Hu Family Saber Technique

Killing Hu Qiang, Xiang Yang felt the movement of the Wordless Book in his mind. He knew his mission to kill Hu Qiang was complete, a heavy stone lifted from his heart, and his killing intent subsided somewhat.

He glanced at the four naked women he had knocked unconscious in the room. Xiang Yang's suppressed killing intent surged again, but after thinking about it, he decided against it.

"Today, I killed Hu Qiang for revenge. That woman was also accidentally killed by me because of Hu Qiang, and I have no regrets. But these four women have not committed any great evil or heinous acts. If I kill them now, what's the difference between me and Hu Qiang?"

Xiang Yang had his own standards. Those who deserved to die, those who could threaten him, he would never let them escape to cause trouble later. But those who didn't deserve to die, he wouldn't kill innocent people. After all, he wasn't a demon, just an ordinary person with a bit of self-interest.

Although these four women had seen his face, the Horse-faced Man from Flower Alley had also seen him. This was nothing. Xiang Yang didn't even care if Xiong Da and Xiong Er knew he killed Hu Qiang.

"Hu Qiang's identity is sensitive. I doubt Xiong Da and Xiong Er would dare to report me to the authorities. As long as the government isn't involved, what can the Giant Bear Gang do to me? Not to mention, they might not even find out it was me."

Xiang Yang was a constable at the County Yamen, protected by his official status. He was also a ruthless killer with martial arts skills. The Giant Bear Gang, with their limited abilities, posed no threat to him.

Underground martial world gangs like the Giant Bear Gang were best at bullying ordinary people. Against a constable like Xiang Yang, they could only resort to ambushes when no one was around or threaten his family and elders.

Now that Xiang Yang's family was all gone, he was a man with no ties, with no one to hold him back. Who could find his weakness to threaten him?

He casually tossed the cleaver aside. Xiang Yang took one last look at the scene in the room, then turned and left. He climbed over the wall of the adjacent courtyard using the grass rope, then squeezed through a dog hole into the wild park behind Flower Alley. Finally, he washed the bloodstains from his face at a small puddle.

He took off his blood-stained outer robe and put it on inside out. Xiang Yang walked calmly in the direction of his home. Although he looked a bit strange, none of the passersby noticed that Xiang Yang had just killed someone.

About an hour after Xiang Yang left, the women in the room who had been knocked unconscious woke up, touching their necks. Seeing the once mighty Hu Qiang decapitated, and their bodies covered in blood, piercing screams tore through the air, causing the Giant Bear Gang members outside to rush in.

"It's over, you bastard, you've killed us both. I told you something was wrong with him, otherwise why would he have been screaming so fiercely?"

A gang member who had heard Hu Qiang's shouts and wanted to check on him was terrified. This was the third leader of Black Wind Mountain Stronghold, a sworn brother to their two gang leaders, and a guest of the Giant Bear Gang. He had been killed right under their noses, his brains splattered everywhere. How could they explain this to their gang leaders?

Another person's face was sweating profusely. "You know nothing. You don't know this person's identity. Would an ordinary person be able to kill him? If we had been there at the time, we might have been silenced too. You should thank me for saving your life.

Enough with the nonsense. You stay here and watch. I'll report this to the two gang leaders immediately. Also, have Pei Lao San detain all the guests staying here tonight. These women can't leave either."

After giving his instructions, this person left the room, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead. He pondered how to explain this to the two gang leaders and how to distance himself from the situation. This was also why he was going to report it; after all, he had the advantage of being the first to act and taking control.

Meanwhile, Xiang Yang hurried through the night, his expression tense. It wasn't until he returned to his small courtyard that he relaxed.

He fetched a basin of water and meticulously washed away the bloodstains on his body, paying attention to every fingernail. As he washed, Xiang Yang reviewed the mission rewards issued by the Wordless Book in his mind: the Hu Family Saber Technique.

The Hu Family Saber Technique was the ancestral saber technique of the heroic figure Hu Yidao, and it was further developed by his son, Hu Fei. It was a renowned and superior martial art.

"This saber technique is quite concise. It begins by stating that the technique is exquisite and doesn't rely on brute force to counter force. Its gentleness also contains the principles of yin and yang, capable of being both hard and soft. It can significantly increase my combat power at this moment."

In the dim courtyard, only the door to the north had an oil lamp lit. Xiang Yang sat on a small wooden stool, wringing out a blue cloth towel, a look of satisfaction in his eyes. This was a true saber technique.

The basic saber technique was not systematic. While sufficient for building a foundation, it was somewhat lacking as a means to fight and compete with others. Xiang Yang believed he wasn't a genius and couldn't defeat everyone with just a basic saber technique. A more profound and exquisite martial art was better.

Setting aside other matters, if Xiang Yang had practiced this Hu Family Saber Technique before, with his current skills, even if Hu Qiang were at his peak, he wouldn't have been his opponent.

"Hu Qiang was strong, relying entirely on the immense power cultivated through medicinal baths. His saber technique was crude. If I had used the gentle and yielding momentum of the Hu Family Saber Technique to entangle him, my chances of winning would have been eighty percent. This is the immediate effect of a profound martial art."

Hu Qiang's use of strength was like a seven-year-old child wielding a large iron hammer. An adult would not be able to withstand a single blow from it. However, if Xiang Yang had practiced the Hu Family Saber Technique, dodging the hammer blows would be as easy as eating and drinking, making it impossible for him to lose.

The more he pondered this saber technique, the deeper Xiang Yang's understanding became. Especially in the saber technique section, with the explanations and insights of Hu Yidao and his son, as well as some tips for practicing the saber technique, Xiang Yang was so excited that he danced with joy.

Overcome with emotion, Xiang Yang, forgetting he was shirtless, took out the Wild Goose Feather Saber from the house and began practicing the saber technique. His movements were swift, and the saber light was like a flowing ribbon, completely different from the feeling of practicing basic saber techniques in the past.

"So this is how the Hu Family Saber Technique is used. This move, 'Hidden Saber in a Void Stance', combined with the third move of the saber technique, 'Strike Directly at the Enemy Leader', has seven ways to deal with opponents, allowing me to completely deduce the opponent's next reaction and gain the initiative. Amazing."

In the small courtyard, Xiang Yang suddenly turned and leaped, slashing his saber backward. His movements seemed to unleash immense power, yet when it fell, it was as light as a willow catkin. In an instant, he made a horizontal cut and a draw, creating a stunning effect that was as startling as a moving rabbit.

If Xiang Yang had previously understood the Hu Family Saber Technique only through the saber manual and the insights of predecessors, then through practicing it, he had gradually developed his own understanding.

In his opinion, this saber technique was different from typical aggressive techniques that sought to gain the initiative. It emphasized striking later but arriving first, reacting to the opponent's moves and adapting flexibly.

"Phew, it's getting late. I'll cultivate the Iron Crotch Technique first, and then study this properly tomorrow."

After practicing it three full times, Xiang Yang let out a long breath, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and muttered to himself.

He did not cultivate internal energy yet, so the Iron Crotch Technique was his foundation. He couldn't neglect it for a single day.