Investigating the Case

The two of them entered the courtyard. Artificial mountains stood everywhere, with winding covered bridges threading among them, yet the sense of decay remained heavy.

Mottled stone walls were covered in moss. The pond water had grown murky from neglect, and a few surviving koi drifted lazily across the surface.

Li Jing'an's gaze was sharp as a torch as he searched every corner, while the price of repaying the second level of Thunderclap Saber Art surfaced in Chu Ning's mind.

Repayment condition: Split a stone with the saber without shattering it.

Chu Ning's gaze turned intent, and his brows drew together.

The condition seemed simple, but in truth, it was several times more difficult than the first level's requirement of cleaving through a ten-zhang-thick stone.

His saber technique was now fierce and unmatched. Wherever his edge reached, stones split and pillars cracked, its destructive power immense.

Such overwhelming attacks allowed him to single-handedly wipe out the Wang Family's Life Harvesting and Mutilation den, but for that very reason, he had been unable to repay the price of the second level.

He had tried countless times, and every time, he had done his utmost to control his strength.

Yet before the saber arrived, the saber intent had already burst forth, and the boulder shattered with a thunderous boom.

This had trapped his repayment in a vicious cycle.

"Controlling my strength... easier said than done."

Chu Ning slowly exhaled a breath of stale air and swept his eyes across the courtyard.

There were many artificial mountains here, making this the perfect opportunity to attempt repaying the price.

He no longer hesitated. He walked slowly toward an artificial mountain of basalt, rested his hand on the saber hilt, and began drawing it inch by inch.

The Rusty Saber left its sheath, lightning surging around it.

Chu Ning drew a deep breath, sinking his qi into his dantian as he gathered momentum.

A flash of saber light. Saber qi tore through the air and struck down in an instant.

"Bang!"

Broken stones flew in every direction.

The artificial mountain had been cleaved in two with a single stroke. The break was smooth as a mirror, and fine arcs of electricity still clung to the cut surface.

Failure!

He had controlled his strength, but he still had not reached the realm where he could split a stone without shattering it.

"Tsk..."

Li Jing'an stood not far away with his arms folded, watching him with keen interest and a faintly mocking smile at the corners of his mouth.

"You're investigating a case. What are you doing?"

"Practicing my saber." Chu Ning's reply was indifferent.

Li Jing'an raised a brow, his gaze meaningful. "Oh? Isn't that just hacking wildly?"

Chu Ning did not respond. He merely resumed his stance and swung his saber again.

However he tried, every stroke landed, and the stone still shattered in the end.

He had done everything he could to suppress his strength, but the fierce nature inherent in Thunderclap Saber Art sent his saber intent surging out through his body. He simply could not achieve true "softness without breaking."

Seeing this, Li Jing'an burst into loud laughter.

With his hands clasped behind his back, he said with a half-smile, "Do you understand the true meaning of 'controlling strength'?"

Chu Ning glanced sideways at him.

Li Jing'an paced forward and extended one finger, lightly tapping Chu Ning's saber sheath.

"The saber is dead, and the person controls the saber. But if you can't control your own understanding of the saber, you'll never achieve true control."

He casually picked up a fragment of stone and flicked it with a bent finger.

"Pa!"

The fragment landed on another artificial mountain as lightly as a fallen leaf, without stirring even a speck of dust.

"Your saber is still missing something."

Chu Ning's brows drew together. After pondering for a moment, he suddenly grasped something.

He closed his eyes and recalled every movement he had made while cleaving the stone.

The saber was still the same saber.

But his state of mind had changed.

He slowly opened his eyes and shifted his feet. The Rusty Saber turned slightly in his palm.

"Split a stone without shattering it..."

Lightning flickered faintly.

Chu Ning struck.

This time, the saber's momentum was no longer overbearing. Instead, it was like a gentle breeze brushing willow branches. The blade sliced through the air and descended slowly.

"Bzzzt—"

The edge touched the artificial mountain, and lightning patterns instantly spread across the entire stone like a spiderweb.

The artificial mountain trembled with a buzzing hum. Fine sounds of collapse came from within, yet its surface remained completely unharmed.

Chu Ning sheathed his saber and lightly tapped the stone's surface with his fingertip.

"Crack."

An exceedingly fine fissure slowly spread outward from within the artificial mountain.

Li Jing'an's eyes sharpened. He slowly exhaled, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

"Not bad."

Chu Ning slowly tightened his grip on the saber hilt, his heart utterly clear.

This was not merely control of strength, but complete mastery over saber momentum, saber intent, and saber qi.

The repayment of the second level of Thunderclap Saber Art had succeeded!

In an instant, an unprecedented enlightenment surged into Chu Ning's mind.

His arm no longer felt as heavy as before. His grip on the saber grew increasingly natural, and every inch of muscle seemed to have found the most fitting way to circulate its strength.

A faint tremor like rumbling thunder sounded in the air. It was a sign that his saber intent had transformed.

Chu Ning closed his eyes and sensed the surging qi within him, discovering that his cultivation seemed faintly on the verge of breaking through.

Not only that, his understanding of the saber had already entered an entirely new level.

In the past, he had known only how to swing a saber, never considering how the saber's momentum harmonized with himself.

Now, he understood.

Strength was not simply a matter of being "strong" or "weak." It was using it when it should be used and reining it in when it should be reined in.

Wind swept up fallen leaves and blew through the courtyard, carrying a trace of killing intent so faint it was nearly imperceptible.

Chu Ning lowered his eyes and stood with his saber in hand, a sharp glint flashing through his gaze.

Seeing how quickly Chu Ning had comprehended it, Li Jing'an could not help but nod inwardly.

"Your aptitude for understanding the saber is stronger than I imagined."

Chu Ning slowly sheathed his saber, gently stroking its hilt with his palm as the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

"Next, we continue investigating the case."

Li Jing'an gave a slight nod, then turned and strode forward.

Chu Ning followed close behind.

The two of them left the courtyard. A cold wind swept through the streets and alleys, carrying up the lingering smell of blood.

Chu Ning stood before Shen's Leather Shop, his gaze deep and somber.

He did not knock. Instead, he stood before the door for a moment, then slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

Half a month ago, he had come here to trade leather goods. Today, his identity was already different.

Shen Yan, the shopkeeper of Shen's Leather Shop, appeared on the surface to be nothing more than a shrewd leather merchant. But Chu Ning faintly sensed that Shen Yan's hands had likely reached long ago into even darker depths.

More importantly, half a month ago, the bloody aura wafting from the gilded sachet at Shen Yan's waist had been identical to the scent of Crimson Blood Sand.

That was no coincidence.

He raised his hand and lightly knocked on the door ring.

After a moment, a faint sound of footsteps came from inside.

The door opened a crack, and a shop assistant poked his head out. After sizing Chu Ning up, he said, "Sir, our shop is closed for the night. If you want to choose some leather goods, please come back tomorrow."

Chu Ning said nothing. He merely drew the Black Snake Guard token from his waist and gave it a slight wave beneath the dim yellow lamplight.

The shop assistant froze. His expression immediately tightened, and he hurriedly said in a low voice, "Please wait."

The door closed. A few breaths later, it opened again.

Chu Ning stepped into the back hall of Shen's Leather Shop.

Shen Yan sat upright in a carved wooden chair, his expression unchanged, as if Chu Ning's arrival had not surprised him in the slightest.

"Constable Chu, what brings you here so late at night?"

His gaze lingered on Chu Ning's constable uniform for a moment before he revealed a meaningful smile. "We haven't seen each other for half a month, and you've already become a government officer."

Chu Ning said blandly, "I've come to ask about a few matters. I hope Shopkeeper Shen will answer truthfully."

Shen Yan's smile did not change. He lifted the teacup from the table and gently blew away the tea foam. "Oh? What matters?"

"Half a month ago, the gilded sachet at your waist." Chu Ning's gaze was sharp as he stared directly at Shen Yan. "I smelled its scent today at the scene where the Zhao Family was wiped out."

The teacup in Shen Yan's hand paused slightly.

Though it lasted only an instant, Chu Ning still keenly caught the subtle change.

Shen Yan set down the teacup, his smile deepening. "Constable Chu is indeed alert. However, there are many things in this world with similar scents. How can you be certain..."