Furthermore, finding a good place to escape the summer heat at Heshan Academy was also a top priority worthy of being passed around by word of mouth. It was unknown who discovered that the waterfall at Qingxue Cliff was an excellent cool spot, but in an instant, this training ground, which had been deserted for years, became lively.

Shen Mengzhi wasn't driven there by the heat, but rather followed the aroma of wine.

The wine's fragrance was rich and clear. He had smelled it once in the wine cellar of the Bamboo Study; it should be Yanling's Gardenia Brew. The crafting process was complex, making it extremely rare. Throughout the entire academy, only Qi Yu had a few jars hidden away, which he treasured in his room.

Shen Mengzhi figured Qi Yu had run off here to drink in secret and was originally planning to supervise him a little. He never expected that after rounding the stone wall and walking to the cliff's edge, he would meet Chu Jin's eyes.

Chu Jin was leaning against a pear tree, a jar of Gardenia Brew placed by his feet. The weather was hot, so he had tied his hair into a high ponytail, his long hair falling to his waist, looking extremely sharp. Shen Mengzhi had originally thought he was here to cool off, but he saw that Chu Jin was wearing a neat, tight-fitting outfit that cinched his figure, making him appear tall and powerful, like a frosted blade.

His usual casual demeanor was slightly restrained, revealing a somewhat imposing sharpness. Disregarding his status, he looked exactly like a spirited, handsome young man with rosy lips and white teeth.

Shen Mengzhi stared at him in a daze, "You're..."

Seeing him, Chu Jin was surprised for a moment, then smiled.

"Senior Brother," he called out, "Care to practice swords?"

Before he could finish speaking, he had already reached out and thrown a sword over from behind him. Shen Mengzhi hadn't even reacted yet when his body had already moved a step faster to catch it.

He looked at the sword in his hand, a slightly incredulous expression on his face, which then slowly calmed.

Shen Mengzhi looked up and said frankly, "I don't know martial arts."

Chu Jin raised an eyebrow. "Really? Hold the sword up, let me see."

Shen Mengzhi glanced at him, then tentatively raised the sword. Imitating others, he assumed a sword stance. His movements were slightly stiff and slow, even carrying a touch of endearing clumsiness. Watching this, Chu Jin couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Shen Mengzhi lowered the sword and glared at him, slightly annoyed, hearing him say, "I believe you, I believe you now."

"If the Heir finds it amusing, then laugh all you want," Shen Mengzhi said expressionlessly. "I am a commoner; naturally, I cannot compare to the Heir's unparalleled swordsmanship."

Hearing this, Chu Jin's smile faded, his expression showing some surprise. "Senior Brother, you still remember what I said on the first day of school?"

"Which part?"

"The part about being a commoner."

Seeing Shen Mengzhi remain silent, he straightened his expression and said seriously, "What I said that day was some foolish nonsense spoken on a whim. I don't truly believe I am superior to others. It was a slip of the tongue, I'm sorry."

Shen Mengzhi shook his head. "I don't care about such status."

Chu Jin's eyebrow raised slightly as he waited for him to continue, but the other person suddenly fell silent, not bringing up the matter again. Instead, he changed the subject, asking, "Has the Heir practiced the sword since childhood?"

Chu Jin nodded. "That's right."

"Might I have the good fortune to watch?" Shen Mengzhi smiled lightly. "It has been a long time since I've seen anyone practice swords at this Qingxue Cliff."

It was common knowledge that the Heir of Old Qin had a reputation for being a romantic libertine, an idle person who disliked swordsmanship and couldn't compare to the martial skills of his two older brothers.

But was this idleness a way of hiding his true abilities, or was this just how he was? Shen Mengzhi couldn't be sure.

He might as well use today, under the pretext of swordsmanship, to probe him.

Chu Jin looked at him, his smile as usual. After a long moment, he held out his hand. "Senior Brother, pass me the sword."

The longsword was in his grasp, cold to the touch.

Chu Jin's posture was composed as he stood in the center of Qingxue Cliff. The wind blew against him, shaking the pear tree, and its blossoms fluttered down one after another.

When the wind stopped, his wrist suddenly moved. The tip of the sword thrust diagonally into the soil under the tree, then shot out of the earth. At the same time, the blade flicked the jar of Gardenia Brew that was originally placed at the base of the tree. The wine jar flew up, swerved in the air, tracing an arc before landing steadily in his hand.

He lowered his head slightly, his teeth biting the red seal of the wine jar. With a flick, the red cloth, stained with wine, floated gently down between the two of them, obstructing their view for an instant.

The aroma of wine wafted out, sweet, clear, and fragrant. Shen Mengzhi's gaze passed over the patch of vibrant red. He saw the man holding the sword in one hand and the rim of the jar in the other with a reverse grip. As he tilted his head back, the curve of his neck was like a crescent moon. Then, the clear liquor flowed down his throat, a picture of unrestrained elegance.

Chu Jin swallowed the wine, then poured the rest over the body of the sword, washing away all the dirt and revealing the gleaming, frosted blade once more.

The wind rose again, slightly messing his hair and making the hem of his clothes flutter. Behind him, the rushing waterfall was like a bolt of white silk, its spray like splashing shards of jade, dampening his lapels. Amidst the vast white mist of the mountain gorge, a rainbow unexpectedly appeared. Immediately, the longsword cut through the air, a single point of cold light cleaving through the white mist of the waterfall.

An arc of vast sword energy arrived in an instant, slicing the rainbow in two. In a flash, only half a broken rainbow remained on the cliff.

While Shen Mengzhi was in a daze, Chu Jin had already spun back to his original spot. Pear blossoms danced in the sky, falling before him like scattered jade fragments. He suddenly smiled, and with a hook and a flick of the sword in his hand, its tip held a single pear blossom, presenting it before Shen Mengzhi's eyes.

Shen Mengzhi's gaze fell upon the pear blossom. After a long moment, it traveled past the long body of the sword to fix on the man's eyes.

"The Heir's swordsmanship," he said sincerely, "is truly exquisite."

Chu Jin scoffed lightly, reversed his grip to sheathe the sword, and stood with it behind his back.

"I can only manage these flashy sword tricks. What I've learned isn't the skill of killing on the battlefield. Senior Brother must find it laughable."

Shen Mengzhi's gaze flickered slightly. He had seen clearly just now. Chu Jin's sword moves looked exceptionally gorgeous, but in reality, they contained many unnecessary flourishes. They were beautiful, but lacked the ability to defeat an enemy. Furthermore, there was no killing intent in the sword, and the sword's purpose was ostentatious. It truly didn't look like he had practiced martial arts for years.

Old Qin revered martial prowess, and many children of noble families followed the trend of learning this kind of showy but substanceless swordsmanship. Since Chu Jin was someone who loved elegance, this wasn't surprising.

Chu Jin tossed the sword, inserting it back into the Lanqi. The ground under the pear tree was covered in fallen petals, a vast expanse of white. He walked over slowly, found a spot to sit, and then beckoned to Shen Mengzhi who was standing to the side, "Senior Brother, isn't it sunny where you're standing? It's cool over here."

Shen Mengzhi hesitated for a moment but didn't refuse. He walked to his side and sat down next to him.

Qingxue Cliff truly deserved its reputation as a publicly-acclaimed summer retreat. A cool breeze blew, carrying the moist vapor from the waterfall splashing against the rocks. It was cool against the face without being cold, and it didn't dampen one's clothes.

Chu Jin picked up the jar of Gardenia Brew and raised an eyebrow at Shen Mengzhi. "Drink?"

He had only asked casually, not at all thinking that someone as ascetic as Shen Mengzhi would agree. He didn't expect the other to nod and naturally take the wine jar from him.

Before he could react, Shen Mengzhi had already closed his eyes, tilted his head back, and chugged a mouthful of wine. The clear, fragrant liquor formed a cool stream, falling from the air and filling his mouth. But the next second, he choked and coughed, the spiciness in his throat making it difficult for him to speak.

Chu Jin took the wine from his hand and said helplessly, "What's the rush? I wasn't finished speaking. This Gardenia Brew is mellow on the palate, but has a strong afterkick. You were bound to choke on a mouthful like that."

Shen Mengzhi wiped the wine that had dripped onto his chin and, after a moment of speechlessness, said, "I know."

Seeing him like this, a thought struck Chu Jin, and he raised an eyebrow with a smile. "Senior Brother, could it be that this is your first time drinking?"

Shen Mengzhi looked at him, "..."

"No wonder," Chu Jin said. "You'd better not drink anymore in the future."

Shen Mengzhi was perplexed upon hearing this. "Why?"

When he was confused, he would quietly gaze into the other person's eyes. Normally, this was a gesture of humbly seeking guidance, but at this moment, it looked completely different. Chu Jin gazed at his eyes, which were shimmering with moisture from the coughing, the corners tinged with a faint red like the pink stamen of a pear blossom, exuding a subtle, hidden fragrance.

He averted his gaze, thought for a moment, and casually made up an excuse: "Strong liquor is bad for your health, and not conducive to your self-cultivation."

Shen Mengzhi nodded. "Oh."

He then remembered something else and asked, "Where did you get this wine? I've only ever seen it at Qi Yu's place."

Chu Jin smiled. "I borrowed it from him."

"Borrowed?"

"Yes. Brother Qi has quite a few hidden away, so I just grabbed a jar. I figure he won't notice. When the gardenias bloom next year, I'll personally brew a new jar to return to him."

This 'borrowing' was not quite borrowing. He said it so matter-of-factly, but if one were to scrutinize it, it wasn't a major fault either. Shen Mengzhi was speechless.

Chu Jin said leisurely, "But now you've drunk some too. It seems Senior Brother will have to take part in this wine-brewing business."

Shen Mengzhi felt like he had boarded a pirate ship, but the wine was already in his stomach, leaving him no room to refuse. He could only nod and say, "...Alright."

The two sat quietly under the tree, listening to the wind move through the dense blossoms, a rare moment of comfort. Chu Jin tilted his head back, took a swig of wine, and suddenly said, "Senior Brother, why do you think people wield swords?"

After asking, he belatedly realized the other person didn't know martial arts and couldn't help but let out a self-deprecating laugh.

The wine must truly be getting to my head, making me speak without thinking.

Chu Jin's thoughts began to drift, but then he heard Shen Mengzhi beside him say, "To me, people wield swords because of the Sword Heart."

He froze, snapping back to his senses. The phrase echoed in his mind like the tolling of a great bell, refusing to dissipate.

Chu Jin repeated in a low voice, "...Sword Heart?"

"To point one's sword at the world's injustices is the Sword Heart. To protect all living beings and defend a city is the Sword Heart." Shen Mengzhi's voice was calm, his expression placid as he listed them one by one. "To settle three thousand grievances and kill a sworn enemy is the Sword Heart. To quell a chaotic world and execute the disloyal is the Sword Heart."

Chu Jin's smile had vanished, his gaze unreadable.

"To settle three thousand grievances and kill a sworn enemy, to quell a chaotic world and execute the disloyal." He said faintly, "...But what if you and I are that sworn enemy and that disloyal one? Is the heart that kills and rebels also what you call the Sword Heart?"

His question was sharp, as if wanting to rip apart the peaceful facade. Shen Mengzhi picked up a cluster of pear blossoms beside him and twirled it between his fingertips, as if he hadn't heard the question.

"A swordsman's original intention for picking up the sword is the Sword Heart. Why does one kill? Why does one rebel? If one's conscience is clear, then both the world and the way of the sword can bear witness."

Shen Mengzhi's expression was serene. He suddenly smiled and held the pear blossom in his hand before Chu Jin's eyes. "This is the flower you picked with your sword just now."

His face was as usual, as if his previous words were all spoken unintentionally. Chu Jin gazed at him for a long moment, then reached out to take the flower, lowered his eyes to look at it, and said, "Yes, it is."

He was quiet for a long while, then suddenly let out a soft laugh and said, "Senior Brother, do you want to learn the sword?"

Shen Mengzhi's eyes widened slightly. "What?"

Chu Jin said, "I'll teach you."

After speaking, he turned, drew his sword from its sheath, and swung it at the empty air. A pear branch fell in response.

"Use this branch as a sword." Chu Jin handed the branch to Shen Mengzhi. "Come."

Shen Mengzhi looked at his hand, hesitated slightly, then used it to stand up. Chu Jin exerted a little force, pulling him in front of him. He then reached out, grasping his wrist bone to help him control the wooden branch.

Shen Mengzhi was pressed closely against his back. If he tilted his head just a little, the tip of his nose would brush against Chu Jin's chin. His body was stiff, and he didn't dare to move recklessly. He could only hear the soft sound of breathing by his ear, stirring his hair and making the side of his face itch slightly.

He heard Chu Jin speak, his chest vibrating slightly, the sound flowing into his ear. "Focus."

Hearing this, Shen Mengzhi held his breath, his gaze completely focused on the tip of the branch.

A force transmitted from his wrist, a torrent of sword intent pouring out. The two of them danced together under the tree by the cliff, one moment stirring the pear blossoms on the tree into a chaotic flutter, the next severing the waterfall that hung like silk. In their advances and retreats, they moved with an effortless tacit understanding, trampling the pear-white ground, their robes flying, their movements almost indistinguishable.

When they stopped, Shen Mengzhi still hadn't returned to his senses. He gripped the flowered branch tightly in his hand, his heart pounding like a drum.

This set of sword techniques flowed like moving clouds and flowing water. It didn't have many complex skills; instead, it had a feeling of returning to simplicity. He only felt that the frustration that had accumulated in his chest for years was being wildly vented with each and every move, and he suddenly felt refreshed and completely at ease.

His mind had yet to calm down. Unconsciously, a light, relieved smile appeared at the corners of his lips, like a child whose wish had been fulfilled.

Chu Jin looked down and saw the rare, bright smile on his face. He couldn't help but tug at his own lips. "How does it feel?"

"When I was young, I watched my elder brother at home practice the sword, but I never knew what it felt like," Shen Mengzhi said. "So this is what it feels like to hold a sword."

He suddenly laughed. "Very good, I like it very much."