Although Xie An and Su Yuqing reached a cooperation, Su Yuqing did not mention the next action plan. Xie An only thought she was brewing a big move, so he didn't ask any more questions. His life returned to calm once again.
Since Xie An knew that Young Master Li was in Cui Wei Residence, and he had killed the silver corpse under Young Master Li, he might be targeted by Young Master Li.
Therefore, Xie An almost never left the hall.
What's more, there was also Li Changchun who was eyeing him... …
Although Xie An possessed a sword paper, it could save his life at a critical moment.
But it's better to avoid trouble.
Although being in troubled times inevitably means facing all kinds of dangers, Xie An still felt... … if he could avoid taking risks, he shouldn't take risks.
During this period, at Su Yuqing's request, Xie An asked Wang Xiang to buy a deserted house opposite the hall, and recruited laborers to repair and rebuild it, turning it into a school.
According to the current progress, it would take about half a year for the new school to open its doors.
Although Shuideng Town is a prosperous town, it doesn't have a school. Wealthy squires and large households privately hire teachers. Or three or five families jointly hire teachers to meet the needs of their children's education.
Regardless of the form, studying is a privilege of wealthy families and has nothing to do with ordinary people.
This time, Xie An personally established a school and even paid out of his own pocket to declare that tuition fees would be waived, and everyone could come to school. This was undoubtedly a great thing that benefited the town and its people. After the news spread, it immediately aroused unanimous praise from the surrounding villagers.
Many villagers volunteered to repair the school without pay, and some village women brought some coarse food to the free laborers.
Although it wasn't a big gift, it represented the villagers' good intentions.
"Hall Master Xie is so righteous!"
"That's right, he became the hall master but doesn't forget about us poor people. My son is fifteen years old and doesn't know many characters. Last time, he met a good girl, but she disliked him because he was illiterate. When this school is repaired, I will let my son come to study and learn to read."
"Hall Master Xie is opening a school for free, and there are no age restrictions for schooling. He is truly a great and just official."
"… …"
Xie An, the person involved, did not go out to accept the villagers' thank-you gifts.
Mainly because... … he felt ashamed!
Opening a school for free is a big expense: renovating the house, purchasing desks and chairs, and a large number of pens, inks, papers, and inkstones, and also hiring teachers.
Most of the money was paid out of Su Yuqing's own pocket, and Xie An only helped with a very small portion.
It's not that Xie An is stingy, but... … the speed of martial arts improvement is faster and more costly!
A dose of Five Viscera Yuan Soup costs four hundred taels, and a dose of Blood-Rushing Yuan Soup... … six hundred taels!
The closer he got to becoming an Inner Strength martial artist, the more astonishing the expenses became.
Even Xie An, as a hall master, was not wealthy.
Opening a school for free is a good deed for charity, and Her Royal Highness the Princess naturally doesn't lack these few pennies, so Xie An still had to act according to his ability.
At this moment, Xie An was practicing the Heavy Mountain Saber in the central courtyard.
The arrival of Tongtiandai gave Xie An a new guarantee for stable development. He naturally knew how to cherish and use it, and also knew that his own strength was the foundation, so he intensified his practice to strengthen himself.
Boom!
Boom boom boom!
Straight slash, sideways chop, turn around slash... …
Every slash and stance was full of surging and vigorous power. There was no stagnation between the changes of the saber styles, but they were extremely smooth.
As the practice continued, Xie An, who was bare-chested, was already sweating profusely. Fine beads of sweat slowly flowed down his streamlined muscles. When illuminated by the early morning sun, his wheat-colored skin bloomed with a faint golden luster.
But Xie An did not stop, but intensified his practice, trying to squeeze out the last bit of strength from his body.
"Great accomplishment in the Blood-Rushing Realm, the qi and blood in the body are surging. It is necessary to exhaust all strength, so that the muscles, bones, and internal organs of the whole body can be nourished twice by the heart's blood, and repeatedly tempered before progress can be made."
Since Xie An became the hall master, the martial arts secrets and various classics in the library... … were naturally all open to him. Although Xie An didn't have a martial arts master to teach him, Xie An researched on his own and confirmed with each other. If he encountered something he didn't understand, he would ask Liu Chun.
Therefore, he knew very well what to do in the Blood-Rushing Realm.
What's more, Xie An's qi and blood were particularly thick due to his years of practicing the Nourishing Life Technique. It was not an easy task to exhaust his whole body's strength, and only the Heavy Mountain Saber could do it.
About a quarter of an hour later, Xie An finally exhausted all his strength, and his whole body collapsed on the ground, panting violently.
Hoo hoo hoo.
Although he was exhausted and breathing rapidly, Xie An clearly felt the feeling of his whole body's muscles, bones, and internal organs breaking through the limit and growing slowly, and a hearty smile appeared on his face.
"Everyone says that practicing martial arts is a violent activity, far less gentle than the Nourishing Life Technique, and they are right. Fortunately, I am now at the Great Accomplishment of the Blood-Rushing Realm. According to the rules, I can apply to the Tiger Wolf Gate for an Inner Strength Pill to help me break through to the Inner Strength Martial Artist Realm.
Although the Five Viscera Yuan Soup is expensive, you can buy it if you find the right connections.
But the Inner Strength Pill... … is the core secret medicine of various Jianghu sects and the top martial arts schools in the county. You can't buy it even if you have money.
After all, there are not many Inner Strength Martial Artists in the entire Qingwu County.
Any Inner Strength Martial Artist can open a martial arts school in the county or become an elder in the sect. Even the county government has to treat them politely.
Stepping into the Inner Strength Martial Artist realm means being above others.
Xie An also wanted to get rid of the respectful title of martial artist and become a real martial artist as soon as possible.
The Bright Jade Skill would still take a long time to achieve results, it was not something that could be done in a day. Practicing martial arts became Xie An's core means of self-defense.
Although Tongtiandai lived in the central courtyard, it eliminated Xie An's safety concerns.
But Xie An knew very well that Tongtiandai could only protect him for a while.
When the matter of Dayin Mountain was over, Tongtiandai would leave.
At that time, they would go their separate ways.
To settle down in troubled times, you still need to rely on yourself.
He would not be negligent or lazy because Tongtiandai was there. On the contrary, because of the many crises in Dayin Mountain, he became more diligent.
After lying down for a full quarter of an hour, Xie An felt that his qi and blood were full again, and his muscles, bones, and internal organs were obviously more condensed. Only then did he get up, take a shower, and then go to the kitchen to prepare breakfast.
Yuhe didn't know where she went, and it was always a little uncomfortable not having her around.
And Tongtiandai's identity was special, and Su Yuqing intentionally hid her identity, so Xie An couldn't let outsiders serve him, so he had to do it himself.
"Brother Xie, how can I let you do such chores? Just leave it to me."
Liu Chun, who had returned from patrol, saw Xie An cooking, immediately put down his broadsword, washed his hands, and rushed in to help.
Since Xie An arrived, Liu Chun obviously felt that the master was very close to Xie An, and he was in danger of being marginalized. This made Liu Chun, the captain, feel very insecure.
He thought that since he couldn't get the master's approval, it would be nice to befriend Xie An... …
Xie An naturally knew what Liu Chun was thinking, but he politely said, "Captain Liu, you must not, I'll do it."
Seventh-rank martial artist, Inner Strength Martial Artist.
He still needed to be polite.
"It's okay, these rough jobs should be done by me." Liu Chun took on everything, rolled up his sleeves and started cooking, smiling and said: "Don't call me Captain, just call me Xiao Chun."
Xiao Chun... …
Xie An: "… …"
Liu Chun probably felt that it was a bit embarrassing, so he changed his words: "If you feel uncomfortable, just call me Brother Chun. You must not call me Captain, otherwise it would be too unfamiliar."
Xie An couldn't resist, thinking that the other party was indeed older than him, so he called him Brother Chun.
Martial artist, lifespan of one hundred and fifty years.
Liu Chun was fifty-six years old.
Two years older than Xie An.
Hearing Xie An call him Brother Chun, Liu Chun was very happy. He quickly prepared three dishes and a soup, then put them on a tray and handed them to Xie An, "Brother Xie, I'm sorry to trouble you."
Liu Chun wanted to deliver the food to the master himself.
But Xie An had always delivered it in the past, so Liu Chun was embarrassed.
Xie An saw what he was thinking and said, "The food was made by Brother Chun, so naturally Brother Chun has to deliver it."
Liu Chun was overjoyed and full of gratitude: "Good brother. Then I'll go."
Not long after, Liu Chun came back with the tray, looking dejected.
Xie An glanced at the full tray of food, "Brother Chun, this is... …"
Liu Chun drooped his head, very disappointed, "The master probably doesn't like my cooking, she said she was full without even touching the chopsticks. Hiss!"
Xie An: "… …"
Liu Chun: "Or... … Brother Xie, can you make another one and send it over?"
"Okay."
Xie An made another one and sent it in on a tray. When he came out again, the plates on the tray were empty.
Hiss!
Liu Chun gasped, his face flushed with embarrassment.
There was no harm without comparison!
He originally wanted to do something good for Lord Su... … but it turned out to be a mess... …
It seems that the probability of being marginalized + 1.
Regret.
After Xie An put down the tray, he saw that Liu Chun's body was shaking a little, looking very insecure. Then Liu Chun stepped forward, cupped his hands and bowed to Xie An, "Brother Xie, next time you travel, can you take me with you? Or if there is anything you need, just tell me. I have fourth-level inner strength, and I should be able to help Brother Xie with some small tasks."
This guy... … is so insecure?
Xie An thought of a word from palace dramas: competing for favor?
You're thinking too much, brother... …
Xie An estimated that if he didn't agree, this guy would probably not be able to sleep.
Fourth-level martial artist!
Looking at Qingwu County, he was already quite a perverted existence.
According to Xie An's understanding during his time as the hall master, he learned that Chen Qinglang was only a second-level martial artist, and Meng Hu was a third-level martial artist. The two gate masters combined were not Brother Chun's opponents.
If he could take Brother Chun with him when traveling... … that would be a good thing.
Although Brother Chun is not a King-level generation, he is definitely a Gold-level generation.
But after all, he was a seventh-rank military officer, so Xie An still exchanged some pleasantries, "Brother Chun, how can I accept this... I'm just a commoner."
"You can, absolutely. Brother Xie, taking me along is a great help to me."
"I really can't..."
"You can..."
Xie An declined three times, and finally said, "Since Brother Chun is so enthusiastic, then I, An, will respectfully accept your offer."
Liu Chun breathed a sigh of relief, and his almost trembling body finally calmed down, his face full of smiles, "Brother Xie is so forthright!"
Xie An: "..."
Even in the golden age, Xie An's current conditions wouldn't have allowed him to hire one. But if someone offers it for free, that's a different story...
"Haha, from now on, we'll address each other as brothers. Brother Xie's affairs are my affairs." Liu Chun put his arm around Xie An's shoulder, laughing heartily, his demeanor filled with confidence again.
Two months passed by in a flash.
It was already May.
Summer had arrived, the weather was warming up, and all kinds of flowers were in full bloom.
The midday sun was already scorching.
Xie An was still stripped to the waist, practicing the Heavy Mountain Blade in the courtyard with all his might, sweat pouring down his back, even his shorts were wet.
In the past two months, Xie An had not left the hall. Yu He had not returned either.
Most ⊥ New ⊥ Small ⊥ Say ⊥ At ⊥ Six ⊥ 9 ⊥ ⊥ Book ⊥ ⊥ Bar ⊥ ⊥ Premiere!
Perhaps because he knew that Young Master Li and Li Changchun were both targeting him, Xie An had been working himself to the bone for the past two months.
The bad news was... the Tiger Wolf Gate's Inner Strength Pills had not been distributed. Since Chen Qinglang's incident, the Tiger Wolf Gate had not made any arrangements.
The good news was that Xie An's Bright Jade Skill had entered the fourth solar term.
[Bright Jade Skill: Spring Equinox 15/100]
Two months ago, Xie An's progress was only 65 points into the Awakening of Insects. Now, it had reached 15 points into the Spring Equinox. Don't underestimate the progress of only fifty points, it was actually an extremely abnormal improvement.
It was equivalent to a year's worth of hard work in the past.
The nine ten-thousandths of the Longevity Destiny had already begun to show its edge.
Step!
Step, step!
Xie An, wielding a broadsword, moved faster and faster, the movements in his hands becoming more and more swift and agile, and the sword wind turned into a dense net, sweeping across the courtyard, stirring up dust all over the ground, and even the flowers on the trees in the distance were swept away by the sword wind.
If Meng Hu were here to see this scene, he would probably be shocked.
The Heavy Mountain Blade he had obtained had been brought to life by Xie An.
The Heavy Mountain Blade was originally a very slow technique that focused on accumulating power for three axe strikes: accumulating the strength of the whole body, and concentrating it through three to five strikes, only then could it have the effect of splitting Mount Hua. This also meant that after three to five strikes, a person's strength would be exhausted.
It could be seen that the Heavy Mountain Blade was not a long-lasting blade technique.
Even Meng Hu himself would be exhausted after only a dozen strikes at most.
But at this moment, Xie An... actually used the Heavy Mountain Blade as a long-lasting blade technique. Each strike was as heavy as Mount Tai, and he could continue to wield it, steadily releasing it, as if he had inexhaustible strength.
This was too abnormal!
Xie An didn't care about these things and continued to practice.
The fist-sized heat in his body constantly radiated, wandering through his limbs and bones, urging his body to become stronger and stronger.
"It's already the eighth level of the Heavy Mountain Blade, only the last step away from the ninth level... Today, I'll break through in one go."
Xie An's chest was filled with enthusiasm, which he released in torrents.
The main reason he was able to do this was because... Xie An's Bright Jade Skill had transformed: it had broken away from the scope of only being able to circulate the Bright Jade Skill while sitting in meditation, and he could now multitask, practicing martial arts while circulating the Bright Jade Skill.
This was thanks to Tang Zhengyang's guidance.
The Bright Jade Skill was equivalent to a giant engine in the body, and when it was activated... everything about the person changed. Practicing the Heavy Mountain Blade on this basis was simply divinely assisted and terrifying!
Although Xie An had only cultivated the Bright Jade Skill to the fourth solar term, when he activated it with all his strength... Xie An felt that he had become a small beast.
He had initially felt the power of the Bright Jade Skill.
Before entering the nineteenth level, the Bright Jade Skill itself did not bless fighting techniques and killing skills. But... it could be a giant engine.
Moreover, as the level of the Bright Jade Skill increased, the power of this engine would continue to refresh its upper limit.
It was quite abnormal.
From noon onwards, he practiced until dusk.
The setting sun hung obliquely in the sky above Da Yin Mountain, and the golden afterglow sprinkled on Xie An's face, reflecting a layer of fine sweat on his wheat-colored skin, crystal clear.
Xie An was tireless, and the broadsword became more and more swift and fierce between his chops, with faint thunderous sounds and beast roars.
The momentum was getting stronger and stronger.
There was a faint trend of breaking through the limit.
Xie An also realized this, his eyes bursting with brilliance, "It's here. It's this moment."
"One mountain and one water, one level and one pass, the water is wide and the sky is high, the knife becomes its own!"
"Ninefold Heavy Mountain, open the blade!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the broadsword in Xie An's hand slammed down, stopping nine inches above the ground.
Accumulate momentum, press the knife.
Inch strength, exert force.
The broadsword was pressed down again, one inch for each fold.
When the first inch was pressed down, the thunder sounded, and the blade was shining brightly.
When the second inch was pressed down, the thunder exploded, and the power nearly doubled.
When the third inch was pressed down, the sword momentum was even stronger, and a fierce sword wind swept across all directions.
At this moment, Xie An was like a knife wielder who had been on the battlefield for a long time, holding a large knife in his hand, mastering thousands of strengths, and pressing the knife down inch by inch.
Every inch down, the sword momentum increased by one times the original power.
When the eighth inch was pressed down, the ground under Xie An's feet had been collapsed by the sword momentum, and a gust of wind centered on Xie An and spread around.
"So strong! After entering the ninth level of the Heavy Mountain Blade, it's completely different power."
Xie An clearly felt that what he was holding in his hand was not a knife, but a small mountain. The powerful sword momentum accumulated on the blade, causing the blade to shake, and it was vaguely about to be unable to hold it down.
The blade made of fine iron actually had cracks.
Four sections of Bright Jade Skill, fully activated.
In an instant, Xie An was like a giant, overwhelming the sky with sword momentum.
"The ninth inch, down."
The last inch, press down.
The blade, landed.
Boom!
A thunderclap exploded on the ground, and an extremely strong blade of light cut open the bluestone brick ground for more than ten meters, sand and stones flying. At the same time as the ground shook violently, the fine iron blade could no longer withstand the sword momentum, and it exploded, turning into countless fragments that shot in all directions.
It was really like a shell exploding, shrapnel shooting everywhere.
"Damn..."
Although Xie An had copper skin and iron bones, he couldn't defend against the fine iron fragments detonated by this sword momentum, so he immediately learned from the TV series of his previous life... immediately hugged his head with both hands and fell backwards to the ground.
When the surroundings calmed down, Xie An got up to take a look...
The ground was chiseled open with a gully more than ten meters long, the two osmanthus trees as thick as bowls around them fell, and the bottles and jars piled in the corner were all shattered by the broken blades.
The whole yard was in a mess, as if it had been looted by bandits.
Xie An was dumbfounded.
"Turtle turtle... This is the power of the Ninefold Heavy Mountain Blade! ?"
"It is said that the ninth level requires inner strength to activate, but I haven't broken through to the inner strength martial artist yet..."
Just then—
"Who is the thief, dare to break into the hall!"
Wang Xiang rushed in with a group of men with knives, making a look of being ready for battle. Seeing Xie An slumped on the ground in embarrassment, he rushed to Xie An first and raised his knife to protect him.
Xie An was both angry and amused, "It's okay, I was too invested in practicing, which caused a little movement."
Hiss.
Wang Xiang gasped: Practicing can cause such a big movement? Is this still a human?
However, there were indeed no thieves around, Wang Xiang had no choice but to believe it, and called the disciples to clean up the mess.
Xie An hid quickly, but was not affected by the blades.
What a pity... a good knife was wasted.
Moreover, Xie An began to worry about another thing:
The Ninefold Heavy Mountain Blade is indeed terrifying, but ordinary knives... simply can't withstand this kind of sword momentum. If you use ordinary knives to display it, the enemy can't resist it, but the blade will shatter... and you can't resist it either.
Need a precious knife!
Fine iron is already an excellent material, where to find a better material...?
However, Xie An likes this feeling of steady development and becoming stronger "bit by bit" very much. He warned himself to take his time...
"If you have a precious knife in hand, even if you encounter a martial artist with one level of inner strength, you can cut him down with one knife!"
After the disciples cleaned up the courtyard and repaired the bluestone bricks, it was already late at night.
Xie An closed the courtyard door, made a meal, and brought it to the backyard.
In the past two months, Su Yuqing had been in the backyard all the time, reading books, writing, studying chess scores, and tinkering with musical instruments. She had a very leisurely life.
Of course, this was only Xie An's perception, as for whether she had done anything else in secret, Xie An did not know.
Putting down the bowls and chopsticks, Xie An planned to leave.
Just then, Liu Chun, who was out patrolling, rushed in, "Brother Xie, something bad has happened."
"Brother Chun, what happened?"
"The school that was being repaired suddenly caught fire. Although everyone rushed over to put out the fire, many villagers were still burned to death. The scene is about to get out of control."
"I'll go take a look!" Xie An's heart was anxious, and he instinctively wanted to go out, but after only two steps, he stopped again, "But was it arson?"
Liu Chun said: "I went to see it, the fire started all of a sudden, deliberately burning people to death. It must be man-made."
Xie An turned around and looked at Su Yuqing.
Su Yuqing put down the bowls and chopsticks, slowly stood up, "Someone should be unable to hold back and deliberately set fire to lure you out, this is a killing trap. I will go with you to see."
