The next morning, Lin Xiao woke to find a complete set of blue cloth clothes laid beside the bed. Looking to the other side, he saw that the other youth had a set as well. These must be the Great River Gang's standard-issue clothes, he thought. Without any ceremony, he picked them up and changed at once.
After breakfast, everyone gathered in the center of the courtyard. By the time the sun had climbed high into the sky, the tall, burly steward Li Daoqi finally came in from outside with his hands behind his back. Four big men in black followed him. His gaze swept over everyone as he said in a deep voice:
"Now that you've joined the gang, naturally, you'll begin practicing martial arts."
He pointed at the four men in black behind him and said:
"Behind me are four senior brothers from the gang's martial instruction hall. Each specializes in sword techniques, saber techniques, fist techniques, or leg techniques. In a moment, you can choose one senior brother and learn a martial art from him. Once you've entered the basics of the technique, come find me, and I'll teach you the gang's internal art—the Three Rivers Heart Method."
After saying that, he turned around and went to drink tea in a thatched shed beside the practice yard. The four men in black immediately stepped forward. Each had a single large character embroidered on his chest: saber, sword, fist, and leg, representing his specialty.
The black-clad man with the character "saber" embroidered on his chest stepped forward and shouted:
"Anyone who wants to practice saber techniques, come to me."
As soon as his voice fell, the other black-clad man with the character "sword" embroidered on his chest also stepped forward and said:
"Anyone who wants to practice sword techniques, come to me."
"Anyone who wants to practice fist and palm techniques, come to me."
"Anyone who wants to practice leg techniques, come to me."
The four men in black spread out and looked at the youths. The youths looked back at them, all pondering which art they should practice.
Soon, one youth walked up to the black-clad man with the character "saber" on his chest and said:
"Senior Brother, I want to learn saber techniques."
"Stand to the side and wait."
With someone taking the lead, the other youths went to stand behind the instructor they favored. Lin Xiao considered it for a moment as well, then decided to practice saber techniques.
Since he had joined a gang, he would inevitably encounter all kinds of gang conflicts in the future. Saber techniques were easier to pick up than fist or leg techniques, and their power was greater. Though they were not as handsome as swordsmanship, sabers were common enough that even if he lost his weapon, he could simply pick up another saber from the ground and keep fighting. If a sword was dropped or broken, there was no guarantee he could find a suitable replacement.
And that was exactly how things turned out. Of the four black-clad men, the one teaching saber techniques had more people gathered around him than the other three combined.
The four men took up positions in the four corners of the practice yard. Lin Xiao and the others crowded together, watching the black-clad man in the center hold a saber as he said:
"Saber techniques are easy to learn but difficult to master. Reaching the pinnacle requires painstaking effort and a certain amount of talent. But that's still far too distant for you. I have three saber techniques here: the Three Rivers Saber, the Dark Cloud Saber, and the Riptide Saber Technique. You may choose one to learn."
Naturally, he did not teach them one by one individually. Once everyone had made their choice, the black-clad man first demonstrated the Three Rivers Saber, then the Dark Cloud Saber, and finally the Riptide Saber Technique. After completing the cycle, he started over with the Three Rivers Saber.
"The Three Rivers Saber is the most basic saber technique of our gang. It is One-Star Mid-Grade and has five moves. Once you've practiced it to mastery, you'll be qualified to become core gang members. If you achieve something with the Three Rivers Heart Method as well, you may even become a mid-level member of the gang in the future."
The instructor in black gripped a Ghost Head Saber and began demonstrating the technique for them move by move. He broke down and explained the five simple moves one after another: Ebbing Waves, Galloping Waves, Ebbing Waves, Surging Waves, and Furious Waves.
"Ebbing Waves means the rising of a wave. This is the Three Rivers Saber's first opening move. It emphasizes catching the enemy off guard and erupting in an instant, but you must also retain three-tenths of your strength, lest your move run its course and leave you open to the enemy."
Lin Xiao watched the black-clad man demonstrate the saber technique without blinking. Starting from the first move, the man explained and dissected each one in turn, and Lin Xiao firmly memorized every word.
After the black-clad man finished explaining the entire Three Rivers Saber, Lin Xiao opened his attribute panel. The name Three Rivers Saber had appeared in the technique section, marked as "Initiate." When his thoughts rested on the technique for half a second, a green plus sign appeared. With a thought, he activated it. A faint layer of rippling light swept across the panel, and it changed—the Three Rivers Saber had advanced from Initiate to the first layer.
At the same time, a wondrous power surged from somewhere within his body and rapidly spread throughout him. The instant it finally flowed into his Purple Mansion sea of consciousness, Lin Xiao felt a mass of memories related to the Three Rivers Saber appear out of thin air in his mind. It felt as though he had practiced this saber technique for a long time.
Acting on instinct, he picked up an unsharpened Ghost Head Saber that he had practiced with until it felt familiar and whipped it through the air. He smoothly executed the Ebbing Waves move.
"How miraculous!"
He clearly had never practiced it before, yet now he felt as though he had been practicing it for a long time. It was simply too miraculous.
And all this had only consumed a single Potential Point. Looking at the attribute panel again, he saw that raising the Three Rivers Saber from the first layer to the second required only two Potential Points.
However, he did not continue advancing it. Reaching the first layer right after beginning to practice was already somewhat excessive. Advancing it further would be too outrageous. He could take it slowly.
Next, the senior brother explained and dissected the Dark Cloud Saber and the Riptide Saber Technique move by move. Lin Xiao stood to the side and listened attentively as well.
The black-clad senior brother had not restricted them from learning any particular technique, nor from learning all three. These three saber techniques had all been brought out for them to study. Their styles were different, and only by learning all three would they know which style suited them. If they had the ability to learn all of them, not only would nothing happen to them, they would instead receive greater attention.
As long as it was not too outrageous, and as long as their backgrounds were clean, being a little more outstanding was not a calamity. It was a blessing instead.
The four black-clad senior brothers each taught their respective martial techniques three times, then stopped teaching. Whether the youths could learn them and how much they could learn depended entirely on themselves. In any case, Lin Xiao guessed that no one else could learn all three saber techniques as thoroughly as he had.
Relying on his attribute ability panel, he watched all three saber techniques from beginning to end. Sure enough, "Initiate" appeared beside each of them on the attribute panel. From there, he only needed to invest Potential Points to raise them to the first layer.
Once the four black-clad senior brothers finished teaching, they left without the slightest hesitation. Steward Li Daoqi drained the large bowl of tea he had just poured, then strode over to them. The youths who had been practicing their moves immediately stopped and looked at him respectfully.
Sensing the fierce aura radiating from him, Lin Xiao felt that this steward was even more formidable than the four black-clad senior brothers.
Li Daoqi swept his fierce gaze over everyone and said in a deep voice:
"Now, I, this steward, will teach you the first three layers of our gang's internal art, the Three Rivers Heart Method."
Lin Xiao was delighted to hear this. Whether as a transmigrator or as someone who had come from the Primordial Gate, he knew that internal arts were the foundation of cultivation. Without cultivation to drive them, mere techniques could not bring out the full power of everything one had learned.
"But let me make one thing clear first. Our gang's internal art and heart method must never be taught to outsiders. Otherwise, you will be dealt with according to the gang rules!"
His tone grew especially severe as he spoke. Although he did not specify what punishment the gang rules entailed, everyone knew the consequences would be absolutely horrific. They all nodded in agreement.
Only then did Li Daoqi nod in satisfaction and begin:
"Our gang's Three Rivers Heart Method was passed down by the founding patriarch. It has eight layers in total, and reaching mastery makes one comparable to a first-rate martial artist of the jianghu. However, biting off more than you can chew will only leave you choking. You've just joined the gang and have no contributions to your name, so for now, you can only practice the first three layers. Once you've performed great merit for the gang in the future, you'll be permitted to receive the remaining layers."
Before you continue