Chapter 56: How Come He’s at First Training?
Chapter 56: Chapter 56: How Come He’s at First Training?
Xie Yuan watched the Escort Team file out, the procession of men and horses flowing like a great dragon. Stunned for a moment, he asked,
"Master Qin, was Boss Zhao waiting specifically for me?"
"That’s right. Boss Zhao specifically told me before we left that if you agreed, I was to bring you straight back. He has a few things to tell you. He said it wouldn’t be right for him, the boss, to be absent when a new brother arrives."
Qin Hai answered with a smile.
Xie Yuan held the copy of the *Rushing Wolf Saber Skill* and said with an appreciative nod,
"Boss Zhao really has a heroic air about him."
"Right?"
Qin Hai chuckled and glanced at the manual in Xie Yuan’s hand.
"When newcomers join, they all practice the three basic saber forms passed down by the Head of the Escort Agency. They accumulate contribution points and then exchange them for more advanced skills. Usually, they start with a D Class Cultivation Technique—"
"The Escort Agency divides mission difficulty and Cultivation Technique potency into four classes—A, B, C, and D—corresponding to the four stages of External Training. After their probationary period, most porters can exchange for a D Class Cultivation Technique, which corresponds to the First Training level."
"But you, kid, got lucky joining Boss Zhao. This *Rushing Wolf Saber Skill* is a C Class saber art. It’s quite powerful. Many Darts Masters, including myself, are practicing it. It’s very effective."
’C Class? So that means it’s a saber art for the Second Training level?’
Xie Yuan’s spirits soared. He had gained something right off the bat. ’Coming here feels like coming home. I love this place!’
"Boss Zhao said I could have it on credit, so how many contribution points will I have to pay back?"
"The contribution points from successfully completing two C Class missions are enough for one C Class Cultivation Technique. Since you’ll be starting with D Class missions, it’ll probably take five or six."
Qin Hai estimated quickly.
Xie Yuan nodded. ’And so my life in debt begins.’
Still, the contribution point cost was very reasonable. A regular Escort Agency member wouldn’t have to wait long to exchange for a new Cultivation Technique.
Out in the wider world, however, good Cultivation Techniques were incredibly rare. You couldn’t necessarily buy one even if you had the money.
’This really is a great place.’
"Let’s go. I’ll take you to get registered and show you the ropes. Put that Cultivation Technique away and don’t let anyone see it. Consider it a special perk for our Escort Team."
Qin Hai gave Xie Yuan a tour before finding a scholarly-looking man in a study to handle the registration.
"Ah, a new recruit. What’s your name? Where are you from?"
The scholar asked in a gentle voice.
"Xie Yuan, from Little Rock Village."
"Oh, so you’re *that* Xie Yuan?"
The scholar paused for a moment, then said with a broad smile,
"Welcome, welcome! Now that you’re with our Escort Agency, you don’t have to fear that blasted Vajra Sect. Ahem, allow me to get you registered."
"Xie Yuan, Zhao Xingyang’s Escort Team, Junior Porter..."
Qin Hai explained at the right moment,
"Everyone starts as a Junior Porter. If you break through to the First Training and accumulate enough contribution points, you can be promoted to Senior Porter. The pay and benefits are better."
"In the late stage of the First Training, once your muscle conditioning is effective enough, you can be promoted to Junior-level Darts Master. Second Training makes you a Senior Darts Master, and above that are the Escort Captains."
Xie Yuan nodded in understanding, then said,
"Master Qin, I’ve already passed the Skin Training stage. Do I still start as a junior?"
"Of course you start as a junior, you just got here... wait. You passed the Skin Training stage? You’re a First Training Martial Artist?"
Qin Hai’s eyes went wide.
"When did you break through?"
’The last time he and Boss Zhao passed through Panlong Town, wasn’t this kid still in the middle of Skin Training?’
’He seemed so far from a breakthrough back then.’
"Just recently,"
Xie Yuan replied.
Qin Hai was taken aback for a second, then said,
"Alright. Punch me."
He clasped his hands behind his back, settled into a horse stance, and gestured for Xie Yuan to come forward.
Xie Yuan hesitated for only a moment. Remembering that Qin Hai was a Second Training expert, he didn’t dwell on it. He cracked his knuckles, took a step forward, channeled only his Blood Qi, and threw a punch at Qin Hai’s shoulder!
Qin Hai took the punch, his body swaying slightly. A look of surprise crossed his face as he said,
"You really are at the First Training! You brat, why didn’t you say anything sooner?"
"You never asked, Master Qin... and I didn’t think it mattered."
Xie Yuan shook his fist.
’A Second Training expert doesn’t just have tough skin, their muscles are incredibly hard. He barely even flinched from that punch.’
’Then again, I didn’t use my internal energy. Otherwise, I could have at least made him take a step back.’
"That’s because we saw your skills before. Aside from a few impressive swings of your axe while you were chopping wood, everything else was completely ordinary."
Qin Hai looked baffled.
"It’s only been a few days! How could you have suddenly broken through? It doesn’t make any sense..."
Qin Hai couldn’t figure it out. This rate of cultivation didn’t seem right.
’It’s too fast!’
Xie Yuan maintained a reserved silence.
’It’s fine. We’re all one big family now. They’ll get used to it.’
Qin Hai was completely perplexed, but he just scratched his head and broke into a hearty smile.
"Excellent! Looks like we’ve brought back a real treasure! Haha! Just wait seven days; you’re going to give Boss Zhao a hell of a surprise."
"Hmm, you have the strength, but since you’re new and have no contribution points, you’ll still have to start as a junior. At your level, though, you should be able to get promoted after three missions, max."
He led Xie Yuan outside and lowered his voice, saying,
"Go back to your room tonight and read through that saber technique carefully. A C Class art might be a bit difficult for you right now, but focus on memorizing the forms and getting familiar with them. I’ll come explain it in more detail tomorrow."
"That’s all for now. I’m heading home."
Qin Hai patted Xie Yuan on the shoulder and quickly left the Escort Agency.
Darts Masters usually had their own homes in the county town and didn’t live at the Escort Agency.
Xie Yuan was a little puzzled by Qin Hai’s sudden departure.
’Why did Master Qin run off so fast?’
’Whatever. Time to go back to my room and check out this saber art!’
Back at his home, Qin Hai shrugged off his shirt. Staring at the deep, purplish-red fist mark on his shoulder, his usually heroic face twisted into a pained grimace.
"Hiss... I got too cocky! Shouldn’t have taken that punch flush..."
"I thought the kid was full of it, but he’s the real deal! Ugh, but how did he become a Martial Artist already?"
"It hurts! Honey! Honey! Quick, bring me the medicinal wine!"
The porters at the Escort Agency were each given a private room. While not luxurious, they were clean, tidy, and had all the necessities. The rooms were quite spacious, with enough empty floor space to even practice some less vigorous martial arts.
Although it wasn’t free, room and board combined cost only one tael of silver a month, an expense easily covered by a porter’s regular salary.
Xie Yuan returned to his room with his newly issued clothes and waist token, looking around with a satisfied expression.
’It’s a little smaller than the deluxe suite at the Ironclad Sect, but it’s a hundred times better than my old wooden hut.’
Then, he eagerly took out the *Rushing Wolf Saber Skill* manual.
"Let’s see what a C Class Cultivation Technique is all about!"
After reading through the manual from cover to cover, Xie Yuan closed it, his eyes shining brightly.
"The saber strikes like a pouncing wolf, and the footwork mimics a wolf on the run. This art combines the blade with footwork, emphasizing speed, ferocity, and ruthlessness. The moves are swift and powerful, with an overwhelming momentum."
"At Minor Success, you can advance with the long saber and seal a throat with a single slash. At Major Success, your aura is like a war beacon, and a single man with a saber becomes like a charging wolf pack—unstoppable!"
"What an incredible saber art! I can tell how powerful it is just by reading the descriptions of the forms. Hmm... with all due respect to Master Liu, to be honest, this is leagues beyond the Ironclad Long Fist."
Xie Yuan studied the manual carefully a few more times, then ran to the training grounds. He picked up a long saber and began to awkwardly practice the forms.
[Rushing Wolf Saber Skill: (1/100)]
A faint smile touched the corners of Xie Yuan’s lips. The new numbers had appeared, just as he’d expected.
Watching the numbers slowly tick up with each swing of his saber, Xie Yuan practiced over and over, gradually losing himself in the motions.