Tyrant Blade

Qin Jiu rubbed his temples.

Although he had rested for only about half an incense stick's time, Withered Wood Meets Spring made his mental strength recover faster than normal. Still, it would take some time. With precious medicine, he could recover much more quickly.

After Wang Yue left,

he went into the courtyard and began practicing the Dragon-Tiger Stake.

Although this Health Preservation Stake had no combat techniques, combined with his Withered Wood Meets Spring talent, it was remarkably effective at healing injuries.

Wang Yue returned to the courtyard about half an hour later, his face full of astonishment.

"Young Master, I followed your instructions and questioned Wei Yan. I didn't expect Xie Xuan to really be connected to Qin Xiong, but we still need some time to confirm what their relationship is."

"As for Xie Xuan, I've already had him locked up in the dungeon."

"Would you like to interrogate him yourself?"

"You can handle it."

Qin Jiu shook his head.

He already knew who the other man was. He had asked Wang Yue to look into it simply to have an excuse.

"What about the precious medicine?"

"The residence rarely needs this sort of medicine, so the account office doesn't keep any in stock."

As he spoke, Wang Yue took a porcelain bottle from his robes. "This is a Rejuvenation Pill from the Four Seasons Pharmacy. It also restores energy. Try taking one first. If it doesn't work, I'll go to the Four Seasons Pharmacy and buy more of this kind of medicine."

"A Rejuvenation Pill? That'll do."

Qin Jiu took the bottle, tipped one pill into his mouth, then continued practicing the Dragon-Tiger Stake.

Seeing this, Wang Yue prepared to take his leave.

"Uncle Wang, wait a moment."

Qin Jiu called him back.

Then, after practicing the stance training once more,

he came over to stand before him and said, "The city has been beset by danger lately. I've now entered the Dragon-Tiger Health-Nurturing Stake, but it has no combat techniques. If I encounter an enemy and you happen not to be by my side, I'll have to entrust my safety to someone else."

"Yet you're the only person in the entire Qin Mansion I trust."

"Why don't you start teaching me the Tyrant Blade Technique today?"

"This..."

Wang Yue looked troubled.

Qin Jiu's reasoning made sense, but that blade technique was brutal. If he practiced it, it would inevitably affect his future progress in martial arts.

He didn't want to see Qin Jiu follow in his footsteps.

"Uncle Wang, there's no need to worry."

Qin Jiu knew what Wang Yue was concerned about. "Even if this blade technique will take a toll on my body, that won't happen until later. Right now, though, the city is rife with undercurrents, and I urgently need a superior martial art to protect myself. Besides, even the deputy hall master of the Four Seasons Pharmacy has a way to treat this kind of injury. I may not be trapped by this blade technique forever."

He explained patiently.

It wasn't because Wang Yue had a higher level of martial arts.

The old man was genuinely worried about him, so Qin Jiu laid everything out plainly instead of using his position as head of the family to force him.

"All right."

Wang Yue said solemnly, "But I hope you'll grant this old servant one request."

"If you feel pain in your internal organs while practicing the blade technique, you must stop and take care of your body. You must never damage your martial foundations. Otherwise, after I die, I'll have no face to meet the old master..."

"I understand."

Seeing that he was about to start rambling again, Qin Jiu hurriedly cut him off.

Wang Yue nodded, then struck a stance where he stood. "The Tyrant Blade Technique was born from the killing formations used in the army. Beginners must temper their bodies with its fierce blade intent. Only once Bone Forging produces inner strength can they practice its combat techniques."

"This art is divided into three internal harmonies and three external harmonies."

"The three internal harmonies are stance training and breathing methods. The three external harmonies are the blade techniques."

"It has seventy-two stances in all, with twenty-four stationary stances as the core and forty-eight moving stances as support..."

He explained the stance training in detail.

Then he slowly demonstrated all seventy-two stances. He was clearly afraid Qin Jiu wouldn't remember them, so he moved very slowly, occasionally explaining the key points of exerting force.

"The three internal harmonies are further divided into the major and minor harmonies. The major harmonies are heart with intent, intent with spirit, and spirit with qi. The minor harmonies are hands with feet, elbows with knees, and shoulders with hips."

"When the three harmonies flow as one, power rises from the earth."

"Once you move..."

Qin Jiu watched closely.

He had practiced the Dragon-Tiger Health-Nurturing Stake before.

So learning this stance training wasn't difficult for him. With Wang Yue carefully guiding him as he practiced, it took him less than two hours to memorize both the methods for practicing the stances and the breathing method.

"Young Master's talent is becoming ever more astonishing."

Wang Yue couldn't help but exclaim.

Qin Jiu shook his head. "You practically broke this martial art into pieces and fed it to me."

"If I still couldn't learn it,"

"that would be hard to explain."

"Besides, didn't you say earlier that when first learning this martial art, I'd need to temper my body with fierce blade intent?"

"That's right."

At this, Wang Yue's expression turned grave once more. "The brutality of this martial art lies entirely in that. You must use blade intent to wash through body and mind until Bone Forging produces inner strength. Only then can you practice the combat techniques."

"Wait a moment, Young Master."

As he spoke, he hurriedly left the East Wing.

When he returned,

he was carrying a black weapon shaped like a long, heavy saber.

"Although this blade technique was developed apart from the army's battle formations, it still inherited their armor-piercing power. Once the blade intent rises, men and horses alike are smashed to pieces. That's where the name Tyrant Blade comes from. Young Master, you must practice the stances beneath the blade intent until you reach the Second Refining, Bone Forging. Only then can you stop."

Wang Yue's back, usually stooped,

slowly straightened as he spoke.

At the same time,

a terrifying killing intent surged skyward, instantly filling the East Wing courtyard.

Qin Jiu sucked in a cold breath.

The other man merely stood where he was,

yet Qin Jiu's hair stood on end. He felt as if he were in a sea of blood, where the slightest misstep would send his head rolling across the ground.

"Thud!"

Wang Yue reversed the long blade in his hand and drove its hilt into the bluestone ground.

Almost at the same moment,

that killing intent

swept over Qin Jiu.

He took a deep breath, then tightened his focus and slowly began practicing the stances.

The small courtyard fell silent.

Only his occasional, heavy breathing broke the stillness.

The sun sank in the west.

In the blink of an eye, dusk arrived.

"Thump!"

In the East Wing courtyard,

Qin Jiu was drenched in sweat, his clothes soaked through. Yet he didn't feel stifled by the heat. Instead, an inexplicable chill seeped into his bones, making the stances harder and harder to practice. In the end, he collapsed onto the ground and began gulping in air.

"Two hours..."

A glint flashed in Wang Yue's eyes.

His hand left the long blade, and his back gradually stooped again.

"Young Master, are you all right?"

"That's enough for today," Qin Jiu said. "I feel fine. We'll continue tomorrow. Tonight, come with me to the Qian Family's residence."

"Yes."

Wang Yue nodded.

He reached out to help Qin Jiu up.

But as soon as his withered hand touched Qin Jiu's wrist, his pupils contracted sharply.

In martial arts, each of the three refinements was a formidable threshold.

As a martial artist beyond the Three Refinements,

Wang Yue was among the most exceptional people in the county, whether in martial prowess or experience.

At the very first touch,

Wang Yan realized, to his astonishment, that his young master had quietly completed Skin Polishing at some point.

And by then,

how long had it even been since his second attempt at breaking through?