Gu Yun looked at Chang Geng’s sword getting knocked out of his hands time and time again as he finished the entire jug of cold wine. His two long legs had alternated their position three times between up and down, extremely calm and patient. It was only when the puppet used a particularly heavy blow that ended in Chang Geng’s entire body being knocked away that he started to casually stand up.

Chang Geng scratched his skin as he fell to the ground, he could feel bits of blood as he reached over to touch the wounds, but he couldn't be bothered about wiping them off right now because Gu Yun had walked over to him, his arms crossed in front of his chest, looking at the tall iron puppet in front of him.

Chang Geng subconsciously bowed his head, utterly defeated. He did not dare to look at the other man.

"When your heart is in a panic - your legs will become unsteady," Gu Yun said. "If your feet are not stable, no matter how skilled your swordsmanship is, it would be nothing more than water without a source, trees without roots."

Chang Geng was startled, and he raised his head.

Gu Yun rarely spoke with such seriousness: "Get up, I will teach you."

Chang Geng was surprised at first, his eyes widened, and before he could react, Gu Yun had already pulled him back up again. He held on to Chang Geng's sword-handling arm and hugged him firmly from behind.

Chang Geng swallowed hard; his back tensed up.

Gu Yun whispered: "Let's relax, don't look at me, look at your sword."

He had not yet finished speaking when the purple lights in the puppet's eyes on the opposite side were already blazing once again, its body rumbling like a battle drum. It flew forward. Its movements did not change, and its sword came slashing down towards their heads.

Even though deep in Chang Geng’s blood was a certain kind of contained wildness, it could only be stimulated in life and death and rage-filled situations. After all, this was only a sparring session.

At this moment, he couldn't afford to dwell on the closeness that was currently making him self-conscious and embarrassed. His first reaction was still to retreat, it was the natural reaction for anyone who was forced to face a giant monster's frightening pressure.

But Gu Yun did not allow him to retreat.