Learning martial arts

In the south of the city stood an inn surrounded by the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

Gary guessed that this was probably where the murder had taken place. He approached the entrance, only to be stopped by two guards.

"Halt. This is a murder scene. No unauthorized persons allowed."

Gary raised his identification token and snapped, "Are you two blind? Get out of my way!"

"An eunuch from the Eastern Depot?"

The two guards dared not offend him and hurried aside.

Gary gave a cold snort and stepped into the inn.

Seven or eight bodies lay scattered across the floor. Several guards were documenting the scene, while two coroners examined the corpses.

Gary looked around but saw no sign of Shen Lian.

He called out, "Where is Shen Lian?"

The guards inside had heard what happened at the entrance. Knowing that Gary was from the Eastern Depot, they dared not neglect him.

"Eunuch, are you looking for Company Commander Shen? He took his men out. We belong to Banner Commander Ling."

Out?

Gary recalled the plot. Another officer seemed to have poached this case from Shen Lian. Tonight, one of his subordinates had also committed suicide after privately disparaging Wei Zhongxian.

He pointed casually at one of the guards. "You. Take me to your commandery office."

The guard gave a bitter smile. "Eunuch, Lord Shen will be on duty in Mingshi Ward tonight. Even after his shift ends, he'll go straight home to rest, not back to the office."

"Tch. I told you to lead the way, so lead the way. Why all the chatter?" Gary shot him an impatient glare.

The guard dared not argue and repeatedly assented.

The Embroidered Uniform Guard's offices were divided into the Northern Commandery Office and the Southern Commandery Office. Shen Lian was a company commander of the Northern Commandery Office and normally worked there.

By now, most of the guards at the Northern Commandery Office were off duty, leaving only a handful of people inside.

Standing at the entrance, Gary waved him away. "You can go. I'll wait here."

"Are you going to wait all night, Eunuch? Lord Shen won't be on duty until tomorrow morning," the guard who had guided him added.

Gary did not answer, merely continuing to wave him away.

The guard dared not say anything more. He bowed with his hands clasped and hurried back toward the inn.

Looking at the Northern Commandery Office before him, Gary casually waved his hand, and time in the dream began to accelerate.

Only a second passed before daylight arrived and the time advanced to noon the next day.

"Phew. Just speeding up time doesn't seem to cause any discomfort. Nothing like the unbearable pain after modifying the dream."

Gary steadied his breathing and slowly entered the Northern Commandery Office.

With someone guiding him, he happened to encounter Shen Lian on his way out.

"Company Commander Shen, a moment."

Shen Lian glanced back at Gary, then lowered his head and saluted with clasped hands. "Eunuch Xi."

Gary wasted no time and spoke plainly. "I've long heard of your outstanding martial skills, Company Commander Shen. Today, I suddenly felt like learning a few moves. Would you be willing to teach me?"

Shen Lian wanted nothing to do with anyone from the Eastern Depot and declined. "My family's martial arts are not taught to outsiders. I hope you'll understand, Eunuch."

Gary frowned. In both Brotherhood of Blades films, Shen Lian's martial skills could certainly be considered excellent. But that did not mean no one was better than him.

Most of the other formidable figures, however, were wandering martial artists with no fixed residence. Where was Gary supposed to find them? Only Shen Lian, the male lead, was relatively easy to locate.

"Do you know what happens to those who offend me?" Gary threatened.

If Shen Lian still refused, he would have no choice but to modify the dream again and force Shen Lian to teach him "willingly."

Shen Lian looked troubled but said nothing.

Just then, another man emerged from the office. Wearing a silver python robe befitting a battalion commander, he approached Gary with a smile. "Why, if it isn't Eunuch Xi. Come inside and have a seat."

At the same time, he gave Shen Lian a meaningful look.

Shen Lian saluted with clasped hands and quickly left.

Gary wanted to stop him, but the Embroidered Uniform Guard battalion commander blocked his path.

"Eunuch Xi, Shen Lian still has official business to attend to. Allow me to entertain you instead."

Gary recognized him. "Lu Wenzhao, Battalion Commander Lu."

Lu Wenzhao was also a skilled martial artist, but he was not the reason Gary stopped.

It was his junior martial sister, a woman named Ding Baiying.

Both were successors to the Qi Family Saber, each having inherited a different school of the technique.

Ding Baiying had once defeated Shen Lian with Iaijutsu, although later in the film, Shen Lian had used his insight (plot armor) to counter her Iaijutsu and successfully defeat her.

But as far as Gary was concerned, insight was something that could neither be taught nor learned.

In terms of martial routines alone, Ding Baiying's Qi Family Saber was far superior to Shen Lian's family martial arts.

With that thought, Gary followed Lu Wenzhao into the office.

Lu Wenzhao led Gary into a reception room to the side, then ordered his subordinates to bring two cups of hot tea.

"What important business brings you here, Eunuch Xi?"

Gary sat leisurely in a wooden chair and said calmly, "I want to learn martial arts. I heard the Embroidered Uniform Guard has many skilled fighters, so I came to seek a teacher. Unfortunately, Company Commander Shen doesn't think much of me."

Unsure whether this was true, Lu Wenzhao probed, "The Eastern Depot has experts too. Besides, with your standing, surely you needn't worry about finding a good teacher? Why waste your time on Shen Lian?"

"I know you and Shen Lian have a bond forged through life and death. I understand that you want to protect him."

"You must find me ridiculous, Eunuch."

Gary tapped the tabletop lightly with his fingers. "Lord Lu, I hear you're a successor to the Qi Family Saber?"

Lu Wenzhao took a sip of tea and nodded. "That's right. If you wish to learn, Eunuch, I'd be more than happy to teach you a few moves."

In fact, compared with his junior martial sister Ding Baiying, Lu Wenzhao had learned the orthodox Qi Family Saber. His blade was longer, with only its front section sharpened; nearly two-thirds of the blade toward the rear was unsharpened.

Such a saber could still chop and slash unimpeded. When necessary, gripping the unsharpened rear section also allowed it to be used as a spear or a short saber.

But Gary did not want to learn Lu Wenzhao's orthodox Qi Family Saber. He shook his head. "I hear you also have a junior martial sister, Lord Lu?"

Lu Wenzhao's expression changed. Although his junior martial sister was working with him, she held no official post and was a martial artist operating in the shadows.

"How did you learn of that, Eunuch Xi?" A trace of murderous intent flashed in his eyes. For the sake of their great undertaking, he would kill even Wei Zhongxian's favorite adopted son without hesitation.

Gary pretended not to notice Lu Wenzhao's murderous intent. He lifted his teacup and took a sip. "I happened to hear about it. No need to be nervous, Battalion Commander Lu. I've heard your junior martial sister possesses extraordinary skills, and I greatly admire them. Could you introduce me?"

That saber strike with which Ding Baiying defeated Shen Lian in the film had simply been too stylish.

So much so that Gary still remembered the scene after all this time.

Ding Baiying's Qi Family Saber Technique was an adaptation of the Japanese pirates' techniques, and her saber was likewise modified from a Japanese sword.

Gary could no longer tell whether it was the stylish moves or Ding Baiying's personal charisma. Either way, it was stylish, and he wanted to learn it.

Lu Wenzhao fell silent for a while. "All right. I'll arrange it. Come back tomorrow, Eunuch."

"All right."

Gary put down his teacup, rose, and left the Northern Commandery Office.

At the entrance, he accelerated time again. In the blink of an eye, an entire day passed.

Once time returned to its normal pace, a guard at the entrance spotted Gary, ran over, and handed him a letter.

"Eunuch Xi, Lord Lu left this letter for you."

Gary silently accepted and opened it. There were only four characters on the page: "Clear Breeze Teahouse."

Hmm, did Lu Wenzhao mean for me to go find Ding Baiying myself?

He asked the guard who delivered the letter for directions, passed through several streets, and arrived at the entrance to the Clear Breeze Teahouse.

On the surface, it did indeed look like an ordinary teahouse. In reality, however, it was Lu Wenzhao's secret base, and every attendant inside was a martial arts-trained fighter.

The attendants seemed to have known Gary would come and led him straight into the rear courtyard.

In the rear courtyard.

A woman in white sat upright in a wooden chair, surrounded by attendants armed with sabers.

"Eunuch Xi of the Eastern Depot wants to become my disciple and learn martial arts? Sorry, I don't take eunuchs!" Ding Baiying hated the eunuch faction more than anything. At a look from her, the attendants immediately drew their sabers and advanced on Gary.

Gary remained calm. He intended to talk to Ding Baiying first. If they truly could not reach an agreement, he would modify the dream.

"Miss Ding, I hate the eunuch faction too, and I hate Wei Zhongxian. I'm learning martial arts precisely so I can kill him. Besides, I know what you've done. Attempting to assassinate the emperor, committing treason and plotting rebellion..."

Swish!

Ding Baiying drew her saber...

Gary smiled. "Don't be hasty, Miss Ding. If I die, a secret letter exposing you will be delivered straight to the depot chief."

Ding Baiying stared at Gary for a long while before finally sheathing her saber. "Tell me. What exactly do you want?"

"I've already told you. I want to learn martial arts. Teach me the Qi Family Saber, and I'll keep your secrets."

Ding Baiying asked curiously, "My senior martial brother said you refused to learn from him and insisted on learning my Qi Family Saber Technique?"

"That's right." Gary nodded in confirmation.

Ding Baiying gave no indication either way. "I don't have time to teach you now. Why don't you choose one of my many disciples here instead?"

"It won't take much time. Just demonstrate it once here, Miss Ding."

With the Mysterious Crystal helping him "record" it, Gary would only need to recreate this little courtyard in a dream later to watch Ding Baiying's saber technique repeatedly.

Ding Baiying looked somewhat surprised. "Could you be a martial arts genius, Eunuch, able to learn at a glance and never forget what you've seen?"

Gary offered no explanation, merely saying, "Don't overthink it, Miss Ding. Please demonstrate."

Harboring misgivings, Ding Baiying was unwilling to teach Gary any real skills. She waved her saber around haphazardly a few times, going through the motions.

Seeing that Ding Baiying's heart was not in it, Gary said, "Forget it. I'll learn just one move. Miss Ding, please demonstrate Iaijutsu."

Ding Baiying sneered. "I thought you were an outsider who knew nothing of martial arts, Eunuch. I never expected you to be the one concealing such depths. There can't be many people in the Great Ming Dynasty who know I practice Iaijutsu."

Seeing that Gary was not easily fooled, she had no choice but to show her real skills.

"Set up a wooden post!"

At Ding Baiying's command, several attendants immediately carried a wooden post out of the woodshed to the side and worked together to plant it in the courtyard.

Her Iaijutsu differed from the Japanese pirates' original technique: she drew her saber with a reverse grip.

Drawing this way reduced the attack's reach but increased its power.

Ding Baiying stood before the wooden post, her hand resting on the hilt, her entire body motionless.

Suddenly!

A flash of white light...

Before anyone could see what had happened, Ding Baiying had already returned her saber to its sheath.

The wooden post before her had been cut in two.