The Way of the Sword

Woof!

Sun Qiang had just stepped into the familiar sword room when an angry bark exploded beside his ear.

"Eek!"

The chubby boy was completely stunned. His raised right leg instinctively recoiled, and he clutched his chest with both hands, terrified like a hamster.

Since when had there been a vicious dog in the sword room? There hadn't even been a sign at the door!

"A-Tai, don't be naughty!"

Only then did the still-shaken Sun Qiang realize that the sword room contained not only a vicious dog, but also a pretty, adorable little girl.

Then he noticed that the thing that had nearly scared his soul out of his body was actually just a foot-long white puppy!

Taike stood in front of Sun Qiang, raising its head with a fierce look in its eyes. A low growl rumbled from its throat, as if warning the chubby boy: I'm very ferocious. I'm so ferocious that even I'm afraid of myself. So, are you scared or not?

But before it could fully display its ferocious side, Bao'er bent down and picked it up.

"Sorry, big brother..."

Bao'er apologized for Taike. "A-Tai is a little mischievous. He didn't scare you, did he?"

She rubbed Taike's head in annoyance. It had just scared Shang Yulin, and now it had scared Sun Qiang too.

It was far too naughty!

Taike whimpered and acted cute under her rubbing, making her annoyance vanish in an instant.

Sun Qiang lowered his raised leg and awkwardly scratched his head. "It's fine, it's fine. This little dog is very cute..."

To prove that he had not been frightened, he reached out to pet Taike.

Arf!

As if it had eyes in the back of its head, Taike twisted around and snapped at him before his chubby hand could touch it. Looking for death!

Sun Qiang hastily pulled his hand back in fright, his face turning pale.

He had not expected this adorable-looking little dog to be so fierce.

Taike had actually shown mercy. It mainly wanted to scare him; otherwise, how could Sun Qiang have kept his hand intact?

If it bit down on him, losing a few fingers would have counted as getting off lightly!

Bao'er was also afraid that Taike might really bite someone, so she hurriedly carried it aside.

Zuo Yi smiled. "This is my daughter, Bao'er."

Sun Qiang took a deep breath to steady himself, then gave Bao'er a fawning smile. "Hello, Junior Sister Bao'er. My name is Sun Qiang. I'm your father's student."

Bao'er answered politely, "Hello, Brother Sun Qiang."

"Hello, hello..."

The chubby boy grinned, feeling as though he were floating.

He was an only child and had always envied people with younger brothers and sisters. Now that he saw Bao'er, he thought that if he could have such a kawaii little sister, he would be unimaginably happy!

"Enough."

Zuo Yi reached out and tapped Sun Qiang on the head, interrupting his fantasy. "Who beat you up like this?"

The huge swollen lump on the back of Sun Qiang's head was alarming to look at. He had been lucky, and his thick skin and sturdy flesh had helped, so this injury was not too serious. Had it been someone else, they might have collapsed on the spot.

The back of the head was a vital area!

Sun Qiang stammered, "It was... it was a few students from the neighboring school..."

It was embarrassing to say. He had spent two years in middle school being bullied and extorted. Although he had told the teachers, it had done no good, and he had not dared tell his family. Then, that morning, those people had nearly blocked him at the entrance to his residential complex.

Although he had successfully escaped their encirclement, he had still taken a "flying projectile" to the back of the head, leaving a huge bump.

Bao'er sat in a corner of the sword room with Taike in her arms. After hearing Sun Qiang's tale of blood and tears, she quietly said to Taike, "This chubby brother is so pitiful. Don't bully him anymore."

Taike nodded.

A weakling like that was not worth stepping on even if he knelt on the ground and begged Taike to trample him.

"A-Tai is so good."

Bao'er narrowed her eyes and lowered her head to kiss it.

Taike took the chance to act cute.

Zuo Yi now understood why Sun Qiang had come to the martial arts hall to learn. Although Zuo Yi had not regarded the chubby boy as a true disciple, seeing him bullied like this still displeased him.

"You've practiced well these past few days..."

After thinking for a moment, Zuo Yi said, "I had planned to teach you the second form of the Body Tempering Technique, but since you've run into this situation, I'll teach you a sword move first."

The chubby boy looked a little simple-minded, but he was not stupid. He was also quite diligent. Every morning and afternoon, he repeatedly practiced the movements Zuo Yi had taught him at the martial arts hall, showing a persistent fighting spirit.

Zuo Yi was willing to teach a student like that something real.

Sun Qiang was overjoyed and immediately bowed. "Thank you, Teacher!"

The reason he wanted to learn the sword instead of fighting techniques was because swordsmanship was easier to learn quickly. Unlike fighting techniques, which required long-term tempering of the muscles, bones, and body, it could give him some means of self-defense in the shortest time possible.

Those delinquent youths he had shaken off that morning definitely would not let the matter rest, and he might not be lucky every time. If he had some skill of his own, he would not have to fear them.

Zuo Yi waved his hand and walked to the sword rack.

More than a dozen standard practice wooden swords of varying lengths rested on the rack. They were made from inexpensive oak. Wooden swords also came in premium varieties, such as high-grade ones crafted from ironwood or iron birch.

But Heavenly Vast Martial Arts Hall could not afford such premium swords. In fact, even among these ordinary oak swords, at least half were badly damaged and nearly ready to be discarded.

This also showed the martial arts hall's current straitened circumstances.

Zuo Yi selected two wooden swords that were still in fairly good condition. He handed one to Sun Qiang and held the other in his own hand.

With a sword in hand, his expression turned solemn. "A sword is a warrior's weapon. If you lack the courage to draw your sword and fight, then do not learn swordsmanship, because the sword will become a coward's burden and weakness."

"Now I'll ask you once more: do you truly want to learn the sword?"

Under Zuo Yi's sharp gaze, Sun Qiang's legs trembled, and he nearly could not stand. He had a powerful urge to turn around and run.

But recalling how he had been bullied time and again, he gritted his teeth and said, "I do!"

Zuo Yi nodded. "Very good. Then watch carefully."

He turned toward the sword dummy standing against the wall ahead and raised his sword high with both hands.

An indescribable aura rose from Zuo Yi, blanketing the entire sword room in the blink of an eye and making even the air freeze!

Sun Qiang involuntarily held his breath and strained to open his eyes wide.

"Slash!"

With Zuo Yi's low shout, the wooden sword in his hands suddenly chopped straight down. The dark brown blade tore through the air like lightning, creating an invisible blade of force.

It struck the sword dummy several steps away in an instant!

Puff!

The sword dummy, covered from top to bottom in thick, tough rubber hide, suddenly trembled. A sunken sword mark appeared on its chest.

Yet Zuo Yi's fallen wooden sword was still more than a meter away from the sword dummy!

Incredible!

Sun Qiang's open mouth did not close for a long while. Zuo Yi's slash had left him dumbstruck.

He had seen plenty of performances by swordsmanship masters online and on television, and he had thought them very impressive. Yet compared to Zuo Yi's demonstration now, they were nothing at all.

At that moment, Sun Qiang could not understand why the Heavenly Vast Martial Arts Hall, which looked as though it was about to close down, had such an incredible swordsmanship instructor as Zuo Yi.

He knew he had truly struck gold!

However, Sun Qiang did not know that Zuo Yi's slash had neither unleashed sword intent nor been infused with battle qi. In terms of strength, he had not even used one ten-thousandth of his own power.

Zuo Yi drew back his sword and swept it sideways, lightly patting Sun Qiang's shoulder while he was still dazed. "Did you understand?"

Sun Qiang came back to his senses and hurriedly nodded.

The next moment, he realized something was wrong and quickly shook his head instead—he absolutely could not pretend to understand when he did not!

"It doesn't matter."

Zuo Yi did not mind. "Now learn from me."

The sword move Zuo Yi taught Sun Qiang was actually very simple: raise the sword and slash straight down, with no follow-up variations. Basically, anyone could learn it.

But even this move, "Slash," could encompass the ultimate principles of the sword and the mysteries of swordsmanship. What Zuo Yi was teaching Sun Qiang now were merely the basic introductory essentials, such as how to exert force when swinging the sword.

Even that would be enough for Sun Qiang to study for quite some time!

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Very soon, the sword room echoed with the whistling of wooden swords cutting through the air.

Under Zuo Yi's guidance, Sun Qiang practiced "Slash" against the sword dummy over and over again.

The second update is here. Please support with votes!!!