Chapter Twenty-Four: Serenity

“Yes, I understand,” Qin Yi nodded. The Shaking Light Footwork emphasized agile movement, weaving left and right with unpredictable shifts. In terms of his previous life’s racing metaphors, the Celestial Pivot Step was the king of straight-line acceleration, while the Shaking Light Footwork reigned supreme on winding roads.

“Alright, then I’ll start teaching you the Celestial Pivot Step. Its difficulty lies mainly in three parts: the breathing technique, a special training method, and a secret elixir. The elixir can be set aside for now—money solves that problem. If you master the first two, getting started is much easier!”

“There are two breathing methods. One is used alongside the movements of the Celestial Pivot Step, and the other accompanies the special training, which focuses on strengthening your legs. I’ll teach you the first breathing method now, along with the matching moves,” Liu Haibin began to instruct patiently.

After all, he’d spent Qin Yi’s tuition fee at a brothel the night before, so today he was particularly attentive—perhaps out of gratitude.

“Alright!” Qin Yi listened intently.

…

Sanjiang County.

Inside the rebel command post—formerly the county government.

“How odd. There’s still no news from Jinyuan County these past two days,” Cao Mengxiong felt a vague sense of dread.

For days, they had sent messages to their contacts there, but none had replied. Normally, any communication would be answered promptly.

“Perhaps they’ve already succeeded and the area is under lockdown, making it hard to get messages out?” Peng Dahai speculated. With a Gray-robed man at the sixth stage sent, failure seemed unlikely.

Just then, a subordinate hurried in.

“Commander, you requested the latest updates from Jinyuan County. The report has arrived.” He handed over a letter.

“Oh?” Cao Mengxiong quickly took and opened it.

They had placed some intelligence agents in Jinyuan as well. Yesterday, he’d ordered them to check whether anything unusual had happened in the city recently.

“Hm? The prefectural army’s granary is entirely unharmed? Not a single loss? Could it be that the Saint’s servant hasn’t acted yet? Or perhaps the opportunity hasn’t come?”

“The day before yesterday, a group of assassins ambushed the second grain convoy, killing many, though some of the attackers also fell…”

“Yesterday, the authorities forcibly conscripted five hundred refugees outside the city…”

Finishing the report, Cao Mengxiong frowned. Nothing major seemed to have happened!

Another five days slipped by. When he still could not reach the Saint’s servant or their agents in Jinyuan, he finally realized something had gone wrong.

“It seems something has definitely happened there—perhaps even a complete wipeout. I must report this to the Saint at once!” Cao Mengxiong’s expression grew grave.

…

Nightfall.

In the courtyard.

Qin Yi finished practicing the Celestial Pivot Step, wiping sweat from his brow.

“Junior Brother Qin, let’s end today’s lesson here. There’s another mission early tomorrow,” said Liu Haibin.

“Alright, come on, let’s go eat. My treat,” Qin Yi replied with a smile.

These days, though Liu Haibin taught with care, progress was slow. First, neither had much spare time. Second, as a first-stage cultivator, Liu Haibin barely grasped the basics of the Celestial Pivot Step himself; his instruction was, at best, adequate.

Even so, it was better than nothing. Qin Yi didn’t mind if it took a month or even several to get started—as long as he could grasp the basics, he could progress. For now, with no better instructor available, he had to settle for the tallest among the short.

Returning to Qingwei Daoist Temple was out of the question—no time.

As for his masters and brothers at the front, he couldn’t rely on them for now.

In a small restaurant, the two ate together.

“Senior Brother Liu, you’ve been here much longer than I have. Have you ever heard of any ancestor who cultivated the ‘Qingxu Art’ to a profound level?” Qin Yi asked.

He’d been puzzled for some time by the inability to improve the Qingxu Art, even with energy points.

Thinking it over, he wondered if the problem lay with the art itself.

“The Qingxu Art? Not really. Isn’t it supposed to be useless?” Liu Haibin shook his head.

“I see.” Qin Yi was helpless. It seemed in most people’s eyes, the Qingxu Art was of little value.

Yet at his current third stage of Embryonic Breath, he vaguely sensed some effect: his spirit was much more vigorous than before, and he slept soundly. Even with just two or three hours of sleep, he felt refreshed the next day.

He’d also noticed that when he’d injured his left arm fighting the Gray-robed man, his recovery had been faster than before.

Originally, he’d estimated it would take half a month to heal completely. Now, after just seven or eight days, he was almost recovered.

He’d planned to ask his master about it during his recent supply runs to the front. But given the situation there, with news of brothers falling in battle each day, it seemed inappropriate.

Last time, after delivering supplies, he’d visited his master and Third Brother. Their spirits were low, and every visit brought more grim news.

At the thought, Qin Yi couldn’t help but sigh. The weak have no right to refuse.

If their abbot were at the ninth stage, that man surnamed Xue would never dare use the disciples of Qingwei Daoist Temple as cannon fodder so brazenly.

…

Sanjiang County.

Cao Mengxiong and Peng Dahai knelt, pale and anxious, before a burly, one-eyed man clad in black, barely daring to breathe.

“You