New Saber Art, Demon Subduing Saber Art

The two of them returned to Niushi Town. When they left the forest, they unexpectedly did not run into anyone from the Wang Family.

After returning to Niushi Fort and asking around, they learned that the Wang Family's people had indeed come. They had even staked out the area outside the forest for several days, only hurrying away yesterday.

"Heh, they were certain we'd die on White Crane Ridge," Niu Hanshan sneered. "Unfortunately for them, they miscalculated."

Lu Yang nodded slightly.

By normal logic, one or two martial artists who had just entered the Houtian realm truly would not survive long in a place like White Crane Ridge.

The Wang Family could not really be blamed for being careless. It could only be said that neither Lu Yang nor Niu Hanshan could be judged by the standards of ordinary Houtian martial artists.

They stayed on White Crane Ridge to rest for a day, during which cups were pushed and exchanged, needless to say.

The next day, Lu Yang prepared to make the return journey.

Niu Hanshan brought over two one-thousand-tael Silver Notes and handed them to Lu Yang. "On this trip to White Crane Ridge, I shamelessly took no small advantage of Brother Lu. This is a small token of my regard. Please, you must accept it."

"Then it would be discourteous to refuse!" Lu Yang was just short of silver to exchange for a good saber art, so he did not decline.

The two spoke briefly for a while, and Niu Hanshan once again urged him to stay.

"Brother Lu, please hear me out. That yamen in Heishi County is no kindly place. For small figures like you and me, without any real roots or backing, one careless step and we'll fall into someone else's scheme. If Brother Lu is willing to remain in Niushi Town, I will treat you as an honored guest!" Niu Hanshan's words were earnest.

Lu Yang shook his head. "Brother Niu speaks rightly. However, I have a reason I must go back. If there is a chance in the future, you and I can drink and talk merrily again."

A traitor had appeared among the human race in Black Mountain County, and the Wang Family had colluded with the Demon Race. If this matter was not reported, who knew how many more innocent lives would fall for nothing into the mouths of demons in the future.

Therefore, he had to return to Black Mountain County. The debt for the Wang Family's secret attempt to harm him also had to be settled by Lu Yang.

Even though they were certain Lu Yang had already died on White Crane Ridge, the Wang Family had still left behind a group of martial artists on the route one had to take from Niushi Town back to Black Mountain County.

This group of martial artists hid in the shadows, monitoring those coming and going. Their conduct could be considered quite meticulous.

Unfortunately, man proposes, Heaven disposes. The Lu Yang of this moment was already no longer what he had once been.

These mere Houtian First and Second Level martial artists had posed no small threat to him before, but now they were nothing more than ghosts beneath his blade, withered bones in a grave.

Lu Yang seized that Houtian Second Level martial artist and interrogated him for a while. Finding that they had merely been acting on orders and knew nothing of the inside story, he immediately hesitated no longer and decisively struck, dealing with them all together.

To avoid beating the grass and startling the snake, Lu Yang changed into a ragged hemp garment, messed up his hair, and disguised himself. He even hid his saber outside the city, dressing up as one of the surrounding villagers and blending into the city.

Sure enough, the moment he entered the city gate, Lu Yang sensed several lines of sight sweeping back and forth near the gate. They were clearly the informants of some faction within the city.

Fortunately, he had not been well known in the city before. Now that he had disguised himself like this, no one paid him any attention at all.

After entering the city, Lu Yang headed straight for the Qianfeng Merchant Association.

The Qianfeng Merchant Association was spread throughout Great Jun and was famous for conducting business as business, never touching karma. This was also the reason Lu Yang chose it as his first stop.

Moreover, in coming here, he also had his own purpose.

By sheer coincidence, the one who received him was Xu Ya again.

"Young Master Lu, why are you dressed like this?" Because Lu Yang had previously bought the Gui Yuan Technique, which extremely few people could cultivate successfully, Xu Ya had a rather deep impression of him. Coupled with the fact that not much time had passed, she recognized him at a glance.

Lu Yang raised his index finger and held it to his lips. "Shh! May I trouble you, miss, to keep this secret for me!"

A strange look flashed across Xu Ya's pretty face, but she quickly smiled and nodded. "In business, we speak of business. The Qianfeng Merchant Association only does business and never interferes in other people's affairs."

"Many thanks!" Lu Yang said.

Xu Ya smiled sweetly. "May I ask what Young Master wishes to purchase this time?"

Lu Yang said, "I need a saber art."

As he spoke, he took out the two one-thousand-tael Silver Notes from his robes and handed them to Xu Ya.

The meaning was also very clear. He only had this much money. As for what saber art to take, Xu Ya could judge for herself.

"Giggle." Xu Ya covered her lips and laughed softly. "Young Master truly is an interesting man."

After stopping for a moment in front of a bookshelf, Xu Ya took out a dozen or so saber arts and placed them before Lu Yang.

"High-grade Yellow Tier saber art, Swift Saber Art. It is famed for speed. When the saber strikes, it is like the wind, leaving others unable to cope."

"High-grade Yellow Tier saber art, Five Tiger Severing Gate Saber. Its movements are broad and sweeping, each slash pressing straight toward a vital point. It is an extremely domineering saber art for close combat."

"High-grade Yellow Tier saber art, Drunken Saber. Its moves are tricky and unpredictable, unfathomable to gods and ghosts."

"High-grade Yellow Tier saber art, Demon Subduing Saber Art. With Vajra glaring in wrath and Bodhisattva lowering brows in compassion, this saber art is a simplified version of the Buddhist Earth-tier saber art Vajra Demon Subduing Saber. It has a certain restraining effect against ordinary demons."

It seemed she could sense the demonic aura and faint bloodiness lingering on Lu Yang, so when Xu Ya introduced Demon Subduing Saber Art, she deliberately explained it in more detail.

"High-grade Yellow Tier saber art..."

Lu Yang knitted his brows, carefully committing Xu Ya's introduction of these dozen or so saber arts to memory, word by word.

The price of martial skills had always been inferior to cultivation techniques of the same grade.

Two thousand taels of silver could at most buy a mid-grade Yellow Tier cultivation technique, but it was enough to buy a High-grade Yellow Tier saber art.

For Lu Yang, this counted as good news.

Just as before, after finishing her introductions, Xu Ya said not another word and quietly waited for Lu Yang to make his decision.

"I want this Demon Subduing Saber Art!" After a moment, Lu Yang said.

Xu Ya's beautiful eyes stirred. She handed the technique to Lu Yang and praised him, "Young Master has a fine eye."

Lu Yang put away the saber manual and cupped his hands in a bow. "Many thanks, miss."

After Lu Yang left, a figure had appeared at Xu Ya's side at some unknown point.

"Ya'er, you seem to be paying particular attention to that young man." The speaker was an old woman leaning on a cane, her hair flecked with gray.

Xu Ya said, "A few days ago, he had only just entered Houtian. He bought the Returning Origin Art from me, and now his true qi fills his body. He is already at the Houtian Eighth Level."

The old woman's brows lifted slightly. "Oh? In that case, he is indeed somewhat interesting."

The old woman smiled, seeming utterly unconcerned, then leaned on her cane again and walked into the darkness.

After leaving the Qianfeng Merchant Association, Lu Yang did not hurry back to the County Yamen. Instead, he mingled in the slums in the south of the city and found a place to stay for the time being.

There were many people here, with eyes and ears all around, making him difficult to discover.

Finding a wooden stick to use in place of a long saber, Lu Yang began practicing the Demon Subduing Saber Art.

Very soon, on his system panel, in the martial arts column, the words "Demon Subduing Saber Art (Not Yet Initiated)" appeared.

An unranked martial art was, in the end, only unranked.

Even though by a twist of fate he had broken through its limits and raised the Mountain Splitting Saber Art to the realm of Great Perfection, in the end it could only compare to an ordinary Low-grade Yellow saber art.

Previously, atop White Crane Ridge, when facing that Black Tiger, he had already clearly felt somewhat strained.

If not for the solid foundation of the Returning Origin Art, he feared he would have already died in that Black Tiger's jaws.

Changing to a new saber martial art could not wait.

"Ding! Detected that the host meets the conditions to improve a martial art. Consume 10 Experience Points to improve Demon Subduing Saber Art?"

"Improve it!"

"Ding! Detected that the host meets the conditions to improve a martial art. Consume 50 Experience Points to improve Demon Subduing Saber Art?"

"Improve it!"

After consuming 310 Experience Points in succession, Lu Yang raised his Demon Subduing Saber Art directly to the Perfection realm.

He opened the interface. The attributes were as follows.

[Host: Lu Yang]

[Realm: Houtian Eighth Level (0/799)]

[Martial Arts: Demon Subduing Saber Art (Perfection: 310/310), Mountain Splitting Saber Art (Great Perfection: (50/50)]

[Experience Points: 889]