The car drove out of Yangzhou City and headed along the highway toward the outskirts. About an hour later, it stopped in front of a traditional-style pavilion. The building was constructed in the classic Huaxia style, with gray tiles and sweeping eaves, nestled among lush green bamboo. A wooden plaque hung by the entrance, bearing the words "Thunder Blade" in bold, powerful strokes that seemed to radiate sharpness.
"This is the place." Wu Tong turned off the engine and led Lin Yun inside.
The pavilion's interior was a spacious hall furnished with several grand armchairs and a square table. Several paintings and calligraphy works hung on the walls, while porcelain and ornaments sat on an antique display shelf in the corner. The hall's decor was simple and elegant, giving it a serene atmosphere.
Several people were already seated in the hall.
In the central seat sat a middle-aged man in his thirties. He wore a gray training outfit, and his hair was slightly graying at the temples. His face was lean, but his gaze was as sharp as a blade. Beneath the right pant leg, a metallic prosthetic was faintly visible.
Lin Yun knew this was Lin Zheng, the captain of the Thunder Blade Squad.
Beside Lin Zheng sat a woman who looked to be around thirty. Tall and slender, she wore a tight black outfit and held a sword in her arms, her posture relaxed and casual. Her features were delicate, and her eyes and brows carried a hint of heroism, but most of the time, her gaze rested on Lin Zheng.
The vice-captain, Liu Xu.
Three more people sat across from them.
One was a sturdy young man in his early twenties, wearing a camouflage vest that showed off his muscular arms. A modified heavy sniper rifle lay on the long table in front of him, its body fitted with many attachments Lin Yun couldn't identify. He was carefully wiping the barrel with a piece of velvet, his touch as tender as if he were caressing a lover.
Shen Yang, at the peak of Junior War General, specialized in firearms.
Beside Shen Yang sat a woman with short hair and delicate features, whose appearance was rather androgynous. She wore a white training outfit, and a short blade hung at her waist, its sheath carved with several plum blossoms. She was reading a book when the sound of footsteps made her look up and regard Lin Yun curiously.
Luo Fang, a Junior War General who wielded a blade.
The last was a cold-looking young man of about twenty. Wearing a long black coat, he leaned against the wall with a long spear in his arms. His expression was stern, his gaze indifferent, as if nothing around him interested him. Only when Wu Tong and Lin Yun entered did he raise his eyelids slightly.
Leng Bao, a Junior War General who wielded a spear.
Lin Yun quickly looked everyone over, forming a rough assessment of the squad's strength. Though Captain Lin Zheng had lost a leg, his calm bearing made him someone not to be underestimated. Liu Xu's movement technique had reached the Micro-Level, already putting her among the very best War General Rank warriors. Though Shen Yang, Luo Fang, and Leng Bao were only Junior War Generals, their demeanor and equipment showed that they were all seasoned veterans.
This squad was even stronger than he'd gathered from the Warrior Forum.
"Wu Tong, is this the kid you told me about?" Lin Zheng's voice was low and steady, carrying an unquestionable authority.
"That's right, Lin Yun." Wu Tong smiled and ushered Lin Yun forward. "He's fifteen, with strength somewhere between Junior and Intermediate War General. His movement fundamentals are solid, and, most importantly, he's also learning the Nine-Layered Thunder Blade."
The hall fell quiet for a moment.
"Fifteen?" Shen Yang stopped cleaning his rifle and looked up, sizing Lin Yun up. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. "Junior War General?"
Luo Fang closed her book and studied Lin Yun with interest. "Captain, you didn't mention that the kid was this young."
Leng Bao remained silent where he leaned against the wall, but his gaze lingered on Lin Yun for a moment.
Lin Zheng paid no attention to his team's reactions. He looked at Lin Yun, fell silent for a moment, then slowly spoke. "Lin Yun, fifteen years old, punch force around 10,000 kilograms, excellent results on the nerve reaction test. During the Martial Artist Combat Assessment, he killed an Iron-Armored Lizard with a single clean, decisive slash."
Lin Yun was taken aback. Some of those details were public, but others—like the fact that he'd killed an Iron-Armored Lizard with one slash—were known only to insiders at the Limit Hall. It seemed Lin Zheng had thoroughly investigated him before agreeing to take him on.
"You're quite good," Lin Zheng continued, his tone still even. "But talent alone won't earn our approval. I've seen plenty of geniuses, but few of them ever become experts. Wu Tong asked me to teach you the Nine-Layered Thunder Blade, and I agreed. But if you can't meet my standards, I'll still kick you off the squad."
He looked Lin Yun straight in the eye, his gaze like two sharp blades. "Can you accept that?"
Lin Yun met Lin Zheng's gaze without backing down. "Don't worry, Captain. If I can't meet your standards, I'll leave on my own."
"Good." Lin Zheng nodded, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly. "You've got courage. But courage alone isn't enough. I want to see what you can do."
He stood and walked to the center of the hall. Though his right leg was a prosthetic, his steps were steady, each one firm and sure.
"How far have you gotten with the Nine-Layered Thunder Blade?" Lin Zheng asked.
"The first layer," Lin Yun answered honestly.
Lin Zheng gave a slight nod. "The first layer... not bad! You've mastered it in less than ten days, which means you have good insight. Come, attack me with the Nine-Layered Thunder Blade!"
He took an ordinary training blade from the nearby weapon rack and tossed it to Lin Yun, then drew a short blade from his waist. It looked unremarkable, but faint blue patterns ran along its edge, making it clear that it was no ordinary weapon.
Lin Yun caught the training blade and took a deep breath.
He knew Lin Zheng was testing him—not the strength of his attacks, but how well he understood the Nine-Layered Thunder Blade. If his performance didn't satisfy Lin Zheng, the door to the squad might close for good.
He tightened his grip on the hilt, spread his feet, and lowered his body slightly.
This time, he had to give it his all.
"Come on." Lin Zheng held the short blade in one hand and stood motionless.
Lin Yun drove off with his legs, shooting forward like an arrow loosed from a bow. The moment he reached Lin Zheng, he swung—
"Thunder Blade, first layer!"
The War Blade tore through the air with a shrill whistle. As the first slash fell, he drove the second surge of force through his body, stacking the two forces along the blade and greatly increasing its power.
A flicker of surprise crossed Lin Zheng's eyes. He didn't dodge. Instead, he raised his short blade and met the attack head-on.
"Clang!"
The clash of metal rang through the hall. A tremendous recoil surged up the blade, numbing Lin Yun's arm and forcing him back three steps before he regained his balance. Lin Zheng, by contrast, only swayed slightly.
"Not bad." Lin Zheng nodded, the surprise in his eyes turning to approval. "You've got the first layer down. To reach this point in less than ten days means you understand 'fast' very well. But..."
His tone turned serious. "Your force application still isn't fluid enough. There's a noticeable gap between the first and second surges of force. With the real Nine-Layered Thunder Blade, both surges should erupt at the same time, with no pause between them. The way you're doing it now might work against ordinary monsters, but against a true expert, that split-second pause could be fatal."
Lin Yun listened attentively, committing every word Lin Zheng said to memory.
"And your footwork," Liu Xu suddenly added in her clear, pleasant voice. "When you swung, your center of gravity shifted to the right. It was only a little, but it'll slow down your follow-up moves. Against a speed-type monster, that opening would be enough to get you killed three times over."
Lin Yun's heart jolted.
He hadn't noticed his shifted center of gravity at all. That was the value of experience. Though he'd fought many battles in the Coiling Dragon World, those had been life-and-death struggles against magical beasts, where the goal was to kill the enemy as quickly as possible. Combat between human warriors required not just speed, but stability, with every detail executed precisely.
"Thank you for the advice, Captain Liu," Lin Yun said solemnly.
Liu Xu waved a hand, the corners of her mouth lifting slightly. "Just call me Sister Liu. The captain's right: you've got talent, but you still need polishing. Train hard with us, and don't bring shame to the Thunder Blade Squad."
Lin Zheng sheathed his blade, returned to the head seat, and looked at Lin Yun. "Starting today, you're a probationary member of the Thunder Blade Squad. Train with us for a while. Once your strength meets our standards, you'll become a full member."
"Yes," Lin Yun replied.
"We just got back from the Wilderness Area, so we'll rest for a few days. Today's March 11. We're tentatively planning to head back to the Wilderness Area in three days. Prepare yourself over the next few days." Lin Zheng's gaze swept over everyone. "Liu Xu, show him the ropes."
"Understood." Liu Xu nodded.
Wu Tong stood to one side, watching with a satisfied smile. He patted Lin Yun on the shoulder and said quietly, "Work hard. Don't let me down."
"Don't worry, Uncle Wu."
After Wu Tong left, Lin Yun spent the entire day at the pavilion, getting familiar with how the Thunder Blade Squad members worked together.
Shen Yang gave him a detailed explanation of the features and uses of various firearms, as well as how to choose and deploy supporting fire in different types of terrain. Luo Fang taught him practical blade-fighting techniques—not the advanced Force Application Techniques of the Nine-Layered Thunder Blade, but basic, useful things, like how to swing a blade in tight spaces, use the terrain to his advantage, and read a monster's attack patterns.
Leng Bao didn't say anything, but during training, he silently stood beside Lin Yun and used his spear to block two of Luo Fang's ambushes.
"That's just how Leng Bao is," Luo Fang said with a smile. "He seems cold, but he's actually a good guy. You'll see."
That evening, Lin Zheng called Lin Yun over.
"Training in the Nine-Layered Thunder Blade isn't just about brute force." Lin Zheng's voice was low. "You need to feel the power of lightning. Not see it with your eyes or hear it with your ears, but feel it with your body. Once you truly feel how 'fast' lightning is, your blade will naturally become faster."
Lin Yun nodded thoughtfully.
The speed of lightning—when he'd used Thunder Element magic in the Coiling Dragon World, he'd indeed felt that instantaneous burst of speed. But to feel it with his body, he'd need a lot more practice.
"One more thing." Lin Zheng looked him in the eye. "Wu Tong says you're gifted. You reached Junior War General strength at fifteen. But I'll tell you this: talent is only a foot in the door. There are plenty of talented people in this world, but the ones who truly reach the top are the hardest-working and most resilient."
"I understand," Lin Yun said.
"Good." Lin Zheng nodded and stood. "We leave in three days. Go home and get some rest."
By the time Lin Yun left the pavilion, night had fallen. He glanced back at the wooden plaque bearing the words "Thunder Blade," anticipation welling up inside him.
In three days, he would enter the Wilderness Area for the first time as an official warrior. He wouldn't be going alone, but with a team like the Thunder Blade Squad guiding him, he believed he would improve much faster than he could by figuring things out on his own.
More importantly, he would finally have the chance to put the results of his training in both worlds to the test in real combat.
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