Chapter 52: Crimson Tinted Eyebrows
[0:9]
"How infuriating!"
Yagyū Simozi swings her sword, within the envisioned misty space, her sword speed has already surpassed her own limits.
Anyone daring to approach within a few steps of her will swiftly be sliced into mince meat.
Even so, she still couldn't touch the corners of her opponent.
During the grueling battle that lasted for over ten days, she deemed her progress to have accelerated sufficiently. After dying countless times, she had fully adapted to the tactile sensations of actual sword combat.
However, she discovered that despite her own progress, the advancement of her opponent far outpaced her own.
With each passing day, the strength of the wandering swordsman within this contemplative realm grows stronger.
After fighting for so many days, her spirit was nearly worn out.
Every single day is a constant struggle! No matter who takes on this challenge, it is enough to make one's mentality explode!
"I refuse to believe it!" Yagyū Simozi muttered under her breath. "Today, I'll make sure you witness a little bit of my true abilities!"
The clash of their swords resembled two silver dragons intertwining, creating a symphony of resonating sounds and sparks igniting in their wake.
With her remaining strength dwindling, fueled by unwavering anger, she released her weapon from her grasp and launched herself forward, colliding into the embrace of her opponent.
Mugen Shinmyō-ryū, Sword Taken!
She attempted to seize the opponent's weapon.
As she firmly clasped the opponent's wrist with both hands, a sense of joy overwhelmed her, thinking she had succeeded. However, suddenly, a sharp pain surged in her lower abdomen.
Although Sword Taken held onto the opponent's wrist, preventing him from wielding their blade, she overlooked the sheathed sword hanging from her opponent's own waist.
The scabbard struck her abdomen, causing not just pain but also a tingling sensation. The true energy surged forcefully, colliding back and forth in her lower abdomen, damaging her qi sea. This obstruction hindered the flow of her true energy, shattering her state of rage with a single strike.
Yagyū Simozi's eyes widened, filled with fury, her cheeks reddening. It was evident that she was both embarrassed and infuriated.
However, the faceless swordsman raised his sword in disapproval.
"Well done."
Swish-!
[0:10]
[Beep beep beep~ Visualization concludes]
As the mist dissipated, Yagyū Simozi stood drenched in cold sweat inside the dojo. She first appeared dazed for a moment, then stomped her foot in frustration before grabbing a wooden staff and unleashing a furious barrage of strikes upon the dummy, venting her pent-up frustration.
One can tell that she was really angry.
All the sensations experienced during the visualization are interconnected, to the extent that she still feels a lingering phantom pain in her abdomen.
Placing her hand on her lower abdomen, she slowly circulated her true energy to disperse this unusual sensation. Yagyū Simozi silently thought to herself… Thankfully, in reality, there won't be any wounds left behind. If by any chance, she were to suffer damage to a critical area, the consequences would be too great to bear.
After the outburst of impotent rage, she regained her composure, and earnestly began to reflect on today's combat.
"Can I secretly learn that move I just witnessed? It seems like it would be very useful. I wonder if using that technique on 'someone with a large bosom' would cause her fat to explode?"
…
[Visceral Shock - Close-range attack that releases penetrating Qi force, disrupting the opponent's flow of true energy, and causing negative effects such as internal bleeding and disarray in energy circulation.]
Bai Wei browsed through his information entry, casually sliding his fingers across the virtual screen.
[Proficiency in sword techniques has been fully acquired]
"I have fully mastered the sword skills obtained through visualization techniques."
"Including the newly acquired Mugen Shinmyō-ryū, there are a total of seventeen commonly used techniques and twenty-one rarely used techniques."
"At the current stage, the only secret techniques available are 'Qi Blade' and 'Flashing Purple Light'."
[Swordsmanship Level: 20]
[Swordsmanship level has reached the maximum limit]
[Further level advancement requires a breakthrough to be accomplished beforehand.]
"A breakthrough is required at level twenty? Do you think this is the game Genshin Impact?"
Bai Wei was left speechless, these past few days have been quite enjoyable with all the various upgrades, but now the positive feedback has come to an abrupt end.
While it is called a breakthrough, there are no additional clues, only a single line of text is displayed.
The necessary conditions have not yet been met.
Necessary conditions? Is it so rigorous?
Even if it is difficult to improve his strength by continuing to practice with Yagyū Simozi, this practice is necessary because her progress is visibly rapid, progressing swiftly between life and death. Given enough time, it would not be surprising for her to break through the limits; she has already taken a step towards the threshold.
As a mentor, Bai Wei has extensive experience, and within a few years, he will be able to cultivate Yagyū Simozi into a remarkable swordsman. It will take several more years before she graduates from Far East University, so let's polish her skills gradually.
"There's no more I can get from my little sister. As for Jingūji… the Heroic Spirit Principle is quite troublesome, with its elevated hierarchy. It may be difficult to obtain anything from it."
"I need to go and search for other purple exclamation marks."
Bai Wei touched his chin.
He now roughly understands the classification and distinctions of exclamation marks.
The purple exclamation mark is a permanent exclamation mark that can be regarded as a mineral vein. Digging it every day brings abundant happiness.
The yellow-to-red gradient exclamation mark is an exclamation mark for emergencies. Depending on the chosen option, it may either be a futile effort or yield additional rewards.
There may also be other types of exclamation marks or question marks, but Bai Wei hasn't seen them yet, so it remains unclear for now.
…
After breakfast, Bai Wei noticed Yagyū Simozi pacing back and forth in the bedroom, wearing disheveled clothes and revealing either her shoulders or long legs as she hurriedly passed by Bai Wei with a flushed face, trying to capture attention but feeling too shy to do so.
"Stop, stop, stop," Bai Wei asked, "What are you trying to do?"
"I am changing clothes," she quietly evaluated Bai Wei's expression, "I want brother to pick out a more attractive outfit for me."
"Isn't the school uniform already quite attractive?" Bai Wei thought the shrimp-colored trousers were just fine.
"Brother, I'm going out. Jingūji invited me to go out today, so of course I need to tidy myself up a bit," Yagyū Simozi complained.
"Why?"
"Hmm…" Yagyū Simozi tilted her head, "It's probably impolite to go out without any makeup when being invited."
With narrowed eyes, Bai Wei stared at Yagyū Simozi's naturally exquisite features, devoid of any heavy makeup. She merely lightly outlined her eyebrows and applied a touch of rouge to her lips.
The makeup technique is remarkably juvenile, and he remained expressionless, saying, "I want to hear the truth."
Yagyū Simozi tilted her head and said, "I want to look more beautiful than her."
"Where does this baseless sense of comparison come from?"
"I may not win in terms of physique, but at least I want to win in terms of appearance."
"Alas!" Bai Wei folded his sleeves. "Fine then, as your elder brother, let me protect your self-esteem for a while."
He pinned Yagyū Simozi against the vanity table and briefly surveyed the cosmetics laid out on the desk.
She lived in the Ming Country for more than five years, and her lifestyle habits had long been assimilated. Even most of the cosmetics she bought were from the Ming Country.
Closing his eyes to adjust his state of mind, Bai Wei's gaze swept over Yagyū Simozi's visage, searching through his memories to verify one by one the knowledge he possessed.
Color application, makeup techniques, aesthetic perspective, facial bone structure, physiognomy, prosthetic masks, feigned death countenance…
He possesses the adept skill of makeup artistry, excelling at it with masterful techniques. Initially, his studies began as a means to disguise his identity. However, it eventually evolved into the establishment of the Black Rose Order, wherein he must thoroughly learn and master this craft. The knowledge of makeup serves him in the act of assuming new identities, undertaking undercover investigations, or feigning death. Initially, he was taught simple makeup techniques by witches, but soon he found himself responsible for creating distinct makeup looks for the witches, showcasing his inherent talent in this realm.
Yagyū Simozi was rarely subjected to such close scrutiny by anyone, and if it were anyone else, even her closest confidante, she would have reacted with anger. But now, all she felt was an overwhelming shyness as she could sense her face being gently caressed, with a firm yet tender touch. This made her feel incredibly bashful, her heart racing with anticipation.
"Brother…"
Bai Wei glanced at the dressing table as he said, "Relax, facial massage is meant to relieve muscle tension. Your face often appears tense due to your regular sword practice, resulting in stiffness. You're lacking a smile." He added, "Also, your collection of cosmetics is quite limited, and you don't have colors that truly complement your skin."
He took out several similar watercolor pigments and selected a disposable mold, commencing the process of blending and color matching on his own.
Yagyū Simozi was surprised; was her brother really this skilled at makeup artistry?
Bai Wei began applying makeup to her, skillfully maneuvering the cosmetic tools between his fingertips, exhibiting a level of dexterity that rivaled that of a professional makeup artist.
From time to time, he would pause midway, smearing watercolor on the back of his hand to assess color blending and brightness. It took approximately thirty minutes of busy work before he finally ceased.
"Alright," Bai Wei finally ceased his actions, setting aside the tools and turning her towards the mirror. "Take a look at yourself."
Yagyū Simozi nervously gazed into the mirror, seldom having seen her elder brother so earnest before. As her eyes fell upon her own reflection, her eyelashes quivered.
She seldom indulged in such fervor for beauty, but the image in the mirror was nothing short of transformative. It was as if she had turned into a proud swan, captivating her gaze, rendering her unable to look away.
"Victory," Yagyū Simozi's tone exuded unwavering confidence. "Not only that, but I have triumphed over her by a great margin!"
