The next moment, Deng Qing gave his wrist a slight flick. The Blacksteel Soft Sword seemed to come alive, curling around the edge of the rightmost wooden post.
The blade flashed. Crack! The post remained unscathed, but an empty bowl hidden over a foot behind it split down the middle, its halves falling to the ground.
Shock flashed through Deng Qing's eyes.
Before, he could have done the same by bending the soft sword, but the strike would inevitably have slowed, its force scattering.
Now, with a single thrust, his qi-blood gathered from shoulder and back all the way to the sword tip. Even as the blade bent around the post, its force held together.
Gather Force into a Line. Sword Through the Empty Gaps.
Only now had those eight words truly become part of his swordsmanship.
Deng Qing shifted his feet and launched into the Seven Forms of Settling Solitude.
Swordlight flickered through the courtyard. The Blacksteel Soft Sword turned straight one moment and curved the next.
One instant, its tip was plainly in front of him; the next, it emerged from the far side of a post.
There was no shrill rush of wind, no sweeping Sword Momentum—only streaks of cold light appearing from the hardest angles to defend.
A moment later, Deng Qing lowered his sword and stood still. The post remained perfectly intact, as though his flurry of strikes had hit nothing at all.
Then a night breeze swept through. Crack! The post split down the middle, revealing a cut as smooth and even as a knife through tofu.
Deng Qing stared at the cut in shock. The Seven Forms of Settling Solitude had risen from 59% to 60%. It looked like a mere one-percent gain, but in truth, he had crossed from Minor Mastery to Grand Mastery—a chasm as wide as the heavens.
And the transformation brought by breaking through to Skin Tempering Third Layer and advancing the Seven Forms of Settling Solitude at the same time was far more than the sum of its parts.
Deng Qing even wanted to find someone and have a fight.
But he forced down the thrill of his advancement. He made himself stay home for two days to consolidate his new level before going out.
Deng Qing headed straight to the Celebration Hall to find Fan Sheng.
When he arrived, Fan Sheng was practicing with his saber in the back courtyard.
Hearing footsteps, Fan Sheng stopped and turned. "You're a busy man. What brings you to me?"
Deng Qing cupped his hands. "Senior Brother, I've broken through to Skin Tempering Third Layer."
Fan Sheng froze. "Not bad."
He sounded casual, but he was genuinely astonished.
He had lent Deng Qing thirty taels hoping to help him break through sooner.
But advancing from Skin Refining Second Layer to the third was no easy matter. Even with enough resources, it took time to refine them into qi-blood.
How long had it been? Yet Deng Qing had already succeeded.
Deng Qing said no more about his breakthrough and went straight to the point. "Master intends to take five Initiate Disciples. I want to earn one of those places."
Fan Sheng frowned. "That won't be easy.
"Master hasn't set out any specific rules for choosing them. In the end, it'll come down to who he favors."
As he spoke, Fan Sheng returned his saber to the weapons rack. "Master spent all that time fighting in Liangshan. He doesn't know the people at the Celebration Hall well.
"I've brought you up a few times, but I couldn't press the matter.
"Lately, plenty of veteran disciples at the third and fourth layers have been making themselves known to him. He's familiar with all of them now.
"And there's Ding Yuan. He earned merit in the battle at the Mountain God Temple, seized quite a bit of money, and used it to break through to Skin Tempering Third Layer.
"He paid Master a visit a few days ago and showed him his cultivation. Master was quite pleased and even praised him.
"In short, five places might sound like plenty, but far more people have their eyes on them. Some are bound to have connections. It'll be very hard for you to claim one."
Deng Qing said gravely, "The less Master knows about me, the more I need to find a way to get near him.
"First I have to make sure he sees me. Then I can find a way to make him remember me. I can't just sit at home waiting."
Fan Sheng nodded. "You're right. Don't rush. I'll ask around and see if there's a suitable opportunity."
"Thank you, Senior Brother."
Deng Qing took two silver notes from inside his robe and placed them on the stone table beside them.
One was for thirty taels; the other, ten.
Fan Sheng's face darkened at once. "What's this supposed to mean?"
Deng Qing picked up the thirty-tael silver note. "This is the money you lent me to help me break through. I've succeeded now, and I have money to spare, so I should pay you back."
Then he pointed to the other note. "Take these ten taels too, Senior Brother. Whether you're calling on someone for a favor or buying them a drink, I can't let you pay my way."
Fan Sheng's brows shot up. "Put it away. Do we need to keep accounts between brothers?"
Deng Qing shook his head. "You have a whole family to support. Your silver doesn't fall from the sky.
"When I was short of money, you lent me some out of kindness. Now that I can repay you, it would be thoughtless of me to keep it without a care."
Fan Sheng opened his mouth, but Deng Qing gave him no chance to speak. "Anyway, I can earn money now, and I have some to spare. These forty taels won't interfere with my cultivation.
"The thirty taels repay my debt. You have to take them.
"Keep the other ten for calling on people on my behalf. If you don't need it, buy your wife some rouge and powder."
"You little brat."
Fan Sheng pointed at Deng Qing, laughing as he scolded him. "Fine. I'll sound out Senior Brother Zhang Yan. He thinks well of you.
"You've made a point of visiting him on holidays, too. There's some goodwill there."
With that, Fan Sheng picked up his outer robe and went out. Deng Qing stayed in the courtyard to wait.
Half an hour later, Fan Sheng returned, delight on his face.
He sat down and took a sip of water first. "In five days, Dongting County is holding a banquet to receive the Pacification Commissioner sent by Yanshan Prefecture.
"Master has just been appointed a Ninth-Rank Commandant, so he's invited too.
"Naturally, Master won't go alone. He'll take a few disciples as attendants. Senior Brother Zhang Yan happens to be drawing up the list, and he's agreed to put you on it."
Deng Qing's eyes lit up.
Fan Sheng said, "You'll accompany Master to the banquet, so you'll have a chance to be seen.
"But Senior Brother Zhang Yan can only get you in front of Master. Whether Master remembers you will depend on you."
Deng Qing cupped his hands solemnly. "Thank you, Senior Brother."
Two days later, Deng Qing visited the Li Family again. When he entered the back courtyard, Li Cheng was practicing his swordplay.
He moved through the Seven Forms of Settling Solitude in succession. His techniques flowed smoothly, and his advances and retreats had gained a touch of agility.
Seeing Deng Qing enter, Li Cheng's eyes brightened. He called out and thrust his sword forward.
Deng Qing lightly tapped his waist. The Blacksteel Soft Sword dropped into his palm, just in time to block the incoming blade.
Clang!
Li Cheng followed through by changing techniques. Turning his blade, he delivered several thrusts in quick succession.
Deng Qing answered with the Seven Forms of Settling Solitude, trading moves with him.
Their swords crossed, cold light flashing again and again. They advanced and retreated, darting around the courtyard.
The longer they fought, the more excited Li Cheng became. His hard practice over the past few days had clearly paid off. His sword flowed much more smoothly than before, and several of his changes even forced Deng Qing to shift his Sword Momentum in response.
But Li Cheng had no idea that Deng Qing saw the fight in an entirely different light.