Miao Cunyi

Yangluo Prefecture lay across the land of Central Province, its high walls like bands of ink, its countless houses layered one upon another.

The Luo River curved around the city and flowed eastward, its misty waters vast and boundless.

With Mang Mountain to the north and Yiluo to the south, mountains and rivers guarded it on all sides, creating a scene of immense grandeur.

Yangluo Prefecture was famed for its peonies. Their varieties were numerous, their beauty unrivaled beneath heaven, their name renowned throughout Great Yan. Whenever flower season arrived, blossoms filled the city in blazing splendor, drawing dignitaries, refined scholars, and martial heroes from every direction. The city remained bustling with crowds year-round, lively beyond compare.

Xie Jinghan and his group entered the gates of Yangluo Prefecture. Voices rose in a tumult within the city, smoke from cooking fires drifted skyward, markets lined the streets in scattered rows, and carts, horses, and travelers passed endlessly by. A flourishing sight greeted them head-on.

The rescued young escort was named Miao Cunyi. He possessed exceptional talent and an unyielding temperament. Though still young, he had already reached the second rank of the Postnatal Realm, making him a rare young talent of the martial world.

Nourished by the medicinal effects of the Foundation-Stabilizing Pill, and with all his injuries being external, Miao Cunyi recovered rather quickly. More than half his wounds had already healed.

During their casual conversations along the way, Xie Yue learned that Miao Cunyi had also come from an escort background and immediately felt a sense of kinship. The two chatted happily, as though they had known each other at first sight.

Yet Miao Cunyi remained gloomy throughout, his expression carrying a trace of unease. He often fell silent and lost in thought, with pain and hatred that could not be dispelled hidden deep in his eyes.

Seeing this, the others could only offer him a few words of comfort.

"By the way, I remember there being a large and renowned escort agency in Shu called the Profound Heaven Escort Agency, but I've never heard of your Heavenly Wolf Escort Agency. You're young and highly skilled—being stuck in a small escort agency is truly a waste. Why not come work for my Xie Family Grand Passage Escort Agency? We certainly won't treat you poorly. After all, I'm the chief escort."

Xie Yue teased him from the side.

"Thank you for your kindness, Brother Xie. The Heavenly Wolf Escort Agency of today is the Profound Heaven Escort Agency of old." Miao Cunyi tried to keep his tone calm as he spoke softly.

"Then how did it become the Heavenly Wolf Escort Agency?"

Xie Yue curiously pressed for the reason, but as soon as his words fell, Miao Cunyi fell completely silent. He lowered his head without speaking, unwilling to mention another word about his past.

Wang Zhongze had long since sent carrier pigeons ahead to both households, relaying news of their safety and reporting that everyone had escaped danger and could return without issue.

With no need to travel day and night, they decided to stay in prosperous Yangluo Prefecture for a day to rest and recuperate.

The group lodged at Golden Valley Garden, a Wang family property in Yangluo Prefecture. The estate was grand in scale and vast in area. Clear springs wound through the valley, pavilions and towers stood in scattered harmony, and the scenery was elegant and tranquil. It also possessed fertile fields, water mills, orchards, and other holdings. Servants and tenant farmers each performed their duties, revealing the Wang family's deep foundations and immense wealth.

After settling everyone in, Wang Zhongze departed to handle the numerous affairs of the estate.

Having finally shed the exhaustion of days of travel, everyone split into small groups and headed out, intending to take advantage of their rest to see the flourishing sights of Yangluo Prefecture.

Wang Tianfeng, Ling Yun, and Xie Jinlin had yet to recover from their injuries and were physically weak. Led by estate servants, they went to an elegant side courtyard to rest, regulate their breathing, and recuperate in peace.

Before long, the courtyard fell quiet, leaving only Xie Jinghan and Miao Cunyi seated in the pavilion.

Along the way, Miao Cunyi had heard Xie Yue speak of Xie Jinghan's remarkable feats and superb swordsmanship. Seeing that Xie Jinghan was about his own age yet possessed peerless strength far beyond that of his generation, he could not help but feel admiration and awe.

After pondering for a moment, Miao Cunyi solemnly withdrew a yellowed ancient book from his robes and respectfully presented it to Xie Jinghan. He said sincerely, "Young Master, you saved my life this time. Cunyi possesses nothing of value and has no way to repay you. I obtained this sword manual through a fortunate encounter and have treasured it for a long time. Its power is considerable. I beg you to accept it as a small token of my gratitude."

Xie Jinghan had never liked accepting gifts for nothing, but seeing Miao Cunyi's earnest expression and sincere intent, he could not bear to disappoint such heartfelt gratitude. He accepted the manual.

Lowering his gaze to inspect the ancient book in his hand, he made out the words on its cover. This sword art was named the Single-Character Lightning Sword.

Leaning back within the pavilion, Xie Jinghan casually opened the manual and quietly read through it with lowered eyes.

With his current attainments in sword intent, he could draw inferences from one example to another. Ordinary martial arts of the jianghu could already be comprehended quickly. In less than an hour, he had thoroughly grasped every principle of the Single-Character Lightning Sword.

"Whenever the Single-Character Lightning Sword is unleashed, every move resembles lightning streaking across the sky, striking terror into all who behold it and causing fear to arise before they can react..."

"When the sword art is performed, sword light fills the eye in an instant, dazzling and blinding the opponent..."

Setting aside the power of the Single-Character Lightning Sword itself, its ability to dazzle the eyes was unexpectedly similar to the Flowing Light of his Sword-Drawing Technique, though its power was far inferior.

Xie Jinghan did not stop. Instead, he continued to quietly contemplate the principles of the sword art.

Miao Cunyi stood obediently to one side, silently keeping watch and waiting without daring to disturb him in the slightest.

[Single-Character Lightning Sword: 10'000/10'000 (Mastery)]

[Single-Character Lightning Sword · Thousand Flashes: 1/100'000 (Comprehending)]

At that moment, his wrist flicked lightly. The Thunderclap Sword shot from its sheath as innate true qi circulated, and sword intent tore through the air.

Thousand Flashes!!!

The setting sun sank behind the mountains, and the wilderness darkened on all sides as all things fell into shadow.

With this thrust of his sword, heaven and earth abruptly blazed with light.

One sword strike sent brilliant arcs of lightning crisscrossing the sky, accompanied beyond the lightning by rolling thunder.

"Boom boom boom boom boom boom boom!"

Lightning exploded across the courtyard. In an instant, devastation filled the eye, as though thunder had destroyed the world.

Such power was rarely seen in this world!

Witnessing such a world-shaking sword art with his own eyes, Miao Cunyi's heart and mind trembled.

"Thud!"

He dropped heavily to his knees, his back straight and his expression incomparably resolute, his eyes filled with devotion. "I beg you, Young Master, to accept me as your disciple and teach me swordsmanship."

Xie Jinghan returned his sword to its sheath and raised his eyes to look at him, his voice cool and unruffled. "Get up and speak."

"Everyone has their own secrets in their heart."

"Everyone has something they wish to protect."

"I will not ask about your past or origins."

"Nor do I intend to accept you as my disciple."

"However, this sword art possesses some subtle mysteries and has benefited me greatly. I have never liked owing others favors."

"I will only teach you swordsmanship for three days. Once we reach Heaven-Bearing Prefecture three days from now, you will leave."

"Remember this: you must never use the sword arts I teach you to bully others or commit wanton slaughter. Otherwise, you understand what will happen to you."

"Also, there will be no bond of master and disciple between us. You may continue to address me as Young Master."

Miao Cunyi hurriedly rose to his feet, his expression respectful and earnest as he nodded heavily. "Cunyi will remember Young Master's teachings. I will never use martial arts to commit evil in this life!"

For the remainder of their time, Xie Jinghan carefully taught him the essence of the Thousand Flashes sword art, while Miao Cunyi focused intently on memorizing it. One taught with dedication, and the other learned with utmost seriousness.

When the others returned and saw this scene, every one of them felt envious. To receive Xie Jinghan's personal guidance in swordsmanship was absolutely a rare opportunity in the martial world.

The next morning, the group set out on their journey home once more. Wang Zhongze chose to remain in Yangluo Prefecture to handle the remaining matters, entrusting Xie Jinghan with escorting Wang Tianfeng safely back to the estate.

With all matters settled, the group mounted their horses once more and headed for Heaven-Bearing Prefecture.