Obtained Soul Severing Saber Technique (Yellow Rank, Middle Grade) Proficiency: 0/10 (Not yet initiated).
A surge of information appeared in Bai Yu's mind.
The Soul Severing Blade had three forms in total.
First strike, sever the head; second strike, sever the intestines; third strike, sever the lineage.
They were all exceedingly simple yet vicious moves.
Bai Yu was overjoyed. He grabbed the woodcutting machete and began practicing in the small courtyard.
Under the moonlight, Bai Yu executed each move and stance one by one.
Nearby, a black dog sat on a little stool, reading Meng's Herbal Compendium with utmost seriousness.
An hour later, Bai Yu was drenched in sweat, and his gaze had grown sharper still.
The Soul Severing Blade's proficiency increased by 0.1.
The Soul Severing Blade was a martial skill and could not raise his cultivation realm.
However, it was immensely important for improving actual combat ability.
If he mastered the Soul Severing Blade, Bai Yu's combat ability should more than double.
From then on, besides conducting funerals and practicing his fist techniques, Bai Yu had another goal: practicing the saber.
The next day, Bai Yu rose early as usual and came to the front hall.
Know-It-All Zhu was on duty in the hall today. He yawned and said:
"Brother Bai, you're up. Going for breakfast?"
Bai Yu replied with a smile:
"Yeah. Have you eaten, Brother Tong? I'll bring you a portion."
Zhu Tong smiled.
"That would be great. Please bring back a serving of scallion noodles from Wang the Elder's."
"Wang the Elder's stall is clean, generous with portions, and good value. Everyone at our mortuary eats there."
Bai Yu nodded and headed to Willow Street across the way.
A bowl of steaming scallion noodles left his whole body feeling refreshed.
Willow Street was quite interesting—one side sold incense, candles, and paper funerary horses, while the other was lined with snacks and sundries.
Bai Yu packed several servings of scallion noodles.
It reminded him of the times he had brought meals back for the boys in his dormitory.
The scallion noodles were packed in large bamboo tubes, and he carried them back.
Besides Zhu Tong, Daoist Lin Jiu, Mangzi, and even Old Zhang each got a serving.
Naturally, Old Mo was not left out either.
Carrying the scallion noodles, Bai Yu returned to the mortuary.
Zhu Tong stuffed two copper coins into his hand, praising Bai Yu for being considerate.
Bai Yu entered the inner courtyard, where Mangzi was washing his face.
Bai Yu smiled.
"Brother Mang, you're up. I brought you some noodles and left them on this table."
After Bai Yu left, Mangzi stared at the plain noodles and recalled what had happened yesterday.
After a long while, he slapped himself yet, yet, yet again.
"What the hell was I doing? I really deserve to die."
Bai Yu's bringing food for everyone greatly drew them closer, and he quickly blended into the mortuary's little circle.
That morning, Old Zhang hauled back another five corpses.
They were all roadside dead who had starved to death on the streets.
Bai Yu took on all the burial work.
In total, he gained 8 points of vitality and blood, 5 points of strength, and 6 points of life experience.
Though there were more people than yesterday, the funeral rewards were actually fewer.
But Bai Yu was not in a hurry.
He gained something every day, and his strength rose steadily. Not even an immortal would trade away such days.
That afternoon, Bai Yu and Zhu Tong chatted in the front hall.
Zhu Tong vividly recounted to Bai Yu his glorious exploits of displaying his mighty prowess at Spring Breeze Pavilion.
Suddenly, a lean young man entered the mortuary, carrying a corpse on his back.
"Sirs, could you find a place to bury my mother?"
The mortuary was connected to the Mass Burial Grounds behind it, and by rights, it was responsible for collecting and burying bodies.
However, Zhu Tong's face darkened, and he said impatiently:
"This is all government land. How can people just be buried wherever they please? Go, go, go."
The lean young man's lips were cracked as he pleaded anxiously:
"Please, have mercy, sirs. I truly can't find anywhere to bury my mother."
Everywhere in Jiang City belonged to someone, so one could not simply dig a hole and bury a person.
Zhu Tong said impatiently:
"No land, no land. If you want a burial, fifty copper coins per person."
"Only here would fifty copper coins get you a burial plot. Outside, don't even dream about finding a place to bury someone for that price."
The lean young man helplessly searched himself again and again, but in the end only scraped together forty-six copper coins.
Zhu Tong took the coins and waved his hand.
"Fine, fine. Consider it a good deed."
"Little Bai, take him to the Mass Burial Grounds, pick a plot, and bury her."
Bai Yu nodded and led the lean young man to dig a grave and bury the body.
In the end, he played a funeral dirge.
Funeral successfully conducted. Funeral participation: 37%.
Vitality and blood +3, life experience +4
The lean young man cast Bai Yu a grateful glance, then silently descended from the Mass Burial Grounds.
Bai Yu returned to the front hall, and Zhu Tong stuffed eighteen copper coins into his hand.
"By custom, Wu the Unvirtuous takes ten coins, and the rest is split evenly between the two of us."
"Little Bai, you did well. You didn't let softheartedness make you blurt out nonsense."
Bai Yu fell silent.
Every trade had its unspoken rules.
For laborers, simple matters had to be made complicated.
Only by passing the buck and making things impossible to settle would others be willing to spend money.
If Bai Yu opened his mouth out of kindness, he would ruin the mortuary's entire source of income.
Then he definitely would not be able to survive here.
Bai Yu understood the tricks of it all at a glance, but it still left a bitter taste in his heart.
Zhu Tong kept chattering beside him.
"Little Bai, don't think we're heartless. Rely on the mountain and eat from the mountain; rely on the water and eat from the water. Relying on a mortuary, we can only make money off the dead."
"We only earn a hundred copper coins a month, and a bowl of scallion noodles costs two coins."
"Even if we ate twice a day like farmers, it still wouldn't be enough."
"If we don't earn a little extra on the side, we'll starve to death sooner or later."
Bai Yu nodded with a grin.
"Brother Tong is right. My stomach's acting up right now. Brother Tong, keep watch here first. I'm going to relieve myself."
With that, he walked out through the mortuary gates.
Zhu Tong watched Bai Yu's retreating back, shook his head, and muttered to himself:
"Why go outside when your stomach's acting up? The latrine is inside."
"This kid still can't get past his conscience."
"When he goes hungry someday, he'll know to discount his conscience and exchange it for firewood, rice, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, and tea."
As he muttered, he subconsciously turned around and suddenly saw Daoist Lin Jiu standing behind him at some unknown point.
"Master Lin."
Daoist Lin Jiu ignored him and instead looked thoughtfully beyond the gate.
Meanwhile, Bai Yu raced down the official road and quickly caught up with the lean young man.
"Brother, wait a moment. We charged too much just now. Here's twenty copper coins back."
Bai Yu pressed a string of copper coins into the young man's hands.
The young man stared at the coins in his hand in astonishment.
He had already spent all his savings. Not a single coin remained on him, and he had reached the end of the road.
Bai Yu's twenty copper coins rekindled his hope.
He knew that money handed over to a mortuary could never be considered too much, so the young man before him must have returned it out of his own pocket.
The lean young man solemnly bowed to Bai Yu.
"My name is Du Jian. Thank you, brother, for the kindness of playing a dirge for my mother's burial, and thank you as well for your aid."
"If Du Jian ever rises like a dragon and phoenix, I will never dare forget your great kindness."
"May I know your honored name?"
Bai Yu smiled.
"It wasn't any great kindness. Just call me Bai Yu."
"By the way, what are you planning to do from here on?"
Du Jian glanced into the distance and said:
"I've heard there are traces of immortals on Chicken Cry Mountain. I want to try my luck with an immortal opportunity."
"Then I wish you a smooth journey."
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