Chapter 48 Isn't the effect showing up now? Breakthrough in cultivation base

"So that's how it is! No wonder you've changed so much, Milord, it all makes sense now!"

Such news left Shi Sheng's face full of sudden realization.

It seemed that all the things he couldn't figure out before were now completely clear.

...

Watching Shi Sheng like this, Si Nan was somewhat speechless.

Seriously, it took you until now to figure it out? You completely treated what happened that night as empty words, didn't you?

Si Nan was already used to Shi Sheng's sluggish reactions. He merely cast a sidelong glance at him and said nothing further.

The issue of Ye Liuyun's true identity did not cause much of a stir among the other Brocade Guards.

Many were just slightly surprised when they first heard about it, and then went right back to their respective duties, with very few truly taking it to heart.

It was as if they had already witnessed too many absurd things, so a matter like this was really no big deal at all.

At most, a few perceptive individuals realized one thing: although Sheng Li was gone, Ye Liuyun must certainly have found another backing behind the scenes.

Otherwise, Ye Liuyun would never have been able to secure his position as a Centurion of the Brocade Guards so steadily.

...

When he returned home that evening,

he saw Sheng Lanzhi walking out to welcome him with a radiant smile.

"Master is back!"

Xing'er followed quietly right behind Sheng Lanzhi.

Ye Liuyun glanced at Xing'er, then shifted his gaze to Sheng Lanzhi, whose face was wreathed in smiles.

They truly say that the tables always turn; in the past, it was always Xing'er who greeted him at the door, and this was the very first time Sheng Lanzhi had ever come out to welcome him.

Ye Liuyun didn't dwell on it too much and casually handed his outer robe to Xing'er.

"I was looking over some case files today, so I'm a bit late getting back."

"No matter how diligent the Master is, he must still take care of his health and rest properly."

Sheng Lanzhi's smile was entirely natural. They truly say women are born actresses; not the slightest flaw could be detected.

"I've had the kitchen prepare dinner in the courtyard at the back. Master, let's eat first!"

"Very well."

Ye Liuyun did not refuse.

At the dining table, Sheng Lanzhi proactively poured wine for Ye Liuyun. After he had consumed a few cups,

she finally took a booklet out from her bosom and handed it over to him.

"What is this?"

Looking at the two characters "Tyrant Saber" inscribed on the cover of the booklet, Ye Liuyun raised an eyebrow slightly. He didn't even need to guess to know that this was bound to be a saber technique manual.

"Knowing that the Master is fond of saber techniques, I kept a special lookout for it."

"This Tyrant Saber manual is the closely guarded secret of the Tyrant Saber Sect. However, I have a brother-in-law who has a good relationship with them, so I spent some silver pulling strings. Although it wasn't cheap, it doesn't matter as long as the Master likes it!"

The tone made it sound as though acquiring this saber technique manual was no difficult task at all.

Yet Sheng Lanzhi deliberately recounted all the intricate details of how she managed to obtain it.

It seemed casual, but in truth, it was full of calculated scheming.

"Thank you for your trouble."

Ye Liuyun did not refuse, nor did he have any intention of exposing Sheng Lanzhi's little machinations.

Look, didn't the benefits of sparing Sheng Lanzhi's life just manifest right now?

"As long as the Master likes it, that's all that matters."

Seeing Ye Liuyun accept it, the smile on Sheng Lanzhi's face grew even brighter.

She poured him another cup of wine.

...

After three rounds of drinks, Ye Liuyun instructed the maidservant to help Sheng Lanzhi—who claimed to be "unable to hold her liquor"—back to her room.

As for Ye Liuyun himself,

he began to carefully examine this saber technique manual. With his transcendent comprehension and innate talent for saber arts, he was able to confirm after a single perusal that this was a technique whose quality was on par with the Blazing Flame Saber Technique.

Ye Liuyun was already quite satisfied that Sheng Lanzhi had managed to procure such a manual.

"Not bad!"

When he returned to his courtyard,

Ye Liuyun discovered that the previously rather empty courtyard now held quite a few training apparatuses needed for martial arts practice, with all eighteen classical weapons arranged neatly in a row.

He didn't need to guess to know that this must have been specially arranged by Sheng Lanzhi.

Although she had some small schemes, all in all, being able to anticipate and execute these things showed she genuinely possessed some brains.

He casually picked up a hundred-refined steel saber from the rack, swung it twice, and found that its quality was indeed exceptional.

Thus, he naturally began to practice according to the records inscribed in the Tyrant Saber manual.

True to its name, the Tyrant Saber was an extraordinarily fierce and unyielding saber technique. It focused entirely on offense with zero defense, characterized by grand and sweeping movements.

Its core philosophy was simply using sheer force to break through all techniques.

...

"Whew!"

It took nearly half an hour before Ye Liuyun finally stopped swinging his saber.

He adjusted the circulation of his internal energy with his breathing.

"It took me this long just to grasp the basics; it's certainly no dime-store commodity!"

The more profound a martial art was, the harder it was to practice.

Even with his own exceptional comprehension and talent for saber arts, it still required half an hour just to get a rudimentary grasp of the Tyrant Saber, which was enough to demonstrate the technique's precious value.

Of course,

if others were to find out that Ye Liuyun had mastered the basics of the Tyrant Saber in a mere half an hour, they would probably be envious to the point of tears.

Many people toil away through the coldest days of winter and the hottest days of summer for several years,

and far from mastering the basics, they can't even touch the threshold of understanding.

"Talent Trait System!

Host: Ye Liuyun!

Realm: Mid-XianTian Stage!

Martial Arts: Wind-Slicing Saber Technique, Azure Sun Vigor, Pine Wood Saber Technique, Shattered Jade Hand, Blazing Flame Saber Technique, Ninefold Shadow Phantom, Tyrant Saber.

Talent Traits: Fortune (Purple), Steel-Like Muscles and Bones (Purple), Man and Saber as One (Purple), Transcendent Comprehension (Purple), Swordsmanship Talent (Cyan), Extreme Yang Physique (Purple), Scent-Tracking (Blue), Stepping on Snow Without Leaving a Trace (Purple)."

Taking advantage of a brief moment of rest, Ye Liuyun glanced at his personal attribute template.

Sure enough, his cultivation had broken through.

Previously, when he first mastered the basics of the Ninefold Shadow Phantom, he had already felt the sensation of an impending breakthrough.

Now, having also mastered the basics of the Tyrant Saber, Ye Liuyun's cultivation had completely stepped into the mid-XianTian stage.

"From now on, I'll focus primarily on practicing the Ninefold Shadow Phantom and the Tyrant Saber!"

With a purple-tier lightness skill talent like Stepping on Snow Without Leaving a Trace, practicing the Ninefold Shadow Phantom was relatively easy.

His other martial arts had basically reached the stage of great accomplishment, leaving only these two newly learned techniques at the elementary level.

Ye Liuyun was well aware that martial arts should be refined rather than numerous.

Much like those people who study a hundred different schools of thought; it sounds very impressive, but their knowledge is scattered and lacking in depth.

At most, they can only bully ordinary people. When they genuinely encounter a high-level expert, they usually shatter at the first blow. If they would only cultivate even just one or two martial arts to the realm of great accomplishment first, they wouldn't end up looking so humiliating.

Just as Ye Liuyun had rested for a moment

and was preparing to resume his practice,

"Hmm?"

Seeming to perceive something, Ye Liuyun raised his head and looked toward the courtyard wall.

He saw a figure clad in white sheer silk, illuminated by the moonlight, gracefully flying in like an immortal maiden.

"It's you?"

The person who arrived was none other than Lü Lan, the bodyguard by Yan Shuzhu's side.

Only, the Lü Lan he had seen previously had been dressed in men's attire just like Yan Shuzhu; he hadn't expected her to look so stunning when dressed in women's clothing.