Devouring

Qing Province.

Yuan Yang Prefecture, Xiangu County.

Yuan Shun Escort Agency, an open area beside a side room in the Back Courtyard.

This was where the escort agency stored firewood and charcoal. Few people usually came here, but at this moment, more than a dozen slight figures stood scattered across the open ground.

They were all fifteen- or sixteen-year-old youths. Most had not yet fully grown, and their faces bore the sickly pallor of long-term malnutrition.

These youths were all Menial Disciples newly recruited by Yuan Shun Escort Agency this year.

When they had first entered Yuan Shun Escort Agency, every one of them had been brimming with excitement.

That was because Menial Disciples of Yuan Shun Escort Agency had the chance to learn a few rudimentary fist-and-kick Martial Skills.

Those who learned well had a chance of being promoted to apprentices.

Once they became apprentices, they could learn genuine Martial Arts and follow the escorts out on protection runs.

Given enough time, once they became proficient in the trade, they could become escorts themselves.

Though escorts made their living in the martial world and faced a certain degree of danger, it was already a very good profession for youths born into poverty.

At the very least, they could fill their stomachs, and they could earn a little extra on the side.

But now, they had already been here for two and a half months.

Their excitement had gradually dimmed.

Among a batch of Menial Disciples, at most one or two could become apprentices. More often, entire batches were wiped out without a single one rising above the rest.

In half a month, it would be time for the assessment.

Everyone knew best how well they themselves had trained.

Most Menial Disciples already knew they had no hope of being chosen, so they had begun to smash the pot after it was broken and merely muddle through their days.

Starting a few days ago, people had gradually begun skipping the evening training sessions.

Just then, Duan Rong wiped the fine sweat from his brow and ran into the courtyard through the side gate.

He was the last Menial Disciple to arrive because he had been assigned to the Horse Stable, the place farthest from here.

Duan Rong wore a short brown outfit. His body looked somewhat thin, but that was only because long-term hunger had left him starved.

In truth, his frame was not small.

Duan Rong swept his gaze over the courtyard. There were only a dozen or so people left.

Yuan Shun Escort Agency had recruited more than thirty Menial Disciples this year. Before the assessment had even begun, more than half had already left.

Duan Rong sighed. Still, he could understand the thoughts of those who had left. These Menial Disciples had to labor hard every day, then come here to practice in the evening. If there was hope ahead, they could grit their teeth and persevere.

But if they knew they would not be selected, what was the point of working themselves to the bone?

Duan Rong glanced toward the old weapon rack standing in the corner of the courtyard.

The rack held chipped, discarded sabers for the Menial Disciples to practice with.

Duan Rong's eyes suddenly lit up. He saw that an extra saber had appeared on the rack.

Duan Rong immediately walked over in excitement, found the newly added saber, and gripped it in his hand.

It was an ordinary Oxtail Saber. Its hilt was worn, and its blade was chipped in four or five places, like a crippled old veteran who had left the battlefield covered in scars.

Duan Rong nervously drew a breath and silently recited, "Read Artifact Spirit!"

A set of data immediately appeared before Duan Rong's eyes.

Item: Oxtail Saber.
Artifact Spirit Rank: Rank Two.
Devouring Requirement: Host Mental Strength Level 2 (Not Met).
Devouring Effect: Five Tigers Herd Sheep Saber Mastery, Asura Saber Beginner, Plum Blossom Saber Technique Beginner.

When Duan Rong saw the data, the brightness in his eyes instantly faded. The Artifact Spirit Ranks of these discarded sabers were either Rank Two or Rank Three. He could not devour any of them.

Duan Rong cursed under his breath and returned the Oxtail Saber to the rack. He had only transmigrated into this world a few days ago. Though he had inherited the original owner's memories, he was still utterly confused about many things.

Especially the ability of the Devour Artifact Spirit that had come along with him—he still did not know whether it was reliable or not.

After all, he had already tested every discarded saber on the rack, yet not a single one had been successfully devoured.

Duan Rong stood in the line gloomily.

The moment Duan Rong joined the crowd, several people covered their noses and moved away from him.

"You stink of horse manure! It reeks!"

Duan Rong really did reek.

He worked in the stables, and the horses were important assets of the escort agency.

Every day, he had to feed them softened fodder and clean up their manure.

If there was a protection run the next day, he also had to scrub down the horses that would be heading out.

After a full day of labor, the stench of sweat and horse manure was unavoidable.

Seeing the disgusted frowns on their faces, Duan Rong instead felt a surge of secret delight.

In his previous life, Duan Rong had sold insurance. He had long cultivated a thick Face Skin that dried itself after being spat on. Such looks of disdain and contempt were nothing more than a breeze brushing his face, a light drizzle.

Choke on the smell, you clueless fools... Duan Rong cursed inwardly.

Just then, a broad figure appeared at the courtyard gate.

Zhao Mu was a Trainee Escort in the agency. He was big and brawny, with a powerfully built frame.

During the last protection run, a minor mistake had occurred. The chief escort had cursed him bloody, then assigned him the thankless task of training Menial Disciples—hard work with no profit in it.

Though Zhao Mu was quite dissatisfied, he did not dare slack off. The chief escort already thought poorly of him. If he failed to teach them properly as well, then with one misstep, his chances of becoming a full escort this year might go up in smoke.

That would truly be more loss than gain!

Zhao Mu crossed his arms over his chest, a sheathed Oxtail Saber tucked beneath them. He stepped over the threshold and swaggered in with his head held high.

Zhao Mu spat a mouthful of thick phlegm onto the ground. His wild-dog gaze swept over the crowd before stopping on Duan Rong. "Kid, come here and wipe my saber with an oily rag!"

No one stood around Duan Rong. Standing in the line, he was indeed rather conspicuous, and he had not expected Zhao Mu to pick him out during Roll Call.

Duan Rong wrinkled his nose and walked over reluctantly. A burst of quiet laughter came from behind him.

In truth, Zhao Mu had not called Duan Rong over simply because he stood out in the line.

He himself had risen from being a Menial Disciple. He knew perfectly well who among these people trained well and who did not.

Not only was Duan Rong poor at training, with no possibility whatsoever of being selected as an apprentice, but he had also suffered a serious illness some time ago and had completely fallen behind. Having him wipe his saber at least gave him some use.

Duan Rong took the saber from Zhao Mu, grabbed an oily rag from the windowsill, and sat on the steps by the courtyard gate.

The rag had been soaked in castor oil. Wiping a saber with it provided a certain degree of maintenance.

Duan Rong drew the saber from its scabbard. The bright blade gleamed with a biting chill, utterly incomparable to the shabby discarded sabers on the rack.

What a fine saber, Duan Rong exclaimed inwardly. His eyes shifted, and with a thought, he wanted to see the Artifact Spirit Rank of the saber in his hand.

"Read Artifact Spirit!"

Duan Rong stared at the set of data before him, his heart filled with astonishment.

Item: Oxtail Saber.
Artifact Spirit Rank: Not Ranked.
Devouring Requirement: None. (Met)
Devouring Effect: Five Tigers Herd Sheep Saber Beginner.

He had originally assumed that the Artifact Spirit of such a fine saber would definitely rank higher than those discarded sabers on the rack.

But the result was precisely the opposite.

The Artifact Spirits of the discarded sabers were all Rank Two or Rank Three, while the Artifact Spirit of this fine saber was actually Not Ranked.

In other words, the Artifact Spirit of this fine saber was far inferior to those of the discarded sabers on the rack.

"This..." Duan Rong could not make sense of the reason for it for a moment.

"Could it be that the longer a weapon is used, the more it absorbs a person's essence, vitality, and spirit, nourishing the growth of its Artifact Spirit?"

But that was only Duan Rong's guess, and it would need to be verified later. He did not dwell too long on this uncertain question. After all, being able to devour this saber's Artifact Spirit was a good thing for him.

Moreover, its Devouring Effect was the Five Tigers Herd Sheep Saber, allowing his saber technique to reach the Beginner realm.

For him, it was like being given charcoal in snowy weather.

Though it was only the Beginner realm, if he could truly reach it, advancing to apprentice would be more than easy enough.

Duan Rong was instantly overjoyed.

"Devour!"