Gaze

Leng Shuangyu glanced at the ground, frowned slightly, and said:

"First, the martial arts of Hidden Sword Manor are never passed outside. Second, there was no sign of any outsider breaking in yesterday. It was probably some servant acting on my behalf to punish unruly underlings. There is no need to investigate further. Clean this up quickly, and remind the other servants to mind the rules."

"Didn't you hear the steward's orders? These two committed insubordination and brought this upon themselves. They even dirtied the manor grounds. Throw them out, now."

Zhao Meng immediately waved a hand, and several servants rushed forward.

No! Don't!!

As they watched a massive stone hurtle toward them, both men screamed inwardly.

If they had known, they would never have listened to that person's instigation and provoked someone they simply could not afford to offend... Their pale faces were filled with terror, their hearts consumed by irreparable regret.

Bang! Bang!!

Blood gushed across the bluestone slabs, only to be promptly washed away.

A moment later, two heavy black sacks were thrown over the manor wall.

"Big Brother, getting our hands dirty so early in the morning is really unlucky..."

Zhao Tuo took the towel handed over from the side and wiped his hands.

Among the servants of Myriad Swords Tower, the Zhao brothers were the leaders.

Zhao Meng shook his head as well. "The estate is too large, so there are plenty of blind fools among the slaves. Later, follow Steward Leng's instructions and spread the news to the sword-wiping slaves' dormitory. Tell those underlings to behave themselves."

Within Banyan Garden.

Li Mu slowly sheathed his sword and smiled at the information displayed on the Sword Register.

[Register Holder: Li Mu]

[Vitality: 5.2↑ (medicinal effects still being digested)]

[Spirit: 10.0]

[Sword Dao Talent: 20.0 (White)]

[Recorded Sword Manual: Beginner-level Dripping Water Swordsmanship fully recorded, Sword Dao Talent increased by 10.0]

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

[Dripping Water Swordsmanship: 135/500 (Beginner)]

"Just one night! My vitality rose from 4.7 to 5.2.

A full increase of 0.5!

And the medicinal effects are still being digested..."

"The progress of my Dripping Water Swordsmanship has also surged..."

Li Mu smiled in satisfaction. He had barely slept all night, practicing his swordsmanship frantically, and had finally dispersed the scorching heat in his blood caused by the medicine.

The remaining medicinal power was still nourishing his body.

With the meat bought using his remaining copper coins as supplementation, there should be another noticeable increase in two days.

"My physique has finally surpassed the average level."

"If only I could get another dose of Blood-Nourishing Powder..."

Li Mu looked over his body. There was no obvious change, but the muscles in his arms had grown subtly more defined.

It was certain that both his strength and endurance had improved considerably.

The medicinal power was still being converted, so there was more room to grow.

If he could train his swordsmanship to the proficient level, then even if there was still a gap in vitality, dealing with Wang Que should not be a problem.

Only Cao A-Man might still be somewhat troublesome...

Li Mu smiled faintly and returned the wooden sword to the bushes.

When he returned to the dormitory to wash up, no one paid him any attention.

Some people occasionally went out to practice swordsmanship in the morning before returning.

The back building? Few paid attention to it.

As for those who had practiced swordsmanship through the night, they were already malnourished. After exhausting themselves all night, they slept like the dead.

After washing his face, Li Mu felt refreshed, not at all like someone who had gone without sleep for a night.

"You get what you pay for..."

"No wonder they say scholars can be poor, but martial artists cannot."

"Just one dose of Blood-Nourishing Powder has such effects. What about better medicine?"

One tael of silver was enough for an ordinary person to live comfortably for two months!

That was the equivalent of six months' wages for a sword-wiping slave.

Li Mu had swallowed an entire tael of silver's worth in one gulp. Thinking about it now made his heart ache, as if he had become a gold-devouring beast.

A very, very poor gold-devouring beast!

"It will get better."

Li Mu clenched his fist, feeling the stronger force within it.

"Two more months. Once I pass the assessment and become a servant, I'll be free to move around. Then I can go to Azure River City and make some money..."

He had been in this world for nearly a month, yet he had never left the manor.

It would be impossible to say he did not long for the world outside.

Being trapped here every day, endlessly working and practicing swordsmanship like a frog at the bottom of a well, was indeed rather dull.

But Li Mu also knew that the outside world was chaotic, complicated, and dangerous. The manor was comparatively peaceful.

Before gaining sufficient strength, he could not wander recklessly through the wilderness.

Azure River City had city guards, martial halls, and all kinds of trades. There would always be a reliable way to make money.

But the premise was that he first had to become a servant...

When it was time for breakfast, Li Mu headed to the wooden shed. He had barely sat down when Hui Zhen leaned over, a trace of lingering fear still on his face.

"Blockhead, have you heard? Something big happened yesterday!"

"Something big?" Li Mu looked up with curiosity.

"The two Gao brothers from Wild Village are dead! Steward Leng and Instructor Zhao Meng examined the bodies themselves! I heard those two didn't know their place and offended some newly promoted servant, who killed them on the spot."

"They died?!" Li Mu was genuinely surprised. He had struck heavily, but they should have been able to hang on for a while. Had they failed to pull through? Or was it...

Hui Zhen nodded heavily and said in a low voice, "Apparently, both of them were severely wounded by a single sword thrust. The servant who attacked had practiced Dripping Water Swordsmanship for at least a year. His Rain Thorn sword form was incredibly refined, and his strikes were decisive and vicious!

"He even crippled their limbs and threw them into a secluded corner of the small garden on the way to the pharmacy. They were only discovered when the cleaning servants went there."

At this point, Hui Zhen could not help revealing a trace of fear.

"Blockhead, how could this person be so ruthless? Good thing we didn't provoke someone like that."

"Indeed, cough, cough..." Li Mu nearly choked.

A year? He had not practiced for nearly that long.

The effects of Clear Sword Eyes were simply too powerful. It allowed him to constantly correct his mistakes; once he understood something, he understood it completely. Thus, his cultivation efficiency was several times that of ordinary people...

Li Mu coughed lightly and changed the subject. "Steward Leng didn't investigate?"

"Investigate what? She probably likes capable subordinates like that most. Why would she make trouble for herself over two slaves and hurt the servants' morale?

"You left early. Zhao Tuo just went to the dormitory and gave us a warning, telling us to follow the rules. Those who commit insubordination will end up the same way.

"Their bodies have already been thrown out. Who knows whether wolves ate them, or..."

Hui Zhen looked somewhat disgruntled. Outside Hidden Sword Manor, there were many famine refugees kneeling and begging to be admitted. They had always lacked food and clothing...

"Insubordination, and no investigation..."

Li Mu relaxed. Just as he had expected, the matter had been settled like this.

Not only would they not investigate the murderer, they had even used the incident to intimidate the sword-wiping slaves. Li Mu could more or less understand the intent behind it.

First, it would make them train harder, stimulate their potential, and find every way to climb upward.

Second, it would make those restless and reckless ones restrain themselves and stop causing trouble.

Third, it would show the servants that Leng Shuangyu protected her own, winning people's loyalty.

"An impressive move..."

Though the woman was cold and cruel, Li Mu somewhat admired her and liked this style of doing things.

As long as he displayed enough talent—or rather, enough value—in the future, he would naturally receive more resources working under someone like her.

"Hm?"

Li Mu suddenly felt several gazes on him. When he turned around, they vanished.

He frowned slightly, yet still found the most likely direction those gazes had come from.

At that table, several people were whispering among themselves. The leader had a face full of freckles.

"Wang Que..."

Li Mu narrowed his eyes slightly. Every person Wang Que had gathered was large and sturdy, with vitality above 5.5. Their progress in the beginner stage of Dripping Water Swordsmanship was quite considerable, and all of their Sword Dao Talents exceeded 20.

Some impressions from yesterday's meal flashed through his mind.

"Yesterday, it seemed every one of them added meat to their meals. Are they all so wealthy? Where did the money come from?"

"The two brothers from Wild Village followed me. Were they connected to him?"

"Wang Que is a crafty fellow. If it really has something to do with him..."

Li Mu reckoned that in a few days, once he mastered the Fine Rain Flying sword form, crushing Wang Que would be effortless.

I only want to develop quietly. Don't force my hand...