Just in time

The next day, dawn had yet to break, and faint glimmers flickered along the horizon.

Mo Yun opened his eyes right on time, as though an exquisitely precise biological clock had been installed inside him.

He climbed out of bed, quickly washed up, then left the dormitory and headed briskly toward the Martial Training Ground.

Although he was now a manor guard, he could not neglect his training for even a single day.

Being a manor guard was only the beginning of his martial journey.

Only a pale streak of fish-belly white showed on the horizon. Everything was quiet except for the rustle of wind through the leaves.

Mo Yun drew in a deep breath of cool morning air, feeling his spirits lift.

He first took a Qi-Blood Pill, then a Dragon-Tiger Pill, before settling into his stance and beginning to practice the Nameless Fist Technique.

He had practiced this fist technique for nearly two months. By now, he knew it by heart and could execute it at will.

Yet the moment he began today, he felt something different.

It was as though a thin sheet of window paper stood before him, and with the lightest poke, he could see a whole new world beyond it.

It seems I'm almost there...

Delight surged through Mo Yun, and he threw even more effort into his movements.

Once, twice, three times...

Sweat soon soaked his clothes, but he showed no intention of stopping.

Only when daylight fully broke did he draw back his fists and stand still, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

Two or three more days at most, and the Nameless Fist Technique will break through!

He grinned, his eyes brimming with anticipation.

Raising his wrist, he glanced at the White Mark. The white portion had filled more than two-thirds of it, leaving it not far from completion.

Once the Nameless Fist Technique breaks through, I'll spend points on either the Tiger-Crouching Fist or the Tiger-Crouching Stance one more time. That should fill the White Mark completely.

Mo Yun took a deep breath and calmed himself.

It's about time. I should report to the Guard Team.

He tidied himself up and strode toward the Inner Court.

Morning light spilled down, warming the earth.

As he walked, a thousand thoughts coursed through Mo Yun's mind.

Starting today, he was a member of the Guard Team.

He was no longer a servant, no longer registered as a slave, but a free man.

Though he was only a lowly manor guard, hardly anyone important within the Mountain Manor, he had at least taken his first step.

My sister will be so happy when she hears.

Thinking of Mo Yiyi, Mo Yun could not help feeling a warmth in his heart.

Tomorrow is my day off. I'll go back to see her and tell her the good news.

He made plans as he walked, his steps growing lighter and lighter.

After passing through several arched gateways, following a few bluestone paths, and crossing two streams, he gradually caught sight of the Inner Court.

With its blue-brick walls, gray roof tiles, and sweeping eaves with upturned corners, the courtyard was planted with all manner of flowers, shrubs, and trees. A faint fragrance filled the air. It was countless times grander than the Servants' Court.

Mo Yun reached the entrance to the Inner Court, where two guards on duty stopped him.

"Halt! What's your business?"

Both guards were young men in their twenties, dressed in matching, close-fitting black outfits with sabers hanging at their waists. They looked sharp and alert.

"My name is Mo Yun. I've just been selected as a manor guard, and I'm here to report for duty," Mo Yun said, cupping his fist.

"New here?" The guard on the left looked him up and down, then held out a hand. "Let me see your token."

Mo Yun took the token he had received when he first earned the right to practice martial arts from inside his robe and handed it over.

His name was engraved on the token, which served as proof of his identity within Crouching Tiger Manor.

The guard took the token, examined it carefully, then returned it.

"Go on in. Turn right, and there's a courtyard at the end. Lord Qin Hu is waiting for you there."

"Thank you."

Mo Yun put away the token and strode inside.

The Inner Court was much larger than the Servants' Court, with broad paths and buildings neatly arranged along either side.

Following the guard's directions, he turned right and walked for roughly the time it took to drink a cup of tea before arriving at a spacious courtyard.

The courtyard was large, its ground paved with neatly laid bluestone slabs. Various pieces of training equipment stood around its edges, making it far grander than the Martial Training Ground in the Servants' Court.

Several people were already standing inside.

Mo Yun glanced over them. They were the others who had passed yesterday's assessment: Zhao Gang, Zhou Ping, Li Wei, and Liu Zhuang.

Zhao Gang stood at the front, his burly frame especially striking in the morning light.

His arms were folded across his chest, his thick eyebrows knitted together. There was no telling what he was thinking.

Zhou Ping stood behind him. He was fairly sturdy and ordinary-looking, but his steady gaze marked him as the sort who advanced carefully, securing each step.

Li Wei stood beside Zhou Ping, his tall, thin frame conspicuous among the group.

Mo Yun had defeated him yesterday. His face was expressionless, betraying neither joy nor anger.

Liu Zhuang stood at the back. When he saw Mo Yun enter, he hurriedly waved. "Brother Mo, over here!"

Mo Yun walked over and took his place beside him.

"Why did you come right at the last moment...?" Liu Zhuang lowered his voice to warn him.

"Roll call will be at this same time from now on, so it's best to arrive a little early. Luckily, Lord Qin Hu isn't here yet today. Let me tell you, he has a pretty bad temper. Be careful in a bit, and don't provoke him."

Mo Yun nodded to show he understood.

They waited a little longer before Qin Hu emerged from a room at the far end of the courtyard.

He wore no armor, only his close-fitting black outfit, with a large, thick-backed saber hanging at his waist. His bald head gleamed in the morning light, and the scar on his face looked especially fearsome.

"Everyone here?" Qin Hu swept his gaze across them, his voice low and hoarse.

"Everyone's here!" they answered in unison.

Qin Hu nodded, walked to the center of the courtyard, and stood with his hands clasped behind his back.

"From today onward, you are members of Crouching Tiger Manor's Guard Team."

His voice was not loud, but every word rang clear.

"I recruited you, and I'll be the one leading you from now on. If you have any problems, you can come straight to me.

"Now I'll explain what your duties are as guards of Crouching Tiger Manor, as well as the matter you're most interested in-your monthly pay!"