Gale Blade, Reverse Hand Blade

As Xia Qi'an stepped through the main entrance of the branch, he saw the young Snake Guard from yesterday already waiting inside the hall.

Xia Qi'an found her petite and delicate figure to be like a cute jade rabbit, with her hair tied up in two buns. He couldn't help but feel a flicker of curiosity about her appearance.

Although she wore a mask and her true face was hidden, he figured she must be a fair and lovely young lady.

"What's your name?"

The Lishan County Wei Dao Si had just been established, and besides Xia Qi'an and the three Snake Guards who came to assist, there was no other staff.

Xia Qi'an intended to get to know her better so they could work together in the future.

"You can just call me A'She, Lord Xia!" the girl replied, her tone a bit aloof, as if she didn't want others to know her real name.

"...A'She? Did Commander Liu give you that name?" Xia Qi'an asked curiously.

A'She nodded slightly and said no more.

Seeing this, Xia Qi'an, who had originally wanted to say a few more words, had no choice but to give up and dejectedly sat back down in the main seat.

On the main desk in front of Xia Qi'an were many documents, detailing the various affairs he needed to handle next.

Half an hour later.

"Creak..." The main door of the Wei Dao Si was pushed open.

A burly man wearing a bamboo hat, a straw cloak, and straw sandals, holding a saber, walked in.

Xia Qi'an looked up and saw the man walking with a powerful stride, his gaze unwavering. Though he bore some signs of hardship, his eyes were firm and righteous, like a straight, tall pine tree.

It was clear at a glance that this man was a wandering swordsman.

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

"Reporting, my lord! It is I," Qiu San, as a Blade Catcher, often dealt with officials and held a respectful attitude towards the Wei Dao Si.

"There's no need to be so formal... this place isn't a dragon's pool or a tiger's den," Xia Qi'an reassured him.

Then, he got straight to the point, "I assume the Snake Guard has already told you why I summoned you!"

"Becoming an auxiliary member of the Wei Dao will grant you the same treatment and privileges as a formal member."

"Your monthly salary will be one hundred taels, and your daily work will be similar to that of a Blade Catcher."

"However, I must be upfront: if you are working for the Wei Dao Si, you must be available for dispatch at any time when there is a mission."

"If there are no missions, you are free to act as you please, but in that case, you won't be able to enjoy the same freedom and ease as before!"

"What do you say, Qiu San?"

Upon hearing this, Qiu San immediately cupped his fists and said, "It is my honor to serve the Wei Dao Si."

"However, I have a humble request... I hope you will grant it..."

Xia Qi'an's curiosity was piqued. "What is it? Tell me!"

"I've heard that your Iron Bone Cultivation is unparalleled, having defeated twelve martial artists of the same realm."

"I am also a martial artist, and I'm feeling a bit eager to spar with you." Qiu San's gaze was earnest, yet he seemed afraid of being presumptuous.

A'She heard this and slightly shook her head, leaning close to Xia Qi'an's ear and whispering, "Don't!"

Xia Qi'an waved his hand at her, signaling it was alright.

He turned to Qiu San and said, "Certainly... I'd also like to experience the prowess of a Blade Catcher."

With that, Xia Qi'an moved. In the blink of an eye, he was from the platform in front of Qiu San.

"Such swift movement..." Qiu San couldn't help but exclaim inwardly.

Xia Qi'an said, "Let's find another place to spar. We don't want to break anything in my yamen!"

After speaking, Xia Qi'an led Qiu San to an empty, deserted area.

Qiu San's eyes turned cold. He slowly drew the slightly rusted saber from his waist, its blade glinting with a cold light. He gripped the hilt tightly, reversed his wrist, and held the saber in reverse, as if it had become one with him.

He gazed at Xia Qi'an before him, a hint of determination flashing in his eyes, then cupped his fists. "Lord Xia... forgive me!"

Xia Qi'an's expression was impassive, but his eyes were firm. He returned the salute with cupped fists. "Please..."

Before he finished speaking, Qiu San suddenly exerted force. His body spun like a whirlwind, and at the same time, the saber in his hand swung out at a strange angle, creating a sharp whistling sound as it lunged towards Xia Qi'an.

Facing this sudden attack, Xia Qi'an did not flinch.

He took a deep breath, shifted his body slightly, and evaded the sharp edge of the saber.

Then, he suddenly threw a punch, striking the blade of the saber directly.

A loud "Clang..." echoed through the air as metal collided.

Qiu San felt a tremendous force transmitted through his arm, his tiger's mouth going numb, and he almost lost his grip on the saber.

However, he did not give up and quickly adjusted his stance, launching another attack.

This time, his Blade Technique was even fiercer, each strike carrying immense power.

Xia Qi'an responded calmly, weaving nimbly through the flashes of the blade, constantly searching for an opening in his opponent's defense.

Suddenly, Qiu San unleashed his signature move – the Gale Blade Technique! This technique was not only incredibly fast but also astonishingly powerful, known as the Reverse Hand Blade!

At this moment, Qiu San's body began to spin rapidly, so fast that it stirred the surrounding air into a powerful vortex!

The vortex spun faster and faster with his movements! Within the vortex, his Reverse Hand Blade flashed with a chilling glint, sending shivers down one's spine!

This Gale Blade was indeed formidable, its attacks relentless, giving no room for a breather.

However, Xia Qi'an still seized the opportunity, choosing to break through with brute force.

He unleashed a punch like a meteor, directly towards the center of the vortex. His fist, as strong as King Kong, tore through the vortex as if nothing were there, striking straight for Qiu San's torso.

Qiu San's face contorted in shock. He knew full well that Xia Qi'an was a master of Iron Bone Cultivation, possessing immense strength.

This punch absolutely could not be taken head-on.

So, he stopped his spinning blade technique, drew his saber, and turned to block Xia Qi'an's punch.

But how could Xia Qi'an's punch, which broke skill with force, be easily blocked?

"Bang...!"

The rusted saber in Qiu San's hand snapped in response. His body was sent flying back two to three Zhang by the punch before he could barely stabilize himself.

Qiu San truly lived up to his reputation as a ruthless individual who had spent over a decade navigating the martial world.

An ordinary person would have been utterly incapable of withstanding Xia Qi'an's punch just now.

The fact that Qiu San was still standing proved his considerable strength.

Qiu San's right hand, holding the broken saber, trembled slightly. He cupped his fist and said, "Lord Xia is indeed formidable! I, Qiu San... admit defeat...!"

Qiu San had always been a man of few words. When he lost, he admitted it openly.

"You're too kind..."

Qiu San's strength, his upright and forthright demeanor – he was indeed a good fellow.

Xia Qi'an had a good impression of Qiu San because he was straightforward.

"If there are no other issues, report to the Wei Dao Si yamen tomorrow morning!"

Upon hearing this, Qiu San's expression immediately became awkward and bashful, like a young maiden.

Seeing his sudden change in demeanor, Xia Qi'an asked, "Is there a difficulty?"

Qiu San scratched his head, looking somewhat embarrassed. "Sir... could you lend me some silver? I haven't had a full meal in three days!"

At this point, Xia Qi'an had a good grasp of Qiu San's character.

Qiu San was a typical wandering swordsman of the martial world. His heart was set only on martial arts. As long as he had enough to eat and the strength to cultivate, that was all that mattered.

As for other daily matters, he paid them no mind.

Such martial artists, despite their formidable skills, often lived in poverty.

Xia Qi'an grinned and said to A'She, "Give him two hundred taels of silver... from my account."

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

Following that, A'She produced a two-hundred-tael silver note and handed it to Qiu San.

With the silver note in his hand, Qiu San's eyes lit up as if he had seen a mountain of gold.

In all his years as a Blade Catcher, the most money he had ever held at one time was just over a hundred taels.

Xia Qi'an giving two hundred taels in one go was truly generous.

Qiu San's eyes were filled with gratitude. "Sir! ... I will definitely be there on time."