There are too many female protagonists with deceased husbands in the Qin Dynasty's Past Books.

Words of concern slipped out unconsciously.

"Oh? That's strange. Shouldn't you be cheering for Zi Nu, Nong Yu? Why does it sound like you're hoping A Mo will win?"

His eyes narrowed slightly, and a mischievous smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

With a grin, Yan Lingji leaned closer to Nongyu, her lips parting slightly as she exhaled the unique, intoxicating aroma of orchid wine.

The fragrance made Nongyu's pretty face blush slightly.

"I... I just think what Brother Jiang said makes sense. If we focus on improving our musical skills, we might be able to provide better help to Sister Zi Nu and the others in the future."

Her gaze darted away, and Nongyu began to explain herself in a somewhat flustered manner.

"Oh, is that so! I thought it was you, Nongyu, who wanted to play the zither for Amo all day long, and was even thinking of shamelessly taking advantage of the situation~"

Seeing Nongyu blush, Yanlingji couldn't resist teasing her even more.

Just before the latter was about to burst with embarrassment, he suddenly became serious, pointed at the two people locked in a fierce battle, and said solemnly:

"Don't worry, Amo is not at a disadvantage at all."

"Well, how should I put it? It's probably because their swordsmanship is from the same lineage, and right now these two are stuck in a state where neither can break the other's moves. If you didn't know better, you'd think they were just playing some kind of romantic swordplay!"

Only after hearing what Yan Lingji said did Nongyu barely understand the situation on the field.

For a moment, I couldn't help but be astonished.

Jiang Mo learned swordsmanship from Zi Nu, something she had witnessed firsthand. It hadn't been many days, yet he was already able to hold his own against Zi Nu in a duel using his sword.

It's true that great teachers produce great students.

But this happened way too fast!

Let alone learning swordsmanship, even a kitchen apprentice learning to cut vegetables wouldn't be able to master it so quickly!

But what surprised Nongyu even more was yet to come.

Perhaps feeling a bit bored after watching for so long, Yan Lingji couldn't help but yawn softly, snap her fingers with a "snap," and said with a slight reproach:

"Stop dawdling, it's almost dark."

"I see that Sister Nongyu is already eager to play the zither and perform a piece. If we waste time here, wouldn't we be letting her down?"

"No, I..."

Her pretty face flushed red, Nongyu subconsciously wanted to explain, but before she could finish speaking, the situation in the room changed drastically after hearing Yan Lingji's urging.

Jiang Mo, who was originally engaged in a fierce battle with Zi Nu, suddenly made a feint.

In an instant, it seemed as if several afterimages appeared around Jiang Mo, each holding a long sword and poised to attack from different directions, which startled Zi Nu.

She instinctively pulled back, coiling her crimson robe around herself like a serpent.

Jiang Mo, who could have used the degraded "Phoenix Dance Six Illusions" to confuse Zi Nu, did not take the opportunity to attack. Instead, he retreated several steps and sheathed his sword.

This is completely outside of any of the sword techniques she taught.

A faint stinging sensation came from between her brows, and Zi Nu could vaguely sense a rather sharp and fierce aura emanating from Jiang Mo's unsheathed longsword.

The fact that it remains hidden only intensifies the sense of threat.

With a flick of her wrist, Zi Nu moved with the crimson ribbon, tentatively attacking Jiang Mo's side, attempting to force him to make the first move.

Then, a cold glint appeared.

The longsword was drawn and tore through the air, accompanied by a whistling sound, like the biting north wind in the dead of winter, threatening to whip up a blizzard.

The sword continued its attack even after deflecting the probing strike.

With the move "Treading on Frost, Ice Arrives," Jiang Mo closed the distance between himself and Zi Nu, abandoning his previous light and agile style and launching a continuous offensive with powerful and majestic moves.

They pressed closer and closer, shrinking the space in which Zi Nu could move.

The balance of power, which had been wavering, began to tilt noticeably. Even Nongyu could see that Jiang Mo had gained the upper hand.

Even more mysterious voices revealed the sword technique Jiang Mo was using:

"Although the Snow-Cleaving Sword Technique of Snow-Cleaving Fortress has been simplified in order to be widely disseminated among soldiers, it is still a fierce and effective offensive technique."

"It is a fairly reliable method of fighting."

Perhaps drawn by the chilling glint of the sword just now, Wei Zhuang appeared silently on the rooftop next to the backyard, surveying the situation on the field, and slowly shook his head:

"Zi Nu, you were careless."

"I was too confident in my understanding of Jiang Mo, so when he used an unexpected sword move, I failed to adjust my rhythm in time to deal with it properly. If it were an unfamiliar opponent, I probably wouldn't have been defeated so quickly."

Before the words were even finished, the outcome of the match was already decided.

Jiang Mo channeled his inner energy into the sword, and as the blades collided, a crimson flame spread far and wide. He moved with lightning speed to reach Zi Nu and gently touched her slender neck.

Her skin was fair and delicate, without a single neck wrinkle, like a flawless work of art meticulously crafted. Jiang Mo had long thought that it would feel wonderful, but now that he had actually touched it, he found that it even surpassed his expectations.

Especially when the fingertips touched, the other person's neck immediately turned blushing, creating a rare and alluring charm.

It is a delicious flavor that is different from Yan Lingji and Hu Meier.

Unfortunately, Jiang Mo's fingertips had only lightly caressed the area twice before Zi Nu slapped his opportunistic hand away in annoyance.

"I don't recall ever teaching you to tease your opponent like that."

"If you can't help but pity and cherish young women, sooner or later you'll die in a woman's arms because of your soft heart."

As she spoke, Zi Nu brandished the Crimson Flame Sword she had gathered at Jiang Mo.

He seemed to be studying the situation from which angle to approach it, his face still clearly showing the frustration of his defeat.

After all, this competition was not just a simple exchange of skills.

She also made an agreement with Jiang Mo that whoever wins will have Nongyu listen to him, and the other party should not interfere with any future arrangements.

Zi Nu was naturally still thinking about finding out news from the palace.

Knowing the identity of the Tide Demoness, a skilled spy can bring many conveniences to subsequent operations.

As for Jiang Mo's arrangements...

Well, actually, Jiang Mo hasn't made any specific plans for Nongyu's future development yet. He just wants to keep her from being idle, so he asks her to play the zither for him every day after winning. He calls it constantly improving her zither skills.

Now that she has lost, Zi Nu feels quite regretful.

Yet, for some reason, I felt a little relieved.

That's good too. After all, studying the zither has been something Nongyu has loved since she was a child. Being able to do what she likes without being restricted is quite nice, isn't it?

Wait a minute, it feels like they're parents with different educational philosophies?

Shaking her head to dismiss the somewhat absurd thought, Zi Nu narrowed her eyes and stared at Jiang Mo's longsword, which he had sheathed.

"However, I really didn't expect that."

"How could you be so proficient in the Snow-Slaying Sword Technique of Snow-Clad Fortress? Before, weren't you completely ignorant of swordsmanship?"

If Zi Nu hadn't personally taught Jiang Mo, she would have suspected she was being played.

In such a short time, to have thoroughly studied the swordsmanship she taught and be able to fight her to a standstill could be described as exceptional talent. But Jiang Mo, in addition to that, actually had the ability to master another swordsmanship with a completely different style to such a high degree.

Moreover, Jiang Mo had never been seen practicing this technique, which was puzzling and prompted Zi Nu to ask him further.

Wei Zhuang, who was standing next to him, did not speak, but his gaze was also focused on Jiang Mo.

They were clearly very interested in this topic.

"The swordsmanship of Snowcloak Fortress was naturally learned from the people of Snowcloak Fortress. It's just an ordinary introductory swordsmanship manual."

Unable to answer the questions in detail, Jiang Mo could only give vague answers.

Zi Nu was clearly not satisfied with this perfunctory answer. She vaguely felt that if she could figure out how Jiang Mo learned this sword technique, she might be able to unravel many of the secrets about him that she couldn't understand.

For example, how did he manage to get together with Hu Meiren without anyone knowing?

"It's just a sword technique, what's so difficult about it? If you want to learn, Sister Zi Nu, I can teach you in no time~"

While swirling her wine glass, Yan Lingji suddenly interrupted.

She stared at Zi Nu with a smile, her gaze wandering freely and unabashedly, her tone deliberately provocative:

"Want to know how to deal with Amo? You can do that too~"

"I'll teach you step by step, I guarantee you'll feel like you're actually there. How about it, want to give it a try?"

No, you've become addicted to messing with the Moon Goddess, haven't you?

Let's say that disseminating obscene images in private is also illegal... Okay, there isn't such a law yet, but this kind of thing is still a bit too much, isn't it?

At the very least, you should blur it out!

Jiang Mo, who knew Yan Lingji's methods, knew that this little girl could truly use fire charm to forcefully implant non-existent memories.

Zi Nu, Wei Zhuang, and the others were unaware of this.

They roughly guessed what Yan Lingji meant and categorized it as part of the Baiyue witchcraft, and readily accepted this explanation.

"Unorthodox methods and unorthodox approaches are difficult to establish a solid foundation."

After saying this, Wei Zhuang turned and left from the backyard, but his gaze couldn't help but linger on Jiang Mo for a moment.

My thumb, which was resting on the hilt of the sword, couldn't help but gently rub the shark tooth.

"Alright, Yan'er, stop fooling around. While it's still early, let's listen to how Nongyu's 'Tears of the Sea' is coming along."

Looking at the blood-red sunset, Jiang Mo beckoned the group to walk into the house.

Although Nongyu looked a little nervous, she was more excited. She had been secretly looking forward to playing this piece of music she had composed for Jiang Mo for a long time.

Unfortunately, it wasn't just a talk with him alone.

Her gaze swept over Yan Lingji and Zi Nu, and she couldn't help but feel a pang of regret, yet there was nothing she could do about it.

Why was this piece completed so late?

Jiang Mo, who had already entered the house, suddenly stopped and looked down at his outstretched palm. The strands of hair wrapped around his fingertips tightened and then loosened.

That was a strand of hair plucked from the Eastern Lord's body.

Chapter 31 Hiding in the Purple Orchid Pavilion