Chapter 40: The Six-Harmony Saber

Night.

Under the bright, clear moonlight.

Two figures, wielding blunt sabers, engaged in rapid combat.

*Clang! Clang! Clang!*

The clashing of weapons produced a rhythmic metallic sound.

Lin Zheyu's saber techniques were mediocre; he relied on his Golden Goose Skill to circle around Han Moyou.

Han Moyou, however, stood his ground. The saber in his hand danced with such density that it left no openings, shifting seamlessly with his body movements.

As the outside world grew increasingly chaotic these past few days, the thought of learning saber techniques had taken root in Lin Zheyu's mind.

Compared to unarmed combat, saber techniques indeed held a distinct advantage in killing enemies.

Under Han Moyou's guidance, after more than ten days of practice, his Liuhe Saber skills had begun to take shape.

*Clang!*

Han Moyou found a gap in Lin Zheyu's defense and delivered a sudden, heavy strike, the force of which sent Lin Zheyu stumbling back several steps.

"Senior Brother is amazing!" Lin Zheyu said in admiration.

Han Moyou had practiced the Liuhe Saber to an extremely profound level; the blade was as obedient as his own limbs.

"I've been practicing the saber for over ten years. If I were outmatched by you this quickly, it would be a disgrace," Han Moyou said with a laugh. "But your comprehension is simply too high. It's making me a bit jealous."

"Haha, it's nothing special, nothing special," Lin Zheyu replied with a laugh.

The two sat down by a stone table, drinking small amounts of wine accompanied by side dishes.

Lately, Han Moyou had been coming by every few days to spar with Lin Zheyu.

"I'm heading out to suppress bandits tomorrow. I might be away from Songyi City for half a month, so I won't be able to come here to be your sparring partner," Han Moyou said.

"You're going out to suppress bandits?"

"Then why have you been coming here these past few days? Why not stay home with your wife?" Lin Zheyu remarked.

"Your sister-in-law... sigh, don't even mention it. Let's not talk about it," Han Moyou sighed, lifting his cup and draining it in one gulp.

"See, I told you there's nothing good about marriage. It's much happier being alone," Lin Zheyu said, shrugging his shoulders.

"That's because you don't understand. Life after marriage has its joys and its sorrows. That's just how life is; there's no such thing as a life filled only with joy and no sorrow," Han Moyou said.

"Yes, yes, yes, everything you say is right. You should hurry back to your wife. You're about to head out on a mission, yet you're still running off to my place. Drink less wine, or you'll get scolded when you get back."

Lin Zheyu snatched the cup from Han Moyou and began ushering him out.

"You brat, give me my cup! I'll drink and then leave," Han Moyou scolded playfully.

He didn't have many hobbies; he avoided gambling, obscenity, and drugs, preferring only to drink. Unlike Lin Zheyu, who only avoided gambling, obscenity, and drugs.

"Another one leaving... Songyi City is getting more and more boring," Lin Zheyu muttered softly, watching Han Moyou's retreating figure.

His master had only left not long ago, and now Han Moyou was heading out to suppress bandits. Currently, the only people in Songyi City he was familiar with were Jia Yanyong and the others.

***

The next day.

Outside Songyi City.

Lin Zheyu stood silently outside the city walls, watching his Senior Brother Han Moyou depart to see him off.

This parting meant they wouldn't meet again for over a month. He hoped Senior Brother Han would have a safe journey.

Han Moyou had been very good to Lin Zheyu. Although they hadn't known each other long, Han Moyou frequently came to provide him with combat practice, acting every bit the exemplary senior brother.

"Great lord, have mercy! I haven't eaten in ten days!"

On the road, refugees begged passing pedestrians for food.

The pedestrians kicked the refugees away, their expressions cold and their eyes filled with loathing. One man spat at a refugee and hurried away.

The temperature had dropped again last night.

He had just heard Senior Brother Han mention that when they woke up this morning, they had dealt with over a hundred corpses. In the days to come, that number would only increase; as time passed, more and more people would be unable to endure and would die.

"Human life is as cheap as grass!"

Lin Zheyu felt a pang of pity, but he was powerless. He was merely an ordinary person struggling to survive in these chaotic times.

He did not linger outside the city for long. Once Senior Brother Han disappeared from view, Lin Zheyu turned to leave.

*Clop, clop.*

*Clop-clop-clop-clop!*

The sound of rapid hoofbeats approached from behind.

Lin Zheyu turned his head and saw an armored soldier galloping toward him on a fine steed. Frowning slightly, he activated his Golden Goose Skill, nimbly dodging the horse.

"Whoa!"

The soldier pulled the reins and turned the horse around. With a *crack* of the whip against the horse's flank, he charged toward Lin Zheyu again.

"What is this guy trying to do!"

Anger flared in Lin Zheyu's heart. He activated his Golden Goose Skill once more, moving his feet to evade the charge from a distance.

The horse thundered past.

It was moving too fast to stop and crashed into the crowd of refugees, trampling several to death.

Seeing this, Lin Zheyu's eyes filled with a chilling frost. This man was far too indifferent to life. To him, those refugees were perhaps less than pigs or dogs.

*Whoosh—*

With a squeeze of his legs, the man spurred his warhorse to charge at Lin Zheyu once more. He swung the halberd in his hand with ferocious power, the blade cutting through the cold wind with a whistling sound as he swung it down toward Lin Zheyu's head.

"A practitioner of the Viscera Refining Realm!"

"Such intense killing intent!"

Lin Zheyu's eyes narrowed. He sensed a thick, heavy aura of slaughter from the man, comparable to that of Senior Brother Han Moyou. Only someone who had survived hundreds of life-and-death struggles, fighting their way out of mountains of corpses and rivers of blood, could condense such powerful killing intent.

With a light tap of his toes, Lin Zheyu's body retreated rapidly. Relying on the speed and agility of the Golden Goose Skill, he began to dance around the man.

Fighting on horseback was not ideal for close-quarters combat; while the horse possessed immense power, it lacked maneuverability. The man's many ferocious attacks were easily evaded by Lin Zheyu.

*Bang!*

Lin Zheyu kicked off the ground with force, his figure retreating rapidly. After pulling back more than ten meters, he said in a heavy voice, "Who are you, and why are you attacking me?"

"Haha, you truly have some skill!"

The man pulled the reins and laughed loudly, but he did not launch another attack.

*Clop, clop, clop.*

Behind him, another stout young master dressed in fine silks arrived on horseback.

"Xing Jinglong!" Lin Zheyu's eyes narrowed slightly.

He quietly retreated a few steps toward the city gate. The presence of these two together gave him a sense of unease.

"Brother, I told you this kid was capable!"

"I heard he's only been practicing martial arts for a month and already has this much strength. He's truly gifted," Xing Jinglong laughed.

After witnessing Lin Zheyu's strength last time, he had specifically instructed the Wuding Gang to keep an eye on him and report immediately if he left the city. He hadn't expected the boy to run out of the city on his own so quickly.

"He does indeed have some skill. Boy, what realm have you reached?" the man on the horse asked. He removed his helmet, revealing a face Lin Zheyu recognized.

"Xing Penghai, Xing Jinglong..."

"These two are brothers?"

"Talk about a narrow path meeting enemies..."

Lin Zheyu watched them silently, thinking things had gone south. He knew he was being targeted; otherwise, it would be an impossible coincidence to run into these two.

"I am Lin Zheyu. Greetings, My Lord." Lin Zheyu cupped his hands toward Xing Penghai. "My strength is barely at the Bone Forging Realm. I hope I haven't offended you."

"Eh? You look somewhat familiar!"

"That's right, you were that little fellow by Han Moyou's side last time, weren't you?" Xing Penghai thought for a moment, remembering seeing Lin Zheyu there.

Lin Zheyu did not respond, keeping a vigilant eye on the two. He used his peripheral vision to observe the situation at the city gate. If things turned sour, he would immediately use his Golden Goose Skill to dash into Songyi City. As long as he was inside the city, Lin Zheyu didn't believe these men would dare to act recklessly.