Han Mo spun around swiftly, slashing out with the saber in his right hand. Not daring to meet the strike head-on, Lin Zheyu abruptly pulled back his offensive, swayed aside, and launched an attack from the other flank.
As a discipline focused primarily on training the legs, once mastered, the Golden Goose Skill made one nimble and agile, moving like the wind.
Han Mo's saber technique was exceptionally formidable—clean, brisk, and brimming with profound power in every movement. The blade shifted with his body, adapting at will and weaving a defense so tight that not a drop of water could leak through.
No matter how Lin Zheyu launched his attacks, Han Mo's fierce saber momentum would force him back.
Yet Han Mo could do nothing to Lin Zheyu either.
Although Han Mo's strength had reached the peak of viscera refining, his footwork lagged far behind Lin Zheyu's, leaving him lacking in speed and agility.
With one attacking and the other defending, the two exchanged over a dozen moves in the blink of an eye.
The blunt blade grazed past Lin Zheyu in hair-raising close calls, yet he always managed to evade it with remarkable deftness.
More than an hour later, Han Mo came to a halt, panting heavily.
"No more, no more!"
Han Mo waved his hand.
Facing a speed-focused martial artist like Lin Zheyu had been utterly frustrating.
"Let's call it a day. If I get back too late, your sister-in-law will nag me again."
Han Mo chuckled and added, "It's about time you found yourself a wife too. Living all by yourself is so dull."
"How could it be dull? Are the girls at the Hundred Pavilions no longer charming, or is martial arts no longer fun to practice? The world is vast and colorful—why tie yourself down with a wife and kids?" Lin Zheyu replied with a grin.
"You rascal. When you're a bit older, you'll understand what it feels like to have a warm light waiting for you at home, no matter how late in the night you return," Han Mo said with a smile.
"What it feels like?"
Lin Zheyu muttered to himself, thinking of the men from his past life who came home only to hide out in the underground garage, reluctant to head upstairs.
*Mm, better pass.*
*What's so great about getting married anyway...?*
***
"Master, was there anything in that fight I should improve on?"
Lin Zheyu walked over to Liang Song and asked.
"None. You've already done very well." Liang Song smiled and said, "To reach this level in the Golden Goose Skill in less than a month—you're far better than I was."
Being able to take in a disciple with such astonishing talent as Lin Zheyu before departing Songyi City brought him immense gratification.
Liang Song glanced around at the vegetation in the courtyard and called out, "Zheyu..."
"Yes, Master? Is something the matter?"
Lin Zheyu replied, sensing that Master Liang's tone sounded somewhat unusual.
"Han Mo has his own home in Songyi City, and that courtyard of yours is rented, right? From now on, this courtyard is yours. Remember to take good care of these plants." Liang Song looked at the plants in the courtyard, an indefinable emotion showing in his eyes.
"Master, are you leaving?"
Lin Zheyu was surprised, a profound reluctance welling up within him.
Liang Song had treated him wonderfully, holding nothing back and teaching him everything he could.
To Lin Zheyu, Liang Song felt just like family.
"Master, you're leaving so soon?" Han Mo asked, equally reluctant to see him go. "Can't you stay a little longer?"
"It's time for me to go."
"You've already learned the Golden Goose Skill. The master opens the door, but the practice is up to the individual. From now on, you must rely on your own diligent training."
"And as for you, Han Mo—though the Six Harmonies Saber is only a third-rate martial discipline, cultivating it to its peak can still allow you to break through to the Qi and Blood Realm."
"Once you reach the Qi and Blood Realm and can make no further progress, begin practicing the Golden Goose Skill. If there is anything you don't understand, consult Lin Zheyu."
Liang Song took a sip of tea and continued, "In the blink of an eye, more than a decade has passed since I came to Songyi City. It's time to return. Who knows if my old friends are still around."
"Why don't I leave with you?" Lin Zheyu suggested. "There's nothing keeping me in Songyi City anyway; anywhere is the same to me."
"Not you."
"You're better off staying honestly in the city, earning money through your storytelling and focusing on your martial arts."
"Remember: until you reach the Qi and Blood Realm, do not wander into mountains, forests, and other desolate wildernesses on a whim," Liang Song cautioned.
"Huh?" Lin Zheyu asked in confusion. "Is it because bandits run rampant out there?"
Liang Song shook his head. "This world isn't as peaceful as it looks on the surface."
"In every chaotic era, evil anomalies inevitably arise."
"In the past, demons remained hidden and left no trace because the fortune of the Great Wei Dynasty suppressed them, keeping them from daring to sow chaos."
"Now rebel armies rise on all sides, the people are destitute, and the dynasty's fortune is waning; it can no longer hold them back."
"Inside the cities, things are still manageable. But once you step outside the city walls, it becomes exceedingly perilous," Liang Song said slowly, his expression grave.
"Master, what are demons like?" Lin Zheyu couldn't help asking.
All sorts of legends about demons and wraiths circulated among the common folk, but most were exaggerated and contained little truth.
"I've only seen demons a few times myself."
"Much like the stories you tell, some transformed from humans, while others transformed from mountain spirits and wild creatures. All of them are bizarre and uncanny beyond measure."
"Demons are immensely powerful, possessing vigorous vitality that makes them difficult to kill."
"If ordinary martial artists encounter one, it almost certainly spells doom. Only upon reaching the Qi and Blood Realm does one have the strength to fight back when meeting a demon."
Liang Song said slowly, "If you run into anything strange or uncanny in the future, stay as far away as possible at the first opportunity. Whatever you do, don't go poking around out of curiosity."
"Understood, Master."
Lin Zheyu nodded and asked curiously, "Master, you said humans can become demons too?"
"Indeed."
"Since ancient times, countless emperors and formidable experts have pursued longevity, seeking immortality cultivation."
"Yet some cultivate until they turn into demons, becoming neither human nor ghost," Liang Song explained.
"Master, do immortals really exist in this world?"
"Perhaps they do, perhaps they don't."
"I am merely a mortal. My strength is only in the Qi and Blood Realm—I have not reached the level where I could access such deep secrets."
Liang Song shook his head, his expression calm.
"Oh..."
Lin Zheyu pressed no further. He sat down by the stone table, sharing tea with Master Liang.
***
Chapter 37