Jiang Fa put away his saber as well. His eyes flickered, and he answered vaguely, "Mm."
Lin Feng stared, dumbfounded. "How long have you even been practicing?"
Jiang Fa thought for a moment, then scratched his head. "A little over three months, I think..."
A little over three months?
Lin Feng fell silent, as though digesting this fact.
Only after a long while did he shake his head with a bitter smile. "It took me a year and a half to reach minor achievement in the Cloak Saber Technique. Master praised my exceptional comprehension back then. You only took a little over three months. What does that make me?"
He stepped forward and patted Jiang Fa on the shoulder. "I've never seen a freak like you. Honestly, your innate constitution really isn't much. Your progress in stance training is only middling in the inner courtyard, but your comprehension of saber techniques... I'm afraid it might even surpass Qin Xuan's."
Jiang Fa shook his head. "You flatter me, Senior Brother Lin. It's merely minor achievement..."
"Merely minor achievement?" Lin Feng's mouth fell open. "Do you know how long it takes an ordinary person to bring a martial art to minor achievement? Or how difficult it is?"
Jiang Fa scratched his head, unsure how to answer.
To him, it really was merely minor achievement-just a matter of practicing a few more times...
Lin Feng waved a hand, then suddenly grew serious. "On the path of martial arts, techniques are ultimately only a means. Your realm is the foundation. However strong your techniques are, if your realm falls behind, you still won't be a match for a true expert. Remember that. Going forward, your realm must remain your priority."
Jiang Fa nodded, humbly accepting his guidance.
Seeing this, Lin Feng was about to say more,
when the clear ringing of a brass bell suddenly came from the training ground's entrance.
Both turned to look. An exquisitely decorated little sedan chair with a blue canopy had stopped on the flagstone path beside the training ground. Its curtain lifted, and Song Wan stepped out, draped in fox fur.
She had clearly dressed with care today.
She wore an ivory cross-collared padded jacket, with snowy-white rabbit fur edging its collar and cuffs. Below it was a pomegranate-red pleated skirt whose hem trailed over the thin snow, like a red plum blossom blooming amid the snow.
She carried a woven bamboo food box covered with a brocade handkerchief embroidered with mandarin ducks playing in water.
Song Wan had clearly spotted Lin Feng and Jiang Fa standing bare-chested in the snow as well. She paused slightly, then smiled with pursed lips and approached with small steps.
"Senior Brother Lin, Junior Brother Jiang, you're certainly in high spirits on such a cold day." She blinked. "I thought there wouldn't be anyone on the training ground in this weather."
Lin Feng smiled and cupped his hands. "Junior Sister Song, what wind blew you our way?"
Song Wan tucked the food box a little behind her back, her shifting gaze carrying a measure of maidenly shyness. "Well, Junior Brother Qin Xuan broke through to An Jin a few days ago. I specially ordered a few dishes from the Immortal Gathering Pavilion to celebrate for him, and invited some senior brothers and sisters to join in the merriment."
"You must do us the honor of coming tonight, Senior Brother Lin."
She paused, her gaze passing over Jiang Fa, her tone carrying just the right measure of courtesy. "Junior Brother Jiang... if you're free, do come along too."
Her words were perfectly polite, but anyone could hear that Jiang Fa was merely an afterthought.
Lin Feng glanced at Jiang Fa and smoothed things over with a smile. "Junior Brother Qin breaking through to An Jin is wonderful news. I'll certainly be there."
Qin Xuan had broken through to An Jin less than a year after joining the martial hall,
and even he was shocked, and had no choice but to treat that extraordinarily gifted junior brother with caution.
Jiang Fa's expression did not change. He merely said evenly, "Thank you for your kindness, Senior Sister Song. I have something to do tonight, so I won't intrude."
Song Wan clearly did not mind either. After a few polite words, she hurried into the martial hall with the food box.
Her pomegranate-red skirt dragged two shallow tracks through the thin snow.
The two watched her figure disappear around the corner of the training ground.
Lin Feng turned to Jiang Fa.
"Junior Brother Jiang," Lin Feng suddenly said.
Jiang Fa looked up.
Lin Feng walked over and patted his shoulder. "Don't let Junior Brother Qin's breakthrough to An Jin breed resentment in your heart. The martial path is long. Flowing water does not vie to be first; it strives to flow without end. I hope you won't give up on yourself because of this."
Jiang Fa was slightly taken aback,
then understood that Lin Feng thought Qin Xuan's breakthrough to An Jin had dealt him a blow.
Combined with Song Wan's openly unequal treatment just now, he feared Jiang Fa felt aggrieved.
"Senior Brother Lin, I'm fine."
Jiang Fa shook his head, his tone calm.
Lin Feng looked at him. Only after seeing that there truly was no trace of dejection or disappointment in his eyes did he breathe a sigh of relief.
"That's good. Honestly, I've seen all the hard work you've put in these past few months. In terms of progress in martial techniques, you're no worse than Qin Xuan, if not better."
His tone was certain as he spoke, without anything forced about it.
Jiang Fa put on his outer robe,
without saying a word.
Lin Feng suddenly remembered something and changed the subject. "Right, you've been training hard at the martial hall all this time. You haven't found a nominal post yet, have you?"
"Not yet," Jiang Fa answered truthfully.
A thoughtful look flashed through Lin Feng's eyes. After a moment's silence, he said seriously, "Junior Brother Jiang, I have a proposal."
Jiang Fa looked up at him.
"As you know, although our Lin Lineage isn't some great, prestigious household, we do have some roots in Qingshan County. Things haven't been peaceful at the trading firm lately, and my father has been wanting to recruit a few reliable martial artists to hold the fort."
Lin Feng looked Jiang Fa in the eye and said earnestly, "I'd like to invite you to become an Attendant of our Lin Lineage."
Jiang Fa's brows furrowed slightly.
An Attendant.
Of course he knew what that was.
The major Lineages of Qingshan County all had Attendants. Unlike ordinary household guards, Attendants held a higher status and were not at the household's beck and call. They only appeared and took action at critical moments.
Their monthly pay was also far beyond that of household guards. More importantly, being an Attendant did not conflict with being a martial hall disciple. It was a cooperative relationship, not one of master and servant.
"Ten taels of silver a month," Lin Feng said slowly. "You won't need to do anything normally. Just show up when something happens at the trading firm. It absolutely won't interfere with your cultivation."
Ten taels of silver!
For Qingshan County, these were exceptionally generous terms.
That monthly pay was already a top-tier rate among household guards, the sort one could scarcely find even searching with a lantern.
Seeing him remain silent, Lin Feng continued, "Junior Brother Jiang, I'll be frank. Our Lin Lineage doesn't lack Attendants, but right now we lack someone trustworthy. I also need a brother I can entrust my back to. If you're willing, the monthly pay is a small matter. Whatever you need in the future, as long as it's within my power, I, Lin Feng, will never refuse."
His words were utterly sincere.
Jiang Fa fell silent for a few seconds, then looked up and solemnly cupped his fist in salute to Lin Feng. "Thank you for thinking so highly of me, Senior Brother Lin. I'll take the post."
A broad smile spread across Lin Feng's face. He threw an arm around Jiang Fa's shoulders and gave him two hard pats. "Good! Good! From now on, we're on the same side!"
Then, as though remembering something, he grew solemn. "There's been a suspected sighting of a third-tier ferocious beast on Black Wind Ridge recently. If you want to go there, Junior Brother, wait until this blows over, just in case."
Jiang Fa was a little surprised. "A third-tier ferocious beast?"
A third-tier ferocious beast was a terrifying existence comparable to a Transforming Force martial artist.
Besides, even a Transforming Force martial artist would not dare claim they could reliably take down a third-tier ferocious beast.
Ferocious beasts were naturally thick-skinned and tough, with astonishing defenses. Ordinary martial artists of the same tier would never lightly make an enemy of one unless necessary.
Lin Feng shook his head. "The exact source of this is still unknown. Just remember not to go to Black Wind Ridge for the time being."
Jiang Fa nodded lightly to show he understood.
They chatted a little longer before Lin Feng took his leave, saying he needed to return to the trading firm and report the matter of the Attendant post to his father.