Xiao Jie relayed Ning Xuan's words to Zhang Erquan exactly as they had been spoken—not one word more or less, and without a hint of emotion. She conveyed them carefully, in the most formal manner and with the utmost respect.
Zhang Erquan wasn't surprised in the least. He simply nodded and said, "All right."
The young master, after all, was the sort to fish for three days and dry his nets for two. Today just happened to make three days.
He'd wondered whether the young master had been spurred on by something this time. Otherwise, why had he managed to keep it up for so long? He hadn't expected he'd just been overthinking it. The young master was still the same young master.
That afternoon
Beneath the waterfall in the valley beside Ning Family Manor.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
The "monster," towering over ten feet tall, slammed the trunks of nine trees deep into the shallow pool below. Then he leaped onto them, muttering to himself.
"Bend the knee like a swallow perched on a branch; let your center of gravity flow with the saber's momentum.
"Steady as a mountain, yet the spirit roams afar; the mind is a light feather gliding leisurely over water."
As he recited, the "monster" picked up an equally enormous long-handled saber.
The blade and handle were of similar length, making the whole weapon about ten feet long. It was called the Beast Slaying Saber, and was similar to the Mo Dao or horse-cutting sword from before Ning Xuan's transmigration.
Since he knew he might have to go out and train, Ning Xuan naturally hadn't waited until the last minute to prepare.
He'd prepared long ago.
The Ning Manor had quite a few hidden cellars in the surrounding area, stocked with dried meat and fresh water that would keep well. As the young master, Ning Xuan knew the locations of several of them, of course.
So, a few days earlier, he'd found an opportunity to stash a weapon suited to him in one of the cellars.
Now, Ning Xuan gripped the Beast Slaying Saber and ran back and forth across the tree stumps beneath the waterfall, three steps forward and three steps back.
The waterfall plunged down like ten thousand horses tumbling over a cliff. Its force was immense, and the stumps were no less slippery than if they'd been coated in tung oil.
But his physique was now a full 3.7, raising his reflexes, constitution, and speed to an inconceivable level, beyond that of an ordinary human.
At first, he'd been cautious. But as he trained, he realized that with this physique, practicing the Swallow Return Secret Steps was unbelievably easy!
Soon, he was darting about like the wind, a fearsome beast prowling beneath the waterfall. His bulging muscles and skin thicker than a rhinoceros's gave off an intimidating aura.
After training for a while, he suddenly stamped on a tree stump and leaped into the pool. The splash exploded in every direction, scattering into countless droplets.
He hauled a boulder out of the water, slung it onto his back in a rope net to take the place of a sandbag, then leaped back onto the stumps and continued training.
He trained all afternoon.
At dusk, Ning Xuan's enormous body lay on its back on the ground beside the waterfall.
He dispelled the Heavenly Demon Scroll.
His body immediately shrank by two sizes.
Yet the results of his training remained.
By this strange method, he'd made his body endure training it couldn't possibly have handled before, while still reaping all the benefits.
Perhaps, for the Ning Xuan with a physique of 3.7, this training hadn't amounted to much—just a tiny improvement. But that tiny improvement was enough to make the Ning Xuan with a physique of 1.0 advance by leaps and bounds.
He glanced at the panel.
[Life (Physique): 1.1] [Mountain Crashing Bear] (provides an additional 2.65 Life attribute when summoned)
After only half a day of training, his physique had risen by 0.1.
But the bonus provided by Mountain Crashing Bear had dropped from "2.7" to "2.65."
He compared the numbers before and after, thought it over briefly, and immediately figured out the answer.
The Heavenly Demon Scroll's bonus was divided into two ranges.
The portion within his own physique was halved; only the portion exceeding his physique was added in full.
Suppose his base physique reached the same 3.2 as Mountain Crashing Bear. Then the strength it could provide him would drop to 1.6.
And if his base physique exceeded 3.2, perhaps the strength Mountain Crashing Bear could provide would shrink even further.
In other words, demons weaker than him couldn't provide much of a bonus.
Night fell.
In the house, the candle flame went out, followed by Xiao Jie's giggling.
"Young Master, please don't."
A long while later
Her laughter changed, taking on a hint of surprise.
Then the surprise turned to pleading.
"Young Master! No more, really, no more! Please!"
A long while later, and then longer still
Xiao Jie's sobbing voice drifted out.
Ning Xuan was in a rather peaceful mood.
Though the improvement was only "0.1," he felt that his blood and energy were much more abundant. It left him itching all over, with a need to let off steam or he'd have trouble falling asleep.
And just now, he'd added a little extra to Xiao Jie's daily duties.
It had been difficult for her, but she'd still managed to finish. Now she was so tired she was crying.
"Starting tomorrow, you'll get an extra ten taels a month," Ning Xuan said.
Xiao Jie sniffled. "In Young Master's eyes, am I really that fond of money?"
"How much extra do you want, then?" Ning Xuan asked.
Xiao Jie fell silent.
She wanted a promotion. She wanted to become his concubine!
"Hmph!"
She gave an angry snort and turned her back to Ning Xuan. "Not a single coin more!"
Ning Xuan asked in surprise, "You really don't want more?"
Xiao Jie's heart bled, but she gritted her teeth and said, "Young Master knows me well. I don't like money."
"Let's sleep for now," Ning Xuan said. "I have to go scouting tomorrow."
A long while later
The air remained silent.
Just as Ning Xuan was about to fall asleep, Xiao Jie's voice suddenly sounded beside him.
"Young Master, you really won't add any more?"
"Ten taels extra a month," Ning Xuan replied.
Xiao Jie tried to bargain. "Fifteen taels. Once I've saved enough, I'll go somewhere far away!"
"Fifteen it is. It's not like I'll have to pay it for long—you'll be off somewhere far away soon enough. The Ning Family can afford that little bit." Ning Xuan yawned. "Go to sleep."
For several days in a row
Ning Xuan continued secretly training as usual.
There were plenty of venomous snakes and ferocious beasts in spring.
But ever since the mountain-sized "monster" arrived at the waterfall, the wild animals and poisonous insects in the surrounding area had quietly "moved away."
Animals were territorial. If an enemy invaded their territory, they would attack. But if that enemy gave off an aura that was utterly impossible to overcome, they would "move house."
Ning Xuan felt his progress slowing more and more, until it finally settled at "[Life (Physique): 1.4]."
The attribute Mountain Crashing Bear could provide had also dropped from its original "2.7" to "2.5," further confirming his earlier guess.
As for the strongest killing move of the Swallow Chasing Wind Saber that Zhang Erquan had mentioned—Swallow Return Three Sabers—he had mastered it completely.
No!
"Mastered" wasn't quite right.
Because he'd also comprehended a fourth saber.
This saber could only be used when he summoned the Heavenly Demon Scroll.
[Innate Demonic Art: Bear Prowess Mountain Collapse: As fast as the wind; the faster it moves, the greater its force. One charge shatters the body.]
With the Swallow Return Secret Steps, his speed would rise sharply in an instant.
That meant he could use his saber to unleash Bear Prowess Mountain Collapse at any time.
And that was his fourth saber.
It combined lightness, speed, and terrifying power.
He named it
Flying Swallow Mountain Collapse.
P.S. Many thanks to reader "Ling Yu Mo_Tian Hua" for the 10,000 Qidian coins! Your support really encouraged me. Thank you!
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