“Master, you’re back?”
Inside the stables, Wang Zhao was mixing feed when he saw Li Rui returning with the horses. He wiped his hands on his pants and stood up, eyes filled with a trace of fear.
Ever since Ma Yang died, that haunting thought had plagued his mind like a ghost he couldn't shake. Every night as he drifted into sleep, he’d hear Li Rui’s voice in his dreams:
“Disciple… my disciple~”
Sothing’s not right with Master!
But he couldn’t say exactly what was off.
The unease was slowly driving him to the brink of madness.
“Little Zhao, I’ll look after the stables. Go get so rest.”
Seeing the deep dark circles under his apprentice’s eyes, Li Rui shook his head. Anyone would think he’d been abusing the kid.
“Many thanks master.”
Wang Zhao nodded and practically fled back to his room.
Li Rui could tell sothing was wrong with his disciple, but he had no ti to worry about that now.
He had more important matters at hand.
After securing the four Sweatblood Horsess in the stables and preparing their feed, he quietly returned to his room, everything looking just as normal as always.
He rembered an old Daoist once told him:
“The greater the matter, the more you must act as though nothing is amiss. Say nothing of it, not even to yourself. That is the way of divine concealnt.”
Once inside, Li Rui carefully closed his door and double-checked the windows and corners.
No one watching.
Only then did he retrieve the oiled packet from his robes.
His heart thudded loudly in his chest.
The secret technique from Splendid Purity Sect… this won’t be anything ordinary.
Taking a deep breath, he unwrapped the oil paper layer by layer, until a slightly yellowed book revealed itself.
On the cover, four solemn characters stared back at him - White Ape Phi Blade!
He almost laughed out loud.
No need to spend eight taels at so shady martial school. This is the real deal, a Splendid Purity Sect secret technique!
He held his breath.
From the na alone, it was clearly a saber technique.
But he’d never practiced saber skills before. Everyone knew sabers used slashes, sweeps, and chops. What did "phi (披)" an in this context?
“The sword moves with clarity, the saber moves in darkness. A saber has only one edge, its spine thick. When facing an enemy, the spine of the saber can be used to parry, waiting for an opportunity to strike and overco the opponent with precision and timing. This is the essence of the ‘Pi Saber.’”
“After observing a white ape in a Daoist temple for ten years, I created this blade technique. May it be passed on through the future generations.”
“This saber is secret and sacred. Its intent is pure, its montum endless, like a river in reverse, fierce and unstoppable. It is a superior killing art, and only those with unwavering will may learn it.”
Li Rui read aloud slowly, word by word.
“Easy to draw the blade. Hard to sheath it. Beware! Beware! Beware!”
This wasn’t part of the technique itself, more like the senior who created the White Ape Phi Blade’s own heartfelt warning.
Li Rui interpreted it as:
Even after learning the saber, don’t beco reckless or hotheaded. If words can resolve it, there’s no need to draw your blade. But if the blade must be drawn, then finish it cleanly. Leave no loose ends.
This manual was on another level compared to the half-baked Eight Pieces of Brocade full of stick figures and breathing tips.
The White Ape Phi Blade was tens of thousands of characters long. It was clearly born of years of cultivation and observation in a Daoist temple and filled with dense Daoist philosophy.
“The Dao holds ten thousand laws, all leading to longevity. Water has a thousand sources, all flowing to the eastern sea—and to longevity.”
Li Rui felt like a grad student reading an obscure academic paper.
But with iron will, he spent three straight days and nights studying until he finished the entire technique.
Now that the saber technique was there, all that was missing was a saber.
Which was easy enough.
The Zhu family guards were issued two sabers each. Yang Yong’s backup blade was practically rusting, just right for borrowing.
“You wanna borrow a saber?”
Yang Yong stared at Li Rui. “Old Li, are you addicted to training now? First you’re punching air, now you wanna wave a saber?”
Though he grumbled, he still handed it over.
Li Rui grinned. “Next ti I’ll treat you to a drink.”
Yang Yong waved him off. “Forget the booze, just don’t throw your back out.”
But seeing how spry Li Rui had been lately, walking with a spring in his step, he knew his warning was probably wasted.
With saber in hand, training began.
To avoid damaging furniture, Li Rui found a secluded clearing in the woods.
Though the Eight Brocade was a fist technique, it shared similarities with the White Ape Phi Blade—both favored wide, powerful movents. Thanks to the body he’d built up, his foundation was solid.
The mont he grasped the saber hilt, a strange feeling surged within.
It was his first ti holding a saber, yet it felt like he’d done it thousands of tis.
A natural-born saber genius?
He quickly understood, it was the Martial Bones working its magic.
“Those blessed with Martial Bone will walk the peak of the martial path.”
The power of the Martial Bone far exceeded his expectations.
But the more powerful the Martial Bone was, the more he had to develop cautiously.
The world you imagine: fight monsters, level up gradually, grow stronger, and finally challenge the boss.
The world in reality: you start with the final boss, who could take you out in one move, leaving no room for retries.
If word got out he had Martial Bone, even the Splendid Purity Sect’s leader would be nothing compared to the people who’d co to kill him.
The ending will likely be a hundred tis more tragic than that of the senior surnad Huang.
So… he had to lay low. Grow in the shadows.
He gripped the saber and positioned it behind his back—like an old white ape. With a twist of his waist, the blade slashed forward in a wide arc.
His body dropped low. Right leg swept out, snow flying like petals.
Man and blade, moving as one.
One slash… then another.
He didn’t even realize how many swings he made.
Only now did he truly understand what the manual ant by:
“Easy to draw. Hard to sheath.”
This saber style was wicked.
Once started, he couldn't stop, not unless he shed blood… or collapsed from exhaustion.
After a full hour, Li Rui lay sprawled in the snow, breathing heavily.
Training this saber style made even slacking off an impossible luxury.
But the White Ape Phi Blade was truly powerful.
Even after just beginning to practice it, Li Rui felt confident he could take on any opponent of his level. If he truly mastered the essence of it… he would be invincible at the sa level!
His heart skipped a beat at the thought.
A guy who never once ranked first in primary school… was now dominating the martial world at seventy?
It was really ridiculous.
After catching his breath, Li Rui used the saber to prop himself up.
Saber training was way more exhausting than fistwork.
Practicing martial arts requires a balance of tension and relaxation. Li Rui massaged his sore arm, tucked the saber into the coat on his back, and only after ensuring it was inconspicuous did he head toward his residence.
Collapsing powerlessly onto the bed, Li Rui reflected. While the Martial Bone was powerful, it couldn't entirely eliminate the muscle strain left by training. dicine was essential to recovery. But his saved-up silver had long been spent.
"Money, money, money," he muttered.
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