Everyone Astonished, Yaksha's Mad Saber

Li Cunxiao?

Li Cunxiao!

Shen He's face twitched violently. After all, he had dealt with the other party before. He had initially disbelieved it out of instinct, but now, hearing the voice, he could no longer deceive himself.

The young man in the brocade robe before him was the very same escort he had previously looked down upon, Li Cunxiao!

Yet, it had only been less than half a month since they last met.

Shen He remembered very clearly that Li Cunxiao then and Li Cunxiao now were like two completely different people.

Setting aside their height and build, the intensity of their blood essence was also vastly different.

If the previous Li Cunxiao was merely a wildcat in his eyes, fierce as he might be, he could only scratch one's hand; now, the other party was like a lion-tiger, simply lying there, yet his every hair stood on end.

Could it be...

But how was that possible?!

The other three had never seen Li Cunxiao before, but since Jiang Qi and Xiao Mei were also in the Muscle Realm, what Shen He could sense, they could also sense.

Only Ye Chengxiao was truly bewildered at this moment. He had some impression of the name Li Cunxiao, but wasn't that from over half a month ago?

Just a small escort who'd luckily saved someone, sharing the same name as this burly young man before him?

"Tiezi, look, they're all reacting just like you did earlier?"

Zhang Lishi roared with laughter, as if he had witnessed something incredibly amusing. Shi Tie, hearing this, also smiled and stood up, coming forward to smooth things over:

"I was also startled when I first saw Li Cunxiao. He was just a kid two months ago, and now he's broken through to the Muscle Realm and become my junior brother."

As he spoke, a benevolent smile spread across his face.

"Junior Brother Shen, Junior Sister Jiang, Junior Sister Xiao, it's been a few months, I hope you've all been well."

At this moment, the three finally came back to their senses, suppressing their shocked gazes towards Li Cunxiao with great effort, and respectfully bowed to Shi Tie. Even the usually carefree Xiao Mei was exceptionally well-behaved in front of him, demonstrating his prestige.

Finally, Shi Tie approached Ye Chengxiao, his demeanor gentle.

"Junior Brother Ye, is it? Although you haven't formally taken a master yet, I have heard of you. With Li Sanlang setting such a high bar, you mustn't fall behind. You should be vigilant against arrogance and impetuosity, and strive forward bravely."

Ye Chengxiao, however, merely nodded blankly. The words "two months" and "Muscle Realm" kept swirling in his mind. Even after taking his seat, he remained in a daze.

"Hmph, these noble scions, always so arrogant, and now they're stunned into silence?"

Cui Yao, being a high-ranking official, naturally sat at the head table, close to Chief Escort Zhang Lishi. His words at this moment carried a hint of schadenfreude.

Cui Wei, upon hearing this, wanted to reprimand his younger brother, but seeing Li Cunxiao not far away, he opened his mouth, then closed it again.

The brothers came from humble origins. Their martial arts were all honed through life-and-death struggles in the army, making their early lives incredibly difficult.

The difference lay in that after the escort agency was founded, the younger brother Cui Yao retained his rowdy military demeanor, looking down on and even resenting the children of the wealthy.

But the elder brother, Cui Wei, after teaching the young masters of the inner courtyard, had enjoyed the benefits of "connections making things easier," and his perspective had unconsciously become more elevated.

Circumstances were beyond one's control; what good was hating the rich? The days of hardship were already over. Turning others' wealth to one's own use, taking what one needs, what was so bad about that?

But it was precisely because of this that he had missed the then penniless Li Cunxiao.

Alas, damn it all!

"Brothers!"

As Zhang Lishi spoke, the entire training ground fell silent, everyone craning their necks in anticipation. In just a few short minutes, the unfamiliar yet familiar person beside him had already sparked countless discussions.

"With the Autumn Hunt imminent, Great Escort Shi has been working hard outside and has rarely returned home. Today's wine is first to welcome him;"

"As for the second, I, Zhang, have taken on a new disciple, and our escort agency has gained a new escort leader—Li Cunxiao!"

Li Cunxiao looked at the nearly a hundred pairs of eyes below, the scorching gazes converging on him. For a moment, his heart surged with emotion, but he maintained his composure, stepped forward, and introduced himself with grace and ease.

Below the stage, familiar veteran escorts like Gao Huan and Qian Yu had their mouths agape, wide enough to fit a roasted suckling pig. He Bi and Qin Yu in the crowd were so excited their faces turned red, all while fending off the gradually gathering shop assistants around them:

"See that? Li Cunxiao, my roommate! The first time I saw him, I knew..."

As the crowd in the training ground cheered, on the high platform, externally hired escort leaders like Ge Yingyang also stepped forward to offer a toast of water wine to this young new escort leader.

"Escort Leader Ge, I received much care from you when I was escorting missions with you. I toast you."

These words were not empty. Ge Yingyang was approachable and offered much guidance to the young escorts in the agency, not only in martial arts but in all aspects of escorting on the road. Li Cunxiao learned many skills and experiences for traveling from him.

Compared to the eagerness and nervousness of others, Ge Yingyang's reaction was relatively calm. He merely smiled and sighed:

"A few minor tricks, not worth mentioning. I just didn't expect that a hidden talent would be found in the fields. I'm fortunate to have met such a great talent in my lifetime."

"Chief Escort, you have a discerning eye for talent."

Li Cunxiao naturally had to agree. When he reached the last escort leader, Shi Yifu, the latter maintained his usual stern, unsmiling expression. Li Cunxiao didn't mind and still offered his toast as usual.

Shi Yifu had suffered a great calamity in his early years, and it was Zhang Lishi who had helped him. He had been faithfully following him ever since.

Normally, Shi Yifu did not go on escort missions; he guarded Zhang Que'er and other members of the Zhang family, showing the trust Zhang Lishi placed in him.

Apart from Zhang Lishi, no one had ever seen him give a kind look to anyone; he was a true loyal minister. Li Cunxiao didn't intend to curry favor or win him over, but at the very least, he couldn't afford to offend him.

"This Junior Brother Li San, not only possesses extraordinary talent but is also adept at handling interpersonal relationships. He will surely achieve great things in the future."

No matter how slow-witted Shen He was, by this point, he had finally understood.

Recalling his previous interactions with Li Cunxiao, cold sweat was already faintly visible on his forehead.

Had the other party taken his teasing words to heart back then?

Having been educated by a prominent family, a compensatory instinct immediately took over his mind.

Thus, as soon as the words left his mouth, before anyone else could chime in, he raised his wine cup and stepped forward proactively, with Jiang Qi following closely behind him.

Only Xiao Mei, who was a little slower to rise, comforted Ye Chengxiao by her side:

"Junior Disciple Ye, Li Sanlang breaking through to the Muscle Realm in two months is indeed a talent gifted by heaven, but you also have your strengths. Don't belittle yourself."

"The path of martial arts is long; don't compete for a moment, but for a lifetime."

After speaking, she left behind a lingering fragrance, her skirt fluttering as she departed.

Ye Chengxiao's expression was numb, only his fists clenched the fabric of his robes. With a rip, he tore it into shreds. His purplish face began to alternate colors, as if a dyeing workshop had opened up.

He was unwilling! He was so unwilling!

Although he hailed from the Ye Family, he was from a collateral branch. The family was strict and harsh in imparting martial arts, even deliberately suppressing him, all to maintain the status and authority of the main lineage.

He had joined the Flying Tiger Escort Agency to prove himself.

For the sake of martial arts, he trained through the coldest winter and hottest summer, never slacking off. While other young masters indulged in pleasure with beautiful women, he had to keep company with wooden dummies and stone figures to preserve his Primal Yang Qi.

With great effort, he achieved Blood Qi Perfection within a year. If he were given another half a month or a month, he could break through to the Muscle Realm and become Zhang Lishi's most talented disciple.

With great effort, he had found Junior Sister Xiao, who supported and understood him. He had planned to propose to her after gaining Zhang Lishi's backing and holding his head high, but...

Looking at the three people chatting and laughing with Li Cunxiao in the distance, especially the charming and beautiful Xiao Mei, a sense of bitterness inexplicably arose in his heart.

The autumn wind rustled, and fallen leaves swirled like snowflakes. Amidst the lively crowd, Ye Chengxiao suddenly felt a bone-chilling loneliness.

He left alone, silently.

"Junior Sister Xiao, Junior Disciple Ye has left. Why aren't you going after him?"

Jiang Qi, seeing the desolate figure from afar, spoke with a hint of teasing.

Xiao Mei instinctively pulled her silk scarf over, partially covering her face. Her eyes were cold, but her voice remained languid and charming.

"Junior Disciple Ye is young and passionate. It's good for him to calm down alone. After all, we will all be fellow disciples in the future and will have to interact often."

As she spoke, her gaze seemed to linger, shifting towards Li Cunxiao, particularly his sturdy chest.

Li Cunxiao's expression remained unchanged, but he subtly took a step back, shielding Senior Disciple Brother Shi Tie in front of him.

The warmth in Xiao Mei's eyes immediately faded.

Shi Tie had been married to Zhang Lishi's eldest daughter for many years, and their children were already about Que'er's age. She had no interest in old men.

"Junior Disciple Li truly is a hidden dragon. Earlier, when we were on an escort mission, I was blind and even made fun of you. If you hadn't intervened, Brother Li Cheng would have almost lost his life. I would have no face to see Master or our fellow disciples."

Shen He's expression was extremely sincere as he proactively raised his cup, "Sanlang, I should toast you."

This Shen He really knows how to humble himself. Everyone else is enduring humiliation, and if I bring up the past, wouldn't I seem petty?

Advancing by retreating, truly troublesome.

Li Cunxiao moved faster, stepping forward to cup Shen He's hands, his sincerity evident.

"Senior Brother Shen flatters this junior. Speaking of which, I haven't thanked you for the Precious Bow you gifted me. I saw it at Master's residence and couldn't put it down."

"Oh?"

Shen He's eyes lit up. Far from being displeased that his gift was being passed on, he was overjoyed.

"It's good that you like it, it's good that you like it!"

Looking at the three of them so enthusiastically, Shi Tie also felt a surge of emotion. But when he looked back and met his Master's gaze, only relief remained in their eyes.

After so many years, the Escort Agency finally had another hero capable of great responsibility. In this time of many events, it was truly a blessing.

Therefore, even though Jiang Qi, Shen He, and the others were attentive, even fawning, towards Li Cunxiao, Shi Tie did not feel any dissatisfaction or contempt.

A genius who broke through to the Muscle Realm in two months. If this news spread, let alone families of a lower tier like Jiang, Shen, Han, and Yang, even the Three Great Families would have suitors knocking down the Escort Agency's door!

And in the end, such a rare and outstanding individual was ultimately brought into the fold of the Escort Agency.

As for whether he would clash with himself after growing stronger...

Shi Tie chuckled lightly, turned, and returned to sit beside Zhang Lishi. The two, master and disciple, as well as father-in-law and son-in-law, raised their cups in celebration.

Why worry about things years in the future?

However, with the Autumn Hunt so close, this time, the Escort Agency had already won without a fight.

The night passed with everyone enjoying themselves.

The next day, Li Cunxiao still rose early and went to the training grounds to teach the various workers.

As the saying goes, teaching and learning promote each other. The process of teaching is also a process of consolidating one's own learning.

While reviewing the basics, not to mention the Tiger Demon Fist, even the Pure Yang Sixteen Hands, which he had just started practicing, had some doubts resolved through analogy.

Before entering the Muscle Realm, the Pure Yang Sixteen Hands were not complicated. They involved very little movement technique and mainly emphasized fist and palm techniques.

It had eight methods of linkage, which were:

The eight methods are divided into sixteen techniques, encompassing fist, palm, claw, and finger styles. While practicing them also benefited his Tiger Claw technique, Li Cunxiao always felt as though he had seen these movements somewhere before when following the training diagrams.

In any case, with the Tiger Demon Fist of the Muscle Realm as his foundation, getting started with the Primal Yang Sixteen Techniques wasn't difficult. Li Cunxiao estimated he could achieve an initial grasp in four to five days and a minor accomplishment in about a month.

However, after finishing his morning training today, he didn't rush back to his own courtyard to practice. Instead, he headed straight for the Inner Courtyard where Zhang Lishi resided.

When Li Cunxiao arrived, Zhang Lishi was speaking with Shi Tie. Upon seeing him, Zhang Lishi smiled and said, "You've arrived at a good time. I still need to discuss the Autumn Hunt with Murong Bai. Tiezi, teach your junior brother the saber techniques."

Without any further ado, he called out and left.

"Master has always been this decisive. Junior Brother will get used to it,"

Shi Tie smiled and stepped forward. He also got straight to the point, drawing a two-handed Mo Dao from the weapon rack and asking, "Junior Brother, how much do you know about the Minor Yaksha Saber Art?"

Li Cunxiao felt a surge of joy. He had long heard of the Minor Yaksha Saber Art's reputation. He had originally thought he wouldn't be able to learn it until he reached Muscle Realm Perfection, but he hadn't expected Zhang Lishi to already have plans to pass it down when he asked him to come over last night.

"I don't know much. I only know of Master's reputation for the Tiger Eye Mad Saber."

Shi Tie couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing this.

"Tiger Eye Mad Saber isn't a reputation, it's a notorious reputation."

"If it weren't notorious, the Flying Tiger Escort Agency's banner wouldn't be able to stand in Chuqiu—Junior Brother, do you know why Shen He, Jiang Qi, and the others are flocking to the Minor Yaksha Saber Art?"

Li Cunxiao's heart stirred. He had been curious about this for a long time, and now that he had the chance, he naturally had to ask for clarification.

"Please, Senior Brother, enlighten me."

But Shi Tie, this burly man with thick eyebrows and big eyes, played coy upon hearing this.

He lifted the Mo Dao, which was one foot long and had a three-foot blade, with both hands. His eyes then transformed into golden, tiger-like pupils.

A fierce killing intent, as if it were tangible, instantly filled the entire courtyard. The moment Li Cunxiao was stimulated by it, his Blood Essence instinctively began to circulate wildly!

"Yaksha, also known as the Swift and Valiant, or the Swift Ghost."

"Master's Minor Yaksha Saber Art has a total of four stances. It is a mid-grade martial art, emulating the supernatural abilities of the Yaksha."

"Coming and going like the wind, with blades that cut through metal and stone; fingers that move with extreme speed, leaving echoes of killing."

Shi Tie spoke each word as if he were biting gold and chewing iron. The four-foot saber vibrated with a humming sound. He reversed his grip, swung it backward, and cut visible white lines through the air—

"First stance, Ride the Wind!"