"That's because you haven't learned to control the True Qi within you yet."

Luo Qingxuan softly answered, "One of the biggest differences between the strong and the mediocre is the ability to control their own power. Whether it's physical strength or the power of True Qi, both can be controlled. The more perfect the control, the greater the power one can exert at the same realm."

As she spoke, Luo Qingxuan gently flicked her fingertip, and from the plate of pastries on the stone table in front of her, the top piece was sliced off by Sword Qi, leaving a thin layer that floated lightly down to the table.

Wang Junze's pupils suddenly contracted. Seeing the pastry with a layer shaved off, a sense of shock rose in his heart!

The strand of Sword Qi released by Luo Qingxuan wasn't strong, it couldn't even harm people, but her control over the Sword Qi was nearly perfect.

The layer of pastry that was cut off was thinner than paper. Even using a knife with care, it would be hard to achieve such an effect, yet Luo Qingxuan finished it with just a casual stroke of Sword Qi! Such exquisite control completely overturned Wang Junze's understanding.

"The power you exert can be controlled. Normally, it's difficult to release all of your power in an instant. But if you can achieve this, theoretically, it's certain you can also retract a portion of that power." Luo Qingxuan patiently explained, "This requires you to be very familiar with the True Qi within you and capable of perfectly controlling your own power."

"To achieve this, there are generally only two methods: one is a special Heart Method, and the other is absolute control forged through constant honing!"

"I mentioned before, this Yi Swordsmanship is incomplete, lacking the most core Heart Method!" Luo Qingxuan continued, "If I'm not mistaken, in the complete cultivation technique, there must be a Heart Method to help you control True Qi. In this way, it would be easy to control the power of a sword."

"Unfortunately, you don't have the core Heart Method!"

Picking up a piece of pastry, Luo Qingxuan smiled and said, "So, if you want to achieve the same effect, you must put in ten or even a hundred times more effort to fundamentally grasp the power within you."

"In this aspect, there are no shortcuts! If you wish to practice, you can start by trying to cut this piece of pastry..."

"Thank you, Saintess, for your guidance!"

With a hint of gratitude in his eyes, Wang Junze bowed to express his thanks, then stepped forward to take the entire plate of pastries from the table.

He had barely reached for the plate when Luo Qingxuan's hand intercepted him.

"Just take one to practice, are you planning to ruin my whole plate of pastries?" Luo Qingxuan glanced at Wang Junze and scolded in a slightly annoyed tone, "Understand the principle first, then you can practice with anything, whether it's twigs, petals, or stones."

"..."

Hearing this, Wang Junze's face immediately showed a hint of embarrassment.

This practice wasn't easy. If he used pastries, it'd indeed be too wasteful, especially since the pastries from the City Lord's Mansion were meticulously prepared, ruining them meant they couldn't be remade quickly.

Taking the pastry, Wang Junze thought for a bit and decided not to waste even that one, directly tossing it into his mouth.

I must admit, the pastry was crispy and delicious, truly a rare treat, only available in the City Lord's Mansion, likely unavailable for purchase elsewhere, even if one had money.

At that moment, Wang Junze even suspected that if it weren't for Luo Qingxuan's disdain for the piece cut by Sword Qi, she wouldn't have given him even that one.

By the stone table, Luo Qingxuan saw Wang Junze eat the pastry and was momentarily stunned, then couldn't help but smile.

But this smile, when seen by Wang Junze, rendered him momentarily dazed.

She's so beautiful!

Luo Qingxuan was already exceptionally beautiful, her usual demeanor exuding an elegant grace. Yet, somehow, this smile carried an indescribable allure, a smile that truly bewitched the onlooker, leaving one's heart pounding.

Fortunately, Wang Junze didn't completely lose his composure. After a brief daze, he quickly lowered his head, not daring to look further.

Even an ordinary woman, being stared at like this, would be considered too forward, let alone Luo Qingxuan.

With Luo Qingxuan's status and power, Wang Junze really didn't even have the qualification to feel infatuated with her now.

Lowering his head, he walked aside, casually picked a flower, and began trying to practice. Soon, Wang Junze managed to suppress that fleeting feeling of infatuation.

In fact, Luo Qingxuan was not annoyed at Wang Junze's earlier faux pas. She was well aware of how enticing her own appearance could be to men, which is why, normally, she wore a veil light enough to obscure her face, only taking it off when feeling relaxed in private.

Considering their previous encounters where Wang Junze could maintain composure was already commendable. What happened just now was merely a subconscious reaction, not truly impudent.

Moreover, Luo Qingxuan's impression of Wang Junze wasn't bad, to begin with. Otherwise, regardless of Wang Junze's talent, she wouldn't have privately guided him like this.

Of course, this fondness had nothing to do with affection; it simply meant she didn't find him annoying.

Shaking her head, Luo Qingxuan didn't concern herself further with Wang Junze. She merely turned her attention back to the book beside her and resumed reading.

Time slowly slipped by, and before one knew it, an entire afternoon had passed.

Over the course of the afternoon, Wang Junze ruined quite a few flowers, but in fact, his improvement was minimal. Controlling True Qi was inherently a challenging task, something impossible to achieve overnight, and even with Wang Junze's talent, it requires time for gradual cultivation.

At best, finding the right path for cultivation can minimize detours in his practice.

Seeing the darkening sky, Wang Junze sensibly refrained from staying for dinner and courteously took his leave.

This time, Luo Qingxuan also didn't make any effort to hold him back.

As for the City Lord, he hadn't made an appearance from start to finish.

Leaving the City Lord's Mansion, Wang Junze returned to his own small courtyard, where he saw Lan Yi again.

This time, Lan Yi was alone without any others, waiting there with a food container in her hand.

"Miss Lan Yi, what are you up to?"

Seeing Lan Yi, Wang Junze felt a bit of a headache. Previously, he wouldn't have paid any attention to her, yet ironically, after the Cloud Mirror Sect incident, where Lan Yi came to assist, he owed her a favor. Now, he obviously shouldn't respond with a cold face.

"Young Master Wang, Lan Yi thought you might find it inconvenient to take care of everyday things like meals and laundry by yourself, so I came by to see if there's anything I can help with. I hope I'm not interrupting,"

Lan Yi smiled and softly explained as she looked at Wang Junze.

Wang Junze really had no grounds to refuse this, so with a wry smile, he opened the courtyard door and made an inviting gesture with his hand, "Miss Lan Yi, please come in!"

Following Wang Junze into the courtyard, Lan Yi chuckled, "Thinking that young master appreciates tranquility, I didn't bring any servants! These are some dishes and wine I happened to pick up from the Moon Viewing Tower on the way. If you don't mind, could we share a meal?"

"How could I possibly deserve this?" Wang Junze said with a wry smile.

"As long as you don't mind, young master," Lan Yi replied with a smile. "Please wait a moment, everything is quite simple and will be ready soon."

With that, Lan Yi began laying out the food and wine from the food container onto the stone table in the courtyard.

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