Although Su Mu had cultivated the Submerging Wave Saber Technique to a state of minor accomplishment, he knew almost nothing about the fundamentals of Martial Dao cultivation.
He had practiced the Submerging Wave Saber Technique in complete isolation, with no exposure to anything beyond the technique itself.
When he fought the third-in-command of the Black Dragon Stronghold last night, he realized his opponent's strength was far beyond normal. Su Mu had suspected at the time that the man practiced "Internal Cultivation Methods."
'This Body Tempering Technique... could it be some kind of Internal Cultivation Method?'
"Body Tempering Technique... Hmm, you've definitely never come across it."
Sun Dazhao said, "You've heard of Martial Artists, right? People who cultivate the Martial Dao and master immense power—those are Martial Artists.
This Martial Dao cultivation proceeds from the outside in. First, you must train your body to become incredibly strong. This process is called Quenching Body.
The methods used for Quenching Body are called Body Tempering Techniques.
The Body Tempering Technique has four stages: Skin, Flesh, Tendon, and Bone.
It's one step at a time. After completing the Quenching Body, you'll have a body as tough as steel and iron. Fighting an ordinary person will be like an adult fighting a child."
"You can count the factions in Wuling City's four Outer Cities that can pass down a Body Tempering Technique on one hand, and our Hunting Gang is one of them."
Sun Dazhao said with a touch of pride, "How about it? Want to join the Hunting Gang?
With your hunting skills, plus my help, I'm confident I can get you the chance to learn the Body Tempering Technique.
If this were any other faction, you'd have to serve them for at least four or five years before you even had a chance to learn it."
Su Mu's heart stirred.
'The official path is a difficult one. Maybe I should try another way?'
'But joining a gang doesn't seem to have much of a future. Even the Hunting Gang's Leader is just a commoner.'
Just as Su Mu was hesitating, a sudden, urgent knocking sounded at the door.
Sun Dazhao shot Su Mu a meaningful look before walking to the door and pulling it open.
"Hall Master, what brings you here?"
Sun Dazhao's signature smile appeared on his face as he bowed slightly.
"New mission. There's a Hunter named Su Mu. Chief Xing specifically asked for him. Find him and send him to the South City Bureau."
The Hall Master didn't enter, instead giving the order from the doorway. "I remember he's one of yours. Go get him."
With that, the Hall Master hurried away, leaving Sun Dazhao no chance to refuse.
The smile on Sun Dazhao's face gradually stiffened. He slowly turned, his gaze falling upon Su Mu, a look of helplessness in his eyes.
"Why don't you make a run for it? Get out of here before anyone knows."
Sun Dazhao said hesitantly, a conflicted look on his face.
"If I run, what about you?"
Su Mu said, somewhat surprised.
"What can I do if you run? It's not a major crime to fail to find someone,"
Sun Dazhao said.
"Master Sun, I appreciate the kind thought."
Su Mu shook his head and said, "But I can't run."
'I worked so hard to get my Wuling City residency. If I flee, I'll become a fugitive, which is even worse than being a refugee.'
"You kid—"
Sun Dazhao grew anxious. "Do you know the consequences of staying?
The South City Bureau will definitely force you to attack the Black Dragon Stronghold. Do you think storming the Black Dragon Stronghold is the same as going on a hunt?
People will die!"
"I know."
Su Mu sighed. "But if I run, the South City Bureau won't let me off either. Rather than become a wanted criminal, I'd rather stay and take my chances. There's always a chance, right?"
"Plenty of people bet on an outside chance. How many of them do you think actually win?"
Sun Dazhao said.
Su Mu smiled but didn't speak.
Sun Dazhao stared at Su Mu for a good while before finally waving his hand in dismissal.
"Forget it, forget it. Your stubbornness reminds me of myself when I was young. Young people never learn until they've hit a wall and bled for it."
Sun Dazhao said grumpily.
"I have no choice,"
Su Mu said, cupping his fists toward Sun Dazhao. "No matter what, thank you for everything today, Master Sun. If I make it back alive..."
"Pah! Pah!"
Sun Dazhao spat. "Don't jinx yourself with talk like that. And you don't have to thank me. Helping you is also a way of helping myself.
If you manage to climb the ranks, you'll be able to look out for me, too."
Su Mu knew that, but regardless of Sun Dazhao's motives, his goodwill was genuine.
"Forget it. There's no point in saying anything now."
Sun Dazhao waved his hand and said, "Go on."
Su Mu cupped his fists, then turned and walked out.
He had just reached the doorway when he suddenly heard Sun Dazhao call out from behind him.
"Wait!"
Su Mu stopped and looked back, a puzzled expression on his face.
Sun Dazhao hurried back inside, emerging a moment later with a sheathed long saber in his hand.
"This is the saber I used when I was young and wandering the Jianghu. It's not some Divine Weapon that can slice through iron like mud, but I spent a good bit of silver on it back in the day."
Sun Dazhao came up to Su Mu, looking at the saber in his hands with reluctance. "It's yours."
"This—"
Su Mu was completely surprised.
After he started practicing with the saber, Su Mu had thought about buying one for himself.
But after inquiring about the price, he immediately gave up the idea.
'Besides, my firewood chopper was good enough.'
A decent long saber on the market would cost over ten taels of silver. As for one like Sun Dazhao's, you couldn't even think about it for less than thirty to fifty taels.
'With his current finances, he had no business using a proper saber.'
Su Mu hadn't expected Sun Dazhao to actually give him a saber.
To be honest, although Sun Dazhao was usually all smiles, the two of them had never had a particularly deep relationship.
It was already unexpected that Sun Dazhao would help him today; now he was even giving him a saber.
If he didn't know for a fact he had nothing worth coveting, Su Mu would have suspected the man had ulterior motives.
"Master Sun, this is too valuable—"
Su Mu was incredibly tempted, but he still hesitated.
"Just take it,"
Sun Dazhao said. "It's useless in my hands anyway. You're going to attack the Black Dragon Stronghold; this saber will serve you better than that firewood chopper of yours."
He shoved the saber into Su Mu's arms, and as if afraid he would regret it, turned and walked back into the house.
As he went, he waved a hand dismissively at Su Mu, his back still turned.
"Stop dithering like a woman. Scram."
SLAM!
The door shut.
Su Mu's expression was complicated. He silently hung the saber at his waist, cupped his fists toward the room, and then turned to walk away.
With saber now at his hip, the world beyond the door was the Jianghu.
......
"You're Su Mu, right? I hear you're the best Hunter in South City."
At the South City Bureau, Chief Xing sat behind his desk, sizing up Su Mu as he began to speak slowly.
His body was wrapped in bandages and he looked exhausted, but his eyes were like a hawk's—sharp and vicious.
After leaving Sun Dazhao's residence, Su Mu had come straight to the South City Bureau.
Since it was unavoidable, he decided to face it head-on.
After giving his name, he was taken directly before Xing Zhao Fu.
At this point, how could Su Mu not understand?
'Last night's business wasn't finished. Xing Zhao Fu... still wasn't going to let me go.'
"I am."
Su Mu looked at Xing Zhao Fu and replied slowly.
His answer took Xing Zhao Fu by surprise.
'The cowering bumpkin from last night... how does he seem like a completely different person today?'
'I'm actually sensing a confidence and sharpness in him that you only find on the scions of the great families in the Inner City.'
'It must be my imagination!'
Xing Zhao Fu shook his head, figuring he must be so seriously injured that his mind was getting fuzzy.
"Big talk."
Xing Zhao Fu said coldly, "Do you know what happens to those who lie to me?"
"I'm not sure what lies you are referring to, Sir,"
Su Mu said in a low voice. "I only know that I am the best Hunter in South City. I've yet to meet a hunter with better skills than my own."
"Doubling down, are you?"
Xing Zhao Fu sneered. "We'll soon find out if you're all talk. If you truly are the best Hunter in South City, I will reward you handsomely. If you're not—"
"If I'm not, I'll accept any punishment you deem fit, Sir,"
Su Mu said.
"But if I can prove I'm the best Hunter in South City, then I have a request I hope you can grant, Sir."
"Bargaining with me?"
Xing Zhao Fu's face turned cold. "If this were any other day, given my temper, I'd have already had you beaten to death.
However, the South City Bureau is in need of people right now, so I will pardon your insolence this time. Speak. What do you want?"