Ambition to Join the Sect

By the time Li Dashan finished speaking, a buzz rose from below, filled with excitement.

Everyone knew what a Ninth-Rank Commandant meant to Celebration Hall.

Li Dashan pressed both hands down and said loudly, "Receiving a reward doesn't mean you can rest easy.

"The Donghuang Cult hasn't been destroyed, and the local regions remain unsettled. You must continue cultivating, strengthen yourselves, and repay your country.

"To motivate you all, one month from now, I will select five more of you and accept you as initiation disciples..."

As soon as he said this, the uproar throughout the hall could no longer be suppressed.

Within Celebration Hall, disciples of different ranks enjoyed different treatment. This was no secret.

Initiation disciples received five taels of silver each month from Celebration Hall as a monthly allowance, not even counting the other benefits.

Half an hour later, Deng Qing and Li Cheng left Celebration Hall, with discussions about how to become initiation disciples still ringing in their ears.

Li Cheng said in a low voice, "Senior Brother Deng, setting aside everything else, Skin Tempering Third Layer is definitely a hard requirement for becoming an initiation disciple. If you plan to attempt a breakthrough, you can wait a few days before teaching me."

I lack nothing now except the large portions of meat your family provides every day, Deng Qing thought.

But aloud, he said, "It's fine. I'll do my best. Whether I succeed or not is up to fate."

"Senior Brother Deng, don't underestimate this opportunity," Li Cheng said.

"Celebration Hall is definitely more than just a martial arts school. You've seen it yourself—just gathering together, there are nearly a hundred Skin Tempering martial artists.

"What ordinary martial arts school could possibly possess such strength?"

"Senior Brother Li seems to know quite a lot," Deng Qing said. "Could you tell me more?"

"It's nothing particularly secret. Southern Qingzhou falls within the sphere of influence of the True Yang Martial Sect. The True Yang Martial Sect has people developing its strength in every county.

"Our master is also a member of the True Yang Martial Sect. Whether he's an outer disciple or an inner disciple, I don't know.

"Actually, it isn't just our master. Song Wuliang, the sect master of the Golden Saber Sect, is also a member of the True Yang Martial Sect.

"That's why our conflict with the Golden Saber Sect has always been a struggle without a breach."

Deng Qing's eyes widened at the revelation. He asked Li Cheng, "You don't seem intent on becoming an initiation disciple. Could it be that you look down on the True Yang Martial Sect?"

"It's not that I look down on it. The True Yang Martial Sect's strength is terrifying, but its hierarchy is simply too rigid, and the room for advancement is locked shut.

"Our master has been in Everjoy County for nearly twenty years. I guess he risked going to Liangshan so he could break through to the Furnace Realm sooner."

"Why would going to Liangshan allow him to break through to the Furnace Realm?"

Li Cheng froze, only then realizing that he had unknowingly told Deng Qing many things he shouldn't have.

Li Cheng waved his hand. "Senior Brother Deng, just listen to these words and let them pass. Whatever you do, don't spread them outside."

Deng Qing nodded, knowing that Li Cheng would say no more.

He recalled that when he had first arrived at North Warehouse, Wang Wei and Zhou Tie had said that Li Cheng had suffered from illness since childhood, and that after obtaining Desolate Soil, he had been cured.

Adding that to the "True Yang Martial Sect" and "entering Liangshan to break through to the Furnace Realm" that Li Cheng had mentioned, Deng Qing suddenly realized that this world was probably far grander than anything he had seen so far.

Half an hour later, the two arrived at the Li Family's martial arena, where Zhang Bo was already waiting.

Deng Qing cupped his fists toward Zhang Bo in greeting. Zhang Bo said, "Guiding the young master in sword practice is no small matter. This old man must first see what level Young Friend Deng Qing has reached in the 'Seven Forms of Settling Solitude.'"

Deng Qing cupped his fists. "I wouldn't dare make a fool of myself before Uncle Zhang."

"We're not competing for victory or defeat. We're merely testing swords."

Zhang Bo held a wooden sword and walked to the center of the arena. "Young Friend Deng Qing, please."

Deng Qing no longer declined. He slapped his waist, and the Blacksteel Soft Sword sprang into his palm.

The two stood several paces apart. Deng Qing struck first. The Blacksteel Soft Sword quivered, its edge shooting straight toward Zhang Bo.

Zhang Bo rotated his wrist, and the wooden sword changed moves with it.

Deng Qing shifted his footing, and the Blacksteel Soft Sword changed direction as well.

After several consecutive exchanges, a change gradually appeared in Zhang Bo's eyes.

Deng Qing's sword wasn't fast, but every time he attacked, he sought the instant of vulnerability when Zhang Bo changed moves.

It still wasn't enough to truly force Zhang Bo to expose a flaw, but such eyesight wasn't something one could gain merely by practicing from a sword manual a few times.

Zhang Bo sped up slightly, and Deng Qing immediately felt the pressure increase sharply.

The gaps in Zhang Bo's sword moves that he had been able to catch vanished in the blink of an eye.

He forcibly steadied his mind and thrust several swords in succession, yet he could no longer bring the blade within reach of Zhang Bo.

In the next instant, the wooden sword in Zhang Bo's hand flicked lightly upward.

With a clang, the Blacksteel Soft Sword flew from Deng Qing's hand and landed several paces away.

A dim light flashed through Deng Qing's eyes. He knew he was no match for Zhang Bo, but he hadn't expected the gap to be so great.

Zhang Bo, however, withdrew his wooden sword. "Not bad. Judging solely by your understanding of the 'Seven Forms of Settling Solitude,' you've indeed grasped the fundamentals.

"You're more than qualified to guide the young master into initiation."

Li Cheng let out a sigh of relief. "I told you Senior Brother Deng could teach me."

He picked up the Blacksteel Soft Sword and handed it to Deng Qing. "Senior Brother Deng, shall we begin?"

Deng Qing steadied his mind and accepted the soft sword. "Practice it once first."

Li Cheng didn't hesitate either. He immediately went through the "Seven Forms of Settling Solitude" from beginning to end.

After completing the sword technique, the moves were correct, and his actions were reasonably practiced.

Deng Qing shook his head.

Li Cheng hurriedly asked, "What's wrong?"

"Too hurried."

Deng Qing took Li Cheng's longsword. "There's nothing wrong with your moves, but with every sword, you're thinking about rushing forward. Your force scatters along with it."

Li Cheng furrowed his brows.

Deng Qing raised his hand and thrust out a sword. Midway through, the sword force suddenly drew back. The force that had originally spread out gathered along his shoulder, elbow, and wrist, finally converging at the tip of the sword.

"You haven't achieved the line of gathered force described in the sword manual.

"When your force scatters, even the fastest sword becomes chaotic. Only by gathering your strength can you wield a sword freely."

Zhang Bo nodded repeatedly.

Deng Qing continued, "There's another line: 'Let the sword travel through empty gaps.' When you practice swordsmanship, you only focus on whether your own sword can stab someone. But in a true fight, your opponent is moving and attacking too.

"When his move changes, there will always be a moment when his qi and blood, strength, and body movements fail to connect.

"That instant is the opportunity for attack you must seek."

Li Cheng thought for a moment. "But that opportunity disappears in the blink of an eye."

"That's why you can't be hasty."

Deng Qing said, "The moment you grow anxious, you focus only on being faster. Then all you can see is your own sword. How could you still see your opponent?"

"Again."

Li Cheng reset his stance and began practicing. Deng Qing occasionally spoke up from the side.

"That sword is too full."

"Draw your wrist back a fraction."

"Don't rush to follow with the next form. First gather back the force from this sword."

Li Cheng adjusted himself again and again.

Zhang Bo watched all this and no longer had any doubts.

What Deng Qing explained wasn't something memorized from the sword manual. It was solid, genuine insight into swordsmanship.

From that day onward, aside from going to work every evening and sleeping, Deng Qing practically lived at the Li Family residence.

The Li Family prepared seven full meals for him every day, and every meal included plenty of meat.

During the day, Deng Qing guided Li Cheng while repeatedly breaking down the "Seven Forms of Settling Solitude" himself.

At night, he circulated the Violet Palace Method, refining the meat he had eaten during the day bit by bit.

After several days, Deng Qing discovered that teaching swordsmanship at the Li Family had not only failed to delay his cultivation but had instead brought him tremendous progress.