Longxing County, Yamen Drill Ground.
Early in the morning, Wang Ping changed into his black-and-red constable uniform, strapped the ox-tail saber to his waist, and filled his stomach before arriving to participate in the constables’ daily morning drill.
Many constables had already arrived at the drill ground. Some were standing in stances, some were practicing with their sabers, and others were gathered in corners chatting idly.
Wang Ping swept his gaze over them and consciously joined the group standing in stances. He had only just finished reading the [Three Demonic Sabers of Yama]‘manual yesterday.
Even though he had a ready-made ox-tail saber and crossing the threshold of this martial art would be easy, towering buildings rise from the ground.
Two people could cross the threshold of the same saber technique, yet the results could be worlds apart.
Therefore, playing it safe, he didn’t rush to cross the threshold yesterday.
I’ll ask around the drill ground first and see how the veteran constables cultivate this saber technique. It won’t be too late to try crossing the threshold once I have a better understanding.
Just as Wang Ping was deep in thought, a voice suddenly barked from behind.
“Stand still!”
It was a familiar voice. Wang Ping instantly recognized him: the guy from the White Lotus Cult Daoist temple who had opened his chest with a single arrow!
The next second, the previously scattered constables swiftly assembled. Wang Ping didn’t dare dawdle and immediately blended into the crowd, falling into formation.
The noisy drill ground instantly fell silent as over a hundred pairs of eyes focused on the man in the black-and-red official robe standing in the center.
Chen Haoyan…
Wang Ping quickly found the man’s intelligence within the memories of his new identity. He was the Head Constable of the Imperial Court’s Divine Constable Bureau stationed in Longxing County, and his martial arts prowess was unfathomable.
“Lin Sheng has taken a leave of absence to rest,” Head Constable Chen Haoyan said calmly from the front of the formation. “To fill his vacancy, we recruited a new brother today. I’m sure everyone knows him.”
“Step forward when your name is called.”
“Wang Ping.”
As soon as he spoke, Wang Ping hurriedly stepped out of the formation. Chen Haoyan smiled and met his gaze before calling out another name:
“Liu Ye.”
Seeing the second constable step out, a flicker of surprise passed through Wang Ping’s eyes. He didn’t expect to run into another old acquaintance.
Master Liu from the grass market…
Then, Chen Haoyan spoke flatly, “Old Liu, your task of patrolling the grass market isn’t heavy. Since you have the time, guide Wang Ping.”
“Help him master the Three Demonic Sabers of Yama as quickly as possible.”
“This subordinate obeys.”
Liu Ye hurriedly cupped his hands in acknowledgment. Chen Haoyan nodded and gestured for the two to return to the formation before raising his voice and beginning the morning drill.
“Today, our main topic is weapons.”
“As you all know, we recently eradicated the White Lotus Cult that was roaming the neighboring counties, and we also seized the [Lotus Blade] from the White Lotus Cult Master, Shou Chong.”
“However, this is not the end. The [Lotus Blade] is that old fogey Shou Chong’s bound weapon of life and spirit. The reason it fell into our hands is likely intentional on his part. His goal is to accumulate renown and consolidate destiny, borrowing our yamen’s destiny to elevate it into a true Divine Relic.”
Renowned Treasure? Divine Relic?
Wang Ping was puzzled, but fortunately, he wasn’t the only one. A constable quickly raised the question, and Chen Haoyan nodded in response.
“Regarding these, those of you with family backgrounds should know, but there are some who aren’t quite clear. I will explain it simply for you all today.”
“The weapons of this world are divided into five grades.”
“Mortal Weapon, Fine Weapon, Renowned Treasure, Divine Relic, and Heavenly Craft. These five grades of weapons also correspond to five categories of martial artists. The better the martial art, the stronger the weapon.”
At this point, Chen Haoyan pointed at all the assembled constables.
“For example, the vast majority of you belong to the first category. The ox-tail sabers issued by the Imperial Court are Mortal Weapons, and your martial arts stop at the External Body level.”
Wang Ping seized the opportunity and raised his hand to ask, “What is the External Body?”
“It is naturally the skin, flesh, sinews, bones, blood, and marrow!”
Chen Haoyan patiently explained. “Skin like a bull, flesh like an elephant, sinews like a dragon, bones like a tiger, blood like fire, and marrow like frost. Only when all six are achieved is external martial arts considered perfected.”
“Different martial arts have different focuses. For example, our [Three Demonic Sabers of Yama] primarily targets the sinews. Crossing the threshold will allow you to achieve ‘sinews like a dragon’. However, there are small dragons and big dragons. Whether it’s a snake-dragon, flood dragon, horned dragon, or true dragon, the difference in strength is actually massive.”
“Let’s stick with the Three Demonic Sabers of Yama as an example.”
Chen Haoyan drew his saber. In a flash, Wang Ping saw the large sinews on the Head Constable’s hand snap, producing a continuous, clear sound resembling a dragon’s roar.
“When crossing the threshold of Three Demonic Sabers of Yama, the ‘sinews like a dragon’ most people cultivate are snake-dragon sinews. Only when the technique is perfected can they be elevated to flood dragon sinews.”
“However, a small minority with excellent innate talent can cultivate flood dragon sinews right upon crossing the threshold, and elevate them to horned dragon sinews upon perfection, far surpassing ordinary people.”
“As for true dragon sinews, that is not a level the Three Demonic Sabers of Yama can reach.”
“But at the end of the day, all of this is limited solely to the sinew”
“If you want to achieve external martial arts perfection, you must master five other martial arts corresponding to the skin, flesh, bones, blood, and marrow.”
Hearing this made Wang Ping’s scalp tingle.
Skin, flesh, sinews, bones, blood, and marrow—each corresponds to a martial art, meaning six martial arts equate to six weapons. Does that mean you have to gather six divine items to reach external perfection?
For a moment, many constables looked troubled.
After all, finding six martial arts, each corresponding specifically to skin, flesh, sinews, bones, blood, and marrow, was no easy feat. At least, it wasn’t something they could manage.
Didn’t this mean that the vast majority of people here had zero hope of ever reaching external perfection in their lifetimes?
Noticing the plummeting morale on the drill ground, Chen Haoyan wasn’t surprised and smoothly shifted the topic. “However… this situation isn’t absolute.”
“Ultimately, it depends on the grade of the martial art.”
“Although our Three Demonic Sabers of Yama packs considerable power, it is ultimately a lower-tier martial art that can only condense one technique. It’s not actually that profound.”
“More profound middle-tier martial arts, upper-tier martial arts, and even legendary peerless martial arts are said to be able to refine multiple parts, or even the entire body, simultaneously. Therefore, by specializing in just one martial art, you can achieve external perfection, and naturally progress to cultivating internal force later on.”
This statement instantly caused an uproar on the drill ground.
Seeing the atmosphere heat up again, Chen Haoyan finally revealed his true objective. “In fact, I happen to possess a middle-tier martial art.”
“This technique is my family’s secret legacy.”
“Not only does it grant the blessings of two techniques upon mastery, but it specifically targets the bones and blood. It doesn’t conflict with the Three Demonic Sabers of Yama— rather, they complement each other perfectly.”
At this point, Chen Haoyan pulled a manual from his robes and held it high above his head.
“I have an incredibly dangerous task here, one where survival is slim to none. Whichever brother is willing to take on this task, this martial art will be his reward!”
His resonant voice echoed across the drill ground.
Wang Ping grew instantly excited.
A slim chance of survival? If not me, then who?!
However, the next second, he suppressed his emotions. Calm down. The Otherworldly Heavenly Demon hasn’t finished its cooldown yet. I’ll take this task once the cooldown ends.
For a moment, the drill ground fell deathly silent, with no one responding.
A flash of disappointment crossed Chen Haoyan’s eyes, but he didn’t say much. He merely put the manual away and smiled. “This involves life and death, so there’s no need to rush.”
“I will give you brothers time to consider.”
“My offer stands for three months.”
“But let me make one thing clear—the earlier you come to me, the earlier you can begin cultivating the martial art, which should hopefully increase your chances of survival.”
With that, he strutted away.
He left the constables standing in place, exchanging glances, unable to read each other’s decisions. Shortly after, they resumed their individual drills.
Wang Ping naturally followed suit and began his drill.
However, right at this moment, a voice suddenly rang out.
“Little Wang, stop practicing.”
Wang Ping turned to see the old acquaintance Chen Haoyan had assigned to him. The ‘Master Liu’ from the grass market was holding a tobacco pipe.
“Are you that eager to cross the threshold of the saber technique?”
Taking a drag from his pipe, Liu Ye said, “Take my advice— don’t rush into crossing the threshold just yet. Wait three months; it won’t be too late.”
“Three months…?”
Wang Ping raised an eyebrow. “Is this related to Lord Chen’s task?”
“Heh, seems you aren’t completely dim.”
Liu Ye chuckled. “Exactly. Although the Lord didn’t state it explicitly, we’re veterans in the yamen. How could we not understand his underlying meaning?”
Epiphany instantly struck Wang Ping.
The next second, he grabbed Liu Ye’s hand and simultaneously slipped a small piece of broken silver into his palm, speaking earnestly, “Please enlighten me, Master Liu.”
Liu Ye’s expression changed immediately.
“You kid… you have a bright future! Since you’re so sincere…”
Quickly, Liu Ye pulled Wang Ping to a secluded corner of the drill ground before whispering, “This matter actually involves the White Lotus Cult!”
“The White Lotus Cult?” Wang Ping narrowed his eyes.
Liu Ye nodded. “The Lord mentioned earlier that the [Lotus Blade] belonging to the White Lotus Cult Master, Shou Chong, is currently sitting right here in our yamen.”
“Do you know why?”
Wang Ping recalled and said, “The Lord said it’s because that old fogey Shou Chong wants to borrow the yamen’s Destiny to elevate the Lotus Blade into a Divine Relic.”
Liu Ye shook his head. “You only know the ‘what’, not the ‘why’.”
“Let me put it plainly.”
“Of the five grades of weapons in the world, Mortal Weapons and Fine Weapon are, frankly, mundane items. There’s nothing special about them. However, things change when you reach the third grade, Renowned Treasures.”
“The essence of a weapon classified as a Renowned Treasure lies in the word ‘Renown’. Usually, they are famous throughout a region, and many people know their names. For example, the White Lotus Cult’s Lotus Blade is a widely celebrated weapon not only in Longxing County but also in the surrounding counties.”
“Wielding a Renowned Treasure makes you quite the figure in the martial world.”
“A Divine Relic, however, is a further elevation of a Renowned Treasure.”
Liu Ye gestured as he explained. “Simply put, a Renowned Treasure is a weapon that gained its name by participating in a major event.”
“A Divine Relic, on the other hand, is a weapon that created a myth.”
“What is a myth?”
Hearing this, a spark of inspiration flashed in Wang Ping’s mind. “Rebelling and overthrowing a county government… in today’s world, would that be considered a myth?”
Liu Ye replied straightforwardly, “That’s not something I can measure.”
“But at least in our Changle Commandery, a county yamen has never been breached by rebels. It is unprecedented since ancient times. If you accomplish that, you will undoubtedly gain immense renown.”
Wang Ping understood.
“So, that old fogey Shou Chong… the White Lotus Cult’s plan is to deliver the Lotus Blade into the yamen, then find a way to shatter the Imperial Court’s control over Longxing County. By using this unprecedented major event, they intend to accumulate a massive amount of renown for the Lotus Blade. When that time comes, Shou Chong himself will also…”
“Highly likely break through!”
At this point, a hint of dread crept into Liu Ye’s tone. “When that happens, even the Lord might not be a match for that old monster.”
“Hmm? Wait…”
Wang Ping frowned tightly, suddenly realizing a discrepancy. “If that’s the case, why did the Lord deliberately play along and keep the Lotus Blade in the yamen…”
His words trailed off abruptly.
He didn’t need Liu Ye to explain; he figured it out himself. “…Bait?”
“You kid, you really do have a bright future.”
Liu Ye smiled. “Exactly. Shou Chong wants to use the yamen’s renown to advance his martial arts, while the Lord wants to use this opportunity to completely eradicate the White Lotus Cult.”
“Ultimately, it all comes down to individual capability.”
“Winner takes all. This is the supreme principle of the world.”
With that, Liu Ye’s voice suddenly deepened.
“However, as everyone knows… fishing requires bait. And regardless of whether the fish takes the hook or not, the bait will definitely end up dead without a burial place.”
So that was it. This was the main reason why none of the constables were willing to step forward, even when Chen Haoyan offered his family’s martial art as a reward.
Understanding dawned on Wang Ping, yet he felt no fear. In fact, he grew even more excited. He made up his mind to seek out Chen Haoyan the moment the Otherworldly Heavenly Demon finished its cooldown.
On the other hand, Liu Ye noticed the change in Wang Ping’s expression and frowned.
“Are you still planning to cross the threshold as soon as possible?”
Liu Ye’s frown deepened. “If you don’t cross the threshold, even if the sky falls, it won’t hit you. Once you do, the Lord might seek you out.”
“When that time comes, if you agree, you will surely die. If you refuse, you’ll anger the Lord and ruin your career.”
“Why bother?”
Considering the piece of broken silver, Liu Ye’s advice was quite sincere. However, Wang Ping still shook his head, though he had no intention of explaining himself to Liu Ye.
After all, such things were hard to explain to someone without a cheat.
“Sigh, alright then.”
Seeing Wang Ping insist, Master Liu stopped trying to persuade him and shifted the topic. “Regarding the Three Demonic Sabers of Yama, it’s good that you didn’t rashly try to cross the threshold.”
“As the name suggests, this saber technique only consists of three moves.”
“These three sabers are Greed, Anger, and Ignorance, corresponding to crossing the threshold, minor achievement, and major achievement. When you can merge the three sabers into one, you will have reached perfection.”
“The reason it’s called a demonic saber lies in the emotions associated with the technique. The three poisons of Greed, Anger, and Ignorance are the fundamental flaws of humanity. If you try to cross the threshold without prior preparation, you are highly likely to suffer a backlash from the saber intent of [Greed] and descend into madness. Countless constables have died because of this.”
Wang Ping frowned upon hearing this.
So dangerous. Good thing I was cautious and didn’t act recklessly…
At this thought, he glanced at Liu Ye, who had paused his explanation at some unknown point. Wang Ping instantly understood. He pulled out another piece of broken silver and shook hands with him again.
“Master Liu, I must trouble you for some further guidance.”
“No trouble at all! No trouble at all!”
Liu Ye’s face instantly bloomed into a joyous smile.
“Frankly speaking, your luck is quite good, and you found the right person. The Lord probably assigned me to guide you because of my signature skill.”
Signature skill?
The next second, Wang Ping watched as Liu Ye reached into his robes and pulled out a thin manual. “I obtained this skill through a fortuitous encounter.”
“Unlike ordinary martial arts, this one doesn’t have a corresponding weapon. Instead, it uses the physical body as the weapon. Strictly speaking, it’s unclassified.”
“Unclassified?” Wang Ping looked slightly disdainful.
By now, he had gained a certain understanding of the martial arts in this world. An unclassified martial art meant it couldn’t refine the skin, flesh, sinews, bones, blood, or marrow at all.
What use was such trash?
However, seeing his reaction, Liu Ye let out a rather smug smile.
“Don’t be hasty. Listen first before you decide.”
“This martial art of mine is called the [Iron Bull Technique]. The technique it condenses upon perfection is called [Golden Spear Never Falls], and the corresponding weapon is the root of life between one’s legs…”
But then again, judging a martial art’s value solely by its grade was simply too superficial. There were no useless martial arts, only useless people!