Seven Forms of Settling Solitude, Initiation

Li Cheng said in a low voice, "I was sickly from childhood and only began to recover some time ago.

"Celebration Hall has a good reputation and plenty of experience with martial initiation, so I came here.

"Also, Daoist Dinggu is my granduncle. In his youth, he broke with my ancestor and left, never to return."

Deng Qing's gaze sharpened.

"Seven Forms of Settling Solitude has spread beyond the family. My family sent people to learn it as well, but none succeeded. Whenever outsiders mention this sword art, they speak only of how formidable Daoist Dinggu was back then, yet no one mentions the Li Family anymore."

Li Cheng tightened his grip on the sword in his hand. "I want to learn it again. Celebration Hall happens to be close to my home, and Master Li is highly skilled at giving people martial initiation. Are you still curious why I joined Celebration Hall?"

Deng Qing laughed heartily and cupped his hands. "If that is the case, I am willing to lend Senior Brother Li a hand."

The sword lights crossed. Li Cheng's longsword flew from his palm and hit the ground with a clang.

The early spring wind swept over the wall, carrying several withered leaves as they drifted down.

The Li Family's training ground was vast, enclosed on all sides by tall blue-brick walls. Stone locks, wooden stakes, and weapon racks stood beneath the walls.

Dusk was approaching, and the lanterns in the corners of the courtyard had already been lit.

Deng Qing stood not far from Li Cheng, an iron sword in his hand, its tip slightly lowered.

He regretted it deeply.

In that move just now, he had restrained his strength as usual, intending only to cut off Li Cheng's sword path. He had never expected to knock Li Cheng's sword away.

Li Cheng stood frozen in place, his right hand still held in the posture of gripping a sword, his face filled with defeat.

Deng Qing did not even know what to say. The young master had money, he had a cheat, and in the end, the cheat had still won.

Li Cheng said nothing. He bent down to pick up his sword and walked toward the weapon rack. "I'm tired. I'm going to rest."

With that, he put away the iron sword and headed out of the training ground.

Watching his retreating back, Deng Qing thought to himself, This is troublesome.

It turned out that a month had already passed since Li Cheng came to him to practice Seven Forms of Settling Solitude together.

Over that month, the two had first memorized the mental method and understood the sword moves, then sparred day after day in this training ground without rest.

Deng Qing had originally thought Li Cheng's cultivation speed had been piled up by resources.

Only after getting to know him better did he realize that Li Cheng was a ruthless man too, and the effort he put in was no less than Deng Qing's.

Deng Qing was more than happy to practice with Li Cheng, mainly because the Li Family's meals were simply too good.

Meat was served every day, along with hot soup and sweet drinks.

Other than standing watch on night patrol and sleeping, Deng Qing spent almost all his remaining time here.

After a month, he no longer had to worry about getting enough meat to eat.

It had to be said that Seven Forms of Settling Solitude was indeed difficult to practice.

There were only seven sword forms, but truly mastering them was exceptionally difficult.

Sword paths, sword force, and mental methods all had to coordinate and echo one another.

If the sword moves were unleashed too quickly, they easily became ordinary fast swordplay; if they were too slow, they lacked killing power.

The key points repeatedly mentioned in the mental method—"gather force into a line," "settle a man in solitude," and "let the sword travel through empty gaps"—were things even the senior brothers responsible for teaching could not explain clearly. To the two of them, they were like heavenly scriptures, and they could only explore them on their own.

Until one night twenty days earlier, after Deng Qing finished practicing his sword, he sat alone beside the training ground and circulated the Violet Palace Method, refining and absorbing the meat he had eaten.

Several lines from the mental method of Seven Forms of Settling Solitude suddenly flashed through his mind, like a clear moon reflected upon a river.

Then, Clear Radiance, No Thought emerged of its own accord.

[Seven Forms of Settling Solitude: 1% (Initiation)]

Only then did Deng Qing's suspended heart settle back into his stomach.

From his experience cultivating Tiger-Subduing Fist and the Violet Palace Method, Deng Qing already understood Tang Juan'er's ability. As long as he reached Initiation, he could continue practicing onward, with an innate ability to correct himself.

Sure enough, after that, it was as though he had suddenly opened up to enlightenment. Many things he had not understood abruptly became clear.

Many movements he had been unable to perform could now be executed.

He had made it, but when sparring with Li Cheng, he could only practice half-heartedly and act the other half.

After all, he was still reluctant to give up the Li Family's endless supply of braised pork.

Now, he had failed to act convincingly and broken Li Cheng's defenses. Fearing that his days of free meat might be over, Deng Qing naturally regretted it.

At that thought, his mind stirred, and clear radiance appeared.

[Heaven Helps Those Who Help Themselves, No Effort Is Wasted]

[Realm: Skin Refining Second Layer]

[Tiger-Subduing Fist: 73% (Grand Mastery)]

[Violet Palace Method: 31% (Minor Mastery)]

[Seven Forms of Settling Solitude: 15% (Initiation)]

Deng Qing was very satisfied with this cultivation speed, and not surprised by it.

Tang Juan'er's second rule was that once a new technique reached Initiation, continued diligent practice would make it improve at a decent pace.

Only after reaching Minor Mastery and Grand Mastery would the speed gradually slow down.

Just as Deng Qing was considering how to make up a reasonable explanation for Li Cheng, Li Cheng returned, with an old man following behind him.

Deng Qing thought to himself, Surely not? I only knocked his sword away once. Did he bring someone to beat me up?

The old man wore a gray robe. More than half his hair had turned white. He was not tall, yet his back was straight, and he carried an indescribable bearing.

Li Cheng said, "Senior Brother Deng, this is Zhang Bo, a retainer of my family. He is in the Bone-Forging Realm."

Deng Qing's heart tightened. "This junior, Deng Qing, greets you, Senior."

Zhang Bo sized Deng Qing up. "The young master says you have progressed rapidly in Seven Forms of Settling Solitude over this past month, far surpassing him. Perform it once for me to see."

Deng Qing understood inwardly. This was a probe to sound out his depths.

If he continued playing dumb, he might deceive a layman, but he certainly could not fool the man before him.

Yet it would not be appropriate to perform at full strength either. He would hold back.

Having made up his mind, Deng Qing retreated to the center of the training ground, raised his sword, and assumed the opening stance.

As he sent out the first form, his shoulders and back sank, and the sword light moved with his body.

The moment Deng Qing began, Li Cheng's eyes widened.

When he sparred with Deng Qing, he had not felt that Deng Qing's sword moves were particularly exquisite. Now that he stood outside the mountain, he naturally saw the whole landscape.

The more Li Cheng watched, the more complicated his feelings became.

After completing the full set of Seven Forms of Settling Solitude, Deng Qing sheathed his sword and stood still.

Zhang Bo slowly nodded. "The young master has a good eye. He chose the right person to practice with him."

"Seven Forms of Settling Solitude is so difficult, yet you have cultivated such bearing in only a month. It is clear that you are promising material for martial arts."

Deng Qing cupped his hands. "You flatter me, Senior."

But Li Cheng could no longer hold himself back. Staring at Deng Qing, he asked, "Senior Brother Deng, how exactly did you do it?"

Deng Qing had long known this question would come. "I can't explain it either. We practice together every day, learn the same sword art, and listen to the same mental method.

"If there truly is a difference... perhaps I eat more than you."

Li Cheng was stunned. Thinking it over carefully, it sounded like a joke, yet it was not entirely without reason.

Over this past month, he had seen with his own eyes just how much Deng Qing ate at the Li Family residence.

There was endless meat every day, along with endless hot soup and sweet drinks.

Li Cheng would eat until he was stuffed, yet Deng Qing could easily finish that amount, turn around, and begin practicing at once.

After the North Warehouse mission, it was not as if Li Cheng had never suspected that Deng Qing's rapid improvement might have come from some other fortuitous encounter.

But over this past month, the two of them had spent every day in the training ground.

Aside from duty and sleep, Deng Qing spent most of his time at the Li Family residence. The two were practically one step away from sleeping in the same bed.

Whether Deng Qing had secretly practiced or received guidance from an expert, Li Cheng knew clearly in his heart.

In short, apart from being able to eat more than him, Li Cheng truly had not discovered anything unusual about Deng Qing.

Zhang Bo frowned. "Other than Seven Forms of Settling Solitude, what else have you practiced?"

Deng Qing said, "Tiger-Subduing Fist and the Violet Palace Method."

Zhang Bo's gaze shifted. "To what level have you cultivated the Violet Palace Method?"

Holding back, Deng Qing said, "I can eat seven or eight jin of meat in one meal and digest it."

The corner of Li Cheng's eye twitched.