Childhood memories tend to fade over time.
This is true for humans, and even for a martial artist like Gu Xibi, it was no different.
However, there was a story that, though faint, remained deeply etched in her heart.
"Take good care of Yang Chuan."
The warmest memory Gu Xibi possessed.
A memory that naturally surfaced whenever she faced hardships, one that was both a blessing and a curse.
In her memory, she was a gentle and beautiful person.
Unlike the fierce members of the Gu family, she was someone who could create a peaceful night amidst the heat.
In a way, she loved us more than our own mother.
She would let our son rest his head on her lap.
She always maintained a smile, even when our adopted daughter played mischievous tricks.
She would worry as if she herself was in pain whenever we were even slightly hurt.
She was a person we could call by that name without any hesitation.
Now that she is gone, having embraced us with her heart rather than her strength, Gu Xibi felt she must honor her request.
Unlike the endlessly affectionate woman, Gu Xibi could not do so.
She tried, but it was inherently impossible.
Thus, she needed to find another way.
She thought she needed strength, so she learned the sword.
Fortunately, she had talent.
Due to her Gu family bloodline, she was only exposed to violent things.
After she left, a fiery temperament also crept into Gu Xibi's nature.
But Gu Xibi did not forget what she had learned.
Love can embrace, and if it can embrace, it can also protect.
Gu Xibi did not forget what she showed with all her might.
She would live that way too.
The last payment she received would be used for this purpose.
She called out to her brother.
After a long time, her brother seemed to have grown taller.
She thought he might have gained some weight because he used to eat well, but his cheeks were now sunken from training.
Seeing this, she felt sorry and brought dumplings for him.
It was satisfying to see him eat them well.
A dry voice, devoid of any affection.
It was cute, like a kitten raising its claws.
Her brother seemed to have a lot of pent-up energy from eating something wrong in Sichuan.
She had been busy and turned her attention away for a moment, and he immediately caused trouble.
Now that he was in his rebellious phase, he was becoming increasingly disobedient.
'He even got engaged twice, and neither time did he like it?'
The engagement to the Pang family and the engagement to the Nangong family.
Things always happened when she was away.
At this point, she couldn't help but feel a bit resentful towards her father, who was pushing for her brother's engagements.
Was he deliberately doing this whenever she was on a long mission?
In the midst of this, the strange thing was that he had changed completely in just a few months.
He was still her brother.
She couldn't have been mistaken.
It was just that he was starting to exude a faint aura of a martial artist.
In such a situation, her brother, who should have run and hidden in his room, showed no fear in his eyes despite seeing her overflowing inner energy.
He was even looking for an opening.
What should she call this feeling?
Was it awe? Ah, that might be too extreme.
A fight with a strong opponent is always enjoyable.
Because there is no retreat.
She never expected to feel this from her younger brother.
When he started to rebel and wander, she wondered what to do...
To have grown so much in just a few months was both gratifying and a bit disappointing.
If he had still been growling like an animal, she might have considered taking him as part of her sword team and training him.
Fortunately, it seemed that wasn't necessary.
'Is this because of that Nangong girl?'
Emotions stirred, and her inner energy fluctuated roughly.
The Dang Bing Zhan Hui? Was it a place like that where they met?
She thought he would make some excuse and not go, but he did something unnecessary.
'According to what I heard, Elder Li was being unreasonable.'
Of all people, Elder Li... tsk.
A daughter of the Nangong family... was she beautiful?
Based on what she saw of the Long dragon, he wasn't ugly.
If she had met her, it would have been better.
She couldn't even get proper information on how well she was hidden.
'...The only thing I could get was...'
The rumor that she was the most beautiful in Anhui.
The only information she could get was this trivial thing.
Her brother's voice interrupted her thoughts.
Gu Yangchuan had already taken his stance.
"Because you seemed deep in thought before the sparring match."
"What? Are you worried I might get hurt? How considerate."
Gu Yangchuan did not answer, but twisted his head and loosened his body.
The sound of his bones cracking set the mood.
Despite the stance, the characteristic heat of a 3-star martial artist was not felt.
Was he preparing something? Or was he nervous?
"Brother, are you not using a sword?"
"I don't use a sword anymore."
Gu Xibi paused at Gu Yangchuan's words.
She had seen him carrying a wooden sword just a few months ago.
Did he think it didn't suit him and put it aside?
That didn't seem to be the case, as Gu Yangchuan hadn't practiced the sword for long.
If he put it aside just because he didn't like it...
'Shouldn't I scold him a bit?'
'...He'll figure it out on his own.'
She couldn't dictate everything.
"...Well, you don't have to use it."
Gu Xibi pointed the tip of her wooden sword at Gu Yangchuan.
With Gu Yangchuan's answer, Gu Xibi also adjusted her stance.
Honestly, she didn't plan to go all out.
She thought about being a bit harsh because of the engagement, but...
She didn't want to hurt him that much.
'Just enough to take the edge off.'
To remove the pent-up energy in his body.
She needed to keep her goal in mind.
It had been a while since she sparred with her brother.
Unlike Gu Lianxue, who always clung to her, Gu Yangchuan hated sparring with her.
In that sense, it was a new and refreshing experience.
She wanted to keep feeling this difference.
If she accidentally used too much force, the sparring would end quickly.
And she wouldn't achieve her goal.
Gu Xibi was confident in her talent.
She thought she was much better than the Five Dragons and Three Peaks she had seen.
She might seem arrogant, but she had the talent to back it up.
Or, is he now called Young Master?
Despite his crazy mind, he was a loyal martial artist.
His level of handling the Dao was different from other late-stage disciples.
But she could still catch up.
It wouldn't take long, Gu Xibi judged.
Gu Yangchuan's voice broke her thoughts.
Gu Xibi realized she had been lost in thought again.
No matter who the opponent was, this was clearly a mistake.
She thought about apologizing, but there was something odd.
Gu Yangchuan's voice was much closer than expected.
Before she could speak, her body moved first.
Her body, sensitized from months of killing monsters, moved instinctively.
She swung her wooden sword in the air.
A red inner energy burst out, forming a half-moon in front of her.
But there was nothing there.
Gu Xibi quickly turned her body, feeling a sensation from her side.
The sound of inner energy exploding where she had been echoed.
Gu Xibi took a few steps back and looked at Gu Yangchuan with trembling eyes.
Gu Yangchuan was standing where she had been.
A faint red mist rose from his lightly thrown punch.
The training ground was once again shrouded in darkness as she moved away.
She could feel Gu Yangchuan's gaze in the center.
His eyes faintly glowed red.
The ability to wrap her body in red inner energy.
The stage of physical transformation.
These were changes that only occurred when she reached her current level.
She repeated the same question.
She knew better because they used the same martial arts.
It was definitely the Gu Yan Hua Lun Gong, but something was different.
If she had to compare, it was like the patriarch.
His stance, his gaze, and the inner energy he used.
She saw a hint of the patriarch in Gu Yangchuan, who was a 3-star martial artist.
Gu Yangchuan brushed his hands and said,
A feeling she had never experienced, even from monsters.
It wasn't the inner energy that was oppressive.
It was the atmosphere Gu Yangchuan exuded.
The top late-stage disciple.
Sword Phoenix Gu Xibi, herself.
What had happened to make the boy change so much?
The months she was away from the family were maddeningly frustrating.
She missed the process of his transformation.
It was very disappointing.
Gu Yangchuan looked at her and said,
"Are you done being careless?"
"...Yeah, I was being careless."
If Gu Yangchuan hadn't called her?
If he had aimed for her jaw instead of her side?
Would she have been able to stand there unharmed?
Suppressing the rising excitement, Gu Xibi asked,
"Brother, what happened?"
He answered with a rather sour expression.
It didn't seem to be a particularly pleasant experience.
"It's not good... If you keep this up."
Her brother's growth was very good.
She felt relieved that her brother, who she thought was going astray, had found the right path.
Separately, a martial artist's desire to challenge him rose.
She needed to remember her original goal, but the rising desire was annoying.
'Just a little, to taste?'
Just a little, enough for her brother to handle.
Gu Xibi immediately acted.
'...So you finally snapped out of it?'
She sighed deeply, feeling a much hotter energy than before.
She had been frowning and smiling, frowning and smiling.
Gu Xibi's expression kept changing.
If he had aimed for her jaw, it would have been a light end, but the purpose was to remove the energy from his body.
Gu Xibi must have had the same intention, so she gave a little stimulation to help him focus.
The original intention was just to show, "Snap out of it, I can spar too."
'Insane... How much were you hiding?'
The heat brushing against her face made her step back involuntarily.
That was not the heat of a 5-star martial artist.
If anything, it was higher.
"...Big Sister, are you really focused now?"
She asked, feeling uneasy, but Gu Xibi smiled faintly in the flames.
"Of course! I'm fine, I'm fine."
The slightly off look made her nickname come to mind again.
Red Fire Mad Sword Gu Xibi.
'...It's basically saying she's a crazy woman with red flames.'
A nickname that couldn't be sugar-coated no matter how you looked at it.