61: Chapter 61 Embroidered Spring Knife Technique

The next day, at the first crow of the rooster, dawn broke.

Lin Tian stepped into the Jinyiwei Company Office training grounds right on time.

Arriving with him were nine other newcomers, including Senior Sister Chen Yu.

Everyone was dressed in dark black light robes with standard-issue long sabers at their waists. Although they lacked the ornate flying-fish patterns, they possessed the fierce, spirited energy of newborn calves.

Before long, a middle-aged Imperial Guard, about forty years old with a cold, hard face and a faint scar on his left cheek, strode over.

He was not wearing the light robes but rather black close-fitting attire suitable for movement. The long saber at his waist was slightly different in style from those of the newcomers; the scabbard looked more worn, yet it exuded a heavy, condensed Evil Qi honed through years of slaughter.

"My surname is Gao; you may call me Instructor Gao."

The middle-aged man's voice was hoarse, and his gaze swept over the ten people like a bone-scraping blade. "From today on, I am responsible for teaching you the Imperial Guard's introductory saber technique—Basic Xiuchun Saber Technique. Watch closely; I will only demonstrate it once."

As his voice fell, he slowly drew the long saber from his waist.

The blade was not gleaming white but carried a dull, blood-red luster, with a cold glint faintly visible on the edge.

There was no starting stance, no gathering of momentum.

Instructor Gao shifted his feet slightly, his figure suddenly lunging forward, and the long saber in his hand moved with him!

"Hack!"

The blade light was like a black bolt of lightning, slashing down fiercely from an oblique angle. It was simple and direct, yet carried a resolute Aura capable of splitting everything apart. The air was torn asunder, emitting a sharp hiss.

"Lift!"

Before the momentum of the blade ceased, his wrist flipped, and the blade edge rose from bottom to top in a strange, reverse lift. The angle was tricky and vicious, pointing straight at vital points like the throat and groin, as swift as a viper flicking its tongue.

"Slash!"

With a twist of his waist, he borrowed the force to sweep horizontally. The blade light transformed into a half-moon-shaped cold arc, covering several feet in front of him. The force was heavy and fierce, possessing the grandeur of sweeping away an entire army.

"Thrust!"

Taking a step forward, the tip of the blade gathered a point of cold starlight, thrusting straight out. It was fast, accurate, and condensed, focusing all power into a single point—no flourishes, only the intent to pierce.

"Sweep!"

The saber followed his body, skimming across the ground, specifically attacking the lower body and ankles. It was vicious and underhanded, impossible to guard against.

Hack, Lift, Slash, Thrust, Sweep... Every move and stance was the simplest and most effective action from battlefield combat, without any superfluous flourishes or changes.

But when executed by Instructor Gao, it possessed a tragic Killing Intent honed in mountains of corpses and seas of blood. Wherever the blade light passed, the air seemed to be frozen by that condensed Killing Intent.

The entire Basic Blade Technique demonstration was smooth as flowing water and filled with Killing Intent. Everyone felt their scalps tingle, and only three words remained in their hearts: Fast! Fierce! Accurate!

"Hoo—" Instructor Gao returned his saber to its scabbard, his breath steady, as if that fierce blade technique just now was merely a casual wave.

He turned and looked at the stunned crowd, his voice still flat: "Did you see that? Xiuchun Saber Technique is nothing else but actual combat."

"Every move was bought with the blood of our predecessors; it pursues the fastest, fiercest, and most accurate way to kill the enemy. Any feints, lures, or flashy changes are all bullshit in the face of life and death!"

"Next, I will teach you the first stance, 'Hack'."

Instructor Gao spoke no more and began to break down the movements, explaining the essentials of exerting force, footwork coordination, and the subtle nodes of qi-blood circulation.

He taught extremely meticulously and strictly. Any slight error would be pointed out by his cold voice, or he would even personally step in to correct them.

The seemingly simple "Hack" contained knowledge of force transmission, center of gravity shifting, and timing, which left everyone drenched in sweat from practicing.

Lin Tian practiced with extra diligence. He discovered that the force-exerting philosophy of this Basic Blade Technique shared similarities with his Metal Element Fist. Both emphasized condensation, swiftness, and one-hit kills, but the blade technique added a bit more ferocity due to the advantage of the weapon.

After one day, everyone had barely finished learning the first seven basic movements: Hack, Lift, Slash, Thrust, Sweep, Intercept, and Block.

Everyone's arms were sore and numb, but their eyes shone with light, having gained a brand-new understanding of this seemingly simple yet astonishingly powerful blade technique.

"That is all for today." In the evening, Instructor Gao sheathed his saber. "From now on, Cultivate on your own. There will be a monthly assessment to check your progress."

"Remember, blade technique is a craft for killing, not for show. If you don't practice it well, when you reach the battlefield, the one who dies will be you."

He paused and added, "Before leaving, go to the warehouse to collect this month's first portion of qi-blood powder. You will collect the other portion in half a month."

Upon hearing this, everyone's fatigue vanished, and their faces showed joy.

Lin Tian followed the others to the warehouse and received a familiar, palm-sized jade box. It felt slightly warm in his hand; it was indeed high-quality qi-blood powder.

Leaving the Centurion Office, Lin Tian returned straight to the Lin Family Mansion in the east of the city.

The mansion was quiet. After dinner, he chatted with his parents for a while and teased his excited little sister for a moment before Lin Tian finally returned to his private small courtyard in the backyard.

Moonlight like silver spilled over the bluestone ground. The surroundings were silent, save for the rustling of insects.

Lin Tian stood in the courtyard, closing his eyes and focusing his mind, repeatedly replaying every detail of the seven Basic Blade Technique stances Instructor Gao had demonstrated during the day in his mind.

That blade light, simple to the extreme yet fierce to the extreme, seemed to be branded deep into his consciousness.

A moment later, he opened his eyes abruptly and drew his standard-issue long saber.

Under the moonlight, the blade reflected a cold light. He set his stance and began from the most basic "Hack," practicing slowly, one strike after another.

There was no Killing Intent from the training grounds during the day, only an immersion of focus and calmness.

He carefully experienced the trembling of muscles, the rushing of qi-blood, and the synchronization of footwork with the blade's momentum during each stance.

The night passed amidst the "whooshing" sounds of the blade cutting through the air. Lin Tian, tireless, practiced the seven Basic Blade Technique stances fifty times until his arms were sore and swollen and nearly half his qi-blood was consumed, only then did he sheath his blade.

Sinking his consciousness, a new line quietly appeared on the panel: Xiuchun Saber Technique (Basic Stance) Entry Level 50/100.

The next day, he rose early, first practicing the Five Elements Stance for half an hour to restore his qi-blood, then continued practicing the blade.

In the morning, another fifty repetitions of the seven basic stances. Xiuchun Saber Technique (Basic Stance) Minor Achievement 1/300.

Stepping into the realm of Minor Achievement, in an instant, it felt as if many "memories" and insights regarding the cultivation of these seven Basic Blade Techniques had been added to his mind.

It was not specific images, but a deeper understanding of force-exerting angles, timing transitions, and combat application, as if he had truly practiced hard for years.

The long saber in his hand moved with less awkwardness and more of a smooth, vicious charm.

In the afternoon, he turned to fist technique cultivation. The sharpness of the Metal Element Fist, the resilience of the Wood Element Fist, and the penetration of the Water Element Fist were practiced alternately, focusing on experiencing the differences and potential connections between the three forces.

The progress of the Water Element Fist was quite satisfying; the soft force was growing, and he was already able to better neutralize force in defense and penetrate in counterattacks.

After becoming a probationary squad leader, there was no rule for fixed reporting or office attendance. If there were no missions, time could be arranged by himself.

Lin Tian was happy to have the peace and quiet, hardly leaving his house, immersing himself completely in Cultivate.

When tired, he would carefully consume a bit of qi-blood powder; the pure, burning medicinal power could always quickly replenish his consumption and even stimulate further growth of his qi-blood.

In the blink of an eye, ten days passed.

In the corner of the small courtyard, Lin Tian sheathed his blade and stood still, slowly adjusting his breath. He sank his mind to inspect himself:

Name: Lin Tian; Cultivation: Second Grade Martial Artist (Early Stage)

Martial Arts: Five Elements Stance (Perfection 1000/1000), Metal Element Fist (Major Achievement 800/1000), Wood Element Fist (Major Achievement 500/1000), Wind-Chasing Footwork (Perfection 1000/1000), Water Element Fist (Proficiency 200/500), Xiuchun Saber Technique (Basic Stance) Minor Achievement 276/300.

His strength was steadily improving. Basic Blade Technique was nearing Major Achievement, and its power had increased further.

What he valued most was the progress of the Water Element Fist. At this rate, there was great hope of entering the "Minor Achievement" realm within this month.

"Once the Water Element Fist reaches Minor Achievement, I can attempt to fuse it initially with the Metal and Wood fists, catching a glimpse of the path to the Three Element Combination Attack."

A trace of anticipation flashed in Lin Tian's eyes. The Metal-Wood combination had already given him a taste of success; if he could further integrate the soft resilience and penetration of the Water Element Fist, the three elements would cycle and generate each other, and its power would be far from just one plus one.

After a short rest, he changed into clean clothes. Lin Tian stood up, left the Lin Family Mansion, and walked towards the Qingfeng Martial Arts Hall.

It was time to go and ask his Revered Master for instruction on that more advanced "Three Element Combination Attack."