Chapter 57: Innate Saber Dao Sacred Body
Chapter 57: Chapter 57: Innate Saber Dao Sacred Body
In a study within the county government office.
Zhang Yufeng stood before the desk, perfectly still.
"Are you telling me that after all that trouble, after using my name to warn those martial arts schools, you still failed to bring him here?"
The man behind the desk, a pale and slightly plump middle-aged man, sat in a grand armchair. He held a cup of fragrant tea, leisurely skimming the foam from its surface with the lid.
Zhang Yufeng clasped his hands and bowed, lowering his head deeply.
"I was incompetent. I never imagined that kid would have a way into the Longteng Escort Agency."
The middle-aged man said nothing, merely toying with the tea lid as if the foam on the tea would never end.
Sweat began to bead on Zhang Yufeng’s forehead, and he bowed his head so low it nearly touched the floor.
"Ah, Yu Feng, the position in the interrogation department has been vacant for so long. I had high hopes for you, but the way you handle things... it makes it hard for one to feel at ease."
The middle-aged man said in a gentle voice.
Zhang Yufeng closed his eyes, sighed internally, and bowed even lower.
"I handled the matter poorly."
"Was it really that you handled it poorly? Or did you think that since we’re from the same sect, this position was already in the bag, so you didn’t even try?"
The middle-aged man chuckled.
Zhang Yufeng shot to his feet, his face filled with alarm.
"Second Master, Yu Feng wouldn’t dare! It’s just... it’s just that the boy was unexpectedly difficult. I thought a little persuasion would be enough to bring him in, but who knew he wouldn’t listen to reason? He’s incredibly stubborn!"
’This Second Master of the Vajra Sect, this venerable County Captain, has always been petty and mercurial. If he thinks I’ve been intentionally slacking, my life is over.’
’It’s all that little bastard Xie Yuan’s fault for being so disobedient! How dare he resist so fiercely and not go along with the plan!’
’I just happened to remember that good-looking orphan from the village and thought I’d present him to Second Master to curry favor. But instead, my clever plan backfired and made such a mess of things.’
As Zhang Yufeng cursed Xie Yuan endlessly in his mind, sweat rolled down his forehead like beads.
"Yu Feng, you must understand. You’re just a nominal disciple. The only reason you’ve gotten this far is because I saw you were quick-witted. But look at you. I’ve told you many times: if someone is unwilling, don’t force them. Where he wants to go is his business. The fact that he could get into the Longteng Escort Agency is a credit to his own ability. But you went and made such a huge scene. Can you really blame him? Aren’t you just making a laughingstock of us?"
The County Captain shook his head, his voice turning cold.
"Go back to the sect and receive your punishment."
Zhang Yufeng’s body trembled as he answered in a low voice, "Yes."
"Also, tell my Senior Brother to pick a few disciples to go to the Longteng Escort Agency and ’exchange pointers.’ Let’s see what the skill level of their new recruits is like."
The County Captain took a sip of tea, a wide smile on his face.
"Originally, I couldn’t have cared less. But now, I find myself rather interested in this young man."
「At the crack of dawn.」
Inside the Longteng Escort Agency, Xie Yuan had already been swinging his saber in the courtyard for a long time.
His back was soaked with sweat, and beads of it dripped continuously from his forehead, yet each of his saber strikes was faster and fiercer than the last.
[Rushing Wolf Saber Skill: (43/100)]
Xie Yuan stopped, drew his saber back, and exhaled a puff of white air, nodding slightly.
’I practiced twice last night and this morning. My hands don’t feel so clumsy anymore. The progress is decent.’
Xie Yuan had never touched a saber before, so practicing the skill was indeed a bit difficult at first.
However, among weapons, the saber is considered one of the easier ones to start with, so it wasn’t too hard.
Furthermore, whenever Xie Yuan cultivated, he had a knack for practicing until things naturally became familiar and flowed more smoothly.
Therefore, despite having only practiced twice, Xie Yuan was already starting to get the hang of it.
After wiping away his sweat and drinking a bowl of water, Xie Yuan circulated his internal energy, and strength returned to his body.
"Again!"
In the winter morning mist, the silhouette of the young man swinging his saber could be seen, slowly pushing the surrounding fog away, as if a stage meant only for him had been carved out of the world.
Qin Hai walked into the Escort Agency’s side courtyard, rubbing his shoulder. He froze for a moment when he saw Xie Yuan practicing with his saber.
"Xiaoxie, you’re up so early—why are you practicing by yourself? You can’t do that! If you train incorrectly at the beginning..."
As he spoke, Qin Hai’s voice trailed off. He eventually fell silent, his mouth slowly falling open.
’Didn’t this kid say he’d never touched a saber before yesterday???’
’How is he already so proficient?’
’On the first day, you’d be doing well just to get the horizontal and vertical slashes right, and he’s already practicing a saber skill? And a C Class one at that!’
When Xie Yuan finished another run-through, Qin Hai walked up, his voice tinged with disbelief.
"Xiaoxie, have you practiced this saber skill before?"
"Nope! This skill is from the Escort Agency. Where would I have ever seen it before?"
Xie Yuan let out a breath and greeted him.
"Master Qin, you’re here early."
"Not as early as you."
Qin Hai stroked his chin and asked again, suspiciously,
"Xiaoxie, you’ve really never practiced with a saber?"
"Really, never. The only thing I own that could be considered a weapon is my family’s wood-cutting axe. I’ve barely even touched a kitchen knife, to be honest."
Xie Yuan said honestly.
Qin Hai sucked in a sharp breath, his eyes widening.
"Then... could you be a legendary Innate Sacred Body of the Saber Dao?"
"...Master Qin, do you enjoy reading novellas?"
"Haha, my wife loves them. I just read a little along with her."
Qin Hai clicked his tongue in amazement.
"Xiaoxie, calling you a Sacred Body might be an exaggeration, but this talent of yours is the real deal! If I couldn’t still spot some awkwardness and mistakes in your form, I’d suspect you were a spy from a rival saber school!
"Hmm, I was planning to explain it to you from the beginning, but I see that’s not necessary. Let’s just go straight to practice drills!"
With that, Qin Hai had Xie Yuan go through the routine again while he offered pointers from the side.
"First Form, the emphasis is on speed! Grip the saber tight...
"’Gazing at the Moon Over the Shoulder’ is a returning strike, but it doesn’t mean you turn your head first and then your saber. Your saber should lead! Twist your waist faster! You’re so young, is your back already giving out?
"That strike was too low... that step was a mess..."
As Qin Hai gave pointers, he grew more and more astonished.
’This kid has incredible comprehension! I only have to explain something once, and he never makes the same mistake again! His progress is so fast!’
Having practiced martial arts for many years himself, Qin Hai knew just how difficult this was.
Many people wouldn’t even understand an instruction after hearing it once. Even if their mind understood, their body might not. And even when their body finally learned, they would still inevitably make mistakes.
These were three distinct levels of mastery, and even after that, it took a decade of bitter work and relentless tempering to integrate every move and stance into one’s instincts.
But this guy, Xie Yuan... he understood in an instant, mastered it in a moment, and once he mastered it, it was as if it were already instinct. Every time was the same—
No, it was even better each time.
In all his years of practicing martial arts, Qin Hai had never even heard of such an ability!
’Is he really an Innate Sacred Body of the Saber Dao?’
Just as Qin Hai was starting to question his own reality, Xie Yuan’s long saber trembled and shot out in a horizontal slash, letting out a whistle that, if one listened closely, even sounded a bit like a wolf’s howl.
He brought the saber back, flourished it skillfully, and rested it inverted behind his back before exhaling a long breath.
[Rushing Wolf Saber Skill - Initiate: (1/500)]
In a single day, he had reached the Initiate level of the Rushing Wolf Saber Skill.
Xie Yuan withdrew his gaze and looked at Qin Hai, who was standing beside him. He said politely,
"Master Qin, please offer your critique."
The saber’s wolf-like howl snapped Qin Hai out of his daze. He looked Xie Yuan up and down with a profound gaze, then thumped him on the chest and laughed heartily.
"Good kid! Now we really have the Vajra Sect to thank!"