No approval. No surprise. Not even a single pixel of a satisfied smile at the corners of his mouth.
He only gave her a faint glance, as if all of this was only to be expected. Then he rose, turned, and walked away.
The surrounding cheers seemed to become somewhat jarring in that instant.
Jingliu stood atop the rubble of the platform, feeling a chill slowly creep into her heart.
Even... even a simple nod would have been fine...
She had over completed all the special training. She had stood at the very end of the martial examination. She had also... become a Valiant Guard capable of standing on her own.
Why, Master...
Why do you still refuse to look at me more?
Jingliu pressed her lips together. A layer of indescribable mist surged deep in her eyes, only to be forcefully forced back.
Disappointment. Resentment. Bitterness. All kinds of emotions mingled together, weighing heavily on her heart.
She watched that gradually retreating figure. Her originally straight back slumped, almost imperceptibly.
What exactly must she do to earn her master's recognition and stand by his side?
Since her master would not speak, she would prove herself through action.
Since the status of a Cloud Knight Valiant Guard was still not enough to stand by his side, then she would go and kill abominations to become stronger.
As long as she killed enough, as long as her sword was fast enough, as long as she became strong enough to surpass her master...
By then, her master's eyes should finally have room for her, right?
There was still time ahead.
Carrying this almost obsessive desire, Jinliu became a tireless blade on the Xianzhou Yaoching.
The next two years were two years that made the Cloud Knights' battle dispatch officers' hearts dance.
The newly promoted Valiant Guard named Jingliu could not even be adequately described with the word "absurd."
Two years. She had participated in all eight large-scale battles that had taken place.
Eight large-scale battles in a short period. Eight great victories.
Even on Yaoching, where martial arts valor was highly esteemed, this record was enough to leave people dumbfounded.
Every time, she charged to the very front line. Every time, the piles of abomination corpses beneath her sword were immense.
Every time she returned, she took no leave. She ignored victory banquets. Without even a single sip of celebratory wine, she would apply to lead a battle-ready unit back into the field.
When Jingliu, dragging her exhausted body and laden with glory, ended her eighth battle and returned to Yaoching to rest, she found the house empty. Even her master's jade talisman could not be reached.
She checked the battle dispatch. The answer she received was:
"Lady Jingliu, Lord Zhimu and his personal guards led their forces out yesterday to suppress the chaos caused by the Wingweavers in the Feige Star System."
Hearing this report, the light in Jingliu's eyes dimmed for a moment.
Another two years passed. She still had not seen her master even once.
This suffocating pattern of missed encounters seemed to have become some kind of established curse.
While she was fighting bloody battles, her master was elsewhere, cutting off the heads of abominations in another disaster zone.
She would return in triumph; he would depart for battle.
She would prepare for a break; he would return to report, then leave again.
For four full years, the battle trajectories of master and disciple were like two parallel lines. They never intersected even once.
At first, Jingliu thought it was only coincidence, an unfortunate necessity of busy wartime.
She did not lose heart. Instead, she transformed this disappointment into even purer motivation.
And so the expeditions continued.
...
Stellar Calendar Year 6370, Winter.
News that shook the military circles of Yaoching arrived.
Jingliu had led a lone army deep behind enemy lines, against overwhelming odds, and had slain the Great Nestfather of the Zao Chi Hunting Group.
Not only that, she had also framed this attack on other Borisin hunting groups, provoking a significant scale of infighting.
It must be understood that most of the weapon beasts and weapons the Borisin normally used had their technical prototypes from the gene wizards of the Zao Chi Hunting Group.
Even in the most brutal eras of civil war, no hunting group had dared to attack the Zao Chi Hunting Group.
Attacking these gene wizards would incur the collective wrath of the Borisin, even leading to being attacked by all sides.
For this reason, the Zao Chi Hunting Group was usually heavily protected. Their whereabouts were extremely difficult to track. Countless Cloud Knights had returned in defeat.
But now, the head of their Great Nestfather was hanging high from the prow of the Xianzhou Yaoching.
This battle merit was enough to be recorded in Yaoching's annals. Looking across the entire history of Yaoching, she was the first Cloud Knight Valiant Guard to slay a Great Nestfather of the Zao Chi Hunting Group.
Upon her triumphant return, Jingliu finallyy caught up—
Qi Zhimu was not on a campaign. He was in a rest period.
After the victory banquet, emboldened somewhat by drink, Jingliu returned home and knocked on the door of Qi Zhimu's study.
"Master."
She stood before his desk. Her posture was straight. A hint of careful, hopeful anticipation was hidden in her eyes.
"Next month, I want to apply for coordinated operations with your Unit 1 in the extermination operation against the Shirou stronghold."
Qi Zhimu did not even lift his head.
"No need."
His voice was flat, as always.
Jingliu's heart sank. She could not help but press further.
"Why? I am already strong enough now! I have slain a Great Nestfather too. I am no worse than anyone else. I will never hold Master back!"
Qi Zhimu finally raised his head. His gaze was calm as he looked at her.
"Cloud Knight regulations state that unless it is a specific very large battle or by direct order of the General, Valiant Guards are to lead their own units independently and hold their own fronts."
"But..."
"There are no buts."
Jingliu opened her mouth. The remaining words caught in her throat. No matter what, she could not get them out.
Regulations?
That kind of excuse might fool new recruits.
Within the Cloud Knights, there were countless examples of masters and disciples joining forces, of brothers fighting side by side.
For such an important expedition mission, as long as a Valiant Guard applied to the General on the grounds of ensuring absolute success, nine times out of ten it would be approved.
Did her master... not want to fight alongside her?
Exiting the study, Jinliu looked back at the closed door. An indescribable bitterness welled up in her heart.
An absurd thought even began to grow unchecked in her mind.
Could it be... that her master had wanted her to take first place in the martial arts examination all along... precisely for this day?
Using her authority to lead an independent unit as a justifiable reason to completely push her away?
But why would he do that?
It could not be just to keep her at a distance, could it?
"..."
Jingliu's face suddenly froze.
This possibility began to spread in the rising depths of her heart, gradually into her eyes, dyeing those crimson orbs with a hint of darkness.
No... it can't be like this...
Her master would not do such a thing. She had not made her master angry. She had certainly not annoyed him.
But her master always took Mian Xue and Qing Han with him. And the two sisters clearly had the strength to become Valiant Guards, yet they had not participated in the martial arts examination at all.
They had not signed up for her examination cycle, nor for the one five years later.
That way, they could justifiably remain as her master's personal guards...
Thinking of this, darkness completely took over the light in Jinliu's eyes. Her body trembled slightly.
...