Investigating the Case

The two walked into the courtyard. Inside, rockeries abounded, with winding corridors and bridges weaving through them, yet a strong sense of decay still permeated the air.

Moss covered the mottled stone walls, and the pond water was murky from neglect. A few surviving koi lazily swam on the surface.

Li Jing'an's gaze was sharp as he surveyed their surroundings, while Chu Ning's mind replayed the repayment condition for the second level of the Thunderclap Saber Art.

[Repayment Condition: Chop a stone with your saber, but do not break it.]

Chu Ning's eyes narrowed slightly, his brow furrowing.

This condition seemed simple, but in reality, it was several times more difficult than the first level's requirement of splitting a ten-zhang thick stone.

His current saber techniques were incomparably fierce. Wherever his blade struck, it could break stone and cleave pillars; its destructive power was immense.

This formidable power allowed him to single-handedly dismantle the Wang Family's Life Harvesting and Mutilation den. However, it was precisely this power that prevented him from repaying the second level's price.

He had tried countless times, each time attempting to control his strength as much as possible.

Yet, before the saber even landed, its intent had already erupted, and the massive stone would shatter with a roar.

This had trapped him in a vicious cycle for repayment.

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

Chu Ning slowly exhaled, glancing around the courtyard.

There were many rockeries here, perfect for trying to repay the price.

He hesitated no longer, walking towards a basalt rockery. He placed his hand on his saber's hilt and slowly drew it.

The Rusty Saber left its sheath, and lightning surged.

Chu Ning took a deep breath, channeling his energy into his dantian, readying himself.

The saber flashed, its energy slicing through the air as it descended instantly.

"Bang!"

Shattered stones scattered.

The rockery was cut in half, the break as smooth as a mirror. Faint arcs of electricity still lingered on the cut surface.

Failure!

He had controlled his strength, yet still failed to achieve the state of "chopping stone without breaking it."

"Tsk..."

Li Jing'an stood nearby with his arms crossed, watching him with amusement, a teasing smile playing on his lips.

"We're investigating a case, what are you doing?"

"Practicing my saber," Chu Ning replied calmly.

Li Jing'an raised an eyebrow, his gaze meaningful. "Oh? Isn't that just hacking away?"

Chu Ning didn't respond, simply resuming his stance and drawing his saber again.

However, no matter how he tried, every strike resulted in the stone shattering.

He had already tried his best to suppress his strength, but the inherent ferocity of the Thunderclap Saber Art, coupled with the saber intent erupting from his body, made it impossible to achieve true "gentleness without breakage."

Seeing this, Li Jing'an burst into laughter.

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

Chu Ning glanced at him.

Li Jing'an paced forward and lightly tapped Chu Ning's scabbard with a finger.

"The saber is inanimate; the person controls the saber. But if you cannot control your own understanding of the saber, you will never achieve true control."

He casually picked up a piece of broken stone and flicked it with his finger.

"Snap!"

The stone landed on another rockery as lightly as a falling leaf, not even stirring up a speck of dust.

"Your saber is still missing something."

Chu Ning's brow furrowed. After a moment of thought, he suddenly seemed to grasp something.

He closed his eyes, recalling all his previous attempts at chopping stone.

The saber was still the same saber.

But his mindset had changed.

He slowly opened his eyes, shifted his stance, and the Rusty Saber spun slightly in his palm.

"Chop stone without breaking it..."

Lightning flashed faintly.

Chu Ning drew his saber.

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

"Hummm—"

The saber's edge touched the rockery, and lightning patterns spread across the entire stone body like a spiderweb.

The rockery vibrated with a hum, and fine crumbling sounds came from within, yet the surface remained completely unharmed.

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

"Crack."

A hairline crack slowly spread from the inside of the rockery.

Li Jing'an's eyes narrowed, and he slowly exhaled, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

"Not bad."

Chu Ning slowly tightened his grip on the saber's hilt, his mind clear.

This wasn't just about controlling force, but a complete mastery of the saber's momentum, intent, and energy.

[ "Thunderclap Saber Art" Second Level, successful repayment! ]

In an instant, an unprecedented understanding flooded Chu Ning's mind.

His arm no longer felt as heavy as before, his grip on the saber became more natural, and every muscle seemed to have found its most fitting way to operate.

A faint, thunder-like tremor echoed in the air; this was the sign of his saber intent transforming.

Chu Ning closed his eyes, feeling the surging vital energy within him, and discovered that his cultivation seemed to be on the verge of a breakthrough.

Not only that, but his understanding of the saber had entered a new level.

In the past, he only knew how to swing his saber, but he had never considered the harmony between his saber momentum and himself.

Now, he understood.

Strength wasn't simply "strong" or "weak," but rather about applying it when needed and retracting it when necessary.

Wind swept fallen leaves, blowing through the courtyard, carrying a subtle, almost imperceptible sense of killing intent.

Chu Ning lowered his gaze, standing with his saber, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

Seeing Chu Ning comprehend so quickly, Li Jing'an couldn't help but nod inwardly.

"It seems your aptitude for the saber is stronger than I imagined."

Chu Ning slowly sheathed his saber, his palm stroking the hilt, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

"Next, we continue investigating the case."

Li Jing'an nodded slightly, then turned and strode forward.

Chu Ning followed closely behind.

The two walked out of the courtyard, the cold wind sweeping through the streets and alleys, stirring up the lingering scent of blood.

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

He didn't knock, but stood there for a moment, slowly exhaling a breath of stale air.

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

Shen Yan, as the proprietor of Shen's Leather Shop, was outwardly just a shrewd leather merchant, but Chu Ning vaguely sensed that his influence had likely already extended into darker depths.

More importantly, half a month ago, the bloody scent emanating from the gilded sachet on Shen Yan's waist was identical to the smell of Crimson Blood Sand.

This was no coincidence.

He raised his hand and gently knocked on the door knocker.

A moment later, a faint sound of footsteps came from inside.

The door creaked open, and a shop assistant peeked out, sizing up Chu Ning. "Customer, our shop is already closed. If you wish to select leather goods, please come back tomorrow."

Chu Ning remained silent, merely taking out the Black Snake Guard token from his waist and flashing it slightly under the dim lamplight.

The shop assistant froze, his expression immediately tensing, and he quickly said in a low voice, "Please wait a moment."

The door closed, and after a few breaths, it reopened.

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

Shen Yan sat on a carved wooden chair, his expression unchanged, as if he hadn't been surprised by Chu Ning's arrival.

"Constable Chu, visiting so late at night, may I ask the reason?"

His gaze lingered on Chu Ning's constable uniform for a moment, then a smile with a hidden meaning appeared. "It's been half a month, and you've actually become an officer."

Chu Ning said calmly, "I've come to ask a few things. I hope Shopkeeper Shen can tell me the truth."

Shen Yan's smile remained unchanged. He picked up the teacup on the table and blew on the foam. "Oh? What is it?"

"Half a month ago, the gilded sachet on your waist." Chu Ning's gaze was sharp, looking directly at Shen Yan. "The scent from it is the same one I smelled today at the scene of the Zhao family grain merchants' massacre."

The teacup in Shen Yan's hand trembled slightly.

Although it was only for an instant, Chu Ning keenly caught this subtle change.

Shen Yan then put down the teacup, his smile deepening. "Constable Chu is indeed vigilant, but there are many things in this world that smell similar. How can you be sure..."