Mountain-Splitting Saber Technique and Charging Bull Step

That green item was what he had discovered yesterday.

The Li Estate had many rules and was divided into an inner courtyard and an outer courtyard.

Lowly servants like Chen Xun could only move about in the public areas of the outer courtyard.

The slightly more private places were all guarded, and Chen Xun simply could not enter them.

Therefore, although Chen Xun had wandered around whenever he had time these past few days, he had only found that one green item.

Moreover, it was not as though he could simply take that green item whenever he wanted.

The Grand Martial Arena was three or four times larger than the Small Martial Arena where Chen Xun trained. It was a place for Martial Artists to practice.

Two servants stood guard at the entrance. Those who were not Martial Artists were forbidden from entering.

By coincidence, one of those servants shared the same communal sleeping quarters as Chen Xun. His name was Zhou Tong.

Yesterday, Chen Xun had pretended to be passing by and taken the initiative to strike up a conversation with Zhou Tong, while his gaze kept drifting into the Grand Martial Arena.

Though he had only gotten a rough look, Chen Xun had still caught sight of a flash of green light.

When Chen Xun arrived not far outside the Grand Martial Arena and saw that Zhou Tong was the only one on duty, delight immediately appeared on his face.

"Zhou Tong, are you on guard again today?"

Chen Xun strode over and greeted him.

"Yeah. Steward Zhao said I have to guard this place for the whole month."

As he said this, Zhou Tong wore an unhappy expression.

Standing guard here meant being battered by wind and scorched by sun, unable to move around freely. How could it compare to sweeping floors and sprinkling water, where he could occasionally find a place to slack off?

"Why are you the only one here?"

"Ah, the dining hall is serving food. We take turns going to eat, and the other guy just left."

"You've really worked hard."

Chen Xun sighed, then took a steamed bun stuffed with a slice of fatty meat from his robes and handed it to Zhou Tong.

"Hungry, aren't you? Here, I brought you something good. Hurry up and eat."

Zhou Tong accepted it. At the sight of that chunk of fatty meat, his eyes shone.

"Chen Xun, you're so good to me. Then I won't stand on ceremony."

Afterward, Zhou Tong began wolfing it down.

Chen Xun watched Zhou Tong finish eating, even sucking his fingers afterward, and the corners of his mouth could not help but curl upward.

"Was it good?"

"Good! It was so good! I haven't eaten meat in nearly a month. You know what our dining hall is like—the grease and oil are pitifully scarce, and there's no meat to be seen at all."

After eating, Zhou Tong patted his belly with a satisfied look on his face.

"You covered my shift last time. Consider today's meal my compensation to you."

Chen Xun used that as an excuse.

It was to give his actions today a plausible explanation.

Then Chen Xun bade him farewell and left, but he did not go far. He hid in a corner nearby and watched this way.

Sure enough, before long, Zhou Tong clutched his stomach with a pained expression.

Then he looked around in every direction. Once he saw no one nearby, he immediately ran toward the latrine.

That was right. Chen Xun had sprinkled some laxative on that piece of fatty meat.

Sorry for the trouble, Zhou Tong.

Chen Xun apologized to Zhou Tong in his heart, then hurried out and raced straight toward the Grand Martial Arena.

The moment he entered, Chen Xun headed directly for the green glow that stood out so clearly in his eyes.

Upon approaching it, he saw that the green glow was emanating from a pitch-black wooden saber.

Chen Xun picked up the wooden saber. It felt remarkably heavy in his hand, startling him.

"This weighs no less than iron and stone."

Then, Chen Xun focused on examining the attributes of this green equipment.

[Mountain-Splitting Saber Technique · Ironwood Saber (Green)]

[Affix: Mountain-Splitting Saber Technique Training Bonus (White)]

[Affix: Mountain-Splitting Saber Technique · Minor Accomplishment (Green)]

[Affix: Primordial Stance Technique · Minor Accomplishment (Green)]

[An ironwood saber used by many Martial Artists to hone their saber techniques. It was carved from a whole piece of century-old iron pearwood and made through numerous processes, including tung oil soaking, heavy-weight shaping, and rounded-edge polishing. Its blade was heavy and solid, with a stable, perfectly balanced center of gravity.]

"Fine saber."

As Chen Xun looked at the attributes of this green equipment, his eyes lit up with excitement.

He then placed the equipment directly into his equipment slot. Instantly, countless profound principles of the Mountain-Splitting Saber Technique surfaced in his mind, making him feel as though he were a saber wielder who had immersed himself in the art for years.

Then came all kinds of details concerning force application in the Primordial Stance Technique, and Chen Xun was suddenly enlightened.

"So this is how force should be exerted in this movement. The way I used force before was simply far too crude."

For a moment, Chen Xun felt the urge to assume a stance right where he stood and correct the flawed force application from before.

Fortunately, he remained rational enough not to actually do so.

After taking this green equipment, Chen Xun did not leave immediately. Instead, he began looking around, wanting to see whether there was more equipment.

Upon this careful inspection, he truly did discover several more pieces of equipment.

However, most of them were white, and their added affixes were mediocre.

"Another green piece of equipment."

Then another flash of green light appeared before him, filling him with delight.

[Charging Bull Step · Iron Shoes (Green)]

[Affix: Charging Bull Step Training Bonus (White)]

[Affix: Charging Bull Step · Minor Accomplishment (Green)]

[Affix: Light Body (White)]

[A pair of weighted iron shoes specially made for Martial Artists to temper their footwork. The shoes were forged and shaped from whole pieces of wrought iron, lined with thick tanned cowhide to cushion and protect the feet. Their openings were edged in copper to prevent wear against trouser legs, and the weight distribution of both shoes was precise to the slightest fraction, spreading an even heaviness across the soles.]

Chen Xun concentrated on sensing the Light Body affix and soon understood its effect.

It reduced body weight to a certain degree, making the body lighter and more nimble.

After storing the Iron Shoes in his equipment slot, Chen Xun indeed felt his body become much lighter.

This was not an illusion. He tried taking a few steps, and his speed was noticeably faster than before.

"Fine equipment."

Afterward, Chen Xun did not linger any longer and quickly ran out of the Grand Martial Arena.

As he ran, he instinctively applied the Charging Bull Step techniques he had just obtained, and his speed immediately increased further.

Not long after Chen Xun left, Zhou Tong returned while clutching his backside.

"Ah, everything I ate just came right back out."

Zhou Tong smacked his lips, still savoring the taste of the meat from earlier.

That afternoon, several Martial Artists came to train at the Grand Martial Arena.

Suddenly, one Martial Artist shouted, "Where did the Iron Shoes I use to practice the Charging Bull Step go? Has anyone seen them?"

The several Martial Artists around him all shook their heads.

"That's not right. Where did that Ironwood Saber I've used for more than ten years go? It fits my hand perfectly. Did any of you take it to use?"

The other Martial Artists still shook their heads, indicating that they did not know.

The matter was quickly reported upward, and then there was no then.

It was only two tools used to assist training. Who would steal such things? Perhaps some careless Martial Artist had misplaced them in some corner. It was not as though that had never happened before, so it was no big deal.

The Li Estate had vast wealth and resources. The next day, they sent people to deliver replacements. The Martial Artists did not take the matter to heart either, since they were not valuable items.

Meanwhile, at the Small Martial Arena that afternoon.

Chen Xun had just arrived with Sun An when Li Peng and Liu Feng surrounded them with a group of people.

"Chen Xun, you actually insulted me in the dining hall. Today, I'll make you pay."

Li Peng finished with a sinister grin, then charged forward first.

The next moment, he flew through the air and performed the Wild Goose Descending on Flat Sand, Butt First.

Chen Xun withdrew the right foot he had just kicked out and looked at the others coldly. "Come at me together."

"Looking down on us? Take my punch!"

Seeing his friend Li Peng get kicked flying, Liu Feng flew into a rage. He swung his fist at Chen Xun, but Chen Xun sidestepped it and returned a punch that landed squarely on his eye socket.

"Ow, my eye!"

Liu Feng clutched his bruised eye socket and began crying out.

When the others saw the two leaders defeated one after another, they could not help hesitating.

"Are you still coming?"

Chen Xun looked at them and asked.

After mastering the Minor Accomplishment level Charging Bull Step, Chen Xun was confident that even if all of them attacked together, they would not be able to touch even the corner of his clothes.

"Get him! He just hit me! All of you, get him!"

Li Peng got to his feet and roared loudly.

Yet he himself did not dare take another step forward.

When Chen Xun's gaze turned toward him, he instinctively took two steps back.

Once he realized what he had done, his face flushed red with shame and fury, and his hatred for Chen Xun deepened further.

In the end, the brawl never happened.

"Chen Xun, you're amazing."

Sun An said to Chen Xun with an excited expression.

Chen Xun neither confirmed nor denied it.

Afterward, the defeated Li Peng and Liu Feng left the Small Martial Arena indignantly.

Chen Xun did not pay them much attention and continued practicing the Primordial Stance Technique.

Under the guidance of the Minor Accomplishment level Primordial Stance Technique, Chen Xun's training progress rose rapidly.

In a single afternoon, his progress exceeded 10%.

"Looks like it won't be many days before I reach Minor Accomplishment in the Primordial Stance Technique."

Chen Xun was delighted in his heart.

He looked forward somewhat to the day he condensed Blood Qi.