A Thunderstorm, an Autumn Chill—Help Me Undergo Metamorphosis!

"I did it."

Clutching the Wooden Saber.

Ji Xiu lowered his head.

He looked at this crude blade blank, which had rubbed the skin off his palms and which, by all reason, could do no harm unless swung like a club to smash someone.

In the silence, his grip quietly tightened as he murmured inwardly.

Rumble!

Just then,

The heavy clouds overhead suddenly roiled. A flash of daylight lightning tore past, followed by a vast, droning boom that made hearts quail.

Crash, crash.

Before long,

The sky darkened. Wind and rain lashed about, branches swayed, and steeds let out long neighs.

A deluge poured down from the heavens, filling the pockmarked bluestone with water and turning the packed yellow earth into mud.

The sudden downpour sent Old Yao scrambling outside. As he ordered Yao Shi to fasten the stable gates tight so the horses would not panic and break loose, he also scooped up armfuls of dry fodder and tossed them beneath shelter from the wind and rain.

"Little Brother Ji!"

Busy as he was, Old Yao's sharp eyes spotted a small figure in the distance.

Ji Xiu stood beneath the great willow, letting the wind and rain batter him. Soaked to the bone, he still gripped his Wooden Saber without moving, as though his soul had left him.

Old Yao hastily called out.

"Stop practicing already! How can saber practice yield results in a day or two? The rain's pouring like this—why aren't you coming inside to take shelter?"

Hearing Old Yao's shout,

Ji Xiu stood drenched, his black hair loose and plastered across his forehead and temples.

He let out a breath and stopped pondering its mysteries.

Then he trudged through the muddy yellow earth, getting himself filthy all over, like a water ghost that had crawled out of a ditch.

At the sight, Old Yao hurriedly shoved him into his own house, afraid he might catch some illness and delay his work as a groom.

The moment they entered, Old Yao piled up firewood and lit the stove. He told Ji Xiu to warm himself while fetching him a clean set of clothes, chattering all the while.

"These are Little Shi's clothes. You're not much older than him, so just make do with them for now. You really are..."

Looking at the Wooden Saber stained dark by rainwater, he suddenly sighed.

"That's right. You're only sixteen this year."

"How many people at your age can truly resign themselves to fate?"

He sighed again.

"Qin Biao said that just to learn the saber, you served under some down-and-out constable with one arm missing. You rose early and returned late, lit fires and carried firewood, all just to earn a chance to learn. Tell me, why put yourself through that?"

"He practiced for half his life—what did he amount to? Isn't he still just guarding homes and courtyards? He doesn't even live as comfortably as this old man."

"Look at you these past few days. You've nearly practiced yourself into a demon's trance. By now, word about you has spread all through the compound."

"Servants, tenant slaves, maids, attendants—they're all mocking you behind your back, laughing that you don't know the height of heaven or the depth of earth."

"Even Lin Steward, who oversees the outer residence's affairs, says you've been slacking off these days. He's got plenty to say about it and wants to replace you."

"If you don't rein yourself in, you won't even keep this groom's post. Sooner or later, someone will take it from you."

As he watched Ji Xiu change into clean clothes and warm himself by the stove, Old Yao complained again.

"Without your skill, this old man will have to do more work. Once you're gone, they'll probably stuff some crooked melons and split dates in here. What a headache."

"How about you hurry and go put in a good word with Second Miss? Maybe..."

When people grew old, they simply had more to say, fond of rambling about this and that.

Old Yao stood beside Ji Xiu and talked for most of the day.

Even when Ji Xiu's hair had dried halfway by the fire, he still did not stop.

Until Ji Xiu casually swept his hair back, revealing most of his face.

Old Yao's muttering abruptly caught in his throat. A startled look rose on his face.

"Wait, you brat..."

He had never paid attention before.

But after that soaking rain, Old Yao took a careful look and suddenly realized that the sallow, gaunt look on the boy's face had somehow gradually been washed away.

His black hair half-dry and hanging by his temples, Ji Xiu sat cross-legged, seeming to frown as he pondered something.

Though his body remained thin and weak.

Still.

For some reason, Old Yao felt a fearful sense of inferiority before him.

It was as though some invisible aura around Ji Xiu were affecting him, just like... just like...

That was it!

Exactly like when he faced Master Lin!

Even if Ji Xiu merely sat there quietly.

Old Yao could not help lowering his head, his legs trembling. It was the same principle.

"Strange, strange, strange!"

"How did this boy become like a whole different person after one rainstorm?"

He shuddered.

For no reason at all, he no longer dared say what he had meant to say.

At that moment, Ji Xiu rose. Seemingly noticing his discomfort, he merely spoke gently.

"Old sir, don't worry. I know the weight of the matter and what must be done first."

"Rest assured."

"I'm going to feed the horses first."

The rain outside had eased somewhat.

Old Yao stared blankly as Ji Xiu, dressed in plain cloth, calmly walked out.

After a long while,

He suddenly cursed under his breath.

"Damn it, if I hadn't looked closely—if I hadn't sensed it carefully—this old man truly wouldn't have noticed."

"This boy actually cuts a finer figure than even Third Young Master, the only male heir born of a concubine in this residence!"

"Really strange. How come I never saw it before?"

One autumn rain, one autumn chill.

Lin Residence, inner courtyard.

Third Young Master's quarters.

Before a large redwood desk carved with floral patterns, Lin Du looked through the paper window at the rain outside. His eyelids covered his eyes, and no one knew what he was thinking.

Around him,

A great black-horn bow hung on one wall.

Beside the desk stood a simple saber, its edge gleaming brightly. One could tell that without daily practice and daily honing, it could never have cultivated such an air.

At this moment, Lin Steward entered, dressed in a blue brocade robe.

Lin Du stroked the simple saber at his side and watched Lin Steward pace in through the rain. He spoke softly.

"Lin Steward, how have you arranged the matter of that groom?"

Lin Steward had served his mother for many years. Later, having earned the master's favor, he was allowed to take the surname Lin.

As for himself, he was the Lin family's concubine-born son—and their only male heir.

By rights, the Lin Residence should have been his to inherit, even if he had been born of a concubine.

Within the five hundred li of Anning County.

The Lin Residence's foundation was neither particularly great nor particularly small.

People said, "Shallow waters cannot raise a true dragon."

Yet.

In the small temple that was the Anning Lin Clan, which had never produced anyone who went beyond the county for generations.

Nine years ago, a true dragon had emerged.

Thinking of that elder sister by blood, who had stepped out of this little mountain city and who, according to his father—the master of the Lin Residence, Lin Zhenhai—had entered a sect,

Lin Du's lips trembled.

"I heard."

"Father intends to choose a husband for Second Sister and have him marry into the family."

What did that represent?

Lin Du knew perfectly well.

Ordinarily, though he had been born of a concubine, as the sole heir, so long as he trained hard in martial arts and crossed the threshold into martial cultivation.

The Lin Residence's family estate, its businesses, the managers and stewards of its various establishments—all of it should rightfully have gradually fallen under his control.

But.

Those two elder sisters above him happened to share the same bloodline!

His eldest sister was too dazzling.

Even borrowing only a fraction of her reflected glory, his father wanted to pass this vast family estate to Second Sister Lin Ruyue.

Even though he had spent years in Sinew Tempering and successfully cultivated Nourishing Blood, with hope of reaching Bone Tempering in the future!

This family estate seemed... to have nothing to do with him.

There was no helping it.

That was why, when Lin Ruyue had gone riding last time, Lin Du had secretly slipped something into the mix.

Unfortunately, that tiny servant who had only recently entered the residence ruined his plan.

Otherwise, if his dear Second Sister had suffered even a few lasting injuries—

Things afterward would have been much easier to handle.

Lin Du closed his eyes.

After hearing Third Young Master Lin's words, Lin Steward merely looked at him with concern.

"It is nothing, Young Master."

"That position will be yours sooner or later."

"That one has already left the shallow waters of Anning County. She will never return in this lifetime."

"So long as Second Miss cannot inherit, the master has seen your ten years of unwavering, diligent martial training."

"Such a vast estate must ultimately be controlled by a martial man."

"Otherwise, how long can it last by merely wearing a tiger's skin?"

He shook his head, and his gaze turned faintly cold.

"That insignificant groom ruined a great matter without even realizing it. Yet his heart is higher than the sky, and he wishes to seek the gateway of Entering Force. He truly does not know his own measure."

"But this is not bad either. He has left us something to use against him. Even if he belongs to Second Miss, he can no longer remain."

"These past days, I investigated his identity and background."

"He is merely a poor boy scraping out a living on Fire Kiln East Street. He does not even have parents to raise him, and there is only one burden in his home. He is easy enough to handle!"

"Autumn is here and the weather is cold. The Fire Kiln is no charitable hall. Our residence has establishments over there as well; it is time to collect some 'firewood money.'"

"Then we can find some excuse to deal with him, make him lie in bed for a few days, and use idling on the job as the charge. Give him thirty strokes and send him packing."

"Over the past half month, I already sent word to him and offered a few hints, but he turned a deaf ear. He certainly cannot be taken into our service."

"It will be just right to put one of our own people in his place, and give Old Yao a warning or two so that he behaves himself. Then, when the opportunity arises..."

A cold glint flashed through Lin Steward's eyes.

"Young Master can take his position."

After the autumn rain, the weather grew ever colder.

The air was chilly, but as it brushed against Ji Xiu's body, it no longer carried that piercing cold which made one's legs tremble.

Once a martial man entered force, even without cultivating Nourishing Blood or Sinew Tempering, the force circulating naturally through the body greatly increased physical expenditure. One's daily food intake would multiply severalfold, and digestion likewise multiplied severalfold!

Even if one ate only bran and choked down vegetables, over time... if one kept at it for thirty years and reached the point where one's qi and blood began to decline, so long as one did not fight others, one could still cultivate a strong body and sturdy bones!

Therefore.

Though he had only just become a martial man, as force circulated and tempered his sinews, moving and gathering his blood, Ji Xiu did not feel cold.

Still, he truly needed to buy his little sister a padded jacket and quilt.

He could endure it.

But with her tiny frame—

Wouldn't she freeze to death alive?

After finishing his work at the Lin Residence.

Ji Xiu carried his Wooden Saber toward Duan Chenzhou's home, calculating inwardly as he walked.

"Now that I have entered force, according to Master Duan, I have stepped into the Sinew Tempering Realm and entered through the gate."

"By the rules."

"Any commoner who becomes a martial man can change to the Martial Register, have their name officially recorded, enjoy all manner of privileges, and stand above slaves and common householders!"

His eyes gleamed.

And once one became a martial man.

Even if one shed Slave Status, there would be no need to worry about making a living.

Anning County stretched five hundred li—how many businesses, gangs, and martial halls filled it?

A martial man who had entered force was a prized morsel!

If the Lin Residence had not, in all fairness, treated him without wrongdoing, and if he had not simply been a monk for a day, striking the bell for a day.

Otherwise—

The instant he broke through,

Ji Xiu would likely have been unable to stop himself from throwing back his head and laughing as he walked out the door, changing his register, shedding his lowly name, and casting off his shackles forever!

"After I visit Master Duan and finish saber practice today, I'll rise early tomorrow."

"Then I'll go to the yamen and change my register!"