I'm a little bit cute after transforming.

As you descend the long steps, the carriage and driver are already waiting.

The two boarded the carriage, and Adolf finally breathed a sigh of relief only after the carriage slowly started moving.

"Anna, your official title will be issued in a few days. You'll need to go and manage things there. If things run well, the annual tax revenue will be a considerable fortune! We'll need money for many things in the future!"

"But you must never exploit the people, and you must never let power and money cloud your judgment!"

Diana was somewhat interested in being granted her own territory.

"Don't worry, Master, I have plenty of money. All taxes will be waived!"

Adolf, somewhat curious, leaned closer and whispered:

"Anna, how much money do you actually have?"

Diana thought for a moment.

"Hmm~ It's just a small mountain of gold coins and jewels, along with some equipment, crystals, and stuff like that. They were all given to us by Grandpa Gene and the others!"

Adolf wiped away his cold sweat. 'A small mountain of gold coins and jewels—how much money is that!'

"Oh right! I haven't been back to see them in ages! Hmm~ I'll definitely go back when I have time! I definitely will!"

Before they knew it, the carriage had reached the city gate and slowly came to a stop.

dong dong~

The coachman knocked on the carriage door.

"Your Excellency, there is someone ahead who wants to see Miss Diana!"

Diana leaned out the window and looked in that direction.

"Strange old man!"

The newcomer was none other than the Sword Saint. He had been struggling with this decision since leaving at noon, and finally made up his mind that he must take Diana as his disciple no matter what. He would regret it for the rest of his life if he missed such a genius!

Hearing himself addressed by that title, the Sword Saint gave an awkward laugh. 'Don't I, a Sword Saint, have any dignity?'

"Miss Diana, what do you think of my suggestion from noon? If you become my apprentice, I'll teach you that cool move!"

Upon hearing the voice, Adolf immediately knew who it was and led Diana off the carriage.

Looking at the Sword Saint who had lowered himself to want to take Diana as his apprentice, he couldn't help but puff out his chest, feeling inexplicably smug.

"Anna, you're not allowed to call the Sword Saint 'weird old man' anymore, understand?"

"Understood, Master~"

The Sword Saint observed Adolf carefully for a while, then looked somewhat surprised.

"Are you Adolf?"

Adolf stroked his dark beard with a smug look.

"What? It's only been so many years, and you don't recognize me anymore?"

"It really is you! I didn't expect the rumors about you getting younger to actually be true!"

The Sword Saint's eyes held a hint of envy, and he sighed.

"Sigh~ Since Diana is your apprentice, I guess I'll have to give up. What a pity~"

"What a pity! Although Anna is my apprentice, there's no rule that you can only have one master!"

The Sword Saint looked enlightened, then shook his head.

“Swordsmanship is not something that can be mastered overnight. Do you really want her to give up learning magic and practice swordsmanship with me for several years?”

Adolf chuckled softly.

"Yi, you still underestimate Anna's talent. She'll train with you for several years?"

"Although I don't know how talented Anna is in swordsmanship, I believe she can learn all your sword techniques within a month!"

The Sword Saint seemed to have heard a joke.

"Adolf, don't think my swordsmanship is some kind of simple magic that anyone can do. A month? Why don't you just say a day?"

Adolf was taken aback, then thought for a moment.

"It's really possible!"

"Hahaha~ Adolf, you must be delusional! If Diana could learn it in a day, I'd call her my master!"

"You said it yourself, so Anna will become your apprentice. You must teach her all the sword techniques!"

The Sword Saint looked disdainful.

"What good will it do to agree? But let me make this clear first: Diana must continue to learn swordsmanship from me. I will not allow her to go back with you to learn magic until she has reached the level of a fully qualified master!"

Adolf readily agreed.

"Ok, deal!"

Diana stared blankly at the decision the two had made, 'I, the person involved, haven't even agreed yet, hey~'

Adolf pulled Diana in front of him.

"Anna! Hurry up and call me Master!"

Diana had no choice but to bow to the Sword Saint, as she had promised Adolf.

"Master Yi~"

"Very well, very well, this child is teachable. Come with me back now to complete the apprenticeship ceremony!"

Then, Diana left with the Sword Saint.

Adolf returned to the academy first by carriage. He wasn't worried about Diana; after all, he knew the Sword Saint's character well—upright and inflexible.

Diana followed the Sword Saint to his residence, a spacious detached courtyard where some vegetables were grown.

The main house is a wooden structure, fairly spacious, but it looks somewhat simple.

The Sword Saint led Diana into the wooden house, where a portrait hung in the center of the interior, with offerings and a real sword placed in front of it.

Why is it called a real sword? Because the swords that Diana owned were all very wide swords, and most of the ones she had seen were like that, which could also be considered swords. But the sword she was enshrining was more in line with the image of a sword in her mind, with a slender and more exquisite proportion.

The Sword Saint called out to Diana.

"Anna! Come quickly and pay homage to the ancestral master!"

Diana walked closer, glanced at the portrait, and then looked at the Sword Saint with some surprise.

Are you sure this is the patriarch?

The Sword Saint's expression was serious.

"Anna! You are not allowed to be disrespectful to the patriarch!"

Diana rubbed her eyes and looked at the portrait again. The portrait depicted a white-clad man standing with his hands clasped behind his back. His hair was tied in a bun on top of his head, and he had black hair and black eyes. His features were gentle, and his expression was indifferent, giving people a feeling of being untouched by worldly affairs.

The Sword Saint bowed, and Diana followed suit.

Then the Sword Saint looked at the portrait and rattled off a whole bunch of flattering words, which made Diana feel sleepy.

"Alright, Anna, you are now my official disciple!"

Diana, regaining her senses, nodded.

"Oh~ Master Yi, can you teach me that cool move?"

The Sword Saint said earnestly:

"Anna, sword energy isn't something you can master just by practicing. It's a level that can only be reached through years of accumulation and enlightenment!"

"Alright then~ I'll head back now~"

Diana started to walk out as she spoke.

The Sword Saint's lips twitched. 'So, all those grand principles I lectured you to the patriarch, and you didn't listen to a single word!'

"Wait! I'll teach you!"

Diana paused and turned around.

"Really? Then let's get started, Master Yi!"

The Sword Saint finally understood that lecturing this girl was a complete waste of breath! She didn't value his swordsmanship at all!

"I can teach you! However, you must learn swordsmanship step by step, and you are not allowed to give up halfway. You are not allowed to leave here until you have mastered it!"

Diana nodded without hesitation.

Swordsman led Diana into the courtyard, then retrieved two swords similar to those on the altar and handed one to Diana.

"The sword technique I'm about to demonstrate is called the Limitless Sword Technique. It has 108 moves, and the combinations of moves are varied enough to handle any situation!"

As he spoke, the Sword Saint drew his longsword, leaped into the center of the open space, and unleashed his sword techniques. His movements were fluid and graceful, his sword moving with effortless ease, its shadow following his every move. Although his movements appeared slow, it was impossible to pinpoint where his sword was.

A glint flashed in Diana's eyes as she watched the Sword Saint's every move.

A moment later, the Sword Saint sheathed his sword and stood there, looking at Diana's solemn expression, feeling a little smug.

"How was it, Anna? What do you think of my Limitless Sword Technique?"

Diana nodded seriously.

"Hmm! That's impressive! And then? Can you teach me how to use sword energy now?"

The Sword Saint was full of questions, then became somewhat displeased.

"Anna, didn't I tell you that you have to learn step by step? Come on! I'll demonstrate the first move for you, and you can follow along!"

Diana interrupted the Sword Saint.

"No, Master Yi, what I mean is, I've already learned all 108 moves, you can teach me the rest!"

The Sword Saint's face was somewhat gloomy.

"Anna, if you don't want to become my apprentice, you can just say so. Why bother teasing me?"

Diana was getting a little anxious.

"You've misunderstood, Master Yi. I really have learned it. You'll see!"

As she spoke, Diana drew a longsword slightly shorter than herself and began to use the Limitless Sword Technique.

The Sword Saint went from displeasure to astonishment, then surprise, then terror, and finally numbness, not even noticing his sword fall to the ground.

Diana's swordsmanship was almost identical to his, although it lacked some of the artistic conception. However, she was able to execute it after only seeing it once. What a prodigy!

Diana approached the stunned swordsman and waved her hand in front of him.

"Hey, Master Yi!"