Chapter 25: A Better Sword

Lin Yuan’s sword stopped just before striking the wooden post.

He drew it back, adjusted his footing, and attacked again.

The blade swept through the morning air before changing direction midway through the movement. His wrist turned, redirecting the sword into a thrust aimed at the same mark.

This time, the point touched the wood.

Lin Yuan stepped back.

It had been some time since he reached Qi Refining Nine. The unfamiliar feeling following his breakthrough was gone. His Qi circulated smoothly, and his body had adjusted to the ninth layer.

His swordsmanship was another matter.

The technique his parents had left him was ordinary, built around straightforward attacks, defense, and control.

Lin Yuan raised his sword again.

He remembered the fight outside Wandering Cloud Tavern.

At the time, his opponent had possessed stronger Qi, forcing Lin Yuan to rely on timing rather than meeting every attack directly. One counter from that fight had remained in his mind.

Lin Yuan practiced it again.

His blade redirected an imaginary attack. His wrist turned, sending the sword toward the opening beside an opponent’s arm.

He stopped.

The movements worked individually, but there was a pause between them.

After the deflection, his body naturally returned toward the stance he’d practiced thousands of times before beginning the counter.

That brief delay hadn’t bothered him during ordinary practice.

In a real fight, it was enough to matter.

Lin Yuan tried again without fully returning to his stance.

The result was worse.

His second strike lost power and came from an awkward angle.

He reset his footing and tried again.

The next attempt was slightly better.

He continued until footsteps approached from the courtyard.

"Breakfast."

Lin Yuan lowered his sword.

Xiao Lan stood near the entrance with a basket tucked against one arm.

"Already?"

"You’ve been out here for almost an hour."

Lin Yuan looked toward the tavern. Smoke was already rising from the kitchen.

He sheathed his sword.

"Coming."

Xiao Lan headed inside.

Lin Yuan gave the wooden post one last look before following her.

Shortly before noon, three young cultivators entered Wandering Cloud Tavern.

They wore matching dark blue robes, each marked with a small silver emblem near the shoulder. Similar swords hung from their waists.

Lin Yuan recognized them as sect disciples.

They looked to be in their early twenties and carried little visible luggage besides their storage bags and weapons.

Su Mei greeted them.

"Food or rooms?"

"Food first," one of them answered. "Three people."

"There are tables by the window."

They sat while Su Mei brought the menu.

Lin Yuan watched briefly from the kitchen before returning to his work.

Sect disciples weren’t common in Blackstone, but cultivators from different backgrounds had been passing through more frequently since the tavern became known along the road.

The three ordered several dishes and a jug of Spirit-Touched Water.

They ate without causing trouble.

Near the end of their meal, one of them approached the counter to pay.

He was slightly taller than the other two, with his dark hair tied behind his head.

After handing Su Mei the spirit stones, his attention shifted to Lin Yuan.

"You’re the owner?"

"I am."

"I saw you practicing with a sword this morning."

Lin Yuan looked at him.

"You were here that early?"

"We camped a few li east of here last night."

The young man’s gaze moved to the sword hanging from Lin Yuan’s waist.

"Qi Refining Nine?"

Lin Yuan nodded.

"Same."

The man smiled.

"Would you be interested in exchanging a few moves?"

"Why?"

"I’ve spent six days sitting on a wagon."

Lin Yuan understood.

He glanced around the dining hall. The lunch rush hadn’t started yet, and Su Mei and Xiao Lan could handle the few remaining customers.

"Outside."

They moved beyond the courtyard wall, where there was enough empty ground to use their swords safely.

The other two disciples followed to watch.

The young man drew his weapon.

"Lu Feng."

"Lin Yuan."

Lu Feng made a small movement with his sword.

"No talismans or artifacts?"

"Just swords."

"Good."

Lin Yuan drew his blade.

They stood several paces apart.

Lin Yuan could sense that Lu Feng was indeed at Qi Refining Nine. His spiritual pressure wasn’t overwhelming, but it was steady.

Neither had an obvious advantage in cultivation.

Lu Feng moved first.

He crossed the distance quickly and struck from Lin Yuan’s right.

Lin Yuan raised his sword.

Clang!

The blades met.

The force behind the attack was nothing extraordinary.

Lin Yuan was about to counter when Lu Feng’s sword slid along his blade and changed direction.

Lin Yuan leaned back.

The edge passed close to his shoulder.

His own sword came forward in a thrust.

Lu Feng stepped aside.

Lin Yuan’s blade missed.

Before he could recover, another strike came toward him.

He blocked.

Lu Feng’s sword withdrew only far enough to change its angle before coming again.

Lin Yuan blocked a second strike, then a third.

None of the attacks were overwhelmingly fast.

They simply didn’t stop.

Every movement left Lu Feng ready for the next.

Lin Yuan stepped back and created some distance.

Lu Feng followed.

A thrust came toward his chest.

Lin Yuan recognized the opening.

His sword moved outward and redirected Lu Feng’s blade. His wrist turned, and the counter he’d practiced that morning followed.

Clang!

Lu Feng’s sword was already there.

Lin Yuan’s blade was knocked aside.

Before he could recover, cold metal stopped beside his shoulder.

The courtyard became quiet.

Lin Yuan looked at the sword.

"I lost."

Lu Feng lowered his weapon.

There was no arrogance on his face.

"Again?"

Lin Yuan raised his sword.

"Again."

Lu Feng attacked first once more.

This time, Lin Yuan didn’t immediately look for a counter.

He watched.

The first strike came high.

Lin Yuan blocked it.

Lu Feng’s blade changed direction and swept lower.

Lin Yuan moved with it.

Another thrust followed.

Lin Yuan recognized the sequence.

During their first exchange, he had redirected that thrust and attacked immediately.

Lu Feng had been waiting for him.

This time, Lin Yuan redirected the blade and stepped sideways instead.

Lu Feng’s next attack passed through empty space.

Lin Yuan moved.

His sword came toward Lu Feng’s ribs.

For the first time, Lu Feng had to stop attacking.

Clang!

He blocked.

They separated.

Lu Feng looked at him.

"You changed your response."

"The last one got a sword against my shoulder."

One of the disciples watching nearby laughed.

Lu Feng smiled and attacked again.

The next exchange lasted longer.

Lin Yuan kept his movements simple. He didn’t try to imitate Lu Feng’s swordsmanship. Instead, he focused on when one attack ended and the next began.

Lu Feng remained in control.

Twice, Lin Yuan was driven back several steps. Another exchange ended with Lu Feng’s blade stopping near his side.

But after facing the same style several times, Lin Yuan began reacting earlier.

Another strike came from above.

Lin Yuan blocked.

Lu Feng’s blade started sliding toward the side.

Lin Yuan moved before the next attack appeared.

Lu Feng’s sword came from exactly where he expected.

Their blades met.

Lin Yuan turned his wrist and stepped forward.

His sword slipped toward Lu Feng’s chest.

Lu Feng abandoned his attack and blocked.

Clang!

The impact pushed them apart.

Neither moved immediately.

Lin Yuan could feel sweat running down the side of his face.

Lu Feng’s breathing had also grown heavier.

After several breaths, both lowered their swords.

"You still would’ve won," Lin Yuan said.

"Probably."

At least he was straightforward.

Lin Yuan sheathed his sword.

"What sword technique are you using?"

"Flowing River Sword."

Lu Feng ran a cloth along his blade before putting it away.

"It’s one of the Qi Refining techniques taught by the Clear River Sect."

Lin Yuan glanced at the silver emblem on his robe.

"Can outsiders buy it?"

"Flowing River Sword? No. It’s a sect technique."

Lin Yuan wasn’t surprised.

"Are techniques of that level difficult to find?"

"Not really, if you have spirit stones."

That caught Lin Yuan’s attention.

"Green River City has shops that sell cultivation and combat techniques," Lu Feng continued. "Trading houses usually have a better selection."

"Expensive?"

"A decent one can cost more than a wandering cultivator wants to spend."

Lin Yuan thought for a moment.

That sounded believable.

Lu Feng sheathed his sword.

"Your technique is simple, but your fundamentals are solid. You adapted faster than I expected."

Lin Yuan looked at his own sword.

The difference between them had been obvious.

Lu Feng hadn’t possessed more Qi or greater cultivation.

His advantage had come from the sword technique in his hands and the time he’d spent practicing it.

The three disciples returned to the tavern.

They stayed for one night.

Lu Feng and his companions ate dinner, rented rooms, and caused no trouble.

Lin Yuan didn’t ask them more about the Clear River Sect.

A single spar had already given him something more useful than another conversation.

The following morning, the three disciples paid for breakfast and prepared to leave.

Lu Feng stopped near the entrance before stepping outside.

"If you’re ever in Green River City, look around before buying a technique."

Lin Yuan raised an eyebrow.

"Why?"

"Shopkeepers can tell when a wandering cultivator doesn’t know the price."

"Speaking from experience?"

Lu Feng’s expression changed slightly.

One of his companions laughed from outside.

Lin Yuan had his answer.

Lu Feng shook his head.

"Just compare prices."

"I will."

The three left.

Their wagon soon disappeared along the road.

Lin Yuan waited until it was out of sight before walking back toward the courtyard.

The wooden post was still there.

He drew his sword.

Yesterday’s exchanges remained clear in his mind.

Lin Yuan wasn’t trying to reproduce Flowing River Sword. What stayed with him was the way Lu Feng never wasted the end of one movement before beginning the next.

He raised his blade.

The same deflection he’d practiced the previous morning came first.

His sword moved outward.

His wrist turned.

This time, instead of returning his feet to their familiar position, Lin Yuan stepped with the movement.

The counter came around from the other side.

The angle was wrong.

His blade struck the side of the wooden post.

Lin Yuan stopped.

He looked at the cut, adjusted his footing, and tried again.

The sword moved outward.

His foot shifted.

The counter followed.

Better.

He reset.

Again.

This time he moved too early and pulled himself slightly off balance.

Lin Yuan corrected his stance.

Behind him, Wandering Cloud Tavern gradually came alive.

The kitchen door opened.

Someone drew water from the well.

A moment later, the smell of breakfast drifted into the courtyard.

Lin Yuan raised his sword again.

The blade moved outward in a deflection.

His foot shifted with it.

His waist turned.

Instead of returning to his old stance, he allowed the movement to carry directly into the counter.

The sword struck the wooden post.

A fresh mark appeared close to the point he’d chosen.

Lin Yuan stepped back.

He tried once more.

The first movement flowed into the deflection.

His foot moved.

The next strike followed before his body returned to its old stance.

The pause was gone.

The blade struck wood.

Lin Yuan looked at the new mark for a moment.

Then he returned to his starting position and raised his sword again.