For a long moment, neither of them moved.
Moonlight rested softly upon Ling Yue's face. Her eyes were wide, reflecting the silver glow of the lake. Mo Xuan saw her clearly for the first time — not as a voice, not as a presence beside him — but truly saw her.
She was beautiful.
Not just in appearance.
But in spirit.
Her brows were slightly arched from surprise, her lips parted as if words had been forgotten midway. The faint traces of earlier tears still shimmered near her lashes.
His heart beat faster.
He could hear it.
She could too.
Ling Yue's breath trembled.
She had imagined his eyes before — but not like this.
They were deep and dark, yet calm like still water. Not the eyes of a weak disciple. Not the eyes of someone ordinary.
For a brief moment,
Time seemed to narrow around them.
Wind brushed through their hair gently.
Petals drifted down between them like quiet witnesses.
Then,
Ling Yue suddenly stepped back.
Too fast.
She pressed her hand against her chest.
"My… my heart…" she muttered softly.
Mo Xuan instinctively touched his own chest as well.
His pulse was racing.
Why?
He had faced life-and-death battles without trembling.
Yet this,
Was different.
Ling Yue turned away quickly.
"I—I need to go," she said hurriedly. "I have… something to do."
The excuse was weak.
They both knew it.
But neither exposed it.
She paused briefly, without turning back.
"…Thank you," she added softly. "For making me happy."
Then she ran.
Mo Xuan stood alone at the lake.
He looked at the moon reflected in the water.
His eyes.
He could see.
And the first thing he had seen was her.
A faint smile touched his lips.
He returned quietly to the dormitory.
Ling Yue entered her room quickly and shut the door.
She leaned against it, breathing unevenly.
"What was that…" she whispered to herself.
She walked to her bed, fell onto it, and pulled the blanket over her head.
Under the covers, she replayed the sword dance.
His hand at her waist.
His voice near her ear.
His eyes opening.
She pressed her face into the pillow.
"Calm down…" she muttered.
"Why is my heart beating like this?"
She smiled unconsciously.
Then frowned.
Then smiled again.
"This blind fellow… no, not blind anymore…
how can he suddenly…"
She turned to the side and hugged the blanket tightly.
Eventually,
Still thinking of silver light and steady eyes,
She drifted into sleep.
Mo Xuan returned to his dorm.
Shen Liang was inside, leaning against his bed casually.
"You can see now?" Shen Liang asked without surprise.
"Yes."
Shen Liang nodded.
"I guessed."
Mo Xuan sat down.
"How many top disciples are there in Sixth Branch?"
Shen Liang raised a brow.
"Planning something?"
"I just want to know."
Shen Liang shrugged.
"There are six of us."
"All Core Formation Realm."
He counted casually.
"Wei Jianhong. Myself. Luo Han. Qin Shuo. Yan Rui. And the strongest…"
He paused slightly.
"Guo Tian."
Mo Xuan's gaze sharpened slightly.
"What rank are you?"
"Second."
"And first?"
"Guo Tian."
"He's not here right now. He'll return directly for the Sixth Branch Tournament."
Mo Xuan nodded slowly.
Shen Liang studied him.
"Why ask?"
"I intend to compete."
Shen Liang stared.
"You're Late Qi Gathering."
"They are Core Formation."
"It won't be easy."
Mo Xuan's voice was calm.
"I know what I'm doing."
Shen Liang laughed faintly.
"You're either confident… or crazy."
"Perhaps both."
The night passed.
Morning.
Mo Xuan entered class without the bandage.
The entire hall fell silent.
"So he really can see…"
"He looks different."
His presence felt sharper now.
Elder Qin entered and announced the assessment results.
"Based on yesterday's performance," he said firmly, "training divisions will be adjusted."
Names were called.
Techniques assigned.
Then,
"Mo Xuan."
Whispers immediately rose.
"You will no longer attend standard classes."
Silence fell.
"You have been selected for personal training under the Sixth Branch Leader."
Shock exploded across the room.
"What?!"
"Why him?"
Elder Qin raised his voice.
"Silence."
"Yesterday's match was observed by Branch Leader Xu Cangming."
"He made the decision personally."
From now on, Mo Xuan would train at Azure Wind Pavilion — the private residence of the Sixth Branch Leader.
Jealousy filled the air.
Mo Xuan said nothing.
He simply turned and left.
Azure Wind Pavilion stood slightly higher than the main branch grounds, overlooking the valley.
Mo Xuan entered quietly.
No one was visible.
He turned to leave.
A lazy voice echoed behind him.
"Why come… if you're leaving so quickly?"
Mo Xuan turned.
A man lay casually against a stone platform, wine gourd in hand.
Hair loosely tied.
Eyes half-lidded.
Yet his aura was deep.
Branch Leader Xu Cangming.
Mo Xuan stepped forward and bowed.
"Disciple Mo Xuan greets Branch Leader."
Xu Cangming waved lazily,
"I know who you are."
"I watched your match."
Mo Xuan lifted his gaze slightly.
"My match?
"Yes."
Xu Cangming took a sip of wine.
"I've seen many disciples."
"But yesterday, your last strike…"
He narrowed his eyes slightly.
"That was not ordinary sword understanding.
Mo Xuan remained calm.
"I lost my memory. I don't know how I learned it."
"Ling Yue saved me. I came here because of her."
Xu Cangming studied him carefully.
"Hm."
"Memory or not… talent is talent."
He stood up slowly.
"From today onward, you are my third direct disciple."
"I've only taken three."
"One ascended to the Immortal World."
"One is outside."
"And now you."
Mo Xuan bowed again.
"Disciple accepts."
Xu Cangming's expression grew serious.
"We have three weeks before the Sixth Branch Tournament."
"You are Late Qi Gathering."
"That is not enough."
Mo Xuan nodded.
"I understand."
Xu Cangming walked to the courtyard center.
"I won't teach you flashy techniques."
"I'll teach you efficiency."
He raised his hand.
"Watch."
Spiritual qi condensed into a focused line.
"Azure Sky Severing Palm."
The air cracked.
A compressed wave shot forward silently.
The stone pillar ahead split cleanly in two.
No explosion.
No wasted force.
Mo Xuan's eyes sharpened.
Even as a former Demon Emperor,
He had never seen immortal-style compression techniques like this.
He stepped forward.
"May I try?"
Xu Cangming nodded casually.
Mo Xuan mimicked the stance.
Circulated qi.
Focused.
Compressed,
The first attempt formed briefly.
Then scattered.
Xu Cangming's brows lifted slightly.
"Again."
Mo Xuan adjusted.
Second attempt,
The formation appeared.
Compressed.
Stable,
Then vanished.
Xu Cangming stared.
His wine gourd lowered slowly.
This was not normal learning speed.
Mo Xuan tried again.
The air around his palm tightened faintly,
And this time,
It held.
Xu Cangming's eyes darkened slightly.
"…Interesting."
The wind around Azure Wind Pavilion shifted.
And for the first time,
The Branch Leader wondered,
Who exactly had stepped into his Sixth Branch?
End of Chapter 12...