Mastered the Basics

2024-07-31

Mastered the Basics

A moment later, in the inner room.

By the brazier, Mother Song was weaving straw mats and rain capes, while Father Song drank himself red-faced and flushed, his eyes clouded over.

Song Changming had not drunk much. He merely sat quietly beside his old father.

"Changming, do you still remember Song Family Village?" Father Song suddenly asked.

Song Changming nodded. At the beginning of his transmigration, the Song Family had not lived in the Prefecture City on Baiyi Street. They had been farmers in a small wild village outside the city, only moving into the Prefecture City later.

"Song Family Village is gone. A group of desperadoes of unknown origin came a few days ago and looted the place clean. In the end, only a handful of villagers survived." Father Song's expression was bitter.

At those words, Mother Song, who had long known of the matter, quietly wiped away her tears at the side.

Though Song Changming had not spent long in that village, he fell silent as well, deeply feeling the cruelty of it all.

"Sigh, that is simply how this world is. The greatest achievement of my life was finding a way and desperately squeezing into the Prefecture City to put down roots here." Father Song took another sip of wine and spoke in a muffled voice.

As someone who had lived through it, Song Changming agreed.

Their current days were indeed desperately poor, but in the past, the Song Family had not actually fallen so low.

In his early years, Father Song had struggled alone in the Prefecture City, clawing his way up from nothing and learning the craft of smithing and Weapon Forging.

Though he had not been considered a renowned Weapon Forging master at the time, the implements he made were all of decent quality. Many of the larger Weapon Forging Workshops in the Prefecture City had even invited him over, showing that his skill was far from ordinary.

Given enough time, once Father Song's craft became more refined and his reputation greater, the Song Family might even have crossed class boundaries and moved to another district.

But unfortunately, an unexpected calamity had caused the Song Family to collapse from then on.

"The greatest regret of my life was letting your eldest and second brothers join the army." As Father Song spoke, his lips could not stop trembling and his eyes reddened.

Even now, he had yet to move on from it.

Song Changming was the fourth child in the family. Above him were his third sister, Song Yu, and his eldest and second brothers, who had passed away early.

His eldest brother was Song Changping, and his second brother was Song Chang'an.

Both had been full of youthful fervor back then. Unwilling to learn Father Song's Weapon Forging craft, they had wanted to make something of themselves in the army.

Years later, a brutal battle had taken both children from Father Song and Mother Song at once.

The tremendous blow had struck like a bolt from the blue, causing Father Song, whose health had never been robust, to collapse from illness.

From then on, with the family's pillar gone and both sons in the army dead, the Song Family declined all the way to its present state. Only with great difficulty had they raised third sister Song Yu and the young Song Changming to adulthood.

"Yu'er is already married. I can tell that Huaiming truly treats Yu'er well, so I am not worried about her. You are the only one who has yet to start a family. You are what I cannot let go of." Father Song shook his head.

Originally, he had intended for Song Changming to inherit his old forging craft once he grew up, make a living from it, then find a matchmaker to arrange a marriage so he could live out his days safely after starting a family.

But an unexpected conscription order from the authorities had disrupted all his plans for Song Changming.

The name Song Changming of Baiyi Street was clearly written on that conscription list.

Having already lost two children on the battlefield, Father Song would rather die than let Song Changming follow in their footsteps.

That was why he had gone to the Zhao Family. Even if he had to kneel, he would kneel his way into securing Song Changming a position at the Patrol Guard Headquarters.

Only by entering the Patrol Guard Headquarters in the Prefecture City and becoming, in name, a man of the County Governor's Mansion could he avoid this forced conscription.

"Being a Night Watchman alone isn't enough. Only by becoming a patrol guard will people think highly of you, and only then will good girls be willing to marry you." Father Song was growing drunk, and his speech became slurred.

"You've started training hard with the saber recently. Father is very happy. Father will find a way to send you to a martial, martial arts school, so you can learn real skills."

When he emerged from the inner room, Song Changming carried little smell of alcohol. He had merely accompanied his old father in drinking.

Father Song had told him many things: the destruction of Song Family Village, matters from the past, and plans for the future.

As the Song Family's only remaining male, Father Song wanted him to become a patrol guard, marry, have children, and carry on the Song Family line.

This was Father Song's final wish in his old age.

"Becoming a patrol guard... I'm still short of it." Song Changming checked his panel.

[Soul Severing Saber: Beginner (410/500)]

After reaching the Beginner stage, his saber-training progress had slowed considerably. Even under the Heaven Rewards Diligence state, he could only gain six or seven points a day. Nor could he remain forever in that fired-up, striving state of Heaven Rewards Diligence; he occasionally needed proper rest. Thus, after more than two months of hard training, he had yet to fill those five hundred points.

It truly was easy to get started, difficult to master.

For ordinary people to master this saber technique and Master the Basics, they measured the time in years—half a year at the shortest, several years at the longest.

By comparison, Song Changming still trained faster than most.

He was in no hurry. At the latest, he would succeed after the new year.

As the old year gave way to the new, boat parades, nighttime theater gatherings, poetry appreciation meets, fireworks festivals, and many other grand events began one after another.

The bustle of the new year spread through every district of the Prefecture City. Every household hung lanterns and decorations, all in festive scarlet.

Only Baiyi Street had far fewer such flourishes.

Song Changming had long grown accustomed to Baiyi Street's muted New Year atmosphere. He did not yearn for liveliness that did not belong to him, and continued practicing his saber at home.

At a certain moment, several flashes of insight suddenly arose in his mind, and the long saber in his hand seemed to become lighter.

His saber technique gained several more shades of fierceness and trickiness. Movement and stillness combined, feints and substance shifted, carrying a remarkably subtle profundity.

Mastered the Basics!

This counted as stepping onto a higher level.

Delighted, Song Changming opened his panel. Sure enough—

[Soul Severing Saber: Proficient (0/1000)]

He had become proficient in this set of Soul Severing Saber techniques in less than three months.

With this, he finally possessed a certain degree of ability to protect himself.

With the saber in his hand, he felt that facing three to five ordinary thugs or fierce bandits would not be a problem.

In terms of strength, he was now qualified to serve as a patrol guard in the Patrol Guard Headquarters.

But strength was one matter. To truly be promoted to patrol guard, he still lacked an opportunity.

An opportunity to render merit before others and earn the appreciation of his superiors.

Letting out a long breath and calming his thoughts, Song Changming sheathed his saber. No matter what, today's task of improving his saber technique had been completed. The rest could wait.

He checked the sky. It was about time to patrol the streets.

Song Changming dressed himself neatly and, before leaving, told his parents to lock the doors and windows.

Whenever winter arrived, especially at the beginning of the new year, many displaced outsiders would flood into the Prefecture City.

Quite a few bandits would also mingle among them, hoping to create chaos amid the celebrations and fish in troubled waters.

As such, public security in the city was somewhat severe during this period. The patrol guards at the Patrol Guard Headquarters not only had no rest, but their duties became even more onerous.

Even Torch-bearing Night Watchmen like Song Changming were assigned in especially large numbers at night to deter petty criminals.

"Changming, did you go see the Long River Lantern Festival on the Fragrant Painted Boat yesterday? It was simply breathtaking, and the people inside were also... ahem."

As Li Fu'an spoke, he seemed to feel that he was sounding somewhat lecherous and stopped himself.

"No. I'll go take a look when I get the chance." Song Changming said with a faint smile.

"There'll be chances, sure, but it takes silver to board the boat. If I could enjoy it once in this lifetime, I'd die without regrets." Li Fu'an spoke, clearly envious of those who could board it.

They were all people of wealth or status in the Prefecture City.

Though he lived on Houli Street, he was merely a lowly Night Watchman. He could only gaze at such extravagant places from afar, never personally set foot within them.

As the two chatted, a Signal Smoke suddenly shot into the air from a street alley not far away.

(End of Chapter)