Fuyang Saber Technique

Chen Mo didn't wake up until noon.

The first thing he did upon getting up was lift his inner garment to check the infant face on his abdomen.

Fortunately, the infant's mouth hadn't opened.

"This is making me so tense... doesn't even let a man sleep well."

By dusk, Ma Tie arrived with three death-row prisoners bound in tow.

Chen Mo, who had been resting in bed, perked up instantly. He sat up sharply and sized up the three prisoners:

One was a gaunt young man, sickly looking, clearly with weaker blood and qi than himself.

Another was a sturdy fellow, slightly more imposing than Chen Mo, with blood and qi likely a notch higher.

The last was a man with a face full of brutal flesh, exuding astonishing blood and qi, with a striking scar across his face. When he smiled, the scar writhed, utterly horrifying.

Ma Tie gave a brief introduction: "This skinny one's a petty thief, sentenced to death. This fellow's a Maike, killed someone over profit, also sentenced to death. This scar-faced one's a bandit, a martial artist at the initial Skin Refining Realm, caught by Captain Wang. All are heinous criminals deserving death. The young master buying them for medicine trials is also doing heaven's work."

With that, Ma Tie pulled out some leftover loose silver, handed it with both hands to Chen Mo, "This is the extra silver, Second Young Master, please take it."

Chen Mo glanced at it—roughly over ten taels.

Ma Tie could have easily pocketed this silver.

But he still handed it over voluntarily.

Clearly, his character was reliable.

This brought Chen Mo some relief. "Keep the extra for yourself, consider it a tip for your trouble."

"Thank you, Second Young Master." Ma Tie accepted it with delight.

Chen Mo reached into the bowl, pinched out three equal-sized pills from the small amount of skin membrane paste, and handed them to Ma Tie. "One each for the three of them."

Ma Tie took them and forcefully shoved them into the mouths of the three prisoners.

The three were already battered and bruised—how could they match Ma Tie?

After a couple of struggles, they gave up.

The next moment, Chen Mo stared intently at the three, not missing a single micro-expression. He also kept an eye on the nearby Bronze Clepsydra, timing everything.

After a few minutes, the skinny man suddenly turned red all over, cried out about the heat, shivered and curled up, and within moments foamed at the mouth and died on the spot. His corpse radiated scorching heat.

Chen Mo's pupils contracted.

As expected...

The Golden Finger's value was immense.

Good thing he hadn't rushed to take it himself.

Otherwise, he'd be done for.

About another quarter-hour later, the Maike fellow also began to tremble, itching and burning unbearably, then collapsed to the ground, writhing and shouting about the heat. Soon, his legs kicked out once, and he was gone.

His corpse had already stiffened, releasing waves of hot steam.

Chen Mo felt a chill in his heart again.

This Maike's physique was slightly sturdier than his own, yet he still died.

It seemed ordinary blood and qi couldn't withstand the Yang Qi corrosion of Guard Qi.

Chen Mo forcibly suppressed his panic and fixed his gaze on the last bandit.

A full hour passed. The bandit only shivered a few times, his skin turning red, but showed no other abnormal reactions.

Another hour passed. The bandit still had no particular reaction, just trembling and saying he was hot.

Chen Mo let out a breath of relief and asked, "Do you feel any discomfort anywhere?"

The bandit glared at Chen Mo with venom, refusing to answer.

How could he not see that Chen Mo had bought him... to test poison?

This bastard was vicious.

He'd rather be back in his cell, even if it meant being dragged off to be beheaded—at least he'd get a final full meal.

Chen Mo read his thoughts. "Just cooperate with me and let me record the relevant data. After it's done, I'll let you go."

The bandit looked up, asking in disbelief, "Really?"

Ma Tie kicked him. "Our Second Young Master's reputation is known throughout Honghe County. Why would he deceive a nobody like you!?"

The bandit finally said, "So you're the Second Young Master of the Chen family. I've heard of your name. I just feel hot—bone-gnawing hot. Nothing else."

Chen Mo nodded. "What's your name?"

The bandit said, "Chen San."

Chen Mo said, "For now, you'll stay in the Rear House in the back courtyard. I'll have someone watch you, with meat and wine every day. But I'll have people record your symptoms regularly."

Hearing there would be meat and wine, Chen San immediately nodded in agreement.

Chen Mo waved his hand. "Ma Tie, take him down. Tie him up and keep him separate from the woman. Also, take these two dead prisoners down and give them to that woman."

After dismissing the two, Chen Mo lay heavily on the bed, letting out a genuine sigh of relief.

"Finally found a sliver of hope in this dead end. The blood and qi of a martial artist just entering the Skin Refining Realm can resist the Yang Qi corrosion of this Guard Qi paste. As long as I cultivate to the Skin Refining Realm, I can take it."

"I just don't know how hard it is to reach the Skin Refining Realm. First thing tomorrow, I'll ask Uncle Zhou for a martial art to practice."

Martial training was a big deal. Asking Uncle Zhou would yield the best results.

With that decided, Chen Mo wanted to sleep, but he tossed and turned on the bed, unable to drift off.

He was constantly on edge, terrified he'd suddenly fall ill, turn into a demon that ate people and ripped out hearts, then devour himself...

Finally, unable to withstand the exhaustion, he drifted into a groggy sleep.

The next morning, just as the sky began to lighten.

Chen Mo turned over and checked the baby face on his abdomen, finding its mouth still closed, and breathed a sigh of relief.

He hurried to check on the woman, found nothing amiss, and had Qiulan fetch Zhou Liang.

"Second Young Master wants to practice martial arts?" Zhou Liang was greatly surprised when he heard Chen Mo's intent.

The Chen family had been merchants for generations, with no precedent for martial training.

Moreover, Chen Yin Fu had raised his two legitimate sons to learn social graces and business dealings, never advocating for them to practice martial arts.

Zhou Liang truly couldn't understand why Chen Mo would forsake a life of wealth and comfort to endure the hardships of martial training.

Chen Mo found an excuse: "Last month, my elder brother died from his illness. Four days ago, I fell ill too and nearly died. The world is unstable, diseases run rampant—I want to practice martial arts to gain a bit more self-protection."

Zhou Liang nodded: "That's not wrong, but martial training is hard work. I'm worried Second Young Master won't be able to bear it. And even if you can endure the hardship, there's no guarantee you'll achieve results."

Chen Mo smiled bitterly: "Uncle Zhou, I've already died once. Compared to the terror of the Mad Demon Disease, a little hardship is nothing. As for whether I'll succeed, I have my own plans."

Zhou Liang stared at Chen Mo for a long time, noticing the seriousness in his eyes. He truly felt the Second Young Master had changed from before, and nodded: "Second Young Master has become much more mature and steady after this illness. What kind of martial art does Second Young Master want to practice?"

What kind of martial art?

That really stumped Chen Mo.

He knew absolutely nothing about the martial arts of this world...

Zhou Liang seemed to see Chen Mo's awkwardness and introduced them like counting treasures: "Martial arts are means of killing, methods of great danger, and must be treated with seriousness. Ordinary skills are mostly based on stance training. After building a solid stance foundation, you can start practicing fist techniques, palm techniques, leg techniques. Once your hand and foot skills are mastered, you can move on to weapons—saber techniques, spear techniques, sword techniques. Of course, you can also directly practice weapons after mastering stances. Which one does Second Young Master want to cultivate?"

Chen Mo smiled wryly and asked directly: "Is there a martial art that quickly boosts blood and qi?"

Zhou Liang was slightly surprised: "Second Young Master sees clearly. Fist and foot skills, or weapon techniques, are all outward displays. A martial artist's true foundation is ultimately the strength of their own blood and qi—that's the right path. For Second Young Master to have such insight upon first contact with martial arts..."

Chen Mo: "..."

I just want to stay alive.

Zhou Liang continued: "Practicing large weapons builds blood and qi the fastest. Hammer techniques, great spears, saber techniques—all work. What I'm best at is saber techniques. Since Second Young Master has this intention, I'll give you the saber technique I practiced in my early years. Take a rough look first, and when you're well enough to get out of bed, I'll teach you."

With that, Zhou Liang took a yellowed booklet from his person and handed it to Chen Mo.

"Thank you, Uncle Zhou." Chen Mo expressed his thanks before taking the booklet.

On the cover were four large characters:

Fuyang Saber Technique.

Chen Mo tried to summon his panel.

To his surprise, another rectangular box appeared on the cover, containing only a single black bar and three lines of text.

[Current Original Understanding Essence: 0]

[Current Recognition Count: 1]

[Recognizable object detected. Recognize?]

Huh?

Another recognition count?

A timely rain.

Without a second thought, Chen Mo immediately willed it:

'Recognize!'