Vagrant Alliance and Wild God

Lin Zhao

-Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique: Second Level (9/5000)

-Three Talents Slash: Second Level (9/1000), Special Effect: Basic Shocking Force

-...

After three days, Three Talents Slash had finally crossed the threshold.

Looking at the newly added "Special Effect" entry on the panel, Lin Zhao raised a brow—this was the first time he had seen a martial skill come with its own special effect. The Basic Swordsmanship and Fist and Foot Combat he had trained before had never carried such a designation.

Clearly, "Basic Shocking Force" was the shocking-force technique Zhao Tieying had mentioned, and it was also the core essence of Three Talents Slash.

By relying on a profound method of muscle tremors and internal-force transmission, it could make the long sword vibrate at high frequency, breaking apart hard wood and even shattering ordinary ironware, achieving the initial effect of "cutting iron like mud."

This sword technique truly was extraordinary. It already had a special effect at the Second Level; even the Second Level Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique did not receive such treatment. Lin Zhao secretly marveled. His curiosity over where Zhao Tieying had learned such a supreme art only deepened—being able to refine force application into a complete system and even produce a special effect like "Shocking Force," the creator of this technique could not have been an ordinary martial master.

He even speculated that the old swordsman had at least been a Grandmaster Warrior, perhaps even a Legendary Master Warrior said to be able to split mountains and shatter rocks!

With the new technique newly mastered, Lin Zhao wished he could immediately train it to perfection.

While the iron was hot, he gripped the "Cold Moon" sword and swung it several dozen more times. Yet he had only just glimpsed the doorway. The Shocking Force was both weak and intermittent, and each burst of force required the time it took to drink half a cup of tea to build up—on a battlefield, he feared the enemy would cut him down before his sword even began to tremble.

[Three Talents Slash Proficiency +1]

[Three Talents Slash Proficiency +2]

[...]

Fortunately, newly learned techniques progressed rather quickly. Each full practice set gave him two or three points of proficiency. He only stopped when his stomach began to rumble with hunger.

As he rested, he took a white-flour flatbread from the servant girl and had barely bitten into it when Zhao Tieying, returning after drilling the Estate Guards, strode into the Training Ground in great strides.

"Young Master, have you found the threshold to Shocking Force?" Zhao Tieying saw the unconcealable delight between his brows, then the scattered wood chips on the ground, and guessed most of it.

Lin Zhao nodded and pointed a finger at Cold Moon's blade. "I've entered the door, more or less. But I can only make the blade tremble slightly. Even splitting an ironwood stake is difficult. I'm still far from using it in actual combat."

To him, entering the door in three days was not particularly fast—after all, he had already trained Basic Swordsmanship to Mortal Tier perfection and was naturally adept at controlling a sword. Shocking Force was also the most rudimentary force technique in Three Talents Slash. So long as one was willing to work hard, even Estate Guards of ordinary aptitude could find the threshold after ten days of training.

The real hurdles lay in the Binding Force and Spinning Force that came later.

Yet Zhao Tieying looked gratified and patted his shoulder. "This is already rare talent. Back when the Late General trained Three Talents Slash, it took him two days to draw out Shocking Force."

The little pride Lin Zhao had just felt instantly vanished. His mouth twitched. "I'm actually worse than Father?" Unwilling to accept it, he pressed on. "Then Uncle Zhao, how long did it take you to learn Shocking Force?"

Zhao Tieying held up one finger, his tone calm. "One day?" Lin Zhao asked.

"One demonstration," Zhao Tieying answered.

"...Pretend I never asked." Lin Zhao suffered a heavy blow—was this what a true genius of the sword was like?

He had trained a hundred times before barely entering the door, while Zhao Tieying had learned it after watching a single demonstration.

Yet even someone as strong as him had remained trapped at the Binding Force stage for more than twenty years, unable to glimpse the edge of Spinning Force even now.

For an ordinary person, they would likely spend their entire life stopping at Shocking Force, never becoming a true swordsman.

Luckily, I have the Proficiency Panel. Lin Zhao took a deep breath, suppressing the frustration in his heart as his gaze became resolute once more. "So long as I do not die and train without ceasing, one day I will reach the realm of Spinning Force!"

Zhao Tieying suddenly changed the subject, his expression turning grave. "The Estate Guards sent to investigate the Wild Jackal Gang have returned. Guess what? Diao Kui of the Wild Jackal Gang has already pledged himself to the Vagrant Alliance."

"The Vagrant Alliance?" Lin Zhao's grip around his sword tightened abruptly, and his gaze turned icy. "No wonder Diao Kui dared to be so arrogant. So he found himself a backer."

The Vagrant Alliance was extremely well-known throughout North of the River, though its reputation stank to high heaven.

Rumor had it that they worshipped an evil god called the "Wild God." Most of their members were wandering martial masters wanted by the court, mountain bandits, horse thieves, and even deserters and rebels.

They preached "return to the wilds, and all things shall be free," claiming that "heaven and earth were born from chaos, and the law of the jungle alone is the true path." They openly advocated overthrowing the imperial court and local authorities, abolishing hereditary privilege for the nobility, and carrying out the chaotic rule of "no ruler, no father." Only then, they said, could people "temper their martial path through slaughter and transcend mortality to enter sainthood."

Such treasonous rhetoric was a heresy among the ten unforgivable evils in the Ming Dynasty.

The court and the Imperial Guard had long listed them as rebels to be exterminated. A few years ago, they had seemingly vanished under Yingtian Garrison's purge. Unexpectedly, after the "North of the River Rebellion" three years ago—when the Tatars harassed the border and garrison troops were transferred north—the court had no time to look south, and this group rose from the ashes, swallowing up quite a few smaller gangs.

"How should we respond now? Should we still rescue Blacksmith Zhang?" Zhao Tieying asked, his voice carrying some concern—the Vagrant Alliance's strength was far beyond that of the Wild Jackal Gang. If they truly clashed, Lin Family Fortress would likely suffer.

Lin Zhao shook his head without hesitation. "Let Diao Kui 'raise' Old Zhang for us first. Tiezhu's smithing can already hold up half the sky. In a few days, send two clever lads to learn the craft from him. The Estate Guards' weapons and the Tenant Farmers' Farm Tools cannot be left without supply."

Zhao Tieying nodded and sighed softly. "These times are growing ever more chaotic."

It was not that Lin Zhao was timid; Lin Family Fortress simply could not afford to provoke the Vagrant Alliance at present.

This group had lain low for many years, taking in quite a few retired martial masters and desperate fugitives. If not for their lack of a Grandmaster Warrior to hold the fort, even Yingtian Garrison's outer defensive zone would have feared them by three parts.

No one could say whether the Vagrant Alliance hid powerful experts within its ranks. Acting rashly would only drag Lin Family Fortress into danger.

"In the end, I'm simply too weak." Lin Zhao laughed at himself. "If I possessed Father's strength from when he was alive, let alone one Wild Jackal Gang, even if the Vagrant Alliance came in person, I would dare carry my sword to their door and cut off their leader's head!"

Reflections were just reflections. He turned around and threw himself back into his day-after-day bitter training—complaining was useless; only becoming stronger was the hard truth.

Jiajing 22nd Year, second month.

It should have been the season when all things revived, yet North of the River remained sealed beneath heavy snow. Even the ice over Wulong Pond had not fully melted.

Lin Zhao was forced to live a life "cut off from the world," but fortunately, he had Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique and Three Talents Slash to practice, so he did not find it dull.

His routine was now extremely regular: he practiced Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique twice each morning and evening, using all remaining time to hone his swordsmanship.

The Breathing Technique was the foundation of internal force and had to be taken seriously, but this cultivation method drained both the mind and provisions—if he cultivated at full strength, the millet and cured meat stored for winter likely would not last until spring plowing. Not to mention those coarse mixed-flour buns; after training, hunger came quickly, and they were truly hard to swallow.

At his current pace, practicing the Breathing Technique six times a day would gain fifteen points of proficiency. In roughly a year, he could reach the Third Tier and enter the Quasi-Martial Master realm. This speed was no slower than his father's had been.

As for Three Talents Slash, he trained until exhaustion before allowing himself to stop—unlike the Breathing Technique, sword techniques did not risk cultivation deviation. So long as his body could endure it, the more diligently he trained, the faster his progress.

Of course, he also rested one day each week to let his body recover. If not for the powerful physique transformed by Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique, an ordinary Martial Trainee would have long since been crushed by such intense training.

In the blink of an eye, March arrived. The ice and snow finally thawed, and tender grass shoots emerged in the mountains.

Lin Zhao's Three Talents Slash finally broke through to the Second Level.

He hurriedly summoned the Proficiency Panel, his eyes fixed tightly on the new description—

Lin Zhao

-Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique: Second Level (1002/5000)

-Three Talents Slash: Second Level (3/5000), Special Effect: Intermediate Shocking Force

-...

"The special effect advanced with it too—it became Intermediate Shocking Force!" Delight flashed in Lin Zhao's eyes as he raised a hand to grip the hilt of Cold Moon at his waist.

He lowered his hips into a horse stance, his body faintly trembling to the rhythm of his breathing. As Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique circulated, he slowly poured internal force into his arm. Immediately afterward, the Shocking Force technique he had trained for more than a month erupted, and that familiar vibration came through his fingertips.

Cold Moon left its sheath. The blade tore through the air with a ringing dragon's cry, several times sharper than before.

Clang! Clang!

Two gleaming silver sword lights crossed into the form of Three Talents Slash, cleaving through lingering unmelted snow as they struck directly at the poplar stake beside the Training Ground.

Crack!

The bowl-thick poplar stake snapped on impact. Its cross-sections were as neat as though measured with a ruler, divided into exactly three pieces—if this had been the previous Basic Shocking Force, at most it could have carved a deep groove.

[Three Talents Slash Proficiency +1]

Lin Zhao immediately turned to the hidden jujube-wood stake at the side—this jujube wood was as hard as iron, comparable to the hardwood targets Yingtian Garrison used for archery practice. He had cut at it before with Basic Shocking Force.

He took a deep breath and used Three Talents Slash again. Internal force and Intermediate Shocking Force surged at full power as Cold Moon sliced toward the jujube stake with a sound that tore the air.

This time, the blade entered the wood smoothly, but jammed dead after cutting one inch in, unable to advance even half an inch farther.

Lin Zhao twisted his wrist and cleverly withdrew the sword back into its sheath. The sword tassel swayed gently in the wind.

"Whew. Intermediate Shocking Force truly has results. Ordinary wooden stakes can now be severed with one sword stroke, but this hidden jujube stake is still beyond me." He wiped away the thin sweat on his brow and murmured, "It seems I'll need to train both Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique and Three Talents Slash to the Third Tier and learn Advanced Shocking Force before I can match Uncle Zhao's power from back then, when he cleaved ironwood with one stroke. As for the legendary Spinning Force, I fear I'll need to reach the Fourth Level before I can touch its threshold."

Going from the First Level to the Second Level had only taken a little over a month. One thousand points of proficiency had not been overly difficult. But the threshold from the Second Level to the Third Tier suddenly rose sharply, requiring five times as much proficiency. Both the Breathing Technique and sword technique felt as though they had crashed into a wall of bronze and iron, making further progress difficult.

Lin Zhao knew in his heart that without half a year of bitter cultivation, he likely could not break through such a bottleneck.

Still, he was not impatient—the increase in strength granted by Intermediate Shocking Force was real. What he lacked now was genuine, blade-to-blade experience.

When he sparred with Zhao Tieying in the past, the other man always instinctively held back. It could not be counted as true combat at all.

With that thought, Lin Zhao made his decision—to head into the back mountains of Yingtian Garrison and find living prey to practice against. The Gray-Maned Demonic Wolves that prowled that region were the perfect targets.

Yingtian Garrison had earned its name because the thousand-li Qixia Mountain Range ran through its territory—the range rose and fell endlessly, its black pines and spruces blotting out the sky. When winter snow covered its peaks, it was clad in silver, and none knew how many fierce birds and savage beasts lurked within its deep mountains.

Lin Family Fortress stood at the foot of a branch range on the western foothills, within Yingtian Garrison's outer defensive zone. Though it was not as perilous as the deep mountains, wild beasts often appeared there, and the Estate Guards had to travel in groups whenever they went up the mountain to gather firewood.

Within Qixia Mountain, the most common ferocious beast was the "Gray-Maned Demonic Wolf."

These wolves stood over one and a half chi at the shoulder, nearly twice as sturdy as the native wolves of Jiangnan. Their fangs protruded from their mouths, and their claws were as sharp as curved hooks. They often hunted in groups of three to five, preying upon mountain-foot villagers or ambushing lone garrison soldiers.

For Lin Zhao, now a Sword-Wielding Martial Trainee who had mastered Intermediate Shocking Force, Gray-Maned Demonic Wolves were excellent opponents for practice.

He had discovered during his previous archery training that actual combat granted far more proficiency than closed-door practice—killing one Gray-Maned Demonic Wolf was worth half an hour of shooting wooden stakes.

Gray-Maned Demonic Wolves were naturally cunning and agile, with powerful bones. Presumably, the many natural predators in the mountains had forged their formidable bodies. They were perfect for honing the practical combat techniques of Three Talents Slash.

The mountains also held Black-Striped Black Bears comparable to Garrison Martial Masters, as well as White-Browed Tigers and Armored Wild Boars, Mountain Lords capable of contending with Grandmaster Warriors. But those vicious creatures only appeared in the core region of the deep mountains. With his current strength, going there would be suicide; he was in no position to provoke them.

Lin Zhao's objective was clear: small wolf packs of no more than three, or lone Gray-Maned Demonic Wolves.

Moreover, Zhao Tieying was there to cover him—this former Imperial Guard general was seasoned and experienced, and the Embroidered Spring Blade in his hand could cut down Tatar cavalrymen. Even if they truly encountered a Black-Striped Black Bear, he could keep Lin Zhao safe.

The two had only reached the mountainside when they spotted a Muntjac lowering its head to gnaw at moss beneath the snow. This animal was a common mountain herbivore. Its meat was tender and its fat plentiful, making it a rare source of meat for garrison soldiers.

When Lin Zhao practiced archery in the past, he often came into the mountains to shoot Muntjacs. He could build Archery proficiency while also improving the meals of the Estate Guards in the fortress.

Zhao Tieying was experienced. Upon seeing it, he immediately retreated to a high slope behind and to the side to keep watch, his right hand resting on the hilt of his Embroidered Spring Blade. His eyes swept the surrounding woods like a hawk's, wary of a wolf pack lying in ambush.

Lin Zhao took the Zhe Wood Bow from his back—this was a standard war bow issued by Yingtian Garrison, with a bamboo core and wooden limbs. It had a draw weight of a hundred jin and an effective range of one hundred and twenty paces. It was much lighter than the Kaiyuan Great Bow he had used before and better suited for moving through mountainous terrain.

He was only eighty paces from the Muntjac. Shielded by pine trees, the animal remained wholly unaware, concerned only with grazing.

Lin Zhao nocked an arrow and drew the bow in one smooth motion. The bowstring gave a soft twang, and the feathered arrow flew like a meteor, striking the Muntjac squarely in the forehead. The arrowhead pierced its skull and sank in more than halfway.

The Muntjac stiffened, then crashed to the ground, spraying snow half a chi high.

"Perfect. We'll use it as bait. Gray-Maned Demonic Wolves have the sharpest noses; they'll arrive before long." Lin Zhao slung the Zhe Wood Bow back over his shoulder and called to Zhao Tieying on the high slope, "Uncle Zhao, let's climb the trees and wait, so the wolves don't spot us."

The two swiftly climbed an ancient pine beside them. Its trunk was thick and its branches lush, making it an ideal hiding place.

Cold wind swept lingering snow over the treetops. Only the howl of the wind remained in the forest; there was no other movement.

After roughly a quarter of an hour, a mournful, drawn-out wolf howl came from afar. This was followed by several more howls from different directions, as though answering one another.

"Four." Lin Zhao narrowed his eyes toward the source of the howls and spoke softly. Judging by the distances between them, this was a small pack of Gray-Maned Demonic Wolves. Neither too many nor too few—they were just right for practice.

"Do you need me to lend a hand?" Zhao Tieying's voice came from above, steady and strong. His hand remained on his Embroidered Spring Blade, ready to offer support at any moment.

Lin Zhao shook his head and patted the Cloth Armor on his body. This armor was an old Yingtian Garrison issue, covered with two layers of thick cotton and lined with thin iron plates. Round Heart Mirrors reinforced the vital areas over his chest and shoulder blades; ordinary wolf claws could not tear through it. "Uncle Zhao can act when I can no longer hold on. With this Cloth Armor protecting me, nothing should go wrong."

The moment his words fell, four Gray-Maned Demonic Wolves the size of calves appeared in the snow.

Their fur was gray-black and flecked with lingering snow as they warily raised their noses to sniff the air. Fortunately, Lin Zhao and Zhao Tieying had smoked their clothing with mugwort before setting out, masking their human scent.

The wolf pack sensed nothing unusual and was soon drawn over by the bloody scent of the Muntjac.

The largest Alpha Wolf stepped forward first. With one swipe of its claws, it tore open the Muntjac's belly. Though the other three wolves drooled with hunger, they feared the Alpha Wolf's authority and only circled at the side, not daring to step forward and snatch food.

At that moment, Lin Zhao seized the opportunity and threw the rope at his waist down to the ground, gripping it tightly with both hands as he rapidly slid down.

The Cloth Armor gave a faint rasp as it scraped against the tree trunk. When he landed, he struck the snow heavily, spraying snow powder everywhere and even making a shallow crater—internal force cultivated through Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique made him as steady as a rock when he landed.

The wolf pack immediately became alert. Their neck fur rose as they bared their fangs and issued threatening growls. Their green eyes locked onto Lin Zhao like hungry evil ghosts.

Seeing that intimidation was useless, the Alpha Wolf attacked first, charging at him with the three Wolf Cubs. Their paws made no sound on the snow, and they moved as swiftly as lightning. Even an experienced veteran garrison soldier would likely have hastily dodged such a sudden assault.

"Good!" Rather than retreating, Lin Zhao advanced. He gave a deep shout. "Three Talents Slash!"

Cold Moon left its sheath again, two sword lights wrapped in lingering snow slashing forth with peerless sharpness. The foremost Wolf Cub could not evade in time and was struck squarely through the body. It was instantly cut into three pieces, blood and organs spilling over the snow, red and white mingling in a horrifying sight.

[Three Talents Slash Proficiency +10]

The ten points of proficiency lifted Lin Zhao's spirits—this was five times what he gained from practicing on wooden stakes!

The effects of actual combat truly far surpassed closed-door practice.

The Alpha Wolf was frightened out of its wits at the sight. It possessed some intelligence and could tell that the youth before it was not someone to provoke. It turned around and tried to flee.

"You ate my Muntjac and still want to leave?" Lin Zhao sneered. Garrison provisions were already scarce; even as the fortress lord, he rarely got to eat meat every day. Wolf meat might be coarse, but it was still fine food. How could he let them go so easily?

He did not take the Zhe Wood Bow from his back. Instead, he chased after them with Cold Moon in hand.

Though he wore Cloth Armor, under the circulation of Mystic Dragon Breathing Technique, his movements remained surprisingly nimble. For a short time, he could even maintain the same pace as the fleeing wolves.

After only several steps, he caught up with the last Demonic Wolf. With a twist of his wrist, he unleashed another Three Talents Slash. Cold Moon entered flesh with a dull thud, and the Demonic Wolf fell at once. Blood splashed onto the Cloth Armor, blooming into a dark-red stain.

[Three Talents Slash Proficiency +11]