Become a Martial Arts Master in the Blink of an Eye

After haggling for ages, the owner finally relented and agreed to sharpen Lu Zheng's blade.

"Actually, ten years ago, blade sharpening wasn't so strictly regulated. The people buying swords and sabers were all adults, and a weapon only felt right once it had an edge.

"But then the internet age arrived, information became easier and easier to spread, and there were more and more reports of accidental injuries, including children getting hurt by accident. Later, decorative swords and sabers were no longer allowed to be sharpened."

"Don't worry, I'll be careful," Lu Zheng said. "Besides, I'll probably be dropping by your shop from time to time in the future, and I'll need all of them sharpened."

The owner blinked, wondering what exactly Lu Zheng did for a living.

He thought about it for a long time and still couldn't figure it out, so he stopped thinking about it. Then, at Lu Zheng's insistence, they exchanged contact information.

Du Lin.

This guy was clearly fated to lack wood...

"Give the commission to that young lady." Lu Zheng even waved at the pretty salesgirl.

Salesgirl: (｀Δ)! My commission is already gone, so why are you still teasing me?! "All right."

Du Lin did not care about such a small commission. Besides, Ancient Sword Hall was not how he made his money; he had other businesses.

"Come on, let's go to my office. I'll take you to pick out the blades that can be sharpened."

Du Lin led Lu Zheng toward the office area in the back, then waved to the salesgirl. "Little Tang, come on. Go to the rear warehouse and bring a few sabers to my office."

In the end, Lu Zheng selected an Embroidered Spring Blade forged from folded patterned steel, fitted with pure brass furnishings and a rosewood scabbard.

The saber was 105 centimeters long, with a 72-centimeter blade. Its edge was an inch wide, its spine two-tenths of an inch thick, and when swung, it carried a solid weight and whipped up a fierce wind.

"Good saber!"

"It really is a good saber," Du Lin said. "I'll sharpen it for you tonight. Come pick it up tomorrow."

"Fine." Lu Zheng nodded, then thought for a moment before adding, "Get me an unsharpened one too. I'll take it home tonight and satisfy the itch first."

Lu Zheng had suddenly remembered that to use the Light of Luck to enhance a skill, he first had to learn the basics. If he started directly with a sharpened blade, would he send himself to an early grave first?

Hearing Lu Zheng's words, Du Lin could not help nodding. Though a saber like this was not expensive in modern times, Lu Zheng's way of buying certainly showed he was not short of money.

Half an hour later, carrying a rectangular box, Lu Zheng took another taxi home.

The first thing he did was look up videos online explaining saber techniques.

There were simply too many such videos!

The basic movements of every kind of saber art had been broken down and demonstrated step by step.

To be honest, modern times were truly an era when ordinary knowledge was worth next to nothing. If one wanted to learn something, it was all online.

As long as one was truly self-disciplined, one could absolutely teach oneself into becoming accomplished. Signing up for classes was, when all was said and done, only about getting an atmosphere.

After all, there were not many teachers who could explain knowledge points in simple terms and make them blossom into something wonderful.

What Lu Zheng needed, moreover, was only a foundation.

After watching videos all afternoon, Lu Zheng finally understood the fundamental essentials of saber techniques and could shakily perform a basic saber routine.

Of course, every movement he made was misshapen and utterly devoid of beauty.

But it was enough...

Light of Luck, consume! Buzz!

The Jade Seal in his mind trembled lightly, and a thread of the Light of Luck was consumed.

The next moment, every essential of basic saber technique became instantly clear in Lu Zheng's mind and in his muscle memory.

When he performed the basic saber routine again, his movements flowed like drifting clouds and running water.

Lu Zheng's figure leaped high and dipped low through the living room, darting left and right as blade light flashed and became a silver ribbon.

After finishing the routine, Lu Zheng was overjoyed. There was only one word for it: beautiful! Five minutes ago, he had merely been a beginner copying a cat by drawing a tiger, learning to walk in Handan. Now, at the very least, he was a practiced hand with a year or half a year of training under his belt.

Of course, he had only mastered the basic moves and could complete the routine smoothly. He was still far from adapting to changes in the heat of the moment.

But that was fine. Didn't he still have the Light of Luck? Huh, it could be enhanced again? Consume! Buzz!

Every move and stance became engraved in his heart; when facing an enemy, he could respond to the situation and adapt as it changed.

In practical combat, Lu Zheng had already improved greatly.

"With a treasured saber in hand, this level is enough for now. Constitution, enhance!"

Buzz!

Enhancing his constitution required improving every organ throughout Lu Zheng's entire body. It was extremely comprehensive and wide-ranging, so the results were not as immediate as the saber technique, nor as obvious as the first time.

Clearly, improving his physical fitness would be a long-term undertaking. As for how far it could ultimately rise, Lu Zheng had no idea.

Still, becoming stronger without exercising felt amazing.

"Comfortable! Time to sleep!"

Early the next morning, Lu Zheng changed into his inner garments, crossed directly into the Great Jing Dynasty, and began practicing saber techniques in the rear courtyard.

Compared with yesterday, when his movements at home still bore the traces of a fixed routine, today he could wield the saber however inspiration struck, freely and effortlessly.

A left chop, a right reverse slash! Step onto the stone platform, turn and cut! Empty-Step Night Battle Sheathed-Blade Form, Entwining Body, Wrapping Head, Wild Cloak! Silver light flashed, and the saber howled through the air! Lu Zheng performed a set of saber techniques in the courtyard to his heart's content, only to see Uncle Li and Aunt Liu poking their heads out from the doorway and peering at him.

"Good morning, Young Master!"

"Young Master, what excellent saber work!"

Clap clap clap!

"Is there breakfast today?" Lu Zheng sheathed his saber and caught his breath.

"There is, there is!"

Aunt Liu nodded hurriedly. "Will Young Master be having breakfast at home today? I'll bring it to the hall for you."

"All right."

Lu Zheng nodded. He had been too excited this morning; the moment he woke up, he had come over. Now his stomach was already growling with hunger.

After breakfast, Lu Zheng returned the saber to the modern world. Then, after getting properly dressed, he headed out once more.

Lu Zheng did not go back to Qing Sheng Teahouse.

He had asked Daoist Priest Mingzhang at White Cloud Temple, and the answer he received was that the stories told by those storytellers were a mix of truth and falsehood, filled with exaggerations and inaccuracies. If he truly listened to them, he would only be leading himself into a ditch.

With that time, wouldn't it be better to go home and read webnovels?

Without Qing Sheng Teahouse, Tonglin County still had plenty of places to pass the time.

Gambling dens operated in both the north and west of the city. Spring Breeze Pavilion in the south was a favorite haunt of scholars, while Cong An Ward, dedicated to trade, had all kinds of street performers. In terms of liveliness, it did not lose much to the modern world.

Speaking of scholars...

Lu Zheng was currently walking down a street in the north of the city when the clear sound of recitation came from the courtyard beside him.

This was Tonglin County's County School, filled with the county's young and promising scholars.

When Lu Zheng had first arrived, he had presumptuously fabricated the identity of a scholar for himself. Later, to make it seem real, he had even gone to a bookshop and bought several volumes of Confucian classics and interpretations from the Great Jing Dynasty.

And then...

Lu Zheng decisively gave up his identity as a scholar.

The main reason was that after passing the provincial examination, he would still have to study, and after passing the metropolitan examination, he would have to become an official. Where would Lu Zheng find the time for all that?