Night.
A cold wind howled, a complete reflection of the changes in the weather. In the blink of an eye, several more days had passed. In their master's courtyard, Lin Zheyu and Han Mo stood bare-chested, steam rising from their bodies. They had just finished sparring, and their blood was boiling with heat.
"With this cold weather, by tomorrow morning, there will be dozens more corpses outside the city," said Han Mo with a sigh. It left him deeply unsettled every time he had to deal with the bodies. "Lately, the city hasn't been peaceful either. If this continues, the rebel army won't even need to attack; the city will fall apart on its own.".
"Prices keep climbing higher and higher. Ordinary people can hardly survive anymore," commented Lin Zheyu.
It was said that many who could no longer make a living had taken up weapons and fled to the mountains, turning into bandits. Many hunters no longer dared to venture into the mountains, where the bandits hunted them instead.
"Now that winter is here, the rebel army should quiet down for a while to rest and recover and then launch their offense in the spring," said Han Mo.
Liang Song watched the two of them chat idly, smiled faintly, and gazed blankly at the moon. He had always been a reserved man, able to sit alone and stare off into space for an entire day.
***
After resting for a while, the two disciples stepped back into the courtyard. Han Mo gripped a blunt saber with a stern expression while Lin Zheyu's figure darted like a shadow under the moonlight, swiftly moving as he sought the right moment to strike.
He did not reveal the full strength of the Organ Forging Realm, instead concealing his power as he honed his combat skills with Senior Brother Han Mo.
Lin Zheyu had already figured out ways to deal with opponents armed with a blade. His movements were incomparably nimble compared to when he first started sparring with his senior brother. He quickly seized the perfect opening and lashed out with a whip-like kick at Han Mo's back. His kick was as swift as lightning.
Han Mo spun around swiftly and slashed with his saber. Lin Zheyu didn't dare meet the sharp edge head-on, so he pulled back his attack abruptly and shifted to strike from the other side. The Golden Goose Technique, a martial technique focused mainly on training the legs, granted incredible agility and movement as swift as the wind once mastered.
However, Han Mo's saber technique was formidable. It was clean, swift, and powerful. His strikes flowed seamlessly with his movements, forming an impenetrable defense around him. No matter how many times Lin Zheyu launched his attacks, he was always forced back by Han Mo's fierce saber work.
Yet Han Mo could do nothing to him either. Although Han Mo had reached the peak of the Organ Forging Realm, his leg techniques were far inferior to Lin Zheyu's, and he lacked the same speed and agility.
One attacking and the other defending, they exchanged more than a dozen blows in just a short span. The dull saber's edge scraped dangerously close to Lin Zheyu again and again, yet he always managed to evade it with remarkable precision.
After more than an hour, Han Mo finally stopped, panting heavily.
"That's enough, I'm done," said Han Mo, waving his hand.
Facing a speed-type fighter like Lin Zheyu left him feeling extremely stifled.
"Let's end it here for today. If I go back too late, my wife will start nagging again." Han Mo laughed and said, "It's about time you found yourself a wife, too. Living alone is too boring."
"Boring? How could it be boring? Are the girls at the Jade Pill Teahouse no longer fragrant, or is training in martial arts not fun enough for you? This world is full of wonders. Why bother marrying a wife and tying yourself down with a bunch of children?" questioned Lin Zheyu with a chuckle.
"You brat. When you're older, you'll understand what it feels like to come home late at night and see a light still waiting for you," said Han Mo with a smile.
"Feelings?" said Lin Zheyu.
Liang Song[1] ignored the bickering between the two; he was already used to it. Every time these two met, they would argue, yet they somehow always enjoyed spending time together.
***
"Master, was there anything I should improve from that last fight?" asked Lin Zheyu as he walked to Liang Song's side.
"No, you did very well. In less than a month, you've cultivated the Golden Goose Technique to an amazing level. You're already stronger than I was," said Liang Song with a smile.
Before leaving Songyi City, having accepted a disciple with extraordinary talent such as Lin Zheyu filled Liang Song with deep gratification. Liang Song glanced around at the flowers and plants in the courtyard before saying, "Zheyu."
"Yes, Master? What is it?" replied Lin Zheyu, feeling that Master Liang's voice carried a strange weight.
"Han Mo has his own home here in Songyi City, but that courtyard of yours... You're just renting it, aren't you? From now on, this courtyard is yours. Remember to take good care of these flowers and plants," said Liang Song, gazing at the garden with an indescribable emotion in his eyes.
"Master, are you leaving?" asked Lin Zheyu. He was startled, and his heart was filled with reluctance. Liang Song had always treated him with great kindness, never holding anything back, and imparted all that he knew. To Lin Zheyu, Liang Song felt like family.
"Master, are you leaving so soon?" asked Han Mo reluctantly. "Can't you stay a while longer?"
"It's time for me to go. You've already learned the Golden Goose Technique. A master only leads the way; cultivation depends on the disciple's own diligence. And you, though the Sixfold Saber is only a third-rate technique, if you cultivate it to its peak, you can still break through to the Blood Qi Realm."
"When you've reached the Blood Qi Realm, only then can you venture into the great mountains or desolate forests. Until then, don't go recklessly. It's still relatively safe within the city walls, but once you step beyond them, it becomes perilous," said Liang Song slowly, his expression grave.
Liang Song took a sip of tea and continued. "In the blink of an eye, I've been in Songyi City for over a decade. It's time for me to return... though I don't know if my old friends are still around."
"Why don't I leave with you?" Lin Zheyu suggested. "There's nothing worth clinging to in Songyi City. It's the same no matter where I go."
"Not you. You'd better stay in the city, earn your living telling stories, and focus on your training," replied Liang Song.
Lin Zheyu, though glum, could only humbly accept his master's advice.
"Master, what are these yaos and demons like?" Lin Zheyu asked, changing the topic.
Among the common folk, countless tales of yaos and demons circulated, though most were exaggerated and far from the truth.
"I've only seen yaos and demons a few times myself. Just as the stories say, some were once human, and some transformed from spirits of the mountains and beasts, but all of them were unspeakably strange. The power of yaos and demons is immense, and their vitality is astonishing. They're not easy to kill. For ordinary martial artists, meeting one almost always means death. Only after reaching the Blood Qi Realm does one have the strength to stand a chance against them," Liang Song said slowly. "If you ever encounter something strange in the future, your first thought should be to get away. Never rush in out of curiosity."
"Yes, Master." Lin Zheyu nodded, then asked curiously, "Master, did you say people can turn into yaos and demons?"
"That's right. Since ancient times, countless emperors and mighty figures have pursued immortality, seeking the path of cultivation. But some, in their pursuit, go astray and become demons. They became neither truly human nor entirely spirit," Liang Song explained.
"Master, do true immortals really exist in this world?" Lin Zheyu asked next.
"Perhaps they do, perhaps they don't. I am but an ordinary man, my strength only at the Blood Qi Realm. I haven't reached that level, so I cannot touch upon such hidden truths," said Liang Song with a calm expression while shaking his head.
"Oh..." Lin Zheyu didn't press further. He sat down by the stone table and shared tea with his master.
1. The raw was Lin Zheyu, but I think it's an author mistake as it should be Liang Song. ☜