Hong Jiang clutched the web of his hand as the hilt of his sword dropped to the ground. He gasped for air, staggered, and collapsed onto the bluestone slabs.
At that moment.
Manor Master Lu Chengfeng's undisguised words spread through the crowd.
'He has entered the way of the sword?'
"This...!"
The scar on the side of Hong Jiang's face twitched violently.
His face spasmed as he involuntarily recalled the moment he'd clashed swords with that boy.
That one strike.
It was too fast.
And for some reason, when he finally reacted and tried to meet the boy's strike, his heart had begun to pound uncontrollably.
That wasn't because the boy's Sword Technique had reached the level of Great Success.
It was more... that he had completely cast aside all worldly emotions and desires, leaving only a single thought in his mind.
Hong Jiang knew in his heart.
If... the Manor Master hadn't used Flying Flower Picking Leaves to knock their two swords down.
Though he might have grazed the boy's Skin Membrane and wounded him...
Barring any surprises...
His own life would have been forfeit right then and there.
When he'd said earlier that "swords have no eyes," he had been joking. At most, he would have left a few wounds. He was holding back and would never have actually killed anyone.
Who knew that this kid...
He was the real killer!
Hong Jiang snapped out of it and sat down hard on the ground, a wave of fear washing over him as he replayed the events in his mind.
However,
If he truly had entered the way of the sword and was a Swordsman who had grasped 'Ten Steps One Kill'...
Then it would all make sense.
Hong Jiang had once witnessed a true 'Swordsman'.
Back then, he was still a wandering Swordsman on the mountain roads. Growing tired of that life and wanting to go legit to advance his standing was only part of the reason he quit.
The bigger reason... was that his previous Boss's entire operation had been wiped out by just such a Swordsman—one who had crossed the threshold of the Sword Dao and mastered Ten Steps One Kill.
And this boy right here.
Aside from lacking the sheer power to single-handedly wipe out a mountain bandit den, everything else...
His gaze, his footwork, his killing intent!
It was all exactly the same!
"Gasp! The Manor Master himself stepped in."
"With Flying Flower Picking Leaves, anything can be a weapon. That's the art of tempering Flesh, Bone, and Skin... They say he can strike a man and leave him hanging like a painting on a wall, that he can walk on water without it rising past his knees!"
"It's a level countless Bone Tempering Experts will never reach in their entire lives!"
Lu Chengfeng's sudden appearance and swift intervention...
...had the Guests, who'd gathered in small groups to watch the commotion, singing his praises.
But afterward, when the two swords fell and they heard Lu Chengfeng declare that the boy had "entered the way of the sword"...
The expressions on their faces changed dramatically.
They were doubtful, then incredulous. Finally, they all turned to stare at Ji Xiu, their expressions... even more stunned than when they had seen Lu Chengfeng himself make a move.
"He's passed through the 'Sword Gate'? How old is he? He just... kicked it open like that?"
"Countless blood-soaked butchers who have slaughtered hundreds, even thousands, have never reached this 'level'."
"But this kid, from the looks of it, is only a teenager, right?"
"A Sword Dao genius, a true genius!"
"Before, I'd only heard of people with this kind of Innate Talent in the Prefecture City. I never thought today... I'd actually see one, and a former Groom at that. Truly unbelievable."
"Then again, if this boy hadn't flogged a steward and walked out on his Boss, if he hadn't cultivated such a fearless and unyielding spirit, how could he have broken through this barrier at such a young age?"
"Our Young Master truly has a sharp eye to have brought in someone like this. He's sure to become a Great Sage Manor Master in the future, attracting Guests from all over..."
In an instant, the tables had turned completely.
Lu Yu's eyes widened in clear astonishment.
'Me? A sharp eye?'
He was dumbfounded. Looking at the admiring gazes all around him, he really wanted to point out that they hadn't been looking at him that way a moment ago.
But then again...
Lu Yu looked over at Ji Xiu, who had slowly picked up his sword. Ji Xiu gave a slight bow to Lu Yu's old man, Lu Chengfeng, and his sister, Lu Hongyu, who was now following their father closely, a peculiar glint in her eyes.
He felt his mind splitting in two.
'So this morning...'
'That strike had already crossed the threshold of Ten Steps One Kill. Was Master Duan deliberately testing my junior brother?'
'I just got there too late and missed all the action, that's all.'
So after all this time...
It turns out I was the only one who had been kept in the dark!
'Junior Brother, if you have this kind of Innate Talent, why didn't you say so earlier?'
Lu Yu felt a lump in his throat. He grumbled internally, on the verge of tears from frustration.
He desperately wanted to ask, 'If you were this damn good, why did I have to be so sneaky about it, feeling guilty as a thief?'
'Poaching a promising Sword Dao prodigy from the Lin Residence!'
'Even the old man couldn't object to something like this, let alone worry about some petty gossip.'
And not only that.
If Ji Xiu became a Guest and word of today's events got out...
Lin Zhenhai would be slapping his thigh in fury, regretting this day for the rest of his life!
"Ji Xiu greets Manor Master Lu!"
As he bowed his head toward Lu Chengfeng—who he could tell at a glance was the Boss of Lu Manor—Ji Xiu pondered internally:
'So this Ten Steps One Kill Sword Skill Trait... is it really that rare?'
The undisguised admiration and astonishment from the crowd...
...along with the change in Lu Yu's expression, had not escaped his notice.
'He recalled how Duan Chenzhou had seemed as calm as an ancient well after hearing about his breakthrough in Sword Skill, merely giving a slight nod.'
'Ji Xiu had assumed this was just a mandatory step on the path of sword practice!'
'But now it seemed...'
'Obviously not!'
'Master Duan's level is truly high. He's seen it all and remains unflustered by anything.'
'Or maybe, to someone like him, this is commonplace, while to the Guests of Lu Manor, it's considered exceptionally rare?'
'If that's the case, it's a matter of perspective. It also confirms my suspicion that Master Duan must have an extraordinary background.'
'He once said that as long as I crossed the threshold to become a Martial Artist, he would take me on as an in-name-only disciple.'
'He seemed to forget all about it after I made my breakthrough, but I haven't.'
'When I get back from Lu Manor, I don't care if I have to be shameless. I'm going to seize this opportunity, bow before him, and latch onto that powerful connection!'
Ji Xiu resolved this internally.
Meanwhile, Lu Chengfeng took a couple of paces forward until he was standing right in front of Ji Xiu.
He looked at the plainly-dressed youth, whose head was bowed. His profile was sharp, as if carved from stone, and carried an air of cold solitude.
After studying him for a moment, Lu Chengfeng glanced to his side.
He saw that his daughter, Lu Hongyu, was also examining the boy intently.
An idea suddenly struck him like a bolt of lightning:
'Good, good, what a fine prospect...'
Lu Chengfeng narrowed his eyes, a thoughtful expression on his face.
"How old are you, how many are in your family, and are you betrothed?"
Huh?
Ji Xiu was taken aback.
'Do you have to go through a background check to become a Guest?'
The thought was fleeting, and he answered honestly:
"I am sixteen, and will be seventeen after the winter. My parents are deceased. I have only a younger sister, two years my junior. We were destitute, and until recently, I was a servant in another's house. Thus, I am not betrothed."
Oh?
'Only sixteen? A bit young, but he has a handsome, proper look about him. Reminds me a bit of myself when I was young.'
'But his youth isn't a bad thing.'
'What's important is his family situation...'
Lu Chengfeng glanced at Ji Xiu's simple cloth robes, a flicker of satisfaction in his eyes. He stepped forward, suddenly grabbed Ji Xiu's hand, and raised it high!
Then, he channeled his energy and boomed:
"From this day forward!"
"Ji Xiu..."
"...shall be a Sword-carrying Guest of my Fire Kiln Lu Manor! He will be given a private courtyard, the use of a horse and carriage, a monthly stipend of thirty silver, and may have an iron long sword forged for his personal use at the Smelting Shop!"
"Furthermore, each month he may claim one Leopard Embryo Pill and one dose of Tiger Blood Powder from the Fire Kiln's only Alchemy Shop!"
With that,
Lu Chengfeng pressed an Iron Token engraved with the number '36' into Ji Xiu's palm and said in a low voice,
"And hold onto this. It will be very useful in the future."
"Hongyu, come and take our Lu Manor's newest little brother to collect his things!"
"As for you, Xiaoyu... you brought such an outstanding talent to our manor. For that..."
"I really must reward you handsomely."
"Come. You and your senior brother will come with me."
Lu Chengfeng's tone was gentle, and his eyes were crinkled in a smile.
Especially when he glanced over at Ji Xiu.
To Ji Xiu, it looked like... the way a man might look at his son.
It made him feel incredibly awkward.
But, all that aside.
The rewards were real and now in the palm of his hand!
Clutching the Iron Token.
Hearing the list of rewards, so long it nearly made him faint...
Ji Xiu's heart pounded, his mind going blank.
'None of that mattered anymore.'
Thirty silver!
That was like a monthly salary of thirty thousand!
And in terms of purchasing power, it was worth even more!
Besides, according to Lu Yu, the work of a Guest was quite relaxed. It all just depended on which 'shop' or 'yard' you were assigned to.
If he could be assigned to 'forging' or 'alchemy'—two of the most respectable side-professions—and win the favor of the shop master, he might even learn some incredible skills!
That was far more impressive than Horse Riding Skill!
His future was looking bright.
"Ji Xiu thanks the Manor Master!"