Hidden Edge Saber Technique

Hearing the movement inside the room.

Ji Chengkong and Zhao Qiushan, standing guard in the courtyard, hurriedly knocked on the door from outside and called out in turns:

"Big Brother! Are you awake?"

"Hall Master!"

Shen Yi glanced at Qin Jianghe.

Qin Jianghe gave a slight nod and explained:

"They're our own people, brothers from my hall."

Shen Yi clicked his tongue.

"Not necessarily."

Qin Jianghe froze, then shook his head decisively.

"The mole could never be one of them."

"I stake my life on it."

Shen Yi smiled faintly but said nothing.

Qin Jianghe called out loudly:

"Come in."

The two pushed open the door and entered. Seeing that Qin Jianghe had awakened, both wore looks of delight.

Qin Jianghe first asked about the situation in the gang and the hall.

Raging Tide and Giant Whale were still locked in mutual attacks.

Each side had won and lost battles.

Recently, Broken Blade Hall had been sparing no effort to find Qin Jianghe's whereabouts. Even when encountering the Yaksha Branch, they avoided battle first.

As the three talked, none of them avoided Shen Yi.

Zhao Qiushan hesitated several times, as if he wanted to speak but held back.

The way he looked at Shen Yi was also rather displeased.

He wanted to remind Qin Jianghe that Shen Yi, an outsider, was present, but Qin Jianghe acted as though he had not seen Zhao Qiushan's signals.

Ji Chengkong was astonished inwardly.

Qin Jianghe had always valued loyalty and brotherhood.

Yet judging from how unconcerned he was about avoiding suspicion, Qin Jianghe's trust in Shen Yi was plain to see.

A sharp light suddenly flashed in Qin Jianghe's eyes.

"Chengkong, investigate everyone in the hall thoroughly."

"Find the mole who leaked my whereabouts."

Ji Chengkong nodded slightly.

"Yes."

"Also..."

The light in Qin Jianghe's eyes softened.

"Ten li downstream along Clear River, there is a small village. Find a Jiang family there. They saved my life."

"Deliver some gifts of thanks on my behalf."

Zhao Qiushan swept out a broad hand and patted his chest.

"Big Brother, leave this to me."

"We certainly won't mistreat our benefactors."

Ji Chengkong added:

"Since the Hall Master has awakened."

"We should return to Broken Blade Hall as soon as possible. It is safer there."

Qin Jianghe naturally agreed.

Ji Chengkong and Zhao Qiushan accepted their orders and departed. One had people pack their belongings, while the other instructed men to search for Little River Village ten li away.

Qin Jianghe looked toward Shen Yi.

"Well?"

"Do you still have doubts?"

Shen Yi neither confirmed nor denied it, merely urging:

"Let's go."

"I'll escort you back to your hall."

"You teach me your saber technique, and our deal will be settled."

Hearing this, Qin Jianghe spoke half in jest and half with a sigh:

"Actually, I wanted to be friends with you."

Shen Yi smiled.

"I don't have a single friend."

Qin Jianghe was surprised.

"Not since childhood?"

Shen Yi raised his chin slightly, remembrance surfacing in his eyes.

"Since I came to Dong Commandery."

Shen Yi's words were strange.

Qin Jianghe pondered them for a while but could make neither head nor tail of them. Just then, a Broken Blade Hall disciple came to report that they were ready to depart.

With gang members escorting them.

The journey back was actually quite smooth.

Leaving Clear River Town and heading east for ten li, they turned behind a small hill and saw a sprawling cluster of dark buildings scattered across the plain.

Ancient in style, yet not without elegance.

A tall gateway stood at the entrance. Shen Yi stood before it and looked up, seeing three large characters on the plaque, flying like dragons and dancing like phoenixes:

"Broken Blade Hall."

It exuded the grandeur of the jianghu's rough and unruly folk.

They had arrived.

A group of the hall's elite immediately came out from within.

They respectfully welcomed Qin Jianghe's safe return.

Shen Yi noticed that every face shone with sincere joy. Qin Jianghe's popularity and prestige seemed quite good.

Upon entering Broken Blade Hall.

Shen Yi was treated to a banquet as an honored guest.

There was wine and meat, and everyone was respectful and courteous.

Since coming to this world, Shen Yi had never been respected and entertained as he was today.

Shen Yi merely admired it.

Once he had admired it, he forgot the feeling.

If one wished to survive in this world.

Numbness and slackness would only invite calamity.

Only by preparing for a rainy day at every moment and remaining vigilant even in peace could one live longer than others, live on for longer.

Unlike Shen Yi.

Qin Jianghe got thoroughly drunk without any guard up.

He had always been fond of drink.

On the black-canopied boat, Qin Jianghe had nearly set his sights on the boatman's stash of homemade liquor.

Now, having escaped death and returned to his own lair.

How could Qin Jianghe not drink to his heart's content?

To ease the torment of the wine bug scratching at his heart.

An hour later.

At the banquet.

Everyone from Broken Blade Hall had gotten drunk and collapsed over the tables. The one in the middle whose snores shook the heavens was Qin Jianghe.

And the one in the opposite extreme, clear-headed, arms folded across his chest, watching it all like a spectator...

Was Shen Yi.

He would not allow himself to lose conscious control.

At this moment, two maidservants approached Qin Jianghe and supported one of his arms each.

Shen Yi asked:

"Where are you taking him?"

"Reporting to Young Hero, we are taking the Hall Master back to his room to rest."

"Let's go."

Shen Yi rose and followed.

Though the two maidservants were surprised, they said nothing and helped Qin Jianghe back to the small courtyard where he lived alone.

So far.

Everything was well.

The moon was bright and the stars sparse. Qin Jianghe snored deeply in the inner room.

Shen Yi, meanwhile, sat slumped in the outer room, entering a light sleep while keeping a thread of vigilance in his mind at all times.

Thus dawn came after a night.

Rubbing his head in the throes of a hangover, Qin Jianghe emerged from the bedroom.

He smiled and said to Shen Yi:

"Was there anything unusual?"

Shen Yi shook his head.

"No."

"Looks like no one took the bait you cast."

Qin Jianghe drew a deep breath.

"There is another possibility. Everyone who came yesterday may be above suspicion."

Shen Yi shook his head.

"I have no obligation to help you catch a mole."

"It's time to teach me the saber technique."

Qin Jianghe nodded. "That was precisely my intention." He took the broken saber with its dark-red hilt from the wall and strode into the courtyard ahead of them all.

With a ringing clang, he drew the saber from its sheath.

"When I was young, I studied under the Wang family of Sichuan and was taught the Golden Saber Art. Later, I left Sichuan and traveled east along the river. In the end, I joined Raging Tide and learned the essence of the peerless Swift Delight Saber, eventually taking command of Broken Blade Hall."

"I have practiced the saber for over ten years. Though I have not fully comprehended either of those supreme saber arts, I have gained a few shallow insights."

As Qin Jianghe spoke.

His body slowly began to move, assuming the opening stance of a saber form.

"This saber technique strikes with peerless dominance and withdraws in silence, concealing its edge. It has two imageries and seven transformations. Watch closely."

Qin Jianghe gave a low shout, concealed the saber against his body, flicked his wrist, and spun nimbly. The tide of his momentum turned!

He struck!

It was vast and tyrannical, like surging floodwaters!

Endless and unbroken!

Qin Jianghe did not circulate his inner breath. Through the mere demonstration of saber skill, he conjured layer upon layer of saber shadows that carried howling gusts of wind.

Every slash seemed as though the blue heavens were splitting apart.

Thunder exploded.

Six saber strikes came in succession, each more vicious and heavier than the last!

Yet the seventh strike lowered its banners and silenced its drums.

Its flamboyance turned to concealment, its killing intent condensed into a single thread. The danger seemed to disperse, but it was in truth the final dirge, unleashed after gathering momentum!

Shen Yi's mind rose and fell with Qin Jianghe's demonstration. When he saw its exquisite essence, he could not help murmuring in praise of the saber's marvels.

Suddenly, Qin Jianghe sheathed his saber and stood still.

Fine beads of sweat had already appeared on his forehead from the flow of his force.

"First, feel its imagery."

"In the following days, I will break down every move and stance for you."

Shen Yi spoke:

"Does this saber technique have a name?"

Qin Jianghe pondered for a moment.

"Hidden Edge."

"The Hidden Edge Saber Technique."

A chime rang in Shen Yi's mind as the system delivered a prompt that it had recorded a martial art:

Martial Art: Hidden Edge Saber Technique

Quality: First-Class Realm

Realm: Not Initiated