on her.

Moreover, there was the primary source of her stress—the Sect Master himself.

Recently, the Sect Master had taught Little Yu a sword technique called "Seven Stars Return to One."

Little Yu's comprehension was strong, and she quickly grasped the technique, but only on the surface. Even though this superficial mastery was enough to outshine many, for someone with her talent, it was far from sufficient—at least in the eyes of the Sect Master. He believed her potential was much greater, expecting her to at least comprehend the sword's intent behind "Seven Stars Return to One."

But the reality was that Little Yu couldn't progress further.

The Sect Master couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed, though he hid it well. However, Little Yu was extremely sensitive.

She knew, but she didn't show it.

It wasn't until she came to Su Luo that she finally let it out.

"Do you think I have no talent?" Little Yu asked dejectedly, sitting on the ground, her fingers aimlessly drawing lines in the dirt, her expression lost.

Su Luo thought she had misheard.

What?

That's like Nangong Xiyun claiming she doesn't know how to use a sword.

It was simply ridiculous.

"Compared to you, do I have talent?" Su Luo countered.

"Yes."

"How can you tell?"

"You're stronger than me."

"I'm a few years older and have been cultivating longer than you."

"No, that's not it. I just feel like you're strong, and you keep getting stronger."

"Alright, let's talk about your problem. What's bothering you?"

Su Luo quickly steered the conversation back, a bit amazed that Little Yu had noticed this.

"The Sect Master is always unsatisfied with my progress."

"And? Are you supposed to be the best in the world at such a young age?"

"No, I just don't want to let him down. He's been so good to me."

Indeed, since joining the sect, Little Yu's life had changed drastically.

Her basic needs were well taken care of, and she had access to cultivation resources whenever she needed them. The Sect Master would often visit her, offering guidance and showing more concern for her than his other disciples.

The more he did, the more pressure Little Yu felt.

Su Luo now understood Little Yu's worries.

"Don't overthink it. The rookie competition is coming up soon, and you'll see the gap between you and the others—oh, I mean how far ahead you are."

"Really?"

"Of course, I can guarantee that."

Su Luo had observed that Little Yu's progress was already remarkable. Her cultivation had reached the late Qi Refining stage during the assessment, and after just over half a month of diligent practice, she was nearing perfection.

Such speed was almost unimaginable.

She was already far ahead of her peers.

However, her "Seven Stars Return to One" was still mediocre—at least from Su Luo's perspective as a future antagonist.

It had form but no intent, which might intimidate rookies but was nothing special against true experts.

Su Luo didn't plan to teach Little Yu, mainly because she had never taught anyone before, and her own expertise lay in demonic arts.

More importantly, since Little Yu was already being taught by the Sect Master of the Seven Stars Sword Sect, Su Luo saw no need to interfere.

In fact, she worried that her interference might hinder Little Yu's progress. Though Su Luo didn't know the Sect Master well, she had confidence in him.

After hearing this, Little Yu regained some confidence and continued her training.

However, no matter how many times she practiced "Seven Stars Return to One," she couldn't progress further.

......

Meanwhile, the Sect Master was puzzled.

"Little Yu has been going out more often lately. What is she doing?"

The Sect Master cared deeply for Little Yu. Her exceptional talent and rapid learning speed, though not quite meeting his expectations, still far surpassed others.

He just felt it was odd. Little Yu should have been able to go further. Her comprehension shouldn't have been limited to this level.

Perhaps she was still too young. He decided to wait and see.

Thus, the Sect Master planned to let Little Yu relax more, encouraging her to take breaks. But before he could even suggest it, she was already doing so.

This piqued his curiosity, and he decided to investigate.

That's when he saw Su Luo and Little Yu together.

Su Luo was lounging on a chair, sipping some unknown drink, while Little Yu practiced "Seven Stars Return to One" nearby.

The Sect Master's eyes widened, his focus immediately sharpening.

Who is that man?

What is this cozy scene? Is Little Yu in love?

No, no, she's too young for that.

Perhaps that man is deceiving her. Yes, that must be it.

Wait, as the Sect Master, he shouldn't jump to conclusions.

He decided to approach them first.

The Sect Master was a bit flustered. He had high hopes for Little Yu and didn't want her growth to be disrupted.

"Little Yu, what a coincidence. I was taking a stroll nearby and saw you, so I thought I'd come over," the Sect Master said, feigning a casual encounter with a smile.

He looked like an ordinary old man, with graying hair and a slender frame, though his face bore few wrinkles, giving him an elegant, handsome appearance.

This was a sign of his highly restrained cultivation, so one shouldn't be fooled by his looks. He was, after all, the Sect Master, and his strength was undeniable.

"Master," Little Yu greeted.

The Sect Master glanced at Su Luo and said, "Aren't you going to introduce me?"

"This is Su Luo, the person closest to me."

"Oh, closest? Family?"

But he had heard that Little Yu had no family.

"No."

"Then, what is your relationship? If she's the closest to you, is she closer than me?"

The Sect Master continued to probe with a smile, confident that no one in the sect could be closer to Little Yu than him.

"Yes," Little Yu affirmed.

The Sect Master's smile froze. He had meant it as a joke but was met with a blunt truth.

This was a bit of a blow, but with centuries of cultivation under his belt, he maintained his composure and turned to Su Luo.

"You must be quite exceptional then. Tell me, what are you skilled at? If your talent is good, I might even take you as a disciple."

"I'm not skilled at all. I can't do anything," Su Luo replied indifferently, having long since become someone who could grow strong on her own.

The Sect Master was puzzled. Really?

"Then what do you want to learn? For Little Yu's sake, I could teach you."

"No need. Learning anything would be useless for me. I have no talent."

The Sect Master was displeased. How ungrateful.

"Then why are you at the Seven Stars Sword Sect?"

"Just passing time."

That was too much! The Sect Master despised laziness.

But for Little Yu's sake, he held back, simply saying, "That's fine. Everyone has their own choices. I just hope you won't regret it in the future."

"Thank you for your advice, Sect Master. I'll keep it in mind."

However, with his centuries of experience, the Sect Master could tell Su Luo wasn't taking him seriously at all.

"Well, I won't disturb you two anymore. Little Yu, I'll be going now."

"Take care, Master."

Little Yu showed no sign of wanting him to stay, which saddened the Sect Master a bit.

He felt it was necessary to find out exactly what the relationship between Little Yu and Su Luo was.