Pig-Boar-Snake Meat, Demon Fields

"Ride the Wind!"

"Sweep Dust!"

"Soar Skyward!"

"Cloud Split!"

Shi Tie's words rang like struck metal. Every stance and strike was steady, powerful, and incomparably swift. As he unleashed move after move, Li Cunxiao seemed able to see even the veins of fallen leaves being severed by the blade's tip.

Had he struck a dozen times? Dozens of times? A hundred times?

Had ten breaths passed? Five? Three? Or only the blink of an eye?

The rustle of fallen leaves sounded exceptionally clear in the quiet courtyard. Li Cunxiao looked at Shi Tie, who stood there with his saber in hand as though he had never moved. Everything just now seemed like an illusion.

Yet when he lowered his head, the gale cleaved out by the dancing blade had somehow already swept over his robes, leaving more than a dozen crisscrossing marks on the ground.

He plucked a fallen leaf from his shoulder. The instant his fingers touched it, the fan-shaped golden ginkgo leaf bloomed apart from its stem into more than a dozen fine threads, like the golden-thread chrysanthemums in Zhang Lishi's manor garden.

Li Cunxiao swallowed involuntarily, his eyes burning with fervor.

A seven-foot brawny man, a four-foot long saber, and a ginkgo leaf two fingers wide.

Unbelievable! Divine beyond measure!

Seeing that this display had stunned his exceptionally gifted junior disciple, even someone as honest as Shi Tie could not help feeling rather pleased with himself.

Without some real skill, how could he keep his seat as senior disciple?

"The distinction between mid-grade and low-grade martial arts lies chiefly in the realm they can reach."

"Generally speaking, low-grade martial arts only reach the muscles. Though they have so-called breathing methods and breathing exercises, they struggle to enter the viscera."

"Mid-grade martial arts, on the other hand, can nourish and train the viscera, forming a Minor Imperfect body that preserves one's essence and extends one's lifespan."

"Generally speaking, a Third Realm Viscera Realm martial artist can remain vigorous in blood and qi and suffer no decline in combat strength even after passing seventy."

"As for the profound arts among mid-grade martial arts, they can go a step further: refining the Essence of the Five Viscera, opening the dantian and Yellow Court, refining blood and qi into true qi, and injuring others from afar."

Having built up the suspense, Shi Tie slowly revealed these secrets. Li Cunxiao listened, deep in thought.

People such as Xiao Mei and Ye Chengxiao were all collateral descendants of great clans. Their clans' inheritances certainly came with many restrictions.

But did families like Shen He's and Jiang Qi's not possess mid-grade martial arts either?

"They do have them, but rather than mid-grade martial arts, they are better described as low-grade martial arts with methods for breaking through to the Viscera Realm. And those methods are extremely risky."

"The Jiang, Shen, Han, and Yang Families are not without Third Realm experts compared with the Three Great Families. It is simply that those experts all have more or less... certain problems."

Shi Tie spoke obscurely, merely raising a hand and pointing lightly at his own head. Li Cunxiao immediately understood.

The martial arts of those four families were probably incomplete. Even if one could break through, the martial artist would fall into madness or demonic deviation, their body riddled with ailments and too unsightly to show others.

Moreover, they had no cultivation methods beyond the Viscera Realm. Their ceiling had already been locked in place.

"In any case, this Minor Yaksha Saber Art is subtle and profound. Even if I taught you everything, Junior Disciple, you would find it hard to comprehend it all."

"Today, I will first teach you the foundation of its saber art—the footwork called Divine Movement Steps. Once you have mastered the footwork, you can learn the four saber forms."

"After several more years, when you break through to the Viscera Realm and can command the Essence of the Five Viscera, only then will you be able to display this martial art's full power."

With that, Shi Tie handed the saber to Li Cunxiao. As he taught him Divine Movement Steps, he also imparted the saber's basic techniques:

Lift, thrust, intercept, block, collapse, slash, wipe, lead, coil, and wrap.

Because it had a double-edged, sword-like point and was a two-handed saber over a meter long, many of its moves also resembled sword techniques and spear arts.

Li Cunxiao's learning ability was not poor to begin with. Added to that, he was already in the Muscle Realm, able to command every sinew and bone in his body as easily as moving an arm or finger. Naturally, he learned quickly and steadily.

Shi Tie taught earnestly, while Li Cunxiao learned diligently. Half a day slipped away just like that.

When the two finally rested, they discovered that Zhang Lishi had been standing nearby and watching for who knew how long. He smiled and clapped his hands, and servants immediately came forward carrying food boxes, which they arranged in a row.

"Come, come, sit down. Have a drink with me."

Before they had even touched their chopsticks, the three of them had each downed three bowls of wine. Fortunately, Li Cunxiao was now in the Muscle Realm. If he had drunk like this in his previous life, he would probably have suffered a stomach hemorrhage within days.

"Perfect timing. On my way back from the county yamen, Murong Bai sent over some Pig-Boar-Snake Meat. You two are in for a treat."

Li Cunxiao swept his gaze across the bowls and plates, quickly spotting the so-called Pig-Boar-Snake among the chicken, duck, and fish.

The reason was simple. Unlike ordinary meat, though the snake meat bore charred marks from roasting around its edges, the flesh at its center remained crystal-clear and translucent, giving off a faint herbal fragrance.

Naturally, the two disciples did not dare move their chopsticks first. Only after Zhang Lishi began eating did Li Cunxiao pick up a piece and put it into his mouth.

To his surprise, it was rather delicious.

It was soft, glutinous, springy, and smooth, with the texture of pork skin aspic, yet it still carried the resilience of muscle fibers. There was no fishy taste upon entry; instead, it had something of the flavor of medicinal chicken soup from his previous life.

Honestly, nearly all the Demon Meat Li Cunxiao had eaten so far had been jerky or something similar. As for raw meat, there was no need to mention it. Even when prepared with spices, it was still utterly vile.

Yet this Pig-Boar-Snake Meat was not only delicious, but the blood and qi contained within it was also comparatively pure. It did have Killing Intent, but only an utterly negligible trace.

Honestly, if not for that trace of Killing Intent, Li Cunxiao might not even have recognized whether this Pig-Boar-Snake was a demon or merely some strange beast.

Of course, compared with Demon Meat personally slaughtered by Li Cunxiao, which contained not the slightest trace of Killing Intent, the Killing Intent in this Pig-Boar-Snake was as conspicuous as black sesame seeds in a bowl of white rice.

"Master, this Pig-Boar-Snake...?"

Shi Tie had clearly eaten it before. He took two bites in quick succession, an expression of enjoyment appearing on his face. Seeing Li Cunxiao's confusion, he explained before Zhang Lishi could speak:

"This Pig-Boar-Snake does not belong to the Murong Family. It comes from the county yamen's Demon Meat Field—though these days, there is hardly any difference between the county yamen and the Murong Family."

"A Demon Meat Field?"

The term itself was not difficult to understand, but the implications behind it made Li Cunxiao's chopsticks tremble.

The Demon Meat of the Firewood Gang had to be hunted down, captured, slaughtered, and processed by skilled hands. The dangers went without saying, and its output was inevitably affected by external factors.

But if demons could be harvested crop after crop like grain, their output and stability would be incomparable.

Yet what could possibly water and feed a meat field that produced demons? Surely it could not be—

Seeing his young disciple slow even the motion of picking up meat, Zhang Lishi could not help laughing.

"A Demon Meat Field is fed with grain. Eat without worry."

"Even for your master, this stuff is not easy to get normally."

Only then did Li Cunxiao breathe a sigh of relief and hurriedly stuffed two more pieces into his mouth to calm his nerves.

Afterward, the master and two disciples drank and chatted. During their conversation, Li Cunxiao came to understand quite a few things.

Back then, Emperor Taizong the Cultured received Emperor Gaozu's abdication. He devoted himself to governance, conquered ten thousand lands, and was hailed as the Heavenly Khan.

The dynasty was exceptionally prosperous. Countless martial resources throughout the realm were clutched in the court's hands, while even Buddhism and Daoism could only live by watching its breath.

Even though the dynasty had shown signs of chaos in recent years, resources such as Demon Meat Fields were still controlled by only a select few.

Besides the imperial court and government offices, the rest belonged to truly ancient and powerful aristocratic clans like the Five Clans and Seven Esteemed Families, or to the great sects of Daoism and Buddhism.

As for the Flying Tiger Escort Agency, though it possessed a method for raising Tiger Demon Worms, it still fell short compared to a county yamen that controlled a Demon Meat Field.

Li Cunxiao thought of how Shi Tie had spent years stationed at the estate outside the city, and understanding dawned on him. The escort agency was filled with all sorts of people. Those Tiger Demon Worms were probably guarded and raised by this senior disciple.

During the banquet, Zhang Lishi also told many strange tales from his early escort missions. Some were so amusing that one could not help laughing, while others sent chills down one's spine.

After the drinking ended, the Chief Escort went off to handle official matters as usual, while Li Cunxiao followed Shi Tie to continue learning Divine Movement Footwork.

The marvel of this footwork lay in using a special method to mobilize blood and qi, strengthening the muscles of the feet. At the same time, it had a particular rhythm. Combined, the two could create a deceptive visual effect.

Of course, that was only because Li Cunxiao's current realm was insufficient, so this was all he could do for now.

Once his realm was high enough, he could lure the Yaksha Demon into his body for empowerment. Then he would truly be elusive as a ghost, coming and going like the wind.

What Shi Tie was teaching him now was merely the outer skin of this Minor Yaksha Saber Art.

"The essentials of Divine Movement Steps have already been grasped, Junior Disciple. What remains is simply more practice."

Li Cunxiao nodded in acknowledgment. Glancing at the sky and remembering Shen He and the others' invitation from last night, he prepared to take his leave.

"Oh, right, Junior Disciple Li. There is something I need to remind you of."

"Hm?"

Shi Tie thought for a moment, seemingly unsure how to phrase it. In the end, he spoke bluntly.

"Junior Disciple, your blood and qi are vigorous, and your energy is abundant. It is only natural for women to take a liking to you. However, Junior Sister Xiao's inherited Qingcheng Jade Chamber Art is an exceptionally fierce dual cultivation method. It scrapes bone and sucks marrow. You must not underestimate it."

"The primal yang and Primal Yin of the Muscle Realm are great tonics to the Xiao Family."

Li Cunxiao understood immediately. Shi Tie was offering him a warning. But these words also exposed the delicate relationships among Zhang Lishi's disciples; they were not as harmonious as they appeared on the surface.

As for women, he was not a monk. Naturally, he liked beautiful women.

But cultivation was the urgent matter at present. Everything else had to be set aside. Besides, Xiao Mei said one thing and meant another, and her actions were crafty. He would never gamble his future on her.

After leaving the escort agency and returning home to wash up, it was already nearing dusk.

Looking at the empty courtyard, Li Cunxiao wondered whether he ought to find a few honest servants.

He did not need beautiful maidservants. Mainly, chopping firewood, boiling water, and dealing with all kinds of miscellaneous tasks himself wasted far too much time.

If secrecy was a concern, he could simply have them work during the day and send them home at night. They would be equivalent to the hourly workers and cleaning ladies from his previous life.

As he pondered this, he took fresh clothes from his wardrobe. Madam Zhang had enthusiastically arranged all of them for him.

In her own words, "You cannot possibly wear the escort agency's clothes everywhere you go, can you?"

He still wore a black headwrap, a white inner robe beneath a tortoiseshell-patterned brocade half-sleeved jacket, and over that a dark-blue, stand-collared round robe patterned with lion medallions. A leather belt was tied around his waist, and black leather Six-Unity boots covered his feet.

He slung his Hengdao diagonally from the leather belt and wore a jade pendant. Clean and sharp, with a few traces of noble bearing amid his coldness, he somewhat resembled the son of a military household.

When he entered Zui Chun Lou dressed like this, Shen He and the others all brightened. They secretly thought that while it was hard to say how much Li Sanlang's strength had grown after breaking through to the Muscle Realm, his appearance was certainly far more impressive than before.

"For someone as outstanding as Junior Disciple Li to have escaped our notice in the past, we must punish ourselves with three cups."

Though Jiang Qi was a woman, everything from her attire to her bearing radiated the bold spirit of a man.

After saying that, she raised her wine cup and drained it in one go. Shen He followed close behind.

Even Xiao Mei showed no flush after three cups, but the charm between her brows and eyes was more intoxicating than wine.

As expected of someone who practiced dual cultivation. I wonder what strange method the Xiao Family used when luring demons.

Li Cunxiao also raised his cup in return. Sweeping his gaze around, he noticed that Ye Chengxiao was absent from the table, though he was not surprised.

After all, if their positions had been reversed, he too would have been so ashamed that he would want to dig three feet into the ground. And Ye Chengxiao was still a hot-blooded youth; it would not be strange if resentment and jealousy had arisen from this. But if he dared make a move against Li Cunxiao, then Li Cunxiao would not blame himself for showing no mercy.

"To be honest, when I first arrived at the escort agency and saw Zui Chun Lou soaring into the clouds from afar, I longed for it as well. Today, Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters have fulfilled one of my wishes."

Li Cunxiao's words were half teasing and half sincere. Who could have imagined that in merely half a month, the young lad who had once done odd jobs at a tavern would transform and become an honored guest among the young masters of the inner city?

At his words, the other three naturally felt even more deeply moved. After all, they were the ones who had witnessed this miracle at close range.

In only two months, he had leaped from Blood and Qi to the Muscle Realm. Even in the prefectural capital, such an achievement would count as sensational.

"It is only a pity that war has broken out everywhere. The road to Song Prefecture's seat of government—Song City—is also filled with danger. Otherwise, Junior Disciple Li might have encountered an even greater opportunity."

Shen He's sigh did not stir much of a ripple in Li Cunxiao's heart.

A man should wear pants suited to the size of his backside. He was not even invincible in Chuqiu County yet, so he would not be greedy after gaining one inch and crave one foot, dreaming of the splendor of dominating the prefectural capital.

If he cultivated diligently with his feet on solid ground, opportunities would naturally come in the future.

"Senior Disciple Shen is looking too far ahead. Is not the upcoming Autumn Hunt the perfect chance for Junior Disciple Li to show his skills?"

Xiao Mei covered her mouth and laughed softly, her brows and eyes alluring. Jiang Qi could not stand watching any longer and simply cut in.

"Junior Disciple Li, do you know anything about this Autumn Hunt?"

Li Cunxiao perked up. "I would like to hear the details."

"The so-called Autumn Hunt..."

On the surface, the Autumn Hunt was a joint effort by the city's powers to clear out the beasts and demons in several mountains near Chuqiu City before winter arrived, preventing them from coming out to seize people as stored food.

But after so many years, it had become a traditional event for the younger generation of martial artists to wrestle arms and for the major powers to flex their muscles.

As the world had grown increasingly chaotic over the years, the Three Great Families and the Flying Tiger Escort Agency had attached ever greater importance to this tradition. After all, clearing demons had a direct effect on their reputation among the common people and helped them gather hearts to their side.

"I heard that this time, even County Governor Murong intends to offer rewards to encourage the heroes. I simply wonder whether that Murong Family's Eldest Young Master will participate."

"The Murong Family's eldest young master? You mean Murong Bo, who is famed alongside Senior Disciple and is one of only two people of the younger generation to break through to the Viscera Realm?"

Li Cunxiao grew interested. Yet upon hearing this, the three across from him seemed to have been reminded of something. They avoided the subject and began discussing other matters instead.

Li Cunxiao did not press them. Instead, he asked about the Ye Family and Xiao Family, while quietly keeping an extra eye open.

Murong Bai was the governor of an entire county and controlled a Demon Meat Field. What difficulty could his son possibly have that could not be spoken of openly?

This Murong Bo had a story.

Pig-Boar-Snake: "A snake emerged from a bamboo thicket. It was three feet long, its face as large as a pestle, with four legs and hair all over its body. It cried like a pig and moved with extreme speed, seeming poised to chase people down and devour them." —Records of the Listener