In the courtyard of the Protector General's Residence, Gu Shenwei called Tu Gou out to spar with Chu Nanping.
Tu Gou had only just recovered from his injuries and was delighted to have a chance to stretch his legs. He had seen Chu Nanping's swordsmanship and had always been generous with his praise, but he was also far from convinced. "When it comes to martial arts, insight and training methods are certainly important, but some things can only be built up over time. No matter how clever or hard-working you are, you can't master them in a few years. The young have youthful drive; the old have experience."
Whenever he said this, Old Man Mu would disdainfully expose him. "What experience do you have? You spent most of your life in seclusion practicing martial arts and making things up as you went."
"Heh heh." Tu Gou usually just laughed without replying. Seclusion might not give you any real combat experience, but it did wonders for your Internal Force. As for the many things in the Western Regions that produced such quick results, he actually held them in contempt.
He stepped into the courtyard, drew his saber, and swung it twice. It felt good.
More than forty people stood around the courtyard. Most were assassins trained by Hu Shining and him. Unlike their fellow disciples in the Kongtong Sect, these people didn't judge who would win or lose based on seniority and rank. Even though Tu Gou was decades older than Chu Nanping, that earned him little respect.
Old Man Mu certainly wouldn't miss a chance to insult him. "Old Dog, when you lose, just say you haven't recovered from your injuries. There's your excuse, ready-made. Those wounds of yours could easily take two or three years to heal."
Tu Gou