Chapter 46

Chapter 46: Specializing in Saber Arts

Back in Scarlet Sun City, Rong Shu had already realized that Senior Brother Lin Dao possessed an impressively broad range of knowledge, as if there were nothing he did not know.

Although Senior Brother Lin Dao kept saying he only knew a little, even that so-called little, trivial as he made it sound, was immensely valuable to Rong Shu at her current level.

When Rong Shu finished asking all her questions, her mind instantly felt clear, and a subtle, indescribable sense of satisfaction lingered.

She had already been with Lin Dao for nearly two hours. Feeling that was enough for today and that there would be time in the future, Rong Shu prepared to take her leave.

Lin Dao, however, took the initiative to ask: “Have you decided on your future direction? Which weapon will you major in?”

Rong Shu nodded: “I have a rough idea.”

Back in Scarlet Sun City, Lin Dao had proposed four weapons that might suit her: spear, horizontal saber, bow, and whip.

On the way back, whenever she paused from cultivation, Rong Shu kept thinking about which weapon to major in, and gradually her thoughts took shape.

She preferred weapons with great power that could kill in a single strike and leave no lingering dangers. The whip was the first to be eliminated. For her primary weapon, Rong Shu hesitated between the spear and the horizontal saber, but ultimately chose the horizontal saber style Blood Splashes Five Steps. Additionally, she intended to minor in the bow for ranged attacks.

Lin Dao said: “Tell me.”

Rong Shu drew back her drifting thoughts and replied solemnly: “Senior brother, I want to learn the saber, and I also want to minor in the bow.”

One for close combat and one for long range, a well-matched pair, and Rong Shu happened to show a bit of aptitude with both.

Lin Dao pondered slightly, then said: “With a horizontal saber, there are single-handed blades and dual-wielding. Which are you choosing?”

“Dual-wielding?” Rong Shu pictured herself holding twin blades. [Hmm… that seems pretty cool?]

“Forget it for now,” Lin Dao said when he saw she had no clear idea: “When you start training, we will see your talent and comprehension before deciding whether to go single-handed or dual-wielding.”

Rong Shu naturally nodded her agreement.

Lin Dao asked: “And beyond that? Have you thought through your broader cultivation path?”

Since Rong Shu would be studying saber and archery while also aiming to be an alchemist, her priorities had to be clear, or she would fail to do any of them well.

Thinking of Feng Lin’s threat earlier today, Rong Shu’s gaze dimmed: “I want to major in offensive arts. Strength is the foundation of survival. With strength, one’s actions are not easily constrained, and others cannot knead you into whatever shape they want. As for being an alchemist, I will treat it as a supporting profession.”

“Not bad,” Lin Dao said.

He kept his expression neutral, yet he still caught the faint resentment that inadvertently flickered across Rong Shu’s features. After all, she was still a youngster. No matter how calm her face looked or how orderly she handled matters, before a cultivator of Lin Dao’s level she was still a bit too green.

[So someone threatened this girl, perhaps even her life… and that is why she came to me? Who was it? Immortal Venerable Ze Yu? No. If he truly wanted her life, never mind taking her as a disciple; he would have acted on the very first day she entered the sect. Qin Yuan? Yu Ruan Ruan? Unlikely. One is not very invested in her, the other seems to have some designs, but neither would be driven to kill. Dai Zhou and his lot? They have been in the sect for over a decade. They barely spoke to her during missions, let alone had conflicts. That leaves the “big senior brother” she mentioned. Feng Lin, Immortal Venerable Ze Yu’s first disciple, a Golden Core Stage sword cultivator. She would have met him for the first time upon returning to the sect. So… was it him? Feng Lin?]

Lin Dao’s gaze flickered.

[If it were Zian and the others being bullied outside, I would already be at someone’s door with my sword and a challenge. But… she and I are not kin, and I have no reason to help her. Besides, I do not wish to leave Heaven’s Evolution Sect for now. If I behead someone, leaving would be my only option. Furthermore… this girl likely has her own plan. Let us watch for now.]

Rong Shu had no idea Lin Dao had already guessed most of it. She took her leave: “Senior brother Lin Dao, I will head out first.”

As she spoke, her voice paused. Then she asked tentatively: “Senior brother, are you busy tomorrow?”

Lin Dao glanced at Rong Shu: “Not busy.”

Rong Shu’s eyes brightened: “Then may I come again to consult you?”

Lin Dao nodded: “You may.”

“Thank you, senior brother!”

This result was even better and smoother than Rong Shu had expected. She left perfectly content.

…

After leaving the inner peaks, Rong Shu hurried straight to the Task Pavilion on Spirit Gathering Peak and immediately accepted the night tasks for the Hundred Herb Garden and the Spirit Beast Garden in the back mountain.

While she was accepting the tasks, the disciple at reception reminded her: “Junior Sister Rong, night tasks are very tiring. Are you sure you want both of these?”

Rong Shu nodded: “Mm-hmm, I am sure.”

The two long-term posts at the back mountain’s Hundred Herb Garden and Spirit Beast Garden were always popular among routine tasks, but only during the day.

At night, there was no suitable lodging in the back mountain for disciples doing tasks.

Let alone watching over the Hundred Herb Garden or the Spirit Beast Garden an entire night; it was far too likely to interfere with cultivation.

Rong Shu, however, was different. She needed both of these tasks.

First, they gave her a reason not to return to Limitless Peak, which would let her avoid Feng Lin to the greatest extent.

Second, during this period, her focus would be on training in saber and bow. Unlike seated cultivation, she could practice saber and archery while keeping an eye on the medicine fields and spirit beasts.

Seeing Rong Shu so determined, the reception disciple said no more and directly registered the tasks for her.

“Many thanks, senior brother.”

Leaving the Task Pavilion, Rong Shu turned and headed to the Armory Pavilion.

She was not there to buy treasure-grade weapons, but to purchase a standard horizontal saber and a bow with arrows first.

Once she could handle them proficiently, she would trade up to treasures.

Moreover, she had spent almost all her spirit stones on medicinal herbs in Scarlet Sun City. Until she refined proper pills and sold them, she would have to cinch her belt and survive on the sect’s last bits of welfare.

…

Back mountain, Hundred Herb Garden.

Inside a small courtyard.

“What are you doing here?” The hunchbacked uncle stared, beard bristling and eyes bulging, at the innocently smiling Rong Shu.

“Doing my task,” Rong Shu said with utter sincerity.

Ever since Rong Shu had previously come to the Hundred Herb Garden to work, the hunchbacked uncle had felt that items in his little courtyard kept inexplicably going missing.

Yet whenever he tried to check what exactly was gone, he could not quite pin it down.

A few days later, the things would return. He realized they were all tools he used to grind medicinal materials.

Since Rong Shu stopped doing tasks at the Hundred Herb Garden, his tools had never gone missing again.

So he had a hunch that it was this seemingly harmless girl who had taken them.