Crossing the River

Half a month later, early in the morning, Zhengyang Martial Academy was on its customary day off.

In his backyard, Chu Xisheng swallowed an Origin-Nourishing Pill, then practiced his breathing bare-chested, facing the morning sun.

This time, Chu Xisheng endured the scorching sunlight for over an hour, stopping only when wisps of vapor began rising from his entire body.

As he finished his practice, Chu Xisheng habitually glanced at the Origin-Nourishing Art on the system screen.

Two messages immediately appeared in his mind.

-Spend 13 Martial Dao Points to raise the Origin-Nourishing Art to perfection in the second level?

-Spend 50 Martial Dao Points to replace the secret medicine for the third level of the Origin-Nourishing Art?

Naturally, Chu Xisheng chose no.

He checked the system screen mainly to gauge his progress in the Origin-Nourishing Art.

By now, Chu Xisheng had essentially worked out that one Martial Dao Point was roughly equivalent to three Origin-Nourishing Pills, or thirty days of cultivation under normal circumstances.

He remembered that when he emerged from Firebone Cavern on the fourth day of the eighth month, he had needed 20 Martial Dao Points to raise the Origin-Nourishing Art to perfection in the second level. Today, the thirtieth day of the eighth month, he needed only 12.

Chu Xisheng now relied primarily on Origin-Nourishing Pills for cultivation and had never interrupted his regimen. Since the fourth day of the eighth month, he had taken twenty-six Origin-Nourishing Pills in succession.

One Origin-Nourishing Pill equaled ten days of his usual cultivation.

Clearly, there was indeed a reason the scions of aristocratic clans and powerful families progressed at such astonishing speed.

Qin Muge had reached First-Rank at twenty-two. Besides her own talent, the Iron Mountain Qin Clan's support might well have played a part.

Chu Xisheng then began practicing the Wind-Chasing Blade and Light-Cloud Movement.

Although he could now practice martial arts in his dreams, he had not abandoned his daytime training.

Every day, he devoted a fixed hour to it, without fail, come thunder or lightning.

Now, as Chu Xisheng swung his saber, a saber-shaped marking on his right arm immediately shone with a strange, bloody light.

This was the Secret Move Totem he had tattooed onto himself.

Following Chu Yunyun's advice, Chu Xisheng had ultimately decided against Empty Cave Brings Wind, instead tattooing the seventeenth move of the Wind-Chasing Blade, Wind and Thunder Together, onto his body.

This was because at least half the movements in Wind and Thunder Together were almost identical to those in Empty Cave Brings Wind.

With just a slight adjustment to the saber-drawing stance of Empty Cave Brings Wind, he could make this single Secret Move Totem do the work of two.

When he switched to the Divine Wind Bright Mirror Saber in the future, this Secret Move Totem could also correspond to that technique's saber-drawing move.

This was the advantage of having a First-Rank martial grandmaster at his side: he could avoid many detours.

An hour passed quickly. Chu Xisheng wanted to try practicing a little longer, but immediately felt his limbs go numb and his heart spasm.

Helplessly, he sheathed his saber, then looked at the martial arts section on the system screen.

-Wind-Chasing Saber Technique (second level), Light-Cloud Movement (first level).

Although Chu Xisheng had focused on Light-Cloud Movement during his dream training over the past half month, he had still failed to raise its level.

Fortunately, while the text in the martial arts section had not changed, the results of his simulated training in his dreams were very real.

His footwork was now swifter and more agile than it had been half a month ago, and it could complement the Wind-Chasing Blade perfectly.

These two martial arts had already blended seamlessly, with no distinction between them.

Chu Xisheng hesitated over whether to spend 8 Martial Dao Points to forcibly raise Light-Cloud Movement's level.

He wanted to master the second level of Light-Cloud Movement as soon as possible.

Chu Xisheng's thinking was simple and practical. Since his Body of Light-Speed Shadow gave him an advantage in movement, he needed to strengthen that advantage further.

Chu Xisheng also had enough Martial Dao Points to spend freely now.

The Martial Secrets Almanac had produced astonishing results, bringing him a total of 27 Martial Dao Points over the past half month and raising his accumulated total to 31.

However, the Martial Dao Treasury would refresh again tonight, so Chu Xisheng decided to wait.

Just as he shrank the system screen into the corner of his vision, the door to Chu Yunyun's room creaked open.

She emerged wearing a lake-green martial outfit and a lightly veiled hood. "Finished practicing? Hurry and get ready. We should leave. Any later and there won't be a ferry."

Chu Xisheng answered and immediately went into his room to shoulder the bundle he had prepared beforehand.

The bundle was stiff and straight, containing mainly the weapons from Firebone Cavern, along with some food.

Today, they planned to visit the black market east of the river, sell the weapons they had, and buy a few things there.

Since returning from Firebone Cavern, Chu Xisheng had remained inside the academy, diligently cultivating his martial arts, and had barely stepped outside its gates.

This had been a rare stretch of leisure since he crossed into this world.

He did not have to escort shipments or buy groceries and cook. Apart from cultivating, he had nothing to worry about.

But that could not continue now. The two of them had exhausted almost all their Demon Silver and urgently needed to replenish it.

The Spell Arts Chu Yunyun cultivated were a gold-devouring beast.

The Embroidery Guard salary, the hush money from Lu Luanli, and the silver Cao Xuan had awarded him-over a hundred taels of Demon Silver in total-had all been spent by Chu Yunyun within this month, draining rivers and seas dry.

Chu Xisheng fastened the luggage securely to his back, then, with exceptional care, hung a saber covered in blue tracery of light at his waist.

This was the Demon-Forged Lightsteel Blade, Chu Xisheng's new saber.

Half a month ago, Tie Xiaosheng had sent someone with a lavish gift to repay him for saving his life.

He had been much more generous and considerate than the academy or the Embroidery Guard. The Origin-Nourishing Pills alone numbered thirty, and he had also given Chu Xisheng this Demon-Forged Lightsteel Blade.

This saber was made by adding a large quantity of Demon Silver to the Hundred-Forged Light Steel Saber, making it lighter, faster, sharper, and sturdier.

It was a prized Ninth-Rank Upper saber, with even secondhand ones fetching two hundred taels on the market.

Deputy Banner Chief Tie had also been deeply apologetic, saying that the Iron Banner Gang's situation was tense and he could not spare the time to leave. He had prepared these humble gifts as thanks for now and would visit in person once things stabilized over there.

After leaving the academy, the two headed toward Eastern City Eastern Wharf.

The black market they were bound for was on the eastern bank of the Divine Splendor River, in a town called Ancient Market Town.

It lay diagonally across from Eastern City Eastern Wharf, facing Xiushui Commandery City across the river.

This place was not only the shipping hub of the southern Eastern Province, but also the most famous black market in the province.

All of Xiushui Commandery's illicit goods, shady dealings, and various smuggling operations, along with numerous martial wanderers unwelcome to the authorities, converged in this town. Its prosperity rivaled that of Xiushui Commandery City.

After arriving at Eastern City Eastern Wharf, Chu Xisheng made a point of glancing toward the Iron Banner Gang's headquarters.

The Iron Banner Gang's headquarters was an enormous ten-thousand-shi ship, moored conspicuously on the northern side of the docks. Several other Iron Banner Gang ships surrounded it, like stars clustering around the moon.

Over a hundred Iron Banner Gang flags flew from the ships, snapping fiercely in a magnificent display.

One glance put Chu Xisheng's mind at ease.

Over the past month, many rumors about the Iron Banner Gang had circulated through the academy.

Some said the Long Household had enlisted several great aristocratic clans from the inner city to oppose the Iron Banner Gang together, inflicting heavy losses on it. Others said traitors had appeared within the Iron Banner Gang and it was on the verge of being crushed by the Long Household.

But today, the sight of the Iron Banner Gang's headquarters alone told Chu Xisheng those rumors could not be trusted.

And as long as the Iron Banner Gang held firm, the Long Household would have no strength to spare to trouble him.

Just then, a ferry slowly drew up to the shore. Chu Xisheng withdrew his gaze and boarded the gangplank with Chu Yunyun.

This was a sand ship-not a modern sand-dredging vessel, but the name of an ancient type of flat-bottomed sailing ship.

These vessels traveled along rivers without running aground even when they encountered sandbanks.

It had two decks in all, with a wooden sun shelter at the stern.

The ferry was doing brisk business and soon filled with passengers. Just as the boatman moved the rudder, preparing to depart, a woman's voice, clear as silver bells, rang out from afar.

"Wait, boatman!"

Chu Xisheng immediately raised his eyebrows. That voice sounded very familiar.

Sure enough, a moment later, he saw Lu Luanli hurry aboard. She glanced around, and when she spotted Chu Xisheng, her eyes lit up. She walked over, pleasant surprise on her face.

"What a coincidence! Are you going to Ancient Market Town east of the river too?"

As she asked, she squeezed in beside Chu Yunyun and sat down.

Chu Xisheng doubted this "chance encounter" was genuine, but he had no evidence.

Just as he was about to answer, another female voice came from outside the boat.

"Wait a moment, boatman! There's someone else here!"

This voice was rather like what people in modern times called a "smoky voice," magnetic and very pleasing to the ear, making one want to see its owner's face.