Soul Exhalation Art, Spring and Autumn Saber

Morning light warmed with the rising breeze.

Aunt Wang bustled around the earthen stove, boiling water and cooking rice. In the wooden basin beside her lay Master and Madam's dirty clothes; she would have to wash them by Silver Creek shortly, then find time to wash her own and her child's afterward.

Outside the shantytown, tender buds had sprouted from the withered willow branches. Whenever the children ran past in pursuit of one another, the willow twigs would be swept up by the wind and dance back and forth, lending the place a touch of vibrant life.

Before anyone realized it, the bitter winter had passed and early spring had arrived. Silver Stream Village's shantytown had grown livelier, and people's hearts held a little more joy.

Yet Li Yuan's mood remained heavy.

Today was the last day of his "sick leave." He had to return to the Black Market tomorrow, but he still did not know what was happening there.

He wanted to keep taking sick leave, but he did not know whether that would be allowed.

The Central Market was definitely out of the question.

But he could not go anywhere else, either.

He could not hide away in the deep mountains and forests, and leaving the county town would be suicide. The only path left was to stay in Silver Stream Village.

He wanted to stall until the dust settled, until the truth came to light.

Just as he was thinking, a knock sounded at the door, accompanied by Cai Ze's call.

"Brother Li? Brother Li?"

Li Yuan hurried over and opened the door.

The moment it opened, Cai Ze smiled. "You were right to remind us, Brother Li. They found all the missing people.

Their bodies were all at the bottom of the lake. It looks like they were murdered, not missing.

The sect takes this matter very seriously. They'll soon send people to lay a trap and lure out whoever is operating in the shadows. You don't need to worry anymore, Brother Li."

Hearing there had been progress, Li Yuan quietly let out a breath of relief. As long as they truly investigated and found some leads, there should be a steady stream of news afterward.

But until the matter was clear, his illness could not get better.

At once, he clutched his chest and broke into a violent coughing fit, as though he were coughing his soul out. "Cough, cough, cough! Cough, cough, cough, cough!"

After a long while, he finally caught his breath and said haltingly, "Brother Cai, I... cough, cough... I've damaged my foundation. This illness won't be easy to cure. Cough, cough..."

Cai Ze suddenly leaned closer. "The sect has a divine physician. If an Outer Sect Disciple or Inner Sect Disciple is injured, the physician comes at once. Sigh.

With your abilities, Brother Li, if that Vice Sect Leader hadn't looked down on you, you would have become an Outer Sect Disciple long ago."

After saying that, he sighed repeatedly,

his face showing a trace of indignation,

as though he were standing up for Li Yuan.

"Oh." Li Yuan responded.

Cai Ze seemed to be expecting something as he stared wide-eyed at Li Yuan.

Li Yuan asked, "The Vice Sect Leader looks down on me? Cough, cough, cough."

Cai Ze said, "Yes. Brother Li should definitely have become an Outer Sect Disciple, but it was the Vice Sect Leader... Sigh, best not to speak of it."

Li Yuan coughed a few times and praised, "The Vice Sect Leader truly has a discerning eye. Sigh... This body of mine is difficult... difficult..."

Cai Ze: ??????

Li Yuan continued coughing without end.

Cai Ze: ...

For a moment, he had nothing to say.

Li Yuan did not say anything either. He was not suited to hot-blooded posturing; he would not let someone provoke him into becoming cannon fodder.

He preferred to remain in a relatively safe area, search for cultivation arts as much as possible, and improve quietly.

The two chatted casually for a while longer before Cai Ze chose to leave.

Li Yuan looked at the sky.

The day was clear, the breeze gentle and the sun bright.

"Sister Yan," he called.

In the rear courtyard, the lovely Yan Niangzi poked her head out from behind the door. "What is it, husband?"

"I'm going to the Black Market."

"Huh?"

Yan Niangzi hurried out, looking worried.

Li Yuan said, "I'll go see whether I can keep taking sick leave."

"What if they refuse?"

"Then

we can only take it one step at a time."

After saying that, Li Yuan ran into the kitchen and took out the sausage casings he had asked Aunt Wang to buy two days ago. He filled them with pig's blood, tied off the ends, and tucked them into his mouth in advance, just in case.

This was an upgraded "prop" for "spitting blood."

That afternoon.

Li Yuan returned to the lake island.

The Black Market continued to operate in orderly fashion, though the atmosphere had become inexplicably grim and solemn.

At the edge of the island was a small grove. Water lay to the right of it, and its trees remained green year-round. At this moment, however, it seemed somewhat gloomy. Through the trees, he could vaguely see quite a few servants and Blood Saber Sect disciples gathered around something.

Li Yuan did not approach too closely. As he passed by, he merely cast a distant glance.

His pupils slowly constricted. The crowd was surrounding more than a dozen straw mats, and atop each lay a swollen, rotting "giant" that had soaked in water.

At the very edge, he could vaguely make out Wen Xiaoqiao.

A faint, nauseating stench of corpses drifted through the air.

Li Yuan's heart sank. His stomach churned, his Adam's apple bobbed, and he hurried past without pausing for even a moment.

Clearly, the disappearances on this island were not limited to the three recent cases. They had been going on for a long time.

A short while later.

He arrived at the Black Market's main entrance, the North Gate.

Within the Nameless Pavilion, Lord Li seemed forever unable to wake up, resting listlessly in a recliner.

However, the information at his side gave him away.

Li Yuan clearly saw his information change from "130(180)~140(210)" to "135(180)~145(210)."

Lord Li appeared to be resting, but he was actually recuperating from his injuries.

Li Yuan swept his gaze over it, then withdrew it. Today, he had to continue asking for sick leave.

So he clutched his chest and bowed. "Cough, cough, cough, cough... Li Yuan greets Lord Li. Cough, cough..."

Lord Li suddenly said in a faint voice from the recliner, "Li Yuan, you actually came today because you want to ask for more sick leave, didn't you?"

Li Yuan froze for a moment, then continued coughing. "Lord Li, please forgive me... Li Yuan truly has the will but lacks the strength. My heart longs to return, but this body is afflicted by illness."

"Heh heh heh heh."

Lord Li laughed, then suddenly said, "How about this, Li Yuan? I'll give you an opportunity.

Don't take leave this time. Stay and follow me.

Don't go back to the Central Market either. Stay with me here at the North Gate. Serve me tea and water during the day, then leave the island and return home after dark. What do you say?"

Li Yuan coughed a few times, looking frail. "Cough, cough... Li Yuan does not know why Lord Li thinks so highly of him..."

As soon as he said that, the air suddenly turned heavy, carrying a hint of oppression.

Under that pressure, Li Yuan merely lowered his head and remained silent. He could feel Lord Li's blazing eyes carefully appraising him, as though they wished to see through his entire being.

After a long while,

the oppressive feeling finally vanished as Lord Li spoke.

Lord Li asked only four words.

"Will you stay or not?"

Then,

Li Yuan decisively gave a one-word answer. "Stay."

Lord Li was taken aback, then burst into laughter. "Good!"

That day, Lord Li told Li Yuan nothing. He merely instructed him to serve tea and water, and fetch fruit.

Li Yuan asked nothing, either. He simply carried out every task Lord Li gave him.

As evening came, Lord Li rose with a yawn.

After nightfall, the lake island where the Black Market stood would be placed under lockdown, and Lord Li no longer needed to guard the place.

Lord Li lived somewhere in the North Market, while Li Yuan had to walk to South City to take a boat home, so they parted ways halfway there.

The next several days passed in the same manner.

Five days later.

Li Yuan was still serving Lord Li water as usual.

But today, Lord Li looked at him and suddenly asked, "Do you want to learn saber techniques?"

Li Yuan said, "I do."

Lord Li said, "Then I will teach you saber techniques."

Li Yuan asked curiously, "Then does Lord Li need me to do anything?"

Lord Li said, "What I need you to do is nothing at all. Just properly pass down the cultivation arts of my lineage."

After saying that, he added, "Do you know why I want to teach you cultivation arts?"

Li Yuan cooperatively shook his head, his face full of eagerness to learn.

Lord Li said, "Because you have talent and fortune. You were clearly born in the countryside, yet you entered the ranks at seventeen;

your temperament is steady, without the impetuousness common to young people. You know to seek fortune and avoid disaster, and you even escaped such a deadly calamity this time;

your character is good. You served me tea and water without fawning or resentment;

only a young man like you can properly inherit the cultivation arts of my school and ensure they are not lost.

I waited a long time, yet you were the only one I found. So it is you."

After saying that,

the atmosphere suddenly fell silent.

"Aren't you going to pour tea, bow, and take me as your master?" Lord Li said.

Li Yuan hurriedly poured hot tea, then knelt on the ground and raised the cup high in both hands. Respectfully, he said, "This disciple greets Master."

Lord Li accepted the bow, took the hot tea and drank a sip before setting it aside. Then he said, "My name is Li Yu. My school is called the Crescent Moon Sect. The cultivation art I will teach you is the Soul Exhalation Art, and the saber technique is the Spring and Autumn Saber."