Cultivation Breakthrough, Second-Rate Martial Artist

After leaving the Brocade Guard, Ye Liuyun waved a hand, signaling that Si Nan could head back.

He then returned to the residence alone.

"Master, you're back so early?"

The one who greeted Ye Liuyun was still Sheng Lanzhi's personal maid, Xing'er. Seeing him return so early, Xing'er's face was full of surprise.

"Nothing much happened, so I came back early."

Ye Liuyun sounded utterly unconcerned. The former Ye Liufeng, even when there was nothing to do at the Brocade Guard, would return very late.

Most of the time, he would invite those so-called connections out for food and drink.

Could something that happened truly change a person's temperament so drastically? Watching Ye Liuyun's retreating back, Xing'er silently followed him.

All the way to the study.

"You can go back first. I want to be alone for a while."

He waved a hand, indicating that Xing'er did not need to follow him anymore.

"Yes, Master."

There were quite a few books in this study as well. Yesterday, he had focused all his attention on the martial arts manuals, but now that he thought about it, Ye Liufeng had never allowed him to enter this place before.

There had to be some other secret hidden in this study.

To better adapt to this identity, he naturally could not overlook any information.

Whether it was confidence or something else, many of Ye Liufeng's records had not been hidden very deeply. They were simply placed amid a pile of poetry and songs; anyone looking for them could quickly find them.

"Oh! No wonder."

The moment Ye Liuyun opened the first page, he laughed.

It was an account book, clearly recording the money Ye Liufeng had received in the past. It all came from newly opened taverns, teahouses, or other businesses.

It was called a management fee, but in Ye Liuyun's eyes, it was merely protection money collected under another name.

Besides that.

It also recorded the backgrounds of many shops within the imperial city—who had backing, and who did not.

No wonder he had a blue-quality Blade Talent, yet remained a Third-Rate Martial Artist until his death.

With all his attention on this sort of thing, it would have been a miracle if he had found time to practice martial arts.

Other than these.

Ye Liuyun also found a small booklet.

"Wan He'an: Brocade Guard Centurion. Fond of beauty, with Royalty backing him."

"Lu Quan: Brocade Guard Centurion. Greedy for wealth and lustful, son of the General of the Swift Cavalry."

"..."

What it recorded were people within the Brocade Guard. It was clear that the former Ye Liufeng had spent no small amount of time investigating them, uncovering even their preferences and backgrounds in meticulous detail.

Ye Liuyun also saw Shi Sheng's description inside.

"Shi Sheng: Brocade Guard Centurion. Uncultured and inflexible, incapable of bearing great responsibility."

That was Ye Liufeng's assessment of Shi Sheng. In Ye Liufeng's view, someone who only knew how to keep his head down and work had already reached his limit by becoming a Centurion. There was no possibility of further promotion.

It truly was comprehensive.

After reading all this, Ye Liuyun laughed.

The more he learned, the more clearly he understood just how sanctimonious the former Ye Liufeng had been.

But no matter what, this roster could help him quickly integrate into the Brocade Guard.

After reading everything, Ye Liuyun had someone bring over a brazier and burned it all. He had no idea where the former Ye Liufeng had found the nerve to keep such things.

But if anyone saw them, they would become fatal leverage.

Ye Liuyun had no intention of taking the blame for this. It was better to burn them as soon as possible.

Once he had finished all that.

Ye Liuyun picked up his saber again and went out into the courtyard to practice.

Rather than spending so much time thinking, he might as well cultivate more. That way, even if trouble truly came, he would not have to panic.

Everything else was false. Only one's own strength was real.

Swish! Swish! Swish!

Why else would one say that the yearning for martial arts was carved into his bones?

Others might find practicing martial arts exhausting, but for Ye Liuyun, being able to clearly feel his strength constantly growing was simply exhilarating.

Nothing could be more satisfying than this.

Especially as he practiced and watched a whirlwind curl around the blade, Ye Liuyun felt that he had to look incredibly cool right now.

If his old coworkers saw this, wouldn't they be jealous enough to cry?

"Sever!"

Unable to hold back, he swung the blade wreathed in a breeze, directly slashing at the wooden post in the courtyard.

The invisible saber qi passed straight through the entire wooden post with Ye Liuyun's swing.

Thud!

After a brief pause, the severed wooden post fell to the ground.

The cut was smooth and flawless.

"Did I break through?"

Seeing this, Ye Liuyun seemed to realize something and looked at the saber in his hand in disbelief.

According to the description of the Wind Severing Saber Technique, once cultivated to great mastery, one could drive inner force and unleash saber qi as an attack.

This saber technique could also cultivate inner force, though its purity was inferior to cultivation methods dedicated solely to inner force.

Talent Trait System!

Host: Ye Liuyun!

Realm: Second-Rate Martial Artist!

Martial Art: Wind Severing Saber Technique!

Talent Traits: Lucky (Purple), Strong Body (Green), Blade Talent (Blue),

After glancing at his status panel, Ye Liuyun became even more certain that he had indeed broken through.

He was already in the Second-Rate realm?

No wonder he felt strength surging through his entire body, his previous exhaustion swept away. Third-Rate Martial Artists only knew brute force, while Second-Rate Martial Artists could use inner force as a means of attack.

From what Ye Liuyun had learned before, the Martial Arts realms were divided into Third-Rate, Second-Rate, First-Rate, Acquired, Innate, Grandmaster, and Great Grandmaster.

Legend had it that there were even stronger existences above Great Grandmasters, but that was clearly not something the current Ye Liuyun could covet.

"I originally thought it would take several days. At this rate, it won't be many days before the Wind Severing Saber Technique reaches perfection. I need to obtain stronger Talent Traits and martial arts!"

The more this happened, the more he felt that the former Ye Liufeng had been worthless.

He deserved to be counter-killed.

Whoosh!

After briefly regulating his breathing, Ye Liuyun did not intend to continue cultivating.

In just that short while, night had fallen without him noticing. His stomach was empty, so Ye Liuyun planned to eat first and decide what to do after dinner.

Ye Liuyun still ate in the front courtyard. Because of his martial arts practice, his meals consisted of large portions of fish and meat. Why else would people say that scholars could be poor, but martial artists had to be rich?

Martial artists expended much and ate much. Without money, one could not even afford food, so where would one find the strength to practice martial arts?

Not to mention medicinal herbs. Some precious herbs could help martial artists strengthen their bodies and lay a foundation for future breakthroughs.

Thinking of the several hundred taels he had received today, Ye Liuyun planned to find a pharmacy tomorrow and see if he could buy some medicinal herbs.

Meanwhile, Sheng Lanzhi in the Backyard had also had dinner prepared.

Yet after hearing Xing'er's report, even her hand paused as she lifted her chopsticks.

"He's still practicing martial arts?"