Only Lin Yue and Wu Yang were left in the main hall. The two chatted about Huainan Prefecture and their respective experiences, though it was mostly Wu Yang talking while Lin Yue listened.
After talking for half an hour, Wu Yang invited her to the martial arts field.
The Fang siblings and the Wu siblings were sparring. Before even stepping into the martial training courtyard, they could hear the shouts of two girls.
"Brother! Attack his lower body! Tap with your sword!"
"Brother! Watch your left side! Pull back your sword! Thrust at his abdomen!"
"..."
On the arena stage, two young men were trading sword moves. Both clenched their teeth with tense expressions, exchanging blows without gaining the upper hand, making the fight look exhausting. Below the stage, their two younger sisters were giving blind directions, while two martial arts instructors stood by with numb expressions, a hint of disdain visible in their eyes.
As soon as Lin Yue entered the courtyard, the two martial arts instructors looked over. Seeing the posture of the man behind the young lad, neither made a sound, turning their heads back to focus intently on the fight on the arena stage.
Lin Yue found a spot in the corridor to stop and observe their moves. Comparing them to the sword styles of the black-clothed guest, their moves were good, but their strikes were far too sluggish. Looking at their chosen target areas combined with their follow-up combinations, their intentions were unclear, their moves redundant and immature, lacking ruthlessness and accuracy.
They fell far short of being fast, accurate, and ruthless.
If Hong Mei were to fight them, she would finish them off within three moves.
Mid-fight, Wu Yan happened to glance in this direction. The sudden appearance of that figure in his vision caught him off guard, causing him to freeze for a moment. Then came the sound of tearing cloth, followed by a sharp sting. He looked down at his arm; a sword had slashed a gash into it, and fresh blood dripped out.
"Brother Wu!" Fang Heng gasped in surprise.
"Brother, are you okay?"
The fight came to a halt. Fang Heng said apologetically, "Brother Wu, how are you? Why did you stop all of a sudden..."
Wu Nian rushed onto the arena stage. Seeing Wu Yan keeping his head down silently with an unusual expression—like someone who had committed a mistake—she swallowed hard and looked in that direction, suddenly locking eyes with a cold, chilly gaze. Her heart skipped a beat.
"Father," Wu Nian immediately lowered her head and called out.
Then that aloof voice carried over, "What are you standing there dazed for? Go dress the wound."
"Yes." Wu Yan gave a polite bow and immediately stepped down from the arena stage, his steps neither hurried nor slow, though somewhat stiff and unsettled.
With Wu Yan gone and Wu Nian keeping silent with her head lowered, the Fang siblings on the stage were at a total loss, unsure of what expressions to make. The atmosphere instantly turned awkward.
Seeing this, Lin Yue gathered her qi, took a step forward, and lightly tapped her toes to leap onto the arena stage. Drawing a sword from a rack of weapons, she smiled at Fang Heng and spoke:
"Brother Fang, how about we trade a few moves?"
Hearing this, excitement showed on Fang Heng's face. He was just getting into the groove of fighting, so he immediately agreed.
Next, he saw his opponent raise the sword horizontally across the chest with a cold expression, the dark eyes entirely devoid of emotion. A gentle breeze blew the ponytail-wearing youth's bangs. Clad in white, the figure looked heroic, spirited, and overwhelmingly imposing.
At a glance, the lad possessed the unmistakable air of a young master. Fang Heng narrowed his eyes.
"Brother Fang?"
Seeing him stand still for a long time, Lin Yue called out. Was this kid scared out of his wits?
"Brother Lin, please go easy on me!" Fang Heng cupped his hands cautiously.
"I've never learned swordsmanship, so you should hold back a bit for me."
"...Never learned?"
"Right."
Fang Heng was dumbfounded. Was this masterly aura entirely the product of his own imagination?
"You make the first move."
Fang Heng was dumbfounded once more. Having never learned swordsmanship, yet telling him to strike first? Wasn't this order completely backwards?
Seeing the other party call out again, Fang Heng had no choice but to raise his sword and charge forward.
"Brother Lin, watch out!"
Fang Heng swept his sword forward. Lin Yue retreated to dodge, then stepped up with an upward diagonal slash. With a clatter of metal, Lin Yue turned sideways, holding the sword vertically to block, then attacked again.
Lin Yue remained entirely on the defensive, not striking back once. His moves were either blocked or neutralized by deflecting their force, executed with easy proficiency without breaking stride.
Fang Heng frowned as his offensive grew fiercer. Yet no matter how he struck or from which direction he thrust, even if Lin Yue hadn't reacted beforehand, every attack was blocked and neutralized—as though Lin Yue had long grasped his every move.
Letting him strike first while only defending without attacking was meant to observe his moves. But to discern his habits in less than the time it took to sip a cup of tea... wasn't that way too fast?
Moves were fluid; in the same scenario, he hadn't chosen the exact same move! How did Lin Yue judge it? Just as he was pondering, he heard the opponent speak:
"Brother Fang, I am going to strike now."
The moment Lin Yue finished speaking, the sword thrust forward—as cold and ruthless as its master, striking straight at vital points.
Fang Heng's heart tightened as he hastily raised his sword to block. Swordsmen avoided solid defenses to hit weak spots; having failed to hit with the first blow, Lin Yue withdrew the sword and attacked again. The techniques were basic and without fancy tricks, and though he knew where the sword was aiming, Lin Yue could always switch to another sword form right at the critical moment when he was about to defend.
Lin Yue's swordsmanship was simple and basic, yet fierce, swift, and highly purposeful. Fang Heng could manage to parry at first, but later found it increasingly difficult to hold his ground. He abandoned those flashy sword techniques and resorted directly to basic stances to defend.
Suddenly, Lin Yue's sword lunged forward. Fang Heng subconsciously moved to parry, unaware it was merely a feint. Just as he cursed mentally, a sword was already resting against his neck.
Fang Heng's face contorted for a moment before he complained, "Brother Lin, you certainly don't look like someone who doesn't know how to use a sword."
"I've never practiced swordsmanship, but I have a solid foundation and understand basic sword moves."
Lin Yue stretched her limbs. Feeling unsatisfied, she smiled and said, "Let's have another round."
"Bring it on!"
Fang Heng was unwilling to concede. At the same age, he had practiced since childhood and possessed a solid foundation too; this had to be a mistake.
After several rounds, Fang Heng was gasping for air and drenched in sweat. Seeing the opponent casually wipe away a light sweat with an easygoing look, he collapsed straight onto the ground and asked, "Aren't you tired?"
He saw the other party think for a moment before saying, "It's fine." As if considering his feelings, Lin Yue added afterward, "A little."
Fang Heng's silence was deafening. He picked up his sword from the ground and quietly walked off the arena stage. He swore never to spar with Lin Ze again—it was too damaging to his self-esteem.
Seeing him step down, Lin Yue looked over at the two girls, surveyed them back and forth, and waved at Fang Yu.
Fang Yu felt an itch to fight but was also somewhat hesitant. Her martial arts were inferior to her brother's; wouldn't she make a fool of herself up there?
"Fang Yu, let's spar for a bit!"
"You have to hold back for me!"
"I'll let you win."
"Wait right there, I'm coming!"
A guaranteed win—she had to go! Radiant with excitement, Fang Yu drew her sword with a clang and stepped onto the arena stage with grand momentum! Raising her sword, she charged straight at Lin Yue, her momentum blowing Fang Heng out of the water.
After several rounds, Fang Yu quietly stepped down from the stage.
Although she won, the process was completely unsatisfying.
Lin Yue waved at Wu Nian. Wu Nian acted coyly, stealing a glance toward Wu Yang.
"Why are you looking at me? If you want to fight, go ahead."
Wu Nian looked conflicted. She could fight, but her father usually maintained a cold, taciturn demeanor that warned people away, making her unable to act freely.
Lin Yue glanced off the stage and said, "Wu Yan, why don't both of you come up together?"
Wu Yan froze for a moment, glanced in Wu Yang's direction, and said "Alright." He raised his sword and stepped onto the arena stage, and only then did Wu Nian follow him up.
Lin Yue had once confronted three bandits with a single staff; as expected, both of them were defeated.
"This kid's reaction time and martial talent are quite good," one of the martial arts instructors remarked from the side. "Much better than these four inexperienced youths."
The other martial arts instructor observed closely. Seeing that the youth could withstand the force of two people single-handedly, with steady moves showing no signs of weakness and extraordinary strength, he noted, "Possesses some internal energy."
Wu Yang stood with his hands behind his back, looking at the youth on the stage with tenderness in his eyes. He then walked over to the two martial arts instructors.
"Lord Wu."
Wu Yang nodded. "The three of them plan to attend the martial arts convention. I must trouble you two masters to offer them some guidance."
"Yes."
The two agreed and immediately headed toward the group resting and chatting.
Seeing the two approach, Lin Yue and the other two stood up to greet them. The two instructors offered guidance to the trio, essentially saying that the sword techniques they practiced were mediocre—especially Lin Yue, who kept repeating a few basic moves over and over, which could easily be seen through by opponents.
Feeling completely inadequate, the three stood awkwardly and humbly asked for advice.
"I will teach you a set of sword techniques. Although its tier isn't high, it will be more than enough for you to use."
The female instructor, dressed in black tight-fitting clothes, took a sword and began performing. The sword rang crisp and clear, flowing like clouds and water, free-spirited and uninhibited. The three inexperienced youths were mesmerized.
"Alright, practice it once yourselves."
Lin Yue grabbed a sword and performed it once with the instructor guiding from the side, managing to replicate about sixty percent of it. After half an hour of continuous practice, it looked quite convincing, so she began sparring with the instructor, making progress with every exchange.
"Not bad! Placing in the martial arts convention won't be a problem," the instructor said, her eyes bright with praise.
"Senior, what about me?" Fang Heng asked with an expectant look upon hearing this.
Seeing the young man's clear eyes, the instructor chuckled. "You all have a chance! The martial arts convention gathers heroes from all over. Going there to broaden your horizons and meet capable people could even lead to joining a renowned master, which would benefit your future."
"Do many expert masters take in disciples at the martial arts convention?!"
"Besides martial arts, what other conditions do they require to accept disciples?!"
At the mention of famous masters, the Fang siblings' excitement was beyond words. If they could take a reclusive grandmaster as their teacher, they would make a name for themselves in the jianghu in the future.
The day passed in martial arts practice. They did not stay overnight, but as they were leaving, Wu Yang suddenly spoke up:
"Little Brother Lin, your martial arts are impressive at such a young age. With guidance from a famous master, you will surely reach great heights. How about coming to my manor as a guard? Uncle Wu will find a master to teach you, or you could take the imperial examinations and secure an official post in the future."
"Thank you, Uncle Wu. I plan to go seek out my relatives first and settle my younger sister, then make further plans after the martial arts convention."
"That works too." Wu Yang nodded. "When do you plan to set off? Why not stay for a few days to learn from the two instructors before departing?"
Lin Yue sensed his special treatment toward her. She tended to think of everything from a pessimistic angle and feared he might have a predilection for men, so she said, "Uncle Wu, I am not your old acquaintance, so I feel unworthy of such generosity."
Wu Yang gave a comforting smile. "No need to be polite. We are fellow townsmen, so we ought to help each other when out away from home."
"Then thank you, Uncle Wu."
Lin Yue left Wu Manor and spent the next few days practicing martial arts at Wu Manor. She even asked the martial arts instructor where she could buy staff techniques, willing to offer a heavy sum. However, after learning of this, Wu Yang directly had servants deliver several technique manuals.
Lin Yue was flattered and overwhelmed, but she also knew opportunities were fleeting. She picked two manuals and pulled out three thousand taels in silver banknotes to purchase them. Three thousand taels was more than half her net worth—a sum neither too large nor too small, essentially enough to take a second-rate master as a teacher.
When the other party refused to accept payment, Lin Yue threatened to return the manuals. After several back-and-forth refusals, she bought them for two thousand taels.
"Brother Lin, I never thought you were so rich!"
The Fang siblings were dumbfounded. At their wealthiest, their entire net worth was twenty taels; at their poorest, they didn't have a single copper coin.
Lin Yue did not explain, put away the technique manuals, and began practicing martial arts.
Clashing sounds of weaponry echoed through the courtyard. Lin Yue thrust her staff toward the instructor in front of her, only for her to side-step it in an instant, followed by a sword thrust back. Lin Yue responded with quick eyes and hands.
"Lin Ze, do you want to take a master?" the female martial arts instructor asked. Being able to parry her moves at a teenage age, with such talent and internal energy, Lin Yue was already a genius, which immediately sparked her desire to take Lin Yue on as a disciple.
The instructor was a First-Rank Martial Master, which made her a first-rate expert. Having someone teach martial arts was better than figuring things out alone. Lin Yue was tempted for a moment, but ultimately declined.
If the other party had no faction ties or enemies, taking her as a teacher would be fine.
But this situation was different. Agreeing meant having to stay here long-term to learn, with Wu Yang present and in the residence of high officials and nobles. Learning martial arts under them meant risking having to sell her life for them, making it easy to expose her secrets.
Longevity forbade deep entanglements most of all.
"Thank you for your kindness, Senior. My younger sister is still young and cannot be left alone, so I am not considering taking a master for now." Lin Yue used Chen Zhiyi as an excuse once again.
The martial arts instructor showed a look of regret and said no more.
After studying for a few days, the trio planned to set off for the capital, and the Wu siblings joined them as well.
Traveling the jianghu in an era without developed transportation was just like this—making friends along the way, righting wrongs, and listening to gossip made life truly fulfilling.
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