Chapter 33 Journey to the Prefecture Capital (1/2)

The wee hours of the third day of the first month of the year 1228 in the Ziyun Era.

Pong! Pong!

Two urgent knocks shattered the silence of the compound behind Yunxuan Restaurant, startling Zhou Donghuang who was practicing in his room.

Zhou Donghuang opened his eyes, leaped off his bed, and opened the door. Freezing Wind was standing outside.

Freezing Wind was dressed in black, and his long hair hung loose, which combined with his stern face to give him a defiant look.

“Young Master, I’ve broken through.”

Freezing Wind’s stern face twitched as he looked at Zhou Donghuang, and he could barely hide the excitement in his eyes.

After enduring that excruciating pain the previous afternoon, he felt as though he was hovering between life and death.

But now, he felt that it had all been worth it!

Not only had he attained level-two of Qi-gathering, but he was also able to exert one thousand five hundred jin of force with his maximum muscular strength. This was an increase of more than one thousand two hundred jin of force after accounting for his original muscular strength of about two hundred jin.

Now, with his maximum muscular strength to complement the qi within his body, the strength he was capable of exerting far exceeded that of an ordinary level-three adept.

After all, an ordinary level-three adept would only have had one bull’s strength more than him, which was about eight hundred jin of force, while he would have more than one thousand two hundred jin of force, more when it came to muscular strength.

He now exceeded an ordinary level-three adept in strength by several hundred jin.

“Not bad,” Zhou Donghuang nodded in satisfaction.

Although he knew Freezing Wind was about to break through, he did not expect it to happen this soon. It seemed he had evidently underestimated Freezing Wind’s talent.

Previously, he had told Freezing Wind that he could attain level-two of Qi-gathering within two days… but that was if he passed on another technique to Freezing Wind.

But then, with the Way of the Thousand-Star Sword that he passed on to Freezing Wind, which he practiced while using the qi-gathering elixir, Freezing Wind naturally was able to attain level-two of Qi-gathering earlier.

He originally thought that Freezing Wind would need two days before he could attain level-two of Qi-gathering, and never imagined that he would be able to break through within two days.

“How is your practice going with the swiftness technique I gave you outside Ningping town?” Zhou Donghuang asked.

“Young Master, that swiftness technique is a third-grade technique; I can barely demonstrate it fully… for it to be second nature to me, I need more time to familiarize myself with it.”

Although Freezing Wind did not dare bring out the third-grade swiftness technique, Star-Stepping Footwork given to him by Zhou Donghuang for his fellow bandits to practice, he had practiced it himself in secret.

Other than that, he had passed it on to only his old comrade who had followed him for many years, the bandit known as “Scar,” who was named You Hengkun.

“Not bad.” Zhou Donghuang nodded and continued, “Come in, I have something for you.”

Zhou Donghuang turned and led the way into the room, and Freezing Wind hurried to keep up.

Zhou Donghuang came to the table and picked up two pieces of paper covered in writing that he had done in the morning. He passed them to Freezing Wind.

Freezing Wind reached out to receive them, and as he read one of the papers, his eyes widened.

“This is… a third-grade sword technique?!”

“This third-grade sword technique, ‘Swift Wind Sword’ relies on a sword and thus is considered a technique with potent killing power,” Zhou Donghuang said.

“Take a look at the other technique,” Zhou Donghuang prompted.

Freezing Wind picked up the other piece of paper, and as he stared at the paper, it seemed that his stare had rooted his eyes to the paper, and he was unable to tear his gaze away.

“This… this…”

As he continued reading, Freezing Wind’s expression became even more incredulous.

“Why do I sense that this sword technique is even more advanced than Swift Wind Sword?”

Zhou Donghuang laughed at Freezing Wind’s incredulous expression and replied, “Second-grade techniques are naturally more advanced than third-grade techniques.”

Freezing Wind went stiff with shock at Zhou Donghuang’s words, as though he had been struck by lightning. He didn’t move for a long time.

After a while, he finally sucked in a breath of air and recovered his wits. Looking with shock at Zhou Donghuang, he asked in a slurred voice, “Young Master, this… this is a second-grade technique?”

In the whole of the country of Yunyang, there was probably only one second-grade martial art.

Moreover, this second-grade technique was a national treasure of the country of Yunyang.

But now, the paper he was holding also contained a second-grade technique?

“Although second-grade techniques are good, the qi you have now is only enough for you to barely demonstrate one aspect of it… unless it is absolutely necessary, it is better not to use it now,” Zhou Donghuang spoke plainly. “At first, I did not intend to give this to you this early… but I am traveling out of Qingshan town to the prefecture capital tomorrow. I am giving this to you now so that you can practice part of the defensive aspect in the meantime at your convenience.”

Given Freezing Wind’s current ability, the third-grade swiftness technique, Star-Stepping Footwork, and the third-grade sword technique, Swift Wind Sword were enough for him to overpower most level-three adepts.

Freezing Wind only needed to master half the second-grade sword technique, and even an average level-four adept would have little chance of escaping his sword.

“Young Master, are you going to the prefecture capital to seek out the three elite lesser families?” Freezing Wind asked with a gleam in his eye. “I’ll go with you.”

Freezing Wind was now full of confidence.

Those three lesser families did not even possess lesser-grade techniques, and the strongest among them were only level-three adepts.

The ability he currently had was enough to put those three lesser families to shame.

“No need,” Zhou Donghuang said as he shook his head. “Stay here and look after the house, and protect my mother and Granny Lian… I will go with Fu tomorrow.”