Huwei Arts Hall, Martial Arts Arena.
"You're training well."
Zhang Yang couldn't help but nod as he watched Bai Yuan, whose saberplay was growing increasingly sharp.
Although they both trained with the saber, Zhang Yang knew he wasn't qualified to instruct Bai Yuan.
His Tyrant Saber was far inferior to the Blood Tiger Saber.
"This Black Tiger Saber is a sinister thing. Many disciples have tried to master it in the past, but every one of them succumbed to madness and died. You must be extremely careful."
Zhang Yang couldn't resist warning him again.
Many of the Martial Artists in the Huwei Arts Hall knew of the Black Tiger Saber, but few dared to practice it.
Aside from the difficulty of mastering the Black Tiger Saber, there was another reason: thirty years ago, several talented disciples who practiced it had all died bizarrely, without exception. This was what made everyone else shrink away from it in fear.
Of course, Bai Yuan knew the reason why.
"Thank you for the warning, Master."
"Alright, get back to your training. Try to enter the Inner Courtyard as soon as you can."
Zhang Yang waved his hand. The young man before him had a mind of his own and didn't need him to worry.
Only those who passed the Bone Forging Pass could become Inner Courtyard Disciples.
Once someone became an Inner Courtyard Disciple, they were considered a truly skilled martial artist, and there was no shortage of factions in the city vying to recruit them.
Inner Courtyard Disciples could continue training at the Martial Arts Hall for eight years. After that, they could choose to stay and accept a position within the hall, or they could join another faction.
Zhang Yang had chosen the former.
Only the few True Disciples could study at the Martial Arts Hall for their entire lives. With luck, one might eventually succeed Master Xue and become the new hall master.
A saying circulated among the Martial Arts Halls of Qinghe County: "A year for the skin, three for the bones, ten for the tendons, a lifetime for the organs."
The average Martial Artist needed at least three years to get past the Bone Forging Pass.
It had taken him five years to barely clear that hurdle. 'Bai Yuan's talent is greater than mine,' he thought. 'Two years should be enough for him.'
Zhang Yang gave Bai Yuan's shoulder a meaningful pat.
"Bai Yuan, your timing is impeccable. If you can break through the Bone Forging Pass soon, a great fortune might await you."
"A great fortune?"
Bai Yuan looked at Zhang Yang's secretive expression, his own eyes filled with surprise.
Zhang Yang lowered his voice. "You've heard of the Divine Mansion Sect, I presume?"
Bai Yuan nodded.
'The Divine Mansion Sect is an overlord that rules this region alongside the Xuan Yang Dynasty. How could I not know of them?'
"The Divine Mansion Sect recruits disciples once every seven years. According to the schedule, they should have been here in three months. But I've heard that, for some reason, this recruitment has been delayed by a year."
"If you can achieve your breakthrough before the Divine Mansion Sect's emissaries arrive, you'll have a great chance of getting in."
Bai Yuan raised an eyebrow.
'According to the original seven-year cycle, I was bound to miss this recruitment. If I missed this one, I'd have to wait another seven years.'
'How many seven-year periods does an ordinary Martial Artist have in their lifetime?'
'The path of a martial artist is one of constant progress; to not advance is to regress. Late bloomers are exceedingly rare.'
'If a Martial Artist hasn't reached the Yijin realm by the age of forty, their future prospects are all but gone.'
'Just look at Hall Master Xue Gui. He was once an expert at the Strong Organ Pass, but in his old age, his strength has waned. That time he used his Strong Organ techniques to kill an enemy was just a flash in the pan—he can't sustain that power.'
'This is a rare opportunity.'
"I will train with my saber diligently."
Seeing the serious look on Bai Yuan's face, Zhang Yang nodded in satisfaction.
'I'm already thirty-five,' he thought. 'I'll never have another chance to enter the Divine Mansion Sect. I hope Bai Yuan can fulfill the dream I couldn't.'
'Entering the Divine Mansion Sect is like a carp leaping over the Dragon Gate. He'll no longer be trapped in a small place like Qinghe County.'
'The world of the Martial Dao is so much vaster than just Qinghe County.'
...
Iron Saber Gang.
"Damn it!"
Vice Gang Leader Han Tie cursed, his voice filled with frustration and rage.
News from the Huwei Arts Hall had arrived. The Soul-Chasing Tower Assassin had appeared solely because of the hunched-back old man. It was all an internal affair of the Huwei Arts Hall and had nothing to do with the Tiger-Crane Form Cultivation Technique.
The Divine Mansion Sect was gradually losing patience.
The Cultivation Technique had been lost during a rebellion within the Divine Mansion Sect. That rebellion had implicated many high-ranking Martial Artists.
In addition to the Tiger-Crane Form, many other Cultivation Techniques had also been lost during the rebellion.
It was said that experts dispatched by the Divine Mansion Sect had already annihilated a faction about the size of the Iron Saber Gang in a neighboring county. Their methods were so ruthless it was chilling.
Han Tie had to deliver results before the Divine Mansion Sect's emissaries arrived.
Otherwise, it wasn't just him—the entire Iron Saber Gang could be exterminated.
"Send out every disciple we have! Search every last inch!"
'Since Peng Lianbao died in the mountains, we'll turn every mountain in the area upside down. I refuse to believe we won't find a single clue.'
'As for the expert archer... I'll pay each of them a personal visit.'
...
"Have the Iron Saber Gang, the Liu Family, and Flying Eagle Castle all gone mad?"
Zhang Yang stared in astonishment at the report in his hands.
For the past few days, the three major powers of Qinghe County had dispatched all their disciples to search the mountains, apparently looking for something.
"This is likely related to the Divine Mansion Sect. Tell the disciples in the hall not to get into any conflicts."
Xue Gui spoke slowly, his eyes closed in meditation.
Ever since he had last forced himself back to the Strong Organ realm, his Qi and Blood had grown even weaker. In a few more years, he might not even be able to maintain his footing in the Yijin Pass.
The Huwei Arts Hall could not afford another conflict right now.
"Yes."
Zhang Yang cupped his fist in a respectful bow. He had always held the old man before him in high esteem.
Just as Zhang Yang was about to turn and leave, Xue Gui called out to him.
"How is that disciple, Bai Yuan, doing?"
"He trains diligently with his saber and is progressing well. He should be able to break through the Bone Forging Pass in two years, at most."
"Two years... He needs to be faster."
Xue Gui had been secretly observing Bai Yuan during this time.
He was very pleased with Bai Yuan's conduct.
'Beyond innate talent, what's more important is one's temperament. To master martial arts, one must first master the mind. A Martial Artist who is too aggressive and ruthless will not only fail to master their techniques, but they also won't live long.'
'Bai Yuan is a perfect example. He's completely unaffected by the Blood Tiger Saber's baleful aura. He's so low-key, it's almost excessive. Perhaps only a person like him can resist the saber's sinister nature.'
'In the old days, a master would observe a prospective disciple's character for years before accepting them.'
'It wasn't proper for me to get involved directly, so I had Zhang Yang do the observing for me.'
'Otherwise, if we ended up with a traitorous disciple like Wang Chao, it would be a great misfortune for our school.'
...
The Blacksmith's Shop.
"Young man, here's your blade."
The middle-aged Blacksmith handed the newly forged Firewood Cutting Saber to Bai Yuan.
'I really put my all into this Firewood Cutting Saber,' the Blacksmith thought. 'After all, it's rare to find a customer willing to spend so much silver on one. It was a good chance to practice my craft.'
Bai Yuan took the Firewood Cutting Saber.
The bright, sharp edge of the blade glinted coldly in the sunlight. The hilt had been replaced with walnut wood—sturdy, durable, and a perfect fit for his hand.
A Firewood Cutting Saber of such high quality was a rare sight in Qinghe County.
The middle-aged Blacksmith was a decent man. For the two taels of silver Bai Yuan paid, he had been extremely generous with the materials.
Bai Yuan took the Firewood Cutting Saber, which was as tall as his waist, and gave it a flourish. The thirteen-pound blade felt as light as a feather in his hand, as if it were just an ordinary chopper.
The combination of the Tiger-Crane Form and the Blood Tiger Saber had greatly increased his strength, and only a heavy blade could truly bring out his new advantage.