Closer

"Finally reached minor mastery."

"My talent can improve again."

Returning to his small compartment, Li Mu immediately entered the Sword Talisman Space and sat before the Sword-Inquiring Platform.

[Dripping Water Swordsmanship has reached minor mastery and can be recorded]

He was already quite practiced at this. Focusing his mind, he gripped the brush, and memories of his training fell onto the blank pages. Lines of text and small illustrations soon appeared...

A moment later, the brush tip stopped.

[Minor mastery Dripping Water Swordsmanship fully recorded. Swordsmanship talent +10]

Li Mu's latest information also appeared on the Evolution One wall beside him.

[Talisman Master: Li Mu]

[Qi and Blood: 7.9↑]

[Spirit: 10.0]

[Swordsmanship Talent: 40.0 (White)]

[Recorded Sword Manual: Beginner, proficient, minor mastery Dripping Water Swordsmanship fully recorded. Swordsmanship talent increased by 30.0]

[Evolution One: Clear Sword Eyes; Evolution Two: Sword-Inquiring Platform]

...

[Dripping Water Swordsmanship: 1/2000 (Minor Mastery)]

"Forty talent points! One more recording, and I'll reach fifty points—the green grade—and catch up to Manager Leng Shuangyu."

Li Mu smiled faintly, his heart filled with delight.

After working so hard for so long, his talent had finally surpassed even Cao A-Man's.

Although the proficiency requirement from minor mastery to major mastery had risen to 2,000 points, each practice session now gave him four points of proficiency.

With his current grasp and understanding of Dripping Water Swordsmanship, coupled with his formidable 7.9 physique, practicing twenty times a day was no longer a problem.

Eighty proficiency points a day. In less than a month, his swordsmanship could reach major mastery!

"Once I reach major mastery, fully recording another copy of Dripping Water Swordsmanship will unlock Evolution Three."

Li Mu was full of anticipation.

He had already discovered that the Great Expansion Sword Register would unlock more transformations as his attainment in swordsmanship continued to rise.

Once he became a household servant, he would have access to more sword techniques, accumulate strength faster, and unlock even more.

"Household servants, instructors, then formal disciples. After that come managers, core disciples, and above them are the three manor lords..."

Over this period, Li Mu had more or less figured out the manor's hierarchy and the authority corresponding to each level.

Casting off one's slave status and becoming a household servant was merely the beginning of everything.

Yet this step was crucial. Countless people of humble origins and empty pockets had fallen at this very hurdle.

"Fortunately, only the assessment remains now."

Li Mu smiled.

Under the moonlight, on the other side of Hidden Sword Manor's central courtyard.

Inside an antique two-story building.

In the second-floor inner hall, a long ink-wash calligraphy scroll hung on the left wall, while the right wall held a sword rack displaying ten swords of different designs, weights, and lengths.

A screen stood against the far wall, dividing the room into a reception area and a training area.

A hollow bronze incense burner shaped like a beast sat atop it, burning sandalwood and sending threads of white smoke curling upward.

In the reception area.

A pair of delicate hands held a long pot and poured two cups of sour plum soup, placing them on a large and a small table several steps apart.

The large table stood before the screen and occupied the seat of honor. Behind it sat a woman in black fitted martial attire, her high ponytail tied tightly.

The smaller table stood against the left wall beneath the ink-wash scroll. A tall, burly man in white sat there.

The woman's features were delicate and beautiful, but her expression was cold, as though covered in frost.

The burly man in white appeared extremely restrained. He carefully glanced at the sour plum soup but did not dare touch it.

It was clearly a meeting between superior and subordinate.

After dismissing the maid who had poured the drinks, Leng Shuangyu lifted her cup of sour plum soup.

"Instructor Zhao, have some."

"Thank you for the reward, Manager." Zhao Meng, seated below, saluted before eagerly taking a large gulp.

He immediately felt refreshed, and his qi and blood faintly began to stir.

This sour plum soup was no ordinary drink. It was made from Hidden Sword Manor's secret recipe and included nourishing medicinal ingredients.

It cooled the body and relieved summer heat while also providing considerable benefits to martial artists.

One bowl was worth at least two taels of silver.

"Of the previous eleven prospects, four died. Will that have any impact?" Leng Shuangyu went straight to the point.

Zhao Meng had reported the Sword-Wiping Slave Dormitory massacre long ago, and she had been satisfied with how he handled it.

She had also inspected the injuries on those corpses.

Just as Zhao Meng had said, whoever had acted possessed deep attainments in Dripping Water Swordsmanship.

It was impossible to strike with such precision and ruthlessness without three to five years of practice.

Naturally, there was no need to investigate. That would only bring endless trouble.

What mattered most now was stability.

And amid that stability, she still needed to strengthen her own faction.

So long as no truly useful people had been harmed, and so long as no bottom line had been crossed, Leng Shuangyu could endure...

"The remaining seven all have good potential. Cao A-Man reached proficiency yesterday. That boy was born with abundant qi and blood, an excellent prospect. He deserves one of the spots. The others are not bad either. I believe they won't disappoint you, Manager," Zhao Meng hurriedly said.

"Mm. I don't have the time to watch over things all day. I'll need you to train more capable hands and keep watch over Myriad Swords Tower.

"The Mountain-Holding Vulture has returned after disappearing for years. They've gathered quite a few forces and even dared send spies to covet Hidden Sword Manor's sword transport convoys.

"The area around Azure River City is already growing restless. When I went into the city some days ago, I saw far more people from all walks of life, as well as more government bounties.

"Starting today, increase the strength of the night patrols and watches. If anything goes wrong, even if only one or two hidden swords are lost..."

"This subordinate understands!" Zhao Meng naturally understood the importance of intensifying the training of capable household servants.

Hidden Sword Manor possessed a vast foundation, and household servants guarded it day and night, both inside and out. However, they were generally responsible only for their own areas.

Of course, formal disciples also stood duty in case of emergencies, but the household servants were the first to raise the alarm.

If an accident occurred, the managers of each tower would bear the primary responsibility.

This was the critical period for competing for core disciple positions. Core disciples could access too many secrets, especially the manor's superior martial arts. Thus, potential alone was not enough; loyalty and merit mattered just as much.

If she were held accountable at such a time, who knew how long it would take before she could regain the manor lords' trust?

Leng Shuangyu needed to train martial arts, oversee and manage Myriad Swords Tower, and find ways to earn merit. Increasing her manpower was absolutely necessary.

Unfortunately, she did not have many household servants like Zhao Meng beneath her—loyal, sharp, and capable.

Among the household servants of the other four towers, each had at least five or six experts at the second qi-and-blood stage.

The instructors there had all practiced swordsmanship for over six years. They were either stuck at the bottleneck of the second qi-and-blood stage or had reached the third stage, with a chance of becoming formal disciples.

This was because, though her talent was high, Leng Shuangyu had the worst background, fewest connections, and shallowest foundation among the managers of Hidden Sword Manor's five great towers.

Furthermore, Ye Wanqing, the manager of Forging Sword Tower, had always been at odds with her and pressured her from many sides.

As a result, her manpower had always been the weakest in the manor.

The promising servants were divided up the moment they entered the manor, and she had not even filled all thirty of her household servant quotas.

If not for Hidden Sword Manor's far-reaching reputation, its resident experts, and the deep foundation of its inner court...

With only her meager manpower, countless incidents would have happened long ago.

Though she understood this, Leng Shuangyu still had to fulfill her duties with the utmost caution.

Especially at this critical time in the struggle for core disciple status.

"The list and details of the seven this time are all here."

"Fine. You may leave."

Leng Shuangyu accepted the list Zhao Meng handed over and read down the lines, committing these names to memory—

Cao A-Man, Li Lanqiao, Li Mu, Hui Zhen, Meng Ling, Fan Rong, Qi Zhun.

There were seven people in total. Their origins were clear, and regardless of their former family circumstances, they were all orphans now.

Zhao Meng lowered his head and clasped his hands in salute. He slowly retreated outside, only daring to raise his head after turning around. A faint smile appeared on his face.

"Besides Cao A-Man, Li Mu and the others are also solid. There shouldn't be any problem claiming credit for training them."

"Still, I may need to push them a little and draw out their potential to the fullest..."

Leng Shuangyu had promised more than once that if the three selected people satisfied her, she would reward them with two portions of great medicine, worth a hundred taels!

And the reason he was working so hard was precisely for those two portions of great medicine. One of them was intended for his younger brother, Zhao Tuo.

That was the advantage of being an instructor.

Each tower appointed only one instructor. They stood below only the managers of the five great towers, yet above all household servants and slaves.

The favor, authority, and resources they received were the most abundant available at the household servant level.

"Instructor, are you really paying out of your own pocket? A full ten taels!"

The following afternoon, on the training ground, Li Mu and the other six all looked surprised upon hearing Instructor Zhao Meng's announcement.

First place in the assessment would receive five taels of silver.

Second place, three taels.

Third place, two taels.

Third place alone was equivalent to an ordinary household servant's monthly wages.

"Ten taels is indeed a lot. It's two whole months of my wages, and I'm offering it to you as a personal bonus," Zhao Meng said with a smile. "So those of you who haven't reached proficiency yet, hurry up."

"The rewards will be paid on the spot once the assessment ends."

At those words, everyone's eyes burned with excitement.

Five taels of silver?

Even Li Mu felt tempted. In his eyes, that was five portions of Blood-Nourishing Powder. Although its effects would diminish due to his body's growing resistance, it would still be of immense help!

"Beating Cao A-Man isn't impossible, but I'd have to completely reveal my strength. That would draw too much attention..."

In everyone's eyes, Cao A-Man's qi and blood had always surpassed his.

Without exposing his minor-mastery sword momentum, he would have to rely on flawless proficient-level performance, using skill to overcome strength.

Even if he could find an opening, there would still be risks.

Two months ago, he had been frail beyond compare. Could merely taking Blood-Nourishing Powder and practicing swordsmanship for two months really give him strength comparable to Cao A-Man's?

And after having always been unhurried and unremarkable, could he suddenly display flawless proficient-level swordsmanship that normally took years of practice to wield?

If such questions and attention were pursued further, they could bring plenty of trouble.

Li Mu decided that taking second place would be enough. It was not worth arousing suspicion just for the additional two taels of silver.

Once he became a household servant, there would naturally be more ways to earn money.

There were still twenty days left.

He only needed to steadily display strength superior to the other five. Then, when the time came, he could perform reliably and secure second place without inviting unnecessary complications.

At that moment, the others had already begun sparring enthusiastically. They all fought with greater determination than before.

Clearly, they were thinking the same thing—

Competing with Cao A-Man for first was hopeless, but second and third place were still very much within reach!

Time passed swiftly.

In the blink of an eye, half a month had gone by.