Forbidden Arts

Han Mo was thoroughly astonished. Lin Zheyu had blended the Golden Goose Skill and the Six Harmonies Saber with exceptional mastery. Using footwork in concert with blade techniques, he could advance to attack and retreat to defend, leaving Han Mo with no opening to exploit. Han Mo’s saber was formidable, but his speed and agility lagged behind, leaving him helpless against Lin Zheyu. “The lord’s junior martial brother is so strong—he can actually go back and forth against the lord!” The soldiers watching from the side were utterly astounded. To possess such formidable strength at such a young age meant the future achievements of Lord Han’s junior brother were bound to be limitless! Clang! *Boom—* Seizing his moment, Han Mo swung his saber horizontally. The muscles on his arms bulged as terrifying power erupted. Lin Zheyu brought his saber up to parry, but the sudden force behind his senior brother’s strike sent him staggering back several paces. “Your Six Harmonies Saber is truly remarkable, Senior Brother!” Lin Zheyu said, sheathing his blade and clasping his fists. Senior Brother Han Mo had mastered the Six Harmonies Saber to perfection. A manual at the peak of the Viscera Tempering Realm had been cultivated by him to the brink of breaking into the Qi and Blood Realm. His temperament was earnest and steady, but his bladecraft was exceedingly adaptable. The forms of the Six Harmonies Saber shifted unpredictably, often striking from tricky angles that caught Lin Zheyu off guard. Of course, this was also because Lin Zheyu had made bladecraft his primary offensive tool while using the Golden Goose Skill only as support. Saber techniques were his weak point. Had he relied fully on the Golden Goose Skill or the Wild Bull Fist, things would have played out quite differently. “You truly live up to the natural talent and comprehension that even Master Liang couldn’t stop praising. The speed of your progress makes this senior brother deeply envious,” Han Mo marveled. How long had it been since they last saw each other? Yet his junior brother’s strength had risen once again. Although the gains in raw power and speed were modest, the improvement in Lin Zheyu’s comprehension and application of techniques, as well as his combat awareness, was extraordinarily clear. Just now, Han Mo had ended up unconsciously unleashing the power of the Viscera Tempering Realm to knock Lin Zheyu back. “Keep sparring with me. This time, no Golden Goose Skill—purely honing your bladecraft,” Han Mo said. “Alright, please show some mercy, Senior Brother,” Lin Zheyu replied with a smile, raising his saber and charging forward again. In the previous exchange, if not for maneuvering back and forth with the Golden Goose Skill, he would have been defeated in short order. Without it, only his technical skill with the blade would be tested. Han Mo spoke of sparring, but in truth, he wanted to guide Lin Zheyu’s saber techniques. During their earlier clash, he had spotted quite a few areas that could be improved. *Clang! Clang! Clang!* The crisp ring of clashing weapons resonated across the grounds once more. This time, with nothing but bladecraft on the line, Lin Zheyu quickly fell into a disadvantage. Rather than repelling him with a single heavy strike, Han Mo drew on his own profound mastery of the saber to guide Lin Zheyu, calling out from time to time to point out his flaws. *** As dusk gathered, tension crept across the faces of the servants at Xing Jinglong’s residence in Songyi City. “Still no word from the young master?” the steward asked anxiously as a servant rushed back inside. Young Master Xing Jinglong had hurried out that morning claiming he had urgent business to attend to, yet he still had not returned. Even Lord Zhao Wude and Lord Qiao Quan, who had set out alongside him, were nowhere to be seen. “None. The members from the Wuding Gang and the ten elite City Guard soldiers who departed with them haven't returned either,” the servant said, shaking his head. “Damn it!” “Come, we must find Young Master Jing’an. We have no choice but to report this up,” the steward said through gritted teeth. Outside the city grew far more perilous once night fell. Even if the young master had lost track of time while handling his affairs, Lord Zhao Wude would have reminded him. The steward hurried out and made his way to the Xing clan’s martial training grounds. Young Master Xing Jing’an possessed commendable martial talent, having reached the peak of the Viscera Tempering Realm before the age of thirty. After a few more years of tempering in the City Guard, he had high hopes of breaking through to the Qi and Blood Realm. He was a martial fanatic. Aside from handling official duties, he spent most of his time immersed in training on the family grounds. Entering the grounds, the steward saw Xing Jing’an fully absorbed in practice. In normal circumstances, he would never dare disturb him, but with Young Master Jinglong’s safety on the line, he had no choice. Stepping forward, he said respectfully, “Young Master Jing’an, something has happened. Young Master Jinglong left this morning with Lord Zhao Wude and Lord Qiao Quan, and he hasn't returned since.” “Hm?” Xing Jing’an came to a halt. His brow furrowed with displeasure at having his training interrupted, but hearing that his younger brother might be in trouble, his expression grew serious. “Where did Jinglong go, and what was he attending to?” “In reply to the young master, according to scouts from the Wuding Gang, Lin Zheyu of the Feihong Gang left the city. He once had friction with the young master. When the young master learned of this, he took his men and went after him. “Up until now, the young master hasn't returned, nor has any word arrived,” the steward reported. “Lin Zheyu?” Xing Jing’an frowned; the name rang a bell. According to Xing Jinglong and their elder cousin Xing Penghai, this young fellow had gone from an untrained novice to the Bone Tempering Realm in less than three months. His talent and comprehension were remarkable, and his potential was astonishing. The plan had been to capture him and use a secret art to stimulate his latent potential, molding him into a deathsworn operative. Xing Jinglong’s outing was almost certainly for that purpose. “Has that Lin Zheyu returned?” Xing Jing’an asked. “No, he hasn’t either.” “This doesn’t look good. Reason dictates that with Zhao Wude and Qiao Quan both deployed, the man should have been captured swiftly.” Xing Jing’an’s gaze turned grim. Throwing on his robe, he hurried toward the doors. “*Hah!*” Mounting his horse, he bolted straight for the city gates. *** The moon was bright, the stars few. A bitter wind wailed through the night. Deep in the nighttime wilderness, beasts roared in the distance. A troop of thirty mounted soldiers, holding blazing torches, rode swiftly through the dark. “*Hah!*” “*Hah, hah!*” The soldiers urged their mounts forward, galloping with all their might toward the mountain forests. Zhao Wude was a cautious man who always liked keeping a backup plan. Had Lin Zheyu’s strength not defied all expectations, he would never have met his end so swiftly. Upon leaving the city, Zhao Wude had followed his habit of leaving markers carrying a unique scent along the trail—a scent that could linger in the wild for two full days. It could be used for tracking, leaving marks, and various other purposes, proving immensely versatile. “*Whoa—*” The man in the lead pulled on the reins and halted before a patch of dense brush. This was where Lin Zheyu had discarded the bodies. No corpses remained now—only blood pooling across the earth and shredded, mangled scraps of armor and clothing. “Bastards!” Xing Penghai cursed aloud at the sight of the bloodstains and torn scraps. Beside him, Xing Jing’an remained utterly silent, staring quietly at the shredded fabric on the ground. Everything was torn to pieces; it was impossible to tell whose clothes belonged to whom. “What do you make of this?” Xing Jing’an asked quietly, a ruthless edge lingering deep in his eyes. Xing Penghai shook his head, his face somber. “It might have been the work of our rivals. We made too big of a move, and they struck back in retaliation.” “Mm, that is indeed possible.” Xing Jing’an nodded. “Once we return, we’ll report this to Eldest Uncle and let the elders decide.” “Xing Ling, pass down the word,” Xing Penghai ordered. “Have the city scouts report on the movements of all the major factions today. At the same time, keep a close watch on that brat from the Feihong Gang to see if he’s dead. “If he comes back, report to me immediately.” “Understood, Young Master.” *** Near Lion Valley, within the military encampment. Lin Zheyu and Han Mo sat before a campfire, roasting wild game. “Senior Brother, have you ever seen a living corpse?” Lin Zheyu asked. “On the way here, I heard people say that a living corpse appeared in Beast Roar Mountain and killed several people.” “A living corpse appeared in Beast Roar Mountain again?” Han Mo asked in surprise, evidently unaware of the news. “Yes, I heard it emerged only recently. Do you know much about living corpses, Senior Brother? Could you explain it to me?” Lin Zheyu asked, intrigued. “There’s nothing secret about it,” Han Mo said, taking a sip of tea. “A living corpse is merely what ordinary people call it. It has another name: demon!” *A demon?!* Lin Zheyu froze upon hearing that. *That’s what a demon is?* Master Liang Song had mentioned demons to him before, but he had never connected living corpses with them. “Indeed, a living corpse is a type of demon,” Han Mo explained. “In life, these individuals cultivated some sort of forbidden art, became corrupted by yin-fiend power, and fell into a state of suspended animation. “Afterward, they were buried in areas thick with yin-fiend qi beneath specialized formations. After decades or even centuries of suspended animation, they awaken from that deathlike slumber, thereby attaining a semblance of longevity. “Yet, like demons, having cultivated forbidden arts, they lose their sense of self. They become bloodthirsty, savage monsters devoid of reason, driven purely by the urge to slaughter.” As a Centurion of the City Guard, Han Mo possessed some knowledge regarding demons. “A forbidden art?” Lin Zheyu caught the crucial detail in Han Mo’s words. “Is it a secret method for immortality and cultivation?” Liang Song had once said that in their quest for immortality and immortal cultivation, some people ended up cultivating themselves into demons. “Immortality? There is no such thing as living forever,” Han Mo said, shaking his head. “Those so-called secret methods for longevity—in the end, everyone who cultivates them merely turns themselves into monsters that are neither human nor ghost. “I don’t know the exact details either; I only heard this from the commander. “Back when I was just a low-ranking soldier, I had the fortune of following the commander to hunt and slay a demon—the very living corpse you spoke of. It took an immense effort to bring it down. “Such monsters possess bronze skin and iron bones, impervious to swords and spears. Only the dense killing intent focused through a military battle array can suppress them. “If you ever cross paths with a demon in the future, or hear that one has appeared somewhere, don’t let your curiosity draw you to watch. Flee immediately. “Demons cannot be matched by anyone below the Qi and Blood Realm. And even for a Qi and Blood martial artist, anyone below the Three Qi and Blood Transformations can barely protect themselves.” Han Mo’s expression was solemn. During that battle against the demon, he had merely been a regular soldier, an insignificant part of the battle array who only contributed his essence, qi, spirit, and killing intent. That clash had left an unforgettable impression upon him. “I understand,” Lin Zheyu nodded. *Sizzle—* *Crack! Pop!—* The campfire burned brightly, the branches popping with sharp snaps. The meat roasting above sizzled with hot grease, releasing a mouthwatering aroma that drifted through the air. “Senior Brother, will you be able to return before the New Year?” Lin Zheyu asked, taking a bite of the fragrant roasted meat. “I’ll head back in two days,” Han Mo said. New Year’s Eve was three days away—just in time to return for the reunion dinner. He looked toward Lin Zheyu. “When the time comes, come to my home for the reunion meal. It’s livelier with more people, and it feels more like the New Year.” Han Mo knew Lin Zheyu had no family in Songyi City and was likely to feel lonely during the festivities. “Sounds great,” Lin Zheyu agreed with a nod.