"I obtained this Thunderous Star River Slash through a chance encounter in my early years. Its killing nature is extremely fierce, and most people can't control it. That's precisely why I've never taught it to any of you. But-"
Song Shi watered the flowers and plants, then looked back at Lin Shuguang as he spoke. "To be honest, I can't quite figure you out."
Lin Shuguang lowered his gaze.
He sat quietly in his seat, looking perfectly harmless.
Then Song Shi chuckled softly. "Everyone has their own opportunities. I firmly believe that. Cultivate diligently. Maybe someday I'll even get to brag to others that I trained a Martial Grandmaster."
The two exchanged smiles.
"You flatter me, Teacher."
Song Shi waved a hand. "I have high hopes for you. Ever since you learned the Tiger Roar Saber Technique on your very first day, I knew I'd found a treasure."
Lin Shuguang rubbed the cover of Thunderous Star River Slash and asked in puzzlement, "Aren't you afraid I'll use it to commit evil once I've learned it?"
Song Shi grinned. "I'm giving you this Thunderous Star River Slash because you're not bad at heart and have firm principles of your own. I think only someone like you can control such a powerful killing technique.
"If you insist on committing evil, I'll just admit I misjudged you. Surely I don't have to feel guilty about it for the rest of my life."
Lin Shuguang couldn't help laughing.
He stood and formally thanked him.
Song Shi set down the watering can. "Don't be so formal. I'm not used to it. Everyone has their own path to walk. Right and wrong are hard to untangle. As long as your conscience is clear, stand firm in your Martial Dao and act boldly."
Finally, Song Shi stressed once more, "I've never practiced this saber technique myself, so there isn't much I can help you with. You'll have to comprehend it yourself."
Lin Shuguang paused in surprise. "You've never learned it, Teacher?"
Song Shi shook his head as he tended the plants. "I'm getting old. I can't be bothered with all that fighting and killing anymore. A peaceful life suits me better."
Lin Shuguang couldn't help smiling.
Before he left, Song Shi's voice came from behind him. "When you go for your assessment in a couple of days, don't worry. I'll personally look after your family."
"Thank you, Teacher." Lin Shuguang paused, then asked, "Do you know that woman, Teacher?"
Song Shi asked in surprise, "You don't even know who your enemy is?"
Lin Shuguang shook his head and frowned. "I'd never seen her before this."
Song Shi froze at that and frowned as well. "That woman has reached Six Resonances of Bone Tempering in her Cultivation. If someone hired her to kill you, only the major families in Huai City could manage that."
Lin Shuguang shook his head. "If those people wanted to deal with me, they wouldn't need to hire an expert like her. It would be easier for them to act themselves."
Song Shi furrowed his brows. "Then it can only be a personal grudge."
"A personal grudge?" Lin Shuguang sank into thought.
How could a personal grudge involve a Martial Artist?
He couldn't remember having any enemies still alive...
Suddenly, he thought of the Martial Artist he had killed in the Blood Desolate Land. There really was some resemblance between the two.
Could it be...
While he was still wavering in uncertainty, Song Shi spoke. "I'll look into it for you over the next couple of days. Don't worry. She's probably having a rough time herself right now. She won't dare show her face again anytime soon."
Lin Shuguang froze.
His gaze flickered, and he asked tentatively, "Teacher, what cultivation level are you at now?"
Song Shi raised his eyebrows, unwilling to elaborate. "You'll find out someday."
Lin Shuguang had just turned around when he suddenly seemed to remember something. "Oh, right. Why haven't I seen Senior Brother Feng San these past couple of days?"
Song Shi shook his head. "Who knows where he's off fooling around? He hasn't come by for several days. It's fine. Don't worry about him. He's shrewder than anyone."
Elsewhere, Chen Xian's face twisted in pain as a bone-chilling cold suddenly surged through her limbs and bones, savagely tearing at her flesh.
For a full half hour, she suffered agony worse than death.
After the cold dissipated, she struggled to climb off the floor, looking utterly dehydrated.
Her face was filled with terror!
"What poison is this? Wasn't it purged yesterday?"
An immense fear of Song Shi inexplicably rose in her heart.
If Chen Yao hadn't been the younger brother who had depended on her as she depended on him, she would have left Huai City without looking back.
But she couldn't let her brother die without knowing why!
"Once I catch that little bastard, I want the truth!"
"He has to know the truth!"
Chen Xian "pinned" all her hopes on Lin Shuguang.
If even Lin Shuguang knew nothing, she truly had no idea who else to look for.
Now her strength had also been diminished because she had offended Song Shi. If she returned to the group like this, she might die in an accident before long!
"No, I have to calm down!"
A knock came at the door.
"Sister Xian, it's me. I'm coming in." Lu Jin's voice came from outside.
Someone turned the door handle.
A cold glint flashed in Chen Xian's eyes, and she quickly wrapped herself in a bedsheet.
The door opened effortlessly under his control, and the blond young man who had left earlier walked out without any restraint.
"I followed that kid all day and didn't notice anything special about him. His family is only of average means, too. He's definitely not some scion of a powerful family who could have a Martial Dao expert at his side. Could it be..."
Lu Jin's meaning was already clear.
Could Chen Xian have gotten the wrong person?
The more important reason he said this was his fear of that terrifying figure, Song Shi.
He had intended to approach the Martial Arts Hall, but a powerful aura had immediately surged toward him, frightening him into fleeing on the spot.
Chen Xian's expression was icy. "I'll make my own judgments. Just keep following him!"
Seeing this, Lu Jin stopped trying to persuade her. His eyes flickered. "Sister Xian, I've run out of cultivation resources lately. Do you have any left? Give me some."
Chen Xian's gaze turned cold, but Lu Jin seemed not to notice and said casually, "Sister Xian, you have no idea. While following that kid for you, I nearly got hunted down by that Martial Dao expert several times. It's far too dangerous."
Whoosh!
A bottle of pills hurtled toward him.
Lu Jin caught it steadily and held it beneath his nose for a sniff. His face immediately lit up with a smile. "High-rank pills? These are so valuable, I'd feel bad taking them." Yet his face showed no trace of embarrassment.
"Get out!" Chen Xian spat coldly.
Lu Jin immediately stood, his smile unchanged. "Then I won't disturb you, Sister Xian. I'll get right to work!"
The door closed again.
Chen Xian could no longer hold on. Her face went deathly pale as she clutched her left shoulder, the immense tearing pain almost making her pass out.
Longhu Park.
Lin Shuguang began leafing through Thunderous Star River Slash beneath a streetlight.
It was a powerful killing technique that stimulated all the blood energy in the body and gathered it into a single strike. As for whether it was stronger than Star Prison Gale Slash-
Having yet to learn it, Lin Shuguang couldn't give a definitive answer either.
Once he finished reading the saber technique, a message flashed on the Attribute Panel.
[Obtained killing technique: Thunderous Star River Slash. Long-term practice can awaken bloodlust.] [Star River Slash LV1: requires 10,000 Wealth Value. Recharge?]
"Ten thousand right from the start?" Lin Shuguang was taken aback.
He remembered that the first stage of Star Prison Gale Slash had only cost five hundred.
Doesn't that mean Star River Slash is stronger?
"Recharge!"
The next second, comprehension of the saber technique dawned on him, and Lin Shuguang stood with his saber in hand.
The bright moon hung overhead, and countless blood-red threads seemed to erupt wildly from behind him...
The Demon God Armor covered his body, and killing intent reverberated around him, as though a demon god had arrived in person!
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