The Distance from Death

When Deng Qing patrolled North Ward, he clearly sensed that the sound of the night wind had changed.

The city gates were locked half an hour earlier than before. There were more constables patrolling the streets at night, and more torches as well.

New wooden barricades had been erected at the entrances to every alley, and sentry sheds had been hastily built outside two of the warehouses.

Once midnight passed, the streets became deathly quiet. The quieter they were, the more uneasy it made people feel.

As Deng Qing led the Ninth Squad through North Ward, they captured more and more thieves. Nearly every one of them carried a weapon, and when they resisted, they fought with utter disregard for their lives.

Deng Qing could only deal with them decisively.

That day, by the time he finished his shift, the sky was already beginning to brighten.

In Celebration Hall's front courtyard, several disciples returned from outside, reeking of blood.

Before long, another group carried several door panels inside, all covered with white cloth.

In an instant, the disciples who had been practicing swarmed over. Only after asking did they learn that those lying on the panels were disciples who had gone out to take assignments.

Deng Qing stared blankly at one hand.

He recognized it. It was Tu Wei's hand; there was a large, very dark mole on the thumb of his left hand.

Deng Qing could scarcely imagine that Senior Brother Tu, who had been brimming with life and ambition only days ago, had now become a cold corpse.

He could not help shuddering. After silently mourning for a moment, he headed home.

He decided that, for the time being, he would do nothing. He would honestly lay his foundations well. Without silver to replenish his qi and blood, slower was slower; it was still better than taking risks.

Night fell, in his own courtyard.

Deng Qing removed the flexible sword from his waist and practiced the Seven Forms of Settling Solitude. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.

The flexible sword in Deng Qing's palm trembled lightly and coiled back around his waist.

There came another two knocks from outside. Through the courtyard gate, he asked, "Who is it?"

Steward Liu's voice came from outside. "Brother Deng Qing, it's me."

Deng Qing walked over and pulled open the courtyard gate.

Steward Liu stood outside with a smile on his face, though there were bluish shadows around his eyes. Clearly, the past few days had not been easy for him either.

"Brother Deng Qing."

He clasped his hands. "Regarding what happened the day before yesterday, I did not explain myself clearly enough. The apothecary is truly short of hands. Please consider it again."

Deng Qing did not invite him inside. He only said, "Steward Liu, I have thought carefully about what you said. The risk truly is not small.

"How about this? I can go, but you will need to find someone knowledgeable to discuss it with you."

Steward Liu frowned. "Who?"

"Elder Wu from Celebration Hall's pharmacy."

Steward Liu instinctively wanted to refuse. But seeing Deng Qing's steady gaze, he knew Deng Qing had made up his mind, so he had no choice but to agree.

At once, Deng Qing changed into a white robe, locked the courtyard gate, and went with Steward Liu to Celebration Hall.

When they arrived, Elder Wu was flipping through a book in the pharmacy.

After hearing why they had come, he told Deng Qing to leave first.

Half a cup of tea later, Steward Liu left with a cold expression.

Deng Qing hurried into the room. Elder Wu did not beat around the bush. "It has been settled. First, you will test one batch. If you fail, you will receive two taels for your trouble.

"If you pass, then if their pill refining fails, you will receive fifty taels for your trouble. If the pill refining succeeds, there will be an additional thirty-tael reward."

Deng Qing's face flushed with excitement. He repeatedly clasped his hands. "Thank you, Senior."

Elder Wu chuckled. "I should be thanking you. A pie has fallen from the sky and landed on this old man's head. By the way, you brat are not going to go back on your word, are you?"

Deng Qing smiled. "Senior, you jest."

Elder Wu said, "Pill refining is hard work. Replenish yourself first. I will ask for leave on your behalf; you will not be on duty for the next two days.

"Tomorrow morning, we will set out straight for Tianshun Apothecary."

Deng Qing nodded in agreement, though he did not know what Elder Wu meant by "replenish yourself." Then he saw Elder Wu beckon to him and lead him into the bathhouse.

He tossed a packet of ingredients into a pool. After a while, a pungent medicinal smell wafted out.

"Medicinal Bath!"

Deng Qing was utterly stunned.

Elder Wu said, "Did you think I would take such a huge advantage of you for nothing? These are scraps I saved up myself.

"Do not look down on them as scraps. They are at least worth thirty percent of a normal Medicinal Bath's potency. Hurry up."

Deng Qing gave Elder Wu a deep bow, then jumped into the bath. The water had barely risen past his waist and abdomen when a pungent medicinal smell rushed straight into his nostrils.

This truly was not a proper Medicinal Bath.

The pool water lacked the dark red, heavy color of a normal medicinal pool, but the instant the medicine touched his skin, Deng Qing knew Elder Wu had not fooled him.

Scraps were scraps. Their nourishing effects naturally could not compare to a proper Medicinal Bath, but they were absolutely potent enough.

Deng Qing immediately closed his eyes and circulated the Violet Palace Method.

Between his chest and abdomen, an invisible millstone slowly began to turn.

The medicinal power that had originally been darting everywhere was gradually gathered, ground to pieces, then drawn into his body along with his breathing.

Heat spread from his chest and abdomen into his shoulders and back, then slowly traveled down through his shoulders and back into his arms, elbows, wrists, and finally his finger joints.

This sensation was far clearer than when he normally practiced swordsmanship.

Deng Qing's heart suddenly stirred. The old annotations for the Seven Forms of Settling Solitude surfaced in his mind, line by line: Gather force into a thread; let the sword travel through empty gaps.

When he had read those words before, they had only seemed mysterious and profound.

What did it mean to gather force into a thread?

And what did it mean for the sword to travel through empty gaps?

When he practiced swordsmanship, it was not as if he had never tried to think and experiment according to those old annotations.

Yet many parts always seemed separated by a single sheet of paper. His sword forms could clearly be completed, and his force could clearly be sent out, but something had always felt just a little off.

Only now, as the medicinal power pushed his qi and blood through his shoulders, back, elbows, wrists, and finger joints, did he finally touch upon a clue once more.

With a thought from Deng Qing, a clear radiance emerged.

[Heaven helps those who help themselves; No Effort Is Wasted]

[Realm: Skin Refining Second Layer]

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

[Violet Palace Method: 33% (Minor Mastery)]

[Seven Forms of Settling Solitude: 19% (Initiation)]

Deng Qing's gaze fell on the final line. The words "Initiation" beside Seven Forms of Settling Solitude were actually flickering faintly.

His heart gave a violent leap. Was he about to break through?

The joy had barely risen before Deng Qing forced it back down.

He silently warned himself: The more it is at a time like this, the less I can afford to be reckless.

He slowly exhaled and continued circulating the Violet Palace Method, guiding the medicinal power through his shoulders, back, elbows, wrists, and finger joints.

Inside the medicinal pool, he could not draw his sword.

So he used his fingers as a sword instead. He lowered his right hand beneath the water and lightly traced a stroke along the sword path of the Seven Forms of Settling Solitude.

With a splash.

The medicinal water scattered from the motion, rippling outward in circles.

Deng Qing frowned slightly. He had used too much force.

After thinking for several breaths, he mobilized his qi and blood again, steadied his strength, calmed his mind, and used his fingers to wield the sword again and again.

Finally, when his fingertip could cut only an extremely fine line across the medicinal pool rather than send ripples spreading outward, enlightenment suddenly dawned on Deng Qing. He rejoiced inwardly. So that is how it is.

Gathering force into a thread did not mean weakening it. It meant preventing the force from scattering, allowing it to bore through the gaps in an opponent's attack.

Gather force into one thread; let the sword travel through empty gaps. That was what it meant.

Deng Qing's thoughts gradually cleared as he traced his fingers through the water again and again.

The medicinal power continued seeping into his body, while the Violet Palace Method, transformed into an invisible millstone, continued refining it.

Without realizing it, his shoulders, back, elbows, wrists, and finger joints found an entirely new sensation amid those repeated, minute adjustments.

Suddenly, the clear radiance appeared of its own accord, without a thought.

[Seven Forms of Settling Solitude: 20% (Minor Mastery)]

Deng Qing stared at the words "Minor Mastery" and silently clenched his fist.

After savoring the exhilaration for quite some time, Deng Qing gathered his focus and remained immersed in the medicinal pool. He refined the remaining medicinal power into his body bit by bit, while also consolidating the Seven Forms of Settling Solitude he had just broken through.

Only when the heat in the pool water gradually faded and the medicinal smell was no longer so pungent did he slowly open his eyes.

Deng Qing stood up from the pool and felt the skin all over his body burning warmly. His arms and fingers were also much more nimble than before.

He climbed out of the medicinal pool, washed up, changed into his white robe, and stepped outside. Elder Wu was waiting at the door.

"Not bad. It seems you gained something."

Elder Wu said with a smile.

Deng Qing clasped his hands toward Elder Wu. "Thank you, Senior."

Elder Wu waved a hand. "What are you thanking me for? If anyone should be grateful, it should be this old man. Say, you brat are not going to drop the ball, are you?"

"I certainly will not disappoint you, Senior."

The moment Deng Qing finished speaking, shouts suddenly came from the front courtyard. "Keep your eyes open! Do not let anyone get away!"

In an instant, both the front and rear courtyards erupted into commotion.