I assembled the strongest swordsman group.

Instantly, as if infected, the expression on Tenshōin's face gradually became strange.

She gave Qingdeng a resentful look, then turned and strode off toward the archery range as if fleeing, muttering:

"Alright, alright! Stop standing there! Come with me to the archery range. If you keep dragging your feet, there won't be time to teach you archery. I have some matters to attend to in the inner palace this afternoon."

"Okay, okay..."

Qing Deng also started slurring his words.

Qing Deng took a deep breath, pretending to be calm. He put on a stern face and followed closely behind Tian Zhangyuan.

The two walked away, leaving the two legally-owned lolis standing there, staring at each other in bewilderment.

"Sister, why did Lord Yu Du's expression just now seem so strange?"

Yaeten blinked innocently.

"..." As if she had thought of something, Sae's small, round face was instantly filled with intriguing emotions.

"I hope I'm just overthinking it..."

Sae sighed softly.

"Huh? What do you mean by 'overthinking'? What do you mean? Sister, don't tell riddles!"

Yae, whose eyes still shone with innocence, puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction.

"...Yae, you can be so adorably innocent sometimes."

"...Did you just make sarcastic remarks to me?"

Yae paused for a moment, then slowly cast an angry glare at Sae.

"I'm not being sarcastic; I'm genuinely praising you from the bottom of my heart."

After saying this in her usual emotionless tone, Sashige paused for a moment, then added:

"In this chaotic world where it's hard to distinguish right from wrong, it's better to have a simple personality."

After speaking, Sae crossed her hands in front of her and walked leisurely toward the main shrine of the shrine not far away.

"Let's go, Yae, let's change our clothes and then continue cleaning the shrine."

"Ugh! I told you not to tell riddles! I hate it when people tell me riddles! What exactly did 'I hope I'm just overthinking it' mean? And why did you suddenly praise me for being naive?"

The frantic Yae was like a bothersome mosquito, buzzing around Sage and relentlessly unleashing "sonic attacks" at her.

Faced with Yae's harassment, Sae remained completely calm and composed, as if saying, "No matter how strong you are, it's like a gentle breeze brushing the mountain."

No matter how noisy Yae was, she remained calm and didn't even glance at him. Her expression was unchanged, and she kept her eyes fixed ahead.

"After all, Tenshōin is a woman, and a woman with such a vibrant personality at that. It's understandable that she would feel lonely..."

Sage muttered to herself thoughtfully, in a voice barely audible to herself.

"If it's Tachibana-kun... that's fine too. Young, healthy, strong, and more importantly, easy to control. He's definitely the perfect person to relieve loneliness... It seems I'll have to be more respectful to Tachibana-kun from now on."

"Ah! Sister! What were you mumbling about just now!"

"You've mistaken me for someone else. I wasn't saying anything."

"Ugh! I hate it!"

……

……

Tenshōin was very particular about cleanliness, so the archery range in the Tsukimiya Shrine, which was exclusively used by Tenshōin, was always kept spotless and immaculate, with a refreshing fragrance often permeating the air.

When Qing Deng was semi-forced by Tenshōin to train in archery, he actually had some resistance.

He felt that playing with bows in an era when the West had already completed the First Industrial Revolution and was about to begin the Second Industrial Revolution was really outdated.

However, after truly studying and mastering the art of archery under the tutelage of Tenshōin, Aoto's view of this weapon gradually changed.

In terms of combat effectiveness and practicality, the bow is indeed inferior to the most advanced rifles and artillery of the time, but in terms of training the mind and body, archery has an unparalleled and irreplaceable position.

To accurately hit the target with an arrow, both correct posture and high concentration are essential.

A confused mind or incorrect posture can greatly affect shooting accuracy.

Therefore, when practicing archery, Qingdeng would often unconsciously enter a state of high concentration where his whole body felt empty and as if he were floating in mid-air.

Those worries will be unconsciously forgotten or ignored.

After the practice session is over and you come to your senses, you'll find that your previously annoyed mood has eased considerably.

Moreover, seeing your arrow successfully hit the target gives you a sense of accomplishment, which is very helpful for stress reduction.

In conclusion, after learning archery, Qingdeng finally understood why the ancients included archery among the Six Arts of a Gentleman.

—Yes, that's right. I came to love archery because practicing it helps to train my mind and body…

Qingdeng weighed the purple bow and arrow in his hand, repeating this to himself in a tone that seemed to be self-suggestion.

"Tachibana-kun, today we'll practice shooting targets more than 20 meters away."

Tenshōin stepped out from behind Seidō.

Her wide shrine maiden sleeves were tied tightly with a purple sash.

Two slender arms, so white they were almost translucent, which she would never normally let anyone see, were now being openly and boldly exposed.

"For targets at this distance, arm strength alone is far from enough."

"If you have enough physical strength and arm strength, you can indeed try to shoot the arrow that far using only your physical strength."

"But I don't recommend you do that."

"It is rather foolish to insist on using such a stupid method when there is a more effortless way."

"You need to learn to utilize the wind, and the force of the arrow as it falls... um... uh... Tachibana-kun, do you understand what I mean?"

As she spoke, Tenshōin used her slender hand to simulate the trajectory of an arrow as it fell.

Qingdeng nodded:

"Yes, I understand."

—It means inertia.

Modern physics had only recently been introduced to Japan, and even high-ranking figures like Tenshōin had not yet encountered specialized physics terms such as "inertia" and "friction."

"Okay, I'm glad you understand. I'll continue explaining."

Tenshō-in is indeed very good at teaching.

After listening to her clear and concise explanation, Qingdeng had already gained a certain understanding and mastery of the "long-range shooting method".

Subsequently, Tenshōin personally demonstrated the technique to Aoto.

This woman truly lived up to her reputation as a skilled archer. At a target nearly 40 meters away, she fired 10 arrows in quick succession—all 10 hitting the bullseye.

"Alright, Tachibana-kun."

Tenshōin, carrying a bow, stepped to the side, making way for the shot.

"Why don't you give it a try?"

Qingdeng nodded and stepped forward.

Stand sideways with your legs spread almost level with your shoulders.

Take an arrow and nock it.

With his left hand gripping the bow tightly, and his gloved right hand squeezing the bowstring and arrow, he gazed at the distant target.

After nocking the arrow, raise the bow and arrow overhead with both hands, then hold the bow with one hand and pull the string with the other, spreading your arms to the left and right, and pull the arrow to eye level.

His right cheek lightly touched the arrow, his philtrum and lips pressed tightly together, his whole body still, like a videotape that had been paused.

This scene, seemingly frozen in time, lasted only a moment.

A moment later, the "videotape" began to play at high speed.

Whoosh!

The arrows shot out, carried by the wind, stretching into the distance.

A taut force erupted from Qing Deng's arms.

Qingdeng's movements were so perfect that there was no fault in them. If you took a screenshot of his movements and demeanor, you could include it in a textbook.

However... despite his impeccable posture and movements, Qingdeng's performance was lackluster.

He shot five arrows, but none of them hit the target.

Seeing this, Tenshōin gently shook his head.

"Tachibana-kun, your movements are technically correct, but you haven't made good use of the wind."

As he spoke, Tenshōin slowly walked toward Seidō.

"You have to do it this way..."

Standing behind Qingdeng, Tianzhangyuan raised his arms.

With his left hand, he wrapped his arm around Qingdeng's left shoulder, moved to the front of Qingdeng, and grabbed the bow in Qingdeng's left palm.

His right hand went around Qingdeng's right shoulder and then around to Qingdeng's front, but instead he grasped the bowstring in Qingdeng's right palm.

The warmth of human skin covered Qingdeng's back.

Qingdeng felt a warm, soft touch on his back.

And just like that, Qingdeng was frozen by the warmth coming from behind him.

The miniature watermelon was pressed into a "miniature watermelon pancake".

"When releasing the arrow, raise it a little higher. See, this height is about right..."

The breath of the Tenzin kept spraying onto Qingdeng's neck and back.

Qingdeng felt his heart rate rising sharply.

Thump, thump...

Qingdeng felt the fabric of his clothes on his chest swaying slightly from the violent beating of his heart.