You promised steampunk martial arts, but you've got an internal combustion engine in your chest

Chapter 56 Two Sword Manuals

The moon was high in the sky, and all was quiet.

After leaving the Li residence in the north of the city, Baili Jing was still somewhat dazed.

I had a banquet tonight and met an old lady. Just like that, I went from being a laborer to becoming the fourth leader of the canal gang!

From this day forward, my life will be completely different.

The carriage swayed through the deserted streets, taking him all the way back to the inn.

When they returned to the room, Bailijie was already fast asleep in the inner room.

The boy was, after all, just an ordinary mortal. He had experienced too much tonight, and once his head hit the pillow, he was completely still.

But Baili Jing was wide awake.

He had eaten and drunk his fill that night, and all the food had turned into a torrent of energy. Although it had all been put into his internal combustion engine, he still felt somewhat excited.

"Since I can't sleep anyway, I might as well take a look at the sword technique I got tonight."

The martial arts manuals that Zhou Erquan and Ding Yan were supposed to send hadn't arrived yet, and right now, he only had those two sword techniques on hand.

By the dim light of the oil lamp, Baili Jing spread the two sword manuals out on his lap.

On the left is "The Widow's Grave-Crying Knife"; on the right is "The Three-Enclosure Void-Breaking Knife".

Baili Jing rubbed his hands together, then turned his gaze to the book "The Grave-Crying Knife" that Prefect Huang Qixiu had given him.

During the dinner tonight, he only glanced at it casually, but now he carefully read through it from beginning to end. The more he read, the higher his eyebrows rose, and in the end, he almost burst out laughing.

This swordsmanship—it's a completely shameless fighting style.

This so-called "masterpiece of the young swordsman" doesn't emphasize solid stances or graceful movements; it emphasizes pure "madness" and "rogue-like" energy.

The entire book emphasizes meaning over form, and all the techniques used are low-level and underhanded tricks.

They can do whatever they want – groin kicks, eye gouging, rolling around and throwing tantrums – the key is to catch people off guard.

The entire set of knife techniques consists of five moves: hammering the tombstone, digging ten, smashing the grave, tearing clothes, and slapping the coffin.

Just from the name, you can tell this isn't some legitimate trick.

The manual didn't show the exact slashing trajectory of each move; instead, it marked many unorthodox techniques.

For example, when using the "grave-pouncing" move, the knife user must distort their facial muscles and make a mournful wail and strange cry like a widow who has lost her husband. In this way, before the blade even arrives, the opponent's mind will be disturbed and even terrified, thus revealing a flaw in the blink of an eye.

Of course, they are not without rules. For example, smashing a tombstone requires a smash; digging soil requires keeping the blade low to the ground and starting from the lower body; poking a grave is a rolling rush technique; tearing clothes targets the opponent's throat, jaw, and face; and slapping a coffin involves striking the person with the side of the blade at the right moment.

These five moves are not related in sequence and can even be combined with other sword techniques. They can be used whenever there is an opportunity. Whether they are very lethal is another matter, but they are truly disgusting.

"Wonderful! This Sword Saint is truly a remarkable person. I like him!"

Baili Jing clicked his tongue in amazement, closed the book, and then turned his gaze to "The Three-Enclosure Void-Breaking Blade".

Compared to the former's scoundrel and rogue, this one seems quite standard and orthodox.

This sword technique deeply embodies the profound and righteous principles of Taoism, following a dignified and majestic path.

The entire book contains only three simple techniques: Ziwei Dingyuan, Taiwei Zhanchen, and Tianshi Daoxuan.

The first move, Ziwei Dingyuan, refers to the Ziwei Palace, which is the master of the central palace in the celestial realm, symbolizing the "unmoving" supreme being of the Heavenly Dao.

Once this move is executed, no matter how the opponent dodges or changes position, the tip of the blade must point directly at their chest. This move is not intended to injure the enemy, but only to force the opponent to stop playing the feint and force them to reveal their true strength and weaknesses.

The second move, Taiwei Slaying the Stars, refers to the Taiwei Enclosure, which is the administrative and law enforcement center of the Heavenly Court.

Once the first move forces out an opponent's weakness, the second strike is like a celestial official enforcing the law, thunderous and relentless, instantly and without mercy!

Because the arc of this strike is extremely large and round, in combat, ordinary people can easily mistake it for defense or charging up power. In reality, by the time you see it clearly, the blade has already struck a vital point, leaving no room for evasion.

The third move, "Heavenly Market Upside Down," refers to a settlement or market. This move signifies "turning the world upside down and living in seclusion in the city."

This move is the finishing move of the entire sword manual. There is no fixed trajectory. The swordsman needs to make full use of the momentum accumulated from the previous two moves, reverse the grip of the sword, drag it backward, and then slash out in a spinning motion.

With a single slash, the enemy's retreat was completely blocked by the force of the energy. In their panic, the only way out they could see was from where the blade had come from!

Three strikes decide life or death; there is no room for retreat.

Baili Jing was thrilled, feeling as if his blood was about to boil.

The roguish charm of "The Widow's Grave-Crying Knife" perfectly suited his temperament; while the exquisite techniques of "The Three Walls Piercing the Void Knife" could just make up for his current weakness of having only brute strength.

"No way, my hands are itching to play a couple of rounds!"

Baili Jing stuffed the two sword manuals into his arms, pushed open the door, and slipped into the backyard of the inn.

The inn's backyard isn't large, with a crooked old locust tree growing in the middle, and the guest rooms' back walls on all four sides.

Baili Jing wandered around the well for a long time before finally pulling out a heavy iron cleaver from the back kitchen.

He stood under the old locust tree, holding the kitchen knife, and took a deep breath.

"How about we practice the Grave-Crying Blade technique first?"

Baili Jing raised his head and glanced around. A few oil lamps were still lit sporadically in the guest room windows.

His face flushed slightly, and he coughed awkwardly.

Forget it. He's the fourth-in-command of the Canal Gang, after all. If someone found him in the backyard with a kitchen knife, rolling around on the ground screaming and howling like a banshee—

Let's find a quiet place to practice later.

"Then—let's practice the Three Walls Void-Breaking Blade first!"

'

Baili Jing's eyes suddenly darkened.

Following the instructions in the knife manual, he assumed a horse stance, gripped the cleaver in his right hand, and with a thought, the internal combustion engine emitted a deep roar.

boom!

The hands on the dial snapped up instantly, and a surge of heat flowed down his shoulder, upper arm, and into his right hand.

First move: Ziwei Stabilizes the Palace!

Baili Jing visualized the contents of the sword manual in his mind, let out a deep shout, and the kitchen knife, wrapped in a wisp of white steam, stabbed straight out.

A straight thrust is simple, but the "sword intent locking" technique emphasized in sword manuals is not so simple. Enemies can run and move, and you must ensure that they do not get outside your blade lock.

As for how to lock it?

Sword manuals naturally don't just teach thrusting; they offer a series of complex training methods. For example, one might move using specific footwork while keeping the blade locked in one position; or imagine an enemy attacking from all sides, requiring the practitioner to maintain balance through a series of spinning, leaping, and crouching movements.

There are more than a dozen ways to practice this first move alone.

At first, Baili Jing's movements were somewhat awkward.

Accustomed to the brutal fighting style of overwhelming force, the cleaver seemed to float slightly in mid-air, and the energy in his body was also somewhat stagnant due to the lack of smooth flow in his meridians.

However, as waves of heat coursed through his body, Baili Jing's body began to exhibit unusual characteristics.

His muscles, washed by the hot current, seemed to develop some kind of strange memory!

His body began to subtly adjust to the rhythm of energy. The content he had seen in the sword manual before, as well as the parts that were difficult or awkward in his practice, all seemed to be resolved by his muscles on their own. The internal combustion engine also adjusted its speed and frequency to help him regulate his breathing rhythm.

Gradually, with each swing of the knife, the weight on the cleaver seemed to increase, and his posture seemed to become more stable.

In just the time it takes for three incense sticks to burn, Baili Jing's body became as steady as a rock!

He thrust the knife forward, and although it was just a kitchen knife, it exuded a heavy aura like Mount Tai pressing down!

No matter how he imagined his opponent dodging and weaving in front of him, his wrist holding the knife remained as steady as cast iron, the tip of the blade locked onto the void ahead.

In a very short time, he had already mastered five or six tenths of the essence of this move!

"carefree!"

As Baili Jing got into the swing of things, he felt a surge of heat in his chest that was about to burst.

Just as the energy from the first strike reached its peak, he had a sudden inspiration and, following the immense momentum that almost overturned him, naturally delivered the second strike: Taiwei Zhan Chen!

The force of this strike was fully charged, and Baili Jing was unable to control his strength for a moment.

boom!

The internal combustion engine roared loudly, and the kitchen knife in his hand drew a huge arc of light, like a cold and bright crescent moon!

However, ordinary iron could not ultimately withstand the extraordinary force.

Before the knife could be fully extended, Baili Jing felt a jolt in his palm. The handle of the cleaver could not withstand the pressure and exploded into a shower of wood chips!

The out-of-control blade, accompanied by a piercing whistle, flew out diagonally.

chap!

The cleaver spun at incredible speed, hurtling towards the old locust tree in the yard, and then—

It disappeared into the ground, and half a second later, it crashed onto the wall behind the locust tree with a loud thud.

Baili Jing's eyes widened, and he looked down at the wood shavings in his palm.

Before he could react, a loud cracking sound rang out.

The old locust tree slowly tilted and fell down!

As the cleaver spun past, it split open at an angle, and the sound it made grew louder and louder. The massive tree canopy, carrying countless branches and leaves, collapsed with a crash!

"Holy crap!"

Baili Jing wanted to rush over to help, but it was too late.

The big tree has fallen heavily, crashing solidly onto the inn building!

Boom!!

Broken bricks and tiles flew everywhere, and the huge tremor made the entire inn shake.

"The earth shook?! The earth shook?!"

"Oh my god! The wall has collapsed!"

"Which bastard who gave birth to a son without an anus is setting off fireworks outside in the middle of the night instead of sleeping?! Are they trying to demolish the building?!"

'

In an instant, the windows of the inn were violently pushed open, and screams, shouts, and angry curses erupted from one room after another.