Class Advancement, Saber-Wearing Retainer, Thirty Silver a Month, Carriages for Every Journey!

Hong Jiang clutched the web between his thumb and forefinger as the saber hilt fell to the ground. Gasping for breath, he staggered and failed to steady himself, crashing onto the bluestone paving.

And at that moment.

Manor Lord Lu Chengfeng's words spread without concealment.

He had entered the Saber Gate?

"This!"

The scar on Hong Jiang's cheek began to twitch violently.

His face contorted as he involuntarily recalled the scene of crossing blades with the boy just now.

That strike.

It had been too fast.

And for some reason, when he reacted and tried to meet the blade head-on, his heart had started pounding wildly against his will.

It was not because the boy's saber technique had reached perfection.

More than that, it was because he had utterly cast aside the seven emotions and six desires, leaving only a single thought in his mind.

Hong Jiang knew full well.

If Manor Lord Lu had not used Flying Flowers, Plucking Leaves to knock away their twin sabers—

Then although he might have managed to slice the boy's skin and leave him wounded—

Barring any surprise, he would most likely have left his life here.

When he had said "blades have no eyes" earlier, he had been joking. At most, he would have left a few wounds and held back. He would never have caused a death.

Who could have known this kid—

He was the real ruthless bastard!

Hong Jiang came back to his senses and dropped heavily to the ground, growing more frightened the more he thought about it.

Still,

If the boy had entered the Saber Gate and was a true saber wielder who had grasped Ten Steps, One Kill—

Then it did make sense.

Hong Jiang had once seen a true "saber wielder."

Back then, he had still been a swordsman roaming the mountain roads. As for why he had quit, growing weary of that life and wanting to wash his hands clean and come ashore, to rise further, was only part of the reason.

More importantly, the stronghold established by his previous employer had been wiped out by a saber wielder who had stepped across the threshold of the Saber Dao and mastered Ten Steps, One Kill.

And this kid before him—

Apart from lacking the overwhelming strength to single-handedly wipe out a mountain bandit stronghold—

Everything else...

His gaze, his footwork, his killing methods!

They were exactly the same!

"Gasp! Manor Lord has made his move."

"Flying Flowers, Plucking Leaves—everything can wound a man. This is the method of Tempered Muscles and Bones! It is said that striking a man is like hanging a painting, and treading on water does not wet the knees!"

"A gateway that countless Bone Tempering experts could spend a lifetime failing to cross!"

When Lu Chengfeng flashed over and suddenly intervened, the retainers who had gathered in twos and threes to watch the excitement all began praising him.

But when the twin sabers fell, and they heard Lu Chengfeng say, "He has entered the Saber Gate"—

Their expressions changed abruptly.

They questioned it, refused to believe it, but eventually all looked toward Ji Xiu. Their gazes were even more shocked than when they had seen Lu Chengfeng act.

"Entered the Saber Gate? How old is he? And he kicked that gate open already?"

"How many blood-handed butchers who killed like hemp, with hundreds and thousands of dead souls beneath their blades, still never reached this level?"

"But this kid looks like he is only in his teens!"

"A genius of the Saber Dao—a genius!"

"Before, we only heard of people with such natural gifts in the Prefecture City. Who would have thought we would truly see one today? And one born as a stablehand, no less. It is truly unbelievable."

"But then again, if this kid had not whipped the steward, brushed off his employer, and cultivated a proud backbone that feared neither heaven nor earth, how could he have broken through this barrier at such a young age?"

"The young master truly has eyes like torches. He was willing to support such a person. In the future, he will surely become a great and worthy manor lord who gathers retainers far and wide."

In an instant, the tide turned.

Lu Yu's eyes showed obvious astonishment.

Me? Eyes like torches?

He was somewhat dazed. Looking at the admiring gazes cast his way, he dearly wanted to say that they had clearly not been acting like this just moments ago.

But then again.

Lu Yu looked toward Ji Xiu, who slowly picked up his saber and gave a slight bow to his father, Lu Chengfeng, as well as to his elder sister Lu Hongyu, who was following close behind and whose eyes also held an unusual gleam.

He felt like his whole person had cracked apart.

So that saber strike this morning—

Had already crossed the threshold of Ten Steps, One Kill? Master Duan had deliberately been testing his junior brother?

It was only because he had arrived late and missed even the tail end of it that he had not seen it.

After all that—

He had been the only one kept in the dark!

"Junior Brother, if you had such talent, why didn't you say so sooner?"

Lu Yu's throat tightened as he complained inwardly, on the verge of tears.

He wanted to say: if you were this amazing, why would I have needed to sneak around like a thief with a guilty conscience?

He had poached from the Lin Residence a promising young seedling of the Saber Dao!

Even the old man would not be able to say no to something like that, let alone some mere rumors and gossip.

And not only that.

If Ji Xiu became a retainer in the future and word of today spread—

Then Lin Zhenhai would surely slap his thigh in fury and regret today's events beyond measure!

"Ji Xiu greets Manor Lord Lu!"

As he bowed his head in salute to Lu Chengfeng, the master of Lu Manor whom one could identify at a glance, Ji Xiu pondered inwardly.

So this characteristic of the Ten Steps, One Kill saber art is this rare and precious?

The unconcealed praise and shock around him—

As well as the changes in Lu Yu's expression—had all entered his sight.

Remembering how Duan Chenzhou had remained as calm as an ancient well upon hearing that Ji Xiu's saber technique had advanced again, merely giving a slight nod—

Ji Xiu had thought this stage was simply a necessary road for anyone practicing the saber!

But now, it seemed—

Clearly, it was not!

Master Duan truly stands at a higher realm. Having seen storms and waves, he remains unshaken when circumstances change.

Or perhaps, to him, this is simply commonplace. Yet in the eyes of these retainers of Lu Manor, it is exceedingly rare?

If so, then it is a matter of experience. It also proves my guess—Master Duan must have an extraordinary background.

Before, he said that once I crossed the threshold of martial cultivation, he could accept me as a Registered Disciple.

Though after I broke through, he seemed to have forgotten about it, I have not.

Once I return from Lu Manor, even if I have to shamelessly seize this opportunity, I will bow my head and become his disciple, clinging to this thigh!

Ji Xiu thought silently.

Meanwhile, Lu Chengfeng paced forward a couple of steps.

He looked at the young man in plain cloth before him, head lowered, his side profile chiseled like a blade and carrying an air of frosty solitude.

After examining him repeatedly, Lu Chengfeng could not help glancing sideways.

And when he saw that Lu Hongyu was also studying the boy with great care—

A thought flashed through his mind like lightning striking flint.

"Good, good. A fine seedling..."

Lu Chengfeng narrowed his eyes, thoughtful.

"I wonder how old you are. How many are there in your household? Are you married?"

Eh?

Ji Xiu froze.

Did becoming a retainer require a household registration check?

But the thought only flashed through his mind before he answered honestly.

"I am sixteen this year. After winter, I will be seventeen. My parents have passed away, and I have only a younger orphaned sister two years my junior. Our home has four bare walls. Not long ago, I was living as another's servant, so I have no marriage arrangement."

Oh?

Only sixteen. A little young, but his features were indeed proper. He had a few traces of my own youthful bearing.

But being young was not a bad thing.

What mattered was his family situation.

Lu Chengfeng looked at Ji Xiu's plain clothes, satisfaction flashing through his eyes. He stepped forward, abruptly seized Ji Xiu's hand, and raised it high!

Then he gathered his strength and shouted:

"From this day onward!"

"Ji Xiu!"

"Shall become a Saber-Wearing Retainer of my Fire Kiln Lu Estate! He shall receive a detached courtyard, carriages for his comings and goings, and a monthly stipend of thirty silver! He may forge a Fine Iron Long Saber at the Smelting Workshop to carry at his side!"

"Furthermore, every month, he may collect one Leopard Fetus Pill and one packet of Tiger Blood Powder from Fire Kiln's sole Pill Refining Workshop!"

Having said that.

Lu Chengfeng slapped an iron token engraved with "36" into Ji Xiu's palm and said quietly:

"Also, keep this safe. It will be of great use in the future."

"Hongyu, come. Take our new little brother of Lu Manor to collect his things!"

"As for Xiaoyu, you brought such an outstanding talent to our manor. For that—"

"I truly must reward you properly."

"Come. You and your senior brother, follow me."

Lu Chengfeng's tone was gentle, his face all smiles.

Especially when he inadvertently looked at him.

To Ji Xiu, it was as though he were looking at a son.

No matter how he looked at it, it felt awkward.

But leaving everything else aside—

The benefits had truly landed in his hands!

Clutching that iron token—

Listening to that string of benefits that nearly smashed him senseless—

Ji Xiu's heart surged, and his thoughts seemed to soar away.

None of that mattered anymore.

Thirty taels of silver!

The equivalent of a monthly salary of thirty thousand!

And with even greater purchasing power!

Moreover, according to Lu Yu, a retainer's work was quite easy. It only depended on which workshop or yard one was assigned to.

If he could be assigned to weapon forging or pill refining, those two splendid and orthodox side professions, and earn the favor of a workshop steward, perhaps he might even learn a few heaven-reaching skills!

That was far more impressive than horsemanship!

The future was bright.

"Ji Xiu thanks Manor Lord!"