Chapter 52: The Letter (4k)

Half a month later.

The woodlands near Valley Town.

A morning breeze, carrying a hint of chill, brushed past. Oak branches swayed, and lush green leaves rubbed against one another, producing a soft "rustling" sound.

Leaves drifted down leisurely, fluttering and dancing through the air.

*Ssh—*

A dark brown, lustrous light suddenly erupted from somewhere beneath the trees, vanishing in an instant.

Extremely precise!

A falling leaf, which had been drifting aimlessly under the influence of invisible air currents and spinning in the air just a second ago, was pinned straight onto a rough tree trunk by a warm yet sharp sword tip the next.

*Clatter!*

The powerful force transmitted from the blade made the towering oak tree shudder as if it had suffered a heavy blow. The trunk vibrated violently, shaking loose countless leaves.

With a forceful pull, the sword tip was extracted from the trunk.

Xia Nan casually performed a sword flourish and sheathed the wooden sword behind his back.

By now, fifteen days had passed since he returned to Valley Town after completing his mission.

To some extent, these days had been the most relaxed and pleasant period since his transmigration into this world.

When sleeping, he didn't have to worry about being headbutted with a club by some green-skinned rat popping out of nowhere; when walking, he didn't have to fear suddenly turning into a stone statue.

He ate and drank in the inn every day. While not every meal was a feast, it was far more comfortable than living in the wild.

Of course, he hadn't retired yet.

Xia Nan could not afford to become completely idle.

While relaxing his mind and body, he was also methodically carrying out the plans he had previously formulated.

First, the [Green Pine] scabbard he had commissioned from the blacksmith was finished.

Made of rock-carbon steel, it was entirely grey-black, simple and low-profile. While fitting the blade perfectly, it also effectively concealed the material of his wooden sword. Every detail perfectly met the requirements he had previously requested.

Xia Nan was very satisfied with it.

It was worth mentioning that during this period of adjustment, he had gained a certain understanding of his only piece of "Blue Gear."

In terms of sharpness, [Green Pine] was slightly inferior to the Decapitation Longsword, performing at the level of an ordinary metal weapon. Its durability was also not particularly outstanding; although he hadn't conducted high-intensity tests for fear of damaging the blade, his sensation after use suggested it was perhaps only slightly better than standard-issue weapons.

Presumably, the reason [Green Pine] could reach "Blue Rare" quality on his attribute panel was clearly due to its two damage modifiers targeting "Undead" and "Serpentine Enemies."

In other circumstances, Xia Nan still used the Decapitation Longsword as his primary weapon.

Next were those two combat skills.

Uh...

How should he put it?

While it wasn't as if he had gained nothing, his progress was far from satisfactory.

His talent was good; he had already proven it both in spontaneous combat and combat skill training. He had picked up the two skills, [Forward Thrust] and [Block Uppercut], very quickly. In just half a day, he had firmly mastered the training methods recorded on those thin sheets of paper.

But strangely, unlike the feeling of his predecessor practicing [Whirlwind Slash]—which had become almost muscle memory, with every strike as precise and stable as a machine—training these two skills felt odd to Xia Nan.

It was either a lack of explosive power due to short, stunted strikes, or an unstable center of gravity that caused his body to tremble. Every training session brought new problems.

Crucially, he couldn't find the right way to solve them. Just when he finally corrected a flaw through massive amounts of practice, a new problem would emerge, rendering his previous efforts wasted. It was like plugging holes in a dam—one after another, never-ending.

This made Xia Nan wonder if these two seemingly simple combat skills were actually the kind of "substandard goods" that circulated on the market.

He wasn't certain. After all, his predecessor had practiced day and night for many years to bring [Whirlwind Slash] close to maximum level.

"I'll practice with more focus for a while longer," Xia Nan thought to himself. "If it's still like this after a while, I'll try switching to two different ones."

After finishing his morning training, Xia Nan didn't head straight back to the inn. Instead, he took a detour to the "Iron Hammer" blacksmith shop.

*Clang!*

A metal hammer struck glowing red molten steel.

Bulging muscles rippled, and sweat flew off alongside sparks like starlight.

*Sizzle—*

Thick smoke rose as the glowing red iron was plunged into water, emitting a piercing screech.

Only after the entire process was complete did the burly man finally catch his breath.

"You're here?" Looking at Xia Nan, who was watching him from a distance near the shelves, Barn casually picked up a rag to wipe the sweat from his forehead and placed his forging hammer on the anvil. "Your arm shield should be ready in about seven or eight days."

"Sorry, I really do have a lot of orders right now. It wouldn't be right to cut the line for customers who have paid in cold, hard cash."

"It's fine, it's fine. Do your thing, I'm in no rush."

He had no intention of rushing him. The man had told him before that the Snake-Scale Arm Shield was different from a scabbard; its unique shape meant there was no mold, requiring custom fabrication, so the finished product would take much longer.

Xia Nan had only come to check on the progress and confirm the timing. Since Barn had given an approximate timeframe, he didn't linger, offered a greeting, and prepared to leave.

Unexpectedly, the man called out to him before he could go.

"Have you thought about the caravan guard mission?"

Barn took several large gulps of water before asking, "We set off in a few days. If you want to join..."

"Just say the word, and I'll squeeze you in."

"Of course, if you're busy, don't feel pressured. It's up to you."

Xia Nan hesitated slightly.

"The day after tomorrow. I'll give you a definite answer then."

So many days had passed, and the caravan guards were mostly recruited. One more or one less wouldn't make a difference. He didn't intend to intentionally string the man along.

After all, the most important thing—the half-elf—hadn't replied to him yet. Xia Nan wasn't sure when the professional contacted by Heian would arrive in Valley Town. Without a precise time, he was afraid of missing them, so he didn't dare leave the town easily.

If there was no reply within the next three days, he would simply decline the caravan guard job and wait patiently in Valley Town. That way, he wouldn't delay the caravan's work, and while he would miss out on a few gold coins, it was a trade-off he could accept.

...

By the time he left the blacksmith shop, it was already noon.

Xia Nan returned to the White Sparrow Inn, intending to eat lunch, take a nap if possible, and then continue training in the afternoon.

It was the classic combination of mushroom soup, stewed meat, and white bread. However, the portions on his plate were much larger than before. He had paid extra for the larger servings. The enhancement of his physical fitness had increased his appetite accordingly.

Using the white bread, he stuffed a large piece of stewed meat into his mouth. Accompanied by a rich, savory aroma, the juicy, tender chunks of meat were easily chewed and swallowed, turning into a faint warm current that provided energy to his strengthened body.

Although Xia Nan didn't have a clear understanding of his current physical strength, he was certain that after absorbing that single golden dewdrop, the 3-point surge in Constitution had provided his body with an all-around upgrade.

Yes, all-around.

Even though his "Strength" and "Agility" on the attribute panel were still at the 6 points he had reached after maxing out [Whirlwind Slash], he could clearly feel that since returning to town, his explosive power and muscular strength had increased.

Clearly, the various attributes on the golden finger panel were not independent, distinct types as they were in a game. In the real world, an increase in a single attribute point should represent a much more complex change for the entire body.

For example: if one day Xia Nan's "Strength" attribute suddenly increased by one point, his muscular explosive power would also increase to a certain degree. And an increase in explosive power meant he could achieve faster movement speeds. In a sense, could that not also be considered an enhancement of his "Agility" attribute?

Living in a fantasy world with a medieval setting, without the scientific testing of modern society, Xia Nan could only vaguely guess the changes in his body through his actual experience.

*Clink.*

A crystal-clear beverage topped with foam was gently slid across the table toward Xia Nan.

"Your ale," the innkeeper, Chapton, reminded him.

Xia Nan, still chewing, nodded slightly.

*Tap.*

Chapton held out a snow-white envelope, tapping it on the table.

"It arrived this morning. Your name is on it. It's yours, right?"

Xia Nan's eyes instantly lit up, and he swallowed the food in his mouth.

"Yes, yes. Thank you!"

He took the envelope and scanned the surface. There were no extra decorations, only the recipient's address and Xia Nan's name marked in the bottom right corner. The pattern on the wax seal was a kite shield adorned with silk cloth and tassels.

"Should be the Heian family crest?" Xia Nan speculated.

Just as he was about to open the envelope, a sudden commotion erupted from the inn's main hall.

Frowning, he looked over. What met his eyes were two familiar figures.

"Bernie?"

Regarding this drunkard, who had nearly forced him to draw his sword when he first returned to town, Xia Nan had learned his name later through the innkeeper and other patrons. It seemed the man had been out on missions with his squad lately because he lacked money for alcohol, so Xia Nan hadn't bothered looking for trouble with him.

Now, he was causing trouble again.

As for the person he was arguing with—a middle-aged man with a simple, honest appearance and plain clothing—he also looked somewhat familiar.

"I think I saw him once the day I went to the blacksmith to commission my scabbard," Xia Nan thought.

Before him, the situation was escalating. Perhaps seeing that the other party was a newcomer to town, Bernie, face flushed and reeking of alcohol, leaned in and muttered some incomprehensible words.

The plain-looking man, who was eating the cheapest meal, immediately darkened. However, he didn't talk back; he simply lowered his head and ate faster, seemingly wanting to avoid a direct confrontation.

Seeing this, Bernie showed no intention of backing down. Instead, he became more animated, loudly chanting foul country slang. His alcohol-numbed nerves made it impossible for him to maintain his balance. As he flailed his arms, his foot slipped, and he tumbled backward.

His arm instinctively reached out for support, slamming down onto the table of the adjacent table.

*Bang!*

Food and drink spilled all over the floor.

Xia Nan instantly withdrew his gaze. Because he had clearly seen that the moment Bernie overturned the neighboring table, the thin young man sitting nearby—who had been an innocent bystander merely drinking and watching the commotion—suddenly flickered, as if he had teleported away from his spot.

Not a single drop of the splashing liquid touched him.

"A professional!" Xia Nan confirmed in his mind.

*Thud—*

Bernie, whose limbs were contorted and who had lost consciousness from heavy injury, was tossed onto the street like a dead pig.

The thin young man politely asked the surrounding patrons for the name of Bernie's squad, left a few silver coins, and strolled leisurely out of the inn. The plain, honest middle-aged man also hurried away after scraping the last bit of food from his plate.

The drunkard had, after all, provoked someone he shouldn't have.

Xia Nan shook his head. Come to think of it, if Bernie's two teammates hadn't been there that night, Xia Nan might have dealt with him himself without needing a professional to step in.

He drained the last of the ale in his cup. No longer paying attention to the noisy, boisterous hall, he returned to his room and opened the envelope sent by the half-elf.

"Long time no see, Xia Nan,

First, I must apologize for taking so long to reply. It wasn't a delay, but rather family matters that were difficult to escape; I only managed to find a moment of respite today.

Since we parted, nearly half a month has passed. I do not know if you are still in Valley Town or if you have embarked on a new round of adventures.

...

Regarding the commission for a combat skill instructor, I have fortunately used my family connections to contact a senior professional. He will pass through Valley Town at the earliest during the middle of the Sun Moon (Lisi), making a short stay. At that time, you can learn combat skills from him.

Detailed information is in the attachment.

No need to reply, as I may find it difficult to receive it. I also wish you a speedy transition into a professional.

May the stars shine upon you.

Your friend, Heian"

Xia Nan's gaze swept over the end of the letter, at the half-elf's fluid yet rhythmic signature.

He pondered. As the other person said, that professional wouldn't arrive in Valley Town until the middle of the Sun Moon at the earliest. And currently, it was only the beginning of the Flowering Moon. According to the calendar of this continent, there was even an entire Summer Tide Moon in between.

Nearly seventy days.

He had plenty of time.

To be honest, after two consecutive adventures in the Misty Forest, the dangerous and high-pressure environment had left Xia Nan with a lingering sense of dread. He didn't want to go back in for a while.

Under these circumstances, finding a job as a caravan guard to slow down and wander around a neighboring town for a few days was a good choice. Not only could he earn some pocket money to cover daily expenses, but he could also experience the local customs of this world.

But the most important factor—the key that changed his mind—was the bottleneck he had encountered in his combat skill training these past few days.

Thinking back, his predecessor had spent countless days and many years just to bring [Whirlwind Slash] to level 4 (98/100). Yet Xia Nan, having only just transmigrated into this world, had filled in the two most difficult proficiency points before reaching the maximum level in just a few days.

What was the difference between the two, and what did it mean?

Xia Nan had a vague idea in his mind. He intended to use this opportunity to verify his hypothesis.