Thunder Blade Squad - Part 2

The car drove out of Yangzhou City, heading along the highway toward the outskirts. About an hour later, the vehicle pulled up in front of a quaint, antique pavilion. The pavilion was a traditional Chinese-style structure with blue bricks, grey tiles, and upturned eaves, nestled amidst a grove of lush bamboo. A wooden sign hung at the entrance with the words "Thunder Blade" inscribed in bold, vigorous strokes that exuded a sharp, piercing aura.

"This is the place." Wu Tong killed the engine and led Lin Yun inside.

The interior of the pavilion was a spacious hall furnished with a few grandmaster chairs and an eight-immortal table. Several calligraphy scrolls and paintings hung on the walls, and a curio cabinet in the corner held various porcelain pieces and ornaments. The entire hall was decorated in a simple, elegant style, radiating a sense of quiet tranquility.

A few people were already seated in the hall.

In the center seat sat a man in his thirties. He wore a grey training suit; his temples were slightly greying, and his face was lean, but his gaze was as sharp as a blade. Beneath the pant leg of his right side, the outline of a metal prosthetic limb was faintly visible.

Lin Yun knew this was the captain of the Thunder Blade Squad—Lin Zheng.

Beside Lin Zheng sat a woman of about thirty. She was tall and wore a black tight-fitting suit, her arms wrapped around a precious sword as she sat in a lazy, casual posture. Her features were delicate, and her brows carried a heroic spirit, though her gaze remained fixed on Lin Zheng for the most part.

The vice-captain, Liu Xu.

Opposite them sat three other people.

A young man in his early twenties with a sturdy build wore a camouflage vest, revealing solid arms. On the long table in front of him lay a modified heavy sniper rifle, its barrel fitted with numerous attachments whose functions Lin Yun could not identify. He was carefully wiping the barrel with a piece of velvet cloth, his movements as gentle as if he were caressing a lover.

Shen Yang, a peak Junior War General, specialized in firearms.

Next to Shen Yang sat a woman with a rather androgynous appearance, short hair, and delicate features, dressed in a white training uniform. A short blade hung at her waist, its scabbard engraved with a few plum blossoms. She was looking down at a book, but upon hearing footsteps, she looked up and cast a curious glance at Lin Yun.

Luo Fang, a Junior War General, blade user.

The last one was a cold young man, around twenty years old, wearing a long black trench coat and leaning against the corner with a long spear in his arms. His expression was stern and his eyes indifferent, as if he were uninterested in everything around him. Only when Wu Tong and Lin Yun walked in did he slightly lift his eyelids.

Leng Bao, a Junior War General, spear user.

Lin Yun quickly scanned everyone, forming a rough assessment of the squad's strength in his mind. Although Captain Lin Zheng had lost a leg, his steady, composed demeanor made him someone not to be underestimated. Liu Xu's movement technique was at the Micro-Level, which was top-tier among War General Rank Warriors. Shen Yang, Luo Fang, and Leng Bao were only Junior War Generals, but judging by their demeanor and equipment, they were all experienced veterans.

This team was even stronger than what he had learned about on the Warrior forum.

"Wu Tong, is this the kid you were talking about?" Lin Zheng's voice was low and steady, carrying an unquestionable authority.

"Yes, Lin Yun." Wu Tong smiled and pushed Lin Yun forward. "Fifteen years old, strength between a Junior War General and a Mid-Level War General, solid foundation in movement techniques, and most importantly, he is also learning the Nine-Layered Thunder Blade."

The hall fell silent for a moment.

"Fifteen?" Shen Yang stopped wiping his gun and looked up, sizing Lin Yun up and down with a flash of surprise in his eyes. "A Junior War General?"

Luo Fang also closed her book and looked at Lin Yun with interest. "Captain, you didn't mention it was such a young kid."

Leng Bao, leaning in the corner, did not speak, but his gaze also lingered on Lin Yun for a moment.

Lin Zheng ignored his team members' reactions. His gaze fell on Lin Yun, and after a moment of silence, he spoke slowly: "Lin Yun, fifteen years old, fist strength around 10,000kg, nerve reaction test grade: excellent. During the Warrior actual combat assessment, you killed an Iron-Armored Lizard with a single strike, clean and efficient."

Lin Yun was slightly stunned. Some of these data points were public, but certain details—like him killing the Iron-Armored Lizard in one strike—were known only to internal personnel of the Limit Hall. It seemed that before agreeing to take him on, Lin Zheng had thoroughly investigated his background.

"You are quite good," Lin Zheng continued, his tone still flat. "However, to earn our recognition, talent alone is not enough. I have seen many geniuses, but few end up becoming true experts. Wu Tong asked me to teach you the Nine-Layered Thunder Blade, and I agreed. But if you don't meet my requirements, I will still kick you out of the team."

His gaze pierced straight at Lin Yun like two sharp blades. "Can you accept that?"

Lin Yun met Lin Zheng's gaze without the slightest retreat. "Don't worry, Captain. If I fail to meet your requirements, I will withdraw on my own."

"Good." Lin Zheng nodded, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. "You have guts. But guts alone aren't enough; I want to see your skills."

He stood up and walked to the center of the hall. Although his right leg was a prosthetic, his gait was steady, and every step landed firmly.

"The Nine-Layered Thunder Blade, how far have you practiced it?" Lin Zheng asked.

"The first layer!" Lin Yun answered truthfully.

Lin Zheng nodded slightly. "The first layer... not bad! To master the first layer in less than ten days shows your comprehension is excellent. Come, use the Nine-Layered Thunder Blade to attack me!"

He took an ordinary training blade from the weapon rack nearby and tossed it to Lin Yun, while drawing a short blade from his own waist. The short blade looked plain, but the blade edge had faint blue patterns, clearly not an ordinary item.

Lin Yun caught the training blade and took a deep breath.

He knew this was Lin Zheng testing him. It wasn't a test of how much strength he had, but how deep his understanding of the Nine-Layered Thunder Blade was. If his performance couldn't satisfy Lin Zheng, the door to this team might close right here.

He gripped the hilt, spread his feet, and lowered his center of gravity.

For this strike, he needed to be serious.

"Come." Lin Zheng held the short blade in one hand, standing still without moving an inch.

Lin Yun exerted force through his feet, his body shooting forward like an arrow released from a bow. The moment he reached Lin Zheng, he struck out with his blade—

"Thunder Blade, first layer!"

The blade tore through the air, emitting a sharp whistling sound. The moment the first strike was launched, he channeled the second layer of force within his body, the two forces overlapping on the blade edge, causing its power to surge.

A flash of surprise crossed Lin Zheng's eyes. He did not dodge, but instead raised his short blade to meet the strike head-on.

"Clang!"

The sound of metal clashing echoed through the hall. Lin Yun felt a massive recoil force travel from the blade, numbing his arm and forcing him to retreat three steps before he could stabilize his stance. Lin Zheng, meanwhile, only swayed slightly.

"Not bad." Lin Zheng nodded, the surprise in his eyes turning into appreciation. "The first layer, you have already entered the threshold. To achieve this in less than ten days shows you have a deep understanding of 'speed.' However..."

His tone shifted, becoming serious. "Your force exertion is not fluid enough. There is a clear interval between the first layer of force and the second. In a true Nine-Layered Thunder Blade, the two layers of force should erupt simultaneously without any pause in between. Your current state might work against ordinary Monsters, but against a true expert, that momentary pause would be fatal."

Lin Yun listened intently, engraving every word of Lin Zheng's into his mind.

"And your footwork," Liu Xu suddenly spoke, her voice crisp and pleasant. "When you struck, your center of gravity shifted to the right. Even though it was only a tiny bit, it affects the speed of your follow-up maneuvers. If you were facing a speed-type Monster, that flaw would be enough to get you killed three times over."

Lin Yun felt a jolt in his heart.

He hadn't noticed at all that his center of gravity had shifted. This was experience—although he had gone through many battles in the Coiling Dragon World, those had been life-or-death struggles against Magic Beasts, where the focus was on killing the enemy with the greatest speed. Combat between human Warriors, however, required not just speed, but stability and precision down to every last detail.

"Thank you for the guidance, Captain Liu," Lin Yun said solemnly.

Liu Xu waved her hand, the corners of her mouth curling upward slightly. "Just call me Sister Liu. The captain is right; you have good talent, but you still need polishing. Train hard with us, and don't embarrass the Thunder Blade Squad."

Lin Zheng sheathed his blade, walked back to his seat, and looked at Lin Yun, speaking slowly, "From today on, you are a reserve member of the Thunder Blade Squad. After a period of tempering, once your strength meets our standards, you will become a full member."

"Yes," Lin Yun replied.

"We just returned from the Wilderness Area and will be resting for a few days. Today is March 11th, and we tentatively plan to head back to the Wilderness Area in three days. Use these few days to prepare well," Lin Zheng said, his gaze sweeping over everyone. "Liu Xu, you are responsible for showing him the ropes."

"Understood," Liu Xu nodded.

Wu Tong stood to the side, watching this scene with a satisfied smile on his face. He patted Lin Yun on the shoulder and whispered, "Work hard, and don't embarrass me."

"Don't worry, Uncle Wu."

After Wu Tong left, Lin Yun stayed in the loft for the entire day, getting familiar with how the members of the Thunder Blade Squad coordinated with one another.

Shen Yang gave him a detailed explanation of the characteristics and usage of various firearms, as well as how to select and utilize fire support in different terrains. Luo Fang taught him some practical combat techniques for blade work—not the advanced force-exertion techniques of the Nine-Layered Thunder Blade, but basic yet practical things, such as how to strike in narrow spaces, how to utilize terrain advantages, and how to judge the attack trajectories of Monsters.

Although Leng Bao didn't speak, he stood silently by Lin Yun's side during training, using his long spear to block two of Luo Fang's sneak attacks for him.

"That's just how Leng Bao is," Luo Fang said with a smile. "He looks cold, but he's actually a good person. You'll see later on."

In the evening, Lin Zheng called Lin Yun to his side.

"The cultivation of the Nine-Layered Thunder Blade cannot rely solely on brute force," Lin Zheng's voice was low. "You need to feel the power of lightning. Not by looking with your eyes or listening with your ears, but by feeling it with your body. When you truly feel the 'speed' of lightning, your blade will naturally become fast."

Lin Yun nodded, lost in thought.

The speed of lightning—when he cast Thunder Element magic in the Coiling Dragon World, he could indeed feel that explosive, instantaneous speed. But if he were to feel it with his body, he would need much more practice.

"There is one more thing," Lin Zheng looked into his eyes. "Wu Tong says you are very talented, reaching the level of a Junior War General at fifteen, but I want to tell you that talent is only a stepping stone. In this world, there are many talented people, but those who truly reach the peak are the ones who are the most hardworking and resilient."

"I understand," Lin Yun said.

"That's good," Lin Zheng nodded and stood up. "We depart in three days. Go back and get some good rest."

When Lin Yun walked out of the loft, the sky had already darkened. He looked back at the wooden sign inscribed with "Thunder Blade," a surge of anticipation rising in his heart.

In three days, he would enter the Wilderness Area for the first time as an official Warrior. Although he wouldn't be alone, with a team like the Thunder Blade Squad leading him, he believed his progress would be much faster than fumbling through it by himself.

More importantly, he finally had the opportunity to test the cultivation results from both worlds in real combat.