Chapter 108: The Golden Crow Saber Technique

After Huang Zhen departed, the expressions of those present were varied.

The six disciples who had been tactfully advised to withdraw mostly wore looks of disappointment. The remaining disciples felt a complex and subtle unease; if these six senior brothers and sisters were being phased out, it would only be a matter of time before their own turn came if they failed to reach the Dan-Jin stage.

"Where should we go from here?" Wu Dali asked, looking somewhat dazed. Among the group, he appeared the most dejected.

"It’s no big deal," one of them said, waving a hand. "I’ll stick it out for another six months, and if it doesn't work out, I’ll head back to Yancheng." The speaker was a burly man with a thick beard named Zou Chong. Originally from a prominent family in Yancheng, he had joined the Four Absolutes Sect seven years ago, spending three years in the Outer Court and four in the Xuanwu Court.

Wu Dali sighed, shaking his head. "Junior Brother Zou still has a family business to inherit, unlike me, who is all alone."

Shao Qiuju offered some advice from the sidelines: "Many aristocratic families in the counties under the prefecture are recruiting guest ministers and retainers. With your strength, you could easily land a position in any county and live quite comfortably."

The surrounding disciples nodded; given their level of martial skill, they would indeed live well in the smaller counties.

"I plan to join the army," another spoke up. "I’ll use my connections to take the martial examinations. There are quite a few fellow disciples from our sect in the prefectural army, so we can look out for one another." This was Quan Shuangwu, a man who was usually taciturn and focused solely on his training, much like Yang Xing.

"Having fellow disciples to rely on is certainly a good thing," Lu Shaoyou nodded slightly. "You shouldn't worry too much. After all, as disciples of the Four Absolutes Inner Court, you won't have to worry about food or shelter once you leave."

Hearing the words of Lu Shaoyou and Shao Qiuju, the group felt much better.

Quan Shuangwu looked toward an unremarkable-looking woman. "Senior Sister Fan, what about you? What are your plans?"

"I’m different from you all," Senior Sister Fan said, half-jokingly. "If I leave the Xuanwu Court, I think I’ll settle down, find a good man, and get married."

Everyone burst into laughter at her words. They continued to chat, offering suggestions and advice to one another. The atmosphere gradually became more harmonious. It was perhaps the longest gathering the Xuanwu Court disciples had enjoyed since Yang Xing first arrived; they were rarely all together like this.

After a while, they chatted a bit more before dispersing.

"Senior Brother Quan, Senior Sister Fan, Senior Brother Wu, Senior Brother Zou..." Yang Xing bowed to each of them in turn and said, "I shall take my leave now."

Zou Chong said, half-serious and half-joking, "Junior Brother Yang, if you are ever advised to withdraw by the Master, remember to come find me in Yancheng." In his view, Yang Xing’s eventual outcome would likely be no different from theirs. After all, they were fellow disciples; staying together would allow them to look after one another and keep each other warm.

"I will," Yang Xing smiled, then turned and left the Xuanwu Court.

The Xuanwu Court suddenly turned quiet and desolate, leaving only those who had been asked to leave. The smile on Wu Dali's face faded, and as he looked around the courtyard, he let out a soft sigh. The others remained silent, their hearts feeling empty.

...

After leaving the Xuanwu Court, Yang Xing made his way to the Four Absolutes Sect's Library. His goal was to copy a manual on blade techniques.

His "Layered Wave Blade Technique" had reached perfection, but because it had been incomplete when he first acquired it, there was little room for further advancement. Now, he needed to start practicing a new blade art.

Yang Xing walked to the second floor and began searching near the shelves designated for blade techniques. Soon, he found the "Golden Crow Blade Technique."

"This technique balances hardness and softness with precise force. It requires perfect coordination of the wielder's movements and isn't suitable for beginners, but for me, it is just right."

The "Golden Crow Blade Technique" was a martial art from the "Vermilion Bird Canon." It consisted of seventy-three moves and possessed formidable power, though it required a certain level of mastery in the blade arts to practice. As the Vermilion Bird Court was mostly comprised of women who primarily practiced swordsmanship, few there were proficient in this blade technique. Though the entry threshold was high, its power was undeniable.

After studying it for a while, Yang Xing decided to copy the "Golden Crow Blade Technique" and took it to the registration desk.

The deacon took the manual and glanced at it. "Five hundred taels of silver."

Yang Xing handed over the silver notes and asked, "Uncle Master, do you happen to know how much it costs to copy the third volume of the 'Xuanwu Canon'?"

Practicing the "Xuanwu Canon" to the third layer not only allowed one to manifest Xuanwu internal energy but also enabled the practice of the sect's core martial art, the "Xuanwu Seal." Consequently, from the third layer onward, disciples had to come to the library to copy the manuals themselves.

The deacon looked at him. "Three thousand taels. Do you want to copy it?"

"Next time," Yang Xing replied after a moment's thought. He wasn't in a rush. After all, he hadn't yet broken through to the Dan-Jin stage, so even if he copied the third layer of the "Xuanwu Canon," it would be of no use.

Once he had finished copying the "Golden Crow Blade Technique," Yang Xing headed toward the exit of the library. Suddenly, a familiar figure appeared in his path.

"Long time no see, Junior Brother Yang!" Yang Jie laughed.

Five months ago, Yang Jie had failed his second attempt to reach the Dan-Jin stage during his seclusion. Since then, he had dedicated himself to managing the Tianyuan Pavilion. He was doing quite well for himself now, known as the right-hand man to the Chief Disciple of the White Tiger Court.

"What brings you to the library?" Yang Xing asked, puzzled.

Yang Jie smiled. "I’ve acquired some martial arts, and I’m seeing if I can trade them for some silver here."

"You're selling them to the library?" Yang Xing understood immediately. Any disciple who brought back a martial art not already held by the library would receive monetary compensation. Clearly, Yang Jie was here to "sell" his findings.

*Once I'm out of money,* Yang Xing mused to himself, *I'll see if I can trade the 'Iron Shirt' technique for some silver. It is, after all, a superior hard-body art.*

"Junior Brother Yang, I hear things are tough in your Xuanwu Court lately," Yang Jie said with a grin. "I know your background better than anyone; your chances of reaching Dan-Jin are even lower than mine. Instead of wasting time in the Inner Court, you’d be better off seeking another path."

Yang Xing glanced at him. "You know about that already?"

Yang Jie chuckled. "My White Tiger Court has the best intelligence network. How could I not know about such a small matter?"

The White Tiger Court was indeed the most well-informed of the four branches; they operated the Tea Flower Society, the Yunliang Pavilion, and the Tianyuan Pavilion, among many other businesses. The disciples of the White Tiger Court were also the wealthiest, and it was said that many of them consumed the high-quality "Four Absolutes Pills."

"Look at me," Yang Jie said, gesturing with a hint of pride. "Even though I didn't reach the Dan-Jin stage and don't hold an official position in the sect, I’m doing just as well as those deacons."

Success is best flaunted before those one knows; that is where the sense of achievement lies. Clearly, Yang Xing was one such person to Yang Jie.

"I know," Yang Xing nodded. "With your talents, you certainly wouldn't do poorly even if you left the Four Absolutes Sect."

Yang Jie’s face beamed at this. "Since you’re so sensible, I’ll have to lend you a hand when the time comes."

Yang Xing looked at him and said earnestly, "That’s because you are shameless enough."

Yang Jie: "..."