Yearning

Ten days passed in the blink of an eye.

He worked during the day, practiced for half an hour in the afternoon, then secretly trained extra at night.

Li Mu's swordsmanship proficiency progressed steadily.

[Dripping Water Swordsmanship: 92/100, Not Yet Initiated]

[Qi and Blood: 4.6↑]

Practicing around ten times a day was already the limit of his physique.

During this time, his qi and blood had finally risen by 0.1.

The change was hardly noticeable.

But the hunger grew increasingly intense.

Once he truly began practicing the sword, Li Mu could no longer eat his fill.

He was already at an age of growth, and now that he had started martial training, his consumption was enormous.

A bowl of watery porridge, two coarse flour buns, perhaps some pickled vegetables and minced meat—how could that possibly provide enough nourishment?

But there was no helping it. Every sword-wiping servant was the same.

If he wanted better treatment, he could only find a way to become a household servant.

The household servants responsible for distributing meals in the shed always smelled of braised pork. Just catching a whiff made him drool.

"Only by mastering it within three months and passing the assessment can you become a household servant."

Sitting in the corner and eating his bun, Li Mu recalled the words of the white-robed instructor.

I'll push through and achieve initiation this afternoon. Then I'll endure for another two days and show the instructor when the deadline draws near...

A sudden commotion broke out.

Li Mu looked up and saw a small group gathered together, whispering about something.

After awakening the Great Expansion Sword Register, his senses had become far keener.

Though their voices were quiet and they were separated by several tables, their words still carried to his ears with the wind.

"Five buns, or five copper coins. I'll give you guidance for one day, better than ten days of bitter training... You don't want the instructor to drive you away, do you?"

The speaker was Wang Que, the short fellow with the freckled face.

He leaned back in his chair, tapping the tabletop with his fingers as he calmly watched the others whisper among themselves.

Before long, someone timidly said, "Brother Que, I'll pay in buns. I-I'll give them over five days. What do you think...?"

"Fine. We're all from the same courtyard, so naturally we should support one another. But my time is precious too. Think it over. Those who decide can meet me at the training ground tonight."

Having said that, Wang Que drained his thin porridge in one gulp, then turned and left.

He left behind a tableful of people hesitating and discussing it.

Money can be earned that easily? Li Mu felt that he had miscalculated. He had watched Wang Que practice swordsmanship, and the man truly grasped things quickly.

But when it came to the essentials of initiation and all manner of tricks, no one here understood them better than Li Mu.

With a glance, he could tell where the others were going wrong in their sword practice and where they could make adjustments.

No, I can't envy that kind of business...

Wang Que's talent had been apparent from the first day he watched the sword, and his performance at the training ground had remained dazzling ever since.

Without realizing it, he had gained strong credibility.

Even if he said something wrong, those people might not notice it, nor would they dare refute him.

But Li Mu?

He had always been an inconspicuous presence—dull-witted and slow in progress.

If he suddenly stepped forward now and claimed that he had figured things out, it certainly would not have the same effect in establishing his standing.

Watching Wang Que's departing back, Li Mu knew that Wang Que must have encountered the same predicament.

He was too hungry, unable to eat his fill, and urgently needed more nourishment.

This sudden move was surely so he could steadily achieve initiation and later pass the household servant assessment.

Right, the household servant assessment.

Li Mu suddenly realized that even if he mastered the Dripping Water Swordsmanship, he would still need to undergo an assessment!

There would be a sparring assessment, and the slots were limited.

If their swordsmanship levels were comparable, then with his bottom-tier qi and blood, he was afraid...

If I stay and train, I definitely won't have a problem. The key is the assessment two months from now.

I have to prepare early.

Realizing this, Li Mu frowned slightly. He too needed to find a way to make up for his nutritional deficit.

He had to catch up faster in qi and blood.

The best way was to eat meat every day.

But a sword-wiping servant's monthly wages were only twenty copper coins, and they had not even been paid yet!

Moreover, as a sword-wiping servant, he was not allowed to leave the manor. He could not even go deeper into its grounds.

His idea of going out to hunt died before it could begin.

Looking at his empty bowl, Li Mu was at a loss.

Just then, Hui Zhen came over and sat down, speaking softly.

"Blockhead, I heard Wang Que is willing to give guidance, but he wants buns or copper coins. He'll be waiting at the training ground tonight and will only teach twenty people. Are you interested?"

Li Mu froze for a moment, then shook his head. "I'd rather listen to the instructor. Do you want to go?"

"A little... This humble monk is dull-witted. Even though I chant sutras every night and pray to Buddha, I have failed to move the Buddha into granting me even a little insight." Hui Zhen sighed softly, tightening his grip on the charred prayer beads in his hand. "The end of the month is almost here..."

Li Mu considered it and said, "We're at about the same level. We can exchange ideas this afternoon; perhaps it'll inspire us. But as for Wang Que... I don't think he's reliable. Still, you can give it a try."

Li Mu's thinking was that more than half of the one-month deadline had passed, so it was about time for him to gradually reveal himself.

Giving the little monk a few pointers along the way should not arouse suspicion.

Hui Zhen was also his only friend here, and his character was not bad.

"Then thank you, Brother Li." Hui Zhen nodded and did not mention Wang Que again.

Changing the subject, he sighed. "When will these days ever end... I heard the Mountain-Holding Vulture outside has become more and more rampant, robbing anyone they see on the roads. The manor's sword shipments to the county town have run into them several times, though perhaps they fear the manor's reputation and have not dared to make a move."

"The Mountain-Holding Vulture? Weren't they purged several times by the city garrison?" Li Mu paid close attention to changes in the outside world, but he had too few channels and only heard things now and then.

Hui Zhen shook his head. "The city garrison? They can barely look after themselves. Many villages no longer have any living people. Who knows how many refugees block the city gates every day, while some may have taken to the hills and become bandits. And I heard the plague has spread into the outer city too. There are far fewer people now. Many wealthy families have fled the city overnight."

"Then staying in the manor is still all right for now. At least we have buns to eat, clean water to drink, and somewhere to sleep." Li Mu had not expected things outside to have grown so dire.

These were hard times to survive in...

Disaster was like a dark force that continually accumulated, sweeping over all living beings and gradually affecting everyone.

Hidden Sword Manor had stood for thirty years, but the situation was constantly changing. How much longer could it last?

Li Mu suddenly felt that such days would not last forever either.

Only by strengthening himself could he gain a greater sense of security.

At the training ground.

"Not bad. You finally look somewhat presentable." The white-robed instructor looked around the field. Quite a few people could now perform the sword forms in full.

As for the sword momentum of "Rain Thorn"? Not a single person showed even the faintest sign of it yet.

The white-robed instructor's gaze swept across the crowd before pausing, almost casually, on Li Mu. This kid has worked little by little and actually caught up...

He had a clear grasp of the situation of all hundred-plus people and had long divided them into ranks.

Li Mu had originally been in the worst rank, but over these past days, he had slowly adjusted into the second rank.

Still, he was not worth the instructor wasting time to guide.

The white-robed instructor walked over to those in the first rank and explained things for a quarter of an hour before turning to leave.

The others looked on with some envy, their gazes turning toward Wang Que, Cao A-Man, and the others.

Only they could receive such patient instruction from the instructor.

Watching the instructor walk away, Li Mu let out a breath and tugged at Hui Zhen, who stood ahead of him.

"Come on. There isn't much time. Let's hurry."

Hui Zhen quickly turned around and practiced alongside Li Mu. The two broke down the movements and exchanged insights.

But it was mostly Li Mu secretly guiding Hui Zhen to change his way of thinking, while the latter occasionally revealed a look of sudden realization.

After their exchange ended, the two resumed practicing on their own.

Hui Zhen said softly, "Blockhead, this humble monk feels that you have a great talent for being an instructor. After your guidance, I seem to be close to touching the threshold."

"Think it over more yourself. What I said may not all be right." Li Mu smiled.

"No, what you said is very right!" Hui Zhen said earnestly. "I have no way to repay such a great favor. Tonight, I'll give you a bun first."

"Then I won't stand on ceremony."

Li Mu glanced around. Everyone else was exchanging ideas and striving to improve, and no one was paying attention to their side.

After all, the month would be over in the blink of an eye. Everyone wanted to make one last push.

"Hm? That Cao A-Man seems close to achieving initiation too."

"As for Wang Que, he's still quite a ways off."

Li Mu looked toward those "top students" and discovered that one person's swordsmanship had already begun to carry some of the momentum of Rain Thorn.

Although Li Mu had not yet achieved initiation himself, he had already seen through its essentials and could judge it clearly.

"Compared properly, I should be faster than Cao A-Man."

Even though his talent was at the bottom, under the enhancement of Clear Sword Eyes, his sword heart was clear and lucid. Once he understood something, he understood it completely, and he practiced bitterly day and night.

Without realizing it, he had moved ahead of everyone else.

Casting aside distracting thoughts, Li Mu began to practice his sword.

Today, he would achieve initiation!