Killing Intent Perception

"Drip, drip~"

In the Training Ground, Gu Yang gripped his saber in both hands and furiously chopped at the air before him again and again.

Sweat dripped from his forehead, yet he did not blink once, focusing solely on swinging his saber.

A furious chop was followed by a horizontal sweep, then an upward slash...

The moves changed without pause, but his focused and vicious gaze remained unchanged.

"Swish!"

With a diagonal slash, a line of small text drifted before Gu Yang's eyes.

Skill 'Life-Slaying Saber' proficiency +1

After three days, the Life-Slaying Saber's proficiency had finally reached one hundred points. Next, I'll break through to Minor Accomplishment in one go...

The long saber came to a steady halt in midair. Gu Yang took a deep breath, then withdrew his saber and slashed out once more.

Bolstered by the 'Vitality Surge' talent, his stamina was slowly yet continuously recovering. He did not need to rest; he could keep practicing his saber technique without pause.

Saber light streaked through the air, leaving behind a white line.

Killing intent lurked in Gu Yang's eyes as he stared straight ahead, as though some invisible enemy stood before him.

"Whoosh~"

The blade tore through the air, stirring gusts of fierce wind that lifted the long hair by his cheeks, yet none of it could affect him.

His eyes held only the long saber in his hands, and the countless traces it left hanging in midair with every swing.

Nothing else entered his sight.

One slash, two slashes...

Gu Yang continued swinging and slashing without stopping.

Until, at a certain moment, Gu Yang slashed out once more, and all manner of insights into the essence of the Killing Blade Technique suddenly arose in his heart.

The next instant, two lines of small text flashed before his eyes.

Skill 'Life-Slaying Saber' proficiency +1

Skill 'Life-Slaying Saber' realm has broken through. Potential being developed...

"Finally, I broke through!"

Gu Yang stood still with his saber planted against the ground, adjusting his breathing as he waited for his talent to manifest.

"Exhale..."

"Inhale..."

As he rested, his stamina gradually began to recover as well.

In but a moment, nearly half his stamina had returned, and at the same time, information about the manifested talent appeared before his eyes.

Potential development complete. Talent 'Killing Intent Perception' successfully manifested!

"Killing Intent Perception..."

Gu Yang focused on sensing it, but after a while, he could only shake his head helplessly.

Just as expected, he found nothing...

Judging from the talent's name alone, Gu Yang could already guess that this new talent was probably a kind of "feedback-based" ability.

Only when someone nearby bore killing intent toward him could he sense it. If no one was around, there was no way he could sense someone hundreds of miles away.

So I have to determine exactly how far this talent's effective range extends. That is especially crucial...

If its range was too small, it could not be called useless, but it would not be of much use either. It could only guard against close-range sneak attacks. If an enemy stood far away and used a bow or crossbow to snipe him, he would still have to stay on high alert.

But if its range was large enough, then it would be an incomparably powerful life-saving talent. When he left the city for trials in the future and encountered enemies, he would no longer need to worry about dangers lurking in the shadows.

After pondering it for a while, Gu Yang closed his eyes again.

Skills: Blood Nourishing Stance Accomplishment (96/400); Azure Dragon Dance Accomplishment (176/1000); Life-Slaying Saber Accomplishment (1/200)

Talents: Vitality Surge, Power Surge, Mighty Ox Strength, Killing Intent Perception.

Killing Intent Perception.

Gu Yang silently invoked it and focused his senses. Immediately, an unfathomable piece of information surfaced in his mind.

The talent's effect was much as he had guessed. It allowed him to sense killing intent within a certain range.

Yet that information still did not state exactly how large that sensing range was.

It seemed that if he wanted to know just how far Killing Intent Perception could reach, he could only test it himself in the field.

With a sigh in his heart, Gu Yang pulled himself together and began practicing the Blood Nourishing Stance Art once more.

On the night before leaving the city, a grill was set up in the small courtyard of Nine Bends Ward. Gu Yang skewered a plump lamb leg on a wooden stick and smoked it over the fire.

"Sizzle, sizzle~"

Droplets of fat fell onto the charcoal, sending sparks of flame leaping up.

That day, he had not cultivated at the Martial Academy for long. As soon as the bell rang, he returned home, intending to have a proper meal with his family.

A dinner of special significance naturally had to be treated in a special way.

So Gu Yang decided to roast a lamb leg and pair it with a fiery, tongue-numbing hot pot.

Inside the house, Gu Mother was cutting up the fresh vegetables he had just bought, preparing them for the hot pot.

At this time of year, fresh vegetables could only be bought at the market in Tianshu Ward. They could not be found at all in Nine Bends Ward.

The long saber flashed, slicing the outer layer of roasted meat from the lamb leg onto a plate.

Gu Yingying, who had been waiting eagerly at the side, quickly picked it up and hurried into the house on her short little legs.

A moment later, Gu Dashan suddenly lifted the door curtain and came out, heading straight for the corner of the courtyard.

Gu Yang glanced over. Seeing the firewood in Gu Dashan's arms, he knew the wood inside was almost used up.

Time flowed on, and the moon climbed above the treetops.

The entire lamb leg had finally been carved down to nothing but bone. With a few swift strokes, Gu Yang chopped the lamb bone into seven uneven pieces and carried them inside.

Gu Yang wiped down his long saber and entered the house, where he saw the family of three sitting around the stove, waiting for him.

The red broth in the large pot bubbled with a "gurgle, gurgle." The moment Gu Yang sat down, a spicy fragrance rushed up his nose.

Beside it sat several heaping plates filled with thinly sliced beef, freshly washed greens still beaded with water, and slices of lamb leg meat browned golden on the outside.

The bowls before the four of them also contained the secret seasoning Gu Yang had "invented."

Besides that, there was a large bowl of rice wine before Gu Dashan and Gu Yang. Since Gu Yang was leaving the city tomorrow, he planned to drink a little with Gu Dashan tonight.

"Dig in!"

Gu Yang raised his chopsticks and placed a slice of seasoned lamb leg meat into Gu Yingying's bowl. The family, who had long been salivating over the feast, immediately began eating.

"Big Brother, it smells so good~" Gu Yingying said vaguely as she chewed hard.

Gu Yang laughed heartily, rubbed Gu Yingying's head, and said, "If you like it, we'll eat it every day from now on. I guarantee you'll get sick of it."

"I definitely won't get sick of it! I won't get sick of it even if I eat it every meal!" Gu Yingying swallowed the lamb in her mouth and raised her hand in promise.

"Er Lang, Mother knows you have money, but you can't squander it like this just because you do. Don't listen to your little sister's nonsense." Gu Mother gave Gu Yingying a light smack, then turned to Gu Yang. "How much did all this cost? Once it goes into your stomach, it's gone. You'd be better off saving it to buy something useful."

"Hehe, got it, Mother." Gu Yang humored her, then lifted his bowl of wine toward Gu Dashan. "Come, Father. Let's have one."

Gu Mother was not wrong, but if they had money, why couldn't they have it all?

In this life, nothing raised one's sense of happiness more than eating.

Eat well, and happiness naturally rose with it.

Of course, he would not force Gu Mother to accept his way of thinking. Once the family was no longer short of money, her frugal habits would naturally change little by little.

Drinking with Gu Dashan, serving Gu Yingying food, chatting with Gu Mother about everyday matters...

And so, amid your words and mine, the family ate and chatted together. The lively gathering lasted until late into the night before finally ending.

The next day, when dawn was only beginning to break, Gu Yang rose and strode out of the house.

Behind him, two adults and one child stood at the doorway, watching his back until he vanished around the street corner before turning and returning inside...