Chapter 18: Continuous Breakthroughs
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“This saber technique is like a dragon flying through the nine heavens or a snake diving into the abyss. It has myriad thoughts and is exquisite,” a thin old man said emotionally in the secret chamber Wei Jianming built.
This thin old man was Ma Fengzhang, the chief constable of the Great Xia’s Divine Constable Bureau.
The Divine Constable Bureau was a violent law-enforcement organization outside of the three military forces of Great Xia. It was responsible for managing martial artists outside of the Imperial Court, which included dealing with enemy spies.
Standing beside Ma Fengzhang, Cheng Wanli, the commander of the new Huben Troops, had a solemn expression.
!!
Cheng Wanli had been content recently. The emperor had made a speech to acknowledge the designation of the Huben Troops.
The Forging Division had also provided the 3000 Huben Sabers on time, and the strength of the Huben Troops was improving by the day.
But just as he was about to ride on the crest of success, one of the Huben Sabers belonging to the troops went missing.
This scared Cheng Wanli half to death.
The weapons of Great Xia had always been cla.s.sified, let alone a new weapon like the Huben Saber.
If it leaked out before it could unleash its might on the battlefield, the consequences would be unimaginable!
The Huben Troops couldn’t be mobilized at will, so Cheng Wanli immediately asked the Divine Constable Bureau to capture the thief before he left the city.
“Brother Ma, now is not the time to muse on saber techniques. I heard from Little Constable Sun that they were ambushed when they found this place. Could the other party have already taken away the secret forging formula of the Huben Saber?” Cheng Wanli said worriedly.
The well-dressed youth at the side curled his lips. Just say Constable Sun. What do you mean by adding the word little? How am I little?
“Haha.” Ma Fengzhang laughed out loud. “General Cheng, you’re the one who’s closely involved yet cannot see clearly. You’ve been struck by fortune recently. You’ve met a benefactor who helped you. The dead person should be the spy who stole the Huben Saber. He was killed here with a single slash, and even the Huben Saber was severed. This shows that the person who killed this spy was far stronger than him.”
Ma Fengzhang pointed at the corpse on the ground, then at the blade marks on the wall. “He clearly killed his opponent with one slash. Why did he leave blade marks on the wall? He’s telling us he’s not our enemy.”
“You’re saying that the person who killed the spy is an expert from Great Xia?” Cheng Wanli frowned. For the first time, he observed the blade marks on the wall seriously. “This is…”
His pupils constricted, and his fingers involuntarily moved along with the blade marks on the wall.
“Good saber technique!” Cheng Wanli exclaimed.
“That’s right,” Ma Fengzhang said. “Although I don’t know who did it, it must be a wise and n.o.ble expert. He deliberately left behind the blade marks. If someone can understand thirty percent of the blade marks, it’s not impossible for them to become a ranked martial artist in the future.”
A light flashed in Cheng Wanli’s eyes, and a fierce aura suddenly rose from his body.
Bang Bang Bang! A few m.u.f.fled sounds came from his body, and the fierce aura became even more violent.
Oh no! Ma Fengzhang exclaimed in his heart. He didn’t expect Cheng Wanli to break through at this time!
With a flick of his sleeve, a gentle force surged out from Ma Fengzhang and protected the surrounding walls.
Ma Fengzhang couldn’t bother with the well-dressed young man, Sun Gongping.
The aura from Cheng Wanli’s breakthrough knocked Sun Gongping over a few times. With a loud thud, he collided with the stairwell, knocking him dizzy.
“With a saber in hand, kill all the enemies in the world!” Cheng Wanli shouted. The aura on his body rose and withdrew. He stood there with his head held high. His entire person looked no different from before, but the feeling he gave off was very different.
“Congratulations, General Cheng. You have entered the ranks. You have a bright future.” Ma Fengzhang retracted his strength and clapped his hands with a smile.
Sun Gongping got up from the ground. His eyes were full of envy, but he was thinking, It’s just entering the ranks. I would have a.s.sumed you became number one in the world if I didn’t know otherwise. I, Sun Gongping, am only a step away from entering the ranks. What’s there for you to be proud of?
Ranked martial artists and unranked martial artists were similar to ranked weapons and standard weapons. They were only a step away, but the difference was like heaven and earth.
Cheng Wanli smiled reservedly. “It’s all thanks to this senior’s gift.”
Cheng Wanli cupped his hands in the air respectfully. “If it wasn’t for the intent of this saber technique, I would have probably needed several more years of hard work before I could enter the ranks. This senior shall be my master.”
“Not only that, but there’s also this Huben Saber.” Ma Fengzhang smiled and pointed at the broken saber on the ground.
If the Huben Saber was leaked out, Cheng Wanli wouldn’t be able to escape punishment.
“Yes, if I ever meet this senior, I will definitely repay him.
“Little Constable Sun, did you see this senior’s appearance?” Cheng Wanli turned to Sun Gongping.
Sun Gongping was dusting his clothes when he heard Cheng Wanli’s question. He brushed his messy hair and replied, “No, I exchanged more than ten blows with him, but we were evenly matched. He had his face covered, so I didn’t see it.”
Bang! Before he could finish, he hugged his head and jumped up. “Ow! Commander, why did you hit my head!?” Sun Gongping glared at Ma Fengzhang. “We may be familiar with each other, but if you do that, I will turn hostile!”
“Try turning hostile?” Ma Fengzhang had a shadow of a smile.
“I…” Sun Gongping was a little discouraged. “You’re old, and I respect the aged and care for the young, so I won’t argue with you!”
Ma Fengzhang was a ranked martial artist. Not to mention that Sun Gongping had yet to enter the ranks, but even Cheng Wanli, who had just done so, was insignificant compared to him.
“If he hadn’t shown mercy, you would have been killed with one slash,” Ma Fengzhang criticized. “Scram to the side to comprehend the saber intent. After today, it won’t be so easy for you to enter this place again!”
Sun Gongping quickly ran to the side. Cheng Wanli, who had just broken through, had a strange look on his face.
“Don’t even think about it.” Ma Fengzhang had already opened his mouth before he could speak. “Within ten years, the blade marks here will allow more than a hundred soldiers from the Demon Executing Army and Fiend Eradication Army to break through and enter the ranks. Such a place is not somewhere your Huben Troops can control.”
Cheng Wanli’s eyes darkened. He knew that Ma Fengzhang was right.
Although the soldiers of the Huben Troops also practiced martial arts, they basically had no hope of entering the ranks. Those with a chance of entering the ranks had long been divided up by the two forces.
Cheng Wanli had also been unable to enter the ranks back then. This was why he had settled in the Country Protector Army and slowly gained his current status step by step.
Who would have thought that at his age, he would unexpectedly break through? The G.o.d of destiny makes fools of the people.
“Can’t my troops have a chance?” Cheng Wanli said hoa.r.s.ely.
“His Majesty will decide what to do with this place. General Cheng, you should be thinking about how to explain the theft of the Huben Saber to His Majesty.” Ma Fengzhang shook his head. “Is there a traitor in your troops, or is it the Forging Division’s workshop…”
“The soldiers of the Huben Troops were all personally chosen by me. There’s absolutely no problem!” Cheng Wanli said.
“Really?” Ma Fengzhang said noncommittally, “The stolen Huben Saber has been found, and my mission is complete. General Cheng, you can settle the rest yourself.”
“Of course. I wouldn’t dare to trouble Brother Ma,” Cheng Wanli said. “It’s time to clear up all the spies in this city. My Huben Troops just formed, and I was worried about not having the chance to drink blood!”
Cheng Wanli had a murderous look on his face. Just by looking at him, it was apparent that the spies in the city were going to be in trouble.
“General Cheng, dealing with spies is the responsibility of the Divine Constable Bureau,” interrupted Sun Gongping, who was observing the blade marks.
“Not this time,” Cheng Wanli said coldly. “Brother Ma, I’ll go to the palace and request an imperial decree. I’ll leave this place to you.”
With that, Cheng Wanli strode away.
After Cheng Wanli left, Sun Gongping looked at Ma Fengzhang and said, “Commander, aren’t we going to find this fellow who’s rousing G.o.ds and devils?”
“Watch your words!” Ma Fengzhang rebuked. “What rousing G.o.ds and devils? This person’s cultivation is unfathomable. I might not even be his match!”
“Really?” Sun Gongping was shocked.
“Are you thinking that you didn’t feel his might when you fought him?” Ma Fengzhang looked at him. “That’s because he showed mercy. If it was an enemy, none of you would have survived today!
“Do you see these blade marks? On the surface, they were left behind by someone who just learned the rudiments. But it is precisely because of this that the saber intent contained in these marks can be comprehended by you and other martial artists who have yet to enter the ranks.
“To be able to create such saber intent and wield it with such ease, this person must be at least a Grandmaster!”
Ma Fengzhang’s words shocked Sun Gongping even more.
There were nine ranks in martial arts. Grandmaster was the third rank, Great Grandmaster was the second rank, and Martial Saint was the first rank.
Third-rank Grandmasters were extremely rare in the entire land.
As the chief constable of the Divine Constable Bureau, Ma Fengzhang was equivalent to the head of the Ministry of Public Security. He had a high position and great authority, and his cultivation was only at the third rank!
“In other words, I fought with a third-rank Grandmaster and escaped unscathed?” Sun Gongping mumbled to himself.
Ma Fengzhang rolled his eyes at him, not wanting to speak. Sun Gongping isn’t even a ninth-rank martial artist. Why is he so confident?
A moment later, Sun Gongping became excited again. “I, Sun Gongping, am indeed extraordinary! If even a third-rank Grandmaster can’t kill me, who can? Since Cheng Wanli can break through at such an old age, why can’t I?”
Ma Fengzhang couldn’t be bothered with him and walked upstairs.
The blade marks here were no longer useful to him. He had to inform the Demon Executing and Fiend Eradication armies to send people to guard this place. The Divine Constable Bureau lacked manpower and couldn’t stay here permanently.
Ma Fengzhang had just stepped out of the tunnel when a fierce aura suddenly rose from behind him.
“I XXOO!” Ma Fengzhang cursed loudly. With a flash, he returned to the secret chamber and released his strength to protect the walls.
In the middle of the secret chamber, a visible cyclone appeared around Sun Gongping, and the spiritual qi of heaven and earth surged into his body.
Following Cheng Wanli, Sun Gongping also successfully entered the ranks and broke through to become a ninth-rank martial artist!