Gale Blade, Reverse Hand Blade

Xia Qi'an stepped through the branch's gates and immediately saw the young female Serpent Guard from yesterday waiting inside.

Xia Qi'an saw that she was petite and delicate, like an adorable jade rabbit. Her hair was tied into two buns, and he couldn't help growing curious about what she looked like.

Although she wore a mask that concealed her true appearance, she was presumably a pretty and adorable young girl.

"What's your name?"

The Lishan County Wei Dao Si had only just been established. Aside from Xia Qi'an and the three Serpent Guards who had come to assist him, there was no one else.

Xia Qi'an thought he should get to know her a little. It would make working together easier in the future.

"Lord Xia, you can just call me A'She!" The young girl's tone was somewhat aloof, as though she didn't want anyone to know her real name.

"...A'She? Was that name given to you by Commander Liu?" Xia Qi'an asked curiously.

A'She nodded slightly without saying anything more.

Seeing this, Xia Qi'an had originally wanted to say a few more words, but he could only let it go and return glumly to the main seat.

There were many documents on the main desk before Xia Qi'an, detailing the various matters he would need to handle next.

Half an hour later.

"Creak..." The gates of the Wei Dao Si were pushed open.

A burly man wearing a bamboo hat, a straw rain cape, and straw sandals walked in, one hand resting on his blade.

Xia Qi'an looked up and saw the man advancing with the stride of a dragon and the gait of a tiger, his eyes fixed straight ahead. Though he bore some of life's vicissitudes, his gaze was firm and his righteous bearing awe-inspiring, like a tall, straight pine.

At a glance, it was clear that he was a wandering hero of the martial world.

"Are you Qiu San?" Xia Qi'an asked when the man entered the hall.

"Yes, my lord! That would be me." As a Blade Catcher, Qiu San often dealt with the authorities and held the Wei Dao Si in awe.

"You don't need to be so tense... This place of mine isn't a dragon's lair or a tiger's den." Xia Qi'an reassured him.

Then he got straight to the point. "I assume the Serpent Guard has already told you why I summoned you here!"

"After becoming an external member of the Wei Dao Si, you will enjoy exactly the same treatment and privileges as a regular member."

"Your monthly salary will be one hundred taels, and your daily work will be much the same as that of a Blade Catcher."

"But let me make one thing clear first: once you work for the Wei Dao Si, you must be ready to answer the call at any time whenever there is a mission."

"When there is no mission, you may act freely. But once you do this, you won't be able to live quite as freely and carefree as before!"

"Qiu San, what do you think?"

After hearing this, Qiu San immediately cupped his fists. "To be able to work for the Wei Dao Si... It is this one's honor."

"But this humble one does have one further request... I hope my lord will grant it..."

Hearing this, Xia Qi'an asked curiously, "What is it? Let's hear it!"

"I heard that your Iron Bone Cultivation is unrivaled, and that you defeated twelve martial artists of the same realm in succession."

"I am also a martial arts practitioner. My hands are itching for a fight, and I wish to spar with you." Qiu San's gaze was earnest, though he feared he might have overstepped.

At this, A'She shook her head slightly and leaned close to Xia Qi'an's ear, whispering, "You mustn't!"

Xia Qi'an waved a hand at her, indicating that it was fine.

Turning to Qiu San, he said, "Very well... I would also like to experience a Blade Catcher's skill."

With that, Xia Qi'an moved. In the blink of an eye, he had crossed the hall and appeared before Qiu San.

"What astonishing footwork..." Qiu San couldn't help praising him inwardly.

Xia Qi'an said, "Let's find somewhere else to spar. Otherwise, we might smash the things in my government office!"

With that, Xia Qi'an led Qiu San to an empty patch of ground.

Qiu San's eyes were cold and sharp. He slowly drew the slightly rusted long saber from his waist, its blade flashing with cold light. He gripped the hilt tightly, twisted his wrist, and held the saber in reverse, as though he had become one with it.

He stared at Xia Qi'an before him, a trace of resolve flashing in his eyes. Then he cupped his fists. "Lord Xia... pardon me!"

Xia Qi'an's face was expressionless, but his eyes were resolute. He returned the salute with cupped fists. "Please..."

Before the words had even left his mouth, Qiu San suddenly exerted himself. His body spun like a whirlwind, while the long saber in his hand slashed out at a strange angle, raising a sharp howl of wind as it rushed straight toward Xia Qi'an.

Faced with this sudden attack, Xia Qi'an did not retreat.

He drew a deep breath and shifted slightly to the side, dodging the long saber's edge.

Then he suddenly swung a punch that struck the blade head-on.

With a resounding clang, the crash of metal rang through the air.

Qiu San felt an enormous force surge through him. His tiger's mouth went numb, and he nearly lost his grip on the long saber.

Yet he did not give up. He swiftly adjusted his stance and launched another attack.

This time, his saberplay was even more ferocious, every stroke carrying tremendous force.

Xia Qi'an responded steadily, weaving nimbly through the gleaming blades while constantly searching for an opening.

Suddenly, Qiu San unleashed his signature technique—the Gale Blade! Not only was this saber art incredibly fast, its power was astonishing as well. It was known as the Reverse Hand Blade!

Qiu San's body began spinning rapidly without pause. He moved so fast that he even stirred the surrounding air into a fierce vortex!

The vortex spun faster and faster with his movements! Within it, the Reverse Hand Blade flashed with cold light, sending chills down the spine!

The Gale Blade was indeed formidable. Its attacks flowed one after another without end, leaving no room for its opponent to catch his breath.

Yet Xia Qi'an still seized the right moment and chose to break through it with sheer force.

He drove a fist straight toward the center of the vortex like a falling meteor. His diamond-hard fist pierced through the vortex as though no one stood in its way, striking directly at Qiu San's torso.

Qiu San's expression changed drastically. He knew full well that Xia Qi'an was an Iron Bone Cultivation expert with boundless strength.

There was no way he could take this punch head-on.

Thus, he halted his spinning saber momentum, drew the blade back, and turned to block Xia Qi'an's fist.

But how could a punch that broke through finesse with brute force be so easy to block?

"Bang..."

The rusted saber in Qiu San's hand snapped with a sharp crack. The punch sent him stumbling backward two or three zhang before he barely managed to steady himself.

Qiu San truly lived up to his reputation as a tough man who had fought and struggled through the martial world for more than a decade.

An ordinary person would certainly have been unable to withstand Xia Qi'an's punch just now.

Yet Qiu San was still standing, which was enough to prove that his strength was far from ordinary.

Qiu San's right hand trembled faintly as he held the broken blade. He cupped his fists and said, "Lord Xia is indeed formidable! I, Qiu San... concede...!"

Qiu San had always been blunt and forthright. Having lost, he naturally admitted it without fuss.

"Your skill was impressive..."

Qiu San was highly skilled, upright, frank, and bold. He was indeed a true man.

Xia Qi'an had a good impression of Qiu San because Qiu San was refreshingly uncomplicated.

"If you have no other questions, report to the Wei Dao Si government office tomorrow morning!"

At this, Qiu San's expression immediately turned awkward. He became bashful and fidgety, looking just like a young maiden.

Seeing him suddenly act this way, Xia Qi'an asked, "Are you having some difficulty?"

Qiu San scratched his head, embarrassed. "My lord... could I borrow some silver? I haven't had a full meal in three days!"

By now, Xia Qi'an had more or less figured out Qiu San's temperament.

Qiu San was a typical wandering hero of the martial world. His heart held nothing but the martial path. As long as he had enough food to fill his belly and the strength to practice martial arts, that was enough for him.

As for the other daily trifles, he paid them no heed.

Martial artists like him possessed formidable skills, but most of them ended up destitute and down on their luck.

Xia Qi'an flashed a grin and said to A'She, "Get him two hundred taels of silver... Take it from my account."

Then he turned back to Qiu San and repeated, "Remember to report to the Wei Dao Si tomorrow!"

Afterward, A'She took out two hundred taels' worth of banknotes and handed them to Qiu San.

The moment the banknotes reached his hands, Qiu San's eyes lit up as though he had seen mountains of gold and seas of silver.

In all his years as a Blade Catcher, the most money he had ever possessed at once was only a little over a hundred taels.

Xia Qi'an had given him two hundred taels in one stroke. He was truly generous.

Qiu San's eyes brimmed with gratitude. "My lord!... I will definitely be there on time."