Mission

Today was the second day of the second lunar month, when the dragon raised its head.

All things revived, and the spring breeze brought warmth.

That morning, Meng Yuan drew water from the well. After washing up, he went to the Training Field to train diligently.

Half a month had passed since he entered the ranks. None of the young men and women had yet awakened their apertures and entered the ranks, and Meng Yuan had not told them that more than half of his own apertures had already opened.

After reaching completion for the first time, his essence fire grew much more slowly. Though he had eggs and a pound of meat every day, it was still far slower than before.

However, Meng Yuan had also noticed that this essence fire was more condensed than before. Outwardly, this showed in how much less he feared cold, how his stamina kept growing, and how full of vitality he was. Even staying up late to practice his punches did not leave him tired.

Because of this, Meng Yuan diligently tempered his strength and nurtured his True Qi during the day, only using the night, when he was alone in his room, to strike at his apertures.

When his essence fire first reached completion, it had washed through his body, loosening many of his apertures. Thus, Meng Yuan could generally open one aperture a night.

One completion had already yielded such results. Meng Yuan looked forward to his essence fire reaching completion a second time all the more.

"I need to eat meat—loads of meat—and a child bride..." After morning training, Meng Yuan pondered as he ate breakfast.

Master Nie's guidance was based on Meng Yuan's own ability, while Xun Mei's favor stemmed from his pure and kind nature.

But Meng Yuan knew that all worldly relationships were flowers in a mirror and the moon's reflection in water. Only when one's realm rose did such relationships become useful. Otherwise, no one's support could last forever!

Martial cultivation was the foundation, while the growth of his essence fire was the foundation beneath that.

So he had to eat meat. He had to think of every possible way to eat meat.

Past midmorning, Meng Yuan finally saw Nie Yannian arrive.

"Scholar Meng, come, come." Nie Yannian had a saber at his waist and another in his hand, which he immediately tossed to Meng Yuan.

Ever since borrowing those books, Meng Yuan would hold them up to read whenever he rested. When Nie Yannian caught him at it, he had not stopped him, merely adding a nickname.

"You're a fake scholar now. If you went to a brothel, the girls would definitely expose you. Once you learn saber techniques, though, if they expose you and you fly into a rage from shame, you can chop them with your saber." Nie Yannian's reasoning was impeccable.

This man had always been loose-tongued, and Meng Yuan had long grown used to it.

Nie Yannian said nothing more. He immediately took his stance and slowly demonstrated the technique once.

Meng Yuan watched intently, yet felt that Nie Yannian's saber technique seemed awkward, as though something was missing.

"You try it," Nie Yannian said.

Meng Yuan already had an excellent memory, and with the aperture atop his head opened, he followed the moves Nie Yannian had demonstrated and slowly ran through them once.

"Scholar Meng really isn't half bad." Nie Yannian offered the praise in a strange, mocking tone, then added, "But this is a fast-saber technique, called the Gale Wind Saber Technique. Your saber must be fast, and you must be fast. Your strikes must be steady and ruthless. This is a technique for killing!"

As he spoke, Nie Yannian demonstrated it again. This time, he was as swift as a gale and a downpour. For a moment, the long saber could not even be seen; there was only a mass of white light flashing.

Meng Yuan watched in fascination, knowing he was absolutely incapable of doing the same.

After demonstrating it once, Nie Yannian sheathed his saber and came over to hook an arm around Meng Yuan's neck. "This saber technique doesn't rely merely on the strength of your hands and waist. It uses the strength of your entire body. Once you open the apertures in your torso and arms, its power will change; once all your apertures are open, its power will change again; and once you reach the Eighth Rank, its power will change yet again. Do you understand?"

"Master Nie means that ordinary people can use this saber technique. But if someone has entered the ranks and also uses a method for circulating the True Qi within their body, its power will grow even greater?" Meng Yuan asked.

"A scholar is a scholar. You understand at the slightest prompt." Nie Yannian looked quite pleased. "All right, go practice first. Once you're familiar with the footwork, teach it to the little brats. Tomorrow, I'll teach you the method for circulating True Qi."

Seeing that Nie Yannian was about to leave again, Meng Yuan hurriedly grabbed him.

Meng Yuan pulled Nie Yannian farther away and shamelessly said, "Master Nie, lend me ten taels of silver."

Over these past days, Meng Yuan had figured out Nie Yannian's temperament. The man had no filter on his mouth and spouted dirty jokes whenever he opened it, but he was actually a decent person. He did not stand on ceremony or put on the airs of a teacher. If there was something to say, one could simply say it.

"Borrow ten taels? I'm so poor I can't even afford food! You might as well chop me up and sell me!" Nie Yannian immediately said.

Could someone like this really fail to produce ten taels of silver? Meng Yuan sized Nie Yannian up. Seeing that he truly looked helplessly destitute, he said, "Then forget it."

Meng Yuan was about to leave, considering whether to borrow some from Sister Hu Qian, when Nie Yannian pressed a hand onto his shoulder. "Hey, wait!"

Nie Yannian looked Meng Yuan over and asked, "What do you need to borrow money for, brat?"

"My food isn't enough. I want to eat meat," Meng Yuan answered honestly.

"That still doesn't mean you should eat it every day." Nie Yannian took out a silver ingot and tossed it over. "Here."

Meng Yuan hurriedly caught it. "Master Nie, didn't you say you had no money?"

"Sigh, I'm just used to crying poverty." Nie Yannian answered carelessly.

So the moment I asked to borrow money, you cried poverty without even thinking? And you acted it pretty convincingly! Meng Yuan carefully considered Master Nie's expression. Since those who came before were teachers, perhaps this was something he could learn!

"Master Nie, how about another ten taels? Then I won't have to borrow again later," Meng Yuan said.

"You're taking a mile after being given an inch, aren't you?" Nie Yannian twisted Meng Yuan's ear. "Come with me!"

After leaving the Training Field, Meng Yuan followed behind Nie Yannian and asked curiously, "Master Nie, what are we going to do?"

"To collect your wages," Nie Yannian said.

"You never told me I had wages!"

"You never asked!"

After walking for a while, they reached a small courtyard. Entering a room, they found an old man inside.

"Gou Accountant!" Nie Yannian was not polite in the slightest. Pointing at Meng Yuan, he said, "This kid's a new guard. He's here to take an advance on his wages."

Gou Accountant looked at Meng Yuan. "What's your name?"

Meng Yuan gave his name.

"There is such a person." Gou Accountant flipped through the account book. "But you came from the herding estate, and you haven't held the position of guard for even a month. There's no way to advance your wages."

Meng Yuan said nothing and looked at Nie Yannian.

"He was introduced by Xun Mei," Nie Yannian said.

"Our Princess Consort is always considerate of others. Advancing one month's wages is nothing. You're the lowest-grade guard, with a monthly wage of ten taels. Festival rewards are calculated separately." He flicked his abacus and took out ten taels of silver.

Meng Yuan accepted the silver and looked at Nie Yannian with undisguised dissatisfaction.

"Advance him three months' worth," Nie Yannian said.

Gou Accountant said, "Teacher Nie, if you wanted an advance, I wouldn't say anything. But this child is a newcomer. There's no justification for it."

Nie Yannian said, "He's Xun Mei's sweetheart."

Gou Accountant rubbed his eyes, then carefully looked Meng Yuan over. Seeing the youth's upright figure, swordlike brows and starry eyes, handsome appearance, and masculine bearing, he said, "Who doesn't have hardships? Young people do have greater expenses. As the saying goes, help the urgent, not the poor. This old accountant will take responsibility for it!"

Meng Yuan accepted the silver, feeling more keenly than ever how important rank was. Otherwise, no one would believe a lie even if he told one.

After leaving the courtyard, Meng Yuan thanked Nie Yannian again and again, even offering empty courtesies like treating him to a meal someday.

"Now that you've collected your wages, shouldn't you return the ten taels I lent you?" Nie Yannian immediately pressed him for the debt.

You lent me that money less than a quarter of an hour ago, didn't you? And now you're collecting the debt? Meng Yuan had borrowed the money through his own ability, and it had not even warmed in his hands yet. How could he possibly return it?

"Master Nie, I have many places to spend money," Meng Yuan said solemnly.

Nie Yannian pointed at Meng Yuan twice, then said, "I forgot to tell you. There's a job—do you want to take it? There'll be a reward if you complete it."

"What job?" Meng Yuan was extremely wary.

Nie Yannian did not say directly, only replying, "Let's eat first. We'll talk while we eat."