The next day, dawn broke.
A great sun rose slowly in the east, casting its light across the land.
Having grown accustomed to a life of poverty, Ji Xiu still rose early to practice his saber forms, even without a master to rouse him.
He was now sitting on a wooden stool outside the fence, panting heavily. His body was drenched in so much sweat that if he wrung out his shirt, he could have filled a small basin.
But every drop of sweat was worth it; none of his hard work was in vain.
He took off his outer shirt, leaving his upper body bare, and casually tossed the garment into a wooden basin.
The dappled morning light spilled over his torso.
At this moment, Ji Xiu was like a young eagle, poised to leave the nest and soar into the sky.
He spread his powerful arms, and with just a slight flex...
Bulging muscles rippled across his skin.
They were like the great sinews of a slumbering dragon, beginning to stir and ripple!
His once rough, sallow skin had shed its coarseness after this period of nourishment and training. Bathed in the golden light, it even seemed to glow.
A stark contrast to his formerly gaunt and sallow figure, which had looked as if a gust of wind could topple it.
[Pious devotion to the saber and tireless training. 'Celestial River Saber Technique' progress +1]
[Celestial River Saber Technique: (4013/10000)]
"Haaa..."
'I've gotten a lot more skilled.'
As Ji Xiu silently cultivated his Celestial River Saber Technique, he could feel his understanding of the various saber skills improving in his mind, bringing him ever closer to the so-called realm of Great Success.
He felt a growing sense of assurance, a greater confidence in his ability to face the world.
He looked at the three taels of silver coins on the table.
The silver had been delivered by Lu Yu himself yesterday at dusk. It was an offering from Steward Qiao Jin, the very man whose arm Ji Xiu had nearly crippled with a strike from his wooden blade.
Now, a night had passed.
He recalled the look on Qiao Jin's face when the man discovered he knew the Young Master of Fire Kiln—an expression as if he'd seen a ghost.
He couldn't help but smile.
'It's been true since ancient times: respect the clothes before the man.'
'The clothes you wear determine your status. In the eyes of others, it makes all the difference.'
'If your fists aren't hard and your backbone is weak, you look easy to bully and manipulate. People will always try to walk all over you.'
'The world is full of such fickle behavior. There's too much of it to count, and I have no desire to get involved.'
He fiddled with the pouch of silver coins.
'But no matter how you look at it…'
'I need to train my fists until they're hard, until I become one of those "well-dressed" people in the eyes of others!'
'That's the only way!'
Back at the Lin Residence.
Lu Yu's timely intervention had almost given him the mistaken impression that influence was more important than strength.
But now, looking at the physique and Saber Skill that gave him such a profound sense of security...
Ji Xiu had a moment of clarity.
'Where does influence come from?'
'It comes from the might of one's own fist!'
'I can't ever get that backwards!'
As he was lost in thought, Ji Wei quietly brought him his breakfast. Her eyes sparkled with adoration.
"You must be tired from your saber practice, brother. Hurry and eat. I'll go wash your clothes!"
Before Ji Xiu could say a word,
she had already scurried off, carrying the dirty clothes in the wooden basin to be washed.
He watched her tuck her hair behind her ear, beads of sweat forming on her delicate little nose as she squatted on the ground, drawing water and scrubbing his clothes. Despite the freezing cold, her own clothes were still thin and tattered.
Ji Xiu clenched the money pouch and stood up.
"Wei, stop."
The days of gritting their teeth and tightening their belts were behind them.
And so, Ji Xiu's tone had softened.
He patted Ji Wei on the head.
"Go on, the food's still warm. Go eat."
"When I come back this evening, I'll have a surprise for you."
With that, he changed into a clean set of common clothes, gave Ji Wei a hug, and headed out, his mind already at work:
'It's late autumn. We need bedding, clothes for Wei, rice, flour, meat...'
'We need to stock up on all of it.'
'I still have to wait a couple of days to hear from Senior Brother Lu. With that in mind, this silver from Qiao Jin really came just in time.'
'Good thing he knew what was good for him.'
As he thought, Ji Xiu walked for about ten minutes, entered the main street, and found a cheap, nearby cotton shop.
First, he had seven jin and six liang of cotton carded and asked the shopkeeper to sew it into a quilt. At fifty large coins per jin, including the cover, it cost him a little over half a tael of silver.
He also had two padded jackets made, which required more cloth and batting. Between those and the quilt, more than a full tael of Silver was gone, just like that.
'And that's with cheap floss mixed in with the cotton. If I'd used high-quality material...'
'This bit of silver I have wouldn't have been nearly enough!'
'We'd be back to living on air.'
After placing the order, Ji Xiu clicked his tongue in dismay.
No wonder the words 'autumn' and 'winter' were enough to make a farmer's hair turn white with worry.
Few ordinary people could afford new clothes and thick quilts. They usually wore the same garments for years, keeping them on even after they were torn to shreds, unable to bear the cost of replacement.
And that didn't even account for firewood and charcoal.
If you didn't have a livelihood,
a single winter could freeze a person to death, or starve them!
'I have to earn more money!'
'This little bit... it's barely enough for basic necessities, let alone enough to support my martial arts training!'
Ji Xiu swallowed hard.
He had thought he'd be free once he was off the Slave Registry.
But now it seemed that without his position as a Groom, without access to fine rice and flour, his life was even more difficult.
'But this is all temporary.'
'Senior Brother Lu said that as a Guest of Fire Kiln Lu Manor, as long as I can pass the Old Manor Master's inspection, the basic benefits are a monthly stipend of ten silver, meat with every meal, and a private courtyard.'
'If I'm valued and they invest in my training, I won't just have real authority within Fire Kiln, ranking above the many Shopkeepers. I'll also have a carriage for travel and even receive a Sword Weapon forged in the Fire Kiln's own forges!'
'A real Sword Weapon!'
'An ordinary person could never touch one, let alone buy it!'
Ji Xiu licked his lips, his eyes burning with desire.
'Wouldn't that be infinitely better than this Wooden Blade I'm using!?'
'But before that…'
'I need to change my official registration.'
...
「Anning County Yamen.」
Relying on his status as a Martial Artist, Ji Xiu had made his way through the government office without any trouble.
But when he reached the Household Department, he ran into trouble.
The Household Official in charge of registration changes was surprised to hear that Ji Xiu, now a Martial Artist, wanted to nullify his slave contract. Still, he'd seen such things before, so without saying much, he prepared to make the change.
However,
when he found the wooden token bearing Ji Xiu's registration and examined it, his eyes narrowed.
"Lin Residence, slave contract, a son of the Ji Family..."
He murmured the name, then frowned.
"I've heard of you."
'Heard of me?'
Ji Xiu froze.
The Household Official gave him a once-over, his eyes filling with disdain.
"Just became a Martial Artist and you're already whipping your superiors. Such a violent temper. The Boss of the Lin Residence wanted to take you in as an Adopted Son, but you refused and stormed out."
"Son of the Ji Family..."
"You have no idea what a golden opportunity you threw away!"
"Just yesterday, the Lin Residence's eldest daughter returned after nine years away. She was a student of a Qi Cultivation Grandmaster, you know."
"If you could have become related to a person like that... heh, you would have been set for life."
"What a pity..."
He shook his head, leaned back in his chair, and held up five fingers.
"If you were from an ordinary household, becoming a Martial Artist would be enough to dissolve the contract. No problem."
"But the Lin Residence..."
"The Government Office has to send money back to them as compensation."
"Plus a service fee for all the trouble."
"Five taels."
"Pay up."
'Eldest daughter? Joined a Sect? Qi Cultivation Grandmaster?'
Ji Xiu's eyes narrowed unconsciously. He recalled the woman he'd seen yesterday, the one with a sword at her hip and a sheer veil over her face. A chill went down his spine.
'Was that her?'
'But still...'
'How did this news spread so fast? And how did they manage to paint me in such a bad light?'
Hearing the Household Official's blunt demand, Ji Xiu felt a surge of irritation.
When a Martial Artist reached the Bone Marrow stage, they could have their household registration changed unconditionally, even if they were a slave.
But this petty official before him...
...was clearly trying to extort him for his own gain!
It's easy to meet King Yama, but the minor devils are the real trouble.
If he had the money, he would have just paid it, but...
Just as Ji Xiu was caught in a difficult position,
a calm voice spoke up.
"Since the Great Xuan Dynasty was founded, it has been an ancestral law."
"All who become Martial Artists may break free of their shackles. They are entered into the Military Registry, placing them above commoners and slaves. They are exempt from the spring and autumn taxes and are not bound to their home Prefecture and County, free to travel to other lands."
"I might let it slide in other places."
"But to see such duplicity here..."
"If there is a next time, I will see you punished for your crimes!"
The cool, impassive words hung in the air.
Outside the Household Department, a tall figure stood at the threshold. Dressed in plain black clothes with his hands clasped behind his back, he carried an imposing, prison-like authority. He had apparently just been passing by, but his gaze was now fixed on the Household Official.
The sight instantly sent a jolt through the official, and he scrambled to his feet.
"M-My lord!"
"Yes!"
"I... I was wrong! I'll change the registration for this son of the Ji Family right away!"
With a flurry of motion, he worked without a single word of complaint. In stark contrast to his earlier sloth, he changed the registration with lightning speed.
In less than the time it takes an incense stick to burn, he placed a brand-new wooden token into Ji Xiu's hands.
Ji Xiu was struck silent by his speed.
[Jiangyin Prefecture, Anning County, Fire Kiln Street. Ji Xiu. Status: Martial Artist. Registered in the Military Registry.]
[Henceforth exempt from spring and autumn taxes. Permitted to leave this county and travel to other prefectures and counties.]
Ji Xiu gripped the wooden identity token, a symbol of his freedom from bondage.
He glanced at the Household Official, whose eyes, full of fawning terror, were fixed on the man in black at the doorway.
Without a second glance at the sycophant, Ji Xiu walked to the door and hesitated for a moment.
"My lord, thank you for speaking out on my behalf."
"Are you..."
Before he could finish,
the man turned to look at him.
A pair of hawk-like eyes bored straight into his.
"You are Duan Chenzhou's disciple?"
Ji Xiu froze. He then recalled that Master Duan had once served as a Captain in the government office and assumed this man was a former colleague. He bowed and replied:
"I wouldn't call myself Master Duan's disciple, but he did teach me the saber."
"My lord, were you a colleague of Master Duan's at the government office?"
Colleague.
A faint smile touched the lips of the man in black.
"My name is Gu Baichuan."
"You could say I'm an old acquaintance of Duan Chenzhou's."
"I've looked into you. That's how I know."
"You may go. Give my regards to your master."
Gu Baichuan gave a slight nod, as if in confirmation.
Although Ji Xiu still had his doubts, he didn't dare linger in the man's presence. He simply acknowledged the request and departed.
He left the Household Official behind, trembling so badly his knees were knocking together.
The official stared at the man's impassive eyes, his own gaze dropping to the Cangying Token that had been inadvertently revealed at the hem of his black robes.
After Ji Xiu was out of earshot,
the official's knees gave out, and he collapsed to the floor with a THUD.
"Cen... Centurion!"
"I... I was truly wrong, I...!"
The Household Official's words were a trembling mess.
The Cangying Token signified that he was from the Northern Garrison Command.
That organization was tasked with policing the realm and hunting down practitioners of the Outer Dao.
And the man before him wasn't just some Imperial Guard Cavalry or a mere Banner Official.
It was no exaggeration to say...
If this man wanted him dead,
all it would take was a nod. No one... no one would dare say a word against it!
But Gu Baichuan paid the junior official no mind.
He simply watched Ji Xiu's retreating figure, one eyebrow raised in a wry, unreadable expression.
"Duan. Chen. Zhou."
'He's teaching someone the saber?'
'Looks like he's truly lost his ambition.'
'A pity. The Secret Martial Dao of his lineage will probably die out here.'
'But that kid...'
'...he's rather interesting.'
'Perhaps I could try recruiting him?'