Chapter 69: Daily Encounters with Bells

The scorching May weather swept through Jiangning City. In a secluded courtyard, the lazy chime of wind bells sounded, while lush green creepers climbed the earthen walls. Wildflowers and grasses grew abundantly within the yard; grasshoppers leapt out and vanished again, crickets chirped from beneath bricks and stones, and sometimes a butterfly fluttered by. A bird perched atop a vine-covered trellis, preening its feathers, before spreading its wings to fly away. The movement caused the vines to sway, scattering golden blossoms onto the ground.

Beneath the trellis in a corner of the wall, she sat quietly with a sword resting in the grass beside her. It was morning, and from beyond the wall came the rhythmic recitation of children studying poetry, a pleasing sound carried in bursts by the wind.

Occasionally, that man's voice could be heard as well:

"...'The village hypocrite is a thief of virtue'—this means..."

"...Zilu did not admire the reclusive behavior of so-called hermits..."

"...This reminds me of a story I read once..."

His tone seemed casual, lacking the formal elegance of zhihuyuzhe rhetoric or the dignified reserve of other teachers she had encountered. To her, it felt... unrefined.

Though his speech wasn't as melodic as the students' recitations, it was surprisingly comprehensible. From time to time, he even entertained the students with stories, adding to the air of informality in the small school. The students were similarly undisciplined, often calling out, "Sir, sir..." or "Teacher Liheng..." while raising strange questions or jokingly discussing tales with him.

Too undisciplined! At her home, such children would've been punished with swollen palms and made to stand under the sun all day!

Still, despite his lack of an authoritative air and his plain speech, she found herself occasionally drawn to his words, feeling that they carried a certain truth.

In the mornings, he would bring her some daily necessities and food, enough to last the day. At noon, if he visited, he might bring hot meals. In the afternoons, he would tinker with peculiar contraptions in the room. Sometimes he spoke to her, and she replied indifferently.

They hadn't officially met because she had yet to see him clearly. Whenever he entered, she either sat perched on the beam above, observing coldly, or left through the window to retreat into the backyard. The young maidservant, however, often came to sit on the veranda outside, chatting with him about various mundane matters. From her chatter, she discerned that his family ran a fabric business.

After the maidservant finished her ramblings, she'd inevitably pester him to tell a story—like the fantastical The Enchanting Ghost. Unfortunately, that story was left unfinished, perhaps because he had already recounted it on the road one day. Now, he was narrating a tale called The Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils, whose plot faintly mirrored the current political landscape. In the story, the Wu Dynasty was replaced with the Song Dynasty.

Thus, on a languid summer afternoon in this quiet courtyard, Ning Yi sat conducting his peculiar experiments while recounting this odd tale. The maid sat in the front courtyard, and the woman in black, clutching her antique sword, sat amidst the wild grasses in the rear, listening to stories of martial arts, wandering heroes, sects, and clans—two worlds entirely separate from reality.

By evening, as he left, the maid would habitually turn back and cheerfully call out, "Bells, see you tomorrow!"

Her sweet voice blended with the dusky sunlight, suffusing the scene with a gentle warmth.

A Sincere Approach

After the first two days, Ning Yi stopped trying to force anything.

There are many ways to appear sincere, but the best method is often the simplest: be genuinely sincere.

He didn't overthink or overdo things. Though the woman occasionally responded to his words, she was unwilling to meet him face-to-face, and he didn't mind. Every morning, he prepared her meals for the day, and if he visited at noon or evening, he brought hot dishes when possible. Her injuries seemed severe, but given the circumstances of their refuge, there wasn't much to be done.

Each day, he brought some necessities, even buying her an additional set of black clothing for her to change into. While in the outer room, he spoke occasionally, explaining how to use the items in the house and which things shouldn't be touched. She likely thought him odd, but there was no need to explain further for now.

After the Dragon Boat Festival, Ning Yi's life returned to its usual rhythm of teaching, idling about, and experimenting. On the afternoon of the tenth day of May, he returned home to find the house unusually empty—Su Tan'er hadn't come back, and Xiao Chan was also out on errands. The courtyard felt desolate.

As he organized his room, he suddenly noticed a figure at the doorway. Startled, he thought it might be Xing'er, the slightly taller of the three maids. However, as he opened the door, he realized he was mistaken.

Standing there quietly was the woman, wearing the green dress he had bought for her. She met his gaze, her posture exuding both resolve and cold detachment.

Ning Yi exhaled. "This is far too risky..."

The city was still under strict patrols by soldiers. Whatever her intentions, showing up here so brazenly was reckless. At his words, the woman furrowed her brow slightly, as if puzzled, then turned and began to leave. It seemed she intended to retrace her steps and scale the wall to leave the estate. Ning Yi called after her sharply: "Wait." He gestured toward the side gate. "Go that way. I'll fetch the carriage."

Soon after, a horse-drawn carriage departed through the Su family's side gate, taking a roundabout route toward the academy. Midway, the woman finally spoke: "I know where your family lives."

Being cautious by nature, she left the rest unsaid, as nothing more needed to be explained. When the carriage reached the courtyard, the woman lifted the curtain and leaped over the wall into the yard. Her words lingered softly behind her: "My name is Lu Hongti."

Finally, they were acquainted.

Progression of Daily Life

The next day, the woman no longer avoided meeting Ning Yi face-to-face. In the days that followed, they exchanged scattered conversations about trivial matters.

One afternoon, as Ning Yi was working on his experiments, a sudden storm rolled in. Torrential rain poured down as if determined to flood the entire city of Jiangning. In the leaky house, Ning Yi placed buckets in various spots to catch water, the sound of drips echoing against the storm. Xiao Chan hadn't come by that day. Taking a moment's rest on a chair, Ning Yi casually asked her about martial arts...

Sitting on the bed inside the room, looking out at the rain through the window, Lu Hongti chuckled softly. "You've heard all those fictional tales and now you want to learn martial arts? What even is this Song Dynasty place you mentioned?"

Ning Yi laughed lightly. "Well, regardless, it's certainly fascinating."

"It's fascinating, true," Lu Hongti paused for a moment, her tone thoughtful. "But in the end, those are just fictional stories. In this world… there are no great sects, no gallant heroes of the jianghu, no refined codes of conduct or rules of the martial world. What exists are merely outlaws in the greenwood, vicious bandits, and ruthless marauders. It might sound nice when you describe it, but in reality, these are just desperate criminals. If they come across someone weak, they rob and kill without hesitation. If they encounter officials oppressing the common people or run into equally strong bandits, they'll hand over their spoils and retreat without a fight. Heroes—true heroes for the country and the people—do they really exist?"

"Not a single one?" Ning Yi asked casually.

"… Maybe there are a few."

Ning Yi smiled and changed the subject. "How strong were you in the martial world?"

"I've heard of a few skilled individuals, but I never fought them. The rest… they're nothing but bullies and ruffians. What kind of 'martial world' is that?" Her tone carried a trace of pride, yet also a hint of displeasure, though not aimed at Ning Yi. "I could take on a dozen, maybe a bit more. But against a hundred or in a battlefield formation, it wouldn't matter how skilled I am."

"So, you've been on the battlefield…"

There was a brief pause, then a soft laugh. "Do you really want to learn martial arts? My martial arts?"

"Uh… if I could, sure…"

"If I taught you, do you know what would happen?"

From her tone, Ning Yi could tell something was off, so he probed cautiously, "Your martial arts… are they only suitable for women to practice?"

"No, men might even find them more effective." She smiled, her response lighthearted and straightforward.

"Well then… I'm not asking to become some top-tier expert. Though I might be a bit old for it, I'm exceptionally gifted and well-read. Could I at least make it to the second tier?" With no real intention of training, Ning Yi joked, fantasizing aloud.

"Heh." She chuckled. "If you learned my martial arts but lacked perseverance and gave up halfway, that'd be your good fortune. But if you were truly diligent and practiced relentlessly, I guarantee you wouldn't live more than five years…"

Ning Yi fell silent for a long moment. "What kind of internal energy is this?"

Lu Hongti explained, "So-called internal energy is nothing more than breathing and circulation techniques. Basic breathing methods, practiced over time, can enhance health and fitness. But true advanced internal techniques involve breathing methods that are highly extreme, controlling the human body through rhythm.

"If a child practices, their body gradually adapts to these techniques. A child's organs are malleable and can be reshaped. Over time, they develop the ability to exert force in specific extreme ways, enduring the immense strain such techniques place on the body.

"However, for an adult, whose body has already set, attempting such extreme exertion causes severe damage. If you persist and train in breathing methods contrary to your natural rhythm, after a few years, your organs will shift out of place, and you'll cough blood and wither away. Most people think children progress faster while adults progress slower, but that's not entirely true… Now you understand. The idea that adults can pick up a powerful technique and instantly become experts is pure fantasy."

Outside, the rain poured relentlessly, the skies dark and gloomy. Ning Yi sat in stunned silence for a while, finally understanding what internal energy truly was. It wasn't some mystical force but a process of reshaping the body's organs through long-term control of breathing from childhood. Martial arts training from a young age wasn't about innate talent but about the adaptability of a child's body.

After a moment, he picked up a notebook and pen. "Better write this down, write this down…"

Seeing that Ning Yi didn't seem particularly discouraged, Lu Hongti looked slightly puzzled. But she didn't probe further. After a while, finding the atmosphere dull, she spoke again, "Since there's nothing else to do, why don't you tell me the rest of the Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils story?"

"Oh, it's all just speculation. Not worth discussing…" Ning Yi dismissed it offhandedly, and the other side fell silent. A few seconds later, he burst into laughter. "Just kidding, just kidding. But honestly, it seems like the martial arts in my stories are more fun. Haha, fine, I admit defeat for today. Last time, we stopped at the Six Meridian Swords versus the Buddha's Palm…"

"… Flaming Saber," Lu Hongti's voice drifted out softly from the inner room after a moment, like a ghost whispering with a hint of resentment.

Ning Yi scooted his stool a little further away, just in case another sword came stabbing through the wall…