Split in Two

In the Su Family's little courtyard, the sound of an axe blade tearing through the air was monotonous and heavy.

Crack!

Another thick pine log shattered on impact, wood chips scattering through the morning light.

Su Yuan's movements were mechanical yet precise. Every swing of his axe landed steadily upon the most vulnerable critical point of the firewood's structure.

This was the insight granted by [Engraved in the Bones].

The soreness spread from his arms to his waist and back, and even his breath grew scorching, yet the light in his eyes only shone brighter.

[Cleaving: 1998/2000 (Perfected)]

[Cleaving: 1999/2000 (Perfected)]

The final axe blow came crashing down.

[Cleaving: 2000/2000 (Perfected)]

[Split in Two: Gather strength and sink the wrist, cleaving through all hard resistance]

[Both arms' muscles strengthened; explosive power increased; when cleaving, strength is highly concentrated at a single point]

Su Yuan felt a faint warmth in both arms. His muscle fibers seemed to be undergoing some sort of reorganization, while his once-aching joints instantly became full and supple.

He casually shook out his arms and felt strength brimming throughout his body. The heavy axe in his hand had become unexpectedly light.

Hooking three fingers around the axe handle, he casually swung it at a piece of hard jujube wood set aside nearby.

With a soft shhk.

The tough, thick jujube wood split down the middle as easily as paper being cut, its cross-section smooth and clean without the slightest splinter.

"It worked. At last, I've got a little more confidence in protecting myself."

Su Yuan exhaled a breath of white mist, and some life finally returned to his face.

The torment of this night had been worth it.

Earlier, after finishing Old Plum's carving and taking a brief rest, he had immediately buried himself in chopping firewood again. Fortunately, every effort had its reward.

Su Yuan walked to the water vat, scooped up cold water, and splashed it over his face. The bone-piercing chill made him shudder.

His reflection appeared on the water's surface: thin and gaunt, with sharp cheeks and cold, crisp features. He should have been quite handsome.

But now, deep dark circles hung beneath his eyes, and his complexion was pale and haggard. Only those eyes remained bright and clear.

He admired his own skeletal frame before finally reaching a conclusion: he looked exactly like a skeleton soldier!

At the same time, he came to a realization. His skills with higher progress all originated from carpentry work.

If all his skills reached perfection, perhaps the traits he gained could complement one another and create wondrous effects.

For example, [Engraved in the Bones] could reveal weaknesses in a structure, while [Split in Two] could apply force with precision. Combined, they could achieve an effect where one plus one was greater than two.

"If traits gained from everyday miscellaneous crafts are already this useful, then once true martial arts reach perfection..."

Su Yuan stroked the Golden Horse-Head Technique in his robes, his heart brimming with anticipation.

This thing was both a hot potato and an opportunity.

He could wait no longer.

After thinking for a moment, he entered the house, lifted the bedboard, and pulled a heavy cloth bundle from a hidden compartment.

Twenty-one taels and three qian—his entire fortune.

But he knew full well that once he formally began martial training, this little silver would not last long. Still, with his improved carving techniques, he had some new ideas for making money.

After putting the silver into a wooden box, he looked around the small rented house.

Yun Xu's appearance had been like a stone smashing into stagnant water, thoroughly stirring everything into chaos.

Right now, fleeing Ji City and making a Slippery Escape was the best choice.

The shop? The rent? The lumber he had accumulated? They were all worldly possessions.

He picked up his portable carpenter's case, shut the courtyard gate, and walked away without looking back.

But after walking for a while, waves of hunger churned in his stomach.

The South City where Su Yuan lived was fairly prosperous, and the morning market at the entrance to Fengxing Street was bustling.

Steam from bamboo baskets mingled with the fragrance of pastries and grease, rushing straight at him.

"You need a full belly to have the strength to run. No matter how bitter things get, I can't let my stomach suffer."

Su Yuan rubbed his abdomen and headed toward a breakfast stall.

"Boss, six large donkey-meat flatbreads and a bowl of savory soy milk." Su Yuan raised a hand and passed over one qian of silver.

"Large flatbreads are ten coins each, soy milk is three coins. Sixty-three coins total, thirty-seven coins in change." The stall owner swiftly made change, a handful of copper coins clinking as they fell into Su Yuan's palm.

The copper coins felt faintly cool. The grain pattern on the reverse had long been replaced by a ferocious wolf pattern, and Taian Currency had become Qishuo Currency.

The marks of Great Liang were everywhere, seeping into every crack.

He did not count them, simply tossing the coins into his money pouch. His gaze fell upon the steaming flatbreads fresh from the oven, and he lowered his head to eat in large bites.

The fresh-baked flatbreads were crisp outside, rich with the fragrance of donkey meat, and filled with diced pickled vegetables to cut the grease.

The savory soy milk was thick and smooth, sprinkled with dried shrimp and chopped scallions, piping hot and refreshing.

After two went down, more than half the chill was driven away. He carefully wrapped up the rest, intending to find Tie Niu.

Tie Niu was the servant Su Yuan had brought from home. On the road of exile, his parents and younger brother had all become separated from them, leaving only Tie Niu still by his side.

Now the two called each other brothers. Tie Niu worked at a horse ranch in the north.

If he fled, he had to take him along.

Passing a bookshop, Su Yuan paused and turned inside.

The scent of ink mingled with the stale, heavy smell unique to old paper, lingering beneath his nose. Su Yuan asked, "Shopkeeper, do you have a lexicon comparing Jing Script and Liang Script?"

"Yes. The Jing-Liang Lexicon, officially stamped by the government. One hundred sixty coins." The shopkeeper handed him a thin thread-bound booklet.

Su Yuan frowned. So expensive.

Ordinary lexicons cost only seventy or eighty coins. Once Great Liang and official approval were involved, everything doubled in price.

He quickly flipped through several pages. After confirming the contents were correct, he still gritted his teeth and paid.

Tucking the booklet into his robes, he had barely stepped out of the bookshop when the clamor of the entire street market abruptly ceased.

It was not a natural transition from noise to silence, but as though someone had suddenly seized the street by its throat.

Shouts, laughter, the clatter of bowls and plates... every sound was instantly sucked away, leaving behind an oppressive, terrifying stillness.

"Liang People are here?" Su Yuan turned in alarm.

A group emerged from the street corner.

The man at their head wore a black brocade cloak trimmed with silver sable fur at the collar, a sable-fur cap on his head, and a silver token and short blade at his waist.

His heavy riding boots struck the bluestone pavement with dull thud, thud sounds, each one pounding against everyone's heart.

Behind him were more than ten men in leather armor, carrying long spears and wearing identical wool felt caps.

"Pure-blooded Liang People." Su Yuan understood at once.

Unlike Liang Dogs such as Han Gui, who had changed their registration.

The most conspicuous feature was their hats. In Great Liang, only first- and second-rank Noble Citizens were permitted to wear narrow fur caps during winter.

Third- and fourth-rank Lowly Citizens could freeze to death, but they could not overstep the line.

A sable-fur crown and robes—this was a first-rank Great Liang man.

Su Yuan focused his gaze and examined him closely. The other man's skeletal structure was solid, his footsteps heavy but not clumsy. He was also a Martial Warrior.

His gaze moved downward, and his pupils suddenly contracted.

At the rear of the group, a thick hemp rope linked several women and children together.

Seven or eight of them walked barefoot, their feet swollen red and purple from the cold, their bodies covered in wounds.

Their hands were tightly bound with coarse rope, and they were led and dragged along by guards in front of them, stumbling as they walked.

The woman at the front wore ragged gray-white hemp clothing. Her thin garments could not hide the bruises covering her body.

Behind her followed a boy of five or six. His little face was bluish-white, but he bit down on his lips and refused to cry.

Further back was a young woman clutching a swaddled infant tightly in her arms.

She had nearly curled her whole body around it, using her thin chest to preserve the last scrap of warmth for the baby.

The infant was crying, the sound faint, like a kitten about to freeze to death.

The group passed by slowly.

The Jing People throughout the street lowered their heads and held their breath. No one dared raise their eyes.

Fortunately, this group of Liang People had no intention of stirring up trouble. As they passed a bun stall, they casually grabbed several hot buns and ate as they walked, broth dripping through their fingers.

Just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief, the man at the front suddenly spoke in flawless Jing Language. "You Jing People have the guts to resist Great Liang's heavenly might, but not the guts to protect your own wives and children? In the end, you're just a nest of spineless cowards with no balls."

"You can keep hiding and groveling to survive. Your wives and daughters, we'll naturally take good care of them. And Ji City has been sealed. Without government permission, no one may leave the city on their own. You cannot escape."

No one knew who he was speaking to, but his words stirred up towering waves in everyone's hearts.

"The city's sealed! We can't make a Slippery Escape!" Su Yuan's heart sank.

Only after that group vanished at the end of the long street did someone speak in a trembling, lowered voice. "Th-those were the family members of Cloud-Striding Martial Hall, weren't they? How tragic..."

"I went to West City to look. The martial hall was flattened. All the Martial Warriors inside are gone, let alone these women and children."

"Even Martial Warriors can't stop the Liang People?" a young man could not help asking.

"Shut up!" The person beside him hurriedly covered his mouth.

But someone else said, "It's all that martial hall's fault. Because of them, we can't leave the city."

"They're only preventing us Grey People from leaving. It's been like this for days. The demonic beasts outside the city are terrifying now anyway. Better to stay inside the city..."

"If Martial Warriors couldn't stop them, then they just weren't strong enough." Su Yuan surveyed his surroundings and caught sight of someone whose hand structure closely resembled Yun Xu's, his fists clenched tightly.

"Someone from Cloud-Striding Martial Hall?" Su Yuan knew that this martial hall practiced palm techniques.

He recalled Yun Xu mentioning the martial hall's secret stronghold, but he had never dared make contact rashly.

Blending into the crowd as its noise gradually returned, Su Yuan changed direction and headed for the South City gate.

There were several times more Liang soldiers in armor and carrying weapons than usual. They inspected everyone strictly, allowing through only a few caravans holding special documents.

Su Yuan sighed softly and turned back, only to find a familiar figure standing before his shop.

His steps were unsteady. It was Wang Er.