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"It seemed your talent really was quite good. You weren't just boasting to me."

Chen Mu smiled.

Chen Yue shook her head, blinking her big eyes as she looked at Chen Mu. "Big brother is the impressive one. You managed to develop Saber Force all by yourself. I didn't know before, but now I understand just how difficult that is..."

She did not say the rest. She had not known before, but after hearing what the Martial Masters and her sisters in the academy said, she learned that Chen Mu was the sort with exceptionally high comprehension. Unfortunately, he had come into contact with the Body Tempering Method too late in life; entering the Yi Jin Realm in the future would likely be very difficult.

If Chen Mu had been like her and started training at fifteen or sixteen, then by now he probably would not only have developed Saber Force, but his Body Tempering Method would have at least reached Lian Rou Great Accomplishment. Before the age of twenty-five, he would surely have attained Lian Rou Completion, and then he would have had a great chance of stepping into the Yi Jin Realm.

What a pity.

Back then, Chen Mu and she had still been impoverished commoners who had to curl up beneath a single cotton quilt for warmth in the bitter winter. How could they have had the money or means to practice a Body Tempering Method? Only now had he finally made a name for himself through his saber skills, but his best years had already been wasted.

Her diligence in cultivation at the Martial Academy here was almost the greatest in the entire Female Courtyard. It was not only because she knew that being able to train at the Yu Family Martial Hall was a hard-won opportunity, but also because she understood that Chen Mu had poured his heart and effort into sending her here.

Chen Mu had missed many years, while she was at just the right age.

Perhaps Chen Mu also harbored regrets in his heart, she thought. So she was not cultivating for herself alone; she was cultivating while carrying Chen Mu's regrets and hopes as well. Naturally, she was unwilling to waste even a drop of time.

Naturally, she could not say any of this to Chen Mu.

"Didn't you say in your letters that your comprehension was excellent, and even the instructors praised you? Don't you have confidence in developing Sword Force?"

Chen Mu truly had no idea that Chen Yue's mind was filled with such thoughts. If he had known, he might only have laughed at it; giving her a little more motivation was not a bad thing. Looking at Chen Yue now, he said with a smile.

Chen Yue puffed out her modestly developed little chest. "Of course I do! Big brother, don't look down on me. In a few years, maybe I'll even be stronger than you!"

"Alright, then I'll wait for that day."

Chen Mu smiled faintly, then took the small cloth pouch containing Gold Leaves from his robes and handed it to Chen Yue.

The moment Chen Yue took it, she knew what was inside. Hesitating, she said, "I... I actually don't need much silver here. The Martial Academy provides resources for training. Big brother should keep it..."

As she spoke, she tried to push it back into Chen Mu's hands.

But Chen Mu only shook his head slightly. "I don't know much about the Martial Academy, but even if it provides training resources, they must be issued on a fixed schedule and in fixed amounts. They certainly won't hand out extra nourishing supplements. This money is nothing to me now. Use it first, and if it isn't enough, write to me again."

The silver in his possession was sufficient for the time being. Besides, compared with him, who had the System Panel to assist his cultivation, Chen Yue needed to build a solid foundation more. At fifteen or sixteen, even an extra prescription to nourish her blood and vitality with every meal would be beneficial.

"Really?"

Chen Yue pinched the little cloth pouch in her small hands and spoke with some hesitation.

She knew that Chen Mu was now a head runner, and that he was no longer the same as before. But with one squeeze, she could tell that the pouch contained Gold Leaves—worth at least two hundred taels of silver in total. Though she saw them often in the academy, and others casually took out Gold Leaves, she had only escaped her impoverished life a few months ago.

"Why would I lie to you?"

Chen Mu laughed, reached out, and patted Chen Yue's little head twice. "Alright, off you go. When I have time next, I'll come see you again. Or when your skills become profound enough, you can come find me yourself."

Generally speaking, someone at Major Accomplishment in Skin Tempering and Major Accomplishment in their skills already had some standing in the Outer City. Many Head Runners in the City Guard were roughly at that level. But Chen Yue was a girl, and life in this world would be more troublesome for her. She needed to reach Skin Tempering Perfection or above before she could be said to possess some ability to protect herself. He was not worried about the Martial Academy, and Chen Yue also knew the importance of things well enough not to run around everywhere.

"Alright..."

After hesitating for a moment, Chen Yue still put away the little pouch and reluctantly bade Chen Mu farewell.

Chen Mu watched Chen Yue return to the Martial Academy. Only after its doors closed did he turn around, soon vanishing into the streets and alleys.

Elsewhere.

Inside the Martial Academy.

The moment Chen Yue entered, a girl about her age who was leaning by the door crack spoke softly to her. Her skin was fair and her features delicate; at a glance, she was clearly born into a wealthy family. "Yueyue, was that your big brother?"

"That's right."

Chen Yue pulled Yu Ru back inside.

Yu Ru let Chen Yue tug her along, tilting her little head. "Did he really develop Saber Force on his own? In our courtyard and next door, so many people have their heads practically held down by the instructors as they train, yet they still can't develop it even after years. Though no wonder Sister Hongyu thinks so highly of him."

It was a pity that Chen Mu had not trained in this courtyard from an early age. Otherwise, he would definitely be in the Inner Courtyard by now. In the future, he would also become someone like Xu Hongyu, capable of standing alone wherever he went. And after secretly glancing at him just now, Yu Ru found that he really did resemble Chen Yue somewhat. There was also a heroic air between his brows.

"Alright, hurry and go train. Otherwise, the instructor will scold us later."

Chen Yue pulled Yu Ru into the Inner Courtyard.

After giving Chen Yue some silver and seeing that she was indeed living quite well at the Yu Family Martial Hall in the Inner City, Chen Mu was completely at ease. He did not remain in the Inner City any longer and soon returned to the Outer City.

But Jade City was simply too vast. After going there and back, the sky had already grown dim.

Yet Chen Mu no longer feared much of anything. Forget dusk—even in the depths of night, he had wandered the Outer City in a Nightwalker Suit more than once. After all, there were now very, very few people in the Outer City who could truly threaten him.

At the Flesh Tempering level, he feared almost no one.

Only people like Xu Hongyu, who had entered the Yi Jin Realm, could pose a threat to him.

But how many people like that were there?

Xu Hongyu!

The Chief Constable of the City Guard Main Division in the South District!

In the entire South District, there was only one person like her.

As for those motley gangs and various forces below, if their leaders could reach Lian Rou Completion and develop their skills into force, that was already the limit. Those who could reach the Yi Jin Realm were virtually nonexistent.

The reason was simple. Anyone with the Yi Jin Realm and skills that had developed into force could stand on their own wherever they went. They would never deign to be some gang leader. They could openly join the forces of the Inner City; even if they could not become Chief Constable, they could still secure a position as Deputy Chief Constable or something similar.

Walking through the dark streets and alleys, Chen Mu strode like a dragon and a tiger, his expression indifferent.

At this hour, there were hardly any pedestrians on the roads. The occasional people were figures from the Thieves Guild, black gangs, and other nocturnal groups. Seeing Chen Mu in a clean long robe, a saber at his waist, swaggering through the streets so openly, they all showed wary expressions and moved aside.

Though it was difficult to judge a person's strength with a single glance, a person's aura was something that truly existed. Chen Mu now had both strength and confidence, and the aura that naturally rose from him as he walked was different, enough to inspire fear in others' hearts.

And these people who made their living in gangs survived for long largely by their eyesight. At a glance, they could tell that Chen Mu belonged to the sort who was extremely difficult to provoke. Naturally, they entertained no extra thoughts and each gave way.