Ruyi District, a bustling marketplace far from Luo's Shop.
Chen Cheng blended into the crowd, strolling along leisurely. He appeared to be window-shopping, but in truth, he was warily checking behind him to see if he was being followed.
Since leaving Luo's Shop, he had already wandered through three bustling streets. After ambling about for a while, he confirmed that no one was tailing him.
Carrying a Mid-level Saber Technique Manual and silver notes worth fifty taels, he truly felt like a child carrying gold through a bustling marketplace.
'Looks like I was worrying for nothing. A major establishment like Luo's Shop wouldn't stoop to foul play over a mere fifty taels of silver.'
With that thought, Chen Cheng headed for home.
The reason for his caution was the immense pressure he had felt from the middle-aged man and woman on the second floor of Luo's Shop just moments ago.
The middle-aged man in particular had a deep and piercing gaze. With just a single glance from afar, Chen Cheng had felt an intangible pressure. It was the oppressive aura of a Martial Dao expert—indescribable, yet keenly felt.
The middle-aged man had smiled at Chen Cheng, but Chen Cheng had a gut feeling that the smile held no kindness. It was one of cold indifference, the sort of disregard a powerful expert shows toward an insignificant nobody.
'That man is probably the Martial Dao expert for Luo's Shop. I can't let him take any notice of me.' That had been Chen Cheng's first thought when their eyes met.
Therefore, as Chen Cheng left, he had deliberately swayed, his steps unsteady, making himself appear frail and weak so the man would not discern his true strength.
You can never be too careful. When you're weak, being prudent and cautious is never the wrong choice.
With fifty taels of silver on his person, Chen Cheng kept an exceptionally low profile. He didn't go to the market for meat, but returned straight home. The moment he arrived, he locked himself in his room and focused on studying the Wind Chasing Saber Technique manual.
The Wind Chasing Saber Technique lived up to its reputation as a Mid-level Saber Technique. Its moves were exquisite, its Power Generation Techniques numerous, and it contained extremely detailed annotations on every fine point.
Even though Chen Cheng had practiced some basic Scattering Hand Techniques involving slashes and chops and was no stranger to using a saber, he still found studying the manual quite taxing.
Fortunately, his panel's progress function also worked while he studied the Secret Manual. Whenever Chen Cheng encountered an obscure or difficult passage, he would automatically gain progress.
If he didn't understand something on the first read, he would gain some insight on the second. By the third or fourth time, as his progress increased, he would experience a moment of epiphany, and everything would suddenly become clear.
It wasn't until Mu Xiaowan finished making dinner and came to knock on his door that Chen Cheng finally committed the manual's moves and various Power Generation Techniques to memory.
After dinner, he eagerly began practicing the Wind Chasing Saber Technique in the courtyard.
"Riding the Wind Technique!"
...
"Wind-Controlling Technique!"
...
"Wind Chasing Technique!"
...
There's no substitute for hands-on practice. As Chen Cheng trained, he keenly felt the truth of that old saying.
Although he had completely understood the Saber Technique Manual and committed it to memory, his actual practice was clumsy and halting. Either his moves were imprecise, or his power generation was imperfect.
When he finally managed to get the moves and power generation just right, he couldn't string them together.
And when he could string the moves together, his Body Technique couldn't keep up.
Still, with constant practice, Chen Cheng always made some progress.
[Wind Chasing Saber Technique Cultivation Progress has increased.]
[Skills: Wind Chasing Saber Technique (Uninitiated 1/10)]
After practicing for nearly an hour, the sky had completely darkened, and his Cultivation Progress for the Wind Chasing Saber Technique had increased by one point.
'Not bad. At this rate, it'll take about ten hours to reach the Beginner Level with this Saber Technique. That's about two or three days.'
'The future is promising!'
Chen Cheng sheathed his Constable's Saber and stood tall, a faint smile on his face.
Although his Wind Chasing Saber Technique was still Uninitiated, he could now manage a rough execution of the Riding the Wind Technique.
The power of the Riding the Wind Technique was impressive, a significant step up from the moves of an ordinary Scattering Hand Saber Technique.
The next day, Chen Cheng woke up early and practiced the Wind Chasing Saber Technique for a while before hurrying to the South City Prison to request leave from Prison Chief Cheng Rui.
Taking leave, of course, meant a pay deduction. But with fifty taels of silver to his name, Chen Cheng couldn't care less about a Prison Guard's meager salary. Practicing his Saber Technique was what mattered.
As the lowest-ranking constables, the Prison Guards were on duty all day in the dark, foul-aired Prison, and their health was generally poor.
A while back, Prison Chief Cheng Rui had been patrolling the prison so frequently that none of the Prison Guards dared to slack off. The strain was too much for many of them, and they fell ill, making requests for leave a common occurrence.
Only in the last few days had Cheng Rui started spending all his time in the Deacon's Room, hardly ever going to patrol the cells.
This allowed the Prison Guards to revert to their old ways—slacking off when they could, coasting through their shifts. No one was requesting leave anymore.
The Prison Guards figured that the new Prison Chief, Cheng Rui, was just making a big show of authority after his appointment, and that his initial fervor had finally died down.
Only Chen Cheng suspected something more. He noticed that Cheng Rui no longer kept a Money Bag in his trouser-leg pocket and that every few days he would carry a branding iron to the death row cells to "attend to" Master Xiu Chen.
His persistence was a mirror image of "Fierce Ah Cheng" from a month before.
Chen Cheng requested three days' leave from Cheng Rui, who approved it immediately without a single question. Chen Cheng didn't even get to use the excuses he had prepared, like the cold weather giving him a chill.
「Three days later.」
「Early morning.」
Snowflakes as large as goose feathers drifted down from the sky. It was one of many heavy snowfalls since the start of winter.
The Chen Family's courtyard was blanketed in thick snow. In front of a brazier by the kitchen door sat Mu Xiaowan, bundled in a thick cotton jacket and busy with her needlework. She would occasionally look up at the slender figure practicing his saber in the swirling snow, and her picturesque features would soften.
[Wind Chasing Saber Technique Cultivation Progress has increased.]
[Skills: Wind Chasing Saber Technique (Beginner Level 1/100)]
After completing a full run-through of the Wind Chasing Saber Technique, Chen Cheng lowered his saber and stood still, a pleased smile touching his lips.
He had finally reached the Beginner Level with his Wind Chasing Saber Technique!
He held his Constable's Saber out level before him. Chen Cheng slowly closed his eyes, recalling the verses and moves of the Wind Chasing Saber Technique in his mind.
The snow fell thick and fast. Before long, his head and shoulders were covered, and he looked like a snowman.
An unknown amount of time passed before his Constable's Saber suddenly trembled, and Chen Cheng lunged forward.
"Riding the Wind Technique!"
He moved with the saber, and the saber rode the momentum of the wind! As the Constable's Saber danced, it left a trail of shallow footprints in the snow.
"Wind-Controlling Technique!"
He moved as if commanding the wind, his saber as swift as a gale! The Constable's Saber wheeled again and again, precise and fast.
"Wind Chasing Technique!"
Shadow Catching and Wind Chasing, the Saber Chasing the Wind's Shadow! The Constable's Saber moved faster and faster, leaving a trail of afterimages.
...
[You have forgotten both yourself and the world, entering a Focused State. Wind Chasing Saber Technique Cultivation Progress has increased.]
[Skills: Wind Chasing Saber Technique (Beginner Level 6/100)]
As he finished executing the Wind Chasing Saber Technique again, a notification from the panel materialized in the air before him.
'There's even a Focused State? The Celestial Dao truly does reward the diligent!'
A look of delight crossed Chen Cheng's face. He held his breath, focused his mind, and began to practice with frantic energy, but the Focused State did not reappear.
Several minutes later, he lowered his Constable's Saber, looking thoughtful.
'It seems that this Focused State can only be chanced upon. It can't be forced.'
'Oh well. Just getting a progress boost is enough!'
He continued to practice.
...
"Open up! Hurry and open the door!"
Around noon, a series of urgent shouts came from outside, followed by loud POUNDING on the courtyard gate.
Hearing the commotion, Chen Cheng stopped practicing and opened the gate, his Constable's Saber still in hand.
Outside stood four men in black martial attire, all carrying sabers.
"Pay this month's fee. Fifty wen in total."
The leader, a burly, dark-faced man, sized Chen Cheng up and spoke in a cold voice.